Books, Memes, and Musings

It's Friday and Time for the Book Blogger Hop

2011-09-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

“In honor of Banned Books Week, what is your

favorite “banned or frequently challenged book”?”

Today's question from Crazy for Books is a good one. I've already talked about banned or challenged books in another post this week, but this is still a hard question.

I guess my favorite challenged children's book is Bridge to Terabithia which is a wonderful exploration of friendship, life, and death. For adult books, I would say my favorite is Of Mice and Men because it was one of those required reading books that didn't feel like an assignment.

There are tons more great titles on the lists I've seen this week including the Harry Potter books and To Kill a Mockingbird!

I'm going to hop around and see what other people wrote about. Happy hopping all!

Challenged Books - Interesting Titles

2011-09-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Julie at My Book Retreat had an interesting post. She looked at the list of recently challenged books and asked people to comment on the books that surprised them the most. Her post is here.

The ALA Most Challenged list can be found here.

I hadn't looked at this list in awhile. I expected to see Harry Potter, Catcher in the Rye, and the Twilight series. I was shocked to see Bridge to Terabithia on a few lists. That was one of the best books I've ever read with a class of students. It provoked the best discussion groups and really touched the kids. It made them think and feel. What more can we ask of a book!

I was also surprised that My Sister's Keeper was on one of the lists. Again, this is a book that makes you think and feel. I could see my fourth grade students from that class ten years ago loving Picoult as young adult readers.

I am going to make a point of reading one of the books on the lists that I have never read. Any suggestions?

Teaser Tuesday

2011-09-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I had time to post. The start of the school year is always hectic. I really have missed spending time the the blogosphere! This looks like a fun (and easy) meme. If you want to play, click here.

My book is A Mortal Terror: A Billy Boyle Novel by James R. Benn

"That's good to know. I've got a nice SS dagger stashed away."

"Well, see Arnold, he's always buying. I hear he ships the stuff home, got a pal who sells it off."

This is the latest book in the series, and I'm quite enjoying it.

9/11

2011-09-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

This is a picture taken last month at the Flight 93 Memorial in Pennsylvania. The NPS has done a lovely job of honoring the heroes and telling their individual stories. On this 10th anniversary, we all need to remember the sacrifices made that day for our freedoms, and we need to protect those freedoms to honor their sacrifices.

I Hit 50!!!

2011-09-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone. I just got follower number 50! I'm very excited. Have a great Labor Day weekend.

It's Monday and I'm Musing

2011-09-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

Here's today's question from Musing Mondays:

Who do you think is the hottest male/female character from a book?

This is an easy one. Ranger or Morelli from the Stephanie Plum books. They are both hot in very different ways! I almost don't want to see the movie that's coming out soon. I'm afraid the casting won't fit the images in my head.

On another note, it's been a busy week getting ready for school to start. I have about five reviews backed up so I'm hoping to get them posted in the next few days. I'm also excited that I'm almost to 50 followers.

Have a great Labor Day!

Musing Mondays - Fun List

2011-08-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

Here's this week's Musings. Play along here.

What was the last book you…

• borrowed from the library? I can't remember ... probably something I read to my class last year.

• bought? The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman - review to come.

• cried over? I can't remember.

• disliked and couldn’t finish? Among the Missing by Morag Joss.

• read & loved? The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen

• got for review? (or: got in the mail?) The Stranger You Seek by Amanda Kyle Williams

• gave to someone else? a book about a dog to my mother-in-law but I can't remember the name.

• stayed up too late reading? Where All the Dead Lie by J.T. Ellison

What about you?

Friday Follow - Mythical Creatures

2011-08-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here's today's Follow Friday question:

In some books like the Sookie Stackhouse series the paranormal creature in question "comes out of the closet" and makes itself known to the world. Which mythical creature do you wish this would happen with in real life?

I don't tend to read a lot of fantasy books so this one's a hard question for me. I'd love to meet Firenze from the Harry Potter books. It would be fun to have him as a teacher. I'd also like to talk to Dobby and learn about house elves from Harry Potter. It's such an exciting, magical world that I could pick just about anyone from that world.

What about you?

Booking Through Thursday - History

2011-08-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Here's today's Booking Through Thursday:

Sometimes I feel like the only person I know who finds reading history fascinating. It’s so full of amazing-yet-true stories of people driven to the edge and how they reacted to it. I keep telling friends that a good history book (as opposed to some of those textbooks in school that are all lists and dates) does everything a good novel does–it grips you with real characters doing amazing things.

Am I REALLY the only person who feels this way? When is the last time you read a history book? Historical biography? You know, something that took place in the past but was REAL.

I honestly can't remember the last time I read a nonfiction biography or history book. I've read lots of historical fiction, but that's slightly different. I've also read a number of historical picture books. The only thing I can come up with as an answer is that I've read children's biographies of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, a number of famous artists, and many famous women since I teach a unit on biography in my second grade class. So I guess I value reading biography and history, but don't tend to do it as my personal recreational reading.

What about you?

Musing Mondays - Plot or Character

2011-08-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Should be Reading. Here's this week's question:

Do you prefer character-driven stories, or plot-driven stories?

This is an interesting question. I pick up a book because the plot sounds interesting, but I won't keep reading it if the characters aren't interesting. I've noticed that many of my reviews focus on characters and their development in a story. I think that any series books that I read must attract me because of the characters. I can remember character names but not always the names of the books. In a perfect world, books need both, but I have to have great, well-written characters.

This post is a day late since I'm sneaking in blogging time from a trip to the beach!

Saturday Snapshot - Skating

2011-08-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

I just found this meme and thought it sounded like fun!

This is my daughter getting ready to skate in our local figure club's summer show. She skated to "You Raise Me Up" in honor of her sixth grade teacher who, on Easter weekend, lost her year-long battle with breast cancer.

Friday Blog Hop - Longest Book

2011-08-19T07:25:00.000-07:00

I just started participating in this weekly blog hop and really enjoy it. Crazy for Books hosts it so check it out! Here's today's question:

“What’s the LONGEST book you’ve ever read?”

(Note: I’m putting one caveat on this question. You aren’t allowed to say the Bible, Torah, Qur’an, or other religious/spiritual text.)

That's a tough one. I'm pretty sure it was something I read in school - Gone with the Wind at 960 pages. There are others - like Dante's Inferno that seemed to last forever but I don't think it was truly as long.

What about you?

Here's today's question:

Q. If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play in that book?

Fun question. I'd probably write myself in The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende. I wouldn't want to experience all the tragedy of the story but I'd love to sit down and talk to Clara to understand how she experiences both the real and spirit worlds.

Booking Through Thursday - Curl Up

2011-08-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite weekly memes. Here's today's question:

You’ve just had a long, hard, exhausting day, and all you want to do is curl up with something light, fun, easy, fluffy, distracting, and entertaining.

What book do you pick up?

Most of the time I'd pick whatever book I'm reading because I'm a one book at a time girl. But, there are times when I need total distraction. If that's the case, I almost always gravitate toward a lightweight, cozy mystery - maybe one set in a kitchen or something like that. It doesn't have to be a series I've read. It can be a new one as long as it has some humor in it.

What about you?

Good Influence: Teaching the Wisdom of Adulthood by Daniel R. Heischman

2011-08-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good Influence: Teaching the Wisdom of Adulthood
by Daniel R. Heischman

146 pages

February 2010

Nonfiction

First, a disclaimer, this book was purchased for me by my employer, and it was my required summer reading. It will be the basis of teacher discussion and development at the start of the new school year.

The author, Heischman, is an Episcopal priest who has been a Dean of Students, Headmaster, and Chaplain at a number of private Episcopal secondary schools and colleges. The thesis of the book is that teachers have a special responsibility to their students to be "grown ups" so that they can guide and model behavior and choices for their students.

By "grown up," he does not mean simply being an adult. He makes the distinction that teachers are adults, but that not all adults are grown ups. That point actually makes a great deal of sense to me. I've seen too many teachers go overboard to make friends with students, only to lose their students' respect and the ability to control a classroom.

The same can be said of some parents. In my twenty plus year teaching career, I've seen a real shift in how parents perceive their role. Many, but by all means not all, parents seem to value their children's happiness above all else, and they think their job is to clear the path for their children. Unfortunately, this results in questioning school and teacher decisions and not allowing students the room to make choices and solve their own problems. In this case, Heischman would argue that a "grown up" needs to help facilitate student choice, and even student lack of success so that they can truly understand what it means to work hard toward a goal.

The point is well made, and one that I deal with all the time, even in elementary school. It is a short book, but the author, unfortunately repeats himself and belabors some of his points. I would have appreciated some more models, outside of his own experiences, to help guide me as I work with parents and students.

Overall, it was thought-provoking, but left me wanting more substance. Some of my anti-non fiction bias may be coming through on this one. Overall, I'd give it 3 1/2 stars. I'd love to hear what you think of his idea of "grown ups." I know there are a number of teen bloggers out there. What do you think - should the teacher be your friend?

Top Ten Tuesday - My Favorite Reviews

2011-08-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a freebie week. Since I just got back into my blog after taking an extended break, I decided that my top 10 would be my top ten favorite reviewed books. That gives me a chance to re-introduce some of the books I loved from the past.

1. The Book Thief - probably my favorite YA novel of all time!

2. The Time Traveler's Wife - read the book, the movie doesn't do this one justice.

3. The Wednesday Wars - a really fun YA read.

4. The Sum of Our Days - I think anything Allende writes is brilliant. I never reviewed Paula, but it's one of my all time favorite books. The last 20 pages make me cry every time.

5. Ashfall - the last YA book I read and I can't say enough good things about it. And the author visited my blog and left a comment. Very cool.

6. The Keeper of Lost Causes - I think this could be the next breakout book series.

7. Where All the Dead Lie - another of my current favorites.

8. My Sister's Keeper - my favorite Jodi Picoult novel, but I never saw the movie. I was afraid that Cameron Diaz would wreck it for me.

9. Before I Fall - another new book which impressed me in many ways.

10. Before I Go to Sleep - part of my current string of successful reads.

It was interesting to go back to my older posts and realize that my reading styles and preferences really haven't changed that much in the last few years. I was also a bit sad that I stopped blogging for those years, because I wonder what books I've forgotten about that really should be on this list.

I'm looking forward to reading other people's lists.

Musing Mondays

2011-08-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

This week’s musing asks…

Do you like looking at other people’s bookshelves?

Yes, I'm a bit of a snoop that way. Probably like everyone else. I do wonder if bookshelves are going the way of record players because of the number of Kindles and other ebook readers out there. I've also started conversations with people I see reading Kindles. I've found that people who are sitting reading in public places tend to like to talk about what they are reading.

What about you?

Where All the Dead Lie by J.T. Ellison

2011-08-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Where All the Dead Lie by J.T. Ellison

400 pages

Mystery/Thriller

September 2011

This is another netGalley book! Here's the blurb:

"The shot to the head didn’t kill Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson. But it will crack her psyche and take her to the very edge.

In her showdown with the murderous Pretender, a bullet taken at close range severed the connection between Taylor’s thoughts and speech. Effectively mute, there’s no telling if her voice will ever come back. Trapped in silence, she is surrounded by ghosts—of the past, of friendships and trusts lost...of a lost faith in herself and her motives that night.

When Memphis Highsmythe offers Taylor his home in the Scottish Highlands to recuperate, her fiancé can’t refuse her excitement, no matter his distrust of the man. At first, Memphis’s drafty and singularly romantic castle seems the perfect place for healing. But shortly the house itself surrounds her like a menacing presence. As Taylor’s sense of isolation and vulnerability grows, so, too, does her grip on reality.

PTSD. PiLlS. GhOStS. GRuDGES.

Someone or something is coming after Taylor. But is she being haunted by the dead…or hunted by the living? "

This is the seventh book in the Taylor Jackson series. I was fine reading it as a stand alone novel, but it does reveal the ending of the last book so some people may want to read the series in order.

I'm three for three with netGalley books. I loved this one as well. It was another book that kept me reading late into the night. There is a nice ghost story element to the book that adds to the suspense and tension. I finished it during a road trip to Gettysburg, PA so I was probably in the mood to go along with the ghostly elements of the story!

I loved Taylor and her relationship with Sam, her best friend. It's rare that friendships between women seem real, fractured, and repairable in books. This one felt like all three to me! I was a little less interested in Taylor's relationship with Baldwin - maybe the author assumed I knew a little more about him than I did. That would be my only criticism of the book (and it's a minor one!)

There is a great villain, but I don't want to give it away. I did see it coming, but enjoyed watching the author unfold the story anyway.

Again, another 5 star read! I may need to go back and read the first six books to see how these characters got to where they are!

It's Monday! Here's What I'm Reading

2011-08-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

This may be a bit of a cheat but here's what I've read in the past two weeks while I was on vacation. For anyone living in Pennsylvania, I fell in love with your state. Great place to visit and I met some fascinating people along the way. Anyway, titles I read:

Here's my review.

I finished this one since the last Monday post, but it may have been two weeks ago.

Here's the review.

Review coming soon!

This one was my summer reading assignment for work. I don't normally read non-fiction so the review may take a few days because it's harder for me to write.

What's up for next week:

I read a great review on this one so it's high on this week's list.

I just got a netGalley copy of this one so I may give it a shot!

So what are you planning to read this week?

Awards

2011-08-14T17:36:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a two week vacation and was treated to two lovely comments.

Darcus and Kristin both nominated my blog for an award. It was a great welcome back to blogging. Here it is:

The goal of the award is to spotlight up and coming bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers. The rules of the award are:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.

5. And most of all - have bloggity-blog fun!

I love the idea of paying it forward so here are my five choices:

1. Ramblings of a Day Dreamer - love the look of her blog and it's sense of humor!

2. Book by Book - we seem to have the same taste in books!

3. Much Loved Books - this might be a bit of a cheat because the blog's already got this award, but it deserves a bigger audience.

4. Once Upon a Prologue - love her layout and great label list.

5. Willa's Ramblings - I seem to be going for look but I like how much fun this blog is.

Check them out!

The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen

2011-08-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen

400 pages

Mystery/Thriller

August 2011

This is another review copy I got from netGalley. Here is the blurb from their site:

"The Keeper of Lost Causes, the first installment of Adler-Olsen's Department Q series, features the deeply flawed chief detective Carl MØrck, who used to be a good homicide detective-one of Copenhagen's best. Then a bullet almost took his life. Two of his colleagues weren't so lucky, and Carl, who didn't draw his weapon, blames himself.

So a promotion is the last thing Carl expects.

But it all becomes clear when he sees his new office in the basement. Carl's been selected to run Department Q, a new special investigations division that turns out to be a department of one. With a stack of Copenhagen's coldest cases to keep him company, Carl's been put out to pasture. So he's as surprised as anyone when a case actually captures his interest. A missing politician vanished without a trace five years earlier. The world assumes she's dead. His colleagues snicker about the time he's wasting. But Carl may have the last laugh, and redeem himself in the process.

Because she isn't dead . . . yet."

This is the first in a series that, apparently, is already popular in Denmark and is being translated for the U.S. audience. It is fabulous. I loved The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and read all three books. I thought this book was even better. Carl is a great character, and the author has given him both a personal and professional back story. The other main character, Merete Lynggaard, is equally fascinating. Her back story is also well-developed. She has an adult disabled brother and is a highly-placed political official.

The book alternates between present day Carl and past/present day Merete. As readers, we are lead to a point where their two stories converge, and this is one of those books I kept reading late at night because of the building tension.

The author also creates a second hand man for Carl. Assad also has a back story, which is mysterious throughout the book. He is clearly not a maintenance worker, but someone with an investigative or violent past. We are only given glimpses of Assad's true nature, and it seems that the author has laid groundwork for some fascinating revelations in future books in the series.

This book does not disappoint. The author deftly builds the story from both Carl and Merete's points of view. I didn't guess the twist, because there is one, until it was unveiled to Merete. Then, I couldn't stop reading until I was sure Carl had figured it out too. 5 stars for a great ride! I can't wait to read more in the series.

Ashfall by Mike Mullen

2011-08-13T16:21:00.000-07:00

Ashfall by Mike Mullin

472 pages

Young Adult Fiction

October 2011

This is the first galley I've gotten from netGalley. Here's the blurb from the website:

"Many visitors to Yellowstone National Park don't realize that the boiling hot springs and spraying geysers are caused by an underlying super volcano, so large that the caldera can only be seen by plane or satellite.And by some scientific measurements, it could be overdue for an eruption.

For Alex, being alone for the weekend means freedom from his parents and the chance to play computer games and hang out with his friends without hassle from his mother. Then Yellowstone erupts, plunging his hometown into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence. Alex begins a harrowing trek, searching for his family and finding help in Darla, his travel partner. Together they must find the strength and skills to survive and outlast an epic disaster."

This synopsis doesn't do the book justice. It is the first of a planned trilogy which, I think, is going to be a huge hit with middle school students. It should appeal to everyone who loved The Hunger Games. The novel starts with a bang, literally, and Alex, the main character, is immediately in the middle of chaos and destruction. He is not your average hero-type character, and he seems annoyingly immature. By the end of the novel, he is a complex and interesting character because of what he goes through in the story.

As Alex travels from Idaho to find his parents, he is met with a lawless, post-apocalyptic society trying to cope with the aftermaths of the volcanic eruption. He is alternately met with acts of selfless kindness and violent cruelty. You never know, as a reader, what's going to happen next.

There are two quotes I really liked from Alex. At the beginning of the story he says, "Hunger of choice is a painful luxury; hunger of necessity is a terrifying torture." Nearer the end, he says, " ... the volcano had taken our homes, our food, our automobiles, and our airplanes, but it hadn't taken our humanity. No, we'd given that up on our own." To me, Alex displays incredible growth of character to take the situation beyond his own needs to see how it impacted everyone. Wow.

Darla, his female travelling partner, is an interesting character. Alex meets her about 1/3 of the way through the book, when he is at his lowest and needs to be nursed back to health. She is an intriguing character who also grows and changes in the story.

I don't want to give away too much more but, just a warning, there is violence in the story as well as a rape scene - it is not very vivid, but it is there, and talk of sexual activity with condom use.

This is probably one of the best YA books I've read since The Book Thief. I am looking forward to the second novel! I can enthusiastically give it 5 stars!

The Mystery of the Blue Ring by Patricia Reilly Giff

2011-07-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

This is an ebook I received from netGallery. It is the first in a series of children's mystery novels by Patricia Reilly Giff. Ebooks for young readers is always a hard recommendation for me because I've had trouble finding ones I like where the book can stand alone without illustrations. Some ereaders, my Kindle included, don't do a great job with illustrations.

This is a children's ebook I can enthusiastically recommend for younger readers. I'm sure my second grade class would be extremely comfortable with its reading level. This is the first in a series. I love to recommend series books to kids because it helps them become more fluent readers as they read through familiar characters and settings. It also solves the "I don't know what to read!" debate.

It's a cute mystery about a missing ring that Dawn and her sidekick, Jason, solve. I enjoyed the silly descriptions of their disguises, and the other children in the class.

I'd give it 5 stars for being an easy to reader ebook for kids!

The Mailbox by Marybeth Whalen

2011-07-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Mailbox by Marybeth Whalen

320 pages

Christian fiction

June 2010

This is a first novel by a non-fiction writer. It is based on a true location in Sunset Beach, North Carolina and a mailbox on an isolated part of the beach where people leave letters to The Kindred Spirit. The actual letters are collected but no one seems to know who maintains the box. I would actually stop to find it if I'm ever in the area.

In the novel we meet Lindsey, a recent divorced mom of two kids, who has visited Sunset Beach every year since she was a teenager. As a teenager, she fell in love with Campbell. We learn about their story through the letters she leaves in the mailbox each year as well as some flashbacks in the novel.

Other reviewers have compared this to a Nicholas Sparks novel because of the heartbreak and second chances. I will admit that I don't like Sparks that much. Maybe I haven't read the right book. The Mailbox was very predictable. You probably already know how it ends, even from my brief description.

The author seemed to throw in every side plot she could think of: divorce, cheating, anorexia, teenage pregnancy, heart attack, and multiple crises in faith. In the end notes to the book, she even admitted that she almost had a secondary character die! It was a little too much for me. I kept thinking so what's going to go wrong now.

I really didn't hate the book - it just wasn't for me. I did think the author did a good job weaving in the main characters' belief in God and how it wavered and strengthen throughout their lives. I also liked Lindsey. Her struggles to make sense of a divorce and its impact on herself and her kids were well-written and insightful. I think I kept reading because of her character.

In a previous review, I commented that a really don't like everything. Well, I really don't like everything. I'm giving it 3 stars. If you are a Sparks fan, you may like this. If you have read it, I'd love to know what you think.

Booking Through Thursday - Night Owl

2011-07-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

What’s the latest you’ve ever stayed up reading a book? Is staying up late reading a usual thing for you?

Yes, I've stayed up late reading a book. I have a comfy reading chair and light in our den which won't disturb the rest of the house if I read after everyone has gone to bed. I tend to stay up more in the summer because it gets really hard to do on school days when I'm up at 6:00. I enjoy being up in the quiet, dark of the house engrossed in my book. I do admit that I'm more likely to stay up when I'm near the end of a book that I really like.

When I was younger, I remember reading in bed with the flashlight under the covers after my parents made me turn off the lights. I'm surprised I wasn't sleep-deprived through elementary school!

I used to read late into the night much more than I do now. By 10:00 most nights, I'm already wiped out. I tend to do more early morning reading now because I'm up early to take my daughter to skating practices at ice rinks. That's especially true during the school year.

What about you? Do you read late at night?

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-07-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's the description from Amazon:

"Some secrets can’t be kept. . . .

Years ago, they were all the best of friends. But as time passed and circumstances changed, they grew apart, became adults with families of their own, and began to forget about the past—and the terrible lie they all shared. But now Gordon, the youngest and wildest of the five, has died and the others are thrown together for the first time in years.

And then the revelations start.

Could their long-ago lie be the reason for their troubles today? Is it more dangerous to admit to what they’ve done or is it the strain of keeping the secret that is beginning to wear on them and everyone close to them? Each one of these old friends has to wonder if their secret has been discovered—and if someone within the circle is out to destroy them."

It's due on August 23, 2011 and sounds like just the kind of mystery/adventure that I want to end my summer reading. What about you?

Top Ten Tuesday - Tough Issues

2011-07-26T07:28:00.000-07:00

This weekly meme is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Play here.

This week is a list of the top ten books that deal with difficult issues. I already read a few lists and am amazed with the diversity of responses I already see. Here's my list:

1. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak - one of my favorite books that truly deals with man's inhumanity to man through the Holocaust.

2. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White - one of the best introductions for kids to death. Every kid should have the chance to meet Charlotte and Wilbur and cry at her death.

3. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult - two tough issues in this one. Reading about sick and dying children is never easy, but I can't imagine living with it. Also, this is a great novel for discussion of medical advances and the legal issues they create.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - racism, sexual assault, and drug addiction. Many books have covered these issues but this is a classic.

5. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver - I actually just finished this one, and it's an excellent examination of school bullying.

6. The Wall by Eve Bunting - this is a children's picture book by one of my favorite authors. It very simply tells the story of a young boy who visits the Vietnam Memorial with his father to find and trace his grandfather's name. I cry every time I read it to my class, but it truly makes the sacrifices of war a multi-generational issue.

7. Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting - another children's picture book. It's the story of a homeless family who "lives" in an airport. It's a great story for starting a discussion with kids about what it means to be homeless and how we can all help.

8. Paula by Isabel Allende - Allende's haunting memoir of the sudden illness and death of her adult daughter. The last twenty pages will bring you to tears and leave you wondering how any parent survives the death of a child.

9. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss - Seuss's environmental warning from 1971 which is still valid and relevant today.

10. Elijah's Angel by Michael J. Rosen - another children's picture book. This is one of the best books I've read about tolerance. It's the story of a little Jewish boy who befriends an older African American Christian barber. The most touching part is when the Jewish family walks through the snow to see the menorah lit in the window of Elijah's barber shop each night of Hanukkah.

Most of my list is children's books. It's interesting because I've found that many children's authors do an excellent job presenting tough issues. I'm looking forward to reading your list and hearing what you think of mine.

Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

2011-07-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson

368 pages

Mystery/Thriller

June 2011

I'm sure everyone has read about this one by now. The basic premise is that the main character, Christine, wakes up every day and can't remember who she is. She doesn't recognize her husband, Ben, or even know how old she is. Each day she gets a phone call from a Dr. Nash who directs her to a diary she is keeping of each day to help jog her memories.

Watson slowly builds the tension as Christine's story is revealed in small steps. As a reader, I became so involved with Christine that I couldn't help but to identify with her. As parts of her story started to become inconsistent, you start to realize that everything is not what you believed. There is a tremendous tension in the story as it starts to unravel. It is heightened by the fact that Christine can't clarify anything for us, as readers. So, in a sense, we are memory-impaired with her.

Ben is an intriguing character. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll simply say that I'm not sure I completely understood his motivations.

Overall, this was a fun read, and I highly recommend it. I'm giving it 4 1/2 stars. It's starting to sound like I love everything I read. That's not quite so, but I've had a string of good luck with books lately. If you've read it, I'd love to know what you think!

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

2011-07-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

480 pages

Young Adult

March 2010

I'm not normally a fan of YA books, but this one caught my attention. I can best sum it up as Mean Girls meets Groundhog Day meets The Lovely Bones. Samantha, Sam, narrates the story which is basically a 7 part rerun of the day of her death. Sam is a high school senior who is part of the popular clique in the second semester of senior year. She has three best friends and a popular, Lacrosse playing, boyfriend.

I know that this sounds slightly morbid, but I was quite fascinated with the book. I couldn't put it down and read far too late to finish it. I've read a number of reviews and other bloggers who hated Sam, the main character, and her friends. I actually found myself sympathizing with Sam and really disliking her friend Lindsay, the leader of the girl pack. The author tries to give you reasons to be sympathetic towards Lindsay by the end, but I just couldn't. I've seen way too many Lindsays in real life who do tremendous damage to others along the way.

However, I did feel tremendous empathy for Sam, and not just because she's dead! I could truly understand how she felt torn between following along with her friends and doing the right thing. I also understood the moments of self-absorption because that rang true for the typical teenager. Sam's struggle to understand what was happening, and her final realization, felt very real to me. On a spiritual level, her soul's struggle made sense.

The bullying of Juliet felt, unfortunately, very real and was an essential element in both Sam's and Lindsay's stories. I think Juliet is the character who will haunt me. It brought home the costs of bullying in teens and how vigilant we, as adults, need to be, but, also, how helpless we can be.

I truly enjoyed the book. I would caution that there is under age drinking, drug use, and talk of sex in the story. I'm giving this book 4 1/2 stars. I can't quite give it 5 stars because I wanted more redemption Lindsay's character.

It's Monday! Here's What I'm Reading.

2011-07-24T19:07:00.000-07:00

This weekly book meme is hosted by Sheila.

Here's this week's agenda:

Currently reading:

I read about this one a blog and hope to finish it this week. I'm actually fascinated with it!

On the list next:

I got both of these in the recent Kindle deals sale. The first is a lark because I liked the cover. The second is one that has been on my TBR list for awhile.

What are you reading this week?

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

2011-07-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

I picked up Then Came You because of a review I read in that literary giant, People Magazine. I'm willing to take recommendations wherever I can find them.

The story reads very much like a Jodi Picoult novel. It is told through the eyes of four women: India, Bettina, Jules, and Annie. They are all related through the process of surrogacy. India is the younger bride of a wealthy older man, and Bettina is his daughter from a first marriage. Jules is the egg donor and Annie is the surrogate. I don't want to review too much of the plot, but there are some twists and turns in the story. What I thought would be a story about wealth and social status ended up being about families and how they are created.

Strengths of Then Came You:

There is a sign in my house that reads "Friends are the family one finds along the way." That sentiment sums up the book for me. The four women do become a sort of extended family for baby Rory by the end of the book. I found myself most interested in Annie's story. There was a real life quality to her that made her likable, and I could really understand the choices she made in the book.

Weaknesses of Then Came You:

The narrative shifts between the women much like a Picoult novel. However, Weiner's writing was not as crisp as Picoult's. There were many times when it was clear what would happen even when the perspective changed. Also, the second half of the book is loaded with Bettina, who was my least favorite character.

Bettina's mother, the first wife of India's husband, was underutilized in the novel. The author gave her an interesting back story. I'd have been interested in bringing her more to the forefront, especially in the second half of the book.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, a chick lit book with some meat and substance. I'm going to give it 4 stars. If you've read it, I'd love to know what you think!

Friday Follow

2011-07-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

Q. Name 3 authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from?

This is a tough one because I don't want to say the obvious.

#1 - E.B. White

I'd love to hear about Charlotte's Web. It is one of the books that I remember bonding with as a child and enjoy teaching to my second grade class. I'd love to hear the inspiration and thought process that went into writing it.

#2 - Ray Bradbury

This is kind of a cheat because I had to chance to meet him when I was in Junior High School. He attended a play version of one of his novels and talked to us afterward. I remember he had a very distinct view of the world and writing. I'd like the chance to learn more from him with an adult perspective.

#3 - JK Rowling

I'm sure this is someone lots of people would like to spend time with. I'm most curious about her writing process and whether or not she feels that she has a different story to tell.

What about you?

Book Hop

2011-07-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

I just found this Friday book meme and sounds like fun so here's today's question:

What’s the ONE GENRE that you wish you could get into, but just can’t?

I really do like to read almost anything. I tend to chose books by author and subject matter not genre. However, I have always had a tough time with non-fiction. I can't seem to stick with it and get bored. That's especially true of the motivational, this is how I do it, type of non-fiction. I'd rather have great characters and a juicy plot any day.

What about you? Play here:

http://crazy-for-books.com/2011/07/book-blogger-hop-722-725.html

Let's Try This Again!

2011-07-21T09:49:00.001-07:00

Here's a new question:

What’s the first book that you ever read more than once? (I’m assuming there’s at least one.)

What book have you read the most times? And–how many?

The first book I remembered reading more than once must be a Nancy Drew mystery when I was 10 or 11. I read them so quickly that I had to read them more than once since I only went to the library once a week!

There are so many books I want to read now that I don't tend to read books for pleasure more than once. I have read many children's books over and over because that is how I share my love of books with kids. I have probably read Charlotte's Web over 25 times!

Booking Through Thursday - Libraries

2008-08-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

Here's today's BTT question:

Whether you usually read off of your own book pile or from the library shelves NOW, chances are you started off with trips to the library. (There’s no way my parents could otherwise have kept up with my book habit when I was 10.) So … What is your earliest memory of a library? Who took you? Do you have you any funny/odd memories of the library?

I think I've written about my childhood library experiences before. My parents took me when I was in elementary school to the main library, but my fondest memory is of the Bookmobile that stopped at our school playground in the summer. I could go by myself and get a whole bagful of books. That was the best day of the week in the summer.

When I was a little older, I rode my bike to the library with friends. We'd load up our backpacks with books and stop at Thrifty's (a local drugstore) for 25 cent ice cream cones. The children's librarian knew all our names and saved books she thought we'd like.

Currently, my own daughter went to library story times from the time she was a toddler and the children's librarian knows her name as well. I've rediscovered the library with her and she participated in the library's summer reading program for the last three years.

What about you?

Booking Through Thursday - Olympics

2008-08-14T14:10:00.000-07:00

Here's today's BTT question:

You, um, may have noticed that the Olympics are going on right now, so that’s the genesis of this week’s question, in two parts:

First:

Do you or have you ever read books about the Olympics? About sports in general?
Fictional ones? Or non-fiction? Or both?

And, Second:

Do you consider yourself a sports fan?
Because, of course, if you’re a rabid fan and read about sports constantly, there’s a logic there; if you hate sports and never read anything sports-related, that, too … but you don’t have to love sports to enjoy a good sports story.
(Or a good sports movie, for that matter. Feel free to expand this into a discussion about “Friday Night Lights” or “The Natural” or whatever…)

I honestly can't remember any book I've read specifically about the Olympics. However, I have read a few sports related books - mostly ice skating with SurferGirl or hockey. One I'd highly recommend is by a former hockey player, now minor league hockey coach called So Your Son Wants to be in the NHL. It was a memoir of Bylsma's early years in hockey including times when he lived with coaches or teams away from his family. It is a very cautionary tale about the need for balance in a kid's life. I have recommended it to sports-crazed parents a number of times.

I've also read a number of books by Ken Dryden, a former goaltender for the Montreal Canadians. One of the best is The Game which is probably the best book about hockey ever written. Dryden is well-written and intelligent and highlights hockey in its golden age.

I'm sure there have been fictional books with sports-related themes but nothing comes to me as being a "sports" book or a great read.

As you can tell, I am a hockey fan. Probably not rabid but I do enjoy watching games, have been to a few NHL games, and had season tickets for a number of years to minor league hockey (like AAA baseball) before the team disbanded.

Good sports movie? Ask SurferGirl and she'd say "Ice Princess" from Disney. I think one of my favorite sports movies was Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner.

So now I'm curious ... what sports are you into?

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

2008-08-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

I picked up this one while I was on vacation and had finished Damage Control. I told myself I was taking a break from Picoult but the subject of this one intrigued me. I'm using it for the A to Z Challenge and the In the Pub Challenge.

This is the story of Shay Bourne who has been convicted of the murder of June Nealon's daughter and cop husband. Shay was given the death penalty by a juror which included the man, Father Michael, who is now Shay's spiritual advisor. The ACLU, and lawyer Maggie Bloom, becomes involved in the case when Shay announces that he wants to donate his heart to June Nealon's surviving daughter who is in need of a heart transplant. The story is further complicated by Father Michael's crisis of faith as he begins to believe that Shay is capable of performing miracles.

STRENGTHS OF CHANGE OF HEART: Father Michael is an interesting and complex character. As a college student, he was on the jury that sentenced Shay to death. He doesn't reveal this to Shay or Maggie until much later in the story. As Michael interacts more with Shay, he comes to doubt parts of his faith and searches for answers from outside the Catholic Church. This was the most interesting part of the story for me because Picoult created some fascinating questions about religion and how it has been organized to fit the needs of society.

Shay was also a complex character and, to Picoult's credit, she was able to make her readers like him. This was important because the reader needed to care whether Shay lived or died to fuel the death penalty debate that was the other focus of the book.

WEAKNESSES OF CHANGE OF HEART: I found the whole death penalty debate to be more academic than emotionally compelling. I found it hard to believe that Shay's heart was a perfect match for June's daughter and that any prison or judge in America would allow someone to die by hanging. I had some trouble with the mythology of miracles she created around this event. I also disliked the ending because it made me doubt everything I'd believed about Shay which made me feel cheated. It also made Father Michael's doubt seem to not matter.

Overall, I'd give this one 3 1/2 stars. It was thought provoking but had some structural flaws that I found it hard to overlook. What did you think?

Damage Control by J.A. Jance

2008-08-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

This is the newest Joanna Brady mystery by J.A. Jance. I'm using it for the A to Z Challenge and the In the Pub Challenge. In this book, Joanna is a new mom recently married to Butch and still the Sheriff of Cochise County. Joanna's department is mired in three separate suspicious deaths which she juggles with her home and family commitments. Butch has written his first novel and is finishing his second.

STRENGTHS OF DAMAGE CONTROL: As part of a series, it is a comfortable read. The characters have not changed much in this story and act in predictable, familiar ways. The multiple plot lines are interesting. The daughters of the elderly couple who drove off a cliff are entertaining, and Jance creates a plausible murder mystery out of the deaths. I also liked that one of Joanna's detectives, Jaime, got to be more involved in this story. Butch continues to be an interesting character, though he was underused in this one.

WEAKNESSES OF DAMAGE CONTROL: One of its strengths is also a weakness. The series is to the point where something needs to change to stir up the characters. I like the fact that Jance previewed some upcoming changes in Joanna's department and home life which might add some tension to the next book. I also felt like Jance introduced a side plot where Joanna and Butch were being investigated for wrongdoing but never went anywhere with it. That might have given Butch more to do in the story.

Overall, I'd still give it four stars because it was a fun summer read. Let me know what you thought of it.

The Sum of Our Days by Isabel Allende

2008-08-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

This is the newest book by my favorite author, Isabel Allende. I'm also counting this one for the In The Pub challenge. You can probably already tell that I am going to love this one, and, though I don't want to give my review away, you're probably right. This book is a non-fiction memoir that is a follow-up to Paula. which is one of my all time favorite books. In this one, Allende updates her dead daughter, Paula, on the events in her family since her death. Allende's family is a clan that consists of her children, their families, her husband's children, their families, friends, and an assortment of people that they have "picked up" along the way. Allende's definition of family, or clan, reminds me of a hanging in my own home which reads that "Friends are the family one finds along the way."

STRENGTHS OF THE SUM OF OUR DAYS: There are many! I love the way Allende describes her family and friends. She creates very vivid word pictures which is amazing because she writes in Spanish and is translated into English. I also loved hearing the stories behind a number of her novels, including her novel on Zorro and my second favorite, The Infinite Plan. In this book, Allende's memories take on the strength of a well-written novel with the way she is able to turn events into stories and plots. It was quite touching to read her reflections on her grandchildren, and her unabashed love and protection of them. That is why a health crisis for her granddaughter is so wrenching in the book, especially with its allusions to Paula's fate. Luckily, all is well in this book.

I also enjoyed the relationship between Allende and her second husband, Willie, because she portrays it in a realistic light. There are times when they disagree and fight which makes it feel like Allende is being emotionally honest with her readers. That's probably the chief strength of this book - Allende's unflinching ability to be honest about her life and the emotional components of it.

WEAKNESSES OF THE SUM OF OUR DAYS: I really want to say nothing - that it is a perfect book just as it is. However, I would have liked to know more about her husband, Willie. He seems to have an interesting viewpoint that wasn't always explored in the book because it was, obviously, told from her point of view.

Overall, I'd give this one five stars. It is probably one of my favorites of the year so far. It also came at a really good time for me because Allende talked about her reaction to Paula's death and the need to move beyond the pain which was a message I needed to hear. If you've read it, I'd love to know what you thought. If you haven't read it, do yourself a favor and add it to your TBR pile.

Literacy and Longing in L.A. by Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack

2008-08-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

My husband found this one for me at our local independent book store. I actually read it quite awhile back, but haven't gotten around to reviewing it. It is the story of Dora, an out of work journalist in Los Angeles who is recently divorced from a wealthy Hollywood producer. Dora is also a reader, which is why my husband recommended the book to me.

STRENGTHS OF LITERACY AND LONGING IN L.A.: Dora is a wonderfully funny character with a great cast of supporting characters. Dora does have some weird quirks like retreating to her bathtub with a pile of books for a few days when things get hard to handle or her inability to drive on the LA freeways. Both quirks lead to humorous events where Dora is faced with her new lover during her bath or having to drive the freeways to complete a story that might get her a job at the local newspaper. In both cases, Dora is rescued by her best friend, a female non-reading teamster. Dora frequents a local bookstore where she meets her new lover who is a bookseller and would-be playwright. Dora's conversations with him become somewhat stereotypical of snobbish literary discussions, however, the authors are able to turn this on its head with Dora's wry observations as she observes her own behavior. That's part of the fun of the story.

WEAKNESSES OF LITERACY AND LONGING IN L.A.: I didn't really like some of the strange plot twists. Dora's ex-husband reappears to help her in the story, and it doesn't really make sense with her character that she falls all over him. I also didn't really like the subplot with the dead sister of the new lover and Dora's involvement with his mother and niece. I understood that the authors were trying to bring Dora out of herself and into the real world, away from her world of books. I thought she lost some of her wry, observer's edge at this point in the story.

Overall, I'd give this one three stars. Dora is a great character and I enjoyed all the literary references throughout the story. It does have two authors and felt, at times, like it was written by committee. If you've read this one, I'd love to know about it.

Memorial for Mom

2008-07-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of the kind thoughts sent my way in the last week. My mother suffered a massive stroke, spent a week in ICO, a week in hospice, and, ultimately, made her final transition on July 7th.

Preparing for her memorial service was quite difficult, but I took comfort in a New Testament quote where Jesus talks about preparing mansions for us. It lead me to reflect on the mansions of my mother's life, and I'd like to share those with you.

My mother was a child of the Depression, raised with two sisters by an aunt and uncle, after the death of her parents. Her next mansion was being a young woman in the turbulent Word War II 1940s. My mother was a working woman of the 1950s and met my father through her work. They were married in 1958 and celebrated fifty years together.

My mother's mansions moved to motherhood and more work in the 1960s and 1970s. She retired in the 1990s to a wonderful retirement community in Arizona where she was active in her church and had many friends and interests. At the turn of the century, her mansions expanded with the birth of my daughter, SurferGirl, who was a beloved only grandchild.

As I spoke about my mom at the service, I came to a realization. She is not lost because to be lost means we cannot find her. I do know where to find her and that is in my heart, mind, and memory.

We ended the service with a prayer for my mom. So here's to my mom and Godspeed on this next journey of life:

The light of God surrounds you,

The love of God enfolds you,

The power of God protects you,

And the presence of God watches over you;

Wherever you are, God is. And all is well.

Amen.

Booking Through Thursday - HolidayI

2008-07-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

Here's today's BTT question:

It’s a holiday weekend here in the U.S., so let’s keep today’s question simple–What are you reading? Anything special? Any particularly juicy summer reading?

It's been a pretty tough week here. My mom is still at hospice. It's a matter of hours or days right now. With that in mind, I have been reading because it keeps my mind occupied, but I don't have a lot of focus so it's lightweight stuff for me right now. I just finished Fearless Fourteen which is a fun summer read.

I actually sorted through my TBR pile yesterday and put a bunch of books on BookMooch because it was so overwhelming. I'm working on a new romantic/inspirational novel set in Amish country. It's not very taxing so perfect for me right now.

I'd love suggestions for quick reads, lots of humor, and not very grim or gory.

Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich

2008-07-01T12:49:00.000-07:00

This is the latest Stephanie Plum novel. However, I can't really review it like my normal reviews. The book is filled with the normal Plum characters and humor.

I don't know if I like this one or not, but I truly appreciate it. I bought it during a run to Target from my mother's hospital room. She has had a massive stroke and was in ICU for a number of days before being transferred to hospice. She is still in hospice care as she makes her final transition. This book was my companion in the last few days because it helped me pass the time with a few laughs when it has been hard to laugh.

Thank you to Grandma Mazur, Stephanie, and Lulu for keeping me company and easing my mind just a little.

Please send prayers my mother's way for her peaceful transition, and to my father for his resilience as he loses his mate of 50 years.

Mercy by Jodi Picoult

2008-07-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

This is yet another book by Jodi Picoult. I have also read My Sister's Keeper, Salem Falls, and Plain Truth. I actually think I'm going to take a break from Picoult for awhile because her books are becoming repetitious, in some way.

This one is the story of Cameron McDonald, who is the Chief of Police in a small town, and married to Allie, the town's florist. Cameron has to arrest his cousin, Jamie, for the mercy killing of his wife, Maggie. This arrest leads to a trial where Picoult is able to pontificate on the nature of life and death and what it means to show mercy. In a subplot, Cameron starts an affair with Mia, Allie's new assistant in the florist shop.

STRENGTHS OF MERCY: It is a well-written book. The plots do hold a reader's attention. I did end up quite liking the character of Jamie, because I though the author did a good job with his emotional conflict over what he had done. Of course, we only saw his wife through his eyes so it made his story even more interesting.

WEAKNESSES OF MERCY: I really ended up disliking Cameron and Allie. I wanted to slap him throughout the book and tell him to grow up, talk to his wife, and be a man about his concerns in his marriage. I, actually, felt the same way about Allie. She was much more likable, and she was great with Jamie, but she ended up as a weaker character by the end of the story. I also started to feel, in this book, that Picoult was wrapping the characters around the issue and letting the issue of mercy killing drive her writing, rather than letting her characters drive the story. I may have been much more interested in a story that showed us the contradictions between Jamie and Maggie's marriage and Cam and Allie's. That is part of the story, and was more interesting to me than Jamie's trial.

SPOILER ALERT I intensely disliked the ending where Allie stayed with Cameron. I wondered if she shouldn't have been with Jamie at the end, leaving Cameron alone and not Jamie. END OF SPOILER.

Overall, I'd give this one 3 1/2 stars. I still think My Sister's Keeper was my favorite Picoult novel. What do you think? Let me know.

Hold Tight by Harlan Coben

2008-07-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

This is the latest release by Harlan Coben. It is part of the In The Pub Challenge since it was published this year.

This is the story of Mike Baye, a doctor who is holding a patient's family secret, as well as a father who is losing his own teenage son. In the course of the story, Mike and his wife, Tia, decide to spy on their son through a number of high tech computer devices. Their son, Adam, is grieving the suicide of a close friend, but there is much more wrong than he has revealed to his parents. Mike starts to get more and more wrapped up in his son's world, through the spying, and finds out what is really going on with his son.

In the Author's Note for the book, Coben explains that the technology used in the book is actually available, though produce names have been changed. This both shocked and educated me because I'm aware of all the issues surrounding Facebook, MySpace, and Instant Messenging. I also truly believe that people can get into trouble with the anonymity of these things. However, I was surprised at the sophistication of the monitoring potentials and worry about their effects on our society.

STRENGTHS OF HOLD TIGHT: As normal, Coben creates characters that you really care about. Mike is a dad who just wants to help his son. Tia is a mom in the same boat. The plot has some interesting twists and turns which did keep me interested.

WEAKNESSES OF HOLD TIGHT: I can't quite put my finger on it, but this wasn't one of my favorite of his books. The plot seemed to move too slowly and, while interesting, the computer stuff didn't make for very exciting reading. I also thought the subplot about the neighbor's family was a bit contrived and overly dramatic.

Overall, I'd have to give this one 3 stars. I think I was expecting more from Coben. This book just didn't hold my attention the way his others have. Let me know what you thought of this one if you've read it.

Odd Hours by Dean Koontz

2008-06-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

This is the latest book in the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz. I found an interesting article by Koontz about writing this series of books. In this short passage, he describes how the Odd Thomas character just came to him and his plans for a six or seven book series.

Odd Thomas is back. This book takes place after he leaves behind the monastery of the last book and helps Elvis find his ultimate peace. This story, set in a California beach town, occurs in a very short amount of time. Basically, Odd saves the world from a terrorist, nuclear threat, with the help of some new friends, including a return appearance by Frank Sinatra.

STRENGTHS OF ODD HOURS: I continue to like the character of Odd Thomas. His humanity and humor help make him likable. I also enjoyed his interactions with both the living, including an aging movie actor, and the non-living, Mr. Sinatra who is pivotal to the plot. The book is a quick read and Koontz keeps the action moving.

WEAKNESSES OF ODD HOURS: The entire action of the plot occurs in a very brief amount of real time which does not allow Koontz much time to further develop Odd's character or define his relationships with the people around him. I like the character enough that I wanted to see him grow and that was not possible in this story.

Overall, I'd give this one four stars. It was a very fun read. My review is somewhat brief because I don't want to give away too much of the twisty, turny plot. However, I wouldn't recommend that someone start the series with this novel. It might be confusing if you don't already know about Odd. I'd love to know what anyone else thought. If you've reviewed it, leave me a link and I'll add it to my review.

Here's a link to CJ's review. She gives some great quotes and details so check her out.

Booking Through Thursday - Clubbing

2008-06-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

School's out so now I can rejoin the blogging world. What better way than Booking Through Thursday. So here's today's BTT question:

Have you ever been a member of a book club? How did your group choose (ot, if you haven’t been, what do you think is the best way to choose) the next book and who would lead discussion?

Do you feel more or less likely to appreciate books if you are obliged to read them for book groups rather than choosing them of your own free will? Does knowing they are going to be read as part of a group affect the reading experience?

This one is bringing back some really bad memories. Yes, both my husband and I were part of a book club for a while. It was not a great experience.

The first book the club selected was The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl. It was selected by the self-appointed leader of the group. Now, to be fair, the group was his idea. Unfortunately, this is not a very good book, but the leader spent the whole first meeting going into excruciating detail on Dante's Inferno because he thought it was essential to understanding the book. It may also have been that he had taught a course on Dante as well.

It took the group three meetings over four months to finish the book. I hated the book so much that I tried listening to it in the car just to finish it so I wouldn't be left out.

The same person selected the next book which was short stories by Flannery O'Connor. I've read a lot of her stuff since I took a Southern Literature course in college. Unfortunately, this book club meeting felt like a bad college course where the professor is always right. This particular meeting ended in an argument between two very strong willed people who had very different opinions about a story. Neither of them could be wrong so it got very uncomfortable.

Needless to say, this book club failed quite quickly. It also soured me on the idea of book clubs. I like to read what I want to read and don't always want to finish a book I don't like. This particular group felt too "college-y" to be fun.

A group of teacher where I work may start a book club next school year. I'm hopeful that will be a better experience because we are not leaving book selection to one person but the school librarian is going to give everyone input. We'll see how that goes.

So do you have a book club horror story to share?

Booking Through Thursday - Reading Fundamentals

2008-05-29T17:26:00.000-07:00

Here's today's BTT question:

What is reading, anyway? Novels, comics, graphic novels, manga, e-books, audiobooks — which of these is reading these days? Are they all reading? Only some of them? What are your personal qualifications for something to be “reading” — why? If something isn’t reading, why not? Does it matter? Does it impact your desire to sample a source if you find out a premise you liked the sound of is in a format you don’t consider to be reading? Share your personal definition of reading, and how you came to have that stance.

I think my answer is going to be short and sweet on this one because I think all of these are reading. I also think reading aloud is reading, as is reading the newspaper, cereal boxes, blogs, and websites.

It's all reading to me because each of these things provides information in some format whether it be visual or auditory. I can't include TV or movies in this because they don't activate the mind and imagination in the way that an audiobook or a comic does.

I also think we do kids a disservice in today's education but not training them to read all forms of media, including comics, manga, and audiobooks. Each of these genres require specific reading skills. We need to equip our young people to handle all of the reading demands that will be placed on them in the future. That;s probably the driving force for my definition of reading. I believe we need to educate kids for the reading they will face in the future.

Do I prefer to hold a printed, traditional novel with chapters and very few pictures. Yes, but that's probably because that's the way I was taught to read. Do I find reading blogs and websites more difficult? Again, yes, because I haven't had as much education in how to read these forms of media.

Do I think one form is better or really reading over another? No. I have my preferences, but I can also see the allure to all of the above.

What do you think?

The Story of a Seagull and the Cat Who Taught Her to Fly by Luis Sepulveda

2008-05-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

I'll be doing some brief posts throughout the summer of books I'm reading to prepare for a move to second grade next year. I'm very excited to be switching grade levels, and I can't wait to share new stories with my students.

This one was highly recommended by my local children's bookstore. It is the story of a cat who raises a seagull chick after witnessing the chick's mother's death.

I liked the plot. However, it is translated from the original Spanish, and I found the sentence structure and word choices to be a bit forced. I think I may read it to my students, but I don't think I'd recommend that they read it on their own.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

2008-05-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

This is another one I read for the A to Z Challenge. I read about it in a number of blogs and it has been on my TBR pile for awhile. It doesn't qualify for the In The Pub challenge because, even though it is a recently published book, it is classified as a young adult novel.

The books follows Holling Hoodhood through his seventh grade school year in 1967. Holling lives in a small town where everyone is either Catholic or Jewish. Being a Presbyterian, Holling is not dismissed from school early each Wednesday, much to the dismay of his teacher, Mrs. Baker. Through the Wednesday afternoons of the school year, Holling learns to read Shakespeare, wrangles missing rats, and learns to run for the school's track team. He also learns about himself, his family, and his own humanity in the process.

STRENGTHS OF THE WEDNESDAY WARS: Schmidt created a school, and set of characters, that beg for teachers to read them to their upper elementary school classes. There are parts of the story that are laugh out loud funny, like when the class rats escape and how they are finally found. Schmidt also does a good job of capturing the era with the conflict between Holling's father and sister as well as the military deployment of Mrs. Baker's husband. By making the main character a boy, this is a book that both boys and girls can relate to. I also liked the ending of the book where Holling was, finally, able to stand up for himself and what he wanted. I think that's a great lesson for young people. The last page of the story really highlights Holling's growth and his humanity without being too sentimental. Schmidt did an excellent job of creating a character that young people will enjoy.

WEAKNESSES OF THE WEDNESDAY WARS: I really enjoyed this one so it's hard for me to find any problems with it. The only thing I can say is that it assumes some knowledge of the political events of the era which, unfortunately, may be lacking in the book's target audience. As adults, we assume they know about Vietnam, but they may have never gotten that far in their history classes.

Overall, I'd highly recommend this one. In fact, I'm giving it 5 stars (only the third book I've given all five stars to this year!) It is a funny yet poignant look at the problems of growing up. This would be a great gift to the young person in your life. I would use it to open up a discussion of following your own path and what that really means. If you've read it, I'd love to know what you thought.

New Meme

2008-05-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

I was tagged for this one by Presbyterian Gal.

Rules: The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about himself or herself. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Ten years ago:
1998. I was pregnant with SurferGirl and teaching fourth grade where I still teach. I had also just moved into my current house and was knee-deep in painting and gardening.

Five things on today's "to do" list:
I guess this is the what did I get done and what moved to tomorrow's list:

picked up the house
saw Prince Caspian (which I recommend)
played Nintendo with SurferGirl
talked to my parents
getting old clothes to Salvation Army
caught up on my blog book reviews

Moved to tomorrow's list:

shopping trip to Target
planning the next Girl Scout meeting
laundry

Things I'd do if I was a billionaire:

provide an endowment fund for my church
fund a Service Learning program at my husband's college - young people need to learn how to give back before it's too late!
create a scholarship fund to help students in my area obtain a private education
buy hybrid vehicles
build a "green" house and provide funding for "green" houses and school buildings
fund early literacy programs for people living in public housing
take care of my friends and family

Five places I've lived:
These are all in the Los Angeles area:
Simi Valley, Northridge, Canoga Park, West Hollywood, Sierra Madre

Five jobs I've had:
Receptionist for SuperCuts
Peon worker at fast food restaurant
Headhunter at two different secretarial placement agencies
Executive assistant to magazine editor and owner of a mail order video company (not those kinds ... historical and aeronautical documentaries)
Teacher - everything from kindergarten music to high school SAT prep

Who do I tag?

anyone who'd like to play along as long as they let me know they've played!

A Certain Justice by P.D. James

2008-05-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

This is one I read for the A to Z Challenge. It was given to me by a friend who is a mystery writer. It is the second Adam Dalgliesh book I' ve read. I read The Lighthouse last summer. The review on that one is here.

This book revolves around the murder of Venetia Aldridge, a criminal defense attorney, who is in line to become the head of chambers, which is an honor in the British legal system. Venetia has a rebellious daughter, Octavia, who announces her intent to marry the man her mother recently successfully defended in the murder of his aunt. Dalgliesh and his team are called in to solve the murder and get wrapped up in Octavia's story as well as her mother's family history. This history includes a suicide at the boy's school run by Venetia's father and charges of an improper relationship between a student and teacher.

STRENGTHS OF A CERTAIN JUSTICE: I enjoy the Dalgliesh character. He is witty without being over the top. Once the plot of this one got going, it was a very enjoyable ride. I liked how the author kept a number of suspects viable until the very end of the story. I also liked how James was able to veer off into the secondary story surrounding Octavia and create a whole new set of problems and tensions. In some books, the secondary plot moving to the forefront near the end of the book would have been frustrating. In this one, James built the tension and suspense so well that I really wanted to know how it was all going to end. This is one where I was kept guessing until the very end. I really didn't figure the whole thing out until it was presented to me. James did an excellent job holding the layers of the murder together in a responsible way.

WEAKNESSES OF A CERTAIN JUSTICE: James spent the first 100 pages of the book setting up all the main characters and suspects before the murder even happened. It took longer than that for Dalgliesh to appear. I almost stopped reading at page 50 because there was just so much detail and very little plot development going on. All of this information ended up being relevant to the final plot, but it took too long to get there for my taste.

Overall, I'd give this one 3 stars. If you enjoy British mysteries, then go ahead and take a dip into this one. I'd love to know what anyone else thought of this one, or if anyone has read another James book they would recommend.

Friday Fill In

2008-05-15T22:10:00.000-07:00

1. There is absolutely NO way you can get me to go on a tall or loopy roller coaster!
2. Riding in a school bus without air conditioning and windows that don't open reminds me that summer is almost here!
3. I cannot live without my Starbucks!
4. Going to Australia and Europe are two things I'd like to try.
5. When life hands you lemons have a spiked lemonade.
6.Reading Nancy Drew books all summer and riding my bike to the library to get more are my favorite childhood memory.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to driving in traffic with three Girl Scouts for a camping trip, tomorrow my plans include camping with over 1000 girls in over 100 degree heat and Sunday, I want to do anything that doesn't involve Scouts and heat!

The Forests Of Silence by Emily Rodda

2008-05-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

This is not a full review, but I wanted to take a moment and rave about a new, to me, series of children's books I just found. I had the great fortune to attend a teacher workshop given by Jim Trelease who is the guru of reading aloud to kids. I was doubly fortunate because Jim is retiring, and I got to see his last professional southern California workshop. Quite cool.

Anyway, he highly recommended the Deltora Quest series so I had to read the first one. If you have someone who loves fantasy and adventure, but is not quite ready for Harry Potter, give this one a try.

I really loved it and wanted to get the word out on this one. There are seven books in the series which I can see a kid devouring and wanting more!

Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

2008-05-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

This is one I read for the A to Z Challenge and, I think, was one of the books I got after the Read-a-thon last Spring. It took me a while to get to it on my growing TBR pile.

It's the story of Arlene Fleet who has left Alabama for Chicago and a new life after a number of traumatic high school events including the death of her father, the insanity of her mother, sexual promiscuity, teen date rape, and a murder. The story goes back and forth between Arlene's current journey back to Alabama and her past, which is filled with secrets and intrigue. This is definitely a novel rooted in the south like Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen which I've already blogged about.

STRENGTHS OF GODS IN ALABAMA: This book has one of the best opening lines I've ever read. Arlene's list of the gods in Alabama include: "high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus." That line alone made me want to read more. I liked Arlene for her self-deprecating humor and honest portrayal of her life and its quirks. I enjoyed Arlene's aunt also. Jackson gave that character some depth and clarity of thought which I found refreshing.

I also liked the back and forth chapters between the past and the present. It kept me interested in both parts of the story. I think if it had been told in a more linear fashion, then I would have lost interest fairly quickly. I did not anticipate the ending and was quite surprised by the ultimate resolution of the murder.

WEAKNESSES OF GODS IN ALABAMA: I don't tend to be drawn to Southern fiction, which is a very legitimate genre in literature. Many of the characters start to feel too similar and stereotyped. I felt that way about Arlene's cousin, uncle, and other family members. They didn't have enough depth to be very interesting. I find this to be a problem for me in many books in this genre. Maybe it is my southern California bias - I can't always relate to these characters.

Overall, I'd give this one 3 1/2 stars. I kept comparing it to Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen which I enjoyed much more. I'd be curious to know what you thought of this one, and if anyone has a recommendation on another of Jackson's books.

Booking Through Thursday - Manual Labor

2008-05-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

Here's today's BTT question:

Writing guides, grammar books, punctuation how-tos . . . do you read them? Not read them? How many writing books, grammar books, dictionaries–if any–do you have in your library?

I have read many in my time but I do not look at them now. It feels too much like work since I have to teach these skills every day. The only exception is a dictionary. I do use one every once in a while. I keep one behind my desk at work, and we have a very good two volume one at home.

In all honesty, I rely on spell check to fix my grammar and punctuation. I also tend to throw in commas quite liberally because I can never quite remember, or care, where they really go. I also use the Internet to check words etc.

It's a short and sweet answer - basically, I have very few in my library and rely more on the Internet.

Booking Through Thursday - Spring

2008-04-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

Here's today's BTT question:

Do your reading habits change in the Spring? Do you read gardening books? Even if you don’t have a garden? More light fiction than during the Winter? Less? Travel books? Light paperbacks you can stick in a knapsack?

Or do you pretty much read the same kinds of things in the Spring as you do the rest of the year?

My reading habits tend to change more in the summer than in Spring. I'm not into gardening books so that's never an issue. Since I live in California and have SurferGirl for a daughter, I tend to spend a lot of time in the summer on the beach. I tend to read paperback books on the beach because they are easier to carry and I don't care if they get sand in them. We also tend to do most of our traveling during the summer so, again, paperbacks are the way for me because I can get more books in my luggage. I also leave completed paperbacks behind in hotel rooms and rented condos for other people to find.

I will admit that my tastes get very lightweight and fluffy during the summer. I will admit that People magazine ends up in my beach bag a whole lot. For novels, I tend to stick to fiction that moves quickly. The Janet Evanovich books are a favorite beach read for me. I don't tend to read as much non-fiction. I can't explain it, but it doesn't appeal to me in the summer. My husband always says I don't have any taste in the summer and will read, or watch, just about anything.

I do tend to read some travel books and magazines in the spring, but they are always targeted to planning our summer vacation. This year it's the National Parks of southern Utah. Last year is was Maui and the Grand Canyon.

I'm always interested in summer beach read suggestions so bring them on!

Play Dead by David Rosenfelt

2008-04-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

I read this one for the A to Z Challenge. It is the third book I've read in the Andy Carpenter series. For those of you who don't know, this is a series of books about millionaire lawyer Andy Carpenter and his beloved golden retriever Tara.

In this one, Andy uses the court system to save the life of a rescued golden retriever who turns out to be the dog of a man convicted of murdering his fiancee. The fact that the dog is alive causes Andy to fight to reopen the case. He wins a new trial and starts to investigate the fiancee's death with the help of the normal crew. The plot twists around mob and federal witness protection issues before it is over.

Strengths of Play Dead: I continue to love Andy Carpenter for his dry humor. I find myself laughing at many things that he says and does. I also like his dog, who wouldn't, and appreciate his love of dogs. Rosenfelt's writing is witty and breezy. The book is a very fun read.

Weaknesses of Play Dead: I could see the plot twists coming a mile away. The ending was fairly obvious.

Overall, I'd give it 3 1/2 stars. I really enjoy these books. They are a fun, easy read with characters I enjoy spending time with. I'm hoping to read more in the series during my upcoming summer days at the beach.

No One Heard Her Scream by Jordan Dane

2008-04-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

This is a book I received as an Advanced Reading Copy from the HarperCollins First Look program which is exciting because it's the first time I've gotten an ARC! It is a combination suspense and romance story. The book says it is an April 2008 release so it should be available now.

It's a very complicated story involving Rebecca Montgomery, a detective with the San Antonio police department, whose sister, Danielle, was kidnapped and murdered before the start of the story. Rebecca is forced out of the investigation of her sister's death and given an arson/murder case where a body was discovered. This body leads Rebecca to Hunter Cavanaugh, a nasty crime boss kind of guy, and one of his cohorts, Diego Calvin. Diego and Rebecca are instantly attracted to each other. The story of the arson/murder gets tied into the story of Danielle's kidnapping as we learn about Diego's true ties to Cavanaugh and the FBI.

Strengths of No One Heard Her Scream: The book is over 300 pages but didn't feel that long. Dane keeps the plot and action moving along. I really liked how all the separate plot lines tied together by the end of the story. Everything in the book happened for a reason, and I didn't feel like twists came at me out of midair. Rebecca is a good, strong character, though flawed and a bit blinded by her personal tragedy. That actually lead me to like her more since she was not a "super cop," but a more human figure. I really appreciated the fact that she wanted to bring closure to another family, even though hers didn't have that same chance. Cavanaugh and his henchman, Brogan, were great villains, quite slimy and capable of anything.

Weaknesses of No One Heard Her Scream: I had some trouble buying the immediate attraction between Diego and Rebecca. I don't tend to like romance novels and this felt a bit like that to me. There was also some sexual brutality in the book, which, while essential to the plot, was something I could have lived without. I'm not sure I needed the details, and probably could have drawn my own picture. While I liked the ending, it was a bit contrived to be "happily ever after." I did see the major twist coming about halfway through the story.

Overall, I'd give this 3 stars. It's very readable, and I think someone who enjoys romance novels might like it a bit more than I did.

Read what Literary Feline had to say about this one here!

Step on a Crack by James Patterson

2008-04-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

I read this for the A to Z Challenge. I have read other books by Patterson, from the Alex Cross series, which I quite enjoyed. This one was reviewed on a few blogs so I thought I'd give it a try.

The main character is Michael Bennett a NYPD detective who, in a major subplot, has 10 adopted children and a wife dying of cancer. The main story revolves around the hostage-taking of a group of wealthy celebrities during the state funeral for a former first lady. Bennett is called in as a hostage negotiator. The story unfolds during the week before and during Christmas while Bennett's wife is in the last stages of cancer.

Strengths of Step on a Crack: I loved Bennett's character and especially enjoyed his interactions with his dying wife. Patterson was able to make me truly believe the love between these two people, even though this was a subplot to the story and wasn't given as much time in the story as the hostage drama. I also liked the tension created between Bennett and the main hostage taker "Jack." Jack was just crazy enough, in a cunning way, to pull the whole thing off so it left the reader really wondering what would happen. The celebrities, while obvious rip-offs of current celebrities, were amusing. I found myself thinking about how Oprah or Lindsey Lohan would have handled the hostage situation.

Weaknesses of Step on a Crack: I wanted more time with Bennett's kids and his wife. It took a great leap of faith to accept that Bennett would work this hostage crisis during Christmas and be away from his wife and kids. An au pair shows up in the story at just the right time to care for the kids. While Patterson does explain it, it, again, requires a leap of faith from the reader. There is a twist at the end of the hostage story when Bennett realizes that Jack had inside help and information. I thought this came out of the blue and that Patterson didn't set this up very well. The reader knew there was outside help, but it shouldn't have taken a former hostage to clue Bennett in. I found the whole ending to be rather weak.

Overall, I'd give this one 3 stars. It was fun and enjoyable, as long as you are willing to overlook some plot flaws. I would want to read another Bennett story because I enjoyed his family and want to learn more about them. If you've read this one, I'd love to know how you felt about the ending.

Friday Fill In

2008-04-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

1. The last time I lost my temper I had to take a step back and realize that girls tend to be really loud when they are in a group and to keep my temper in check, even though it was really tough!

2. Taxes is what I'm fed up with!

3. The next book I'd like to read is any of the ones on the huge pile beside my bed. I never can decide in advance what to read. It depends on my mood.

4. Summer vacation is what I'm looking forward to.

5. If you can't get rid of the skeleton[s] in your closet, dress them really well!

6. The best thing I got in the mail recently was an invitation to a 100th birthday party from two friends who are each turning 50.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to movie night with the family, tomorrow my plans include a very busy day including a memorial service for my great-uncle and a parent social at the school where I work and Sunday, I want to watch my church's youth group at an ice skating lesson!

Booking Through Thursday - Vocabulary

2008-04-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I posted. I've been camping for two of the last three weekends and, on the other weekend, hosted by daughter's sleepover birthday party for 9 girls. I think I'm still catching up on my sleep, emails, and blogs.

Good thing this week's BTT is short and sweet:

I’ve always wondered what other people do when they come across a word/phrase that they’ve never heard before. I mean, do they jot it down on paper so they can look it up later, or do they stop reading to look it up on the dictionary/google it or do they just continue reading and forget about the word?

That's actually an easy one for me. If not knowing the meaning of the word or phrase affects my comprehension, then I'll either stop to look it up, or, more likely, yell out to my husband and hope he knows what it means:)

I can't remember a time, other than in college, when I'd write a word down to look up later. If I don't need to know the word to understand what is going on, I move on and hope I have the gist of the word through its context.

What about you?

Booking Through Thursday - Literature

2008-04-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

Today's BTT question is a good one. It's one I've had to think about before answering.

When somebody mentions “literature,” what’s the first thing you think of? (Dickens? Tolstoy? Shakespeare?)
Do you read “literature” (however you define it) for pleasure? Or is it something that you read only when you must?

I think when I was younger, I would have responded with Shakespeare or Dante because that's what the professors in my college courses tended to assign as literature. To some extent, being an English Lit major was detrimental to my reading because it led to a "snobbish" view of more current books. Luckily, I took a Women's Literature class which expanded my view of literature to Virginia Woolf and a variety of really good women poets. The thing I've noticed is that the books that are deemed "literature" in college courses seem to have universal themes and are not always recently published. That may well be a disservice to new books because literature studies have to continue to evolve.

Now, I read a variety of things but don't really think about if they are literature or not. For example, I love many of the novels of Margaret Atwood and Isabel Allende. I would consider them literature because they are extremely well-written and deal with universal themes through amazing character and plot development. I also enjoy books by Janet Evanovich and Marcia Muller. Would I classify those as literature? I'm really not sure. For me, literature is so well-written that it helps to define something about the human condition. I really believe many of our current authors, including Cormac McCarthy and Margaret Atwood, will continued to be called literature in 100 years.

I've read my share of "literature" during college. I would be surprised if anyone read The Inferno or Moby Dick for pleasure. I don't pick books because they are, or aren't, literary. I read books that entertain me. Sometimes I tend to read more serious, well-written stories, and other times I select more light-hearted fare. There are many works of literature that are among my favorite books, including To Kill a Mockingbird and The Grapes of Wrath. I think The Book Thief can easily join that list for its quality and humanity.

I'm very interested in what other people are saying about this one. Feel free to chime in and let me know what you think.

North of Montana by April Smith

2008-04-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

I read this one for the A to Z Challenge. It seems to be the first in a newer series by a female writer about the FBI. I read about the latest one and decided to start from the beginning.

It is the story of Ana Grey, an FBI agent who reminds me a bit of Kinsey Milhone. She's an up and coming, young agent who makes a spectacular arrest during a bank robbery at the start of the book. Afterwards, she is given a high profile case concerning allegations that a renowned doctor supplied drugs for an aging Hollywood star, causing her addiction and subsequent treatment at the Betty Ford Center. Ana's personal life is also explored in her relationship with her Grandfather and the discovery of a long lost cousin, who has been murdered, and her two young children.

STRENGTHS OF NORTH OF MONTANA: I really enjoyed the main character. She is strong yet flawed and not too goody-goody which makes her interesting. Smith gave the character a rich, tragic yet still unresolved back story which added to the book for me. I found it to be an easy read, and I got really hooked on the plot. Smith was also very good at weaving the various plot lines together so that things in Ana's back story did contribute to the main story. Smith's portrayal of the aging star was quite amusing. Maybe it's living in California, but you tend to see people who really do fit the stereotypes that Smith used in the story. I also liked the fact that Smith did resolve the plot but left enough going on in Ana's life that she would be interesting to read about in another novel.

WEAKNESSES OF NORTH OF MONTANA: I found Ana to be a bit too "loose" for my taste. The way she feel into bed with coworkers bothered me and took away from the strength of the character. That's part of the reason that I have a mixed reaction to the ending. I truly liked the symbolism and spirituality that Smith used in the last chapter, but I didn't appreciate that Ana needed a man there to make it all better. If you've read the book, you probably know what I'm talking about. I really don't want to give it away because it is a major plot point.

Overall, I'd give the book 4 stars. It was a fun read, and I do plan on picking up other books in the series. My rating may be a bit high because I have a weakness for these types of books - female characters and authors in law enforcement type work. This book did remind me a bit of the early Jan Burke novels. If you've read this one, or another in the series, I'd love to hear your opinion.

Abby

2008-03-23T19:39:00.001-07:00

I wanted to take a moment to remember our very special dog, Abby. It may seem funny, but she was a member of our family for the last ten years. Unfortunately, she died last night, and our house is very sad.

Abby was found wandering the streets by our former neighbor who took her in. Abby (for Abandoned) was abused by a former owner. She couldn't stand to be around poles or brooms. She loved our pool man because he treated her with compassion, and gave her dog treats! Our neighbor cared for her for two years until his untimely heart attack. Abby came to us and has been part of our family ever since.

Abby was a Scottish Terrier with a heart of gold. She loved to ride in the car and danced for her dinner every night. Our neighbors always knew she was getting fed by her lusty barks, and they would say to each other that it was Abby's dinner time.

We will miss her, but I wanted to take a chance to let other people know how important she was to us. Can she be replaced? Never. Will we get another dog? In a while, when another dog steals our hearts.

March Bookworms Carnival

2008-03-22T15:18:00.000-07:00

The March carnival is up! The theme is women in literature, and it's a great one.

Check out all the submissions and mine, too. I'm off to add books to my TBR list.

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

2008-03-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

This is my third Picoult book and I read it for the A to Z Challenge. It is a long one at just over 500 pages. I picked it up because the concept of Picoult mixed with Amish culture was appealing. I also really liked My Sister's Keeper and Salem Falls.

This is the story of two women. Ellie is a high powered defense attorney who is having a life and career crisis at the start of the book. She is also having a "biological clock ticking" crisis as well. Katie is an 18 year old unmarried Amish girl who lives and works on her family's dairy farm. Ellie and Katie share an aunt and, when Katie is accused of murdering her newborn infant boy, Ellie is recruited as her defense attorney. To further complicate the plot, Ellie is forced to live, and work, on Katie's family farm as a term of Katie's bail agreement. Thus, Ellie, and the reader, are immersed in Amish life and culture throughout the story. Also, in the story Katie has an Amish boyfriend who is not the baby's father, and Ellie rekindles a romance with an old flame who she calls in to assess Katie's mental competence.

Strengths of Plain Truth: As usual, Picoult is a great story teller with interesting twists and turns to the plot. Katie does not remember the events of the boy's birth so Picoult is able to bring out a variety of facts throughout the story to engage the reader's interest. It appears that she did some extensive research on the Amish because this book really made their culture and beliefs come alive for me. Also, Ellie and Katie are both strong characters in their own ways. Katie has a quiet strength which Ellie learns to appreciate, and Ellie has a worldliness that Katie appreciates as well.

Weaknesses of Plain Truth: I honesty did not like this one as much as the other two books I've read by her. I intensely disliked the ending. If you've read the book, I'd be curious about your reaction. It seemed too easy and too much of a cop out after the trial was over. I also saw the final twist coming about halfway through the book, and I don't like twists that are so obvious. While I did like the details about Amish culture, I thought the book could have been more carefully edited and didn't need to be quite so long. I also got a bit fed up with Ellie's romantic side plot and all of the emphasis on the shunned brother's character. I actually started to skim about 3/4 of the way because I was getting fed up with the characters and drawn out plot.

Overall, this one was not one of her best. I'd have to give it 3 stars. I'd still recommend My Sister's Keeper over this one.

Friday Fill In

2008-03-21T08:29:00.000-07:00

1.Spring Break is so exciting!
2. Strawberry fields forever (who can resist a Beatles reference).
3. Breakfast out on a Friday morning sounds like it would taste delicious!
4. Why does sleep and reading make me feel so good?!
5. Washington D.C. in Spring is something I've always wanted to see.
6. It's sad when a good book ends.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Disneyland with friends, tomorrow my plans include running sound for a wedding and Sunday, I want to enjoy Easter with my family and get ready to leave for Las Vegas and Death Valley!

Booking Through Thursday - The End

2008-03-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

Here's this week's BTT question:

You’ve just reached the end of a book . . . what do you do now? Savor and muse over the book? Dive right into the next one? Go take the dog for a walk, the kids to the park, before even thinking about the next book you’re going to read? What?

(Obviously, there can be more than one answer, here–a book with a cliff-hanger is going to engender different reactions than a serene, stand-alone, but you get the idea!)

There are many different answers to this one. It really depends on the book. There are some books that I need to talk about, or write about, as soon as I'm done. For those, I either get a blog review going or talk to a book loving friend.

I don't tend to muse too much about a book once I've read it. I'm normally eager to move on to the next book in my TBR mountain ... it's not even just a pile anymore:)

As part of my daughter's nightly homework, she's required to read for twenty to thirty minutes so we've instituted "Family Reading Time." Everyone sits quietly and reads books together to support her reading progress. That tends to force me to move to the next book so that I always have a book going for these nightly reading times.

Sometimes, if the book was made into a movie, I'll add it to my Netflix queue because I'm always curious, and sometimes disappointed, in the movie versions of books I've read.

I guess I've answered that I do just about everything once I finish a book. How about you?

Negativity Meme

2008-03-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

I found this one floating around at a few blogs. Since I haven't posted in awhile, I thought I'd play along.

1. When you dislike a book, do you say so in your blog? Why or why not?

Yes, I do. It's pretty rare but I have taken great dislike to a few books since I started my blog. It actually leads to some great discussions in my comments section.

2. Do you temper your feelings about books you didn’t like, so as not to completely slam them? Why or why not?

I try to be balanced and give strengths and weaknesses for each book I review. I do realize that authors work very hard and are very proud of their work. There have been a few where this was not possible. I did slam at least one book that I can think of.

3. What do you think is the best way to respond when you see a negative review about a book you enjoyed?

Sometimes I'll leave a comment pointing out something I liked from the book. However, each reader brings their own opinions and life experiences to a story so it's important to acknowledge that as well. Every one is entitled to their opinion. I welcome debate on my own blog and have had some great comment exchanges with people who disagree with me.

4. What is your own most common reaction when you see a negative review of a book you loved or a positive review of a book you hated?

I think that's part of the last answer. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

5. What is your own most common reaction when you get a comment that disagrees with your opinion of a book?

I love when that happens. It means that someone read what I wrote and really thought about it. I would never delete a comment like that. Sometimes, those type of comments will make me think and readjust my opinion. Other times, they make for some great debate. That's part of what I enjoy about book blogging.

6. What if you don’t like a book that was a free review copy? What then?

I haven't had the chance to get any review copies yet. I have gotten some free books directly from authors. I haven't reviewed them yet but will note that I received the book from the author as a part of my review. I still intend to be honest because the authors deserve my honest opinion.

7. What do you do if you don’t finish a book? Do you review it or not? If you review it, do you mention that you didn’t finish it?

That hasn't happened recently. I tend to put a book aside and come back to it. If I truly don't finish it, I wouldn't review it. I would probably just write a short entry indicating that I gave up on the book. Hopefully, someone who liked the book might give me a good reason, or encouragement, to try and finish it.

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore

2008-03-08T20:50:00.000-08:00

I saw this one at my local small town bookstore and just couldn't resist the title. Finding salvation at the Dairy Queen sounds quite appealing, and tasty! It is also Gilmore's first published novel. I read it for The Pub challenge since it's a 2008 release. It is also part of my A to Z Challenge. Just to make it more interesting, the author is speaking soon at the bookstore so I'm curious to go and see what she's like.

This is the story of Catherine Grace Cline who is the daughter of the preacher in the small town of Ringgold. Her father is a widower who is raising Catherine Grace (who is always referred to by both names) and her younger sister, Martha Ann. There are plenty of townspeople populating the story, including the five times divorced next door neighbor, Gloria Jean, and Miss Raines, the young Sunday school teacher who is smitten with Reverend Cline. Catherine Grace spends each Saturday at the local Dairy Queen making plans (and eating a Dilly bar!) to leave her small hometown as soon as she turns 18.

STRENGTHS OF LOOKING FOR SALVATION AT THE DAIRY QUEEN: Gilmore seems to understand the people and rhythms of a small southern town. These characters are human with their flaws and artifices. Catherine Grace is a likable character, even as she plots to leave everything, and everyone, she knows behind. Her father, the Reverend, is also a well-drawn character who is shown with his flaws, even if he doesn't recognize them himself. I loved Gloria Jean. She was larger than life and quite funny. I spent a great deal of time trying to picture who would play her in the movie because I'm sure this one will be a movie someday. There are too many good roles for women for this one to get away.

SPOILER ALERT: One of my favorite parts was the ending so skip this paragraph if you don't want to know. I loved how Catherine Grace found everything she was looking for right where she was. I also liked the fact that Gilmore gave her options at the end, and the strength to do the right thing for Miss Raines. It was refreshing that her salvation was not a heavy handed moment of spiritual awakening, but a quiet moment, at the Dairy Queen!, where she realized the power of the people and the town of Ringgold.

WEAKNESSES OF LOOKING FOR SALVATION AT THE DAIRY QUEEN: The author made a point of stressing that the story was set in the 1970s yet some of the plot twists made the story seem much older than that. When Catherine Grace leaves for Atlanta, her father and sister act like it's a world away. I realize that Gilmore was making a point about how different the two places were, but I really think everyone would have used the telephone, especially in an emergency.

Overall, this book is a quick read and thoroughly enjoyable. I'd give it four stars and highly recommend it. I'll do an updated post after I attend the author event. If you've read this one, I'd love to hear what you think. My bookstore friend thinks Gilmore writes like Fannie Flagg, who I've never read. If you have read her and have suggestions, let me know.

Friday Fill In

2008-03-07T22:55:00.000-08:00

1. Ahhhh, it's so nice to be looking forward to spring break in two weeks. I'm looking for suggestions for a last minute trip. any ideas?
2. One of my favorite things on my desk or bureau is my symbolic (and quite hefty) railroad screw given to me by a friend who is now deceased.
3. Japanese Cherry Blossom is not something I think about or can even identify.
4. The beach is my favorite place to sit and read.
5.Chocolate and more chocolate is delicious!
6. I love to watch my daughter's face and hear her laughter in movies.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner out with friends from work, tomorrow my plans include a kid's birthday party and planning my daughter's upcoming sleepover party and Sunday, I want to enjoy the tickets we have for a sold-out Master Chorale concert.

Booking Through Thursday - Heroes

2008-03-06T19:22:00.000-08:00

Here's today's BTT question:

You should have seen this one coming … Who is your favorite Male lead character? And why?

I didn't get a chance to play last week when the question was easier for me. I tend to read a lot of novels with female leads. As a matter of fact, my first real connection to reading was Nancy Drew. I just wanted to be her growing up.

Anyway, a male lead character is harder because I don't tend to identify with the men in the stories as much as the women. There are a few characters that do come to mind:

Quoyle from The Shipping News - He's almost the anti-hero because he doesn't really fit the stereotype of a male hero. Maybe that's why I like him so much. He was human and showed real human emotions. I ended up admiring him for the choices he'd made in the story.
Henry from The Time Traveler's Wife - He is the same kind of sympathetic male character. I may be putting him on the list because I read the book so recently. I found him to be an intriguing and likable character. I was really drawn in to his emotional life in the story.
Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird - This was the first time where I realized that people can change things in our society. I read this one in junior high, and my strongest reading memory is thinking how brave Atticus was and how much I wanted to meet men like that in my life. It was almost like I wanted to find men who had that strength of their convictions. It really changed how I viewed people.
the father in The Wall by Eve Bunting - Today was "Thinking Thursday" at my school. We were talking to the kids about books that make us think. This is the book I always come back to. It's the book that I can't read to kids without crying. The father is unnamed but he's everyman. He's the man who takes his son to the Vietnam Wall to find his own father's name. Somehow, this man touches something essential in my soul and personifies the effects of war in a very human way.

I didn't go for some obvious choices like Hamlet and Macbeth. While I love Shakespeare, these are the male characters who changed something essential in me as I was reading about them. Who are your heroes? Any thoughts on mine?

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

2008-03-03T21:11:00.000-08:00

As many of you have read, I just recently discovered Jodi Picoult and just had to read another of her books. Some of you recommended this one, and I can see why. I also read it for the A to Z Challenge.

This is the story of Anna and her sister, Kate. Anna is thirteen, and her sister is sixteen and dying of a rare form of leukemia. Anna was conceived, via assisted reproductive fertility, as a perfect genetic match for Kate. Over time, Anna had donated blood and bone marrow to her sister. At the point the story starts, Kate's kidneys are failing, and Anna has been told that she is to donate a kidney. Anna hires an attorney, Campbell Alexander, to sue for the right to make her own medical decisions.

STRENGTHS OF MY SISTER'S KEEPER: Picoult is an excellent story teller. This story is filled with complexity of plot and character. First, Anna is thirteen and allowed to have all the complexity and angst of a thirteen year old girl. Her mother, Sara, is the most compelling character in the book for me. I can absolutely understand all the actions she's taken to save Kate, and can see how it could become all consuming. Yet, I never doubted that she loved Anna, or her son. It was clear how Kate's illness had colored every family decision and, ultimately, impacted the parent's marriage and their relationships with their children. There were times that Sara made decisions I questioned and withheld information from Kate or Anna. I don't even want to think about being in that same position.

Kate was also a fascinating character because she wasn't a maudlin stereotype of a dying child. She had spunk, and I felt that she truly loved Anna. At one point in the story, Sara realizes that you don't "have" children, but you are given the opportunity to be a part of their lives and development. What a wonderful realization!

The parallel story of the lawyer was interesting, but not as compelling as the main plot. Campbell is probably the character who changes the most in the story. He is the one who was truly affected on a deeply, personal level by the moral questions in the story. He became our "everyman," the character I tended to look for to see how to feel and react since I couldn't always trust the reactions of the Fitzgerald family.

WEAKNESSES OF MY SISTER'S KEEPER: There was a subplot involving Julia, Campbell's college love and Anna's court-appointed guardian, and her sister. This felt a bit contrived, and I didn't think Picoult needed to push the sister comparison on the reader. Also, there was a separate subplot involving Jesse, the brother, and his firefighter father. Again, I understood that Jesse was damaged by his sister's illness, but, again, felt that Picoult didn't need to beat me over the head with it.

Overall, I'd give this one four and 1/2 stars. It lost 1/2 a star for the multiple subplots. The main story of Anna and Kate was compelling, thought-provoking, and emotionally shattering. I will tell you that I cried for the last twenty pages. I'd love to hear what other people thought of this one.

Still Life by Louise Penny

2008-03-01T09:08:00.000-08:00

I read about this one on a number of blogs and since I like mysteries I decided to use it for the Canadian Reading Challenge . It was the winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for best first novel by the Crime Writers of Canada.

The story is set in the small Quebec town of Three Pines where a woman has been murdered on Thanksgiving weekend. We meet a variety of suspects including a renowned but strange poet, a married couple who are struggling artists, and the gay couple who run the local B & B. Chief Inspector Gamache is sent to investigate the murder. The novel alternated between the investigation and interweaving back stories for the suspects and Gamache.

STRENGTHS OF STILL LIFE: Penny created a very likable and interesting world in Three Pines. The characters all had a sense of depth and it was clear that many of them had some sort of trauma in the background that led them to this small town. Penny created a group of people that had many different stories to tell. I also liked how she weaved the elements of art and mystery together. Jane, the victim, painted a piece that was the key to solving the mystery. I almost wish Penny had given us a version of the painting. I wonder if my imagination created the same work of art as hers. It was a good mystery with a number of twists. I really didn't know who the murderer was until it was revealed. Penny did a good job of leading me in another direction. I like stories that come together well, but that aren't so totally obvious.

WEAKNESSES OF STILL LIFE: There is a subplot where the inspector, Gamache, mentors a young police woman, somewhat unsuccessfully. At 400 pages, the book could have easily lost this subplot which didn't seem to advance the main story. For some people, the number of characters introduced might be a problem. Penny was trying to immediately populate her town, and it was a bit confusing at times.

Overall, I'd give this four stars. I'm definitely interested in reading the other books in this series. I'd be interested in hearing other people's opinions. Just a disclaimer, I have a tough time writing mystery reviews because I don't want to give anything away so I apologize if this one seemed too vague.

Top 50 Children's Books

2008-02-24T20:31:00.000-08:00

I found this list at Lizzy's Literary Life and I was curious to see how many I'd read. So I've changed the text color to red if I've read it. I'm counting reading it as an adult or as a child. I'm curious to see how many I've read.

Top 50 Best Children's Books

1. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis
2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle
3. Famous Five, Enid Blyton
4. Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne
5. The BFG, Roald Dahl
6. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling
7. The Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
8. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
9. Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
10. The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson
11. The Tales of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter
12. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
13. Matilda, Roald Dahl
14. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
15. The Cat in the Hat, Dr Seuss
16. The Twits, Roald Dahl
17. Mr Men, Roger Hargreaves
18. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
19. The Malory Towers series, Enid Blyton
20. Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie
21. The Railway Children, E. Nesbit
22. Hans Christian Fairy Tales, H.C. Andersen
23, The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum
24. The Witches, Roald Dahl
25. Stig of the Dump, Clive King
26. The Wishing Chair, Enid Blyton
27. Dear Zoo, Rod Campbell
28. The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Judith Kerr
29. Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jan Brett
30. James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
31. A Bear Called Paddington, Michael Bond
32. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
33. Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak
34. Aesop's Fables, Jerry Pinkney
35. The Borrowers, Mary Norton
36. Just So Stories, Rudyard Kipling
37. Meg and Mog, Jan Pienkowski
38. Mrs Pepperpot, Alf Proysen
39. We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Michael Rosen
40. The Gruffalo's Child, Julia Donaldson
41. Room on a Broom, Julia Donaldson
42. The Worst Witch, Jill Murphy
43. Miffy, Dick Bruna
44. The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery
45. Flat Stanley, Jeff Brown
46. The Snail and the Whale, Julia Donaldson
47. Ten Little Ladybirds, Melanie Gerth
48. Six Dinners Sid, Inga Moore
49. The St. Clare's series, Enid Blyton
50. Captain Underpants, Dav Pilkey

I'm fairly surprised. I've only read 28 out of the 50 and I've never read anything by Enid Blyton. This list is from a British newspaper. I wonder if an American list would be significantly different. If anyone knows of such a list, let me know. Now I'm curious.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

2008-02-23T07:57:00.000-08:00

I read this book as part of the Banned Book Challenge and the A to Z Challenge. I found it on a banned book list with no explanation about why it was banned or where the incident occurred. I tried researching it on the web and could only find the title on a number of lists. I suspect that it was challenged in either a public or school library by parents afraid of the sexuality in the book. This is a book marketed for teens and young adults.

It is the story of four life long friends: Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen. They are teenagers who are spending a summer apart. They find a pair of old jeans in a thrift store. Magically, the jeans fit each girl perfectly, even though they are very different body types. These become the Traveling Pants for their magical qualities. Throughout the summer, each girl wears the pants for two weeks and then sends them on to another girl. The novel goes back and forth among the four girls documenting their summer and their time with the pants. It is the first of a series that I have seen many teen girls reading. It was also made into a movie.

STRENGTHS OF THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS: It is a very positive story of friendship among these girls. They are supportive of each other and do not put each other down. Each girl has a crisis while wearing the pants, but the others are supportive. Tibby's crisis is especially heart-rending as she meets, and spends time with, a younger girl who is dying of leukemia. I think that the sexuality in Bridget's story is probably the reason for the banning of this book. However, I found it to be a strength of the book because it was not graphic, and the author dealt extremely well with Bridget's emotions and her feelings of loss and regret. I thought it would really open the door to an honest discussion with a teenage girl about sexuality. I also liked how the author moved between stories so you were kept in touch with all four girls over the summer.

WEAKNESSES OF THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS: I was not really fond of Lena's summer story. She spent the summer in Greece with her grandparents and feel in love with a local boy. Through a misunderstanding, her grandparents thought the boy had assaulted her. I felt this part was a bit contrived and didn't match with the strength these girls displayed throughout the book.

Overall, I'd give this book four stars. I would absolutely allow my daughter to read it when she's a teen. I think there's a lot of positive messages in this about the value of girls' friendships. It could also lead to some excellent discussions of values and choices. If anyone has more details on the banned issue, I'd love to know. I'd also be interested in knowing how teenagers have reacted to this one. So if you are, or have, a teenager, let me know.

Booking Through Thursday - Format

2008-02-21T18:51:00.000-08:00

This week's BTT question is a short, but sweet one. This is a hard one for me because I don't tend to keep a large library of books, as many of you already know. Anyway, here's the question:

All other things (like price and storage space) being equal, given a choice in a perfect world, would you rather have paperbacks in your library? Or hardcovers? And why?

I think in a perfect world I'd want two copies of all my books. One in hardcover (autographed, of course) for the shelves of my cozy reading room. I'd want the paperbacks for bathtub and travel reading. I also prefer to read paperbacks in bed because some hardcovers are just so heavy.

If this is truly a perfect world, I'd be able to leave my paperbacks behind in my travels for others to read. I'd also get to pick up other people's paperbacks, and have the corresponding hardcovers waiting for me in the home library.

I guess I'd need either magic or a personal book assistant for that one. Actually, that sounds like a great job. Personal book buyer for a voracious reader who loves to share. Anyway, that got a bit off track, and I'm not sure I really answered the question.

I'd love to know what other people thought so leave me a comment.

Six Unimportant Things About Me

2008-02-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

I got tagged for this one by Brie at Cupid's Chokehold.

I guess I've already done numbers 1 and 2 so on to number 3!

Rules:

1. Link back to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog

3. Share six unimportant things about you

4. Tag six random people at the end of your blog entry

5. Let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I am a coffee addict. I always have coffee with me in the morning. I carry a cup to work, my students give me Starbucks gift cards, and my husband has bought me numerous travel mugs because I leave them everywhere.

2. I hate white walls. I think every wall in my house is some color. I can think of blue, purple, green, clay, tan, and a variety of stenciled and sponge painted treatments.

3. I can reupholster simple projects like dining room chairs. I'm a whiz with a staple gun.

4. I love Disneyland. My personal best is 35 rides in one day (leaving at 7:00 not closing) and never waiting in a line more than 30 minutes.

5. I have heard my name called across Las Vegas casinos, Disneyland, California Adventure, and a variety of airports by numerous students both past and present.

6. I have been in the first ten rows of a Bruce Springsteen concert, dancing on the chair the whole time, and have been to an acoustic Bruce concert - just the man and his guitar.

OK .... now I'm supposed to tag people, but I don't like that part so ... if you're reading this and want to play along ... consider yourself tagged.

Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

2008-02-18T18:17:00.001-08:00

This is another one for the A to Z Challenge. It is one of the Stephanie Plum novels that are "between the numbers." This one reads more like an extended short story.

In this one, Stephanie is asked by her mother to find her grandmother who has gone missing. It turns out that Grandma Mazur has come into possession of stolen mob money, purchased an RV, and taken the cash to Atlantic City. Along for the ride are all the usual Plum characters: Lula, Connie, Ranger, Morelli, and Diesel.

I'm not going to use my normal format on this one. It's a fun light read. I think it took me about one hour to read. I enjoy the Plum novels. They are laugh out loud funny and a nice break in my reading. This one reads like an extended short story. It's funny but don't expect a lot of character development and Ranger and Morelli make very minor appearance.

Unfortunately, I have to give it three stars. It was fun, but I wish I had borrowed it from the library. I'm not sure it was worth the price of a hard cover book. If you've read it, I'd love to know what you thought.

Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

2008-02-18T18:01:00.000-08:00

This is another book for the A to Z Challenge. It is the first one I've ever read by Picoult. I've read so much about her on other people's blogs that I had to try her out.

This one is the story of Jack St. Bride who comes to the small town of Salem Falls after spending time in prison for a sexual assault that he did not commit. He falls for Addie, the owner of the local diner, who is still mourning the death of her daughter. Jack is accused of another sexual assault by the teenage daughter of the most influential man in the small town. As the story unfolds, it is unclear whose story to believe.

STRENGTHS OF SALEM FALLS: Picoult is a great story teller. She doles out just enough information to keep the plot moving without giving everything away. In this book, she did a nice job of using flashbacks to tell Jack's back story. However, she did not make him a blameless victim. There are incidents in his past which lead us as readers to doubt him. The same can be said of Addie, whose back story is also slowly revealed. I did like the relationship between these two damaged and imperfect people. Picoult also held my attention through the trial sequence and really created doubt in my mind as the trial came to its ending.

WEAKNESSES OF SALEM FALLS: There is a whole subplot where Jack's teenage accuser is a practicing Wiccan (or witch.) I thought that part was a bit silly and demeaning to some people's beliefs. I totally understood the connection Picoult was making to the Salem Witch Trials of history, but it felt forced and unnecesary. I truly think she could have left that part out and the story would have still hung together and been riveting. This is especially true when she hints at the ultimate twist right at the end of the novel. That would have been a more interesting way to develop Gilly's character.

Overall, I'd give this one four stars. It was entertaining, and I'll definitely be reading more books by Picoult. I'd welcome ideas about which other books I might like.

Friday Fill-In

2008-02-15T15:57:00.000-08:00

1. Snowdrops are annoying - can you tell I'm a sun and surf gal.
2. I'm going to write a book one day.
3. Let It Be and If God Was One of Us (are) is a song(s) whose lyrics have meaning to me.
4. Just one sip and my headache will feel better as long as it's Starbucks!
5. Any beach - local or Hawaiian is where I'm happiest.
6. I believe that laughter is a necessary part of life.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to SurferGirl's final practice before an ice skating competition, tomorrow my plans include the two performance ice skating competition and Sunday, I want to relax at the beach knowing there are still two more days in my weekend!

Booking Through Thursday - Valentines

2008-02-14T16:27:00.000-08:00

Here's today's BTT question. It wasn't the one I was expecting, but it was quite easy for me.
Here’s something for Valentine’s Day.

Have you ever fallen out of love with a favorite author? Was the last book you read by the author so bad, you broke up with them and haven’t read their work since? Could they ever lure you back?
I recently fell way out of love with Patricia Cornwell. Her last book, Book of the Dead, was simply awful. I am still ranting about it. I really don't think anything could lure me back to this author. I know I won't read anything else she's written.
I also went through a period where I was hooked on Dan Brown. He's the author if The Da Vinci Code. I got to the point where all the books and characters started to run together. I don't think I could be lured back, because I don't think he can change. If he were to publish something that was remarkably different, then I might, notice might, be tempted to read it.
There are a number of authors where I've never been able to read a second book. E. Annie Proulx is a great example. I loved The Shipping News, but haven't liked anything else. I haven't even gotten to page 30 of anything else. But I don't think that really qualifies as an author I'm in love with. I took it to be an author I'd read a lot of and then became disenchanted.
I'm curious to know what other people picked!

Reading 123 Meme

2008-02-10T14:32:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged not once but twice for this one. Thanks to Presbyterian Gal and Gautami Tripathy for getting me to play along.

The rules of this particular meme are:

1). Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages)
2). Open the book to page 123
3). Find the fifth sentence
4). Post the next three sentences
5). Tag five people

The nearest book was The Hours by Michael Cunningham. My Bookmooch pile is next to my computer. So here it goes:

"It is her tribute, her gift. What more can she offer him?

She is on her way back to the kitchen when the intercom buzzes."

Taken out of context that could mean many things. Just so you know, it's a segment of the book where Clarissa is thinking about the dinner party she's giving for Richard. There are many ways you could take those lines if you didn't have the context.

I hate tagging people because I think everyone's already done this one. So instead of a traditional tag, how about a contest? Post a comment linking me to your version of this meme. I'll draw a name at random from the comments, and they'll win my slightly used copy of The Hours. The nice part is if you've already played, all you need to do is leave a comment!

I'll draw the winning name on Friday the 15th. Start sending me those links!

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

2008-02-09T09:30:00.000-08:00

I read this one for the A to Z Challenge on the advice of numerous bloggers. It is the story of Henry and his wife, Claire. The book chronicles their life together from the time Henry met Claire when he was an adult, and she was a child. It turns out that Henry has a genetic mutation which allows him to travel through time. So he is able to meet Claire when she's a child, but he's already an adult. As their life together progresses, the reader follows Henry's erratic moves through his life. In some instances, Henry even meets various versions of himself.

STRENGTHS OF THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE: I loved everything about this book. Henry and Claire's love story is quite touching and believable, despite Henry's travels though time. The book starts as Claire declares that her job is to wait. She does spend much of the book waiting for Henry to return from a different time or waiting for him to show up at an appointed time. However, I didn't find myself feeling sorry for her because she lived a full life with friends and her art, making paper and paper sculptures. I found the ending to be both sad and glorious. Instead of being sappy, I felt like these two people were truly destined to be together.

Niffenegger's humor was apparent as Henry always appeared in his travels naked and had to beg, borrow, or steal clothes and money to get by in his new time. Henry was a wonderful character. Even though it's obvious that he has a problem with alcohol, and possibly drugs, he maintains high moral standards. He doesn't reveal what he knows of the future to friends, except for the occassional stock tip, and will not consummate his relationship with Claire until she is 18.

The author also created a wonderful world of supporting characters. I especially enjoyed some of the trampy women in Henry's life during a time period before he was married to Claire. His best friend, Gomez, and his wife were nice touch points in the story. It was a bit hard to believe that they knew about the time travel and accepted it, but it was nice to see the true friendship between the characters.

WEAKNESSES OF THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE: I really liked the book, but it was not told in a linear fashion since we followed Henry's shifts through time. This might bother some people, but it was essential to the story.

Overall, this is also a five star book for me. I could read this one over and over and probably see things I'd missed the first time through. I highly recommend it and look forward to hearing what other people thought of it.

Friday Fill-In

2008-02-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

1. I'm looking forward to a five day weekend next weekend.
2. Australia is a place I always wanted to visit and haven't made it there yet.
3. I've fallen in love with lots of things including Maui, my husband, and chocolate - but probably not in that order.
4. Six of one, half dozen another is a phrase but I wouldn't mind six hours off for each hour worked.
5. Addiction to books can be a dangerous thing (and costly too:)
6. The American Idol auditions crack me up!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to family movie night even though it's How To Eat Fried Worms, tomorrow my plans include hopefully some time for myself to do a whole lot of nothing and Sunday, I want to have date night at a Chorale concert!

Booking Through Thursday - Spare Time

2008-02-07T21:37:00.000-08:00

Today's BTT is only partly reading related. It's true .... my life is not all about books. So here goes:

Okay, even I can’t read ALL the time, so I’m guessing that you folks might voluntarily shut the covers from time to time as well… What else do you do with your leisure to pass the time? Walk the dog? Knit? Run marathons? Construct grandfather clocks? Collect eggshells?

Leisure time is not always something I have a lot of but here are some of the things that do fill my days. My daughter takes figure skating lessons so I spend time at our local ice rink, or running the kid taxi to the rink! I'm also a Scout leader so I do spend time with a great group of girls having a lot of fun. I also volunteer at my church on the sound board for Sunday services and the occasional wedding.

My husband and I have regular date nights at either the symphony or our local Master Chorale concerts. It sounds so much more expensive than it is because I have great in-laws that watch our daughter, and we buy inexpensive season tickets. When it's hockey season, you'll find us watching (when we can.)

I enjoy cake decorating. I'm not a pro but I have a good friend who helps me, and we have a blast when we do one. I also like to write - we'll see what happens in that area of my life.

After reading someone else's answer, I realized I had to add my two TV addictions. I love Project Runway on Bravo and Lost (which is finally back!)

I didn't even include work stuff. That fills up time in my life, too. I'm looking forward to reading about other people's interests.

Swann by Carol Shields

2008-02-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

This is the third novel by Carol Shields that I've read for the Canadian Book Challenge. I really liked the other two: The Stone Diaries and Unless. This one is the story of four people who are united by a relationship with Mary Swann, an obscure, dead Canadian poet.

They are: Rose, the librarian in the small town where Swann lived and died; Sarah, the academic scholar who "discovers" Swann's book; Morton, Swann's biographer; and Frederic, the retired journalist and publisher who publishes Swann's only book. The book is divided among these four people and tells their stories as they prepare to attend the Swann Symposium. Shields also tries to weave a minor mystery plot throughout the four stories as items related to Swann keep showing up missing, or stolen, from each of the main characters.

STRENGTHS OF SWANN: Shields develops wonderful interesting characters. I especially liked Rose because Shields seemed to capture the essence of a small town woman with her variety of roles, yet showed her loneliness as well. Shields also did an excellent job of creating Mary Swann - a character we never meet because she has been killed by her husband before the story even takes place. There is a true sense of despair about her, even though we only meet her in reflections by Rose and Frederic. It is interesting to ponder how real these reflections are because Frederic also reveals some half-truths about the contents of Swann's book. Shields does play with the theme of what is art and who makes it throughout the novel.

WEAKNESSES OF SWANN: I did not like the last quarter of the book at all. Once the main characters are gathered at the Symposium, Shields tells the story via a movie script, complete with stage directions. I lost the flow of the characters and found the stage directions quite tiresome. It is also in this section that the mystery element moves forward. I found that I didn't care who was taking the Swann material. I also found all the sneaking around with flashlights and secret meetings tedious and not in keeping with the characters as they were presented.

Overall, I'd give this three stars. It was not my favorite Shields book by any means. If you haven't read her, don't start with this one. I'm not sorry I read it because the characters were engaging, but I did find myself skimming the last part of the book to get it finished. If you've read this one, I'd love to know if I missed something.

Banned Book Challenge

2008-01-28T19:07:00.001-08:00

I told myself that I wasn't doing any more challenges, but I have to participate in this one. I can't stand the prospect of book banning and firmly believe that everyone has the right to read, or not to read, anything they'd like. This challenge is sponsored by the Pelham Public Library. I heard about it at Juli's blog Can I Borrow your Book?

The rules:

1. Select a number of books you'd like to read from banned book lists. The Pelham site has a good list.

2. Register at the Pelham blog.

3. Reading is done between February 24th and June 30th.

My choices are:

1. Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon (this is cross-listed with the A to Z Challenge)

2. Dance Me Outside by W.P. Kinsella (which will also apply to the Canadian Book Challenge and is listed on the A to Z Challenge)

3. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Eva's Book Meme

2008-01-27T17:59:00.001-08:00

I got tagged for this one by John who mildly threatened to stop reading my blog if I didn't respond. Actually, he'll keep reading because I'm 2/3s of the way through with another Carol Shields book, and I'm sure he's curious to read the review. He got it from Eva at A Striped Armchair. Anyway, here it is:

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

I've had The Road on my TBR list for awhile but every time I got to pick it up, I can't even face the cover. I actually left one copy in Hawaii and had to mooch a second, which I still haven't read.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

1. Clara Trueba from The House of the Spirits because I'd love to experience her incredible abilities.

2. Rachel from The Poisonwood Bible to experience her vapidness.

3. Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief because her spirit astounded me.

Obviously, we'd have a ladies tea because I think this group would kill each other on a deserted island!

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can't die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it's past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

I'd have to say Smilla's Sense of Snow which my husband gave me to be nice. I really hated the first twenty pages, and think it would be misery to read the whole thing.

Come on, we've all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you've read, when in fact you've been nowhere near it?

I'm drawing a blank on this one. If I haven't read it, I'm usually honest about it. There are classics which I can't finish, but that's not the same thing.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to 'reread' it that you haven't? Which book?

I tend to get the plots of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility mixed up. I have read them both, but when I read reviews of them I can't keep them straight.

You've been appointed Book Advisor to a VIP (who's not a big reader). What's the first book you'd recommend and why? (if you feel like you'd have to know the person, go ahead of personalise the VIP)

I'd have to hand them a copy of The Book Thief because it's sense of humanity is amazing. I'm probably thinking of a VIP who is also a world leader. Maybe they need to think more and react less.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?

Spanish! I'd love to read Isabel Allende without translation.

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

Wow, there are a lot of choices. I could reread The House of the Spirits, The World According to Garp, Paula, or The Book Thief anytime!

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What's one bookish thing you 'discovered' from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?

I don't think I've discovered any new genres, but I have found authors. Carol Shields is one of the people I've read because of book blogs. I don't think I would have found The Book Thief on my own either. I've found that book blogging has pushed me out of the comfortable mystery genre and gotten me to read many more things. Thanks to everyone for that!

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she's granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

I don't think it would be about the books, but the place. I'd love to have a reading room. I'm picturing a few bookshelves, a great cozy chair with a table next to it, a tall reading lamp, and a door for quiet and privacy. That would be a dream come true.

I guess I'm supposed to tag some people so CJ, Literary Feline, Presbyterian Gal, and Alison consider yourselves tagged!

Friday Fill-In

2008-01-25T21:09:00.000-08:00

1. My husband makes me happy.
2. I would like more sleep and time, please.
3. Chocolate (and Starbucks!) tastes SO good!
4. Thursday is my favorite day of the week because I'm starting an Artist's Way class.
5. I have no idea ... I'm too tired to think of my best feature.
6. We could learn so much from children.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to prepping my Girl Scout troop for a presentation, tomorrow my plans include the Girl Scout presentation and going to the symphony and Sunday, I want to kick back and relax but it's Open House at my school!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Booking Through Thursday - Huh?

2008-01-24T21:29:00.000-08:00

Here is this week's BTT question:

What’s your favorite book that nobody else has heard of? You know, not Little Women or Huckleberry Finn, not the latest best-seller . . . whether they’ve read them or not, everybody “knows” those books. I’m talking about the best book that, when you tell people that you love it, they go, “Huh? Never heard of it?”

This is going to be a short and sweet answer because I just got home from work after a full teaching day and an evening parent meeting. My choice is Paula by Isabel Allende. Most people have heard or, or read, something by Allende, but when I mention Paula no one seems to have read it or know about it. It is Allende's account of her adult daughter's sudden illness and ultimate death. It is one of the few books that I have weeped during. I can't read the last few pages without tears in my eyes. Not because it is so overwhelmingly sad, which it is, but because of the beautiful way in which Allende immortalizes her daughter's spirit. It really is breath-taking. I think my copy may even have tear stains on it. As many of you know, I don't tend to keep books that I've already read. I pass them along to others. This is one of the books that I have kept. It is also one I don't tend to loan out because I'm afraid of losing it. I actually bought someone their own copy rather than lend them mine!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

2008-01-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

This book came very highly recommended from many of my fellow bloggers, and I read it for the A to Z Challenge. Right away, I want to say WOW - everyone was right. This is an excellent book. It is definitely a 5 star book in my rating system this year. I said I'd reserve 5 stars for books that blew me away, and this one did it.

For those of you who don't know, this book is set in a small town in Nazi Germany during World War II and tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a German teenage girl, as told by Death. Death is the narrator and a major character in the book. It is also the story of the people who live in her street and in her small town. Yes, it is a Holocaust story but not in the same way as many of the books I've read.

In the past, I've had the good fortune to teach Number the Stars and The Diary of Anne Frank to groups of young people. This book needs to join that literature group for young adults. It is the first book I've read where I truly understood the terrors faced by the German population at the time. I've always thought how could anyone let such horrendous things happen, but Zusak showed me a different view of humanity - the humanity of the average German who truly had no choice.

STRENGTHS OF THE BOOK THIEF: There are so many. First, I think Zusak has created one of the all-time great characters/narrators in Death. I know that sounds funny, but Death, in this story, is human, humane, compassionate, and a bit humorous. At the end of the book, Death says, "I am haunted by humans." In some ways, I think Death is haunted by humanity - both the good and the bad parts. When Death does take children in the story, his compassion and gentleness moved me to tears.

Another strength is how Zusak created the characters of Liesel and her foster father, Hans. The depth of their relationship is clear, but so is their humanity. At one point in the book, they shelter a Jewish man in their basement. I don't want to give away anything in the book, but Death does say that all people die. I was quite taken with Death's descriptions of both Liesel and Han's souls. That also brought me to tears.

Zusak was also able to tie all the pieces together, and the book didn't feel like over 500 pages. Everything happened for a reason which helped move the plot along elsewhere in the book. Each of the book thieving incidents by Liesel were turning points in the plot. I actually reread the first twenty pages of the book after I finished it because Death alludes to a lot of these points right at the start of the story.

WEAKNESSES OF THE BOOK THIEF: My first instinct is to say NONE, but, after a discussion of the book with my husband, I did realize one thing about it. It required that the reader had some basic knowledge of the rise of Hitler in Germany, the horrors of the concentration camps, and the way war was fought in World War II with bombers etc. It didn't even occur to me since I always assume that this is knowledge that all educated people possess. However, my husband reminded me that there are schools were the Holocaust is not discussed and where American and World History courses never get to World War II. I hope teachers find this book and use it to inform students.

Overall, what can I say. WOW and again WOW. I don't keep many books - I pass them along for others to read. This is going to be one of the few that I put my name in because I want my daughter to read it when she's old enough. I've read many blogger's reviews of this one, but please feel free to leave me links to your reviews. I want to reread them now that I've read the book.

Friday Fill-In

2008-01-18T21:46:00.000-08:00

1. The last compliment I got was from a parent; he/she said that they were pleased with the way I handled a difficult situation.
2. I'm reading The Book Thief which has been highly recommended on a number of blogs.
3. I woke up today and thoughtthree day weekend coming!
4. Why does it always seem like good or bad things happen in threes!.
5. The last thing I ate was an ice cream sandwich called an Its It.
6. January... cold and Open House time at school.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to movie night (it was Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone), tomorrow my plans include taking in a jazz concert for date night and Sunday, I want to do nothing but I really have to help Surfer Girl finish her science project and we still need to take down the Christmas tree!

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

2008-01-12T19:48:00.000-08:00

This is a book for the A to Z challenge as well as a Pulitzer Prize winner so I'm using it for the Book Awards Reading Challenge. I've read so much about this one on various blogs that I had to give it a read.

It is the story of three women in three different time periods; Virginia Woolf as she's writing Mrs. Dalloway (which is a book I highly recommend), Clarissa Vaughan as she's planning a party for a friend dying of AIDS, and Laura Brown, a suburban 1950s housewife. Cunningham interweaves the three stories in alternating chapters. I read Mrs. Kimble for the Book Awards Reading Challenge. It is also the story of three women yet their lives are intertwined with a shared husband, and they do interact in the book. The women in this book live in different times and places. Yet, Cunningham is able to make them seem remarkable similar.

Strengths of The Hours: The fact that he was able to make me care about these three very different women in only 200 pages is amazing. He basically told the story of one momentous day in each of their lives. I say momentous because it is dramatic in one story but less so, outwardly, in the others. There was a sense of depression and desperation running through the three stories yet I felt the most positive about Clarissa, even though her story is the most obviously tragic. Cunningham was able to give her a strength that was lacking in the other two. I felt quite depressed at the sameness between the state of Virginia and Laura. It was especially interesting to see how Cunningham made it clear that they were, in some way, beholden to, or controlled by, the men in their lives. Each experienced a true sense of despair in life. I can't say I enjoyed this part of the story, but it did make me think and reflect. Maybe that's the point.

Weaknesses of The Hours: This may be a very personal response to the story - and quite secondary to its power, but I had trouble with Richard. He is the poet and writer in Clarissa's life who is dying of AIDS. It is probably the fact that Cunningham choose to give him AIDS that affected me. The chapters that featured him were quite difficult to read because I have lost friends to AIDS, and it truly is a horrible disease. I wonder if I would have felt the same way if it had been a different disease. I'm sure this is not an issue for others - like I said, this is a very personal point of view.

Overall, I'd give The Hours 4 stars out of 5. I almost gave it 5, but I'm trying to hold my 5 stars for books that truly blow me away in every way. It was make into a movie with Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep which I haven't seen. I've heard mixed things about it, but I'm adding it to my Netflix list because I'm curious. Let me know if you've read this one and have an opinion, or if you've seen the movie.

Book Awards Reading Challenge - Midway report

2008-01-12T16:04:00.000-08:00

It seems we are midway through the time for this challenge and it's time to update my progress.
I've finished 8 of the 12 books on my list, and loved most of them. I even got my book of the year from this list. I have four to go and may make a substitution. I'm almost done with The Hours which qualifies as a Pulitzer Prize winner. I will probably substitute it for The Road because that one seems to be getting buried on the TBR pile.

So here's the finished list:

1. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (Pulitzer Prize, 2003)
2. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Man Booker Prize, 2002)
3. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (Newbery, 2004)
4. Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh (PEN/Hemingway, 2003)
5. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (Book Sense Adult Fiction Winner, 2000)
6. City of Bones by Michael Connelly (Anthony Award, 2003)
7. The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields (Pulitzer Prize, 1995)
8. California Girl by T. Jefferson Parker (Edgar Award, 2005)

Here's the TBR list:

1. Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins (Newbery, 2006)
2. Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (Newbery, 2007)
3. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (Pulitzer Prize, 2007)
Possible substitution of The Hours by Michael Cunningham
4. March by Geraldine Brooks (Pulitzer Prize, 2006)

Friday Fill-In

2008-01-11T19:06:00.000-08:00

1. My favorite book of 2007 was The Poisonwood Bible.
2. I'm most tempted by a bookstore full of books.
3. Today I want to spend time with my family.
4. The last thing I took a picture of was either a child in my class or my daughter.
5. You and I have memories of a lot of fun times and vacations.
6. The most recent movie I’ve seen that I really enjoyed was The Water Horse.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to movie night with the family (It's Annie tonight) tomorrow my plans include seeing Chinese acrobats and Sunday, I want to have some quite time to read.

Booking Through Thursday - Introductions

2008-01-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

Here's this week's BTT questions:

How did you come across your favorite author(s)? Recommended by a friend? Stumbled across at a bookstore? A book given to you as a gift?
Was it love at first sight? Or did the love affair evolve over a long acquaintance?

Wow, these are good ones. Two of my favorite authors are John Irving and Isabel Allende. I was given a copy of The World According to Garp by a friend who insisted I read it. This was probably my first year in college (but my memory gets hazier as I age LOL). This one really was love at first sight. I then read everything I could find. Unfortunately, the love affair has faded recently. I haven't liked his more recent works nearly as much as his earlier books. I guess love can be fickle.

My husband read a review of an Allende novel and urged me to read it after he was done. It was The House of Spirits which I did like though I'd say this author has grown on me over time. I absolutely adored The Infinite Plan and Paula is probably my absolutely most favorite book.

I have to say that I don't really have any other favorite authors. I tend to move between a variety of different authors. I've found I'm more drawn to a story than the author. There are many authors where I've only read one book, liked it, but never decided to pick up anything else by the author. Maybe I'm tough to court. I have so many books I want to read that I will move on quite rapidly unless an author's style really holds my attention.

I'm off to see what other people had to say!

Blog Readability Level

2008-01-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

Online Payday Loans

This is quite an exaggeration!

Blood Work by Michael Connelly

2008-01-05T18:25:00.000-08:00

This is my first review for 2008 and part of the A to Z Challenge. Blood Work is the story of retired FBI profiler Terry McCaleb. The reader meets Terry, in this book, after a successful heart transplant when he is confronted by his heart donor's sister. It turns out the sister was murdered, and the case has not been solved. The book revolves around Terry's attempts to solve the murder case while still recovering from the heart transplant surgery.

Strengths of Blood Work: I loved the main character. Terry was very likable yet vulnerable. He was not the hot shot perfect detective you meet in some novels. He was flawed and not all his ideas were correct. The heart transplant also added complexity to his character. According to the author's notes, Connelly talked in detail with a heart transplant patient to portray Terry's physical and emotional responses correctly. The title is also a good play on words and relates well to various points of the plot.

SPOILER ALERT: SKIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT A MAJOR PLOT POINT REVEALED. Another strength was the plot. Connelly ties the donor's murder to two other murders. He then, further, ties them to an old unsolved case of Terry's from his FBI days. He is able to build a good deal of tension in the story as the layers are revealed. Terry's final confrontation of the killer comes at breakneck speed after the reader thinks it is all over. The last few chapters race by! SPOILER ENDED.

Weaknesses of Blood Work: I really didn't like the romance between Terry and the dead donor's sister. It seemed liked a forced subplot where the author tried to give him redemption for his actions. There was a lot of talk of losing, and regaining, faith. It felt a little too forced to me.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. It was an exciting read. I'd probably give it a 4 out of 5 - I'm going to experiment with a scale in 2008 to see how I like it. Let me know if you've read this one. I'm also curious. Does anyone know if McCaleb's character is from another of Connelly's books?

Friday Fill-In

2008-01-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

1. This year, I'd like to spend the summer traveling.
2. Having lots of spare time is what I daydream about most.
3. My husband is a great cook.
4. I would like to have more laughter in my life.
5. I love to have lots of friends around the house.
6. My daughter makes me smile.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to movie night at home, tomorrow my plans include attending a baby shower and Sunday, I want to spend a quiet hour all by myself!