A young college man is dating Dorothy, the daughter of a wealthy copper tycoon, hoping to marry her and eventually inherit her father's money. His pla...moreA young college man is dating Dorothy, the daughter of a wealthy copper tycoon, hoping to marry her and eventually inherit her father's money. His plan hits a roadblock when Dorothy tells him that she's pregnant and they must marry right away. Not only that but her father will disown her for getting pregnant out of wedlock - that means no money for the young man. The only way the man can get out of this predicament is to kill Dorothy. If only that was the end of his problems...
A Kiss Before Dying, first published in 1953, is Ira Levin's debut novel. It won the 1954 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Levin is a master of suspense and this novel does not disappoint. He does not reveal the identity of Dorothy's boyfriend in the first part of the book, referring to him only with pronouns. When Dorothy's sister Ellen goes hunting for her murderer, the reader is right alongside her discovering clues and trying to figure out who the killer is. I was on the edge of my seat and as confused as Ellen about who was the murderer. Even after the identity of the killer is discovered the suspense continues right up until the very end.
I listened to the audio version of this book. I thought the narrator, Mauro Hantman, did an excellent job. He was able to convincingly voice all of the characters - from tough as nails Leo Kingship to soft spoken naive Dorothy. I especially loved the voice he gave Gordon Gant.
Countdown is a short prequel to the Newsflesh series. I have previously reviewed the first two books in the series: Feed and Deadline. I read the Kind...moreCountdown is a short prequel to the Newsflesh series. I have previously reviewed the first two books in the series: Feed and Deadline. I read the Kindle version of Countdown so it didn't have page numbers but I think it probably has only about 65 pages. It's a detailed account of the days in 2014 leading up to The Rising.
Mira Grant is an excellent world builder. Adding more details to the story of how the Kellis-Amberlee virus was created and spread only made the possibility that something like that could really happen seem even more believable to me. There wasn't any brand new information in this book but it was a nice dose of the Newsflesh world to help tide me over until the final book, Blackout, is released this summer. I highly recommend Countdown for fans of the Newsflesh series.
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Tookie De La Crème is a Forgetta-Girl - no one notices her. With frizzy hair, a huge forehead and spindly body, she can literally lay in the middle of...moreTookie De La Crème is a Forgetta-Girl - no one notices her. With frizzy hair, a huge forehead and spindly body, she can literally lay in the middle of the hallway at school and everyone just walks on by. In spite of all that, Tookie finds herself selected on The Day of Discovery to be a student at the magical Modelland. Of the hundred or more girls chosen on The Day of Discovery, only seven extraordinary, fabulous girls graduate Modelland each year to become Intoxibellas - the most worshipped and influential women in all the world. Tookie can't figure out why she was chosen to go to Modelland instead of her beautiful younger sister Myrracle.
Tyra Banks, former supermodel and host of America's Next Top Model, wrote this book. It was exactly like Tyra herself - crazy, manic, and over the top. The book is set in a future, dystopian society where the standards of beauty are the law of the land. Everyone is a superficial consumer. Even though every girl dreams of going to Modelland, it has a sinister element. Rumors of girls not good enough to become Intoxibellas being tortured abound. Girls who aren't selected make pilgrimages there, never to be heard from again. And once you're a student at Modelland, trying to escape has dire consequences.
Knowing Tyra Banks wrote this book, I expected it to campy. She definitely went above and beyond my expectations in that department. I don't think the word subtle is in Tyra's vocabulary. I was expecting this book to be similar to the Uglies series - filled with metaphor and symbolic lessons about judging people by their appearance,etc. This book was more like a hammer, hitting you over the head with that message. And there were no metaphors. Everything was straight up as it appeared. For example, in the health clinic at Modelland, the head purse (nurse) is Purse Drestookill and her outfit is described as, "an elaborate sage-green cape made of multiple types of pistols, knives, nooses, and razors, with a hat shaped like a guillotine."* Get it?? She's literally "dressed to kill"! Get it?? And then there's Guru Applaussez, who's head is shaped like a third hand - all the better for him to clap with my dear.
It may sound like I didn't like this book at all, but actually I was strangely drawn in. I should probably disclose that I'm a big fan of America's Next Top Model - it gives me a chance to rest my brain and watch the madness that is Tyra and Company. And this book has little inside jokes for ANTM fans. For instance, the BellaDonna, head master at Modelland, hates actresses and says disparaging things about them. Tyra also holds actresses in low esteem, compared to models; and says disparaging things about them on ANTM. I felt much the same way while I was reading this book as I do watching ANTM, although I did feel like the pacing of the book was too frantic. A different science fiction effect was around every corner and almost none were repeats - it was overwhelming. This book is the first of a planned trilogy - I don't know if I'm invested enough in what happens to Tookie to keep reading the series but I did have fun reading this first book.
*This quote is from an advance reader's copy - the final version of the book may differ.
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On a very hot day in 1962, Michael and his grandmother take the bus into down. Once they get there, Michael runs to the water fountains to take a drin...moreOn a very hot day in 1962, Michael and his grandmother take the bus into down. Once they get there, Michael runs to the water fountains to take a drink. But the water tastes nasty and dirty. He looks over at a little boy drinking out of the whites-only water fountain and sees a little boy enjoying his drink. Could the white water be better? Michael decides to find out and takes the bus to town by himself. When no one is looking, he takes a drink from the whites-only water fountain. It tastes dirty and nasty too. He happens to look down and see that both fountains are fed by the same pipe. It's the same water! The white water isn't any better. Michael wonders if that had been a lie, what other things that he's been told should he question?
I read this book to my five and seven year old boys. I think most of it went over my five year old's head but my seven year old and I were able to have a great discussion about segregation and Martin Luther King Jr.'s role in bringing that to an end. This is a great book to use as a jumping off point for discussion of race and history.
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Ren's brother Scott died when she was only 12 years old, but he never really went away. His ghost has been a part of her life for 25 years. Her abilit...moreRen's brother Scott died when she was only 12 years old, but he never really went away. His ghost has been a part of her life for 25 years. Her ability to see ghosts has help her in her career as an archeologist - they can help point her to where the artifacts are buried. She is currently trying to piece together the life story of a Mimbres woman who made unique bowls. Two long-dead Mimbres women have appeared to her but they seem to be telling her more about her own life than theirs.
Ren meets and starts a relationship with one of her fellow archeologists, Silas, on the dig for the Mimbres bowls. However, she's apprehensive about sharing her ghost-seeing abilities with him and is afraid she might lose him.
Overall, this was a good story but it was slow and also predictable at times. I thought her relationship with Silas was fairly formulaic - she's a tough, mysterious woman who needs the love of a good man to break down the walls she's built around her. However, I thought Ren's relationship with the two Mibres women was interesting and I enjoyed the flashbacks of what the Mibres women's lives were like when they were alive. (less)
In 1765, King Louis XV ordered the first French expedition around the world. Philibert Commerson was appointed the voyage's botanist and charged with ...moreIn 1765, King Louis XV ordered the first French expedition around the world. Philibert Commerson was appointed the voyage's botanist and charged with discovering medicines, spices and other resources. No women were allowed on ships on this kind of voyage but Commerson's mistress, twenty-six year old Jeanne Baret managed to come aboard posing as Commerson's young male assistant. She was able to keep the ruse up for quite a while but eventually it all fell apart. Even so, she was the first woman to circumnavigate the Earth.
This book was incredibly well researched but I found it too academic for my taste. Because everything takes place was so long ago and not many first person accounts from people on the voyage are out there, the author has to make quite a few assumptions about what may or may not have happened. She always backed them up with historical background information or by outlining the logic that lead to her conclusions, which I thought was great. However, since there is no known first person journal or letters written by Jeanne Baret herself, the author also makes a lot of assumptions about how Baret was feeling or what she was thinking in various situations. I didn't always agree with the author's reasoning in these cases. The author clearly admires Baret, which she should, but I think this led her to be overly generous with some of her assumptions.
I would have preferred to read this story as historical fiction - then the author could have made all the assumptions she wanted without having to outline her reasoning and documentation. I think that is part of what made this a dry read. There is quite a bit of information about the plants that Commerson and Baret documented on the voyage so if you have an interest in botany, you will probably enjoy those parts quite a bit. All in all, it is an interesting story and even though I thought the book had some flaws; I'm glad I read it. If I could give half-stars, this would a 3.5 star book for me.
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Yelena is locked in a dungeon waiting to be executed when the Commander's security advisor, Valek, offers her a deal. She can become the food taster f...moreYelena is locked in a dungeon waiting to be executed when the Commander's security advisor, Valek, offers her a deal. She can become the food taster for the Commander, making sure that no would-be assassin has poisoned his food. To make sure she doesn't use the freedom of her new position to try and escape, Valek poisons Yelena with Butterfly's Dust. To survive, she has to visit him every morning for a dose of the antidote. Yelena must try and figure out how she can escape now that she's been poisoned but it's hard to find time to do that because a rebels are plotting against the Commander. On top of all that, she just found out that she has magical powers she can't control.
I want to start off this review by reminding my readers that I am not an experienced fantasy reader - if you are, you may want to take my review with a grain of salt.
Yelena is a great, strong female character. She doesn't play the damsel in distress; she pulls herself up by her bootstraps and learns to kick some ass. She does have a love interest, but I didn't feel any chemistry between him and Yelena. That subplot felt a little forced to me.
Magic doesn't play a significant part of the story until towards the end which was actually a plus for me. For some reason, I can get on board with zombies, vampires and werewolves but I have trouble suspending my disbelief when it comes to magic. I think it might be because there are more clear-cut "rules" about what zombies, vampires and werewolves are capable of. Maybe reading more fantasy would cure me of that problem. Overall, I think thought Poison Study was a fun, quick read.
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A school teacher, his wife, and his daughter are brutally murdered in Tumba, Sweden. His fifteen year old son survives the attack but is hospitalized ...moreA school teacher, his wife, and his daughter are brutally murdered in Tumba, Sweden. His fifteen year old son survives the attack but is hospitalized and in a state of shock. Detective Joona Linna asks psychiatrist Dr. Erik Maria Bark to hypnotize the boy to gain information about the murderer. Bark swore off hypnotism ten years ago after his last hypnotic experience resulted in tragedy. He reluctantly gives in to Detective Linna, only to set off a terrible chain of events.
This book started off with a bang - ten pages in and I was on the edge of my seat. There are so many mysteries interwoven into the plot, not just who killed the teacher and his family. The story takes so many twists and turns that my head was spinning. I'm giving it four stars instead of five because there were a few implausible points in the story. For instance, Linna lets Erik, a civilian, go with him into all kinds of dangerous situations and there is also a retired detective who takes his civilian adult daughter with him on his investigations. I don't know that much about Sweden but I'm pretty sure this would not be allowed ordinarily.
Overall, this was a great book. I've heard it compared several times to Stieg Larsson's books but as I haven't read them yet I can't speak to the validity of that comparison. What I do know is that The Hypnotist is a fast-paced, intense mystery that was a lot of fun to read.
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When I heard that the zombie is the main character and the "good-guy" of this book, I knew I had to read it. I've never heard of a book with...moreWhen I heard that the zombie is the main character and the "good-guy" of this book, I knew I had to read it. I've never heard of a book with a zombie good-guy before! And just look at the cover - how could I resist?
Angel lives with her alcoholic dad in Southern Louisiana. She's a pill junkie and a high-school dropout who can't hold a job. In other words, a loser. One day, she wakes up in the hospital after overdosing. She remembers being in a terrible car crash but she mysteriously has no injuries. A note is delivered to her hospital room informing her that a job at the county morgue is waiting for her when she's released. How convenient now that she has an inexplicable craving for brains. Unfortunately, there is a serial killer on the loose who decapitates his victims.
This book was so fun and original - I loved it. It has two mysteries to solve: 1)Who turned Angel into a zombie? and 2)Who is the serial killer? I couldn't figure out either mystery, the author definitely kept me guessing. There is also just the slightest hint of a romance thrown in as well. Angel is a great character. She has her flaws (obviously) but she is so likable, I was rooting for her to turn her life around.
After finishing My Life As A White Trash Zombie, I was delighted to learn that it's the first book in a series. The next book is called Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues and will be released on July 3. (less)
Mia Thermopolis is a nine-grader living with her mother in New York City. Her father lives in far off Genovia. One day he comes to visit and surprises...moreMia Thermopolis is a nine-grader living with her mother in New York City. Her father lives in far off Genovia. One day he comes to visit and surprises Mia with the news that he's actually the prince of Genovia. Not only that, he just found out he can't father any more children, leaving Mia as his sole heir to the throne. Because of this, she must now learn to be a princess under the tutelage of her grumpy and strict Grandmere.
This was a very fun young adult book. I listened to the audio book, narrated by Anne Hathaway. (She played Mia in the movie version of the book, which I have not seen.) She has the voice and emotions of a typical ninth grader down pat! I was laughing out loud at times. Of course she is helped by the fact that Meg Cabot gets teenagers and writes teenage characters so well. There are several more books in this series and I'm looking forward to reading them.
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Mockingjay is the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy. This review assumes that you have read the first two books in the trilogy, The Hunger Games ...moreMockingjay is the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy. This review assumes that you have read the first two books in the trilogy, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, and may have spoilers for them if you haven't.
In Mockingjay, Katniss must decide exactly how much more she's willing to sacrifice to keep the people she loves alive and help the Districts' rebellion. Once again, the action is non-stop and kept me on the edge of my seat. There are a couple of reasons why this is a four-star review instead of five-star like I gave the first two books. One is that I had some trouble following the descriptions of the Capitol and the action that took place there. Two is that I was disappointed with the way the Peeta/Katniss/Gale love triangle ended. I felt like Collins gave Katniss a really easy way out. Other than those two points, I thought this book was a satisfying end to the trilogy. (less)
Catching Fire is the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy. This review assumes that you've read the first book, The Hunger Games, and may have spoi...moreCatching Fire is the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy. This review assumes that you've read the first book, The Hunger Games, and may have spoilers for it if you haven't.
When Katniss handed the poisonous berries to Peeta, she had no idea that she could be starting the rumblings of a rebellion among the Districts. The Capitol is angry and wants Katniss and Peeta to fix the damage they've caused. There's not much more I can say about the plot of Catching Fire without giving away the many twists and turns in this book.
I found Catching Fire just as riveting as The Hunger Games. Several of my favorite characters are back and some great new characters are introduced. It's so hard to review this book without giving something away! I'll just say that if you loved The Hunger Games, you will love Catching Fire.
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I think I'm the last person in the world to read The Hunger Games trilogy but I'll go ahead and give you a brief summary of the book along with my rev...moreI think I'm the last person in the world to read The Hunger Games trilogy but I'll go ahead and give you a brief summary of the book along with my review.
Katniss Everdeen lives in the nation of Panem, built on the ruins of what was once North America. Once a year, the Capitol forces each district to choose one girl and one boy to send to the Hunger Games. The twenty-four tributes fight gladiator style until only one person is left alive. When Katniss's little sister is chosen as a tribute, Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place.
This book kept me guessing from almost the very beginning. Every time I thought I knew where things were going, something else happened that I didn't expect. Katniss is a great heroine. I loved that she is stronger than the Peeta, the boy tribute from her district, in many ways and is his protector. However, there were a few times when it she seemed kind of slow on the uptake. I know it was to build suspense but I wanted to yell at her to get it together. Overall though, the suspense was authentic and I was on the edge of my seat most of the time.
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Oswald T. Campbell's doctor has told him that if he doesn't spend the winter in a warmer climate then it may be his last. Oswald packs up and moves to...moreOswald T. Campbell's doctor has told him that if he doesn't spend the winter in a warmer climate then it may be his last. Oswald packs up and moves to the small town of Lost River, Alabama. Once he gets there he is greeted by a cast of colorful characters, including a store-owner and his little redbird named Jack.
A Redbird Christmas is classic Fannie Flagg. It's filled with colorful, Southern characters with good hearts and intentions. It's a little on the sappy side but it's a Christmas story so I think it's to be expected. And yes, everything is wrapped up neatly and tied with a bow at the end but would you want a Christmas story to end any other way? I wouldn't want to read books like this all the time but it was the perfect choice to put me in the Christmas spirit and bring some joy to my heart. (less)
Girl With a Pearl Earring is the fictionalized story behind the girl in Johannes Vermeer's famous painting with the same title. Very little is known a...moreGirl With a Pearl Earring is the fictionalized story behind the girl in Johannes Vermeer's famous painting with the same title. Very little is known about Vermeer's real life and no one knows who the real Girl With a Pearl Earring is so most all of the plot is from Tracy Chevalier's imagination.
Sixteen year old Griet is from a poor Protestant family living in 1660s Holland. She goes to work as a housekeeper for the Vermeer family so she can help contribute to her family's dire financial situation. The work is hard and the days are long. Because of her attention to detail, Griet is given the job of cleaning Vermeer's studio and leaving everything in exactly the same place it was before she cleaned. This makes Vermeer's wife jealous - she's not even allowed in the studio because she is so clumsy.
I could not put this book down. Griet is a great character. She is strong but recognizes the limitations of being a woman in the 17th century. She's smart enough to work with the social confines of her situation to survive and thrive. The relationship between Vermeer and Griet was complex, at times it seemed like a parent/child dynamic and other times it seemed to have more romantic tension. The author did a great job of putting the reader right in the middle of Delft, the town in Holland where the story takes place. I highly recommend this book.
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Laura Loss was in her brother's punk rock band, Second Class Citizens (SCC), in the early 1980s. Unfortunately, tragedy struck the band and they broke...moreLaura Loss was in her brother's punk rock band, Second Class Citizens (SCC), in the early 1980s. Unfortunately, tragedy struck the band and they broke up. It's now the early 1990s and Laura is living in Seattle working as a barista in a coffee shop and playing bass in a little band called Cooler Heads. She meets Nathan and Sean, two young aspiring musicians who live in Montana, at a Cooler Heads show. They are huge fans of SCC and Laura offers to help them if they ever find themselves in Seattle. Though Laura never dreams that they will actually take her up on her offer, sure enough they show up on her doorstep a few months later.
Sean turns out to be a gifted guitarist and Nathan is a brilliant songwriter. Laura agrees to play drums with them for their first show as The Mistakes, which turns out to be a huge success. One thing leads to another and before they can catch their breath, The Mistakes are one of the biggest bands the Seattle grunge scene has ever produced. When the band implodes, the world blames Laura. She tells her side of the story in How the Mistakes Were Made.
This book captured the feeling of the early 90s grunge movement perfectly. As someone who lived through that time while working at an alternative record store, it made me feel very nostalgic for those days. This is definitely not a feel good story. The three main characters are all flawed in some pretty major ways. At the same time, they are relatable and I found myself sympathizing with them even as they made some terrible choices. I could not put this book down - I was desperate to find out what exactly happened to cause the band's breakup. I highly recommend this book.
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Avalon High is a modern retelling of the Legend of King Arthur. Ellie is new in town and to Avalon High. Her parents are both college professors who s...moreAvalon High is a modern retelling of the Legend of King Arthur. Ellie is new in town and to Avalon High. Her parents are both college professors who specialize in medieval times and they've moved with Ellie to Annapolis because they are both on sabbatical for a year. While out running, Ellie meets Will, one of the most popular boys at school. He tells her that he feels like he's known her in another lifetime. Ellie doesn't think much of it until more strange things begin to happen. She slowly puts the pieces together and realizes that the Arthurian Legend is playing out in her school. If you aren't familiar with the Legend of King Arthur, don't worry. Cabot works in detailed explanations of the legend throughout the book.
I enjoyed this book. It was a cute high school romance with elements of suspense. Ellie was a realistic, likeable character. So was Will - I would have loved to have had him as my boyfriend in high school!
I listened to the audio version of this book which was narrated by Debra Wiseman. I thought she did a great job with both the male and female voices. However, one of the characters has a British accent and I didn't think her British accent was very good so that was distracting.
I didn't find out until after I'd finished this book that the rest of the books in this series are graphic novels. I'm disappointed because I love listening to Meg Cabot's books in the car and I'm assuming that there aren't audio versions of the graphic novels. On the other hand, I've never read a graphic novel before so reading them could be a new and exciting experience for me.
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Alexia Tarabotti is a "preternatural", that is she was born without a soul. This gives her a special power over those who have extra soul - ...moreAlexia Tarabotti is a "preternatural", that is she was born without a soul. This gives her a special power over those who have extra soul - namely vampires and werewolves. Their supernatural powers are deactivated whenever they come into bodily contact with Alexia. Naturally, if the supernatural beings found out what Alexia can do they would not be happy so Alexia keeps her being a preternatural a secret from most everyone. Soullessness is not Alexia's only affliction. She's also a spinster and Italian.
Alexia lives in a Victorian England where werewolves, vampires and ghosts live openly alongside ordinary human beings. When a vampire rudely attacks her at a party, Alexia starts to uncover a larger problem brewing in the supernatural community. The investigation brings her closer to Lord Maccon, an Alpha werewolf.
I loved the stylized manner in which this book was written. I felt transported back to Victorian times as I was reading and Alexia has a dry wit that kept me chuckling to myself. The chemistry between Alexia and Lord Maccon was great - I wasn't expecting the love scenes to be as steamy as they were. There were also so many fantastic supporting characters in this book that were vividly written and really fun.
This book has elements of a few genres, it's hard pin it down to just one. If I had to, I would say steampunk. It also fits into paranormal romance, mystery and comedy of manners. I think this book would appeal to almost everyone in some way. I highly recommend it.
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Sophie is a 23 year-old travel writer who loves shoes. She’s also extremely clumsy and flighty. She has a secret crush on her writing and traveling pa...moreSophie is a 23 year-old travel writer who loves shoes. She’s also extremely clumsy and flighty. She has a secret crush on her writing and traveling partner Dan. Unfortunately, he has a serious girlfriend even though it seems at times that he is interested in Sophie. Things get complicated for Sophie when she meets James. Should she wait for Dan to come to his senses and leave his girlfriend for her or should she pursue a relationship with James?
This book is written by a British author and set in England. I felt like it was trying too hard to be like Bridget Jones Diary or the Shopaholic books. Sophie was charming and I found her antics mildly amusing but the humor seemed forced at times. I was confused because Dan kept telling Sophie that James was a jerk and she was too good for him in a manner that suggested he knew something about James that Sophie didn’t. Sophie’s roommate also acted like she knew something about James. Nothing about James was ever revealed though.
I listened to the audio version of this book which was narrated by Cori Samuel. She did a great job even with the voices of the male characters. This was a good book to listen to in the car because it didn’t require a lot of concentration.
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Warning: This review assumes that you have read the first two books in the Queen of Babble series and may have spoilers for them if you have not. ...moreWarning: This review assumes that you have read the first two books in the Queen of Babble series and may have spoilers for them if you have not.
The Queen of Babble Gets Hitched picks up right where the last book left off. Lizzie has woken up in her apartment next to Chaz and Luke is pounding on the door. Luke has come to propose to Lizzie – and she accepts! She starts to prepare for her wedding but something doesn’t seem quite right. In the meantime, she is in high demand at Chez Henry bridal gown restorations after doing a fantastic job restoring a wedding dress for Jill Higgins who was marrying into high New York society.
I thought this book wrapped up the series beautifully. Lizzie is growing and becoming a serious business woman but she is still just as charming and funny as ever. I can’t really go into too many details about the plot without giving too much away.
I listened to the audio version of this book, narrated by Justine Eyre as the other two are. She does a wonderful job as usual. She had a great, quirky voice for Ava Geck, a Paris Hilton type character introduced in this book. (less)
This book has 50 paper monsters that you punch out, fold and glue. My five year old and seven year old had a blast putting these together with the hel...moreThis book has 50 paper monsters that you punch out, fold and glue. My five year old and seven year old had a blast putting these together with the help of their dad. My seven year old could put some of the easier monsters together almost all by himself but the five year old needed a lot of help with all the monsters he put together.
The book recommends using glue to adhere the tabs together but that requires patience to hold the tabs together while the glue dries before moving on the next step. Since patience is not a virtue my boys have mastered, they used scotch tape. The monsters still turned out looking just fine.
This book is great to pull out on a rainy day to have fun projects to work on with your kids.(less)
Fifteen-year old Felton Reinstein can’t stop eating or growing. In just a few months, he’s gone from a small, scrawny boy to a tall, fast jock and he ...moreFifteen-year old Felton Reinstein can’t stop eating or growing. In just a few months, he’s gone from a small, scrawny boy to a tall, fast jock and he found a really cool girlfriend. That’s all well and good, but Felton has his share of problems too. For one thing, his dad hung himself in the garage when Felton was five years old. Also, he has an annoying little brother and his mom is suddenly depressed and won’t get out of bed.
Stupid Fast is a funny and emotional coming of age story, reminiscent of Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. It’s so real. Felton is the narrator of the story. I’m not a fifteen year old boy but Felton’s thoughts and the way his mind works seemed very authentic to me. I could not put this book down; it got very intense at times. I wanted to strangle Felton’s mother, some of the things she did while she was having her depressed episode had my stomach in knots.
There are so few good young adult books for boys – this is definitely one of them. I’m excited about my boys reading this when they’re old enough. I hope they’ll enjoy it as much as I did. If nothing else, they will think I’m an awesome mom after reading about Felton’s mom! Seriously, this book is fantastic – I’m surprised I haven’t heard more about it around the blogosphere. I highly recommend it for everyone. (less)
The Wandering Falcon is the debut novel from eighty-year old Jamil Ahmad. The book is actually more like nine loosely connected short stories than a n...moreThe Wandering Falcon is the debut novel from eighty-year old Jamil Ahmad. The book is actually more like nine loosely connected short stories than a novel. The title character, Tor Baz, appears in most every story – briefly in some and as the main focus in others. Tor Baz was born to an adulterous couple who are caught and killed when he is five years old. From that point on, he wanders from tribe to tribe, never identifying with one specific tribe. Because tribal culture is so important in this region, Tor Baz is both a suspicious and mysterious man to everyone he meets.
Each story explores some aspect of the tribal culture in the Afghan/Pakistani region in the period shortly after World War II, of which I had little knowledge before reading this book. I really appreciated learning more about the culture even if I could not always fully understand it. Ahmad writes without judgment which made the stories even more fascinating to me. Ahmad’s prose is stark but even so I found his characters, especially the women, haunting. The ending gave me chills (in a good way).
The story behind how this book came to be published is just as interesting as the book itself. Ahmad worked for many decades as a civil servant in Pakistan. He wrote the first draft of The Wandering Falcon in the 1970s and put it away. In 2008, his brother convinced him to enter it in a writing competition. Eventually it made its way into the hands of an editor at Penguin and the rest is history. Now The Wandering Falcon is long-listed for the 2011 Man Asian Literary Prize. I hope that Jamil Ahmad keeps writing – I would love to read more from him.
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Five years after their 13 year-old daughter Felice ran away, Brian and Avis Muir are still struggling to cope with their loss and feelings of failure....moreFive years after their 13 year-old daughter Felice ran away, Brian and Avis Muir are still struggling to cope with their loss and feelings of failure. Avis is a gourmet pastry chef who immerses herself in her work to deal with her grief, using pastries as comfort and communication. (There are so many lush descriptions of pastries in this book – I was craving baked goods almost the whole time I listened to it!) Brian is a real estate lawyer and he and Avis’s oldest child, Stanley, owns a natural foods grocery store. Felice, who is almost 18 now, lives on the beach and earns money by doing sporadic modeling jobs.
The story alternates between Avis, Brian and Felice’s point of view. The reason that Felice ran away is slowly revealed through flashbacks. Abu-Jaber has a gift for metaphor and writes very lyrically. The main characters are well-developed. Although I didn’t agree with the choices that Avis made, I think there are mothers out there that would have made the same ones. There was one loose end regarding Avis’s neighbor that I wish would have been wrapped up at the end but I thought the rest of the plot lines ended in a good spot.
Felice works as a model, even shooting a Gap ad. I found myself wondering how accurate Abu-Jabar’s representation of the Miami modeling scene was. I dabble in modeling here in Kansas City and there is no way a major client here would hire a homeless kid who didn’t have an agent but maybe things are different in Miami. I was kind of drawn out of the story whenever modeling was brought up because I would start wondering about that.
I listened to the audio version of this book. I liked the narrator – she had a gentle, soothing voice. It was almost too soothing; a few times I was so relaxed that I realized I wasn’t paying attention and had to rewind.
After reading this lovely offering from Diana Abu-Jabar, I’m looking forward to reading more of her books.
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Twelve-year old Jack has the misfortune of belonging to the Witcher family – the lowest family on the tot...moreThis is really a 4.5 star review.
Twelve-year old Jack has the misfortune of belonging to the Witcher family – the lowest family on the totem pole in the small Virginia town where he lives. His father is frequently out of work, leaving his overworked mother to provide for the family. Jack’s older brother Stan is the town bully.
Jack’s world gets even worse when his brother is the primary suspect in the disappearance of the son of one of the pillars of the community. Jack happens to be in love with the missing boy’s younger sister, Myra, who is not allowed to be seen with Jack. Jack enlists the help of his only friend, Mr. Goldstein, the town’s Jewish jeweler, to win Myra’s heart. Can Jack overcome all the obstacles stacked against him?
This novel is another great offering from Amy Einhorn Books. Jack is such a realistic and authentic character that I instantly connected with him. I was rooting for him throughout the whole book. Wetta’s writing is wonderful; he was able to incorporate scenes with humor, suspense and heartbreak equally well. If Jack’s In Love is a gripping, moving coming-of-age story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
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Fifteen year old Esch just found she’s pregnant. She keeps this secret to herself while watching her brother Skeetah take care of his prize dog-fighti...moreFifteen year old Esch just found she’s pregnant. She keeps this secret to herself while watching her brother Skeetah take care of his prize dog-fighting pit bull China, who just had puppies. Her oldest brother Randall struggles to take care of the family while their alcoholic father tries to prepare for a coming hurricane. Their mother died giving birth to their youngest brother Junior and the family’s life in rural Mississippi has been extra hard ever since.
This book was beautiful and raw, both uplifting and upsetting. It was a wonderful story about survival in the midst of poverty and adversity. Every character is really well-developed. I was both sympathetic to and frustrated with most of them at one time or the other. This novel is told in the first person by Esch and takes place over the twelve days leading up to Hurricane Katrina. As the storm grows closer, the tension builds. The descriptions are so vivid; it felt like I was there with them. I could not put this book down for the last two chapters as the storm grew closer. I’m not the only who loved this book – it’s a National Book Award Finalist for Fiction this year. (Winners will be announced November 16.) (less)
Polish zookeeper Jan Zabinski and his wife Antonina hid over three hundred people in their zoo during the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War I...morePolish zookeeper Jan Zabinski and his wife Antonina hid over three hundred people in their zoo during the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II.
I really wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. The premise sounded so intriguing to me. However, I never felt invested in the story or the people. The sequence of events seemed confusing to me - it either jumped around in time or details I needed to understand what was going on were left out. There were so many people who were mentioned briefly and then mentioned again several pages later that I couldn't keep track of them.
I expected that the author would go into more of the details of how the Jewish people were hidden in the zoo and how the Underground worked. This story seemed to focus more on what the Jewish people who came to the zoo did before the war and also on the Zabinski's animals.
I still found aspects of this book very interesting and I did learn quite a few things about World War II and the Nazis that I didn't know before so I think it was worth reading.(less)
Elements of Style follows the lives of several of New York’s Upper East Side socialites and their families in the year following 9/11. The back cover ...moreElements of Style follows the lives of several of New York’s Upper East Side socialites and their families in the year following 9/11. The back cover calls this book a comedy and describes it as “madcap”. I didn’t think it was humorous at all. Most of the characters are selfish, vapid and materialistic (which I expected seeing as they are wealthy society people) but in a sad and pathetic way, not in a funny way. I expected this to be a fun, chick-lit book and was disappointed.
I listened to the audio version of this book. The audio production was good and the narrator, Kathe Mazur, did a fine job. (less)
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