A Mother and Daughter lose their dream

Recently I read two pieces of historical fiction by Philippa Gregory and while I enjoyed them both, I had a definite preference.

The book I preferred was The Constant Princess, a book about the early English years of Katharine of Aragon (otherwise known as the wife before Anne Boleyn). This book, told in her point of view, was a compelling tale of a Spanish princess taken from her home and thrust into a new country. Highly recommended. The story ends early in her life, years before Anne or Mary Boleyn enter the picture. You see not the old proud queen who watches her husband take lovers, but the young princess and queen who fights and never gives up. Currently my second favorite Gregory novel

Following this I read The Queen's Fool, a book told in the point of view of fictional Hannah Green, a young Jewish girl with "the Sight." Through the help of Robert Dudley and John Dee, Hannah finds herself at the court of Lady (and later Queen) Mary and caught between the battle between Queen Mary and her sister, Princess Elizabeth. While I enjoyed Hannah's story, it was hard after so many of Gregory's novels putting me into the minds of historical figures watching them from the outside. Hannah being in just the right place at the right time started to border on ridiculous and I found myself wanting more of Mary and Elizabeth. In another book of Gregory's I read she told the story from three point of views, something I feel may have worked better in this piece.

Still, I'm a fan of the author and look forward to reading more of her work.

Playing Catch Up

I know it's been a while since I've posted but I have been reading. Not as much as usual but that's what happens when you go back to school. Anyhow, here are mini reviews of what I've read over the past few months and if anyone wants more I'll write a full review upon request. I believe this covers everything though I may be forgetting something.

Breaking Dawn - Really weird plot twists but they served to tie together loose ends and complaints I'd had about the other books.

Queen of Babble - Fun. Loveable character.

Elements of Style - Had what The Emperers Children was lacking but was still missing something.

Queen of Babble in the Big City - Fun sequel. Did somethings unexpected from your typical chick-lit

Atonement - Very wordy. Interesting but too wordy, not enough plot. Wanted more from other characters. Movie was very true to the book.

Queen of Babble gets Hitched - Gave me what I wanted, though I'm not sure how I felt about the path it took. Preferred the other two books.

Heartsick - Twisted. A great read but made me a bit anxious about walking alone at night.

Swapping Lives - Started out with promise but did not live up to expectations. Characters glossed over issues and situations without many consequences and the actual wife swapping was minimal.

Not so neatly wrapped up

The Gatecrasher
By: Madeline Wickham

After my last read, I was a bit nervous picking this pink and green book up. Early on though, this book won me over with one simple fact - the characters were deeply flawed. Throughout the book, I watched as our superficial main character made heartless decisions and was won over not by the character, but by the simple fact that our author allowed her characters to be weak. Allowed them to be stupid, insecure and cruel.

As a result, I had the chance to experiences the changes these characters went over almost 300 pages. The gold digger didn't fall in love at first sight. The under appreciated sister-in-law didn't find her place overnight. The teenage boy didn't become popular in the first few chapters.

In fact, that's what interested me the most about this book. Early on, I predicted the ending. That there would be a huge confrontation, a lot of tears, and the characters would team together to work through it. And as I was waiting for this scene...the book ended.

I don't know if I'm disappointed or intrigued by the fact that the book ended a bit sooner than expected. I do know that whenever I tried to call it predictable, it gave me a small surprise to keep me on my toes.

Not a spectacular book. Definitely not up to the author's other works (under the name Sophie Kinsella, she's penned the remarkable Shopaholic series). Still, perfect for a day at the beach, a long relaxing night to yourself or to take with you on a plane.

Watered Down and Dull

Alphabet Weekend
By: Elizabeth Noble

My pile of birthday books still is not completed. Catcher in the Rye sits unfinished among my props for the show I ended weeks ago. But I hadn't picked up a book since I finished reading about those former Queens of England, and last Friday I realized why. I was in the mood for something light and easy, a romantic comedy of fiction. The next two books that I had are further historical fiction, not counting the handful of classics still waiting for me to give them a go. My brain needed a break, and my heartstrings needed a little bit of a tugging.

Well, with Alphabet Weekend, my brain certainly got a bit of a break. The characters were under developed, leaving me with an apathetic feeling toward our romantic lead. I spent the majority of the book wondering why I was supposed to root for these two, other than the fact that every other character said that they belonged together. Also, a personal pet peeve of mine, the other male in the potential triangle was so horrid, that there was no way any reader could expect them to end up together. Many of the secondary characters also blurred together, not quite having distinct personalities of their own. There were subplots, involving two other relationships. One, which was the parents of our heroine was pushed to the back burner, despite being potentially very interesting. The other, which featured our romantic interest's brother and his wife, did hold my interest, though it wasn't explored nearly as much as I would have liked.

And I wonder, is it the darkness of those two subplots that appeals to me? In one, the wife is diagnosed with depression and later the husband has severe health issues. In the other, the husband loses his job and shuts out his wife, who in turn is suffering from extreme attraction to a close friend's husband. Has this project taken away my not-so guilty pleasure of romantic comedy books?

I hope not, that would make me very sad. I have one more, purchased at the same time, by an author I quite enjoy.

In the meantime, if you're looking to read a fun, flighty romantic comedy (I believe the current term is beach reading) contact me for a thorough listing of books I've enjoyed over the years, before picking up this weak story.

What happened after Anne Boleyn?

The Boleyn Inheritance
By: Phillipa Gregory

After devouring The Other Boleyn Girl earlier this year, I made a mental note to try some of the author's other works. This one arrived on my doorstep for my birthday, and I must say that I'm glad this was the book I ended up with. Years have passed since Anne Boleyn was executed and this book follows the lives of three women whose lives were forever changed as a result. Anne of Cleves - the fourth Queen of England. Katherine Howard - the fifth Queen of England. Jane Boleyn - Anne Boleyn's former sister-in-law who offered damning evidence against the former queen.

Each woman tells their unique story, each one with a very distinct voice. I must say that one of the biggest issues that I faced with this book was that of the three characters, Anne was by far my favorite. After her, it was easily Katherine, who while annoying, had a certain little girl charm about her. Jane, however, I spent most of the book yelling at, hating her for my previous knowledge of the character, both in history as well as in Gregory's other works. Luckily, as I continued with my reading, I realized the author was initially highlighting Jane's delusional flaws, rather than retconning her character to gain the reader's sympathy.

Read The Other Boleyn Girl first, but when you're ready to learn more about what happened later and see how far the title of Queen of England fell, check out The Boleyn Inheritance.

And if you're in the mood for a drinking game, drink whenever you read the phrase "the Boleyn inheritance." You'll be tipsy before you even know it.

An amazing journey

Come Back: a mother and daughter's journey through hell and back
By: Claire Fontaine and Mia Fontaine

Once again, I find myself reading a true tale about the love that parents and children feel for one another. Once again, I find myself sucked in, closing the pages with tears in my eyes. This time though, there were so many ways in which I could identify, that at times it was hard to tell where the pages stopped and my own memories began.

Well no, it was easy on a logical level to tell the difference - I was not by any stretch of the imagination a teenage runaway who was sent away to an alternative boarding school. Really, it was reading the interactions between Claire and Mia, acting the way that only mothers and daughters act toward one another. Also, on a more personal level, Mia's boarding school included some self help lessons that were all too familiar to me.

In these pages, you read the two characters grow substantially, see Mia go from an angry, hurt teenager to a innocent and wondrous adult. Claire turns from a mother whose life is her daughter, to a strong woman who loves herself as she loves her child.

I went into the book expecting to read about a mother and daughter as they dealt with each other, and while I did, more importantly it was reading these two characters as they learn to deal with themselves.

Couldn't Put it Down

The Host
By: Stephanie Meyer

I cannot remember the last time a book has held my interest in this way when it wasn't about a young wizard with a scar on his forehead. The Host followed me everywhere, I read it in restaurants, in the bar by the theatre, before work, before bed. In a weekend's time, the book was finished, sitting next to me, my mind begging for more story (even though I feel the story stopped at a respectable place).

To make a reference that few of you will understand, to me, The Host is to Stephanie Meyer what Firefly was to Joss Whedon. Whedon created the successful Buffy the Vampire series which saw fairly decent success. With that under his belt, the networks allowed him to create his baby, the odd, yet brilliant science fiction series Firefly. Meyer also created a world of vampires that saw some success, but to me The Host reads as an odd yet brilliant novel that her publishers may not have taken a chance on if not for the success of the Twilight series.

Imagine a world where humans have been taken over by an alien species. They take over human bodies and live their lives. Imagine that you are one of these aliens, and you're placed in a body full of emotions and heartache that you don't understand. Imagine that the original human's mind is still there with you.

Don't imagine - read the book. I would not have picked this up on premise alone and I would have missed out on a beautiful story of friendship, love and what it truly means to be human.

Throw Yourself in Another World

The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel
By: Jasper Fforde

Lesson one - don't read a new book during tech week!

That said, let me tell you a bit about The Eyre Affair. During the rehearsal process, a friend of mine handed me this book, saying that she thought I'd enjoy it. Based on the reviews (I've since stopped reading descriptions for most books), I agreed and decided to put Catcher in the Rye on hold yet again, with the plan to tear through the new book and be back to my classic soon enough. Well, that plan failed, though due to no fault of the book.

The Eyre Affair drops you into an alternate reality with barely a warning. In fact, early in my reading, I had to stop to make sure that I was in fact reading the first book in a series. I was. But once my mind was able to accept this new world for what it was, I was able to be sucked in.

I faded in and out of the book. Some days reading chapters at a time greedily, others reading a chapter before bed then placing it down to be continued. The last fifty pages though, I did in a single sitting, refusing to place the book down for a moment.

And I suppose that's the biggest flaw that this book held - it was an origin story (which is odd, as usually I'm a fan of a good old fashion origin story). Origin stories, while necessary, occasionally have those tedious moments. However, the well written nature, fun concept and over all cleverness of this book lead me to believe that the Thursday Next books will be an entertaining and intelligent read.

A chilling page turner

Nineteen Minutes

By: Jodi Picoult

I knew that I wanted to read this book, when I read her interview in The Tenth Circle stating what her next topic would be, but I was unaware when my aunt placed this book into my hands that this was the book I'd been coveting the most.

School shootings.

The topic has always fascinated me. More often than not, weeks before the event, I would have found the shooter to be a sympathetic character. The victims are people that days before, I would have rolled my eyes at while reading about them. This book was no exception. Told in a spectacular non linear fashion, we witness the shooting, the investigations and the trial, all the while reading flashbacks spanning back seventeen years. All the while, the book was causing me to examine my own beliefs and wonder how I would react in such a situation.

I often forget, how different a time it is for the teenagers of today and my age group, despite the short age gap. School shootings existed when I was in high school, but it was only in my senior year that Columbine occurred and this tragedy really came to the public's eyes.

The characters, as always, fascinated me. The mother of the shooter. The man defending the shooter, because everyone deserved a fair trial. The popular girl who was found passed out at the scene of the crime. And her mother, the town's judge. Each character struggles with their own fears, opinions and demons and as the reader, you struggle with them.

It's not perfect, but I will say it is perhaps my favourite of hers that I have read yet.

February/March

For two days now, I've been attempting to fill out my recap of the past two months. Unfortunately, I have found it nearly impossible to rank these books. So, in no particular order, some thoughts.

Without You - What can I really say about this book? Those who know me well, know that anything that ties into Rent already has my heart, and this book had me from the first page (in which Anthony is going to audition for the workshop of that show). Furthermore, those who know me, also know that I'm a sucker for parent/child relationships, so a book about Rent and a sick mother really won me over from the premise. The fact that this book happened to be a touchingly well written tale was the chocolate on the cake. So to speak.

Emma - Again, what can I say? Emma is a funny and charming main character who I adored reading about for a months time. And, while I was annoyed that it took me so long to get through the book, how many other books on this list would I have had such patience with? Furthermore, how many books have I never gotten through, because I couldn't put them down for a few days and get back into them? (Interview with a Vampire, I'm looking at you). No, I'm glad this was my Jane Austin novel, as it was a perfect way to dip my toes into her world.

Shopaholic & Baby - As much as I loved it, I do wonder, how much is that love based on this actual book, and how much is based on the other four works that I've read? The first two Becky Bloomwood novels are by far the best, but the other three definitely live up to the standard they've set for each other. Going into the book, I expected to be bothered by the silly plot twists, but they worked well and I enjoyed myself. A worthy addition to the series.

Picture Perfect and The Tenth Circle - I list these two novels together, because they both had similar effects on me. For days after reading, thoughts of them circled through my mind. The questions that were raised, and a sincere desire to discuss the issues presented within these books with others who have read them. I know that I have been made a fan of Jodi Picoult and have decided each month to read another of her books. Spousal abuse and Rape. What will I read about next?

The Notebook - I wonder, how many of my thoughts on this book are coloured by how great the movie was. The movie really did to fix flaws that I wasn't even aware of within the novel. Would a second read solve the issues I had? It was good, but I'm starting to get the feeling that Nicholas Sparks isn't for me.

Water for Elephants - This book was fun. It made me very curious about the circus, and wishing for a movie adaptation of this novel. I'm not sure if I'm ready to give the author's other works a try, but I would recommend this book for anyone in the mood for a depression era fairy tale. Without actual fairies.


Currently Reading: Catcher in the Rye. One friend of mine said that by the time he read it, he was a bit too old to really enjoy it. Let's see if my love of the young adult novel and flighty teenagers makes up for my 10 years on our main character.

Judging a Book by its Cover

Water for Elephants
By: Sara Gruen

I picked this book up, literally knowing nothing about it. The back pages were covered with nothing other than praise for the piece, while the picture on the cover was vague enough for me to say “well, maybe it’s about a circus?” I must admit, I’m a fan of knowing little going into the story, because my expectations are minimal.

Water for Elephants is an interesting and exciting tale of life with the circus, as seen through the eyes of a man who stumbled his way into the life. Jacob Jankowski an old man, remembering his days with the Big Top. Days that involve animals, deception, love and murder. The circus world is easily explained to the reader; we learn as Jacob does.

Every few chapters, the author sticks a historical photograph into book, something I very much appreciated. Author’s notes explained that it was those very pictures that inspired her to write this piece. Often, I read books and imagine that it’d make a great movie. This was one of those times.

A fun, quick read. Definitely glad that I gave it a try.

Want to read for yourself?

Send me an email if you'd like to borrow one of the books I've blogged about. I can't promise that they'll all be available (more than one of them I borrowed myself), but what's the point in reading all these books if I can't share them with people.

Anyhow, let me know! If you're not local, depending on what you want, I'll happily send it your way.

No Easy Answers

The Tenth Circle
By: Jodi Picoult

I picked this book up sort of at random. I glanced over the back of a few of her books, and chose this one because it intrigued me. And saying that I enjoyed the book would be an odd phrasing, because it was truly painful at times. Captivated though, perhaps that's the correct word. Yes, I was captivated.

I do wonder, when I read these horrible stories about teens today, how much have times changed since I was younger? I spent most of my nights home with my computer, but I never heard stories that compare to the things I hear about now. Those stories both fascinate and terrify me. In fact, in some ways, that might be one of my dissapointments of the book.

Yet the truth is that teenagers today isn't the core of this book, but rather family dynamics and how a tragedy can change everything. Jodi Picoult is known for writing about complicated issues, and this book is no exception. In The Tenth Circle the issue is sexual violence. And I must admit, that once again I was reading one of her books feeling empathy for characters I'd never expect to feel empathy for.

And let's face it, I'm a sucker for a book with good parent/child relationships.

She does it again!

Shopaholic & Baby
By: Sophie Kinsella

I wasn't expecting much. Don't get me wrong, I love the Shopaholic series, and find Becky Brandon to be a fabulously entertaining narrator, but really? Did we need another book? I suppose the answer is yes, as I couldn't put this lovely amusing piece down. The main character has such charm and heart, and the author does a splendid job of placing her in these ridiculous situations that are completely plausible. A bit materialistic and occasionally superficial, but with a heart of gold.

For anyone who is a fan of the "Chic-Lit" genre, I recommend the entire Shopaholic series. Fun, funny and fresh. The comedy will pull you in, but the heart will keep you around.

I also applaud Kinsella, for the subtle callbacks to earlier stories, as well as the less subtle reappearance of former characters.

Worse than season 5 of Buffy, including "The Body"

Without You
By: Anthony Rapp

"Mark has got his work, they say Mark lives for his work, and Mark's in love with his work. Mark hides in his work." I suppose in many ways, I was pre-dispositioned to love this piece. An autobiographical work by Anthony Rapp, who originated the role of Mark Cohen in the musical Rent. As many of you know, that musical has influenced my life, and touched me in many profound ways that I I cannot even verbalize. I had to read this book, and am a surprised that it took finding it in a box, nearly two years after I purchased it, for me to open the pages.

Anthony Rapp bares his soul in these pages. The book begins when he auditioned for the first workshop cast of Rent, though as the story progresses, we get glimpses into earlier life moments. Over a few years, Anthony experiences love and loss and triumph and death. And death. Commonly known is, of course, the unexpected demise of Jonathan Larson, but less well known is that during that time, Anthony's mother had been battling with cancer.

Through the pages, you see Anthony come to terms with her fate, learning to express himself, his growing relationships with his family, and their acceptance of his sexuality. You also read this amazing backdrop of his life, as he takes his part in a landmark musical experience. I feel as though tears rested in my eyes through a majority of the read.

Early in the pages, Anthony mentions that, like Mark, he hides in his work. One would not believe it from this raw, honest tale. It does make me look back at my brief moment with Anthony Rapp, in which I walked up to him and, voice shaking, told him how much I admire his work, and asked if I could just shake his hand. He seemed taken aback, and I realize now that 10 years later, he's still impressed by what Jonathan Larson's work has accomplished. (And, okay, maybe the fact that I was wearing cat ears threw him off a bit). Still, I admire a man who grew up hiding his emotions, and as an adult can share them so openly in written form.

Anthony Rapp dedicates his book to his mother. I too, as always, dedicate everything I write, and every performance I give to my own mother.

And now, if you'll excuse me. I have a dvd to pull out of the "R" file and watch with a box of tissues, and possibly some chocolate.

Movie! The Notebook

Did Nicholas Sparks get a script doctor? I mean, as you all know, I did enjoy the book, but many of the minor problems that I had, I felt that the movie solved brilliantly. In the book, the early stages of the romance were glossed over in a few sentences, whereas the movie used the first hour to show up the love story build up. The true heart of the story, which in the book is only revealed in the last third or so, is subtly given to us, allowing the full scope of the heartbreak to sink in while you're still in the middle of the tale.

Watch the movie. If you have a choice between the book or the movie, grab the movie. I won't say that often.

Finally!

Emma
By: Jane Austin

As some of you know, I've been battling with this book for a long while. In fact, if you were wondering why I hadn't posted in so long, look no further than this painfully long read by Jane Austin.

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe that Emma was poorly written, or a bad book. On the contrary, I found it enjoyable and found myself smiling many times. I was once told that one of the best things about a Jane Austin novel is that you know our heroine will fall in love and get married/live happily ever after, you just aren't sure with whom. And I do wonder if that is what made it such a difficult read for me. From the first pages, I knew that Cher and Josh would end up together, and that Tai would wind up with Travis Birkenstock.

However, not to contradict myself, but I believe my knowledge of the plot made the tale more enjoyable in so many ways. When I recognized a scene, I got giddy, reading those pages with more excitement.

I do wonder, if Emma was written to be a "chapter a night" sort of book, because for myself, most nights I found that more than two chapters was a bit too much. Each chapter is written in an episodic sort of fashion, lacking in the sort of cliffhangers that both drive me crazy and keep me turning the pages.

And I suppose, if I was going to put my feelings toward this book, which for a month I called the bane of my existence, that is what I would say. "A great book for the casual nightly reader." However, if you're like me, and enjoy ripping into a book and letting in consume your life, I might advice placing this one aside until you're ready to put it next to your bed and save it for the end of your evening.

Movie! The Other Boleyn Girl

Last night I caught a midnight showing of The Other Boleyn Girl, which as you know I read last month and adored. And the movie was good, a very faithful retelling, with most of the changes being understandable, considering the medium.

However, and I loathe to make this comparison, it did remind me of the movie verson of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Sure the events were covered, but so much of the raw emotion was lacking. For me, I could still feel it, sense it, remember the words I'd read so recently. But I do wonder, for the audiences who haven't familiarized themselves with those words, how the movie comes across. Is it good, or the great that the book was?

Snuck up on me

The Notebook
By: Nicholas Sparks

I realize in some ways that my literary life this month is as girlly as can be. My reading was on hold as I prepared for The Vagina Monologues, a production that opened only a few days before. Before bed, I’ve been reading a chapter here and there of a Jane Austen novel, my first. Tonight though, I decided to take a break from both of those things, when I found my unread copy of The Notebook in a box.

I must say that my initial reaction was disappointment. Another story about a woman emotionally cheating on her intended with a man she loved a lifetime before? Am I missing some important female gene that makes this not appealing? As the story continued though, I became more and more invested. I did care about these characters, and I found myself believing that their love was something special.

Then, right as I was about to give the book a chance, Nicholas Sparks threw me and the story became spectacular. Those who have read the book or have seen the movie (which I will be watching sometime within the week) probably know of what I speak. A drastic time jump, which suddenly made the tale heartbreaking and tragic in an all too real way. I felt tears stinging my eyes, tears that fifteen pages before I would have found improbable.

And I suppose, that’s really what the story is about. Not the first 150 pages, which merely introduce you to our characters, but the final 60 pages, which I feel, read like a true love story. Not a romance novel, which was what I felt I was getting into at first. But a love story.

There’s a difference.

Engaging and Heartbreaking

Picture Perfect
By: Jodi Picoult

I don’t know why it took me so long to get into this book. My busy schedule? The script staring at me from across the room, chanting memorize me, memorize me (totally did, btw)? The fact that I’d only open the pages late at night, as my eyes were already closing? I’ll never know.

It was only due to lack of time or extreme exhaustion that I put the book down. Picoult so beautifully describes this horrible marriage, these horrible situations. The characters are so well drawn, especially our two leads, that even with the horridness, I could find myself feeling sympathy for multiple parties, really hoping that they’d cure themselves.

I did, however, feel that the last ten or so pages were a bit rushed, that I would have enjoyed to read more about that time. Ten more pages perhaps, or even a few more well written segments. I also wanted more from the character of Ophelia, one of the few characters who I did not feel was especially developed in our story.

Still, this was my first book by Jodi Picoult, and after this experience, it won’t be my last.

January

Well, January is coming to a close, and I’ve gone through seven books this month. Not too shabby. Anyhow, hear is a brief rundown, after time has passed on some (as I post the initial blogs near moments after putting the book down). In order of personal preference.

The Other Boleyn Girl – by Phillippa Gregory. I tore through this book, eagerly devouring each new page and allowing each new plot twist to thoroughly effect me. I literally could not put this book down, and only an extreme case of the stomach flu kept me from finishing it in a day’s time.

Lovely Bones – By Alice Sebold. I know, I know, I was all “but one chapter ruined the book for me” and I still stand by that. I still believe that the author’s intention was nice, but handled in a way that was a little too Fantasy Island for my liking. And yet, my mind keeps wandering back to this book. I feel an urge to reread it. To revisit the Salmon family and see how they’re doing. To remember little Susie’s voice. Yes, this book is quite enjoyable.

Mary – By Janis Cooke Newman. While there were times that I fell in and out of interest of Mary’s life, I never fell in or out of interest with Mary herself. I must admit, the Civil War itself is not my favourite portion of American History, though I am fascinated with the world immediately before as well as the aftermath. Quite honestly, I’m not a fan of most war history in general, though I do often like hearing how the war is effecting the common man. This is a book that took me a few days to truly get into, then somewhere around the end of the war, I couldn’t put it down.

Under The Banner of Heaven – By Jon Krakauer. I still believe that this book’s biggest flaw is in how the author chose to tell his story. It is loaded with so much information about Fundamentalist Mormons, information that is horribly fascinating, but very little direction in how the information is spread out. It felt like a text book posing as a novel. Yet despite this, and despite the fact that I stopped reading the footnotes about a quarter into the book, I still find myself thinking of the stories I read, still thinking about the things I’ve learned. Like all religions, Mormons have those extremists that make them shake their head and make the rest of them look bad. It’s very clear in this book that the extremists, the ones we hear about in the news, are very different from most of the Mormon population. And yet, they live in our backyard A haunting read, to be sure.

Bitsy’s Bait & BBQ – By Pamela Morsi. Okay, so I finished this less than 12 hours ago. Still, the characters were engaging. And the story was, I felt, the right kind of predictable. I could see this being a pilot episode for a television show set in the small town of Warbler Lake. And now I sort of wish it was.

The Emperor’s Children – By Claire Messud. I know, I hated the characters, hated how little of the story we heard post 9/11…completely hated the ending. But it has potential. I read online that it was opted for a movie, and this gives me hope. The right actors could bring these characters to life. Make me feel for them in more than just fleeting moments, and perhaps even making me feel for more than just the two of them. Very pretentious, in ways that are both enjoyable as well as demeaning. This book’s biggest problem, I still believe, is that the first half was so engaging, so compelling and setting up these interesting scenarios, and the second half didn’t follow through with those scenarios. It was a year in people’s lives, and a year I felt was more interesting than the characters let on.

Dear John – By Nicholas Sparks. It was okay. I think what this book’s biggest flaw was, the thing that made this quick read the bottom of the list, was the lack of characters. There were four main characters, and I rarely identified with any of them. Years flew by in this book, and I found myself captivated with the secondary storyline of our main character and his father. Perhaps, if the book was marketed as that, with the love story taking the supporting role, I would have enjoyed this a bit more. I don’t deny that it’s a well written book, I just don’t think it was the sort of well written book for me. Still though, I intend to try one of his earlier works.

Currently Reading: Nothing! With my schedule the way it is today, I doubt I will be able to start anything new before the month ends. Next on the list, however is Picture Perfect, by Jodi Picoult. This is my first of her books, so I’m a bit excited. One month down – 11 more to go!

Preditcable in the right way

Bitsy's Bait & BBQ

By: Pamala Morsi

After three weeks of reading about Mormans through the ages and possibly mentally ill members of the Lincoln family, it was nice to turn my attentions to a couple of city girls thrown into small town life.

Bitsy’s Bait & BBQ walked the line between predictability and good story telling in a way that I felt worked very well for the genre. While there was a plot point or two I didn’t see coming, each one was foreshadowed earlier in the book, sometimes only one chapter previously. The pieces all fell together in a way that felt natural for the story, and the results were organic.

It took a few chapters for me to truly identify with the characters, but soon I was invested in each one. Told in a third person style, our point of view fluctuates between four characters, a pair of sisters, an ex husband and his controlling mother. Truly though, the story is about a fifth character, the one who ties them all together, young five year old Josh. It’s hard not to adore the small child.

I did have some problems reading the details on fishing and barbequing, a side effect of being a Vegetarian for nearly fifteen years. Our main characters go into the business knowing nothing of these two topics, so we learn as they do. I will confess to once or twice skimming over how to properly bait a fish, or how to tell of your pork butt is cooked properly. I expect that for most readers though, this would be a non issue.

The best thing, I thought, was early in the book I made my predictions about what would happen, but also thought “well, if I was writing the story, I would want this character’s path to end at point C, rather than at the point A we’re being led to believe would happen, and I’d also like this plot to go there rather than here” and both of those things were actually what occurred. Brava, Pamela Morsi, at showing that we all have different life paths and sometimes the stops along the road mean something different for us all.

A good quick, feel good read.

A character who only gets better with age

Mary

By: Janis Cooke Newman

The Mary in this case would be Mary Todd Lincoln, our nation’s first First Lady and a character far more compelling than my high school history classes ever implied. A historical novel I picked up after my last positive experience, I was excited to start this one, thoroughly curious to read about this woman who was declared insane in her final years.

Oddly enough, I found the book to be much more interesting after (spoiler alert) the assassination of President Lincoln. Which was odd, as I really hoped to find their courtship and early years intriguing. Yet I found myself being annoyed by Abraham, frequently wondering what it was she saw in the man. We saw him through her eyes, yet I didn’t feel they were the love struck eyes of the in love wife that she claimed to be. Her eldest son Robert however, was a very clear character who I alternated between hating and pitying (which is, I believe how Mary herself felt throughout the novel).

The framing device of the book is that while committed, Mary decides to write down her memoirs. I suppose this could explain why in some segments, it really feels as though we’re being told that Mary is a martyr, being mistreated by the men around her. Then in others, she seems to be openly explaining her flaws, sometimes unaware that she’s even describing flawed actions.

Though with all the grief that woman suffered, with how many sons she lost and being there in Ford’s Theatre – can we deny her a little insanity?

A good book, though it may fall short of great. And now, for my favourite part of historical fiction…researching the truth to see how much of the book was based on fact, how much was hearsay and how much was good old fashion artistic license.

Lacking in Focus

Under the Banner of Heaven

By: Jon Krakauer

A non fiction tale that occasionally reads as a terrifying work of fiction, Jon Krakauer takes us into the world of Mormonism, particularly into the fundamentalist sects whose beliefs are so foreign to most of us that I couldn’t help from audibly reacting as I read each strange custom.

Krakauer moves beyond simple Polygamy, into tales of underage, unwilling brides, miserable first wives and welfare fraud. Reading the words, it’s hard to tell if he’s purposely making a case for legalizing Polygamy or simply stating the horrific actions that occur under the radar of the rest of the nation.

As a framing device, Krakauer uses Ron and Dan Lafferty, murderers who believed they were acting under the command of God. There will be a chapter or two about these brothers, then many other chapters about other aspects of Fundamental Mormonism and even a history lesson about Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and the early, sometimes violent, years of the faith.

I suppose this book’s biggest downfall lies in the fact that there was too much interesting information that Krakauer wanted to include. In the author’s notes, he mentions that this wasn’t the book he originally intended to write, and I feel that explains a lot of the jumping around. Many of the names started to blur together to me (I never realized LeRoy was such a common name) causing me to be unsure of how many of the stories were connected, and how many were simply a case of Krakauer having so many stories that he wanted to share. Near the end I finally felt as though the story was truly coming together.

A fantastic read, though I felt it was a bit longer than it should have been, and lacking in some of the spiritual beliefs I was curious read. Still, I recommend it to anyone curious about the frightening beliefs that are hidden within our nation.

Less Sappy Than Expected

Dear John

By: Nicholas Sparks

I know I may lose my title as the girliest girl in all of girldom, but this was my first official foray into the world of Nicholas Sparks. I’ve yet to see Message in a Bottle or The Notebook, and my only experience with A Walk to Remember was a showing one Sunday night on the WB, while I spent most of my time distracted by horribly important conversations involving house relations between Gryffindors and Slytherins. Other females swore by these movies and his other books, telling me with tears in their eyes that my life wouldn’t be complete until I became familiar with Nicholas Sparks.

Having read Dear John, I’m not sure if I agree or not. Yes, I found the writing style to be spectacular, and I did tear through the book in about as much time as my roommate spent playing on his Xbox this evening. However, I didn’t find myself connecting to many of the characters as much as I had hoped. Savannah, our heroine, was a bit too much of a good girl cliché for my liking. I honestly couldn’t tell if we were seeing her through our hero’s love struck eyes, or if this was an accurate portrayal of the girl. It felt as though John, our hero, was the only one with any grey, and I personally prefer my characters to be a bit more morally conflicted.

I also will confess, which may further revoke my girldom tiara, that I was far more moved by the relationship between John and his father, rather than John and Savannah’s love affair. This surprised me, crept up on me while I was still looking for the love story to resurface.

We learn in the first few pages that John and Savannah’s relationship does not last, so naturally, I expected to get utterly depressed by the final pages. Instead, I found myself filled with hope for the characters. That there are many paths we can take in life, and there are many different roads toward happiness. Whether or not this was the author’s intention, I’m not sure.

Either way, I found Nicholas Sparks to be a fabulous writer, though I found this to be less a tale of romance and more a tale of the life of a solider who only loved two people in his entire life – his father, and the woman who taught him how to love.

Compelling

The Other Boleyn Girl

By: Philippa Gregory

I have a confession. I am afraid of historical fiction. As though by placing the book in my hand, I’m now compelled to finish something that is going to feel more like a text book rather than a piece of literature that I’m excited about. (Oddly enough, I love history and occasionally do read non fiction historical works.) Imagine my fear when I picked up a copy of the often recommended The Other Boleyn Girl and saw that there were 700 pages for me to get through. Oh well, I figured, purchasing it with a sigh, it’d probably take a week, but I’d get through it and find a new book to pour over.

That was Sunday night. Less than 48 hours later, the completed novel sits next to me, taunting me with the fact that I no longer can read the tales of Mary and Anne Boleyn. From nearly the first paragraph, I was fascinated. Philippa Gregory effortlessly explains the dynamic of England in the 1500s, and focuses more on character and plot development. Mary, Anne and their brother George become vividly alive as I turned each page.

I’ll admit, some of the dialogue is a bit heavy handed when you know what is to come. “I will be Queen, even if it kills me,” for example (possibly paraphrased). I was smart, I did not reacquaint myself with the history of the time, so many of the plot twists came as surprises to me. Often, I found myself reading a name a handful of times, before my brain clicked that yes, this person would become an important player later in the game. In fact, the one reason I’m thrilled that I have finished is now I can go to webpage after webpage, looking up which parts were actually based on historical fact and which were merely added for a further compelling story.

And of course, now I can’t wait for the movie. I will close by saying that Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn is, I believe, perfect casting. Even before the book told me (by way of physical description) which actress would be playing which sister, I could hear Natalie Portman saying those lines of dialogue. I could picture her in the part so well, that I am thoroughly excited to see her play it out on the screen.

Good characterization, compelling plot twists – this book is definitely worth a read.

So Close

The Lovely Bones

By: Alice Sebold

I wish I could say that this book captivated me from the first page until the last sentence, that I accepted every supernatural turn. I really wish I could say that, because The Lovely Bones came so close. Unfortunately, just after the 300 page mark, it lost me. It came back around, I returned before the story came to a close. But for one chapter, I was taken out of the story, and this supernatural tale that had moments that felt so real now became a work of fantasy.

In the opening chapter, our narrator Susie Salmon (like the fish), a fourteen year old junior high student, is raped and murdered. From then on, in semi non linear fashion, she watches her family as they cope. Watches the people close to her and they fall apart and as they put the pieces back together. Watches her murderer. Ten years pass, and while many of those years are told to us in a blink of an eye, I never felt as though I was missing these pieces.

I really did enjoy this book, and feel as though it could withstand a reread. I even understand why the author felt the character needed those twelve pages that I so disliked. In time, I feel that I’ll remember the bright spots of this book. The love the family felt for one another. The friends who remember Susie after all those years. The neighborhood that loved the girl in her death.

Lovely yes, but the book failed to make its way to gorgeous, spectacular or stunning.

Lost Something Along the Way

The Emperor's Children

By: Claire Messud

I will start off with a phrase that will sound really peculiar out of context. This book reminds me of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. When that movie came out, my immediate circle of friends were all raving about how great it was, and how well it set the scene for what was to come. Well, Episode III came, disappointing us all, and suddenly, Episode II fell from grace.
And so, with Claire Messud’s book, I read chapter after chapter captivated, waiting for the big moment…only to have the big moment appear and disappear with few pages truly dedicated to the event.
A book set in early 2001, New York City, I became intrigued once I realized that before the tale ended, the towers would fall. The complaints I had were easy to push away. How many of the character’s beliefs express those of the author, I only wish I knew. As the characters gushed about Tolstoy, I felt a bit talked down to, for never attempting to get through War and Peace. Even Marina, one of the few characters I wound up identifying with, is mocked for loving Anna Karenina as opposed to something with more depth. When the characters discuss the merits of Atheism, I wonder if the author is mocking me for the faith that I do have.
Despite those complaints though, the first half of the book flows beautifuly, setting the stage for what I only hoped would be fantastic fallout. A magazine is set to launch in mid September. A wedding takes place Labor Day weekend. Characters move around the city, changing residence and employment, causing me to wonder where they’d all be located for the fatal day.
And then…September hit. And then…
I was left with unresolved issues and plot points. Then we moved onto November and got what the characters claimed was closure. The details that in the first half of the book were so compellingly explained now were glossed over.
I find it telling that the only point in the book that I shed tears was early on, when the character of Marina finds her childhood cat dead and loses herself in thoughts and memories of the animal.
Wonderful first half of the book, but I have to wonder if upon rereading if it would hold well, knowing that the plot loses its focus come September 11, 2001.