Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

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!

Damage Control by J.A. Jance

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.

Odd Hours by Dean Koontz

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.

North of Montana by April Smith

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.

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore

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.

Still Life by Louise Penny

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.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

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.

Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

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.

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

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.

Blood Work by Michael Connelly

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?