Diary of somewhat avid readers

My library

2010-09-29T11:37:00.002-04:00

Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat

2009-09-30T09:42:00.003-04:00

This memoir by the bestselling Haitian author Danticat provides a poignant look at her family and upbringing, particularly of the relationships between her, her Uncle Joseph who raised her for many years while her parents were in the United States, and her father. It also illustrates and makes interesting some of the conflict in Haiti throughout her life and shows how people were affected in their daily lives. Danticat has always written lovingly but realistically of Haiti and its people and history, and this story is especially personal, winning the National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography in 2007.

The Eternal Smile: three stories by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim

2009-09-30T09:18:00.003-04:00

These three slightly connected but very different stories are humorously entertaining. The first, Duncan's Kingdom, follows classic fairy tale/fantasy form but with a surprising bonus. The second, Gran'pa Greenbax and the Eternal Smile, appeals as a mix between Scrooge McDuck and The Truman Show. The third, my favorite, titled Urgent Request, is a charming tale of a meek woman who finally, and surprisingly, grows a spine when the reader is all set to be disappointed in her. The three stories have very different voices and styles, and so are worthwhile reading in order to enjoy the differences.

Volunteer vacations across America: Immersion travel USA by Sheryl Kane

2009-09-24T13:44:00.003-04:00

I picked this book up randomly at the library even though I'm certainly not planning any trips any time soon, but I wanted to see what kind of ideas it would provide. It was surprisingly informative. There was thorough information for each opportunity and organization, and the author included feedback from volunteers, even when negative. The best part is that many types of opportunities were included, whether short or long term, and for any type of experience, whether it be wildlife, environment, human rights and so on. Even without having any concrete plans for travel, the book is inspiring and worth at least skimming.

The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd

2009-09-24T13:33:00.002-04:00

Initially reminiscent of Life as we knew it even though the disaster situation is not identical, The Carbon Diaries 2015 follows a year in the life of British teenager Laura Brown as the entire country is put on carbon rationing. I ended up liking this better actually, as there is more character development and the narrator has charming elements of the Georgia Nicholson voice. There were times when the book teetered on the edge of didacticism but it was clear that the author was trying not to go down that road. Overall, it was enjoyable and was a good example of what could happen to the earth if we don't change our daily behavior and habits immediately.

Fade to Black by Alex Flinn

2009-09-22T15:11:00.003-04:00

Although not as perfect an example of the unreliable narrator as Inexcusable, Fade to Black nevertheless raises lots of questions. With an HIV positive main character, this book forces readers to think about their perception of people living with the disease. For example, Alex's family is insistent on making it clear that he got it from a blood transfusion, because that somehow makes it seem less his fault than if he got it another way. I think this is a very good choice for a lot of our students here in Vermont who often aren't exposed to people unlike themselves. Plus, Flinn's writing is always enjoyable, and while the content might be challenging, she knows how to draw in the reluctant readers.

DopeSick by Walter Dean Myers

2009-09-22T15:08:00.004-04:00

A graphic portrayal of the way the decisions we make affect our lives, DopeSick illustrates how we are all responsible for our own actions, and it's never too late to change the direction of our lives.

Let it snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

2009-09-22T15:04:00.003-04:00

Charming novellas written by three of the best young adult authors. Each story is a winter romance in and of itself, but they also intertwine, having characters and locations in common.

Just After Sunset by Stephen King

2009-09-22T14:58:00.003-04:00

The master's latest short story collection. Brilliant as ever.

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

2009-09-22T14:53:00.004-04:00

Fantasy combined with realism, Impossible illustrates a legend behind the classic song Scarborough Fair. Although I found it a bit heavy, readers who enjoy fantastical elements in their realism or fairy tale retellings should find something to like in Impossible.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

2009-09-22T14:47:00.004-04:00

Zombies! Female protagonist! Romance! Adventure! Zombies! What more needs to be said?

The disreputable history of Frankie Landau-Banks: a novel by E. Lockhart

2009-09-22T14:42:00.003-04:00

At times charming, other times too smart for her own good, Frankie Landau-Banks tries to find her place in the world, or at least in the small corner of the world that is her prestigious New England boarding school. The best thing about Frankie's character is her fallibility. Although she wants to do what's right, she never comes across as annoyingly self- righteous, yet neither is she altruistic or looking out for the common good. While she has an admirable and concrete purpose for her actions, it's clear that she doesn't always know how to solve her problems the right way, and she must stand by the consequences of her actions. However, she still is better off than if she had passively accepted her situation.

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

2009-09-22T14:30:00.003-04:00

A disturbing look at life within an extreme religious sect. Although sometimes melodramatic, The Chosen One offers readers a glimpse at a world they could never begin to comprehend but also will hopefully lead the way to an understanding of the extremes to which some people are pushed. Although fairly sophisticated in theme, The Chosen One is written at a middle school level, making it accessible to more readers.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

2009-09-22T14:22:00.003-04:00

This is one of those books that helps readers see that ethics aren't always a simple matter of right and wrong, good and bad, or left and right. Certain to prompt discussion or thought, especially in our era of genetic ethics.

Deogratias: a tale of Rwanda by Jean-Phillipe Stassen:

2009-02-03T12:34:00.008-05:00

This graphic novel takes place during and after the Rwandan genocide and is told in alternating clips between the present and flashbacks by Deogratias, the title character.

I expected an overview of the war from a more historical perspective, but the book turned out to capture the experience of a single individual, Deogratias, who was affected very profoundly by his experiences. The extent to which he has become disturbed isn’t clear until the very end of the story.

This is a book that requires at least a second reading, once the reader has placed all the characters and the chronology. I felt like I was struggling with the plot for a good portion of the book, but once I had it figured out it made a lot more sense and I realized how sad the whole story really is.

Despite its status as fiction, Deogratias is an important historical work and should be part of any collection that caters especially to teens. With each rereading, I felt like I got deeper and deeper into the plot, deeper even than I was sure I wanted to be. I also came to a new understanding of some of the violence in Rwanda, a subject for which most of my knowledge comes from Don Cheadle.

Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner

2009-02-03T12:27:00.009-05:00

My main problem with reading this was that it had been years since I read Good in Bed where Cannie Shapiro was introduced, and then all Weiner’s other books in between, that I had a lot of trouble remembering exactly where the story was picking up in Cannie’s life. Unfortunately, Weiner’s books suck me in so much that I actually couldn’t stop reading Certain Girls long enough to pick up a copy of GinB to reread. Her writing is so delicious and captivating that I always have trouble putting the books down and forcing myself not to skip ahead. I managed to piece enough together from context about Cannie’s life to make sense of the book, but unfortunately it looks like I might have to reread both books at some point in the near future.

Because the story jumps back and forth from the point of view of the now all grown up Cannie and her adolescent daughter Joy, I did have a little bit of trouble identifying 100% with either of them. Weiner effectively portrays Joy’s teenage sullenness and resentment of her mother in a way that is all too familiar, and she also evokes Cannie’s all encompassing maternal love as well as shows her having realistically progressed since the end of GinB.

I felt that Cannie dwells on her weight and appearance too much for it to be interesting. It’s definitely an issue that I can identify with, but it’s too boring to obsess about so much. There are way more interesting things in life. And by this point in Cannie’s life it doesn’t seem like it’s much of an issue to anybody but herself, save for Joy when she feels extra bitchy and embarrassed by her mother.

I felt like near the end of the novel Weiner aims kind of a low blow at the reader, but to be fair this is realistic fiction. I just wish it and life could be more sugar coated. Afterwards though, Joy becomes much more mature and the characters exhibit the human resliiency that makes them believable.

Even though the character of Joy isn’t especially likable on the outside judging by her actions, her narrated sections show her vulnerability and lack of self-awareness so that the reader can’t help but like her and sympathize with her.

Basically, I would read the back of a cereal box if Jennifer Weiner wrote it.

Bone by bone by bone by Tony Johnston

2009-02-03T12:15:00.007-05:00

I found this book evocative of Harper Lee’s South, which is a testament to the author that I don’t necessarily think she did it on purpose.

David is the white son of a doctor in 1950s Tennessee, and has been forbidden to bring home his best friend and blood brother, a black boy named Malcolm. His father’s original edict prevented David form even playing with Malcolm, but the boys simply couldn’t resist one another’s company, so his father clarified that Malcolm would be shot on sight if he ever crossed their doorstep.

While respecting his father, David questions his father’s beliefs along with the mores and standards of the society to which he belongs.

Bone is a touching almost coming of age novel that proves that life is complicated and that it’s not always easy to tell right from wrong. The ending is a satisfying yet realistically complicated finish to this short but worthwhile story.

Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

2009-02-03T11:59:00.006-05:00

Sarah Vowell of NPR's This American Life indulges her obsession with death and history to write this book exploring presidential assassinations. She road trips around the country visiting museums, libraries, historic sites and plaques while gathering information for the nerd fest that is this book. She shares quirky details as if they related to living breathing people, and convinces her friends to join her (and drive her around) on her quest to find the information that makes history interesting.

Vowell's writing speaks to my favorite thing about history: the fact that people lived day to day lives despite the roles for which they are remembered. She points out that on a historical house tour, the size of Jefferson Davis’ bed and his sleeping habits are discussed with as much enthusiasm as his role in the Civil War. I love reading about history in a way that humanizes it and takes it away from the typical textbook survey.

Almost French by Sarah Turnbull

2009-02-03T11:50:00.008-05:00

This Australian journalist has achieved a tone in her memoir of her new life in France that is both humorous and confiding, and makes for a charming mix.

Sarah Turnbull took an impulsive trip to Paris in the 1990s to spend what she thought would be a weeklong visit with a French man she’d recently met. The rest is history. She ended up staying there and adapting to a new life in a city she loved among citizens who didn't necessarily welcome her.

Although the author doesn’t reveal many personal details, especially about her relationship with Frederic, she paints a colorful and descriptive picture of her life, including the language difficulties and her problems finding work. Her optimistic nature comes through though, and the book is always entertaining and envy provoking, even when things aren’t going perfectly.

A People's History of American Empire by Howard Zinn

2009-02-03T11:37:00.006-05:00

A graphic adaptation of American history. Much less interesting than I expected.

Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas

2008-04-04T19:54:00.005-04:00

Lisa Kleypas is one of my favorite historical romance writers, and this was her first foray into contemporary. It was of course well written because she is a good writer, so I did enjoy it, even though contemporary isn't my favorite. She also wrote in the first person which I generally don't like, but at least it wasn't in the present tense. I read it in one night because I couldn't put it down and I didn't even know until near the end who the hero was going to be. I was disappointed at first until I realized that the heroine made a wise decision. It was so interesting to see how Kleypas described the life of a contemporary character who had a rough life and came out on top. She made the book more than just a romance- it was an actual book about a character, rather than just about the relationship between a hero and heroine. I can't wait to read Blue-Eyed Devil, which is the story of one of the characters in the book.

Taken by Edward Bloor

2008-03-31T13:57:00.006-04:00

Edward Bloor's books are always well-written and imaginative in a way that appeals to their target readers, and Taken is no different. In 2036, society is much different- the gap between economic classes is vast and people with money are forced to live behind gates and arm themselves and their servants for protection. In a way that shows just how directly this book is influenced by modern society, reliable medical care is notoriously difficult to come by. Rich people have qualified doctors at their service, while in the poor neighborhoods, anybody can open a clinic and call themselves a doctor, even with no medical equipment, and charge whatever they want.

At the opening of the story, Charity awakes to find that she has been "taken" and is being held for ransom. Being taken is a common way for the lower class to make money, and the kidnappings generally go off without a hitch. Children are taught at school to go along with their kidnappers and that the ordeal will be over within 24 hours, when the parents pay money and get their kids back. So Charity starts out basically unconcerned and is confident that her father will pay the ransom and get her back easily. As the story unfolds though, and alternate between the present and flashbacks, she begins to piece together unsettling details that lead her to believe she may be in over head. The flashbacks also serve to describe the world as it is in 2036, and while kids are basically the same as they are now, everything around them is different.

Eventually scenes of high drama lead to a surprising but satisfying conclusion, as the reader has the chance to think about ways in which our society has led to that of Charity's.

Tangerine will always be my favorite book by Bloor, but Taken was a very interesting story that would especially appeal to middle school age readers.

Town Boy by Lat

2008-03-10T15:53:00.000-04:00

This book, the sequel to Kampung Boy, was even funnier even though it lost the charm of the country setting. The main character Mat has begun attending school in town, Ipoh, and his daily adventures are related through words and pictures. It's the 1960s so all the boys walk around with a classic rock and roll swagger that Lat portrays perfectly through nothing more than a series of lines.

The boys all think they're so cool and original, and Lat draws them all standing in a line outside the cinema, each with the exact same rebellious pose which isn't quite so rebellious when it's ten boys lined up, with the only difference between them all their height.

The book spans Mat's teen years and many of the things that befall him during that time. He spends a lot of time in school learning many different subjects, and because he is now in town , there are people with very different backgrounds than himself, especially Frankie, his soon to be best friend who is Chinese. There is of course a beautiful girl that everyone in town likes, and who Mat actually gets the courage to invite to a movie one day. One of the funniest scenes is when the boys are doing this required run for school, which includes crossing the river, and Mat and his friend decide to use the forbidden bridge. Unfortunately, they are ambushed by the principal at the other end and punished. Anecdotes like this would be interesting even if only written on words, but Lat's drawings make the scenes so much richer and even more entertaining.The book spans Mat's teen years and many of the things that befall him during that time. He spends a lot of time in school learning many different subjects, and because he is now in town , there are people with very different backgrounds than himself, especially Frankie, his soon to be best friend who is Chinese. There is of course a beautiful girl that everyone in town likes, and who Mat actually gets the courage to invite to a movie one day. One of the funniest scenes is when the boys are doing this required run for school, which includes crossing the river, and Mat and his friend decide to use the forbidden bridge. Unfortunately, they are ambushed by the principal at the other end and punished. Anecdotes like this would be enjoyable even if only written in words, but Lat's drawings make the scenes so much richer and even more entertaining.

What Happened to Cass McBride? by Gail Giles

2008-03-10T15:35:00.001-04:00

This book was quite short and super quick to read, but I enjoyed plowing through it. Up until the end at least.

It's told from the perspective of two teenagers- Kyle Kirby and Cass McBride, and alternates chapters between their two points of view. It turns out that Kyle's younger brother David has recently committed suicide and he holds the popular social butterfly Cass to blame. He comes up with what he considers a fitting punishment, and as the drama unfolds through the narrative, police detectives are working to uncover exactly what happened before it's too late.

Throughout the course of the story, both of the main characters reveal more about themselves and their motivations than they intend to, and it seems that they both have reasons for behaving the way they do.

This was a good story throughout, but I was quite disappointed by the ending. I felt it took what could have been a greater book about serious issues and turned it into an episode of Without a Trace, and sort of made light of the serious actions and consequences of the story.

Buddha Boy by Kathe Koja

2008-02-28T11:49:00.000-05:00

Buddha Boy is a YA book about bullying that takes a different and refreshing look at a common topic. Justin, the narrator, is a sophomore at a typical high school in an affluent community, where he is just trying to make it through the year without garnering excessive attention. He has a couple of close friends, Jakob and Megan, and the three of them form a tight knit group. As far as Justin is concerned, the three of them only need each other.

That is, until Jinsen arrives on the scene, a strange new student with no self-consciousness, who begs at lunch tables and who seems impervious to taunts and harassment. Justin doesn't think it's funny when the jocks make fun of Jinsen and throw things at him, but there's nothing he can do about it except not participate. Justin and Jinsen end up paired in a group project, and Justin reluctantly gets to know his partner better. Jinsen turns out to be a fantastic artist and attends the Buddhist temple. It's his faith that enables him to ignore the mistreatment of his peers, but as Justin comes to know, like, and respect Jinsen, it's not as easy for him to put up with the ignorance and bad behavior of his classmates.

Because the narrator was a separate character from the kid who was getting bullied, I was worried for a lot of the book that Justin was only describing events as they occurred and that something really bad was going to happen. Luckily, over time Justin became more involved in the story and was a more active participant, and I felt like this happened at a realistic pace. I enjoyed reading about a kid who felt the peer pressure but didn't necessarily buy into it. Justin was also confident in his friends even though they were less accepting of Jinsen at first, and he was lucky to have a supportive, functional family.

I ended up listening to the book on tape because it was more readily available than the print version, and I am not an audiobook kind of person. I enjoyed the story well enough but I would have probably liked it much better if I had read it on paper. I was never able to go back and check something I had read earlier as I often do. The vocies were distracting as well- they often didn't have the tone or inflection I would have expected. I wouldn't choose a full cast reading if I listened to another audiobook. But I feel like they are worth trying every so often considering their popularity.

Arrogant Invader by Jenny Arden

2008-02-13T12:57:00.001-05:00

For one I don't know why I let this book get to me, and for two my life would be so much simpler if I could resist reading everything I see in print. I would never have inflicted this book upon myself. I don't even know how it got into my house- it's a Mills & Boon title from 1990 that I saw lying under some other books, including a Christopher Pike behind a bookcase between my room and my brother's.

Usually I can give this type of category romance some leeway in the realism department because I know what to expect, but lately I haven't able to take them with a grain of salt, which is why this book irritated the crap out of me.

The story opens with Gwenyth and her fiancé Marc flying into Wales from France where they met and fell in love during her junior year abroad. G is taking M home to meet her family as a surprise. So far everything seems good- G & M are in love, he has a successful career in France, she's sporting a big old rock on her finger, he's French and she's a French major. As far as I'm concerned, that's an HEA right there. However, when they land expecting to be greeted by G's father, they're surprised to see Jeb, the arrogant jerk who bought out G's father a few years back when he was injured at his slate quarry.

The antagonism between J & G is palpable as he begins subtly taunting her, slipping into an old familiar pattern. Apparently he's amused by her irritation and dislike of him, which is bad romance shorthand for a latent sexual attraction that she's too sweetly naive to pick up on. J is snide to the fiancé, harasses G when they're alone together, even casting aspersions on M's ability in bed even though G's obviously a perfect virginal heroine, and otherwise comes across as a rude, arrogant jerk, except around the rest of the family who finds him charming and generous.

This is how the book proceeds- J's harassing G left and right, grabbing her and kissing her until she submits to his will, making fun of her fiancé, and eventually blackmailing her, virtually forcing her to dump M and marry him. The one advantage I found him to have over M and which apparently proves that M is bad husband material, is that J wants G to finish the last year of her degree before spending the rest of her life as a SAHM, while M wants her to begin the SAHM part immediately and to quit her fourth year of studies. She already knows French after all, so why get the piece of paper to prove it? I'm inclined to agree with M in this because it's not like she needs the degree to pursue a career or anything; she's never going to work outside the home and she's already successfully been living in France.

But of course J eventually convinces G that M will stifle her and would otherwise be wrong for her. He also issues a challenge to M saying that he plans to court G himself. This made me so mad! He should have respected the ring on her finger. If he had been nice to her at any point during the years of their acquaintance, that would have redeemed him more than his eventual confession that he did it all for love. Not to mention the blackmail- her father needs a job at the quarry because of bad investments, and J says he will offer the job if G agrees to marry him. I can't see a heroine falling in love with a man like that, but more likely with a man who would help her family out because it's the right thing to do.

J and G have their sham of a wedding but she is unable to go through with the wedding night because she has gone and fallen in love with her masterful new husband. After her tearful confession he professes his long hidden love and they proceed to have the best sex ever, and presumably live happily ever after.

I hated that J couldn't just be nice to the woman he loves, and I hated G's lack of self-awareness- apparently all the bad feelings J made her feel were really the hots that she had for him. This is a common romance novel heroine theme- they hate the hero, don't get along with him despite his cold handsomeness, they get angry whenever they're around him, and then one day this is all magically converted into true love. This seems like laziness on the writer's part- the better writers are able to make a conflict out of something believable and can make a budding attraction feel like something delicious and worth exploring.The book really is typical for its time, and I certainly took it way too seriously and personally, but I'm glad category writing standards have come so far since then-well, some of them anyway.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

2008-02-12T12:08:00.000-05:00

This book was absolutely captivating and well-written. Everything about it just fit together so well. Green did an excellent job of both characterization and scene-setting.

Colin has just finished high school and been dumped by his 19th girlfriend named Katherine. He's at a loss of how to spend his summer when his best friend Hassan proposes a road trip. They end up in the hick town of Gutshot, Tennessee, where they decide to settle down for a while.

The thing is, the author could have written any series of adventures for these characters and it would have been equally as entertaining. Colin's a former child prodigy who feels that since he has outgrown his prodigy-hood, he has nothing else interesting or unique to show the world. To me it seemed like he had a touch of Asperger's, but that is never mentioned in the book. Hassan is his devout-Muslim-when-it-suits-him friend who graduated from high school a year prior and although he's smart, he specializes in laziness. He's the fat funny kid. The author does really well at showing people's common insecurities, and he effectively deals with the theme of being able to be yourself. All the main characters deal with some form of this issue.

I would absolutely love to read a sequel to this book- I just want to know more about Colin's life and see how things turn out for him.

Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock

2008-01-09T13:28:00.000-05:00

This YA novel was a very enjoyable story that ended too quickly for me. I read it because I had to and didn't expect to like it, or really to sympathize with the protagonist who farms and plays football, but I really ending up liking her, and I felt the author captured the voice of a teenage girl very well.

D.J.’s father is waiting for a hip replacement and is unable to get around without a walker, so D.J. is basically running the family’s dairy farm on her own. A close family friend who happens to be the rival high school’s football coach in a town where high school football is taken very seriously, sends over his quarterback to help out with the chores but also to teach him how to work. D.J. is nonplussed at the idea of training a privileged, lazy town kid the ropes of haying, baling, and milking and makes this clear through her superior attitude, but D.J. and Brian eventually learn to at least get along and work side by side, whether they’re thrilled about it or not. At the same time that she is trying to sort through her own feelings about life and choices we make, she realizes that not only would she make a good personal trainer for Brian but also that she might make a pretty good football player herself.

D.J. has an engaging and amusing personality; she is self-aware but not unrealistically so. She is aware of her shortcomings, often judging herself too harshly. Although she sometimes wishes things were different, like her looks, her family’s lifestyle, her social life, she doesn’t spend time complaining or sulking but has a pragmatic attitude and does what she needs to. She is an admirable character and speaks in a refreshing voice. There is much description of football and of farming, and while it’s clear that the author is knowledgeable about both, her tone is neither condescending nor didactic. Murdock describes both these subjects in a conversational way so the tone of the story is never interrupted but the description is all there. I also loved the way she didn’t sugarcoat anything; she was frank about the hardships people face.

D.J. was a character I would have still enjoyed reading about even if the book was more serious or weighty, which is often not the case with YA novels. I would love to read more about her.

Sold by Patricia McCormick

2007-03-14T14:10:00.000-04:00

I enjoyed reading McCormick's earlier novel Cut a few years back, and while Sold can technically be classified in a similar category of problems faced by adolescents, it's clear how much McCormick's talent has progressed over the time in between.

Lakshmi is a 13 year old Nepali girl living a difficult but simple life in the mountains. She helps her mother with chores like planting and cooking and caring for her baby brother. After the village survives the longest drought of Lakshmi's life, the monsoons that come are so fierce that her family's rice paddy and entire livelihood are wiped out. Her stepfather, an indolent gambler, believes he has the solution when he sells Lakshmi to a woman from the big city, who takes her to India where she is forced into prostitution in a seedy brothel. Although she initially is drugged by the madam, she eventually succumbs and numbs herself to the misery of her life. She describes the plight of herself and of the other girls who live there, including one who has young children.

I enjoyed McCormick's style of telling Lakshmi's story in short vignettes, almost like prose poetry. She is very effective at getting a feeling across to the reader, without necessarily conveying every detail. But the details that she does share are enthralling, if depressing.

Although the plot is based in the sex industry, the novel isn't too graphic for teenagers to read. It's obvious what is going on, and why, but the details are not gratuitous or unnecessarily descriptive. It was clear that the author did extensive research for this novel, and that she has the talent of getting inside a young girl's head, as she did in Cut. I finished this book in just a couple of hours, and found it a captivating depiction of an appalling situation, worth adding to any young adult collection.

The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner

2007-03-05T13:10:00.000-05:00

The latest offering by one of my favorite authors is a collection of short stories written at different times in the author's life. As always, I found her words captivating, and I was reluctant to stop reading even when my eyes were drooping shut. The reading experience wasn't quite the same as reading one of her full-length novels, where the reader can really get to know the characters and get into the plot, but the end of each story left me hungry for more. Whenever I hear someone dismissing chick lit as girly fluff, Jennifer Weiner is definitely the author to point the poor misguided reader to.

Eloisa James

2007-02-19T18:15:00.000-05:00

This is currently my favorite romance author- I am trying to read all her backlist. Her novels are set in the Regency period, and they are quite amusing, which is very rare for me to say about a romance. Each of the books I have read so far has characters that are linked in some way to previous characters, so it is super easy for me to get caught up in the world she has created. I'm not entirely convinced that her characters behave entirely realistically for the period, but I don't really care- they are entertaining and personable, and have personalities and characteristics that are their own. Most of the females that James writes use some kind of makeup, which I absolutely love, whether they darken their lashes or brows or color their lips. I know obvious painting was frowned upon, but I have always found it difficult to reconcile women's insecurities of today with the images of the flawless heroines in historical romances. I also enjoy James' literary allusions; as an English professor and Shakespearean scholar, she certainly knows what she's talking about and always has the right quote for the occasion.

Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty

2006-11-13T14:23:00.000-05:00

This is the third book in the Jessica Darling series, and covers a lengthy time span. It opens at the beginning of the summer after her freshman year at Columbia, when she is about to start an internship at a hip magazine. It had been so long since I read the first two books that I forgot many of the details, but old times are mentioned enough that I am mostly up to date. She is still with Marcus, but he is at a Buddhist college in California so they hardly ever get to see each other. The story is told through her diary and through letters to Marcus and her friend Hope, but only during summer and winter breaks, so a lot of time has gone by between each section.
When I started reading these books, they were YA but they are now in the adult fiction section at the bookstore. This sequel has way more adult themes; for instance, Jessica writes about sex a lot, and in rather detailed descriptions, as would any typical college diarist. It's not like it was more shocking than anything else I've read, but I feel as if I've known Jessica Darling through her high school years when she had hardly ever been kissed and now she is growing and changing.
On the other hand, she is still immature in a lot of ways. She hasn't grown up enough yet to see her parents as people, and is totally surprised when her big sister Bethany tells her things about their parents that Jessica never even bothered to find out. For someone who is so intelligent and usually so industrious, Jessica shuts down entirely under stress.
I find that what annoys me about this book has nothing to do with the actual writing but more Jessica herself, but that's because I can't help but see her as a real person, which is really a testament to McCafferty's writing.
Apparently we will be seeing Jessica's post-college life as the back book flap says the author is working on another Jessica Darling book.

The Thirteenth Tale

2006-10-29T20:32:00.000-05:00

This new book by Diane Setterfield is the best book I have read all year! It's complex, engrossing, captivating... It took me a long time to read, but I would do a chapter or two a night, and then it was in the forefront of my mind all day. Margaret Lea is a reclusive woman who lives over her family's antiquarian bookshop, and is content to spend her life surrounded by the written word and her father's company. She spends some of her time conducting biographical research, and has managed to have some of her work published. This has brought her to the attention of one Miss Vida Winter, an incredibly famous but secretive author who commands Margaret's presence at her mansion so that she can dictate her life story to Margaret.
Over the course of Margaret's stay there, she learns as much about herself as she does about the incredibly fantastic past of her new employer, a story involving all the classic elements: love, betrayal, scandals and secrets. She also finds a way to take control of her own life, and make decisions rather than just letting things happen. Overall, The Thirteenth Tale is a book that I would recommend to anybody, with no reservations, for its attention to detail, originality, and extremely entertaining story.

Writing on the Wall by Lynne Reid Banks

2006-09-10T20:22:00.000-04:00

This is a book that I got from the library when I was in about fifth grade- actually my mom checked it out and I read it. As an adult I was trying to remember what it was called, but all I could recall were a few details of the plot and the cover. When I read it as a kid, the cover made a huge impression on me because it had a naughty word on it- the boy and girl are standing in front of a wall which she has just graffitied, and so are partially blocking out where she sprayed "Kevin is a bastard". I thought that was the ultimate in badness and slightly cool as well. Anyways, after an extensive search for the book last year, I found out the name and that it was by Lynne Reid Banks, who I've always liked for not only the Indian in the Cupboard books, but also her other J and YA novels. So I was really excited to get a library's discarded copy for Christmas.

It's about a London girl who gets into the punk culture in the early 1980s, and whose new boyfriend, Kevin, is more of a handful than she is really ready for. On an end of school year bicycling trip through Holland with friends, Kevin convinces her to break away from the group and go with him to Amsterdam. Although she starts to realize that Kevin is really not the greatest guy, she's not ready to lose him and is still willing to go along with his ideas. However, what he puts her through in Amsterdam makes her realize that she needs to get back with the group and get back to England, but it's not as easy as she expects. It is a good story, although amusingly dated, and while my main reason for reading it was to recapture a childhood favorite, it's definitely worth it if you can find it at one of the local libraries.

Crusader by Edward Bloor

2006-08-02T09:33:00.000-04:00

I wanted to read this book because I loved Tangerine so much, but even after I got it I didn't read it for many months because the picture on the cover made me think it was some medieval fantasy. Way to judge a book by its cover! The cover does have a crusading knight with a holy cross on his chest, but the book actually takes place in modern Florida. The protagonist works in her family's video game store in the local run-down mall, where all the games are virtual reality "experiences", and are generally along the lines of one group of people, like the crusaders, trying to wipe out another group of people, like Muslims. The mindless killing prevalent in the games' plots mirrors ignorant local attitudes. Roberta watches as racial tensions heat up among local residents and businesses, and at the same time she begins to emerge from the protective shell she built around herself after her mother's murder years ago. Like Tangerine, Crusader is full of secrets and surprises, and it's almost as good.

Shadow Children Series

2006-05-27T17:58:00.000-04:00

I read an interesting interview with Margaret Peterson Haddix about the end of the Among... books. Since we all read and love those!
My brother and I drove to a used bookstore today to sell some books; we made over $50 so it was worth it, but on the way home a small town library was giving away books on the lawn! We managed to contain ourselves to one bag, but I ask you, what is the point of trying to pare down our collections when we can't resist any books that come our way?

School Days by Robert B. Parker

2006-05-24T00:27:00.000-04:00

This was my first venture into reading Robert B. Parker. School Days is a quick read but is really satisfying. Spencer (the main character) is a no-nonsense man whose heart belongs to one person - even if she is far away! His mission is to solve a mystery behind a Columbine type school shooting -did the kids do it? How? Why? The characters can be somewhat cartoonish - but that just adds to the charm and humor of this book.

Warning : Spoiler don't read below if you don't want to know what happens!
The book is not a tidy novel where one can figure out everything from the first chapter. Parker does an excellent job of throwing twists, wrong turns and dead ends to keep the pages turning.

Heiress for Hire by Erin McCarthy

2006-05-08T21:10:00.000-04:00

I just started this book because I had a really slow day of subbing today, and I am halfway through already. I didn't expect to like it at all, but it is very cute. The main character, Amanda is a spoiled heiress who learns to depend on herself when her father cuts her off, and she takes a job as a sitter in the small Ohio town where she is stuck. Along the way, Amanda and the girl's father fall in love. The whole plot outline sounds hackneyed, but McCarthy gave the plot new twists and the characters dynamic, complex personalities.

Flowers for Algernon

2006-05-06T18:29:00.000-04:00

Daniel Keyes

This is a different type of emotional roller coaster ride from what I've been reading lately. The story is told through a series of progress report by Charlie Gordon, a grown man who is mentally retarded. He is the subject of a research experiment, focused on increasing his intelligence. Algernon is the mouse who has also undergone the same experiment. As Charlie's intelligence grows, his world becomes more complicated, the facade breaks and truths begin to surface. As his intelligence has surpassed his doctors, Charlie sees his future in Algernon. Although we see everything through Charlie's eyes, the other characters (Alice, Faye, Drs. Strauss and Nemur) are real. Their emotions and actions mean a great deal to Charlie.

The successful academic librarian: winning strategies from library leaders

2006-05-02T23:21:00.000-04:00

Edited by Gwen Meyer Gregory

mood: hopeful

This advice guide is packed full of information from experienced librarians. Each chapter has tips and tidbits for aspiring librarians and even those who are already in the field. Easy to read and helped me with my phone interview. I worked with Anna Gold, who wrote one of the chapters. She provided good insight on what it's like to change jobs and even the type of library in midcareer. I also took the information from the "Come on down your the next contestant" to heart. The chapter clearly explained expectations of the academic library interview process. Hopefully, I'll be able to experience it for myself soon....

I'm reading I promise.....

2006-04-25T02:36:00.000-04:00

Since I'm trying to kick my depressing-infidelity Shreve/Sparks Slump - I'm slowly (because I have more pressing things on my to do list and because I haven't been riding the bus) reading the following books:

Flowers for Algernon
Adam Canfield of the Slash
Eragon
The successful academic librarian: winning strategies from library leaders

At First Sight

2006-04-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

Nicholas Sparks

Mood: Sad with a Pout.

A story which continues A True Believer (which I haven't read), it's typical Sparks fare, just when you think that all is well and good between Lexie and Jeremy, a wicked twist comes out of nowhere. I should remember that when I read his books. That's part of the reason why I've created this blog. I'd like to try A True Believer, since I know how the story will eventually end. I'd like to read more about the lights at the cemetary and the psychic/diviner.

Where or When

2006-04-06T01:05:00.000-04:00

Anita Shreve

Mood: Bummed

I don't know what my major malfunction is, but I've been stuck in a reading rut. Not necessarily a bad thing, I just keep turning to Shreve and I keep getting the same result - I'm sad and emotionally drained after reading her books. I get emotionally involved with her characters and their situations. I'm upset with their choices but at the same time I can't stop reading the book. Themes of infidelity and long lost love - true love unrealized run through this tightly woven storyline.

The Pilot's Wife

2006-03-30T01:18:00.000-05:00

Anita Shreve

Mood: super bummed

Infidelity - common theme within her novels. Sadness was reopened by this novel. Moving and gripping but I couldn't put it down. I like the torture, I guess.

The Mermaid Chair

2006-02-25T23:12:00.000-05:00

Sue Monk Kidd

mood: don't remember

Interesting story. Tugged at the heartstrings. Almost unbelievable. Well developed characters.