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Flight Patterns
"The New York Times bestselling author of The Sound of Glass and coauthor of The Forgotten Room tells the story of a woman coming home to the family she left behind--and to the woman she always wanted to be.... Georgia Chambers has spent her life sifting through other people's pasts while trying to forget her own. But then her work as an expert on fine china--especially Limoges--requires her to return to the one place she swore she'd never revisit.... It has been thirteen years since Georgia left her family home on the coast of Florida, and nothing much has changed except that there are fewer oysters and more tourists. She finds solace in seeing her grandfather still toiling away in the apiary where she spent much of her childhood, but encountering her estranged mother and sister leaves her rattled. Seeing them after all this time makes Georgia realize that something has been missing--and unless she finds a way to heal these rifts, she will forever be living vicariously through other people's remnants. To embrace her own life--mistakes and all--she will have to find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past and the secrets she was forced to keep..."--
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First published May 31, 2016
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About the author
Karen White
41 books7,406 followersWith more than 2 million books in print in fifteen different languages, Karen White is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 34 novels, including the popular Charleston-set Tradd Street mystery series.
Raised in a house full of brothers, Karen’s love of books and strong female characters first began in the third grade when the local librarian issued her a library card and placed The Secret of the Old Clock, a Nancy Drew Mystery, in her hands.
Karen’s roots run deep in the South where many of her novels are set. Her intricate plot lines and compelling characters charm and captivate readers with just the right mix of family drama, mystery, intrigue and romance.
Not entirely convinced she wanted to be a writer, Karen first pursued a career in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University. Ten years later, in a weak moment, she wrote her first book. In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000. Her books—referred to as “grit lit” (Southern Women’s Fiction)—have since been nominated for numerous national contests including the SIBA (Southeastern Booksellers Alliance) Fiction Book of the Year.
Karen’s next book, THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER, will be published by Park Row Books in July, 2025.
When not writing, Karen spends her time reading, scrapbooking, playing piano, and avoiding cooking. Karen and her husband have two grown children and currently live near Atlanta, Georgia with two spoiled Havanese dogs.
- See more at: http://www.karen-white.com/bio.cfm#st...
Raised in a house full of brothers, Karen’s love of books and strong female characters first began in the third grade when the local librarian issued her a library card and placed The Secret of the Old Clock, a Nancy Drew Mystery, in her hands.
Karen’s roots run deep in the South where many of her novels are set. Her intricate plot lines and compelling characters charm and captivate readers with just the right mix of family drama, mystery, intrigue and romance.
Not entirely convinced she wanted to be a writer, Karen first pursued a career in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University. Ten years later, in a weak moment, she wrote her first book. In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000. Her books—referred to as “grit lit” (Southern Women’s Fiction)—have since been nominated for numerous national contests including the SIBA (Southeastern Booksellers Alliance) Fiction Book of the Year.
Karen’s next book, THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER, will be published by Park Row Books in July, 2025.
When not writing, Karen spends her time reading, scrapbooking, playing piano, and avoiding cooking. Karen and her husband have two grown children and currently live near Atlanta, Georgia with two spoiled Havanese dogs.
- See more at: http://www.karen-white.com/bio.cfm#st...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,276 reviews
October 14, 2016
Flight Patterns by Karen White is a 2016 Penguin/NAL publication.
Another fantastic southern novel from Karen White!
This story has so many layers, my mind is still grappling with all the details and flourishes.
When Georgia Chambers, an antiques specialist, is commissioned to find pieces in a unique china set, bearing a bee pattern, it sparks a long forgotten memory. She believes she has seen a piece just like it in her childhood home. But, returning to Florida to search for it will open up a Pandora’s box of old hurts and deeply buried family secrets.
James Graf is at a crossroads in his life, so when he meets Georgia and learns she may actually own a piece of his grandmother’s china set, he insists on traveling with her to Florida and nothing she says will change his mind. But, once they arrive, James learns why Georgia has stayed away for so many years, as his search stirs up a maelstrom within the Chambers home.
Maisey is horrified when she learns her sister, Georgia is coming back home after a ten year absence. Georgia had promised to stay away, but now all the pain and heartache that lies between them rises to the surface, threatening to engulf them, and it looks as though nothing can heal the rift which seems to only grow wider as time passes.
However, Maisey and Georgia will discover their grandfather, who runs an apiary, and their mother, Birdie, who is mentally unstable, are harboring huge secrets in their hearts and Georgia’s return, along with the elusive china piece, and a startling new development, will dislodge those secrets, causing a domino effect and ripples and waves to cascade over them, changing their family dynamic forevermore.
Wow! Talk about drama! This book is chock full of tumultuous human emotions, creating an atmosphere akin to the change in barometric pressure right before a particularly nasty storm. The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife, but there is also a mystery afoot, and it’s a doozy!
The humid, balmy, Florida setting only served to contribute to the heaviness hanging in the air, the crackle of suspense, and the anticipation of seeing how everything will unfold, fall apart, or rebuild itself.
Maisey is a complicated character, and despite knowing about her grief and suffering, she was a very difficult person to like. Even after all was said and done, I don’t know that I ever really forgave her, especially after all the facts came in. Sadly, Maisey’s lack of character development and her inability to let go of all that anger, even after everything came to a head, was very disappointing, and was the one downfall in the story.
Georgia was also a complex character, but I sympathized with her more and admired her grit, her sacrifices, and her willingness to fight for her family, even if she was often aloof and wasn’t always nice in places where I really wanted and needed her to be.
James is an absolute dream, the voice of reason, patient, and unbelievably understanding and insightful,even while he grapples with his own demons. I really liked him, and feel like his presence was a real asset, with Karma playing a big part in putting him and Georgia together.
The secondary characters also play enormous roles, and are the key to unlocking the mystery that has held the family captive for so long.
The facts about bees that began every chapter was informative and interesting, but also paralleled the tone and context of the chapter to come. I don’t know how the author manages this, but she does an amazing job of connecting the actions of the bees to the characters or the events taking place.
I can’t say enough nice things about Karen White and the way she sucks the reader into her carefully crafted web, the way she lures you deeper into the complexities of family and small southern townships, holding you spellbound from start to finish, while dropping bombshells, and emotional twists on you, until you can barely stand the intensity.
This is another well written and explosive family story, filled with flawed and damaged people, but people who are family, who love each other, who have each other’s backs, who fight for them, and love them beyond reason in spite of it all.
Another fantastic southern novel from Karen White!
This story has so many layers, my mind is still grappling with all the details and flourishes.
When Georgia Chambers, an antiques specialist, is commissioned to find pieces in a unique china set, bearing a bee pattern, it sparks a long forgotten memory. She believes she has seen a piece just like it in her childhood home. But, returning to Florida to search for it will open up a Pandora’s box of old hurts and deeply buried family secrets.
James Graf is at a crossroads in his life, so when he meets Georgia and learns she may actually own a piece of his grandmother’s china set, he insists on traveling with her to Florida and nothing she says will change his mind. But, once they arrive, James learns why Georgia has stayed away for so many years, as his search stirs up a maelstrom within the Chambers home.
Maisey is horrified when she learns her sister, Georgia is coming back home after a ten year absence. Georgia had promised to stay away, but now all the pain and heartache that lies between them rises to the surface, threatening to engulf them, and it looks as though nothing can heal the rift which seems to only grow wider as time passes.
However, Maisey and Georgia will discover their grandfather, who runs an apiary, and their mother, Birdie, who is mentally unstable, are harboring huge secrets in their hearts and Georgia’s return, along with the elusive china piece, and a startling new development, will dislodge those secrets, causing a domino effect and ripples and waves to cascade over them, changing their family dynamic forevermore.
Wow! Talk about drama! This book is chock full of tumultuous human emotions, creating an atmosphere akin to the change in barometric pressure right before a particularly nasty storm. The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife, but there is also a mystery afoot, and it’s a doozy!
The humid, balmy, Florida setting only served to contribute to the heaviness hanging in the air, the crackle of suspense, and the anticipation of seeing how everything will unfold, fall apart, or rebuild itself.
Maisey is a complicated character, and despite knowing about her grief and suffering, she was a very difficult person to like. Even after all was said and done, I don’t know that I ever really forgave her, especially after all the facts came in. Sadly, Maisey’s lack of character development and her inability to let go of all that anger, even after everything came to a head, was very disappointing, and was the one downfall in the story.
Georgia was also a complex character, but I sympathized with her more and admired her grit, her sacrifices, and her willingness to fight for her family, even if she was often aloof and wasn’t always nice in places where I really wanted and needed her to be.
James is an absolute dream, the voice of reason, patient, and unbelievably understanding and insightful,even while he grapples with his own demons. I really liked him, and feel like his presence was a real asset, with Karma playing a big part in putting him and Georgia together.
The secondary characters also play enormous roles, and are the key to unlocking the mystery that has held the family captive for so long.
The facts about bees that began every chapter was informative and interesting, but also paralleled the tone and context of the chapter to come. I don’t know how the author manages this, but she does an amazing job of connecting the actions of the bees to the characters or the events taking place.
I can’t say enough nice things about Karen White and the way she sucks the reader into her carefully crafted web, the way she lures you deeper into the complexities of family and small southern townships, holding you spellbound from start to finish, while dropping bombshells, and emotional twists on you, until you can barely stand the intensity.
This is another well written and explosive family story, filled with flawed and damaged people, but people who are family, who love each other, who have each other’s backs, who fight for them, and love them beyond reason in spite of it all.
October 17, 2018
I first picked up this book because it's written by Karen White and I adore her books. The fact the lead character, Georgia, was an antiques china patterns specialist just intrigued me more as I love old china teacups.
I must say though the story did not really pull me in. I usually enjoy a good family drama/secrets story but I found this one a little slow. Plus I did not warm to the characters very much.
Karen White is a fabulous storyteller who adds a lot of family dynamics and secrets to her stories. I just don't think this is one of her best.
I must say though the story did not really pull me in. I usually enjoy a good family drama/secrets story but I found this one a little slow. Plus I did not warm to the characters very much.
Karen White is a fabulous storyteller who adds a lot of family dynamics and secrets to her stories. I just don't think this is one of her best.
August 8, 2018
4.5 stars → Beekeeping, rare china patterns, and a decades-old mystery are the intriguing components woven into Karen White's family drama, FLIGHT PATTERNS.
Georgia and her sister, Maisy, have been estranged for a decade, and Georgia promised never to return to their coastal home of Apalachicola, Florida, where their grandfather is a beekeeper. That changes when Georgia, an expert in vintage things, is asked by a client to identify an unusual pattern of china, one that she's sure she saw before, on a lone piece hidden in her mother's closet years ago.
Reluctantly Georgia heads home with her handsome and guarded client, James, to search for the elusive piece of china with the unusual bee pattern. Not surprisingly, her return to Apalachicola is met with a chilly reception. What was it that drove the two sisters apart, and what family secrets are tied to the missing china? How does it all tie in with James?
FLIGHT PATTERNS is a beautifully written and bittersweet story in Karen White's classic writing style. She knows how to convey a sense of place. I could taste the honey, smell the ocean, and feel the humidity! Of course, the compelling characters are what truly draw you in. They can be flawed and frustrating at times, but that just makes them more realistic. I really enjoyed the multi-layered mystery and how all of the pieces fit together. Wonderful! A great book for summer reading and fans of Southern fiction.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Georgia and her sister, Maisy, have been estranged for a decade, and Georgia promised never to return to their coastal home of Apalachicola, Florida, where their grandfather is a beekeeper. That changes when Georgia, an expert in vintage things, is asked by a client to identify an unusual pattern of china, one that she's sure she saw before, on a lone piece hidden in her mother's closet years ago.
Reluctantly Georgia heads home with her handsome and guarded client, James, to search for the elusive piece of china with the unusual bee pattern. Not surprisingly, her return to Apalachicola is met with a chilly reception. What was it that drove the two sisters apart, and what family secrets are tied to the missing china? How does it all tie in with James?
FLIGHT PATTERNS is a beautifully written and bittersweet story in Karen White's classic writing style. She knows how to convey a sense of place. I could taste the honey, smell the ocean, and feel the humidity! Of course, the compelling characters are what truly draw you in. They can be flawed and frustrating at times, but that just makes them more realistic. I really enjoyed the multi-layered mystery and how all of the pieces fit together. Wonderful! A great book for summer reading and fans of Southern fiction.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2016
No author can transport me to the southern coast like Karen White. The scent of pluff mud and sea salt permeate every page. I don't know that any of her novels will outshine the Tradd Street series for me, but they are still very enjoyable. My summer reading has begun. 4 stars.
February 13, 2017
Georgia vowed she would never return home after she and her sister had words and parted ways ten years ago.
But....never say never. James, a client of Georgia's looking for a special Limoges China pattern changed it all because Georgia had to go home to look for a similar piece that she remembers her grandmother had, and James went with her.
FLIGHT PATTERNS pulled me in immediately with the marvelous writing style of Karen White and the interesting research done on Limoges China and beekeeping.
Learning about china patterns and the nature of bees couldn't have been more enjoyable.
I absolutely loved FLIGHT PATTERNS and enjoyed the characters.
Georgia was a bit aloof but likeable.
I was a bit perturbed with Maisey's negative attitude.
Becky was simply adorable, and Grandfather was wonderful.
Birdie was an odd, mysterious character.
James was every bit the gentleman and very likeable.
My favorite part was the mystery behind the connection between the Limoges soup cup and Georgia and Maisey's family and James' family.
FLIGHT PATTERNS is a beautiful book about family, reconnecting, and has the added bonus of a few family secrets. The secrets are quite good. :)
The beekeeper's quotes at the head of each chapter were thoughtful and interesting, and the inspiring quotes throughout the book were marvelous.
Another lovely, enjoyable, memorable read that won't disappoint fans of Karen White and women's fiction.
Do not miss reading FLIGHT PATTERNS. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for a honest review.
But....never say never. James, a client of Georgia's looking for a special Limoges China pattern changed it all because Georgia had to go home to look for a similar piece that she remembers her grandmother had, and James went with her.
FLIGHT PATTERNS pulled me in immediately with the marvelous writing style of Karen White and the interesting research done on Limoges China and beekeeping.
Learning about china patterns and the nature of bees couldn't have been more enjoyable.
I absolutely loved FLIGHT PATTERNS and enjoyed the characters.
Georgia was a bit aloof but likeable.
I was a bit perturbed with Maisey's negative attitude.
Becky was simply adorable, and Grandfather was wonderful.
Birdie was an odd, mysterious character.
James was every bit the gentleman and very likeable.
My favorite part was the mystery behind the connection between the Limoges soup cup and Georgia and Maisey's family and James' family.
FLIGHT PATTERNS is a beautiful book about family, reconnecting, and has the added bonus of a few family secrets. The secrets are quite good. :)
The beekeeper's quotes at the head of each chapter were thoughtful and interesting, and the inspiring quotes throughout the book were marvelous.
Another lovely, enjoyable, memorable read that won't disappoint fans of Karen White and women's fiction.
Do not miss reading FLIGHT PATTERNS. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for a honest review.
December 28, 2017
I will preface this by saying that I love Karen White. I did not, however, love this book.
Though family mysteries are a common theme in her novels, this one was extremely farfetched. What are the odds of James--a New Yorker--going to a woman in NOLA for help with his China set… AND THEM HAVING A CONNECTED FAMILY HISTORY?! There is no way.
Moving past that, let's discuss the reveal of Birdie's mom killing Birdie's biological father. Wow. That man, declared a hero, went through incredible pains to stay alive and be reunited with his daughter again. The Bloodworths knew the situation. They KNEW that was always a possibility. But when it came time for a reunion, Birdie's mom kills the poor man? The man who saved Jews? Who gave up his daughter for her safety? Who was taken by Nazis? Who suffered serious illness? Who worked to save up money to make to journey to the US? I don't care how much Birdie's mom loved her… that is disgusting. Despicable.
But what makes it even worse is that all of the other characters brush it under the rug. These characters choose to say, "Hey, it is sad, but she did it for love" as if it makes everything O.K. It doesn't. Ned may have sent in documents for Giles to me commemorated, but does that stack up against the value of his life? I don't think so.
Now, let's discuss Birdie. What a WEIRD choice for a character. I didn't understand why White would choose such an insufferable character with the strangest ailment. Birdie annoyed me. She was not "brave enough to keep her head down"--she was selfish and weak, and that's what it all comes down to. She chose herself over her family, and many people suffered because of it.
All in all, I was (obviously) disappointed in this book. Most of the surprises were easy to predict (Birdie being Colette, Becky being Georgia's biological daughter, etc). Truly the only thing I needed to have spelled out for me was who had actually killed Giles.
In the end, I know way too much about bees. But I will admit I do respect them more than I ever have before.
Though family mysteries are a common theme in her novels, this one was extremely farfetched. What are the odds of James--a New Yorker--going to a woman in NOLA for help with his China set… AND THEM HAVING A CONNECTED FAMILY HISTORY?! There is no way.
Moving past that, let's discuss the reveal of Birdie's mom killing Birdie's biological father. Wow. That man, declared a hero, went through incredible pains to stay alive and be reunited with his daughter again. The Bloodworths knew the situation. They KNEW that was always a possibility. But when it came time for a reunion, Birdie's mom kills the poor man? The man who saved Jews? Who gave up his daughter for her safety? Who was taken by Nazis? Who suffered serious illness? Who worked to save up money to make to journey to the US? I don't care how much Birdie's mom loved her… that is disgusting. Despicable.
But what makes it even worse is that all of the other characters brush it under the rug. These characters choose to say, "Hey, it is sad, but she did it for love" as if it makes everything O.K. It doesn't. Ned may have sent in documents for Giles to me commemorated, but does that stack up against the value of his life? I don't think so.
Now, let's discuss Birdie. What a WEIRD choice for a character. I didn't understand why White would choose such an insufferable character with the strangest ailment. Birdie annoyed me. She was not "brave enough to keep her head down"--she was selfish and weak, and that's what it all comes down to. She chose herself over her family, and many people suffered because of it.
All in all, I was (obviously) disappointed in this book. Most of the surprises were easy to predict (Birdie being Colette, Becky being Georgia's biological daughter, etc). Truly the only thing I needed to have spelled out for me was who had actually killed Giles.
In the end, I know way too much about bees. But I will admit I do respect them more than I ever have before.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2016
So about Flight Patterns. I’m not sure what went wrong with this one, but for me, I simply could not buy into the premise, the characters or even the setting. And setting is typically this author’s strong point!
What I did not love:
Maisy. She was angry at the world, spiteful and simply not a nice person. It seemed like the author was trying to make a point with Maisy’s character and how our parents can affect us even into adulthood. I did not see any real growth in her character throughout the book. Even in the end she felt flat and one-dimensional to me – an angry, bitter person.
The progression of the book seemed stilted. It’s like the author threw every contrived scenario at the characters in order to create emotional drama and impact but instead, it didn’t flow with White’s typical immersive storytelling skill.
The novel felt too long and drawn out. We were told many, many times how Birdie was mentally unstable and Maisie was ‘justifiably’ angry and Georgia was responsible for everything.
What I did enjoy
Becky, Maisy’s daughter. Such a sweetly drawn character who stole the show for me.
Many of the bee facts – fascinating!
When a hive is invaded by a wasp, the bees cluster around the intruder and fan their wings to make it 117 degrees, knowing that wasps cannot survive temperatures above 116. This is the ultimate act of survival, as the bees will die if the temperature reaches 118 degrees.
Nuggets of life truths sprinkled throughout the book:
"When you let your hurt from the past control you, you are tied to it forever. You will never change your life until you learn to let go the things that once hurt you."
"Because no one can hurt us as much as those we love the most."
"Sometimes all we need to do to forgive our parents is to understand their own childhoods."
I”d honestly recommend one of Karen White’s earlier books over this one, especially On Folly Beach…it's my absolute favorite of White's!
What I did not love:
Maisy. She was angry at the world, spiteful and simply not a nice person. It seemed like the author was trying to make a point with Maisy’s character and how our parents can affect us even into adulthood. I did not see any real growth in her character throughout the book. Even in the end she felt flat and one-dimensional to me – an angry, bitter person.
The progression of the book seemed stilted. It’s like the author threw every contrived scenario at the characters in order to create emotional drama and impact but instead, it didn’t flow with White’s typical immersive storytelling skill.
The novel felt too long and drawn out. We were told many, many times how Birdie was mentally unstable and Maisie was ‘justifiably’ angry and Georgia was responsible for everything.
What I did enjoy
Becky, Maisy’s daughter. Such a sweetly drawn character who stole the show for me.
Many of the bee facts – fascinating!
When a hive is invaded by a wasp, the bees cluster around the intruder and fan their wings to make it 117 degrees, knowing that wasps cannot survive temperatures above 116. This is the ultimate act of survival, as the bees will die if the temperature reaches 118 degrees.
Nuggets of life truths sprinkled throughout the book:
"When you let your hurt from the past control you, you are tied to it forever. You will never change your life until you learn to let go the things that once hurt you."
"Because no one can hurt us as much as those we love the most."
"Sometimes all we need to do to forgive our parents is to understand their own childhoods."
I”d honestly recommend one of Karen White’s earlier books over this one, especially On Folly Beach…it's my absolute favorite of White's!
April 11, 2017
What is Buzzing? FLIGHT PATTERNS Out in Paperback March 28, 2017.
**Congrats to Winner ** Amy Sullivan, Prescott Valley AZ! FLIGHT PATTERNS. Thanks for all the participation. Book Giveaway Contest, April 4-11 Blog Tour.
Talented Southern storyteller, Karen White returns following The Sound of Glass, with her best yet! Top 50 Books of 2016!
As mentioned in my last KW review: No one can tell it better than the "southern queen"--buried secrets, history, and mysterious attics. When all the secrets come to the surface, someone is "bound" to learn something and be a better person for them.
A complex, multi-layered, and moving family tale FLIGHT PATTERNS is set in rural Apalachicola, Florida. With intriguing dual timelines, a domestic historical suspense of a mystery, powerful memories, dark family secrets, and regrets. A top 2016 Southern women's historical fiction.
The original cover and the reprint, both fabulous front cover (s) Colorful and adorable hive boxes. The bee, a flying miracle is also a wonderful power animal and spiritual metaphor —White so eloquently portrays. There are much depth and wisdom here. Can you ever go back home again?
Georgia, an expert of fine china, makes her living sifting through the old memories of other families. When a rare Limoges piece comes across her desk in New Orleans, she is forced to return to Florida, the one place she never wanted to return; she had made promises. Her family home. She needs to locate the soup cup and the valuable pattern. She likes to lose herself in dead people's objects.
From patterns of bees, humans, family, and fine china. Both bees and humans are complex in so many ways. Each is related. Like a honey bee, she is returning home, once again. Leaving was easier than staying. She wasn't going home to dig up the past; however, she may find she does just that.
Georgia Chambers works as an expert in New Orleans, an antiquities dealer, for the Big Easy Auction Gallery. Collections. Valuables. She digs into other people’s pasts—she lives vicariously through other’s past fine delicate treasures. Everyone's past but her own. She escapes, she runs, however, now she may have to face the truth about her own past, her mother, and the past tied to hers and Maisy’s (her younger half-sister).
She swore she would never return to this place, or travel down this road again. She prefers to run away from unpleasantness. Maybe now she needs to stop running. Too many secrets. Is it time to face down the real truth about her mother—her family, the wreckage. The summer she left, her mother, Birdie, stopped talking after her grandfather found her in the attic. Maybe she found something and lost touch with reality.
Georgia has been approached by a client, James Graf, from New York. He is settling his grandmother’s estate and needs to identify a rare Limoges china pattern with bees. Georgia is shocked, having seen this pattern previously. She now is forced to return home, after an unpleasant phone call with her sister, who says they cannot locate it. James follows her (he has his own issues). Hard to tell her boss she has not been home in over ten years.
Maisy, a teacher; the younger half-sister and nine-year- old daughter, Becky (she also stutters when excited), still lives in the hometown. She is always angry. An unhappy marriage, separated, and a miserable person. She still resents her sister, Georgia. They have a past. A tragedy. Not a good one.
Becky is excited about her aunt coming to visit, and Maisy is not so thrilled. So you have a mute mother, an ailing grandfather, a sister who hates her, a niece who adores her, and a client (the real estate developer) who is intriguing and handsome.
Upon return, her mother Birdie is still damaged (mute for ten years), with her mind locked away, and sings. Her grandfather, now 94- years old, is a successful beekeeper, and now getting older and has dementia. He also has secrets. Birdie an enigmatic, beautiful, and not particularly a motherly type. Something had changed her. Does Georgia have the key to unlock the silence and find the cup, plus mend her relationships? Sooner or later she has to find a place to land.
“Sometimes all we need to do to forgive our parents is to understand their own childhoods.”
Pretend, protect, secrets, courage, forgiveness, sacrifices, a mother’s wounds are deep; Desperate measures of parents and grandparents. Secrets threaten their lives. However, in order to move on, they have to face them, head on.
Skillfully crafted, an intriguing blending of past and present, infused with treasures, family, fine china, a tea cup, the extraordinary life of bees, a beekeeper, a bee journal, hurts repressed, shattered lives, damage, honey, wisdom, voices from the past, and as always, the author’s own unique special trademark style: "Grit-lit" southern novel featuring a female protagonist, at a crossroads in her life.
White slowly unravels this decade-old mystery, piece by piece, and along the journey you will be glued to the pages, mesmerized. James and his sister Caroline, and others from the past add an intriguing twist to this family saga historical fictional mystery.
I pre-ordered the audiobook with three talented narrators: Susan Bennett, Amanda Leigh Cobb, and Melissa Hurst. Each voice was captivating, delivering an outstanding performance.
However, now find myself wanting to purchase the digital or print copy, since there are so many quotes and beautiful words I want to reference again and again. This is one of those valuable books, like a collector, you want to re-read again, to savor each word. Many life’s lessons and truths. Thought-provoking. I love books surrounding family secrets (currently trying to solve one of my own parents).
With stunning lyrical prose and beautiful metaphors, with an ongoing theme and reference of bees to human lives, and fascinating opening quotes leading into each chapter from "Ned Bloodworth's Beekeeper's Journal, (priceless) along with treasures and memories, connecting time periods and past secrets. Birdie's dark confused side was "spine-tingling."
A few of the many book quotes, I enjoyed:
There is supposedly a quote from Albert Einstein: “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.” Although there is much debate as to whether he ever said this, truth is—the bee is a major contributor to our livelihood.
From this book and other famous literary fiction surrounding bees and humans, the bee is fascinating-symbolic of fertility, community, prosperity, diligence and work ethic. Some cultures view bees as messengers of the Gods. Finally, the bee’s message could be calling your attention to miracles. Remember the impracticality of the bee’s aerodynamics? Regardless, it is still able to fly.
A metaphor for anything you may be attempting that seems too difficult and impossible. Miracles are possible! With all the bees’ wonderful gifts and symbolism, the spiritual power of the humble bee is truly amazing. A guide for us.
FLIGHT PATTERNS, is worth all the buzz, and more, on so many levels. A rare charming gem! Do not miss this one.
Look for The Guests on South Battery (Tradd Street), Jan 10, 2017: Melanie knows nothing good can come from unearthing the past. But some secrets refuse to stay buried....
And The Night the Lights Went Out, coming April 11, 2017 (love the cover)! 5 stars ++ A stunning new novel about a young single mother who discovers that the nature of friendship is never what it seems....
JDCMustReadBooks
**Congrats to Winner ** Amy Sullivan, Prescott Valley AZ! FLIGHT PATTERNS. Thanks for all the participation. Book Giveaway Contest, April 4-11 Blog Tour.
Talented Southern storyteller, Karen White returns following The Sound of Glass, with her best yet! Top 50 Books of 2016!
As mentioned in my last KW review: No one can tell it better than the "southern queen"--buried secrets, history, and mysterious attics. When all the secrets come to the surface, someone is "bound" to learn something and be a better person for them.
A complex, multi-layered, and moving family tale FLIGHT PATTERNS is set in rural Apalachicola, Florida. With intriguing dual timelines, a domestic historical suspense of a mystery, powerful memories, dark family secrets, and regrets. A top 2016 Southern women's historical fiction.
The original cover and the reprint, both fabulous front cover (s) Colorful and adorable hive boxes. The bee, a flying miracle is also a wonderful power animal and spiritual metaphor —White so eloquently portrays. There are much depth and wisdom here. Can you ever go back home again?
Georgia, an expert of fine china, makes her living sifting through the old memories of other families. When a rare Limoges piece comes across her desk in New Orleans, she is forced to return to Florida, the one place she never wanted to return; she had made promises. Her family home. She needs to locate the soup cup and the valuable pattern. She likes to lose herself in dead people's objects.
From patterns of bees, humans, family, and fine china. Both bees and humans are complex in so many ways. Each is related. Like a honey bee, she is returning home, once again. Leaving was easier than staying. She wasn't going home to dig up the past; however, she may find she does just that.
Georgia Chambers works as an expert in New Orleans, an antiquities dealer, for the Big Easy Auction Gallery. Collections. Valuables. She digs into other people’s pasts—she lives vicariously through other’s past fine delicate treasures. Everyone's past but her own. She escapes, she runs, however, now she may have to face the truth about her own past, her mother, and the past tied to hers and Maisy’s (her younger half-sister).
She swore she would never return to this place, or travel down this road again. She prefers to run away from unpleasantness. Maybe now she needs to stop running. Too many secrets. Is it time to face down the real truth about her mother—her family, the wreckage. The summer she left, her mother, Birdie, stopped talking after her grandfather found her in the attic. Maybe she found something and lost touch with reality.
Georgia has been approached by a client, James Graf, from New York. He is settling his grandmother’s estate and needs to identify a rare Limoges china pattern with bees. Georgia is shocked, having seen this pattern previously. She now is forced to return home, after an unpleasant phone call with her sister, who says they cannot locate it. James follows her (he has his own issues). Hard to tell her boss she has not been home in over ten years.
Maisy, a teacher; the younger half-sister and nine-year- old daughter, Becky (she also stutters when excited), still lives in the hometown. She is always angry. An unhappy marriage, separated, and a miserable person. She still resents her sister, Georgia. They have a past. A tragedy. Not a good one.
Becky is excited about her aunt coming to visit, and Maisy is not so thrilled. So you have a mute mother, an ailing grandfather, a sister who hates her, a niece who adores her, and a client (the real estate developer) who is intriguing and handsome.
Upon return, her mother Birdie is still damaged (mute for ten years), with her mind locked away, and sings. Her grandfather, now 94- years old, is a successful beekeeper, and now getting older and has dementia. He also has secrets. Birdie an enigmatic, beautiful, and not particularly a motherly type. Something had changed her. Does Georgia have the key to unlock the silence and find the cup, plus mend her relationships? Sooner or later she has to find a place to land.
“Sometimes all we need to do to forgive our parents is to understand their own childhoods.”
Pretend, protect, secrets, courage, forgiveness, sacrifices, a mother’s wounds are deep; Desperate measures of parents and grandparents. Secrets threaten their lives. However, in order to move on, they have to face them, head on.
Skillfully crafted, an intriguing blending of past and present, infused with treasures, family, fine china, a tea cup, the extraordinary life of bees, a beekeeper, a bee journal, hurts repressed, shattered lives, damage, honey, wisdom, voices from the past, and as always, the author’s own unique special trademark style: "Grit-lit" southern novel featuring a female protagonist, at a crossroads in her life.
White slowly unravels this decade-old mystery, piece by piece, and along the journey you will be glued to the pages, mesmerized. James and his sister Caroline, and others from the past add an intriguing twist to this family saga historical fictional mystery.
I pre-ordered the audiobook with three talented narrators: Susan Bennett, Amanda Leigh Cobb, and Melissa Hurst. Each voice was captivating, delivering an outstanding performance.
However, now find myself wanting to purchase the digital or print copy, since there are so many quotes and beautiful words I want to reference again and again. This is one of those valuable books, like a collector, you want to re-read again, to savor each word. Many life’s lessons and truths. Thought-provoking. I love books surrounding family secrets (currently trying to solve one of my own parents).
With stunning lyrical prose and beautiful metaphors, with an ongoing theme and reference of bees to human lives, and fascinating opening quotes leading into each chapter from "Ned Bloodworth's Beekeeper's Journal, (priceless) along with treasures and memories, connecting time periods and past secrets. Birdie's dark confused side was "spine-tingling."
A few of the many book quotes, I enjoyed:
“Sins and atonement-Lengths a person will go to in an attempt to make amends for a wrong which could never be completely made right.”
"In many Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, bees represent a human soul and their journey on earth. An emblem of rebirth, determination, and willpower. Due to fact that a bee’s body is too large in comparison to the size of its wings – they should not be able to fly."
“Gluing together of the broken parts to make a new whole. You will never change your life until you learn to let go of the things that hurt you.”
“All adversity is temporary unless we insist on clinging to it, with both fists.”
“Human lives are like broken china. Restored Souls: Cracks are proof of survival evident only to those close enough to see where patched.”
'The past can't be changed, but it can be accepted. Pull up your big girl pants and move on."
“Regrets are like porch swings. They keep you busy but do not get you anywhere.”
There is supposedly a quote from Albert Einstein: “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.” Although there is much debate as to whether he ever said this, truth is—the bee is a major contributor to our livelihood.
From this book and other famous literary fiction surrounding bees and humans, the bee is fascinating-symbolic of fertility, community, prosperity, diligence and work ethic. Some cultures view bees as messengers of the Gods. Finally, the bee’s message could be calling your attention to miracles. Remember the impracticality of the bee’s aerodynamics? Regardless, it is still able to fly.
A metaphor for anything you may be attempting that seems too difficult and impossible. Miracles are possible! With all the bees’ wonderful gifts and symbolism, the spiritual power of the humble bee is truly amazing. A guide for us.
FLIGHT PATTERNS, is worth all the buzz, and more, on so many levels. A rare charming gem! Do not miss this one.
Look for The Guests on South Battery (Tradd Street), Jan 10, 2017: Melanie knows nothing good can come from unearthing the past. But some secrets refuse to stay buried....
And The Night the Lights Went Out, coming April 11, 2017 (love the cover)! 5 stars ++ A stunning new novel about a young single mother who discovers that the nature of friendship is never what it seems....
JDCMustReadBooks
September 17, 2017
This book over-describes everything. The author constantly reminds you of events that happened earlier in the book. Maybe she assumes you aren't bright enough to remember them on your own? It's repetitive and patronizing and annoying. This is the type of book that you could read while drinking a couple cocktails because you're not going to miss anything anyway!
She describes four (Four!) different characters as having "beautiful, pale skin who obviously stayed out of the sun as much as possible throughout their lives." This author is obsessed with skin care and sun damage. All of her characters whether they're from New York or New Orleans or Florida seem to be crazy over vintage clothing, vintage bags, vintage couches. Seriously enough already. Show some character diversity.
There was some secret family drama that we learned about early on, and it was drawn out as a mystery for readers to wonder about. I didn't even care what had happened to their family by the middle of the book. Why do people like this kind of writing?
She describes four (Four!) different characters as having "beautiful, pale skin who obviously stayed out of the sun as much as possible throughout their lives." This author is obsessed with skin care and sun damage. All of her characters whether they're from New York or New Orleans or Florida seem to be crazy over vintage clothing, vintage bags, vintage couches. Seriously enough already. Show some character diversity.
There was some secret family drama that we learned about early on, and it was drawn out as a mystery for readers to wonder about. I didn't even care what had happened to their family by the middle of the book. Why do people like this kind of writing?
December 5, 2016
Talented Southern storyteller, Karen White returns following The Sound of Glass, with her best yet!
Top 50 Books of 2016!
As mentioned in my last KW review: No one can tell it better than the "southern queen"--buried secrets, history, and mysterious attics. When all the secrets come to the surface, someone is "bound" to learn something and be a better person for them.
A complex, multi-layered, and moving family tale FLIGHT PATTERNS is set in rural Apalachicola, Florida. With intriguing dual timelines, a domestic historical suspense of a mystery, powerful memories, dark family secrets, and regrets. A top 2016 Southern women's historical fiction.
Fabulous front cover! Colorful and adorable hive boxes. The bee, a flying miracle is also a wonderful power animal and spiritual metaphor —White so eloquently portrays. There are much depth and wisdom here. Can you ever go back home again?
Georgia, an expert of fine china, makes her living sifting through the old memories of other families. When a rare Limoges piece comes across her desk in New Orleans, she is forced to return to Florida, the one place she never wanted to return; she had made promises. Her family home. She needs to locate the soup cup and the valuable pattern. She likes to lose herself in dead people's objects.
From patterns of bees, humans, family, and fine china. Both bees and humans are complex in so many ways. Each is related. Like a honey bee, she is returning home, once again. Leaving was easier than staying. She wasn't going home to dig up the past; however, she may find she does just that.
Georgia Chambers works as an expert in New Orleans, an antiquities dealer, for the Big Easy Auction Gallery. Collections. Valuables. She digs into other people’s pasts—she lives vicariously through other’s past fine delicate treasures. Everyone's past but her own. She escapes, she runs, however, now she may have to face the truth about her own past, her mother, and the past tied to hers and Maisy’s (her younger half-sister).
She swore she would never return to this place, or travel down this road again. She prefers to run away from unpleasantness. Maybe now she needs to stop running. Too many secrets. Is it time to face down the real truth about her mother—her family, the wreckage. The summer she left, her mother, Birdie, stopped talking after her grandfather found her in the attic. Maybe she found something and lost touch with reality.
Georgia has been approached by a client, James Graf, from New York. He is settling his grandmother’s estate and needs to identify a rare Limoges china pattern with bees. Georgia is shocked, having seen this pattern previously. She now is forced to return home, after an unpleasant phone call with her sister, who says they cannot locate it. James follows her (he has his own issues). Hard to tell her boss she has not been home in over ten years.
Maisy, a teacher-the younger half-sister and nine-year- old daughter, Becky (she also stutters when excited), still lives in the home town. She is always angry. An unhappy marriage, separated, and a miserable person. She still resents her sister, Georgia. They have a past. A tragedy. Not a good one.
Becky is excited about her aunt coming to visit, and Maisy is not so thrilled. So you have a mute mother, an ailing grandfather, a sister who hates her, a niece who adores her, and a client (the real estate developer) who is intriguing and handsome.
Upon return, her mother Birdie is still damaged (mute for ten years), with her mind locked away, and sings. Her grandfather, now 94- years old, is a successful beekeeper, and now getting older and has dementia. He also has secrets. Birdie an enigmatic, beautiful, and not particularly a motherly type. Something had changed her. Does Georgia have the key to unlock the silence and find the cup, plus mend her relationships? Sooner or later she has to find a place to land.
“Sometimes all we need to do to forgive our parents is to understand their own childhoods.”
Pretend, protect, secrets, courage, forgiveness, sacrifices, a mother’s wounds are deep; Desperate measures of parents and grandparents. Secrets threaten their lives. However, in order to move on, they have to face them, head on.
Skillfully crafted, an intriguing blending of past and present, infused with treasures, family, fine china, a tea cup, the extraordinary life of bees, a beekeeper, a bee journal, hurts repressed, shattered lives, damage, honey, wisdom, voices from the past, and as always, the author’s own unique special trademark style: "Grit-lit" southern novel featuring a female protagonist, at a crossroads in her life.
White slowly unravels this decade-old mystery, piece by piece, and along the journey you will be glued to the pages, mesmerized. James and his sister Caroline, and others from the past add an intriguing twist to this family saga historical fictional mystery.
I pre-ordered the audiobook with three talented narrators: Susan Bennett, Amanda Leigh Cobb, and Melissa Hurst. Each voice was captivating, delivering an outstanding performance.
However, now find myself wanting to purchase the digital or print copy, since there are so many quotes and beautiful words I want to reference again and again. This is one of those valuable books, like a collector, you want to re-read again, to savor each word. Many life’s lessons and truths. Thought-provoking. I love books surrounding family secrets (currently trying to solve one of my own parents).
With stunning lyrical prose and beautiful metaphors, with an ongoing theme and reference of bees to human lives, and fascinating opening quotes leading into each chapter from "Ned Bloodworth's Beekeeper's Journal, (priceless) along with treasures and memories, connecting time periods and past secrets. Birdie's dark confused side was "spine-tingling."
A few of the many book quotes, I enjoyed:
There is supposedly a quote from Albert Einstein: “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.” Although there is much debate as to whether he ever said this, truth is—the bee is a major contributor to our livelihood.
From this book and other famous literary fiction surrounding bees and humans, the bee is fascinating-symbolic of fertility, community, prosperity, diligence and work ethic. Some cultures view bees as messengers of the Gods. Finally, the bee’s message could be calling your attention to miracles. Remember the impracticality of the bee’s aerodynamics? Regardless, it is still able to fly.
A metaphor for anything you may be attempting that seems too difficult and impossible. Miracles are possible! With all the bees’ wonderful gifts and symbolism, the spiritual power of the humble bee is truly amazing. A guide for us.
FLIGHT PATTERNS, is worth all the buzz, and more-on so many levels. A rare charming gem! Do not miss this one.
Look for The Guests on South Battery (Tradd Street), Jan 10, 2017: Melanie knows nothing good can come from unearthing the past. But some secrets refuse to stay buried....
And The Night the Lights Went Out, coming April 11, 2017 (love the cover)! A stunning new novel about a young single mother who discovers that the nature of friendship is never what it seems....
JDCMustReadBooks
Top 50 Books of 2016!
As mentioned in my last KW review: No one can tell it better than the "southern queen"--buried secrets, history, and mysterious attics. When all the secrets come to the surface, someone is "bound" to learn something and be a better person for them.
A complex, multi-layered, and moving family tale FLIGHT PATTERNS is set in rural Apalachicola, Florida. With intriguing dual timelines, a domestic historical suspense of a mystery, powerful memories, dark family secrets, and regrets. A top 2016 Southern women's historical fiction.
Fabulous front cover! Colorful and adorable hive boxes. The bee, a flying miracle is also a wonderful power animal and spiritual metaphor —White so eloquently portrays. There are much depth and wisdom here. Can you ever go back home again?
Georgia, an expert of fine china, makes her living sifting through the old memories of other families. When a rare Limoges piece comes across her desk in New Orleans, she is forced to return to Florida, the one place she never wanted to return; she had made promises. Her family home. She needs to locate the soup cup and the valuable pattern. She likes to lose herself in dead people's objects.
From patterns of bees, humans, family, and fine china. Both bees and humans are complex in so many ways. Each is related. Like a honey bee, she is returning home, once again. Leaving was easier than staying. She wasn't going home to dig up the past; however, she may find she does just that.
Georgia Chambers works as an expert in New Orleans, an antiquities dealer, for the Big Easy Auction Gallery. Collections. Valuables. She digs into other people’s pasts—she lives vicariously through other’s past fine delicate treasures. Everyone's past but her own. She escapes, she runs, however, now she may have to face the truth about her own past, her mother, and the past tied to hers and Maisy’s (her younger half-sister).
She swore she would never return to this place, or travel down this road again. She prefers to run away from unpleasantness. Maybe now she needs to stop running. Too many secrets. Is it time to face down the real truth about her mother—her family, the wreckage. The summer she left, her mother, Birdie, stopped talking after her grandfather found her in the attic. Maybe she found something and lost touch with reality.
Georgia has been approached by a client, James Graf, from New York. He is settling his grandmother’s estate and needs to identify a rare Limoges china pattern with bees. Georgia is shocked, having seen this pattern previously. She now is forced to return home, after an unpleasant phone call with her sister, who says they cannot locate it. James follows her (he has his own issues). Hard to tell her boss she has not been home in over ten years.
Maisy, a teacher-the younger half-sister and nine-year- old daughter, Becky (she also stutters when excited), still lives in the home town. She is always angry. An unhappy marriage, separated, and a miserable person. She still resents her sister, Georgia. They have a past. A tragedy. Not a good one.
Becky is excited about her aunt coming to visit, and Maisy is not so thrilled. So you have a mute mother, an ailing grandfather, a sister who hates her, a niece who adores her, and a client (the real estate developer) who is intriguing and handsome.
Upon return, her mother Birdie is still damaged (mute for ten years), with her mind locked away, and sings. Her grandfather, now 94- years old, is a successful beekeeper, and now getting older and has dementia. He also has secrets. Birdie an enigmatic, beautiful, and not particularly a motherly type. Something had changed her. Does Georgia have the key to unlock the silence and find the cup, plus mend her relationships? Sooner or later she has to find a place to land.
“Sometimes all we need to do to forgive our parents is to understand their own childhoods.”
Pretend, protect, secrets, courage, forgiveness, sacrifices, a mother’s wounds are deep; Desperate measures of parents and grandparents. Secrets threaten their lives. However, in order to move on, they have to face them, head on.
Skillfully crafted, an intriguing blending of past and present, infused with treasures, family, fine china, a tea cup, the extraordinary life of bees, a beekeeper, a bee journal, hurts repressed, shattered lives, damage, honey, wisdom, voices from the past, and as always, the author’s own unique special trademark style: "Grit-lit" southern novel featuring a female protagonist, at a crossroads in her life.
White slowly unravels this decade-old mystery, piece by piece, and along the journey you will be glued to the pages, mesmerized. James and his sister Caroline, and others from the past add an intriguing twist to this family saga historical fictional mystery.
I pre-ordered the audiobook with three talented narrators: Susan Bennett, Amanda Leigh Cobb, and Melissa Hurst. Each voice was captivating, delivering an outstanding performance.
However, now find myself wanting to purchase the digital or print copy, since there are so many quotes and beautiful words I want to reference again and again. This is one of those valuable books, like a collector, you want to re-read again, to savor each word. Many life’s lessons and truths. Thought-provoking. I love books surrounding family secrets (currently trying to solve one of my own parents).
With stunning lyrical prose and beautiful metaphors, with an ongoing theme and reference of bees to human lives, and fascinating opening quotes leading into each chapter from "Ned Bloodworth's Beekeeper's Journal, (priceless) along with treasures and memories, connecting time periods and past secrets. Birdie's dark confused side was "spine-tingling."
A few of the many book quotes, I enjoyed:
“Sins and atonement-Lengths a person will go to in an attempt to make amends for a wrong which could never be completely made right.”
"In many Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, bees represent a human soul and their journey on earth. An emblem of rebirth, determination, and willpower. Due to fact that a bee’s body is too large in comparison to the size of its wings – they should not be able to fly."
“Gluing together of the broken parts to make a new whole. You will never change your life until you learn to let go of the things that hurt you.”
“All adversity is temporary unless we insist on clinging to it, with both fists.”
“Human lives are like broken china. Restored Souls: Cracks are proof of survival evident only to those close enough to see where patched.”
'The past can't be changed, but it can be accepted. Pull up your big girl pants and move on."
“Regrets are like porch swings. They keep you busy but do not get you anywhere.”
There is supposedly a quote from Albert Einstein: “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.” Although there is much debate as to whether he ever said this, truth is—the bee is a major contributor to our livelihood.
From this book and other famous literary fiction surrounding bees and humans, the bee is fascinating-symbolic of fertility, community, prosperity, diligence and work ethic. Some cultures view bees as messengers of the Gods. Finally, the bee’s message could be calling your attention to miracles. Remember the impracticality of the bee’s aerodynamics? Regardless, it is still able to fly.
A metaphor for anything you may be attempting that seems too difficult and impossible. Miracles are possible! With all the bees’ wonderful gifts and symbolism, the spiritual power of the humble bee is truly amazing. A guide for us.
FLIGHT PATTERNS, is worth all the buzz, and more-on so many levels. A rare charming gem! Do not miss this one.
Look for The Guests on South Battery (Tradd Street), Jan 10, 2017: Melanie knows nothing good can come from unearthing the past. But some secrets refuse to stay buried....
And The Night the Lights Went Out, coming April 11, 2017 (love the cover)! A stunning new novel about a young single mother who discovers that the nature of friendship is never what it seems....
JDCMustReadBooks
July 7, 2016
Karen White is the author, southern setting, family dynamics, secrets, antiques, and bees. Yep, hits all the Jess Likes points. I have been a Karen White fan since the Tradd series lured me into her delightful books with strong female leads, mystery, southern settings, and just fine writing. Another terrific one to add to the pile. I also loved this new setting she takes us to in Appalachicola, Florida. I have new place to add to my travel list... especially after the descriptions of the scenery, atmosphere, and Appalachicola oysters! The theme of bees pervades the book in the chapters, metaphors, and beginning each chapter with an education on bees from Ned Bloodworth's journals. I loved it.
What'sit About: Georgia Chambers has created a solid life for herself working in New Orleans for a successful antique store. She has quickly established herself as an expert in china, especially Limoge patterns. She has her demons but has managed to keep them at bay delving into projects. When she is given the task of determining a stunning bee pattern on a Limoge set, she has the pricking of a memory in the corner of her mind that she has seen this before. This pattern is not found in a book, not in the internet, but at her family home in Appalachicola, Florida. At the stern instruction of her employer, she must return home to find it as her estranged sister could not locate it. So Georgia returns home accompanied by the set's handsome owner who has his own story to tell.
Georgia's homecoming is not a joyous reunion. An event that is not immediately revealed to the reader has estranged her from her sister, Maisy. Her mother, Birdie, has retreated into the recesses of her mind in an escape from something or someone. Georgia must discover the bee pattern's origins, how it ties into the piece she saw at her home day so many years ago, and heal herself and her family.
What'sit About: Georgia Chambers has created a solid life for herself working in New Orleans for a successful antique store. She has quickly established herself as an expert in china, especially Limoge patterns. She has her demons but has managed to keep them at bay delving into projects. When she is given the task of determining a stunning bee pattern on a Limoge set, she has the pricking of a memory in the corner of her mind that she has seen this before. This pattern is not found in a book, not in the internet, but at her family home in Appalachicola, Florida. At the stern instruction of her employer, she must return home to find it as her estranged sister could not locate it. So Georgia returns home accompanied by the set's handsome owner who has his own story to tell.
Georgia's homecoming is not a joyous reunion. An event that is not immediately revealed to the reader has estranged her from her sister, Maisy. Her mother, Birdie, has retreated into the recesses of her mind in an escape from something or someone. Georgia must discover the bee pattern's origins, how it ties into the piece she saw at her home day so many years ago, and heal herself and her family.
May 2, 2020
A fascinating story of a missing tea pot and what it revealed about the family that owned it. The secrets that brought two people together. The importance of forgiveness and loving too much.
I didn't want the story to stop!
I didn't want the story to stop!
September 12, 2018
2.5 stars really. There is something about Karen White's books that make them all seem the same. They are engaging yet implausible, too many coincidences. I find myself thinking, "wrap it up already" many times. This one was no different. So. Much. Trauma. Conveniently muting everyone so nobody could just ask a question. And when it finally did wrap up I was left very unsatisfied with the effects -11 year old Becky finds out that Georgia is her mom and is just okay with it? A man is murdered and the police gloss over it? That man is considered a hero in his country and yet no one deems it necessary to let them know and just bury him in Nowhere, FL? I'm giving Karen White a rest for awhile.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2016
This was an incredibly drawn out book. The entire story could have taken place with less than 100 pages, but it drags on and on and on an on. AND ON! I do believe that it was written with the intent of offering the reader some suspense, but it is lacking the true essence of suspense with the repetition of facts clearly stated earlier in the novel. The conclusion of the story lacked much appeal due to the fact that by the time you reach it, the excitement is clouded and dissipated. The most interesting part of this novel was the education of bee keeping.
April 3, 2016
Flight Patterns by Karen White
Bloggers Note:
When reviewing a book I don't usually include a summary of the story. If an author or reader wants to know what a book is about they can read the book jacket. What I believe anyone reading a review is looking for, is my opinion of the story, writing and author.
A good friend turned me on to Karen White a year or two ago and I found myself enjoying her writing style. Flight Patterns certainly lives up to a readers expectations of Ms. White. I believe it only took me until page three to be utterly and completely hooked on this story. I will admit to two almost sleepless nights owed to my total inability to stop reading. Only doing so when my eyes would no longer stay open.
Many points of this book have met my rules for a great story. The aforementioned inability to stop reading being the first and the subject matter being another. I have found myself drawn to writings containing all sides of World War II recently. While not much of the story actually took place during this time period, it did delve into how many lives were influenced by the actions of one man for years and years after WWII.
Like many great novels, Flight Patterns explores not only the difference between right and wrong, but the many many levels of gray that exsist In between the two. With more than one character that I would consider the main character, I found myself allying with each one at different points and many times about the same issue. Ms. White's ability to make the reader feel all sides is extraordinary. You cannot read this book and come away knowing exactly who was right and who was wrong. It isn't that easy in this story just as it isn't in life.
If I had to offer up some point of criticism of the novel it would be that at times the writing seemed too wordy and possibly drawn out. This would be a VERY minor criticism as dealing with such a complicated subject matter requires lengthy explanations. A second criticism would be that at the close of the novel I did not find myself wanting more. This isn't always a bad thing, but I find my absolute favorite books are those that I pine after knowing more of the characters lives.
Overall I would give this book 5 stars and plan on recommending it to many. Ms. White's character development, plot lines, topic and writing style will certainly make this another best seller. Yes, another must read from Karen White.
Bloggers second note:
I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy from the First To Read program and am very grateful for this opportunity. This is an honest opinion from an avid reader. I tell it as I feel it.
Bloggers Note:
When reviewing a book I don't usually include a summary of the story. If an author or reader wants to know what a book is about they can read the book jacket. What I believe anyone reading a review is looking for, is my opinion of the story, writing and author.
A good friend turned me on to Karen White a year or two ago and I found myself enjoying her writing style. Flight Patterns certainly lives up to a readers expectations of Ms. White. I believe it only took me until page three to be utterly and completely hooked on this story. I will admit to two almost sleepless nights owed to my total inability to stop reading. Only doing so when my eyes would no longer stay open.
Many points of this book have met my rules for a great story. The aforementioned inability to stop reading being the first and the subject matter being another. I have found myself drawn to writings containing all sides of World War II recently. While not much of the story actually took place during this time period, it did delve into how many lives were influenced by the actions of one man for years and years after WWII.
Like many great novels, Flight Patterns explores not only the difference between right and wrong, but the many many levels of gray that exsist In between the two. With more than one character that I would consider the main character, I found myself allying with each one at different points and many times about the same issue. Ms. White's ability to make the reader feel all sides is extraordinary. You cannot read this book and come away knowing exactly who was right and who was wrong. It isn't that easy in this story just as it isn't in life.
If I had to offer up some point of criticism of the novel it would be that at times the writing seemed too wordy and possibly drawn out. This would be a VERY minor criticism as dealing with such a complicated subject matter requires lengthy explanations. A second criticism would be that at the close of the novel I did not find myself wanting more. This isn't always a bad thing, but I find my absolute favorite books are those that I pine after knowing more of the characters lives.
Overall I would give this book 5 stars and plan on recommending it to many. Ms. White's character development, plot lines, topic and writing style will certainly make this another best seller. Yes, another must read from Karen White.
Bloggers second note:
I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy from the First To Read program and am very grateful for this opportunity. This is an honest opinion from an avid reader. I tell it as I feel it.
July 6, 2016
A great summer read!
The prologue sucked me right in, France in Sept 1943 & then we jumped ahead to 2015 in New Orleans.
It had a southern feel & it was a family story, a mystery & a little bit of a love story, but not in the true romantic sense. ( well maybe a little of that too!)
The theme of bees ran through the entire book- each chapter started with a small line from a beekeeper's journal & the behavior of the bees so paralleled the behavior of the family in the book.
The main story revolves around 2 estranged sisters, Georgia( an antique china expert) & Maisy ( a mom, a teacher & caregiver) & their mom & grandfather & some china....a piece of china is what brings Georgia home to Apalachicola FL after 10 years. This piece of china, covered in a very unique bee pattern, is what opens up so many questions within the family & within each person.....I enjoyed it & loved the setting & the actual feel of the book. Lovely!
The prologue sucked me right in, France in Sept 1943 & then we jumped ahead to 2015 in New Orleans.
It had a southern feel & it was a family story, a mystery & a little bit of a love story, but not in the true romantic sense. ( well maybe a little of that too!)
The theme of bees ran through the entire book- each chapter started with a small line from a beekeeper's journal & the behavior of the bees so paralleled the behavior of the family in the book.
The main story revolves around 2 estranged sisters, Georgia( an antique china expert) & Maisy ( a mom, a teacher & caregiver) & their mom & grandfather & some china....a piece of china is what brings Georgia home to Apalachicola FL after 10 years. This piece of china, covered in a very unique bee pattern, is what opens up so many questions within the family & within each person.....I enjoyed it & loved the setting & the actual feel of the book. Lovely!
July 14, 2017
A mesmerizing tale about a quest for a teapot that reveals long held family secrets, the importance of forgiveness, and the sins of loving someone to much.
SUMMARY
Georgia Chambers lives in the Big Easy and is a foremost expert on Limoges china. An important and insistent client has her returning to the one place she swore she would never return to—her hometown of Apalachicola, Florida. Not much has changed in the thirteen years since she left the Florida gulf coast. She is rattled by seeing her estranged younger sister and her unbalanced mother, but she is grateful to see that her grandfather is still keeping bees in his apiary, where she has many fond memories working by his side.
Seeing her family again has made her realized all that she has missed and that she needs to find a way to heal the rifts that have divided the family. However, finding the courage to confront the mistakes and the secrets of the past is even harder than it seems.
REVIEW
One of the many things I loved about this book is the setting, the iconic gulf coast town of Apalachicola, Florida. Apalachicola is only a short drive from my home, and I have spent many afternoons there shopping and eating some of the freshest seafood in the world. It was joyous to have this charming oyster town and its fabulous restaurants featured in FLIGHT PATTERNS.
This multi-layered story has Georgia Chambers confronting her past, while attempting to find a very rare piece of Limoges china that she is sure she saw in her mother's closet over 20 years ago. The problem is that was twenty years ago and she promised she'd keep it a secret. Neither Georgia’s mother nor her grandfather wants her to find it. They have secrets of their own, and those secrets have driven Georgia’s mother to the edge. As the hunt for the china piece continues, Georgia’s sister’s, Maisy’s hatred for Georgia is evident, and the cause is yet another of the many mysteries contained within the pages of FLIGHT PATTERNS. The many layers of this book is exactly what makes it a fascinating read.
Much of this mesmerizing story centers around bees. Each chapter in FLIGHT PATTERNS starts with a enlightening quote from Georgia’s grandfather’s beekeeping journal. These beekeeping vignettes are a little extra present inside the book, and serve as a poignant lead-in to each chapter. Loved the symbolism found throughout this book—water and renewal; locks and problems; but especially the bees and the character symbolism of determination and will power. The same characteristics that Georgia needs in order to make the first move.
FLIGHT PATTERNS is full of thought-provoking lines about family, sisterhood, forgiveness and secrets. Here are just a few of my favorites:
“Sometimes all we need do to forgive our parents is to understand their own childhood.”
“No one can hurt us as much as those we love the most.”
“All adversity is temporary unless we insist on clinging to it with both fists.”
SUMMARY
Georgia Chambers lives in the Big Easy and is a foremost expert on Limoges china. An important and insistent client has her returning to the one place she swore she would never return to—her hometown of Apalachicola, Florida. Not much has changed in the thirteen years since she left the Florida gulf coast. She is rattled by seeing her estranged younger sister and her unbalanced mother, but she is grateful to see that her grandfather is still keeping bees in his apiary, where she has many fond memories working by his side.
Seeing her family again has made her realized all that she has missed and that she needs to find a way to heal the rifts that have divided the family. However, finding the courage to confront the mistakes and the secrets of the past is even harder than it seems.
REVIEW
One of the many things I loved about this book is the setting, the iconic gulf coast town of Apalachicola, Florida. Apalachicola is only a short drive from my home, and I have spent many afternoons there shopping and eating some of the freshest seafood in the world. It was joyous to have this charming oyster town and its fabulous restaurants featured in FLIGHT PATTERNS.
This multi-layered story has Georgia Chambers confronting her past, while attempting to find a very rare piece of Limoges china that she is sure she saw in her mother's closet over 20 years ago. The problem is that was twenty years ago and she promised she'd keep it a secret. Neither Georgia’s mother nor her grandfather wants her to find it. They have secrets of their own, and those secrets have driven Georgia’s mother to the edge. As the hunt for the china piece continues, Georgia’s sister’s, Maisy’s hatred for Georgia is evident, and the cause is yet another of the many mysteries contained within the pages of FLIGHT PATTERNS. The many layers of this book is exactly what makes it a fascinating read.
Much of this mesmerizing story centers around bees. Each chapter in FLIGHT PATTERNS starts with a enlightening quote from Georgia’s grandfather’s beekeeping journal. These beekeeping vignettes are a little extra present inside the book, and serve as a poignant lead-in to each chapter. Loved the symbolism found throughout this book—water and renewal; locks and problems; but especially the bees and the character symbolism of determination and will power. The same characteristics that Georgia needs in order to make the first move.
FLIGHT PATTERNS is full of thought-provoking lines about family, sisterhood, forgiveness and secrets. Here are just a few of my favorites:
“Sometimes all we need do to forgive our parents is to understand their own childhood.”
“No one can hurt us as much as those we love the most.”
“All adversity is temporary unless we insist on clinging to it with both fists.”
September 22, 2018
Why do three complete strangers - from Provence, New Orleans and New York - have pieces of a rare custom-made set of French China? To find out the answer, you will have to wade through 400 angst-filled, contrived pages. The dishes become historical puzzle pieces as Giles, Georgia and James each hold a piece of that puzzle. Georgia is an antique dealer who meets James, a recent widower who is looking for a couple of missing pieces to his grandmother’s set of Limoges dishes decorated with a unique bee design. By golly, doesn’t the set look like a soup cup Georgia vaguely remembers her mentally ill mother owning . . . and isn’t it a coincidence that Georgia’s grandfather loves and raises bees . . . and where is Giles? Unfortunately, the answers seem so obvious early in the novel, so the unfolding of the plot is predictable with a couple of minor twists.
The plot thickens: Georgia’s boss insists that she go back home to Florida to verify that her mother’s soup cup truly exists and is a match, but Georgia and her family have been estranged for a decade, so she is apprehensive but eventually agrees to return. James insists on joining her even though she is a loner and dislikes company. She agrees. Is he looking for someone with whom to share his time, his grief and his regrets? Georgia makes sure we know that James has the "brightest blue eyes" and "greatest abs"? In her coastal hometown of Apalachicola, Florida, we meet her sourpuss sister, who holds a grudge against Georgia; her wigged out mother, who hasn’t spoken in years and sings incessantly (sometimes in French); and her bee-obsessed, secretive grandfather. They all harbor dark pasts, but don’t worry: Their secrets will be explained and exorcised in a grand Hollywood ending. This story would play well on the Hallmark Channel.
I gave the book two stars because I did like the three points-of-view from which the story is told and the bee and honey intel . . . but . . . the sibling rivalry became repetitive and annoying, and the quirky old folks’ epiphanies seemed so contrived and unbelievable. Although I learned a lot about bees and Tupelo honey, the story and its unrealistic, neatly tied up ending just did not sit well with me, a card-carrying realist.
The plot thickens: Georgia’s boss insists that she go back home to Florida to verify that her mother’s soup cup truly exists and is a match, but Georgia and her family have been estranged for a decade, so she is apprehensive but eventually agrees to return. James insists on joining her even though she is a loner and dislikes company. She agrees. Is he looking for someone with whom to share his time, his grief and his regrets? Georgia makes sure we know that James has the "brightest blue eyes" and "greatest abs"? In her coastal hometown of Apalachicola, Florida, we meet her sourpuss sister, who holds a grudge against Georgia; her wigged out mother, who hasn’t spoken in years and sings incessantly (sometimes in French); and her bee-obsessed, secretive grandfather. They all harbor dark pasts, but don’t worry: Their secrets will be explained and exorcised in a grand Hollywood ending. This story would play well on the Hallmark Channel.
I gave the book two stars because I did like the three points-of-view from which the story is told and the bee and honey intel . . . but . . . the sibling rivalry became repetitive and annoying, and the quirky old folks’ epiphanies seemed so contrived and unbelievable. Although I learned a lot about bees and Tupelo honey, the story and its unrealistic, neatly tied up ending just did not sit well with me, a card-carrying realist.
April 3, 2016
When James Graf shows up at the auction house Georgia works at asking for an appraisal for the Limoges china that was his grandmother's and the promise of possible more work for her estate Georgia begins to work on identifying the bee pattern she remembers she has seen once before as a child. The rare pattern is hard to trace down and Georgia remembers that she had seen that pattern in her mother's closet but her mother wanted her to keep it a secret. She has not been home in over ten years and she plans to make a trip home to see if she can locate the piece. James Graf asks to come along but she is reluctant to allow him to witness her first interaction with her family since she left. She allows him to come along. Her grandfather is still tending to his bees and her sister Maisy lives there with her daughter and their mother who has decided she will not talk but sing to herself all day. Maisy is not glad to see her but that was to be expected and now she has James Graf to witness her discomfort. Can she heal the rift between her and her sister and will she be able to overcome the reputation that she had before she left town. She has worked hard to distance herself from her past and she has made a life for herself alone and she thought happy but the more she gets to know James she doubts her choice. Another great read from Karen White. I would like to thank the Publisher and First to Read for the chance to read this ARC.
July 12, 2016
Such a great family story. So many layers. So many secrets. So many issues. Loved the hisory. Loved the location (as I've been in that area). Loved that NOLA was included. Nothing quite like a divide amont sisters to suck you in and make ou want to know what caused it!
Getting info for a client brings Georgia home after a decade of being away. And that starts the ball rolling for so much more.
Really just a great story with great characters! And the bees!
Getting info for a client brings Georgia home after a decade of being away. And that starts the ball rolling for so much more.
Really just a great story with great characters! And the bees!
August 8, 2016
Let me start by saying, I fell in love with the setting and theme of this story. Honeybees are fascinating little creatures and I've always been charmed by items designed with a bee motif. I thought White's use of the bee's flight pattern and habits of nature was a clever way to describe a woman's return to her family - kind of like a return to the hive. Each chapter begins with a bit of Bee 101 and it compares well to the storyline. I learned so many interesting facts about bees while reading this book. (Hope this doesn't start me on a bee collection frenzy. Seriously, I really don't need another hobby or collection.) The location setting was another great tug at my heartstrings. I love reading books that take place in familiar locations. It's very easy to identify with a character on neutral territory, even better when it's one of my happy places. In this instance, two of my happy places: New Orleans and the Florida Gulf Coast. It was as if Karen White had a list of all my favorite things and wrote a story that revolved around them. The icing on the cake was, of course, the storyline that has a family trying to trace the history of what could be a rare and valuable bee-patterned Limoges china set. The search begins in New Orleans when a man from New York enlists the help of Georgia Sawyers, a well respected antiques consultant, knowledgeable in most things antique. I love antiques! I've spent many weekends in many antique shops. It's one hobby I'll never give up. My grandparents, mother, and aunts trained me well when it comes to all things antique. Some of my youngest, fondest memories revolve around antiques and flea markets. Both my grandmother and mother enjoyed collecting various pieces of china. I, myself, have a terrible weakness for sugar and creamer sets. Once I realized where White intended to take this story I was completely hooked. Antique pieces, especially those passed down from generation to generation, tell a story, each having their own unique history. White uses a set of china to tell a families history and the bee's patterns are a unique connection that ties everything together. An intriguing tale. Truly.
Now, let's move on to what I didn't like about this book, shall we? There's a lot going on in Flight Patterns. The story started out fantastic. Right out of the gate awesome. Then, as I got closer to the halfway point, I thought, Ok. Enough already. Because the characters are trying to trace the history of the china, the past of the characters involved is revealed. Old hurts and misdeeds of each are revisited. Over and over. The characters of this book are all holding on to the past like it's all they've got. I mean, this is a family in crisis and no one's talking and addressing the issues but everyone's looking for a missing piece of china. I wasn't buying some of it, especially when White added another visiting, meddling sibling to the mix. I realize WHY this character was added but it just seemed unnecessary and highly improbable. However, as fiction goes, there are lots of improbable plots so I eventually rolled with it. Didn't like it but I got my head around it. Next, without giving anything away, I found the plot twists to be farfetched. Then, it seemed like some of the major twists were conveniently explained away or not explained enough. After a while, I was just ready to wrap it up. By this point, the book was beginning to depress me. This family was in so much turmoil that I wondered how they'd ever be able to move past all of the secrets and mistrust. In reality, several of these characters would end up in therapy. For years! But, again, fiction is fiction and everyone likes a happy, tidy ending. Right?
Here's the deal, I did like this book. Had it's moments...it's very great moments. I would probably recommend it to friends and family. It's entertaining. I often judge a book by what I can take away from it, what I actually get out of the story. I have a new found respect for bees and Limoges patterns. While I'm certainly not taking any familial cues from this group, the overall message is decent. It's always good when one finds their way back to the heart of the hive.
Final verdict: three and a half buzz-worthy stars, only because it left me feeling a bit depressed.
*I won an ARC of Flight Patterns through a Goodreads giveaway. Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for sponsoring the giveaway and providing me with a copy.
Now, let's move on to what I didn't like about this book, shall we? There's a lot going on in Flight Patterns. The story started out fantastic. Right out of the gate awesome. Then, as I got closer to the halfway point, I thought, Ok. Enough already. Because the characters are trying to trace the history of the china, the past of the characters involved is revealed. Old hurts and misdeeds of each are revisited. Over and over. The characters of this book are all holding on to the past like it's all they've got. I mean, this is a family in crisis and no one's talking and addressing the issues but everyone's looking for a missing piece of china. I wasn't buying some of it, especially when White added another visiting, meddling sibling to the mix. I realize WHY this character was added but it just seemed unnecessary and highly improbable. However, as fiction goes, there are lots of improbable plots so I eventually rolled with it. Didn't like it but I got my head around it. Next, without giving anything away, I found the plot twists to be farfetched. Then, it seemed like some of the major twists were conveniently explained away or not explained enough. After a while, I was just ready to wrap it up. By this point, the book was beginning to depress me. This family was in so much turmoil that I wondered how they'd ever be able to move past all of the secrets and mistrust. In reality, several of these characters would end up in therapy. For years! But, again, fiction is fiction and everyone likes a happy, tidy ending. Right?
Here's the deal, I did like this book. Had it's moments...it's very great moments. I would probably recommend it to friends and family. It's entertaining. I often judge a book by what I can take away from it, what I actually get out of the story. I have a new found respect for bees and Limoges patterns. While I'm certainly not taking any familial cues from this group, the overall message is decent. It's always good when one finds their way back to the heart of the hive.
Final verdict: three and a half buzz-worthy stars, only because it left me feeling a bit depressed.
*I won an ARC of Flight Patterns through a Goodreads giveaway. Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for sponsoring the giveaway and providing me with a copy.
October 10, 2016
Wow - such a potent story. I'm speechless and want to just pick up the book and start it over again. Karen White has again proven why she is one of my favorite authors and this one may be my favorite so far. Her ability to speak to a heart through her poetic, descriptive style of writing is a true gift and talent.
This story crosses oceans and generations. Two half sisters (Georgia and Maisy) who have been estranged for nearly 10 years are forced to see one another again but reconciling is another story. They share the same mother (Birdie) who has been non-verbal for years, lives in a world of her own silence and her only audible voice being in the form of song. A grandfather who has been a beekeeper for many years and whose life has taken on some of the characteristics of the bees. Bees protect and serve -- they look out for the queen, they keep trouble and turmoil at bay so that harmony can abide within the hive and the bounty of honey can be fruitful.
Secrets abound in this story, coming from every angle. No one is immune to pain and each afraid to take that first step towards redemption and forgiveness scared that it could be refused or rebuked. Karen White writes of her stories characters, "our cracks were proof of our survival, evident only to those we allowed close enough to see where we'd been patched."
Her books are always so full of words of wisdom -- "We have a choice. We can count the years we have lost, or we can count the years we still have ahead of us." "There is no limit to starting over. That's why the sun rises every day -- unless you're running in circles, and then the outcome never changes." And she writes so descriptively so that her words literally take on a feeling or an emotion -- not just words on a page. She has the ability to paint a picture with words, "The wooden floorboards complained like the bones of an old woman." "Dead bees fell from the bruised dusk sky, their papery bodies somersaulting in the air, ricocheting like spent shells off the azure-painted roof of the hive."
Each chapter holds an except from a Bee Journal that only serves to emphasis how much the life of a family can emulate the lifestyle and culture of bees. Love, devotion, sacrifice, life and death -- everyone knows their part and everyone knows their duty.
Flight Patterns has definitely earned a place front and center on my bookshelf where I keep my most prized collection.
This story crosses oceans and generations. Two half sisters (Georgia and Maisy) who have been estranged for nearly 10 years are forced to see one another again but reconciling is another story. They share the same mother (Birdie) who has been non-verbal for years, lives in a world of her own silence and her only audible voice being in the form of song. A grandfather who has been a beekeeper for many years and whose life has taken on some of the characteristics of the bees. Bees protect and serve -- they look out for the queen, they keep trouble and turmoil at bay so that harmony can abide within the hive and the bounty of honey can be fruitful.
Secrets abound in this story, coming from every angle. No one is immune to pain and each afraid to take that first step towards redemption and forgiveness scared that it could be refused or rebuked. Karen White writes of her stories characters, "our cracks were proof of our survival, evident only to those we allowed close enough to see where we'd been patched."
Her books are always so full of words of wisdom -- "We have a choice. We can count the years we have lost, or we can count the years we still have ahead of us." "There is no limit to starting over. That's why the sun rises every day -- unless you're running in circles, and then the outcome never changes." And she writes so descriptively so that her words literally take on a feeling or an emotion -- not just words on a page. She has the ability to paint a picture with words, "The wooden floorboards complained like the bones of an old woman." "Dead bees fell from the bruised dusk sky, their papery bodies somersaulting in the air, ricocheting like spent shells off the azure-painted roof of the hive."
Each chapter holds an except from a Bee Journal that only serves to emphasis how much the life of a family can emulate the lifestyle and culture of bees. Love, devotion, sacrifice, life and death -- everyone knows their part and everyone knows their duty.
Flight Patterns has definitely earned a place front and center on my bookshelf where I keep my most prized collection.
July 29, 2016
A story with themes about journeys beginning and ending, the patterns of flight innumerable, the destination always being home, Flight Patterns takes us along for the ride. We find out more than we ever hoped to know about bees, we learn about loss and those who choose to stay apart rather than to forgive. And finally, we learn about how healing can begin.
Georgia Chambers, living her life in New Orleans, has stayed away from the family home in Apalachicola, Florida, ever since something happened between her and her sister Maisy Sawyers ten years before. Between the two of them, they are keeping the secrets and hanging onto the pain.
Meanwhile, their mother Birdie has not spoken a word for all that time, and the past is suddenly churning up, threatening to explode, right when Georgia returns to Apalachicola with a client in tow. James Graf is hoping to find out about a unique china pattern that belonged to his mother, a Limoges pattern with a unique design of bees circling it. And Georgia happens to be an expert in antiques. She also recalls seeing a soup cup in her own family home, one that might be part of the set.
What will Georgia discover in her quest for the china’s history? How will it take her to a family secret in France, one that might just have something to do with Birdie’s silence? How will a stolen truck only recently recovered help them all sort out the puzzle? And what will finally bring Georgia together with her sister Maisy, her niece Becky, and start the forgiveness process?
What a great story! I must admit that Georgia was my favorite character, with Becky my second favorite. I never warmed up to Maisy, really disliking her tendency to blame everyone else and not acknowledge her own faults. But in the end, she started to grow on me. James was delightful, and I kept rooting for him and his own healing. 5 stars.
Georgia Chambers, living her life in New Orleans, has stayed away from the family home in Apalachicola, Florida, ever since something happened between her and her sister Maisy Sawyers ten years before. Between the two of them, they are keeping the secrets and hanging onto the pain.
Meanwhile, their mother Birdie has not spoken a word for all that time, and the past is suddenly churning up, threatening to explode, right when Georgia returns to Apalachicola with a client in tow. James Graf is hoping to find out about a unique china pattern that belonged to his mother, a Limoges pattern with a unique design of bees circling it. And Georgia happens to be an expert in antiques. She also recalls seeing a soup cup in her own family home, one that might be part of the set.
What will Georgia discover in her quest for the china’s history? How will it take her to a family secret in France, one that might just have something to do with Birdie’s silence? How will a stolen truck only recently recovered help them all sort out the puzzle? And what will finally bring Georgia together with her sister Maisy, her niece Becky, and start the forgiveness process?
What a great story! I must admit that Georgia was my favorite character, with Becky my second favorite. I never warmed up to Maisy, really disliking her tendency to blame everyone else and not acknowledge her own faults. But in the end, she started to grow on me. James was delightful, and I kept rooting for him and his own healing. 5 stars.
August 22, 2016
This is the first book by Karen White that I've ever read and it certainly won't be the last. I knew almost from the first page that I was going to enjoy this book and I wasn't disappointed. I recently read a number of murder mystery and police procedural books so it was nice to read something different for a change, what I like to think of as straightforward fiction. I'm not a big fan of bees but was interested in the bits to do with their behaviour and habits. I especially liked the "excerpts" from Ned's journal at the beginning of each chapter. I really felt myself pulled into the family dynamics and, having 3 sisters myself, kept hoping the two sisters would rekindle their close relationship. One of my favourite books of 2016 and highly recommended.
June 9, 2016
What an incredibly awesome book!! This is only my second book by this author but now I want to read them all!! I share more quotes from her books than any other books I've ever read! I'm just in awe at her imagination. Please, read this book. it deserves more than the 5*s I gave it. I wish there were more.
June 19, 2016
A mystery, love story and family drama all wrapped into one slim volume! Karen White is becoming the quintessential Southern fiction writer. Her stories transport you to the small communities of the rural south. You can feel the heat, hear the cicadas, taste the sweet tea and smell the lavender as in the case of this new novel.
October 15, 2016
A very enjoyable and well written book. While I really liked it I found it a little slow and for all the revelations to be made, even though they were so foreshadowed they were not revelations by the time they happened.
June 5, 2017
Georgia Chambers is estranged from her family. 10 years ago, after a disagreement with her sister, she had agreed not to visit again. Now an expert in old, fine china, a client brings in a piece of china with a pattern that likes like a piece of china owned by her family. In order to identify and value the china, Georgia goes back to her family home. The airing of all the old resentments also brings out answers to some of the questions about why her family is so disfunctional.
March 21, 2018
This book was fascinating to me. I loved learning about bees! Each journal entry was a present. A story told from 3 different perspectives, about love and loss, redemption, and the always complicated family relationships. It tugged at my heart in spots.
June 8, 2018
Loved this book! I want to become a beekeeper.
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