Book Review: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

Ballantine Books, 2011; 314 pages; ISBN 0345521307
My Goodreads Rating: 3.5 stars

I took a listen to the audiobook of The Paris Wife, which is the story of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, Hadley Richardson and more than anything what I took away from the book was a feeling of getting a clearer picture of Ernest Hemingway and his early years as a writer.  The book was never exciting enough or perhaps brilliant enough to warrant a higher rating, but it was still pleasurable and interesting.  The story unfolds from the perspective of Hadley Richardson, who was married to Hemingway from 1921 until 1926.  In the beginning their relationship is beautiful and young. They both have stars in their eyes and Paris seems like a brilliant constellation where they can both map out their dreams (they also travel to other cities, like Chicago and Toronto).  But as the months and years wear on and Hadley has a child, it becomes harder and harder to maintain a sense of themselves. Ernest has a difficult time dealing with set backs in so far as his writing, and Hadley has a hard time situating herself and basically keeping up with Ernest.  Their story was one of true love, but loyalties falter, and in the end Hadley loses Hemingway to another woman, although I think she actually loses him to himself and his writing.  They had one son during their marriage, John Hadley Nicanor Hemingway, and one thing I did enjoy very much from listening to the novel was the opportunity to learn more about Hadley Richardson as a woman - how she met and fell in love with Ernest Hemingway, and then that prompted me to read more about her in other sources as well.  I learned how she lost some of his manuscripts while in Europe and how Hemingway became obsessed with bullfighting. Also, more insight was given into relationships the couple had with other prominent characters, such as Gertrude Stein and the Fitzgeralds.  All in all it was nice to know that she lived a long life and that she took part in the life of one of our greatest authors.  This is a great book for history and literature lovers and the audio book was well read by Carrington Macduffie.

Photo: From Goodreads.com website

Book Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Dial Press, 2007; 274 pages; ISBN 0385340990
My Goodreads Rating: 5 stars

I had a listen to the audiobook of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and I'm so happy to have experienced this book as a spoken performance. The audio production (published by Random House on 7 audio discs) features five different narrators all speaking each part. This added to the charm of the story, which was set after World War II in London.  The story unfolds as a series of letters.  It begins with writer Juliet Ashton who has enjoyed some success with a column that she penned during the war entitled "Izzy Bickerstaff Goes to War". She is on a book tour and is corresponding with her publisher, who is also a dear friend, and her best friend, who is his sister. She also writes to her publicist and soon enough to a resident of Guernsey Island. This is a man named Dawsey Adams who found her name in a book by Charles Lamb, who is his most favorite author.  Juliet is intrigued and so begins the correspondence between herself and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, of which Dawsey Adams is a member. 

As the letters progress you learn how the society was formed, which is bittersweet as it occurred during the war, an especially difficult time for the residents of Guernsey. One Elizabeth McKenna had a lot to do with forming the society and her story is woven into the letters, which eventually give Juliet the subject for her next project. She becomes so embroiled in the lives of the Guernsey society that she ends up on the island herself, despite a persistent suitor (who is a rich business man) and her life and friends in London.  The cast of characters is really marvelous as each has their own quirks and beliefs, but they all come together anyways to hold their Potato Peel Society meetings. Juliet becomes an "honorary" member and her writing project takes on a life of its own, and really, her life becomes a part of the Guernsey story which comes to  involve romance, an orphaned child, a jilted lover, and an enchanting island that is regaining what it lost during the war.

I'm so happy to hear that the movie was optioned as a film and so far it looks like Kate Winslet may be playing the part of Juliet, which I can totally picture (filming was delayed to 2013).  I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys historical fiction. The format of letters may not be best suited for reading for some, but I would recommend listening to the audio version as it was truly divine.

Book Review: Summer and the City by Candace Bushnell

HarperCollins, 2011; 409 pages; ISBN 0061728934
My Goodreads Rating: 4.5 stars

For my review of the first book in this series, The Carrie Diaries, read this post. Summer and the City picks up from when Carrie arrives in New York City and is greeted by Samantha, who just happens to be a cousin of Carrie's former frenemy Donna LaDonna from high School. I think I actually loved this one better than the first, but that is probably because it appealed more to my "adult" sensibilities. This time around Carrie is finally able to pursue her dreams of becoming a writer in Manhattan. She begins a writer's course and is taken under the wing of Samantha. At first she rooms with a fellow student and writer in a typical tiny New York apartment where her "room" consists of a small cubicle space cordoned off by dividers. That situation doesn't last long as Carrie gets kicked out by the grumpy landlady. Carrie also meets Miranda, who is immersed in feminist politics and has no qualms about voicing her opinion to everyone. After getting kicked out of her room and board Carrie goes to live with Samantha who at this point has her own place and is actually engaged to someone. The friendship between Carrie, Miranda and Samantha starts to emerge, as well as other relationships Carrie has with her classmates from the writer's course. Early on in the story she also begins a romantic relationship with a well known playwright who is at least 10 years older than her, which sort of hints at how Carrie is constantly attracted to older men in her later years. Actually Carrie's interest in sex and relationships is a lot more evident in this installment of the The Carrie Diaries and although I really enjoyed reading this aspect of her character, I was left wondering if the portions of the book that went into sexual details were appropriate for teen readers. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the writing style and characterizations. Carrie's wit and charm go a long way, and for fans of the TV series, this is a great way to get to know Carrie before she became Carrie Bradshaw, author of the Sex and the City column. I look forward to whatever comes next in young Carrie's teenage/young adult adventures.

Photo: From Goodreads.com website

Book Review: Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

Dial, 2011; 313 pages; ISBN 0545221269
My Goodreads Rating: 5 stars

Like What I saw and how I lied by Judy Blundell, Strings Attached is another perfect read for someone who not only enjoys 20th century historical fiction, but also the old Hollywood glam days (see my review for What I saw.... here). In my book, it deserves every single star out of the five I gave it.

The main character, Kit (Kathleen) Corrigan, is a triplet, and along with her sister Muddie and her brother Jaime, they have been accustomed to performing and doing small endorsements almost since birth as the Corrigan Three (pushed on by their dad; their mom died giving birth to them). But Kit dreams of acting and dancing on Broadway. Despite her self-proclaimed bad luck, she manages to secure a small-bit part in a "stinkpot" show and pretty soon she is off to NYC to continue pursuing her dreams. Kit is 17, she's dropped out of high school and her boyfriend and brother have both enlisted in the army.

Once in New York she gets a chorus line girl job, but she's far from the Broadway lights still. That's when Nate Benedict comes knocking. He is her boyfriend Billy's father. He is also a lawyer who may or may not have ties to the mob. Nate offers Kit an apartment and a job as a Lido doll, which is a big step up from being a chorus girl. But the deal comes with some strings attached (even though Nate doesn't present it like this). Since Billy will be visiting before he is shipped to Korea, Nate wants to set up Kit so that Billy has something to live for. But Nate doesn't know that Kit and Billy broke up before he left for training. Kit is torn between her intense love for Billy, whether or not she wants to get back together with him, her desire to make it big in New York, and some things from the past that she shares with Mr. Benedict. Actually there is a lot of back story that gets slowly revealed throughout the book. Although the main story is happening in the fall of 1950, some chapters are prefaced with a month and date from the late forties, or even late thirties in some instances. So although the story is about Kit, it's also about her family, the Benedict family, and her neighbors in NYC.

Here's a quote that I thought really captured the mentality of Kit and other Americans during the late 1930's:

"In those hot summers, full of flies and white skies, corn and pigs, I learned what America was - people looking up from their work and trouble and hoping someone would tell them a story, sell them a dream. And I saw what it was like to be looked at, and came to like it."

I thought the story telling was excellent, the writing exceptional, and the historical details both accurate and intriguing. Kit is a flawed character, but that's what makes her more authentic. She has talent and wants to succeed. She is beautiful, but she doesn't realize how beautiful she is. She is naive, but she isn't stupid. I'm a sucker for anything from this era of history, so maybe that affected my interest in the book, but I also think that Blundell did an amazing job with weaving the story and making me care about the characters. I both liked and disliked many of them. I was also surprised by several turn of events, so I was never bored nor did I ever feel like I knew where the story was headed precisely. The author has a very subtle way of weaving these details in. If you enjoyed What I saw and how I lied or Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher or Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen, you'll like this one.

Photo: From Goodreads.com website

Book Review: The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner

Dial, 2008; 372 pages; ISBN 0803731000
My Goodreads Rating: 4 stars 

 

I've found that historical fiction written for teens is actually pretty great for adults too, and The Red Necklace is a great example of that.  At first I didn't know what was going on in the story, but once I delved into it, I was hooked. There are actually two heroes in the story - a gypsy boy with supernatural powers named Yann and a young heiress named Sido who is despised by her greedy & narcissistic father, the Marquise.  Yann travels with Tetu and Topolain entertaining crowds with their magical act, but Yann's magic is real.  Sido was until recently living in a nunnery because her father has no interest in her, especially because an accident caused her to have a permanent limp.  When Yann arrives at the Marquise's châteaux for a special performance, he is met not only with Sido, but also with the story's heartless villain, Count Kalliovski.  In the Count you get a true villain, which made the story much more intriguing and foreboding.  Some say he is the devil incarnate, and he uses people's secrets to bind them to him with debt, blackmail them, and in turn gain power. When he spots Topolain and his magical act, he challenges him to an almost impossible feat: to survive a bullet.  From there the story progresses to Count Kalliovski setting his eyes on the young Sido, who is, to say the least, utterly repulsed by him.  Her father promises her hand in marriage nonetheless.  The French Revolution setting brings the whole story to life. I don't know much about this period of time, but I will certainly be reading more about it now.  Although Yann comes across Sido and her situation early on, and his story separates and alternates between some of his formative years and the drama that is building up in Paris, the story never feels discombobulated or boring. You get to experience both the story of Sido and the story of Yann and then their stories come together in a way that completely makes sense.  The ending was tied up nicely without being too neat.  There is a follow up to the book entitled The Silver Blade (Dial, 2009) and it is on my to-read list for next year. If you like historical fiction, I think you will enjoy The Red Necklace.

Photo: From Goodreads.com website

Book Review: The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain

Mira, 2006; 528 pages; ISBN  0778325318
My Goodreads Rating: 4 stars

This was an enjoyable easy read that captures the idea of family and the difficult choices you make that can re-shape your entire life.  CeeCee Wilkes made a difficult decision when she was very young and now that she is older she has to face her past in order to deal with the repercussions that have only now surfaced.  I love books that have semi-salacious back stories, and this is one of them.  I'll be the first to admit that I am an avid watcher of the I.D. channel (Investigation Discovery), so I love a good mystery and crime story - 48 Hours, and Dateline are two of my favorite shows.  Now this book isn't a mystery per se, but it does have a great crime story in the background that is crucial to the entire plot.  


When CeeCee Wilkes was a young girl she fell in love with the intelligent and charismatic Timothy Gleason (I also found him to be a bit creepy).  But Gleason isn't all that he appears.  He has a plan that involves a politician and his damaged sister.  After CeeCee and Timothy get close, he draws her into his plan and she agrees reluctantly only after he assures her that nothing can go wrong.  But sadly, everything does go wrong and in the process CeeCee is forced to make a very tough decision.  


Fast forward years later to CeeCee's daughter Cory who is now expecting a baby and is in the middle of a fight with her boyfriend and the father of her unborn baby.  It is then that CeeCee must face her past when Timothy Gleason comes back into her life.

I don't want to reveal too much of the plot since that is one of the best parts of this novel, but I also have to say that I liked the characters in the story too, they aren't cookie cutter personalities - they are much more complex and flawed, which makes them relatable to the reader.  I'm interested in reading more from this author, especially the just released The Midwife's Confession, which is already on my to read list.  I highly recommend this book for a great escape that isn't frothy or one-dimensional.

More by Diane Chamberlain: http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/93345.Diane_Chamberlain

Photo from Goodreads.com website

Book Review: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

MacAdam/Cage, 2003; 518 pages; ISBN  1596921536
My Goodreads Rating: 4 stars

It took me forever and a day to get through this, but I did, and I'm glad. First off I was confused half the time just trying to figure out which Henry was time traveling, if he was going to the past or to the future, and if there were two of him walking around. The little date and age notations the author included were helpful, but also confusing because sometimes I would go back and see what had already happened to find out if there were clues given to foreshadow what was happening in the present (confusing, I know). The story centers around Henry, a time traveling librarian who meets Clare when she is just a little girl on one of his time travels.  The way he travels is not really up to Henry and this affects the relationship he has with Clare.  But nonetheless both of them love each other and accept the time traveling as inevitable and expected.  There are subplots and minor characters, but I can't possibly explain what else goes on in the story - it is something that you just have to experience as a reader. 

Since I knew of the movie (but hadn't watched it yet when I read the book), and the actors who portrayed Clare and Henry, I couldn't really separate their images from the characters as I read the book. This proved to be OK though once I watched the film (which I did right after I finished the book). I thought the film was cast really well, and although many key components were missing from the film's storyline, I thought they did a great job of capturing the novel on screen. I really enjoyed the love story aspect of Clare and Henry's story and all the twists that appeared. I cried near the end and thought it was so unfair that they didn't get a longer time together. I enjoyed this one much more than Her Fearful Symmetry, see my review for that one here.  The Time Traveler's Wife is not a book to read beach side with a strawberry daiquiri by your side, but more like a book to read on a rainy night in cuddled up to a fire and sipping on some Earl Grey tea.  There really isn't anything else I've read that compares to this book.

Here's the movie trailer (have your tissues ready)

Photo: From Goodreads.com website

Book Review and Giveaway: Birds of Paradise by Kathy Handley

*Congrats to ChocoLibrarian for winning this giveaway. Thanks everyone*

Turns out my last giveaway wasn't the last one of the year because luckily I got the opportunity to read the recently published book Birds of Paradise by Kathy Handley and I am also giving away a copy of it to one very lucky reader (see giveaway details at the end of this blog post to enter).  Also, see the entire Blog Tour schedule on the Women on Writing website: Kathy Handley, author of Birds of Paradise, launches her blog tour.

Photo from Goodreads.com

In Birds of Paradise, the story centers around the family of Joe-Mack, his wife Gloria and their two daughters Jen and Amy, and then it radiates out from there after Joe-Mack discovers that his wife is being unfaithful to him.  Joe-Mack then decides to leave with no real plan in sight.  Before he knows it eleven years have passed and he is now a truck driver making trips all over the west coast.  On one of those trips he picks up a hitchhiker named Freddie who is on his way to Hollywood from Vegas.  Joe-Mack takes a liking to him because he is reminded of his two daughters since Freddie is about their age.  Before they part ways, Joe-Mack gives Freddie his cell phone number, in case he ever needs it.  Cut to Starlet, a newly arrived runaway that dreams of making it big in Hollywood.  Starlet soon meets a plethora of characters, including another runaway, a hooker, and Freddie.  By now Freddie is going by the name Vegas and the two fall in love.  The twist is that Starlet is actually Joe-Mack's eldest daughter Jen and she has left her mother Gloria and her new sleazy boyfriend Ralph back home worried to death (well, Ralph isn't worried, just probably sorry he didn't get the chance to make a move on Jen).  This cast of runaways, homeless youths, and streetwalkers is definitely not a good mix to ensure a pleasant plot line, and before you know it there are pimps involved and a shooting.  I believe this part of the story is drawn from the author's family and her own experiences working with young kids in L.A. (see author's note in the back for more information as well as the blog post on the Women on Writing website).

Overall I liked the book but I felt that some things were unnecessary.  The amount of runaways could have been reduced to tighten up the plot and explore more of their characters.  Also, the names were a bit on the cheesy side (Joe-Mack = mack trucks, Starlet = Hollywood starlet, Vegas = just sounds like that Vic Vegas guy from the Food Network, and Frenchy = well, that one is just unnecessary period).  The language between the characters was not always natural sounding too.  I did enjoy the imagery the author used to describe scenes and locations though, which gave the story some lushness and appeal.  I could really see her skills in poetry enlightened in these parts of the story.  Birds of Paradise I think achieves the goal of giving new perspective to runaways and those that have been displaced by life's circumstances and for that I commend the author.

Now for the giveaway!  

To enter, please leave a comment on this blog post with your e-mail address and your answer to this question: Besides the home you live in, where else do you feel "at home"?  

For an extra entry tweet about this book using the hashtag #BirdsParadise and leave the link here as well.  The last day to enter is October 23rd, 2011 and the winner will be announced right here on this post on Thursday, October 27th, 2011.  Good luck!!

*Note: If you purchase this book, the proceeds will go to organizations that sponsor activities for children with cerebral palsy.  Thank you to WOW! Women on Writing for hosting this blog tour and giveaway.

Book Review: Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

Random House, 2009; 309 pages; ISBN  1400067111
My Goodreads Rating: 1 star

 

This was my second try at a Lisa See book and mostly I took it on because I was convinced that I was in the wrong when it came to her books.  I had previously read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and was very underwhelmed by it.  I couldn't understand why everyone clamored over her books at the library, why she had such high ratings on Goodreads and why her books are now even getting made into movies but yet I remained disenchanted? So with Shanghai Girls I was really hoping to switch to the other side of things (the other side being the majority of Lisa See's readers).  Alas, again I was left feeling dissatisfied, irritated, and ultimately bored.  The author's writing in my opinion is unimpressive and many times repetitive.  I just felt like it was dragging and dragging along.  Much of the dialogue is unnatural sounding and there are redundant descriptions galore that don't do anything to evolve the characters or the plot.  See tirelessly describes cheongsams, the characteristics of the Chinese Zodiac animals, and many typical Chinese foods, but these don't do anything to help with the characterizations of Pearl and May or their families.  I felt like the opportunity to tell an exciting saga was missed because the author felt it necessary to only focus on certain aspects of her characters, so everyone comes off as one-sided.  Pearl feels a responsibility towards her younger sister and her filial duties. She makes one bad decision after another and never once has the guts or the courage to change her destiny.  May is a bit more interesting and my favorite of the two, but even she comes off as selfish and what could have been a great fiery spirit only burns as a weak flame.  In the beginning of the story the two girls are described as forward thinkers in a cosmopolitan Shanghai.  They are non-traditionalist women and they dream of bigger and better things than being married off and living as obedient housewives like their mother.  But the second world war rages through China and their dreams are dashed.  After some great tragedies the sisters find themselves in America, but they stay tied to an insensitive, miserly old man whose main concern is having sons and ancestors that will worship him in the after life, but all of his sons except one are paper sons.  Pearl and May are roped into this situation and the entire time I was just waiting for them to somehow escape this life.  That would have been exciting.  But alas we are left with a pretty hum drum story of life in old Chinatown and new Chinatown and even newer Chinatown, Los Angeles.  Like I said - boring.  I have to mention that I listened to the audio version of the novel and I was also not pleased with the narrator.  She made no real effort to differentiate her voice in between characters and even she sounded bored as she read the text.  I only continued listening to find out about Joy, which I should mention is the center of See's new novel Dreams of Joy.  Hopefully this one is a lot more exciting, but I'm definitely not going to find out.  No more Lisa See for me.

Photo: From Goodreads.com website

Book Review: Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

HarperCollins, 2010; 389 pages; ISBN  006196266X
My Goodreads Rating: 5 stars

With the twenties and the prohibition era coming back into style (seen in fashion trends and with shows like Boardwalk Empire) young adult books are no exception.  But this new series by Anna Godbersen is actually exceptional. Although Bright Young Things is a "teen" book, I would recommend it to adults as well. The book is set during the summer of 1929.  Best friends Letty & Cordelia decide to leave their small town for the bright lights of New York City. However, soon upon their arrival they get into a tiff and go their separate ways. Cordelia ends up finding her long lost father, as well as a new love interest and a new best friend in the fascinating and pampered flapper Astrid Donal. Letty also makes some new friends and starts chasing her dreams of stardom on her own. Along the way all three girls find out that not everything that is shiny is made of gold. Just like with the Luxe series I was impressed with Godbersen's writing, her characters, her plot, and all the details of the era. I was able to picture the lavish parties, the bubbly champagne, the drape of the silk and sequin gowns, and the allure and romance that permeated Letty, Cordelia and Astrid's lives.  It looks like the next novel in the series, Beautiful Days, will be released on September 10th and I look forward to devouring that one as well.  I made a book trailer for Bright Young Things, and here it is:

Photo: From Goodreads.com website

Book Review: Summer Series by Jenny Han

Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 2009, 2010, 2011; 276, 275, 291 pages; ISBN  0545230500, 1416995552, 1416995587
My Goodreads Ratings: 5 stars, 4 stars, 4.25 stars, respectively

Because I love romance books and love triangles are even better, I'm going to combine all of my reviews for the Summer books by Jenny Han here and just write up one big review for the whole series.  I first picked up on the series in 2009 when the first book came out, The Summer I Turned Pretty.  I won't lie.  The cover was definitely eye-catching and one of the reasons I picked up the book, but I was also intrigued by the title and by the author herself because I had so much enjoyed her earlier release for the pre-teen crowd called Shug (2006).  That year The Summer I Turned Pretty was one of the few books I gave 5 stars too (a rating I only reserve for books that I would re-read again).  The plot goes like this.  Belly (or Isabel) has been going to the beach house at Cousins Beach every summer since she can remember. Along with Belly, are her brother, her mom, her mom's best friend, and her mom's best friend's two sons, Jeremiah and Conrad. Summers are always the same, yet each year brings new changes that leave great impressions on Belly.  Belly has had a crush on Conrad for years, but he has always been the kind of boy that seems unattainable. Jeremiah on the other hand has always been sweet and loveable, in a friend-sort-of-way. The summer when she turns pretty is when most of the story takes place, but there are also chapters that flashback to other summers. 

Basically this first book sets up the story of Belly, the beach house, and her love for Conrad.  I loved the romance aspect of the book and how the author captures Belly's thoughts, concerns, and her love for Conrad, for being at the beach house, and for everything associated with her summers. There are some sad bits mixed in and I do agree that sometimes Belly does come off as whiny and bratty (a comment I've read time and time again from other readers/reviewers).  But.... that's the point.  She's a teenager and teenagers will behave this way no matter what.

The second book picks up after Conrad and Belly have broken up.  Yes. They finally date and it seems that Belly's prettiness has paid off (well, not just that, but you know what I mean).  But now Belly and Conrad's romance is over and Jeremiah comes looking for Belly because Conrad is missing and has dropped out of school (I admit, he's a real ass-hat in this book).  Plans to go the beach house for this summer are never definite (because of all of the sad parts that happened in book one and of course because Belly and Conrad have broken up) but now Belly heads that way with Jeremiah.  And of course that is where they find Conrad.  At first it's pretty awkward.  Belly is not only dealing with the Conrad drama, but also with a new detached attitude from her mom and hardly any support from her best friend Taylor.  Some of the chapters in this book are told from Jeremiah's point of view, so this book is much more about his feelings for Belly and how she gets over Conrad. Regardless I'm all for Team Conrad, even with his sour attitude. The ending of the book is kind of abrupt, it seems like Belly ends up with Jeremiah this time, but there is a little surprise at the end that keeps you hanging. 

When it came time to read the third book I really wasn't sure which way it was going to go.  I breezed through reading it because I just wanted to see who Belly ended up with already. In this book she's in college and has been with Jeremiah for the last two years. She is convinced that they are each others only true loves and that Conrad was just that first love that she will never forget. But as soon as Belly is near Conrad you see the effect he has on her. I don't want to give too much away for anyone that hasn't read the final book, but I will say that all in all I'm happy with the way things turned out.  Out of the three books, the first is still my favorite because to me it was the one that really captured the magic of summer at the Cousins beach house.  It bridged that time in a girl's life when she realizes that she's no longer an awkward, gawky kid and it revealed to Belly that Conrad was possibly not so unattainable after all.

  

I look forward to what comes next from Ms. Jenny Han - I love her writing and her books. I also made book trailers for all three books as I read them (the first one has the most views ever of all of my book trailers!).  Also, check out my other book trailers on my channel.

Photos: From Goodreads.com website

Book Review: Clarity by Kim Harrington

Scholastic Point, 2011; 242 pages; ISBN  0545230500
My Goodreads Rating: 4 stars

I was expecting the typical paranormal book, but actually I quite enjoyed Clarity. It's more about having psychic abilities and it read like a Law and Order episode, so I really enjoyed that aspect of it since I'm a fan of the SVU component of that franchise. Clarity Fern, her mom and her brother all have psychic abilities. Her mom can tune into people's thoughts, her brother can communicate with the dead, and Clarity can touch objects and sense things about the person that used them last. They live in a small seaside town and use their gifts to sustain themselves. Clare is getting over her first love and break up (who cheated on her), and dealing with a new competitor that just moved into town, a physic named Madame Maslov, when a girl turns up dead at a nearby motel. This is the first murder in town in many years and it happens to be an election year. Clare's ex-boyfriend is the current mayor's son and he asks her to help out with the murder investigation by using her psychic gift of touch. It just so happens that there is a new detective in town and Clare teams up with his good looking son. You can see the love triangle a mile away, but it's fun to watch it unfold. I figured out who the guilty parties were in so far as the murder mystery was concerned, but that's probably because I do watch a lot of crime shows like Law and Order SVU and CSI. Clare is the kind of female protagonist I can get behind because she is ballsy, but still vulnerable and charming. I look forward to more in this new series and recommend it to anyone who enjoys the YA paranormal genre. I also made a book trailer for Clarity, see it here:

Photo: From Goodreads.com website

Book Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Harper Collins, 2008; 321 pages; ISBN  1554681723
My Goodreads Rating: 5 stars

OK, so I admit that I picked up this book because of the dog on the cover.  I am a sucker for Labrador retrievers, and I actually have two lab-mixes at home (their names are Frida and Che, and yes, I cry my eyes out every time I watch Marley and Me or even those Humane Society commercials), so I was very intrigued by the idea of a book told from a dog's perspective.  But Enzo the dog is no ordinary dog.  He is a human soul trapped in a dog's body (for this particular life cycle, according to him).  His owner, a race car driver named Denny, talks to Enzo like he is his pal and he watches TV with him, even leaving it on for him, which is where Enzo learns about the world and of course, about the art of race car driving.  Enzo is a very philosophical soul (that is why he believes in reincarnation, and he is certain that his next life will be as a human being), and he thinks that the techniques that Denny uses on the race track can be applied to every day life.  As Enzo recalls his life with Denny, including many ups and downs (marriage, a child, tragedy, triumph, and the like), he also takes stock on his role in Denny's life and all that he has learned and hopes to learn and do as a human being.  I know the book spent many weeks on the bestseller list, and rightly so.  I'm pretty sure animal lovers (especially dog lovers) will enjoy the story, but I also strongly feel that the book is for everyone, whether or not you have a furry companion at home.  It's smart, funny, sweet, and very honest, and yes, I also cried during this one too.  A highly recommended read.

Photo: From Goodreads.com website

Book Review: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Algonquin Books, 2006; 335 pages; ISBN  1565124995
My Goodreads Rating: 5 stars

With the film version of Sara Gruen's excellent Water for Elephants coming out next week, I am excited to revisit the book, which I read last year.  I had been meaning to read the novel for two years and it wasn't until I heard there was a movie version being made that I finally checked it out.  I wish I hadn't waited because this is truly a very charming book.  It's got romance, history, adventure, some mystery, and it incorporates animals into the mix of characters.  The setting switches back and forth between present time in a nursing home and a traveling circus in 1932.  Jacob Jankowski is remembering his time with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth circus as him and his fellow nursing home residents are preparing to attend the circus that just came into town.  In his memories Jacob is 23 years old and his parents have just died in a car crash.  He was studying to be a veterinarian at Cornell and in a fateful turn of events he jumps onto a train not knowing that it is a circus train.  When he is found out he gets offered a job as a vet for the menagerie of animals, even though he insists that he never finished his schooling.  In the circus he meets an eclectic cast of characters, including the insufferable and pompous ring master Uncle Al, the beautiful performer Marlena, Marlena's husband August, the cruel animal trainer, and one of the clowns and his dog, Walter and Queenie.  Jacob has to learn quickly and many lessons are harsh, like the practice of redlighting (when circus workers are thrown off the train in the middle of the night to avoid paying them and to basically get rid of them) and how the circus animals are treated.  The Benzini show is in fierce competition with bigger and better spectacles, like Ringling Brothers, so when Uncle Al gets the chance to acquire Rosie the elephant, he does so and has Marlena work with her to put on a dazzling show that will hopefully boost profits and elevate the reputation of the Benzini Bros.  show.  As Jacob and Marlena both fall in love with each other they must deal with the unkind ways of August and the dangers of circus life.  I loved everything about the novel, especially all of the historical details that the author incorporates because they really bring the story to life.  I also loved how the story unfolded and I always had this sense of foreboding throughout the story that compelled me to keep reading.  Gruen also features actual photographs of the circus during the Great Depression, which offered up another way to visualize the events unfolding during Jacob's recollections.  I cannot wait until the movie release and I really want to see what Reese Witherspoon does with the character, because I never pictured Marlena like Reese.  I pictured her dark-haired, with alabaster skin, and with sharper features, but I've liked pretty much every movie she has made, so we shall see.  I recommend reading the book before watching the film if you can, because usually book versions far outshine their movie counterparts.  Here's the movie trailer:

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Book Review: Beastly by Alex Flinn

HarperTeen, 2007; 304 pages; ISBN  0060874163
My Goodreads Rating: 4 stars

I really enjoyed this modern re-telling of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. I would have given it five stars be it not for the fact that the ending (like most fairy tales) was a bit too tidy and perfect. That being said, I thought that the author did an excellent job of modernizing the story to fit today's teens and I was both laughing and feeling very sad and frustrated with the "Beast".  The "Beast" is Kyle Kingsbury, a very conceited, rich, popular, jerk-of-a-teen who thinks he has it all.  When ugly girl Kendra makes an appearance, Kyle jokingly asks her to the upcoming school dance with the intention of shunning her in the end.  Little does Kyle know that Kendra is a witch in disguise, so she curses him to live as the beast and she gives him a magical mirror so he can see what is going on in the outside world because surely as a beast he cannot continue to live amongst everyone else.  Sure enough Kyle's father is the first to exile his own son, setting him up in an apartment with a housekeeper named Magda, and eventually a blind tutor named Will.  The terms of the curse are that if Kyle can find a girl that loves him for the person he is and not for his looks and get her to kiss him within two years, he will be set free and returned to normal.  Kendra only agrees to include the two year clause because at the dance Kyle committed the unselfish act of giving a rose to the ticket taker, a girl named Lindy.  Lindy turns out to be the girl that will fall in love with Kyle.  As the months go by Kyle also decides to change his name to Adrian, because the name Kyle means 'handsome' and the name Adrian means 'the dark one'.  Adrian takes up gardening at the suggestion of his tutor and one day a drug addict trespasses upon it, to which Adrian responds by dangling the man out of a window and threatening him.  The desperate man offers to have his daughter take his place instead, and this is how Lindy (the drug addict's daughter) comes to live with Adrian.  Lindy is very upset at first, but slowly she begins to see past Adrian's beastly looks and the two start falling in love.  When the magic mirror reveals that Lindy's father is very sick, Adrian makes the sacrifice of letting Lindy go to him, and shortly after he ends up rescuing her from a would-be rapist (also with the help of the mirror).  But Adrian is injured and right before the two years are up Lindy kisses Adrian and he returns to his handsome self.  There are a couple other revelations and terms of the curse that come as a result of the kiss, but basically all is well and Adrian and Lindy live happily ever after.  Throughout the story there are also instant messages that appear between Adrian and other teens who have been transformed into creatures, and I thought they were very charming and worked really well in breaking up the story without interrupting it.  They gave the story that extra fairy tale twist. I also thought the lesson of seeing past a person's exterior was portrayed very well, without being preachy, and I think teens will enjoy this tale of a modern teen werewolf/beast.  As I read the novel I kept picturing Kyle/Adrian like Teen Wolf from the 1985 movie starring Michael J. Fox, but now that the film version of Beastly is out, I can't wait to see what they did with it, because it looks a lot more dark and modern than the eighties version of a teen beast.  Here's the movie trailer:

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Book Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

HarperCollins, 2010; 470 pages; ISBN  0061726818
My Goodreads Rating: 5 stars

At first I didn't understand why this book was so long, but once I got past the first 100 pages or so, I realized that you have to go through the process with Sam in order to really understand her path. Sam is popular with three best friends who also "rule the school". She finally landed the boyfriend she was crushing on and she can be an outright bitch to fellow students and even her own family. But one night after a party Sam and her friends are in a car accident and Sam doesn't s...moreAt first I didn't understand why this book was so long, but once I got past the first 100 pages or so, I realized that you have to go through the process with Sam in order to really understand her path, which takes all of the 470 pages to do so. Sam is a popular, but mean girl, who along with her three best friends, kind of terrorize and rule their school. She finally lands the boyfriend she has been crushing on, but she can be an outright bitch to fellow students and even her own family. One night after a party Sam and her friends get into a car accident and Sam doesn't seem to make it out alive, but when she wakes up she is reliving the same day she died all over again from the beginning. This happens seven times. Each time though, Sam realizes something new. One day she decides to be the bad girl, even hooking up with one of her teachers (who is a total perv), and getting drunk, and being a complete bitch to everyone (even more so than she usually is). Then another day she decides to spend the most time she can with her sister. Finally near the end she realizes the most important things: that people she had been ignoring are actually pretty great, that her friends are flawed, but that she loves them anyways, that she loves her family even if she doesn't always show it, and that her little sister will some day glow like she never will (that part broke my heart).  Most of all Sam has to accept her fate and save someone else for the chance to "move on" in the after life. I really enjoyed the entire book - the writing is excellent, sometimes lyrical, a lot of times very realistic, and more than anything honest and heartfelt. The characters are well developed and it just captures that feeling of being in high school. I highly recommend it.

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Book Review: Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher

Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, 2008; 356 pages; ISBN 1599901641
My Goodreads Rating: 5.5 stars

I saw this and figured it was the perfect read for a nostalgic librarian like myself. The story takes place in 1940's Chicago right before the United States enters into World War II. This is an excellent book that I wish I would have picked up sooner, but I'm glad I finally did. The story takes place right before the United States enters World War II. Ruby, her mom and her sister live in "The Yards" of Chicago. Ruby's father has passed away, so her family is left in a pretty dire financial situation. Ruby's mom is diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and has to stop working, so Ruby goes to work at the meatpacking plant. Then she hears about "dancing halls...more This is an excellent book that I wish I would have picked up sooner, but I'm glad I finally did. Ruby, her mom and her sister live in "The Yards" of Chicago. Ruby's father has passed away, so her family is left in a pretty dire financial situation. Ruby's mom is diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and has to stop working, so Ruby goes to work at the meatpacking plant. Then she hears about "dancing halls" where girls get paid a-dime-a-dance. Ruby loves to dance and is determined to get her family out of the yards, so she takes the job. She has to learn the hard way what taxi dancing is really all about and all the while she lies to her mom, her sister, and sometimes even to herself to continue working as a taxi dancer. There are also issues of first love, racism, friendship, and of course the war. The author did an excellent job of presenting period details throughout the book. She talks about what everything cost, the style of the dresses the taxi dancers wore, the shoes, the makeup, and even where they would eat after a long night of dancing. There are also parts of the story that talk about the music of the era, which is especially important to Ruby since she absolutely loves to "hoof" (slang for dancing). I thought the story was extremely well-written, well-researched, and well-paced. The period details are excellent, as well as the language and the characterizations. It felt authentic and heartfelt and I just had to give it more than five stars.

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Book Review: The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell

Balzar + Bray, 2010; 400 pages; ISBN 0061728918
My Goodreads Rating: 4.5 stars

Being a fan of Sex and the City and a teen librarian I obviously had to read this one and I'm so glad that I did. Personally it really gave more substance and background to Carrie Bradshaw's character. I loved her confidence, her humor, and her willingness to try something just because she felt she should. You get to meet her dad, her sisters and her high school friends (these characters never really come up in the TV show). She also starts dating and finds out who her true friends are. Her characterization really does align with the Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City (the show), even with some of the language and the way she carries herself and dresses herself. The only thing that didn't line up (and this is very minor) is her ability to cook. At one point in the book she makes coq au vin. I'm sorry, but I seem to remember that Carrie Bradshaw in NYC was not at all adept to cooking. We also see Carrie the athlete, which we don't really see much of in Sex and the City the TV show. So all in all I really loved getting the scoop on Carrie in high school. By the end of the book I was all smiles, especially when you see her arrive in New York and make a phone call to one of the characters in SATC (I won't give it away). A note to parents: there is a bit of cussing, sex, and drinking in this, so it's probably more appropriate for older or more mature teens, and of course adults. Sex and the City 2 the movie was released on DVD October 26th, and I also thought that it was à propos to blog my Carrie Diaries review today since it is Black Friday.

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P.S. The sequel to The Carrie Diaries is slated for publication in May 2011 - Summer and the City, which takes place during Carrie's first summer in NYC!!

Book Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Victor Gollancz, 1938; 448 pages; ISBN 1844080382
My Goodreads Rating: 4.5 stars

As Halloween approaches (my absolute favorite holiday), I was reminded of one of the very few suspenseful novels I have read, and of course it's a classic. At first I wasn't too impressed with the "suspenseful" aspects of the book, but once I got into the characters, the setting, and the plot, I was hooked and definitely not disappointed. I've been wanting to watch the Hitchcock version (Rebecca, Selznick International Pictures, 1940) of this book for ages, but I didn't want to watch it without having read the book first. I loved the writing, the atmosphere, the characters and just the whole story. It wasn't necessarily scary, but the sense of it was very foreboding, like something was going to happen and you didn't know what. I was truly surprised at the climax and even though the title character never really appears in the story, she appears through the character's reverence towards her; it was like I hated her but I wanted to meet her still. It took me a few weeks to get through this, but not because it wasn't a page turner, it's just that I chose to digest it a little bit at a time.  As soon as I finished the novel, I watched the film version.  I have to say that they did an excellent job of capturing the novel in the film, which was due in large part to the producer's controlling demeanor.  Nonetheless I was very happy with the casting and the way the movie unfolded.  It had that same suspenseful edge that the book had, without being in any way gory, blatant, or sensational.  I'm a Hitchcock fan, so I'm familiar with some of his other films, but I do have to say that this one is not as Hitchcockian (which is actually a real word!) as some of his other works.  If you are looking for something a bit more on the subtle side for the scary season, I would venture to find a copy of the film, or just curl up with the original.

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Book Review: Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Scribner, 2009; 406 pages; ISBN 1439165394
My Goodreads Rating: 3 stars

At the time I read this book I had been meaning to read The Time Traveler's Wife because of all the hype (with the movie and everything), but all the copies at work were checked out, so when I saw Her Fearful Symmetry come in, I grabbed it. I have to say that up until 3/4 of the way in I was set on giving it 4 stars, but the way things ended totally disappointed me. **Stop here if you haven't read this, BIG SPOILER ALERT** First off let me run down the basic plot and characters of the book. Elspeth and Edie Noblin are identical twin sisters. At a relatively young age Elspeth (who lives in London) dies of cancer, and her lover Robert is left with a huge hole in his life from her absence. Elspeth's sister, Edie, has been raising her own twin daughters in the United States. After Elspeth's death, the twins, Julia and Valentina, are surprised to learn that Elspeth has left them her London flat. They travel to Europe and start getting to know the aunt they never met by living in her flat. So here is where it gets weird (and this is something you don't learn until the end). When Edie and Elspeth were young they decided to trade places to try and trick Elspeth's fiance, Jack. The "original" Elspeth (playing the part of Edie) sleeps with Jack and becomes pregnant with the twins, Julia and Valentina. The charade continues all the way to the United States until a few months after the twins are born, when Edie and Elspeth switch back. So the "original" Edie takes the place of Jack's wife and the "original" Elspeth (the twin's real mom and Jack's original fiance) goes back to London. So by the time the twins themselves travel to London they don't know that their birth mother is actually the one who died. There is more to the story that I won't go into, and other characters, but basically at the end of the book Elspeth's ghost kills her own daughter Valentina in order to live again and be with Robert. She completely robs her of a chance to live an independent life, a life of designing, traveling, working, and being on her own - away from her controlling twin Julia. By the way, Julia bothered me the entire time. Why was she so clingy? I was so glad when Valentina starts to stand up to her and I was looking forward to seeing Valentina on her own (but Elspeth totally ruined it). I guess the only real happy ending is Martin & Marijke (a couple who live in the same building as Elspeth). In the end I was glad that Robert abandons Elspeth, and I was totally expecting her to have another set of twins when we learn she is pregnant. Overall I enjoyed the writing, the characterizations, the settings, and even the plot at some points - just not at the end. I didn't want a complete happy ending, but I thought that Elspeth was just so selfish and manipulative, and she didn't deserve to take Valentina's life away and get a chance to live once more. Now that I've read this book and consequently, The Time Traveler's Wife (I had to read it before I watched the film), I can say that Niffenegger's writing can be really great, but oh-so-confusing. Her characters are all pretty out there and I can appreciate the fantastical elements, but I just can't appreciate being robbed of a happy ending where the good characters get some kind of redemption. I'll think twice before I pick up another one by this author.

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