New Dork Times

"Never Knowing," by Chevy Stevens

2011-07-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

I think it's impossible not to like Chevy Stevens' books. I loved "Still Missing," and "Never Knowing" is a pretty great second novel.

This novel follows Sara Gallagher as she attempts to find her birth parents. The fear and disgust Sara's birth mother feels upon being found don't make sense, so Sara hires a private investigator, who finds out the woman is really the only victim who ever escaped Canada's notorious Campsite Killer. Once she adds up the math, Sara realizes with horror that she is the daughter of a serial rapist and killer--one who is still on the loose.

She wants to forget all about it, or at least deal with it in therapy, but somehow the media gets a hold of the story. And then a man calls, claiming to be her father ...

I don't want to go into any more detail because this really is a compelling book that will keep readers speeding through to the very end. But I have to point a few things I didn't like. In Stevens' first book, the protagonist tells her story to a therapist. I loved it. In this novel, the protagonist again tells the whole story to her therapist. What worked the first time felt uninspired this time around. But it's not enough to put off any readers. Second, Sara's daughter, Ally, is a brat. I loathe misbehaving children in real life, so why would I want to read about them? Especially when the parent does nothing to curb the bad behavior. (I'm looking at you, "Certain Girls," by Jennifer Weiner. Yech.) Finally, I felt Sara's treatment of her fiance was pretty terrible at times. She freaks out about things, he tries to help, she treats him even worse. It put me off at times.

In all, Sara is a flawed yet interesting and compelling character. Stevens does a great job of humanizing what others would consider a monster, much like in her first novel. She's comfortable with her characters, knows them well. And she can really tell a story. I'd highly recommend this to mystery-genre lovers.

4.5 stars

"Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale," by Carolyn Turgeon

2011-07-27T22:25:00.000-07:00

Long ago, the world between humans and mermaids was permeable. But after the sea queen decreed absolute separation, the only time a mermaid or merman could visit the top world was on their 18th birthday.

Lenia has always been intrigued by land, by humans, and waited impatiently for her own 18th birthday to see for herself what humans are like. But a powerful storm rages as she rises to the top of ocean, where she sees a ship torn asunder and humans drowning all around her. She is drawn to one young man, admiring his vulnerability and his fight to stay alive, so she pulls him to shore.

In a convent at the end of the world, a princess, Mira, hides from the enemies of her father's kingdom, warriors from the south. As she stares out at the turbulent sea, she witnesses a woman pull a man to shore. Mira is astonished to witness a mermaid, having only heard stories about the creatures when she was a child.

Both Mira and Lenia fall in love with the young man (in mere moments), who turns out to be a prince from the south ... The son of Mira's father's enemy. Christopher is nursed back to health at the convent; Lenia must return to her home, where she moons over the stranger she saved; and Mira's father rages to the convent upon hearing of the young man, who has recuperated and gone by the time the soldiers arrive.

The next third of the book chronicles a lot of longing: Mira wants Christopher; Lenia wants Christopher; Christopher wants the woman who saved him from drowning (Lenia) and whom he spent time with in the convent (Mira). (He thinks they are the same person.)

I wanted to like this book, but it's basically about all the ways women give up themselves and sacrifice their happiness for a man. And no, it's not written that way to make readers think or to introduce irony to tweens. Sadly, it's serious. One woman sacrifices her freedom in the name of staving off war. Of course, getting a man she "loves" is part of her willingness. The other woman sacrifices her voice and the core of who she is (her tail) to get the man she "loves." And why wouldn't Christopher fall for the gorgeous, almost ethereal girl who can't say boo to him? She just gazes at him with adoring eyes and allows him her heart, her body, her silence.

The final third is the expected girl-hating-girl drama, where no one puts blame on the boy. Sad, really. Sad for all the young, impressionable girls out there who'll eat this up and not think twice.

2 stars

"The Agency," by Ally O'Brien

2011-07-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

Tess Drake has worked hard in London's literary world as an agent for authors. She has a gorgeous apartment, a secret lover, and a client she's helped rake in millions. Then her boss winds up dead from erotic asphyxia, leaving Tess' nemesis in charge of the agency. Having kicked around the idea of starting her own agency for a few years, the timing seems right. However, everything else seems to go wrong: her biggest client, Dorothy, faces a plagiarism claim; the police seem to think Tess has something to do with the untimely death of her boss; her brilliant yet underrated client Oliver is on the brink of suicide (barring divine Tom Cruise intervention); and Tess has just blurted out the dreaded "L" word to her married lover.

Tess is a flawed character who has burned a lot of bridges. She prides herself on not worrying what others think of her, but that comes back to haunt her when she's left to face who her real friends are.

Some readers may be put off by Tess' attitude, her language and actions. I loved her. She's dirty-mouthed, she's smart, she's a hard-working dynamo. And did I mention funny? This book made me laugh a lot!

FYI, this book is a collaboration between the amazingly talented mystery writer Brian Freeman and a real literary agent. I really hope there's a follow-up book!

4.5 stars

"Dead Reckoning," by Charlaine Harris

2011-07-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

While I enjoyed this book about a billion times more than the previous two or three, I just wish the series would end. Sookie wasn't as annoying this time around, but her circumstances never change. She always has a fierce enemy and a love interest that is bound to go wrong.

In addition, Sookie spends most of the book thinking/commenting on how Sam's girlfriends are always so bad for him. As Sam has said about Sookie's lovers throughout the entire series. Like we don't know where this is heading. We get it, Charlaine. You're ending the series, and it'll be Sookie and Sam together, the most lukewarm, uninspired couple anyone could think of pairing.

Many other reviewers complained about a lack of adhering to the series' timeline, but it didn't phase me, probably because I only read the books as they come out and then promptly forget the plot.

I'm disappointed in the direction the series took. Sookie was once a strong, willful character who looked out for herself and her friends/family. She loved deeply and was loyal. After Bill was out as her boyfriend, it's like any guy who came along was good enough to screw. Yet she still judges her brother for his relationship mishaps.

I talked myself out of a four-star review and gave it three stars. Really dislike the Sookie-and-Sam thing.

3 stars

"Graveminder," by Melissa Marr

2011-07-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

Rebekkah Barrow is forced to come back to Claysville to bury her beloved grandmother, who was murdered. There she finds former friend and lover Byron, whom she has pushed away time and time again. But the two have to come together in a way neither of them could have ever predicted.

Long ago, the fathers of Claysville made a contract to keep their town members healthy and to always have their needs met. In exchange, a Barrow woman must be a Graveminder. She keeps the dead in the ground by offering food, drink and words. If any dead escape, she must bring them back to Charles (aka Mr. D) in a world that is neither heaven nor hell. But the Graveminder cannot open the gate to that world herself. She must always be attended by her Undertaker, who keeps her tethered to the living when she longs to join the dead.

Rebekkah, the Graveminder, and Byron, the Undertaker, unite to find Bek's grandmother's murderer, a walking dead girl who becomes stronger each time she eats human flesh.

This was an interesting storyline, and Mr. D's world was richly described, but the rest was kind of boring. Rebekkah's constant pushing away of Byron when they both clearly love each other got repetitive and annoying. And another character, Amity Blue, was very intriguing but was quickly dropped toward the end. She had a sexual relationship with Byron before Rebekkah came back to town, and despite assuring that she wanted a no-strings relationship, it was obvious she had feelings for him. Her other love interest became a walking dead, and later Bek says she wants Amity to take her place as Graveminder should something happen to her. However, Amity is then never mentioned again.

Charlie, Mr. D, was also interesting. He didn't have nearly enough time in the book, though he was an integral part of the plot. If there's a follow-up, I hope he gets a bigger spotlight.

The story pushed forward quickly; it was never boring. I just kept wishing for something more.

3 stars

"The Weird Sisters," by Eleanor Brown

2011-07-03T22:25:00.000-07:00

This was a fine book with pretty decent writing, but it wasn't terribly engaging. Three sisters wind up living back at home with their parents in the sleepy college town where they grew up. Daughters of a Shakespeare scholar, Rosalind (Rose), Bianca (Bean) and Cordelia (Cordy) feel their fates are tied up in their literary namesakes. Each is screwed up in her own way, though not to the degree that they are unlikeable or cannot be redeemed.

Rose is the oldest, the caretaker. She babies her sisters, takes care of her absent-minded parents, plans out her life to the smallest detail. But when her fiance Jonathan is offered a teaching position in England, her world is thrown out of order.

Bean retreats from the expensive and high-maintenance life of New York City when her spending habits and thievery catch up to her. She attempts to forget her guilt and money troubles in booze and sex.

Free-spirited Cordy, her father's favorite, the baby of the family, is forced to think about someone other than herself when she finds herself pregnant.

The sisters' mother, diagnosed with breast cancer, presents a convenient excuse for the three to return home.

I enjoyed the prose to a certain extent, including the many Shakespeare quotations with which the family peppered their conversations. This was a definite character-development heavy plot, so don't expect a fast-paced, beach read. If you're looking to slow down and savor the text, this may well be the right book for you.

3.5 stars

"In Search of Mockingbird," by Loretta Ellsworth

2011-06-23T20:41:00.000-07:00

Took me just a few hours to read the entire book, which is a sweet story about a girl trying to feel close to the mother she never knew. The day before her 16th birthday, Erin's father announces his engagement to a woman he's been dating. To soften the blow, he hands over Erin's mother's diary from when she was 16. This only serves to upset her more since her father never talks about his late wife and all Erin has had is her mother's beloved and well-read copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird."

When she reads in the diary that her mother once wrote to author Harper Lee, Erin decides she needs to meet Lee herself. She sneaks out of the house and takes a Greyhound bus to the reclusive author's hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.

This road-trip story of a teen girl finding her way in the world was cute and would be a good book for young readers. However, I think the dangers of running away from home and interacting with strangers was really glossed over. The setting is 1986 in Minnesota, so I'm sure it's meant to show that it was more of an innocent time. Still ...

Not a terribly thought-provoking or engaging book, but it was cute.

3.5 stars

"Beauty Queens," by Libba Bray

2011-06-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

I've given up on Libba Bray. Maybe I should consider her Gemma Doyle trilogy a beautiful exception to an otherwise clunker of a catalog. This book and her "Going Bovine" were absolutely terrible. And yet, she had a really great story in the "Zombies Vs. Unicorn" anthology. So what is going on, Ms. Bray?

I thought the premise of this book was fun and interesting: a plane bearing 50 Teen Dream beauty pageant queens and their TV crew crashes on an island. The surviving girls have to fend for themselves. What's not to like with this idea? Plenty of room for character growth, plot twists, and so on.

Instead, "Beauty Queens" tries so hard to be funny that it's painfully UNfunny. Every page has at least one footnote to "hilariously" explain the reference to some beauty product, reality TV show, celebrity, etc. The girls are hideously vapid, completely unfazed by the deaths of their fellow passengers, more worried about how they'll shave their legs than how they'll survive the jungle.

Except Bray wants to show that underneath all that, the girls are very intelligent, feeling, suffering from labels society has placed on them. The middle of the book was actually quite good (the only reason I gave the book the two stars), delving into the lives of each teen queen. These sections were written tenderly, each girl's personal story shared with respect and without the cheesy product placements or like, the, you know, like, speech impediments.

Despite their ballgown upbringing, we're expected to accept that they knew how to build huts, filter rainwater, dig an irrigation system and know which jungle goods were okay to eat.

Bray wants the reader to take her characters seriously, but *she* didn't take them seriously. The middle, like I said, was rather lovely. There's no reason that the entire book couldn't have had that tone and still use subtle humor. Instead of making fun of the teens, we could have been rooting them on. However, I had to cheer myself on just to finish the book.

2 stars

"Allison Hewitt Is Trapped: A Zombie Novel," by Madeleine Roux

2011-06-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

There's no warning for Allison Hewitt when The Infected crash through the window of her bookstore. In seconds, customers are dead, then reanimating and coming for her. She and a few co-workers manage to lock themselves inside the breakroom--just a reinforced steel door separating them from flesh-eating zombies.

What's a girl to do in the midst of the apocalypse? Why, start a blog, of course!

Allison has found a mysterious, wireless internet connection called SNet, and she writes down everything that happens in the days, weeks, months ahead. Friends are made and lost, love complicates survival, and the living are outnumbered by the dead.

This was a great look at what it means to be on the brink of extinction and how it can either bring out the best or the worst in people. I wasn't sure in the first few pages if it was going to be worth continuing as it just didn't pull me in immediately. I'm glad I stuck with it, though; it was intense, action-packed, humorous, and thought-provoking. No, I wouldn't have made all the same choices that Allison made, but she was likeable, smart, funny, brave, and genuine.

Interesting note: Author Madeleine Roux began this novel as an experimental fiction blog, and it quickly spread in popularity online. Also, she's from Wisconsin. How could I not love her? Can't wait for her next book, out in 2012, "Sadie Walker is Stranded."

5 stars

"Bossypants," by Tina Fey

2011-06-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

Let me just say one thing first: I loved Tina Fey long before "30 Rock."

I love funny women, and my favorite sketches from SNL have featured Tina, Molly Shannon, Cheri Oteri and Amy Poehler.

But reading Tina's memoir really awakened for me the sense that there are people out there who think women aren't funny. Which, honestly, is just coconuts. The behind-the-scenes look at her making it as an improv actor, a comedy writer and a sitcom actor/boss was a real eye-opener. Acerbic wit combined with an awkward honesty made for laugh-out-loud reading.

I kind of want to transcribe here all of the hilarious parts that made me spit on myself, but I'm pretty sure that would be copyright infringement. And, also, you'd have no reason to go get the book yourself. One excerpt has already made the rounds, "The Mother's Prayer for its Daughter," so I'll share just my favorite part from that:

"And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it."

Seriously, what the hell are you waiting for? Go get this book!

5 stars

"Immoral," by Brian Freeman

2011-06-23T20:29:00.000-07:00

Brian Freeman is a hell of a writer. The setting, Duluth, Minn., is such an important factor in the book that it's like one of the main characters. The reader can almost feel the bite of the fierce wind blowing off of Lake Superior, can see that hill littered with old houses battered by harsh northern winters.

Another thing Freeman does well is he creates back stories for characters even if we only see that character for one chapter. I loved how he just fills in these blanks and really fleshes out moments that can be as beautiful as they are disgusting.

Detective Jonathan Stride and partner Maggie Bei search for a missing teenage girl, the second to disappear in about 15 months. With the press and public hounding them, they seem to catch the bad guy despite producing any bodies. But not all is as it seems. In fact, just when we think the story has wrapped, we get a flash forward of three years, when everything has changed. Truths are revealed as lies; what was thought to be lies were truths. And the repercussions are great.

I have read one of Freeman's books that is actually fourth in the series before I read this, the first of the series. I had absolutely no problem reading them out of order, and at a recent signing, Freeman encouraged readers to enjoy them in any order. I will most definitely be reaching for the next Stride book.

5 stars

"Graceling," by Kristin Cashore

2011-05-29T07:05:00.000-07:00

Katsa, niece to a king, is a Graceling, a person born with an extreme skill. In her case, she is capable of fighting an army of grown men without any harm to herself. This makes her invaluable to the king, who uses her as a thug to hurt people and keep them in line. She believes herself a monster, and it isn't until meeting a young man, Po, who appears to also be Graced with a fighting skill, that she realizes she may not be a bad person after all.

At 471 pages, this book was entirely too long. It's a book about journeys--physical, emotional, mental. There isn't much action at all, which made the plot drag a bit. My interest was kept by the characters and their growth through the novel, but it really wasn't the most exciting story I've ever read. It's not one that I could recommend to others because what could I say about it? "They travel here, then they travel there, then they go there, then back again ..." Still, I cared to find out what happened next. I just feel this could have used some direction from an editor.

3 stars

"Zombies Vs. Unicorns," by Holly Black, ed., and Justine Larbalestier, ed.

2011-05-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

YA authors Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier engaged in a heated debate online about which was better: zombies or unicorns. So many people added to the argument that they rounded up other well-known YA authors to write stories for a collection to end the debate.

Frankly, I don't know why it's even up for discussion. Hands-down, zombies win. This collection only underscored that fact with the zombie stories being clever, funny, frightening, and vastly memorable to the pallid unicorn stories.

One of my faves was from Carrie Ryan, who took readers back to the same world as her "Forest of Hands and Teeth" takes place, not long after the infection raged across the earth. Her story, "Bougainvilla," was well-crafted and could very well have been molded into its own novel.

I also quite enjoyed "Love Will Tear Us Apart," by Alaya Dawn Johnson. A male zombie looking just for sex and brains falls for a young man who has been trained in weaponry to kill monsters. The language is graphic, the band references excellent, the nature of the story unapologetic.

Some of these stories definitely made me want to check out the authors' novels. Fun read.

4 stars

"Desires of the Dead," by Kimberly Derting

2011-05-18T22:06:00.000-07:00

Follow-up to “The Body Finder,” this second offering by Kimberly Derting finds Violet still afraid to let anyone in on her secret: she can sense dead bodies, animal and human. These bodies call to her in various ways—smells, sounds, flashes of light—and can wreak havoc on her senses. Only when the body is found and given a proper burial can Violet find peace from the calling. These imprints, as she calls them, even remain with the person who has done the killing. This was what got her in trouble in the first book.

This time around, Violet anonymously calls in a tip for authorities to locate a body and finds herself under the watchful eye of an FBI consultant, Sarah Priest. She avoids contact with the woman as much as possible, pretending not to know anything about having a special gift. But Sarah Priest has a secret, too, that has to do with a cute, intense boy named Rafe.

Meanwhile, Violet is navigating new territory with best friend and new boyfriend Jay. And someone else is very unhappy with their relationship, someone willing to try to scare Violet away from Jay.

It’s been a while since I read “The Body Finder,” but I recall enjoying it a lot. Though I did like “Desires of the Dead,” I found myself getting annoyed by Violet. She came off controlling at times, even emasculating boyfriend Jay. Whenever their “homework” sessions (i.e. making out) got too serious and Jay pulled back, Violet would taunt him with “you’re such a girl” or make comments about he was the girl and she was the guy. It was like because Violet is female, she can get away with putting pressure on her boyfriend for sex. Not just that, but calling him names at times. I’m sure the author thought this was harmless, something to add levity to serious situations, but it put me off the character immensely.

However, Violet wasn’t consistently acting like this, so it didn’t pull me away from the story completely. I still enjoyed the book and would read the next Body Finder novel. I just hope the author takes into consideration the message she’s sending via her character. Strong female voices are important, especially in young adult fiction, and Derting has an opportunity and a responsibility to present the kind of heroine to which other young women can aspire.

I Solemnly Swear ...

2011-05-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

... to do a better job of updating this blog.

As a punishment, I spent the last three hours posting reviews of all the books I've read so far in 2011. Hope you can find some good suggestions for yourself amongst them.

~April

"The Enemy We Know," by Donna White Glaser

2011-05-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

Letty is a fantastic character, a therapist struggling to keep her professional life professional and her personal life sober.

New to AA, Letty is on a path of regaining control of her addiction to alcohol, but a stalker aims to trip her up at every step. The strength of this character is that she relies on her humor to make the best of the situation, to get her through hard times. It's also a double-edged sword because it helps her deflect from the very real danger she is in.

Author Glaser kept me chuckling throughout, even out-right guffawing in parts. To be completely honest, I was hired to proofread this book, so any mechanical errors to be found are completely my fault. You see, the book was so compelling that I sometimes found myself not working, but racing through pages to see what happens next.

Great first book, and I absolutely cannot wait to read the next Letty Whittaker mystery! Visit Donna's website here and sign up to win a free copy of "The Enemy We Know."

5 stars

"The Dark & Hollow Places," by Carrie Ryan

2011-05-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you something. Carrie Ryan knows how to write a book. Her writing is so fine-tuned, there isn't a single sentence that should be cut. She knows how to build and break tension, how to amp up horror, how to give moments of utter peace, and how to create a world so unique, terrible, and lonely that it breaks your heart. Yet you cheer on the characters, your heart races along with theirs, your muscles tense as if to join their fight, you hope against hope for a happy ending.

Carrie Ryan knows how to write a book.

In this third offering, a companion to "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" and "The Dead-Tossed Waves," Annah survives in a world that is nearly completely overcome by plague rats--Mudo, Unconsecrated. Zombies. Left on her own for nearly three years as Elias (first seen in "Dead-Tossed Waves") joined up with the Recruiters, Annah has learned to take care of herself. She blends in with crowds, keeps to herself, and lives with the guilt for having once left her bleeding, frightened twin sister, Abigail, in the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

As she's about to set off to finally find her sister, convinced Elias will never return, Annah sees her sister in the Dark City as she is taken prisoner by the Recruiters. Meeting up with Catcher (also from DTW), they find Elias just as a horde of the Mudo break down the barriers to the Dark City. In order to save themselves, Catcher, who is infected but immune to the disease, making him unnoticed by Mudo, turns himself in to the Recruiters in exchange for the safety of the others. Catcher uses his ability to walk among the Mudo unscathed to scavenge for supplies and is kept in line by the threat of harm against Annah, Elias and Gabry (Abigail).

The backdrop of millions of undead clamoring for their blood serves only to highlight the cruelty of the Recruiters as they kill other humans for sport and try to use Annah and Gabry for their own sick pleasures. Annah and the others are left to wonder what kind of world they are trying to survive for if what's left is so poisoned.

5 stars

"The Dead-Tossed Waves," by Carrie Ryan

2011-05-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

This book wasn't as wonderful as "The Forest of Hands and Teeth," but it was still pretty excellent.

A companion to "Forest," this novel is told from the point of Gabry, daughter of the first book's main character. Unlike her mother Mary, Gabry is frightened of almost everything. She wants to keep her safe life at the lighthouse where she's grown up, but a single decision puts in motion a world of changes.

When a Mudo attack leaves a few friends dead, her best friend captured for punishment, and her crush Catcher infected, Gabry tries to make sense of it all. When her mother leaves the city to return to the Forest of Hands and Teeth in order to search for those she left behind so long ago, Gabry feels abandoned and seeks help from Elias, a young man beyond the barrier who is on a mission of his own.

Catcher realizes he is immune to the infection and can move among the Mudo undetected. He uses this ability to stage a fake breach of Mudo to create a diversion among the militia in order to rescue his sister from her imprisonment. When the militia, called Recruiters, realize Catcher is immune, they stop at nothing to capture him and use him. Catcher, Gabry, Elias and Cira escape to the Forest to find Gabry's mother and to try to elude the Recruiters.

Like Carrie Ryan's first book, "The Dead-Tossed Waves" has a great love triangle, intense heartache, and a terrifying and lonely world that is difficult to forget.

4 stars

"City of Fallen Angels," by Cassandra Clare

2011-05-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

This book was a major letdown. It's mostly a lot of lead-up to the ending with nothing happening through the rest of it. I'm glad Simon and Isabelle were featured more, but the Jace and Clary drama was just ridiculous. Granted, most teenagers are ridiculous in their angst and hormones and their feelings of "no one will ever understand me!" But characters should rise above that, not wallow in it.

Jace tortures himself over and over again about his upbringing, his father Valentine versus his real father Stephen Herondale, his feelings about his feelings (I know, right? Annoying much?), how he doesn't really deserve happiness with Clary.

Clary doesn't understand why Jace is pulling away from her, so she decides to stay away from him. More drama and doubt and zero communication.

And then there's the sickly sweet reunion between them before, shocker, Jace turns dark inside again.

Basically, the whole book is like a place-holder for Clare's next book. If the first three in the series weren't so darn good, I'd be severely annoyed at having wasted my time reading this one. The only saving grace was that we get more involved in the lives of Simon, Isabelle, Maia, Jordan, Alec and Magnus.

Sorry, Cassandra Clare. I love this series and your writing talent, but this falls far short of what you're capable of.

2 stars

"City of Glass," by Cassandra Clare

2011-05-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

Second time around reading this book in preparation for "City of Fallen Angels."

There was plenty of action in this third installment of the Mortal Instruments series, as well as tension for Jace and Clary as they struggle with their feelings for each other. Valentine's diabolical plans are clear: to infiltrate the City of Glass and take down the Clave. How he hopes to accomplish this isn't so clear, at least until the end.

The introduction of possible new love interests for Jace and Clary serve as a way they can rid themselves of inappropriate feelings toward each other. Simon is also given a chance to become more of the story, proving to the Shadowhunters that he is strong and trustworthy.

I felt this was a strong book and would have made a great end to a great series. Unfortunately, Clare's "City of Fallen Angels" prolonged the storyline, and not in a good way. I can only hope the fifth book brings back the action and amazing level of writing talent I know that Clare possesses.

5 stars

"Sh*t My Dad Says," by Justin Halpern

2011-05-14T15:07:00.000-07:00

I followed "Sh*t My Dad Says" on Twitter for a while before Justin Halpern got his book deal, so I knew I had to eventually read the book. It was really nice to get some back story on Justin and his 73-year-old father, Sam Halpern. Between his dad's profanity-laced quotes on everything from life and girls to pets and sports, young Halpern chronicles his relationship with his straight-talking, tough-love-style father.

This book isn't for the easily offended or for those who have no sense of humor. Sam Halpern, like it or not, doesn't mince words. And it's not always easy to take. It's definitely hard to imagine liking someone so blunt and who thinks nothing of dropping f-bombs when speaking to his 6-year-old. There's a lot more to the elder Halpern, though; his love for his family is evident.

Fave quote:
On Getting an Internship at Quentin Tarantino's Production Company
"That is one ugly son of a bitch ... Oh, yeah, no, congratulations. If you see him, try not to stare at his face if you've eaten anything."

4 stars

"City of Ashes," by Cassandra Clare

2011-05-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

**Spoiler alert** Don't read this review if you haven't read the first book yet.

Book 2 in the series finds Clary dealing with the emotional fallout of learning Jace is her brother. She turns to best friend Simon to lose herself in something resembling love, but pretending does neither of them well. Her mother is still in a comatose state and her father, Valentine, is still perpetrating horrific acts of violence and destruction in the attempt to collect all three Mortal Instruments.

Clary and Jace each begin to realize the special gifts Valentine has given them while negotiating the minefield of their feelings for each other. Adding to their difficulties is the conviction of the Clave's Inquisitor that Jace is secretly helping Valentine.

Lots of action in this book. Kept me up until 2 a.m. to finish, even though I've already read it once before. That's good writing, folks.

5 stars

"City of Bones," by Casssandra Clare

2011-05-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

Re-reading series since the fourth book just came out. Still love this as much as the first time I read it.

After her mother suddenly disappears, Clary discovers the world is inhabited by demons, vampires, werewolves and other Downworlders and that she, herself, comes from a line of Shadowhunters. Created by an angel, Shadowhunters protect humans by dispatching demons back to their own worlds. But one dark Shadowhunter long thought dead has come back with a new plan to rule the world as he sees fit.

Clary must search for and find the Mortal Cup before it ends up in the wrong hands. She joins Shadowhunters Alec, Isabel and Jace, along with her best friend Simon, as they battle vamps, a Greater Demon, and each other in their quest.

Complicating things is the attraction Clary and Jace have for each other, while poor Simon has been in love with Clary for years. An additional complication involves Valentine, but I won't spoil it for new readers.

Very "Harry Potter" meets "Twilight." Except with all the great writing of HP and none of the constant damsel in distress of "Twilight."

5 stars

"To Kill A Mockingbird," by Harper Lee

2011-05-14T14:52:00.000-07:00

I'm glad I reread this as an adult because I can appreciate the social commentary and message better. The story incorporates class struggles as much as racism, told by a young girl trying to figure out what keeps everyone separated. What a clever way to explore these themes without being preachy. After all, who can blame a child for her innocence and questioning?

Just as compelling is the mystery of Arthur "Boo" Radley. We meet him only once, at the end, yet his presence is missed throughout the novel.

It was difficult to read the "N" word at all, let alone as frequently as it was used in the book. But I stand by the author's use to show the times, the location, and the ugliness of those using it.

These admirable characters--Atticus, Jem, Scout, Boo, Calpurnia, Tom Robinson, etc.--will stick with me. Already I wonder what lives they led after the book's closing. That's the mark of fine craftsmanship.

5 stars

"Cloaked," by Alex Finn

2011-05-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

Takes on several old fairy tales: the shoemaker and elves; princess and the frog; the tailor who kills the giants; the old man and the magic fish; the six swans, etc.

This is more of a juvenile book than YA. Not a lot of substance, dependent mostly on magic to move the plot along.

A princess asks Johnny, who fixes shoes at a fancy Miami hotel, to find her brother-turned-frog. In exchange, Johnny gets money (his family is poor, so he desperately needs it) and her hand in marriage. He accepts and goes off on a journey filled with witches, magic cloaks, talking animals, murderous giants and paparazzi. Best friend Meg helps him and reveals some magic powers of her own.

Cute book for preteens. No swearing, harmless kissing scenes, moral wrap-up.

2 stars

"Beastly," by Alex Flinn

2011-05-14T14:47:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to read the book before seeing the movie "Beastly." Major difference, though, is that in the book, Kyle is literally turned into a beast. Hair covering his whole body, clawed hands, long snout. But he walked upright and talked like a human. From everything I've seen of the movie trailer, the curse just turns him into a tattooed version of Powder. (Yup, I just rocked a 1995 reference. Old school.)

Also, Lindy, the girl Kyle, who renames himself Adrian, falls for, is supposed to be very plain looking, with crooked teeth. Of course, not the movie version.

This was just an okay book. Entertaining, sure, but not likely to stay with me or to be something I'd recommend. I found it irritating that the more Adrian changed to a better person, the more he talked like a proper gentleman in British novels.

Meh.

3 stars

"The Night Season," by Chelsea Cain

2011-05-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

Serial killer Gretchen Lowell wasn't featured much in this book, but she's set up to reappear in the next one. Whenever that will be.

I wasn't as pulled in to "The Night Season" as I was with Cain's other books. Not sure why. Still like it a lot, but it didn't have that pull. Maybe because Gretchen had nothing to do with the killings in this plotline? They weren't as scary, either, or as gruesome.

Still love Archie and Susan. Man, I hope these are turned into movies. I love Archie's journey to recovery of being Gretchen's victim, of abusing drugs, of forgiving himself for mistakes. He's a very rich character.

4 stars

"Evil at Heart," by Chelsea Cain

2011-05-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

Second time I've read "Evil at Heart."

I love the way Chelsea Cain writes. She's pretty sick. I don't know how she can come up with the gruesome ways her serial killer, Gretchen Lowell, tortures people. It's pretty disturbing and off-putting to read, but in the most absorbing, addicting way.

You have to love main characters Archie Sheridan and Susan Ward. They're so compelling, especially Archie, who'd been Gretchen's only surviving victim. He suffers from sexual Stockholm Syndrome, is addicted to pain meds, and desperately wants to regain control over his life. Susan... Well, she just wants to be a journalist, not a reporter. She also wants Archie. Looking forward to see if that will play out in Cain's newest book, "The Night Season."

If you're a mystery book fan and aren't reading this series, you are big-time missing out.

5 stars

"Black Swan Rising," by Lee Carroll

2011-05-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

"Lee Carroll is a pseudonym for the collaboration between Hammet Award-winning mystery novelist Carol Goodman and her poet and hedge fund manager husband, Lee Slonimsky."

Parts of it reminded me of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods," but in a more reader-friendly sort of way. Several times I thought, "If Neil had written AG *this* way, I'd have loved it!"

Carol Goodman always has a way of weaving history, art, literature into her novels that make them feel alive. Even creating a story unlike her usual literary mysteries, she couldn't break away from that habit. And the story is richer for it.

I didn't fully feel the connection between Garet (Marguerite) and the vampire Will, but I guess it's explained in her living more than one life. Still... Eh. I wish there'd been more about her friend Jay.

There were times my eyes glazed over when reading about "transmigration of atoms" and changing to water, wind, etc.

Will definitely read the follow-up (I assume there will be) to see Garet's quest to find Will and the Summer Country (land of the fey).

4 stars

"The Radleys," by Matt Haig

2011-05-14T14:15:00.000-07:00

Super boring vampire novel. I kept thinking, "It'll get better." It didn't.

1 star

P.S. Sorry I couldn't put more effort into reviewing this book. I just didn't give a crap about the characters, so why bother?

"Breathers: A Zombie's Lament," by S.G. Browne

2011-05-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

A romantic zombie comedy--Rom Zom Com.

Andy fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a tree. He and his wife died, but he reanimated a few days later. Now he lives in his parents' basement, stinking up the joint with his decomposing body. His mother refuses to touch him, and his father frequently threatens to send him off to a zombie zoo or research lab. Andy goes to therapy and attends a zombie support group. He is frustrated with his unlife and the way he's treated by society--no rights, no freedoms, no protection from Breathers.

When Andy meets a new zombie friend who turns him and the support group onto the pleasures and benefits of eating human flesh, things take a turn for the better. Injuries heal, his heart begins to beat, he finds confidence and love with fellow support group member Rita.

If only the Breathers would acknowledge the zombies' rights to existence...

Great social commentary, funny, entertaining.

4 stars

"Clockwork Angel," by Cassandra Clare

2011-05-14T13:55:00.000-07:00

There wasn't really much about the clockwork angel--the necklace Tessa wears--in the book. Mostly that she wore it, then a brief scene toward the end when it animates and helps save her life. Didn't even seem to be that surprising to the main character.

Love the triangle with Tessa, Will and Jem. Even more so that it's so subtle between Jem and Tessa. Pretty sure only Will really notices. Should make for great scenes in next book.

Love the world of Shadowhunters. So much freedom for story lines, yet Clare sets rules and keeps it believable.

The villain isn't as scary as Valentine was in the first series, but there's room to grow.

Can't wait for next book!

4.5 stars

"The Other Side of Dark," by Sarah Smith

2011-05-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

Don't know where to start....

Katie sees ghosts ever since her mother died a year ago. A ghost of a young man, George, befriends her and tells her he guards an important treasure inside a condemned historic house. Meanwhile, Law Walker, who used to have a crush on Katie, finds himself interested again.

This book really takes on some tough issues--race, class, society, education, reparations. It also weaves Boston history into a haunted story--one all the more disturbing because of its basis in true events.

The writing didn't feel like a YA book, really. But with high school characters, what else could it be classified as? Very interesting book that would make excellent discussion for a book group.

4 stars

"The Lost Saint," by Bree Despain

2011-05-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

I liked the protagonist, Grace Divine, better in this second book. She goes to a darker place, struggles with her inner wolf versus the need to do good. Frankly, the first book had too much lovey family-ness for my taste. I kept picturing this really religious family in my town. I think Grace's struggles in this book made her much more relatable as a character than previously.

With boyfriend Daniel acting strange and disappearing often, her family life upside down, Grace begins to fall under the influence of Tal, who seems to know what she's going through. He helps her tune into her superpowers, but this leads her to begin losing herself to the wolf.

Daniel and Gabriel fight to keep her safe, but brother Jude--who has allowed the wolf to take him over--delivers Grace into the hands of a monster.

With a pretty decent cliffhanger, I'm left disappointed I don't already have the next book in hand.

4 stars

"Blood Song," by Cat Adams

2011-05-14T13:15:00.000-07:00

I don't think the two authors who collaborated in the writing agreed on what kind of book this was supposed to be. The first half was mostly serious with an occasional smartass remark by the protagonist. The second half had a lot more sarcastic, going-for-funny lines. Felt like I was reading MaryJanice Davidson's Betsy Taylor series. At least MJ Davidson had that style from the start and throughout her series, so you know exactly what the tone was supposed to be.

Protagonist Celia is bitten by a vampire and becomes an abomination--part human/part vampire. Many people/creatures want her dead. Very serious in the beginning, then suddenly Celia's always cracking jokes.

The revelation near the end of the book that she's part siren serves to 1) get her male help when she needs it and 2) to set up a sequel. Also, there were too many character names. I shouldn't have to think for several minutes on who each person is or who's being referenced. I'd probably read the sequel, but I'd be hoping the authors have settled on a set style.

3 stars

"Dances With Wolves," by Michael Blake

2011-05-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

I'm impressed with the author, who read books on Indian history for years and years before writing this book, his first novel.

I've long enjoyed reading about Native Americans, and keeping their history alive in the minds of the collective public is incredibly important. This book portrayed Comanches, though the movie portrayed Sioux. Blake noted the difference in the afterword but also said he felt the change was okay because their "essential components of spirit and wisdom" are the same.

Other difference--Dunbar is 29, Stands With A Fist is 26. Kevin Costner and the leading actress were greatly older. The book ending has Dances With Wolves and Stands With A Fist staying with the tribe. The movie shows them leaving camp so soldiers wouldn't track them down. I think the movie ending was much more heartfelt and heartbreaking. I have a feeling Blake couldn't bring himself to tear apart his characters. He was too close to them. Great book, though.

4 stars

"Mockingjay," Suzanne Collins

2011-05-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

** spoiler alert ** I am not at all satisfied with this ending. It feels too crushing. More heavy that it needed to be.

In the first two books, I raced through, enthralled by the action, the horror, the love triangle. The good/repressed/poor determined to defeat the bad/indulged/rich. The reader fell in love with all of the characters. This time around, there wasn't much more than our beloved characters being tortured, maimed, used, killed. A war waged between two powers, neither good, with the blood of citizens, merely pawns, soaking into the ground they fought over.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

And our hero? Katniss? Broken, burned, traumatized nearly beyond recognition. Did the author need to kill Prim? Need to isolate Katniss? It just all felt so heavy-handed. I invested in reading three books, put in a lot of caring. That much darkness can't be relieved by a two-page epilogue showing children and a vague happiness (or at least not a bone-crushing sadness) 15 years down the line.

3 stars

"Catching Fire," by Suzanne Collins

2011-05-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

I'm glad I waited until this trilogy was all published before I started reading it because I think I'd go crazy waiting for each next book.

With the Capitol still pulling strings, Katniss and Peeta were forced to enter the arena again for the Quell. This time there's a stronger background of not just underlying fury with the Capitol, but full-out riots and uprising. And Katniss is the districts' symbol of resistance, of hope. Whether she likes it or not.

I so love the character of Peeta. He's earnest, honest, warm, loving. I want Katniss to love him back, and I'm afraid of Gale--also a great character--ruining their relationship.

Tomorrow I start the final book in the trilogy. I anticipate war against the Capitol, lots of bloodshed, and at least one broken heart.

5 stars

"The Hunger Games," by Suzanne Collins

2011-05-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

Read it in two days. Loved everything about it. Katniss is a fantastic protagonist, strong but with room to grow. In a future United States, natural disasters have claimed most of the land and just 13 districts survive, ruled by The Capitol. Due to a failed uprising, The Capitol keeps its districts in line by annually holding the Hunger Games, in which one boy and one girl from each district are all forced to face off against each other in a televised fight to the death.

I was warned by several people about how disturbing this book is. It certainly isn't for the faint of heart, but I had not problems with its graphicness. It felt like a warning about those in power, about the battles we choose to fight. But I'm sensing that with growing anger and with citizens being fed up of being poor and hungry, there could be another uprising. Can't wait to read the next two books!

5 stars

"Thirteen Reasons Why," by Jay Asher

2011-05-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

OMG. This book is so disturbing!

Hannah Baker decides to kill herself, but first she records on tape all the reasons why she's made this decision. Next, she sends these tapes to the 13 people who've pushed her to this choice.

Alternately, we get the point-of-view of ninth listener Clay, a boy who had a crush on Hannah. While on one hand we see all the ways Hannah reached out for help, we also get the ways she didn't reach out. The ultimate theme is that everything affects everything else.

Poor Clay, hearing the voice of a girl he'd cared about describe all the terrible ways people had hurt and traumatized her--but hearing it much too late to help.

This book will stay with me for a long time to come.

5 stars

"Infinite Days," by Rebecca Maizel

2011-05-14T12:45:00.001-07:00

The book started out great, really putting a twist on the YA vampire niche. Lenah had been a vampire for 600 years before becoming human again through a magic ritual performed by her maker, Rhode.

I loved how Lenah wasn't sweet and innocent or needy. She reflected a lot on her evil past, the coven she'd created, the thousands she'd slaughtered. But halfway through, it just started getting typical YA/Twilight. Very disappointed by the killing off of a favorite character. I hate when authors kill off the best characters.

Also, I felt like the author relied on "magic" to explain everything. It allowed too much for her character to get away with without really having to account for the how. I liked the characters, though, and will definitely read the follow-up, out sometime this year.

3 stars

"April & Oliver," by Tess Callahan

2011-05-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

I disliked the 3rd person, present tense; it was distracting. There were too many character names, plus their nicknames, to keep track of. Also the author was too vague at times about ages of characters at all the different times they were shown.

I liked the dysfunction and pull of April and Oliver to each other. Interesting that Callahan didn't make April's abusive boyfriend wholly evil, but broken from life experiences.

I thought Bernadette was a strong character. She wasn't a one-dimensional girlfriend who is always insecure or a nag. She doesn't abuse April for the way Oliver feels about her. And I liked that Oliver didn't stray from Bernadette just because his feelings for April grew, changed, warped. He still loved her while being drawn into his past feelings for April.

I really liked that Oliver--so together, on the right path--found his world become confusing and unsure, unstable. He couldn't really have a future with April--the screw-up, bad decision-maker--while still looking at her as someone who messed up her life. He'd hold all the power. He had to find his life come unraveled as well--law school, the piano, Bernadette.

I liked the ending. No long, drawn-out explanation of what happens next. Just an extension of communication from Oliver to April. Leaves the reader with a hope that finally these two can be who they want and need to be with each other and for themselves.

3 stars

Faithful Place, by Tana French

2010-09-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

If you're a longtime follower of this blog, you may recall how much I loved Tana French's debut novel "In the Woods." If not, check out my review here.

I loved her second book, "The Likeness," which followed a character from the first book.

Her third novel, "Faithful Place," follows a character from the second book. This is Frank Mackey's story, and it begins some 22 years previously in Mackey's old Ireland neighborhood, Faithful Place. Frank and his secret girlfriend Rose Daley have planned to run away together. In the dead of night, mid-winter, Frank waits on a quiet street for Rose to join him. She never does.

Fast forward to the present, and Frank, now a head honcho for the Undercover Squad, is a divorced father of a little girl. The only family member he keeps in touch with calls him in a panic about a suitcase that construction builders have found in a crumbling building in the neighborhood where Frank grew up. The suitcase appears to belong to Rose Daley.

Frank reluctantly makes his way home, a place he hasn't returned to since that night Rose deserted him. When a body is found inside the same crumbling building, Frank realizes his history is about to be rewritten.

I love French's style of writing. Her characters are always intriguing and believeable. I enjoyed this book just as much as the previous two, but I had two main problems with "Faithful Place." First off, French uses a certain phrase over and over again, throughout the entire novel. In the United States, where we'd probably use the phrase "touche," French uses "fair play to you." I gave up counting how many times it is used. It took me right out of the story because I was so irritated.

WARNING: DON'T READ THIS PARAGRAPH IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT SPOILERS!

Second, and more importantly, while I certainly liked the character of Frank Mackey, there was a major character flaw. Frank loathes his family. I get that. I've had moments like that myself. He's avoided them for 22 years, and when he gets back, he falls right back into old patterns. I get that, too. Family has a way of bringing out the worst in you. Really. But in Frank's case, he refuses to see how maybe two of his siblings could have had it worse than him. Anytime Frank's brother Shay talks about how bad it had been for him, Frank sneers and goads him. He flat-out doesn't accept that his older brother and sister had protected him from their father the best they could. This, in part, is a tool for French in setting up the big ending. However, for me, it made Frank less likeable.

SAFE TO READ AGAIN!

I didn't find the ending a surprise, but I did enjoy the book. I really, really hope French takes readers back to "In the Woods" and Rob's story. That mystery is unfinished, and she could do so much more with it. She's a fantastic writer, and though I wouldn't rave about "Faithful Place," I'd definitely read anything else she publishes.

3.75 stars

P.S. Dear authors, stop killing off favorite characters! It reeks of desperation and lack of imagination.

Ch-ch-changes!

2010-06-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

If you still check this blog, bless your sweet heart.

I've changed the blog template and layout, so hopefully that will inspire me to UPDATE!

My June-year's resolution is to take up reviewing books again. I mean, who *doesn't* want my opinion on the books I read? Right?

I just picked up a young adult book called "The Body Finder," by Kimberly Derting. You know how I love me some YA lit. And this one looks to be a good one. I'll let you know soon!

We have a winner, folks!

2009-02-18T11:31:00.001-08:00

Kelly Simmons has chosen a winner to receive an autographed copy of her book, Standing Still.

Congratulations to Gail F. (the first one) whose comment "So, is this your first sweater?" tickled Kelly's funny bone. She writes, "It both cracked me up and very much hit home, since I just finished knitting a sweater on Monday (my second one, I'll have you know.)"

She also wishes to thank everyone who left a comment, and I do as well! Come back and visit some time!

So you're an author, huh?

2009-02-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

Dear readers, I'm excited to announce that author Kelly Simmons (Standing Still) has graciously offered to write a guest post for New Dork Times. She's also giving away one autographed copy of her book to the person whose comment makes her laugh, intrigues her, or just plain catches her eye. Please leave a comment by Feb. 16, 4:30 p.m. central to be entered into the giveaway. Read on!

So You’re An Author, huh?

“Is this your first book?”

It’s the first question everyone asks, at every book club, every cocktail party, every casual conversation I have with another mom on the soccer field or volleyball court, as soon as one of my friends tell them I’m a writer and have they read my fabulous book, Standing Still? (Thank God for my chatty outgoing friends. If they worked in Hollywood I’d have that elusive movie deal wrapped up already.)

And it’s a simple question on the face of it, and yet, not an easy question for me to answer. Because while it is my first published book, it also occupies other numbers. The 8th novel I’ve written. The 5th novel that agents have evaluated. The 4th novel that made the rounds of editors, represented by my 3rd agent. The novel that came out after more than 15 years of writing and 3 years of editing.

These numbers are fascinating to some, and absolutely soul-crushing to others, so I have to be careful how I wield them. In a classroom full of MFA candidates, or a library full of would-be memoirists, or a book club filled with “Ihaveabookinme” types, these numbers scare the crap out of people. They’re dispiriting, discouraging, and well, kinda make me look like a loser. (When you spend 15 years doing something with no success, after all, what is the freaking universe telling you?)

Every so often, there is a brave follow-up question: What made you go on, in the face of so much rejection? I suspect people expect me to claim faith in a higher power, or a driving need to feed my family (remember JK Rowling in the coffee shop and her utilities turned off?). Or perhaps, they crave a more literary motivation: I promised my mother on her deathbed that I wouldn’t stop writing. My older brother is a rocket scientist and I have to prove that I’m smart too.

But the answer is smaller, and subtler: I knew I was a good writer. And while getting rejected was a bummer, writing gave me a simple pleasure, like planting bulbs or knitting a sweater. For many years, it has been my garden. And not everyone likes everything I plant. But I get to look at it, and enjoy it, everyday.

And that’s not for nothing, y’know?

Kelly Simmons, a former journalist and advertising creative director, is the author of Standing Still, in paperback February 10, and coming soon, The Bird House. She visits as many book clubs as she can (here’s a great article in The Philadelphia Inquirer about her visiting clubs:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/36618199.html). And she’s now offering an exclusive Book Group DVD to those she can’t. For more information, see her website: http://www.bykellysimmons.com/, or email her at kellysimmonswrites@yahoo.com.

The Heretic's Daughter, by Kathleen Kent

2009-02-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

The Heretic's Daughter chronicles the struggles of life in colonial Massachusetts: the backbreaking labor of farming, the terrors of smallpox, and the accusations of witchcraft from a superstitious community.

Sarah Carrier, 10, becomes aware of a land/house dispute between her mother Martha and her beloved uncle. An unpopularity within their small community, combined with Martha's unusual ways, sparks a cry of witchcraft, egged on by Sarah's uncle and cousin. Martha is jailed and put on trial, soon to be joined by Sarah and her three brothers.

The writing, first of all, is spectacular. Based on Kent's own family history, in which her grandmother nine generations back was hanged as a witch, Heretic's Daughter weaves despair and hope, bleakness and triumph. The mass amount of research put into this work is evident, but it doesn't bog down the story. It instead enriches the tale and helps create unforgettable characters.

4.5 stars

Coming Soon ...

2009-02-03T14:37:00.001-08:00

I'm sorry, my lonely blog. I've neglected you, haven't I? But never fear, I vow to update on a regular basis from now on. I've been reading some delicious YA books, and I know you'll want to familiarize yourself with them.

And I have an amazing surprise ...

Coming soon ...

"Certain Girls," by Jennifer Weiner

2008-06-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

A follow-up to the smash hit Good in Bed, Certain Girls brings back Cannie Shapiro years later. Her mother is out of the closet, her daughter Joy is about to have a bat mitzvah, husband Peter is a successful diet doctor, sister Elle still begs for money, and ex Bruce is still smarting from Cannie's vicious "fictionalized" portrayal of him in her debut novel. Though to be fair, he started it by chronicling their sex life in a national magazine.

So Girls is the dual story of Cannie and Joy. Cannie struggles with her daughter's growing problems with grades and a negative attitude, along with Peter's desire to have another baby. Unfortunately, due to complications with Joy's birth, Cannie'd had a hysterectomy, which leaves the couple looking for a surrogate.

Joy is thirteen, self-absorbed, hateful to her mother, and completely unlikeable. While I can understand her need to find out more about the book her mother had written so many years ago, especially since it's so based on reality, Joy is just a brat. The things she thinks about her mother made me want to slap her. She begins acting out: shoplifting, lying, sneaking out of state to a party. Then she steals her mother's credit card, books a flight and fancy hotel, along with a car and driver, and hops a plane to California to find her grandfather, certain that her mother, aunt, uncle, and grandmother have all been terribly wrong about what a jerk the guy is. Oh, shocker, she finds out he is a jerk. But what kind of punishment does Joy get for this escapade? She gets the extremely expensive dress that she'd been whining about getting for her bat mitzvah. And grounded for a month. Boo hoo.

As if this wasn't annoying enough, the best character gets killed off. I'm so sick of writers using this as a plot point to finish off a book. It's unnecessary, cruel to the readers, and just stinks of manipulation.

2 stars

"The Year of Disappearances," by Susan Hubbard

2008-06-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

I've been putting off reviewing this book because it pains me to give a negative review when I so much loved The Society of S, its predecessor.

The Year of Disappearances picks up where Society left off, with 14-year-old Ariella (who can pass for 21) living with her mother in Florida, learning how she fits as a vampire in a human world. When a new friend disappears, suspicion falls on Ariella, whose best friend had been murdered only months before. With her incredible intelligence and maturity, Ariella is sent off to a private college by her mother to get away from the town's harassment. But a friend is murdered there, as well.

The story really has a lot of potential. How could it not, with Society's haunting prose and intelligence? But Hubbard just seemed bent on packing as many unnecessary elements into the plot as possible. Besides vampires and classes of vampires, which didn't bother me, there were also evil harbingers, sasas (demons that can take over animals or humans), black market drugs that humans think can turn them into vamps, and a (secret) vampire running for president. All of this is thrown in with the series of disappearances/murders taking place around Ari, and by the time that mystery is solved, the whole plot has just become so convoluted that I could care less.

Factor in this teenage girl dealing with being a vampire, having her first real relationship and thinking about sex, her friends missing or murdered, her father deathly ill, college at age 14 -- that's enough for one novel, don't you think? So I asked the 15-year-old, vamp-loving, book-devouring girl who regularly comes to the library what she thought of The Year of Disappearances.

"The author tried too hard," she said. And that best sums it up.

2.75 stars

"The Host," by Stephenie Meyer

2008-05-26T12:01:00.001-07:00

In the world that Meyer has created, alien souls have taken over the world and inhabit the bodies of humans, called hosts. They carry on life in much the same way humans once did, with the exception that there is no violence.

When a renegade human woman, Melanie, has been captured after living for years in hiding, a special soul is placed inside of her. Named Wanderer for the many planets she has lived on, the soul's duty is to reveal Melanie's memories and secrets to a Seeker, one who locates these renegade humans. The Seeker, a particularly (and unusual for souls) nasty woman, is determined that Wanderer find out through Melanie's memories if there are any more humans in hiding.

There is one problem, though: Melanie hasn't really gone away. She is still locked up in Wanderer's mind, and she won't let the intruder get the information she needs. Through months of work, Wanderer recovers memories of two other humans, Melanie's brother Jamie and the love of her life, Jared. In fact, the memories are so rich and emotional, that Wanderer herself cannot help falling in love with them. Melanie convinces Wanderer that they need to find them to make sure they are safe, which means escaping the Seeker and locating a hidden reserve in the Arizona desert.

This summary is already long, and this was just the first 100 pages of the 600-page book. While the beginning was a bit slow, which is typical when an author has to not only introduce a foreign idea or concept of a world but then also explain how it came to be and so forth, there was enough action and heart to the story to get me to keep reading. And I'm glad I did! I thoroughly enjoyed The Host.

Once Wanderer (in Melanie's body, remember) finds the people she's looking for, will they believe that Melanie is still alive inside, or will they shoot Wanderer on sight? And how exactly does it work when two women in one body love the same man?

Now, there were a few problems. First, the book, as I mentioned, is pretty long. However, it doesn't drag. There is a lot of action and a lot of emotion in the book, and I couldn't help but be drawn in. Those who had a problem with Meyer's main character Bella in the Twilight series will no doubt have problems with Wanderer as well. As this alien soul, Wanderer is adverse to violence in any form, so expect a lot of cringing, a lot of crying, a lot of trembling ... and eventually, a lot of male protection.

On the other hand, it has its purpose. Its meant to show the ugliness that is within all humans, though who could blame their feelings of hate toward beings who essentially took away the lives of their hosts? And Wanderer's self-sacrificing nature is meant to show the goodness and love that can overcome hate. While they seem at odds, Wanderer will find that humans aren't all inherently monsters, as she will find that she is more like the humans than she'd have ever believed. Likewise, the humans (some of them, anyway) will see that their notions of the souls as evil parasites isn't as cut and dried as they thought.

Would definitely recommend The Host to sci fi fans. They'll appreciate all the worlds Wanderer describes as her previous homes. And I'll definitely read the book again sometime ... probably when the sequel comes out (because you know there'll be one!).

4 stars

"Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen," by Susan Gregg Gilmore

2008-04-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

Catherine Grace Cline is the daughter of a preacher in Ringgold, Georgia, and is desperate to leave her small-town life. Every week she and her younger sister sit at the local Dairy Queen, eating dilly bars and plotting their escape. Catherine Grace resists the pull of marriage to a high school sweetheart and the wishes of her father to remain, and always whines about why God has forsaken her (her mother dies when Catherine Grace is young, so she is forced to do things like go to a mother-daughter tea party as a server. *gasp*).

She turns 18, moves to Atlanta. Dad and sister want her to come home for a visit, she's too busy, blah blah blah. Oh, no! Tragedy strikes! (More like lame, overused plot points.) CG goes home, more "Why, God, why?" moments, then there's a sort of miracle and suddenly "I guess God is a pretty good guy after all." Aw, shucks.

Pardon me while I throw up a little.

Now, I fully admit that I'm not a big fan of the Southern voice, not if it's all about daddy and people with three first names and Sunday picnics by the lake. Gag me. But I tried really hard to get past all of that. While there were some amusing parts, and there's definitely heart to the story, I just couldn't get into it. I should tell you that my co-worker loved it and probably thinks I'm too picky (does she not know all the vampire fiction I've read?). So, take it as you will. While I don't doubt finding salvation at a Dairy Queen (who but God could have created the deliciousness of ice cream?), this book just left me with the waxy taste of cone coating in my mouth.

2.5 stars

"Standing Still," by Kelly Simmons

2008-04-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

Claire has three young daughters, a husband who spends most nights away on business, and a secret past that has left her with a panic disorder. On an evening when her husband Sam is gone, Claire hears glass breaking upstairs. When she reaches her oldest daughter's room, an intruder is standing with the girl in his arms. Claire offers herself in exchange and is unknowkingly caught up in scheme more complex than just a kidnapping for ransom.

For the next week, she is held captive in a hotel room with the kidnapper. Worried for the safety of her family, she waits for the ransom to be paid, all the while wondering if her past has caught up to her and if more danger lies ahead.

I could not put this novel down. The late-night reading left me with headaches the next day, but it was worth it. I look forward to more books by this brilliant author, who brought to life a story by switching between present-day scenes and snapshots of Claire's past. Expect to learn about the best and worst in humanity, and that sometimes you can find them both in one person.

5 stars

"The Next Thing on My List," by Jill Smolinski

2008-04-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

June Parker takes mercy on fellow Weight Watcher Marissa, whom she sees teetering down a sidewalk on high-heeled shoes, and offers her a ride. A freak car accident leaves Marissa dead and leaves June wracked with guilt, especially after cleaning the blood off of Marissa's purse in order to return it to the girl's family and finding a slip of paper that details all the things she'd hoped to accomplish before her 25th birthday. After months of moping and depression (and being dumped by her boyfriend), June visits Marissa's grave on the six-month anniversary of her death. She meets Marissa's brother and mentions the list she'd found. Because he is angry that June hadn't returned the paper, she blurts out that she intends to finish Marissa's list.

With the deadline of Marissa's 25th birthday, June sets out on tasks great and small, such as see a sunrise, change someone's life, and "Make Buddy Fitch pay." She enlists the help of a friend and a few co-workers to help her make her goals.

The Next Thing on My List was a very quick read and packs an emotional punch. Sure, it has its moments of predictability. On the other hand, it's always nice to read something that isn't mainly about getting a guy and wondering why he hasn't called. This book also shows how one person can have an amazing amount of influence on others' lives. I suggested Smolinski's book to co-workers, and each one loved it. Librarian approved!

I wasn't completely with the ending, as the guy June ends up with kinda skeeves me out. Points docked for the ick-factor.

4 stars

"Airman," by Eoin Colfer

2008-03-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

Conor Broekhart was born in a hot air balloon as it was being shot down by enemy fire. Talk about a dramatic entrance.

Conor's best friend is the princess Isabella, and after saving her in a tower fire by turning a flag into a parachute, he is knighted by the king and invited to daily lessons by famed swordsman and scientist Victor Vigny. As he grows into a young man, Conor and Victor explore the field of aeronautics, devising plans to create a heavier-than-air flying machine. Their dreams come to an abrupt halt when Conor witnesses the assassination of Victor and the king. He is thrown into a prison and told that the rest of the kingdom will be told he was an accomplice to the murders. There he toils in a mine for two years, plotting and planning an escape, becoming a man who will do what he has to to survive.

Though Airman is young adult fiction, it didn't feel like Colfer held anything back. The action and plotline was exciting, very Count of Monte Cristo. The character of Conor is well-developed, and though he is placed in extreme situations where one would expect the hero to take lives to save his own, Colfer never allows Conor to become a killer. I think anyone, teenager or adult, would thoroughly enjoy Airman. I may have to look into getting his other books.

5 stars

"Falling Boy," by Alison McGhee

2008-03-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

"Falling Boy" called to me from the bookstore shelf. Its provacative cover hinted at a graphic novel, but its content spoke of tragedy and perseverance. It was enough to make me take it to the cash register.

Joseph, 16, is wheelchair bound from an accident that he won't speak about. He is taken to Minneapolis, Minn., to live with and to work in the same bakery as his father. There we meet co-worker Zap, who is 17, and frequent visitor Enzo, who is 9. Zap and Enzo, sworn enemies for reasons unknown throughout most of the book, have one thing in common: they believe Joseph is a superhero. Zap tells stories to one and all about Joseph's ability to fly, proclaiming Joseph was injured after falling off a mountain. Enzo daily grills Joseph on his super powers, demanding to know why he refuses to stand and walk.

But the great power of this book comes from Joseph. The reader cannot help but be swept up in his story as he struggles to find himself, to cope with this life and handicap, to forgive and accept his humanness.

McGhee's writing tantalizes by bringing magical elements into an otherwise tragic story, leaving readers with a sense of hope that Joseph will make it through the real world.

4 stars

"Atonement," by Ian McEwan

2008-02-28T14:36:00.000-08:00

With the movie being released March 18, I decided that I needed to read the book as soon as possible. And after dear Laura Llew gave it such a glowing review, how could I resist picking up a copy?

Unfortunately, the first third of the book was so bogged down with narration that I had to force myself just to continue reading. Obviously I love details, as shown by the title of my regular blog. But do I really need to read five pages about the mother's migraine, how she keeps it at bay, what she thinks about during her secluded hours while keeping it at bay and what she doesn't think about because it might make her pain worse? I don't need more than a brief account of the minor characters' histories unless it is absolutely crucial to the plot. Which most of it wasn't.

Then! Oh, then it got so much better! I couldn't stop reading. It was moving, it was haunting, it was deliciously painful.

However, the momentum didn't last. The ending left me feeling flat and resentful that I'd even read the book at all. I will still see the movie, as it is sure to be visually stunning. I'm still disappointed by the book, though.

3.5 stars (because the middle had such promise)

"Heartsick," by Chelsea Cain

2008-01-28T17:07:00.000-08:00

Oh, mama. I couldn't put this book down! It was dark and disturbing (very disturbing), but oh so tender in parts.

Archie Sheridan led a task force for 10 years, trying to find and stop a serial killer who was always three steps ahead of the feds. Then he walked right into her trap, and he was tortured for 10 days before she inexplicably let him go and turned herself in. Two years later, Archie's been called to head up a new task force to stop a serial killer who's preying on young girls. In addition to proving to himself that he can still help, he has to deal with his addiction to pain pills (10 days of torture, people!), the distance he's put between himself and his family, and face the woman who has left Archie with more than just physical scars.

5 stars

"20th Century Ghosts," by Joe Hill

2008-01-28T16:40:00.000-08:00

This motley crew of short stories in Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts will have you hooked from the very first page, almost without a break. Despite its name, not all of the stories have to do with ghosts or the supernatural, though each is unique. By far the best story, "Pop Art" is more beautiful and strange than any writer has the right to come up with. Not that I'm bitter. "Best New Horror" takes a formulaic plot and leaves the reader anxious and ready for more.

Just as much humor as horror, 20th Century Ghosts is well worth the read, with only one story I felt was out of place: a father-son story that features baseball. It was a B story in a sea of A's.

4.5 stars

"The Year of Endless Sorrows," by Adam Rapp

2007-12-22T09:11:00.000-08:00

I have no idea why there is a garden gnome on the cover of the book. Maybe it's to try and make the reader think that, despite its title, this will be a lovable book. Well, that's a filthy lie.

The main character, a Midwestern boy who moves to New York City to pursue a writing career, has no name. Or at least, it isn't given in the novel. He gets a crappy apartment with his brother, a good friend, and some loser who demands to be called The Loach. He finds a job in a publishing company and does some crap work there. His gastrointestinal wonder of a boss makes him take out his crazy daughter, who meows when they have sex. He hurts his knee while playing basketball, and it leaves him with a severe limp throughout most of the book, though it does inspire him to write his first novel.

Loach never pays any of his bills; he just sits on the couch day-in and day-out, picking his nose, farting, staring at the TV, letting his balls hang out. The best friend, The Owl, starts going mad and drops out of the school he'd been enrolled in. Brother, Feick, abruptly moves out after becoming a critics' darling in plays and finally coming out of the closet.

The new girlfriend, Basha, gets pregnant and decides to have an abortion, but changes her mind after the procedure has begun. They go to a hotel and she bleeds a lot. Then she disappears and goes back to Poland.

Endless Sorrows was a depressing, slow ride of literary hell. I could get through the plot and "endless sorrows" if only Rapp's writing wasn't so pretentious. It was excruciatingly obvious that each line had been carefully thought-out and analyzed to provide maximum impact. It felt as though Rapp was hoping that his novel was going to be lauded for its prose, but it really just bogs down the story. For the love of God, skip this book.

1.5 stars

"Stardust," by Neil Gaiman

2007-12-22T08:54:00.000-08:00

Tristran Thorn, (yes, it's Tristran, not Tristan) is a young man who is in love with, of course, the most beautiful girl in town, who couldn't care less about him. During an evening walk when the two see a falling star in the sky, Tristran proclaims that he will do anything for his beloved, even bring her the fallen star. So he sets off to the land beyond Wall, where no one is ever allowed to go, unaware that there are other, more dangerous, people also searching for the fallen star.

As always, Gaiman's writing is funny and imaginative. Stardust is a fanciful story that combines love, witches, pirates and even ghosts. And, as much as I liked the story, I loved the movie version even more. The colors! The scenery! The vibrant characters! Whether you prefer books or movies, get yourself a copy of Stardust.

Book, 4 stars
Movie, 4.5 stars

"The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane," by Kate DiCamillo

2007-12-22T08:35:00.001-08:00

Edward Tulane is a china rabbit who is very vain. He wears the best suits and lives in a grand home with a little girl, Abilene, who loves him dearly. Edward does not have feelings, other than disgust if something dirty touches him. One evening, after Abilene's grandmother has told a bedtime story about a princess who never felt love, she whispers into Edward's ear that she is disappointed in him. After Edward is accidentally thrown overboard on the family's ocean voyage to another country, his new journey begins. Colorful characters with sad tales of their own fill this book with tenderness and perhaps even some redemption for Edward.

Miraculous Journey is juvenile fiction, but it's lengthy at 228 pages. Readers will root for Edward to find a home and to allow his heart to feel. Pencil drawings on chapter beginnings liven the text and add depth. Great bedtime story for kids age 9-12.

5 stars

"An Ice Cold Grave," by Charlaine Harris

2007-10-27T08:14:00.000-07:00

An Ice Cold Grave is the third in Harris' Harper Connelly series, and her best to date. Harper and her stepbrother, Tolliver Lang, have been called by a sheriff in Doraville, N.C., to use Harper's unusual talent for finding dead bodies. When she was just fifteen, Harper was struck by lightning, leaving her with the ability to find corpses and know exactly how they died. She even sees the final seconds of their death.

Doraville has lost six teenage boys over a span of 5 years, and the small community is outraged at the incompetence of police. As usual, after Harper has found the bodies of the missing boys and uncovered the terrible ways in which they died, she and Tolliver are detained and forced to continue helping with the investigation. And as usual, Harper is targeted and attacked by the unknown killer.

If you've managed to slug your way through the first book and found that the second was actually enjoyable, you'll finally be rewarded with An Ice Cold Grave. The writing is sharper, the characters more developed, and the suspense is even more heightened. Harper and Tolliver's relationship, which has always been close but strained by an underlying mutual attraction, finally makes a pivotal turn.

I started reading this book in midafternoon and stayed up until 1:30 a.m. to finish. What can I say? I'm a sucker for spooky thrillers.

4.5 stars

"Labyrinth," by Kate Mosse

2007-09-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

"Labyrinth" moves between two main characters, Alice Tanner in present day France, and Alais in the French city, Carcasonne, in the 12th century.

This book was entirely too long. At 528 pages, "Labyrinth" was more of a well-written history book than a mystery novel. Cathars, the Grail, Egypt, French stuff, bloody wars in the name of religion, etc. I can't be bothered to go into detail.

Basically, a decent storyline, with characters whom you do actually care about, was bogged down by way too much historic detail and an unbelievable ending.

2.5 stars

"In the Woods," by Tana French

2007-09-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Part police procedural, part psychological thriller, this debut novel by Tana French pushed aside the conventional whodunit crime story. There are two major mysteries throughout "Woods," possibly intertwined, with even a dash of political controversy to add to the mix.

Knocknaree, Ireland, 1984, three children go to play in the woods. Two never came back out. The one surviving child, Adam, is found by rescuers unresponsive and clinging to a tree, fingernails broken off into the bark, shoes filled with blood. Adam, unable to speak of or remember what happened in the woods, moves away and changes his name.

Fast forward to present day, Adam, now called Rob, is a detective on an elite Murder Squad. He and his best friend and partner, Cassie, take a case of a murdered little girl who is found in Knocknaree. Similarities between this new case and the one in 1984 begin to take their toll on Rob. With bit by painful bit, memories start coming back to haunt him, driving him to drink. The effects of alcohol and the terror of possibly remembering what happened to his childhood friends crosses over into his job as a detective and the relationship with his partner.

When I finished this book, I was upset at how it ended. I cursed. "What a crap ending," I thought.

I couldn't stop thinking about it, and slowly I came to realize that, had I been the author, I'd have written it exactly the same way. As a reader, I doubt any neat little ending that wrapped up the 20-plus-year old mystery would have satisfied me. Now, the author could be leaving room for a sequel; it's entirely possible. But if not, I'm actually now thinking, "Well done, French. Well done."

4.5 stars

"Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye," by Victoria Laurie

2007-07-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of "A Psychic Eye" mysteries by author Victoria Laurie. It caught my eye when the book came in for a library patron.

Abby Cooper is a psychic who makes her living by doing readings for people. She tunes in to her spirit guides (she often refers to them as her crew), who communicate with her client's spirit guides. This allows Abby to receive visual signs that allow her to predict or read the future. It all sounds complicated, but Laurie's description makes it all sound so easy. In fact, halfway through reading the novel, I began to feel that Abby's talents were described so uniquely, that I looked up the author's web site. And sure enough, Victoria Laurie is a real-life psychic. Hmm.

Anyway, Abby's job as a psychic intuitive is going well until she fails to foresee the death of one of her clients. She also misreads a giant clue about the gorgeous man she meets on a blind date. She warns him that he should slow down while driving because it looked like he would be meeting with police soon, not realizing that he actually was a lead investigator into some mysterious deaths. Now the police are suspicious of Abby, not believing in her talents. Add in a serial killer on the loose, and Abby's life has been turned upside-down.

This book is a quick, enjoyable read. I plan on reading the other books that follow. Even if you're not a believer in psychic abilities, I think you'll have fun reading Abby's story. And if you are a believer and want to know more about having your own future read, visit Laurie's web site here. I did. :)

4.5 stars

"Remembering Sarah," by Chris Mooney

2007-07-23T07:38:00.000-07:00

If you're in the mood for a fast-paced mystery with clever twists, pick up Remembering Sarah, by Chris Mooney.

Mike Sullivan takes his daughter Sarah sledding on a hill one night, despite his wife's protests. Jess Sullivan is an over-protective mom, and Mike thinks Sarah will benefit from taking a few risks. As a blizzard begins blowing in and all the children start heading home, Mike realizes that Sarah is missing. Fast forward 5 years. Mike has never given up hope that Sarah will return home, but his marriage has fallen apart due to his drinking and his beating up the man he believes is responsible for Sarah's disappearance, Father Francis Jonah. On the fifth anniversary of that terrible night, a shocking new clue surfaces, which urges Mike to relentlessly pursue a confession from the dying, defrocked priest.

What I loved about this book was that it wasn't about some hot-shot FBI agent solving the case in 48 hours. The anguish and torment the father, Mike, feels about his daughter's disappearance felt so real. You never give up hope because he never gives up hope. This book was so good that I shared it with both my sister and a co-worker, both of whom finished in 2 days. There are a few loose ends, but ultimately, I thought it was great.

4.5 stars

"The Nature of Monsters," by Clare Clark

2007-06-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

In The Nature of Monsters, set in 18th-century England, 16-year-old Eliza Tally becomes pregnant by a devious young man from a wealthy family. Eliza's mother strikes a bargain with the man's father, selling off Eliza to be an indentured servant to an apothecary in London. Eliza believes she is to be rid of the child, and after a year, may return to her home with her reputation secure. However, apothecary Grayson Black has a much fouler plan in store. He is intent on making a name for himself in the science world, believing he can create freaks of nature by manipulating a pregnant woman's emotions, environment, and fears. Eliza's only comfort at the Black manor is her unlikely friendship with the half-wit servant, Mary. Eliza must find a means of escape before her master's unhealthy obsessions harm newly pregnant Mary.

This book is not a light-hearted read or beach book. It is dark and disturbing. I'm a fan of horror novels, but this was more frightening in that I could imagine it actually happening. There are no ghosts or goblins, no axe murderers. It is 1718, where women have no voice and no choices.

The writing was thorough, detailed. Though I did wonder if Eliza's dialogue was appropriate, since she used a fair amount of "big" words for a peasant. Yet at other times, such as when speaking to a bookseller, she seemed not to fully understand when he would quote prose or poetry. It was clear that Eliza was a bright girl, so why then the difference of her comprehension level? Also, I wonder if most people then did have such an extensive vocabulary and modern times have weakened our language skills, or if Clark just took artistic license with her character. Either way, I still loved this book.

5 stars

"The Society of S," by Susan Hubbard

2007-06-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

I've been on a vampire kick lately. There are some pretty good series out there, my favorites being the Sookie Stackhouse and the Betsy Taylor series. Then I picked up this book, The Society of S. And it was so good, I didn't want it to end.

Ariella Montero is a sheltered girl whose mother vanished the day she, Ari, was born. Ari is homeschooled by her father, an educated man with lupus. As Ari gets older, she notes startling differences between her upbringing and that of her friends. Her father confesses what she has been secretly piecing together; he is a vampire, and Ari is part vampire and part mortal. She sets out on a roadtrip that leads to her mother and the truth about the past.

The Society of S is a coming-of-age story that is smart and tender. Hubbard's writing is absolutely beautiful. What would have been a cutesy and typical supernatural story in another writer's hands, Hubbard has created a well-paced, thoughtful, and interesting book that I will not hesitate to read again.

5 stars

"Skinny Dip," by Carl Hiaasen

2007-05-12T09:39:00.000-07:00

This is my first Carl Hiaasen book, even though I've had numerous people ordering me to read one. So I finally did, and you know what? I liked it.

Joey and Chaz are on cruise to celebrate their second anniversary. But on their last night as the ship is sailing back into Florida, Chaz pushes Joey overboard into the Atlantic Ocean. The next morning, he puts on a frightened-husband act for the police, who start searching immediately for the missing wife. Chaz, however, has given them false information to the last time he saw Joey, ensuring that the search will be conducted in the wrong area and that Joey will never survive.

Lucky for Joey, even though her husband is a biologist, he's a complete idiot. Joey, a champion swimmer, manages to swim for hours before finding and clinging onto a bale of Jamaican marijuana. She is found by Mick Stranahan, an ex-cop who lives alone on a nearby island. He helps her recuperate and, after agreeing not to notify the police of her whereabouts, sets out to help Joey figure out the reasoning behind her husband's murderous actions. Oh, and maybe drive Chaz a little insane, too.

This book was part mystery, part quest to save the Florida Everglades. With quite a bit of humor thrown in. The only thing that bothered me was the budding romance between Joey, who is young and hot, and Mick, who is like 53. Why do male authors always do this? There's nothing that shows why the characters like each other or anything. I'm just supposed to believe that an age difference like that doesn't matter? Pah.

4 stars

"Heart-Shaped Box," by Joe Hill

2007-05-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

Oh, baby. I love me some scary books, and this did not let me down. Papa Stephen King should be very proud of his son.

Judas Coyne is an aging rock star with a penchant for the macabre. He enjoys collecting creepy things, such as a used hangman's noose or a snuff film. When Jude's assistant tells him there's a woman online looking to sell a suit that is haunted by her step-father's ghost, Jude is game. The suit arrives in a heart-shaped box, and it isn't long before Jude becomes aware that he and his girlfriend, Florida, aren't alone in the house.

The ghost is Craddock McDermott, step-father to recent suicide victim and former girlfriend of Jude, and he is determined to end Jude's life. This book is a wild ride of horrific images. I got creeped out several times, so Hill has definitely lived up to expectations. It wasn't just page after page of blood and gore, although there was some of that, too. It was a descent into personal hell, with ringing self-recrimination and torment. It was awesome.

5 stars

"Something Borrowed," "Something Blue," and "Baby Proof," by Emily Giffin

2007-05-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

On the morning after her 30th birthday party, Rachel wakes up next to Dexter, her best friend Darcy's fiance. Rachel, the self-proclaimed good girl who has always put popular, beautiful Darcy's needs before her own, feels shockingly little guilt. While having nagging regret about hurting her best friend, Rachel's feelings for Dex continue to grow as their one-night stand turns into a full love affair. Yet Dex and Darcy's wedding day looms ever closer.

While Emily Giffin took a great chance at portraying her main character in a potentially unfavorable light, I loved Rachel. I rooted for her. This, Giffin's first book, was impossible to put down.

4.5 stars

Think Darcy got the raw end of the deal? So does she. Giffin's second novel is a follow-up to Something Borrowed. This is Darcy's side of the story. While she may have had a fling of her own, she still feels horrified and betrayed at the thought of her best friend and fiance together. And when Darcy ends up pregnant and then abandoned by her secret lover (spoiler: Rachel's ex-boyfriend!), she is mocked by co-workers and given the cold shoulder by her mother. She takes refuge at her old friend Ethan's place in London. After Ethan lets her know in no-uncertain terms that she has a lot of growing up to do, Darcy eventually starts to make progress in becoming a better person.

4.5 stars

I thought this was going to relate with the previous two books by Giffin, but no. This book stars Claudia, a book editor who is married to the love of her life, Ben. Their initial common bond was the fact that neither person wanted children. Several years into the marriage, though, Ben's biological clock starts ticking. Claudia suffers through a few months of intense baby pressure from Ben, his family, and even their friends. At an impasse, Claudia moves into her best friend Jess's house while she goes through her divorce. Though she starts a hot affair with a work colleague, Richard, Claudia begins to doubt her decisions when she finds that Ben has begun dating a younger woman.

This book was excellent, though very sad to read about all the pressure that was put on Claudia. I was frustrated that her friends and family would give her such grief over not wanting a baby, and more so that her husband couldn't accept her decision. Lots of things to think about while reading this one.

4.5 stars

"Fairest," by Gail Carson Levine

2007-05-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

An important part of working at a public library is knowing which books are suitable for young adults or children when parents are looking for suggestions. I introduced Fairest to a woman looking for a birthday present for her 13-year-old niece, and she was quite pleased.

Levine, author of the popular Ella Enchanted, brings us a tale loosely based on Snow White. Aza is a very gifted singer with a very homely outward appearance. Her ugliness was the cause of her abandonment as a baby, though she was cared for and loved by innkeepers. At 15, Aza has discovered that beyond her singing capabilities, she can also throw and mimic any voice. By chance, she gets to accompany a duchess to a royal wedding, where the new queen, Ivi, discovers Aza's secret talents. Ivi blackmails Aza into becoming her personal attendant and throwing her voice to make the queen sound like a beautiful singer. When the court discovers the deception, Aza must flee the castle to save her life.

I enjoyed the message that will be vital to young readers; beauty isn't everything. Character and self-worth are more important. I also liked that the book was fast-paced, warm, and not preachy. Only one thing annoyed me. Because the book takes place in a land called Ayortha, where singing was valued above all else, there were a ton of songs. It got old pretty fast, although I could totally see a movie musical being made from this book.

4 stars

"The Stolen Child," by Keith Donohue

2007-04-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

In The Stolen Child, 7-year-old Henry Day runs out into the woods after an argument with his mother. He climbs into the hollow of a tree, determined not to be found. While his family and the townspeople search desperately for him, Henry is abducted by hobgoblins. A changeling takes his place, transforming himself to look like the real Henry Day, as Henry is forced to live out his days with the hobgoblins.

Two narrators give life to this book. The new Henry gets a second chance at a human life and all the sorrows and conflicts that come with it. The old Henry, now called Aniday by his fellow changelings, has a very difficult time forgetting his former life.

I loved, loved, loved this story of loss and heartbreak. The Stolen Child is Donohue's first novel. It weaves magic and fairy tales into a profound look at our inner child and how the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Here's one of my favorite passages from the novel, where Aniday is contemplating all he's lost:

The most merciless thing in the world is love. When love flees, all that remains is memory to compensate. Our friends were either going or gone, their ghosts the best our poor minds could conjure to fill love's absence.

5 stars

"Autobiography of Red," by Anne Carson

2007-04-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

This book was recommened to me by the lovely Metamorphose over at Anything Fun is Wrong. I finished it a couple of weeks ago, but I've held off reviewing it because I'm not sure how I felt about it.

Autobiography of Red is loosely based on the myth "Geryoneis," but Carson has made it contemporary. In this disturbing novel in verse, Geryon has red skin and wings. His childhood is marred by the painful learning of even the most elementary things. He is sexually abused by his older brother. Geryon's refuge is behind a camera lens and creating his own autobiography. Then as a young man, Geryon comes to love Herakles, an older boy who briefly shares the affection and passion, only to leave at the height of Geryon's love.

Years later, their paths cross again in Buenos Aires, along with Herakles' new lover, Ancash. The trio venture through South America together, tension brewing until violence erupts between Ancash and Geryon.

Here is a sad yet beautiful story that leaves more questions than answers. If nothing else, the freestyle verse is amazing.

4 stars

P.S. If possible, familiarize yourself with the myth before reading. Or just read the reviews on Amazon.

"You Suck," by Christopher Moore

2007-04-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

Sequel to Bloodsucking Fiends.

This time around, Jody turns Tommy into a vampire against his wishes. Now they're both vulnerable to attacks that may happen during the daytime. To safeguard themselves, they enlist the help of 16-year-old goth girl Abby Normal.

Look for lots of return characters, including the Emperor and his dog companions, the two homicide dectectives, ancient vampire creator Elijah, and the Animals. New to the book is a blue (literally) whore named, duh, Blue.

This book was definitely funnier than the first, but it's all due to journal entries by Abby. She writes vicious insults and bemoans her earthly life, then ends most entries with an update on her sister's lice. Though Abby is merely a vampire minion, she steals every scene.

4 stars

"Five Men Who Broke My Heart," by Susan Shapiro

2007-03-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

This is another example of the benefits I receive from working at the library. I get to see all the books other people are reading. Someone ordered this book, which I promptly ordered for myself.

Journalist Susan Shapiro's memoir is an account of a midlife crisis due to her approaching 40th birthday and infertility. When her ex-boyfriend Brad shows up, Shapiro begins reliving old memories and feelings. My favorite line as she's meeting Brad for lunch is, "Damn. I still love him." Then later she thinks, "Damn. I still hate him." So true.

Though happily married, Shapiro begins digging into her past, locating her top five biggest heartbreakers to interview them about their relationship, to find out their version of what went wrong. Yes, it's a little self-indulgent, but wouldn't we all like to confront and analyze at least one of our past relationships? We'd only hope to be this honest and funny about it.

4.5 stars

"Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story," by Christopher Moore

2007-03-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

After being attacked in an alley, Jody awakens two days later to find she has been turned into a vampire. She has to get used to her new lust for blood, incredible strength, and aversion to sunlight. Enter C. Thomas Flood, a small town boy in the big city for the first time. Tommy is a wannabe writer who gets a job on the night crew of a supermarket, where he and the other members bowl with frozen turkeys, drink beer, and shoot at pigeons.

Jody meets Tommy and convinces him to be her daytime protector. As if learning her new powers and needing security from sunlight weren't enough, Jody's creator, an 800-year-old vamp named Elijah, is playing a sick game. He's leaving dead bodies for the police to find, all seeming to lead back to Jody and Tommy.

It's not the most clever plotline, but I'm telling you...funny. I laughed a lot while reading this book. It's definitely a quick read (done in 2 days), and I know I'll be picking up the sequel soon.

4.5 stars (extra points for making me laugh)

"Fangland," by John Marks

2007-03-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

Fangland is unlike any book I've ever read, though it has been called a new take on Bram Stoker's Dracula. Forget the romantic vampire who seduces his victim before plunging his fangs into her neck. This book's dark villain uses a bucket and knife for his bloodletting, but it's his song of whispered places of the slain that drives to madness.

Evangeline Harker is an associate producer at the news show The Hour (think 60 Minutes). She is sent to Romania to scout the location and meet with crime lord Ion Torgu for a possible interview. Once there, she meets fellow American Clementine Spence, who travels with Evangeline to Transylvania, where she is scheduled to meet Torgu. After they part ways, Evangeline is abducted, not to be heard from again for months.

Now, the first third of the story was all Evangeline's to tell. And it was a creepy one, let me tell you. I could visualize it as a movie. I'm not usually scared by books, but this one was giving me goosebumps.

Then the rest of the book went back and forth between journal entries, emails, and so on. A virus infects the staff of The Hour, making editors and producers start losing their minds and, for a few, even their own lives.

I don't know how much I liked this book. It was definitely different and clever. There were some very spooky parts, which I liked. I think maybe if I had written this book, I would have stuck to one narrator. Possibly two. And I'm not sure exactly what thoughts the author wanted to leave the readers with, a sense of media as an outlet for the evils of the world? Or is it that we've become immune to the horrors out there, and by ignoring it, we're creating a greater injustice? Hmm... Deep thoughts.

4 stars

"May Day: A Murder-by-Month Mystery," by Jess Lourey

2007-02-24T12:02:00.000-08:00

May Day follows former English major Mira James to a Minnesota small town when she agrees to house-sit during a friend's extended vacation. Newly employed at the local library and newspaper, Mira tries to acclimate to her surroundings. She's soon hot on the trail for truth after her new romance with a handsome archeologist abruptly ends with his murder.

Lourey writes with an amusing intimacy about this midwestern small town and its kooky inhabitants. Mira is a very likeable and hilarious character. How can I not relate to an English major turned part-time librarian stuck in a small town? Thank goodness I haven't found any hot dead guys in my reference section. But I thoroughly enjoyed this quick, very funny book.

4 stars

"Running with the Demon," by Terry Brooks

2007-02-24T10:57:00.000-08:00

For some strange reason, I gave my dear blog readers the opportunity to suggest one book each for me to read this year. Tusk was the first to eagerly suggest a favorite, I assume, of his. So his was the first book I chose to read. And, incidentally, Running With the Demon is the first book in a trilogy.

Now, I'd like to start off by saying that, while I don't normally go for the fantasy novels, I have enjoyed a few. Unfortunately for me, this was not to be one of those few.

Nest Freemark is an adolescent girl who is by no means ordinary. She has magical powers (that she's not allowed to use), can see creatures no one else can, and is unaware that she's the rope in a crucial battle of tug-of-war between good (the Word) and evil (the Void). She's stalked by a Demon with a personal interest at stake. John Ross is a Knight of the Word who has come to protect her.

The story has everything you can think of: creepy shadow people called Feeders, an ancient evil monster, teenage love, magic, dysfunctional families, a steel mill strike. I guess there's a pretty good foundation for a decent story, but I was unmoved. Maybe if I hadn't been a Tolkien fan, I'd have liked it more. However, there were too many similarities to Lord of the Rings for me to appreciate Brooks' novel. Need some examples?

*LOTR had Ents, giant trees who can talk and walk and are crucial to the battle.
*Running had Pick, a 6-inch magical character made of twigs who can talk and walk and is crucial (at least in the first novel) to one of the battles.

*LOTR had the Elven Lady Galadriel, who showed Frodo visions of the past, present, and future.
*Running had the Lady, who chose John Ross to become a Knight of Word, and gave him the gift (or curse) of dreaming the future.

*LOTR had, obviously, the ring, which Frodo had to bear despite the toll it took upon him.
*Running had a sword that John Ross had to use as a staff or cane because becoming a Knight inflicted a limp upon him, so that he was never without his sword.

There were other things, but you get the idea. I read Amazon's review, along with those of readers, and they all seemed to love the book. Good for them, I guess. But once you've read Tolkien, nothing much compares.

3 stars

"Sickened: The Memoir of a Munchausen by Proxy Childhood," by Julie Gregory

2007-01-27T08:41:00.000-08:00

I stayed up late last night just to finish this book. I couldn't put it down. It's the true life story of a child growing up being deliberately sickened by her own mother. Julie Gregory's childhood was a series of doctor's visits, tests, unnecessary surgeries, and gross mistreatment at the hands of her parents.

Interspersed in the book are Gregory's real medical records, with only the names of physicians and hospital officials blacked out.

While it was Gregory's mother who insisted Julie was sick, always in pursuit of some "answer" to her mysterious medical conditions, both parents physically abused their child. But they always presented a united front in public, able to convince the world of a close-knit, loving family. Julie Gregory's love for her family and desperate need to please her mother ensured that no one would ever know about the abuse. In fact, the family eventually came to take in elderly veterans and foster children, all destined to suffer at the hands of Julie's mother.

Not since reading A Child Called It have I been so appalled and horrified at the living conditions and mistreatment of a child. But Gregory's story doesn't end tragically. This book is well worth the read, not only for the content, but for impeccable writing. I had to keep reminding myself that the book wasn't a work of fiction.

5 stars

"Secret Society Girl: An Ivy League Novel," by Diana Peterfreund

2007-01-26T11:24:00.000-08:00

"Think The Da Vinci Code meets Bridget Jones."

Need I say more? Okay, if you insist.

Amy Haskel is a junior in a prestigious college, Eli University. She works as an editor at a literary magazine and assumes she'll be joining a not-so-secret literary club. To her immense surprise, she gets "tapped" to join the ultimate boys club, Rose and Grave, the oldest and most powerful secret society on campus. Amy is part of the very first class to have women tapped to join, and soon she's hanging out with senators and CEOs. What could be better? Unfortunately, there are some members who are outraged at women joining, which leads to threats.

Mostly the book was fun and enjoyable. I was a little annoyed with the main character's commitment phobia. It didn't really ring true to me. It felt more like the author was trying to fit more in the novel than just cloak-and-daggers. There is a sequel on its way. I don't know if I'll read it, but for the most part, I did like this book.

4 stars

"Dead Until Dark," by Charlaine Harris

2007-01-26T10:58:00.000-08:00

I've been lazy about updating, haven't I? So sorry.

Dead Until Dark is the first in a series of Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris. It's the story of a barmaid named Sookie Stackhouse, who has the unusual ability to read minds. The world Harris creates is filled with vampires, who have recently made their presence known to the rest of the world and become legal citizens. They can now exist on artificial blood, so humans have nothing to fear. Or do they?

There are some sort-of good vampires and really evil ones, too. And the first vampire Sookie ever meets becomes her first boyfriend. (It's a little hard to date regular guys since Sookie can read their minds and know exactly what they think about her body and such. Vampires are like a blank canvas.) But being with a vampire has more than the obvious drawbacks (he's dead and drinks blood), such as violence following in his wake. And soon the small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana is spotted with the deaths of women who have all been with vampires.

Sookie is an extremely likeable character. She's only high school educated, but uses things like a word-a-day calendar to educate herself. She's a little back-woods, but she's also sweet and funny and unforgettable.

I have read all of the other books in this series currently out, but I won't be reviewing all of them. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed each one. If you care to check them out as well, I'll leave you with a list of the titles in order.

4.5 stars

Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Dead as a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead (to be released May 1, 2007)

"Blind Submission," by Debra Ginsberg

2006-12-19T15:15:00.000-08:00

Angel Robinson, in need of a job after the bookstore she works at closes, is pushed into applying at a literary agency by her (unpublished) boyfriend, Malcolm. She lands the job and dives right into a hellish workplace with a demanding boss, snoopy co-workers, and a never-ending pile of work. She quickly proves herself to be quite invaluable, working with authors to better their manuscripts. Then an anonymous author begins submitting pages of a story that sounds incredibly like Angel's own life. The story soon takes a scary turn when intimate details of Angel's life are revealed.

I have to say that I really liked this book. While I would love to work on authors' manuscripts, the manic pace of the agency and the high demands of the boss genuinely made me nervous. I think Angel was a pretty well developed character, as well as most of the other characters. It would have been nice if she's been a little stronger, but I guess that was rectified in the end.

4 stars

"Rise and Shine," by Anna Quindlen

2006-12-19T14:41:00.000-08:00

Bridget is a social worker in New York who has always felt in the shadow of her older sister, Meghan, a morning talk show host. Then Meghan swears at a guest on her show when she thinks her microphone is off, and suddenly her world is falling apart. The FCC launches an investigation, tabloids disregard all of her charity work and focus on the mistake, and Meghan is forced to take a suspended "vacation" from work. And her husband leaves her. She flits away to Jamaica to regain sense of her self, or some crap like that.

Okay, now let me scrape away all the "prose" that critics are harping about and lay it all out the way it really is.

Bridget: I'm a social worker, and I help women who've been abused and mistreated find help and stand up for themselves. I help families in crises. But poor me, my big sister is so popular and beautiful, I can't stand up for myself when she treats me like crap. I'm also dating an old man.

Meghan: Oh, no one understands the pressure I'm under! I'm expected to be beautiful and elegant all the time. My husband doesn't realize that everything I've done has been for him and our son. My mistake is so tragic! I must run away and ignore my son, the one sane person in this crazy world.

Yuck. The only, and I do mean only, sympathetic character in this book is Meghan's son Leo. He's bright, caring, kind, and unselfish. And because the plot is lame, and all the other characters are lousy, what does the author decide to do? Yup. Let's allow Leo to get shot by an inner city thug and become a paraplegic. Even then, the drama is all about the two sisters. It's crap. Also, for every line of dialogue, there are five paragraphs of back story or flashbacks that have absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the plot. Where the hell was this woman's editor???

2 stars, and that's only because of Leo. Poor, crippled Leo.

"Grave Surprise," by Charlaine Harris

2006-12-12T14:25:00.000-08:00

Yes, I read the sequel. It did get better, though the sexual current between Harper and Tolliver continues to flow.

In this book, Harper is hired by an anthropology professor to demonstrate her dead body-finding abilities to his class. Confident that he'll prove her to be a phony, the prof is amazed to find Harper can identify every body in an old graveyard. With one shocking discovery. One grave contains an extra body, that of a young missing girl whom Harper had tried to find two years previously. You guessed it, Harper and Tolliver are forced to stick around to be hassled by police and locals until the whodunnit case is solved.

It's an entertaining read. Kind of on the dark side, which is how I like 'em.

4.5 stars

"The Thirteenth Tale," by Diane Setterfield

2006-12-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

The Thirteenth Tale is the story of Margaret Lea, a young biographer hired to tell the true life story of Vida Winter, England's most famous writer. Up until this point, Vida had made up nineteen different versions of her past. Margaret is less than enthusiastic and demands the facts.

Frankly, I don't care to tell you anymore about the plot. It bored me to tears. I don't understand all the hype about this book. It was excruciatingly slow, and then finally, finally, when I thought I'd reached the end, there were two more chapters. I turn the page, and it's the final details wrapped up. I think I'm done. I turn the page, and it's like, "Oh, I know how when I finish reading a book, I wonder what happens to the characters afterwards. So I'm going to tell you what happens next." Seriously.

You know, maybe if this book had kept a better pace, and the main character wasn't so annoying, it would really be decent. There are some good elements to the story. The background and secrets that are revealed are sound. So I guess it's the writing that's to blame for this miss.

3 stars

By a Spider's Thread, by Laura Lippman

2006-12-12T13:48:00.000-08:00

Apparently this is Lippman's eighth installment of a crime series. Had no idea before I started the book, but it makes no difference, really. I didn't feel left out. Anything that referred to the past was explained in short detail.

I really liked the first line of the book, which is why I decided to read it. "They were in one of the 'I' states when Zeke told Isaac he had to ride in the trunk for a little while." Sounds interesting, right?

Meh.

Tess Monaghan is a P.I. hired to help an Orthodox Jewish furrier, Mark Ruben, find his wife, who has just disappeared with their three children. It's all, "Oh, I'm super Jewish." "Oh, yeah? Well, I'm Jewish, but I don't care about religion...until someone puts Jews down, then I'm super pissed off and hypocritical." Blah, blah, blah.

Don't bother.

2 stars

"Severance: Stories," by Robert Olen Butler

2006-11-26T11:35:00.000-08:00

The human head is believed to remain in a state of consciousness for 1.5 minutes after decapitation. In a heightened state of emotion, people speak at the rate of 160 words per minute. So Butler took this information and created stories narrated by the beheaded. Narrators include historical figures, such as John the Baptist, and the imagined, like a dragon beheaded by a knight. My favorite story was that of Nicole Brown Simpson.

I read it in under 2 hours. Definitely worth it.

4.5 stars

"Grave Sight," by Charlaine Harris

2006-11-26T11:18:00.000-08:00

Apparently Harris has written many novels, and I've just never heard of them. Anyway, Grave Sight is the first novel in Harris' new series. It features Harper Connelly, who is a lightning-strike survivor. A gift (or curse?) left from the bolt is that she can now sense the dead. In other words, she can find dead bodies, know how they died, and actually see their last moments. She uses this skill as her only source of income, getting paid to travel the country with her step-brother Tolliver.

It was an okay book. Nothing spectacular. But what weirded me out was all this sexual tension between Harper and Tolliver. I wondered if I was crazy. But no, Amazon's review mentions it, too. There were a couple readers who reviewed the book also and claimed that there wasn't any sexual tension. But then, I can't expect everyone who reads to fully comprehend nuances. There'd be fewer people to make fun of.

Oh, and here's a quick quote from Publisher's Weekly. "A nifty puzzle toward the end will challenge the most jaded mystery buffs." Challenge? Dude, I solved it in a minute.

By the way, even though this wasn't the greatest book, I picked up the sequel already. Maybe it's the kind of story that gets better the longer it goes on. Or maybe I'll be wasting my time.

3 stars

"The Shadow Catchers," by Thomas Lakeman

2006-11-26T11:08:00.000-08:00

This is a debut novel by Lakeman, and I couldn't put it down. I really have to be in the mood to read thrillers or mysteries, and this one gripped me from the opening pages to the very last paragraph.

FBI Agent Michael Yeager is on suspension after a child kidnapping case goes very, very wrong. He winds up in the Nevada desert (was that redundant?) brawling with a man who attempts to shove a handicapped kid in his truck. When that same man is later found murdered, and his daughter missing, Yeager is the prime suspect. The local sheriff clears him and asks him to unofficially assist in the missing girl's case. So begins a wild ride filled with psychological trauma, buried town secrets, and gore...lots and lots of gore. It was fantastic.

4.5 stars

2006-11-26T10:59:00.000-08:00

The Guy Not Taken, by Jennifer Weiner

I liked all of JW's previous work, so it was a no-brainer to try this one out. Plus, I'm a huge fan of short stories. Unfortunately, this read like Intro to Creative Writing. Pretty much every lead character is damaged goods because of her father leaving when she was young. Wah. Oh, and most of them featured swimming in one form another. I know that we're taught, "Write what you know," but don't beat it to death. Not every bad thing in life can be traced back to your father being a bastard. It's time to grow up.

1.5 stars, and I'm being generous.

2006-11-26T10:38:00.000-08:00

Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer

This is one of those cases where I saw someone else at the library getting this book, and I thought, "Hmm...maybe I should get it, too." So glad I did.

Okay, so it's young adult. And about vampires. Think less of me if you will, but I totally loved this book. Bella Swan goes to live with her dad, the police chief, in a tiny town called Forks in Washington. She can't understand why one boy, Edward, seems to hate her so much, even though he doesn't know her. Yet he keeps managing to save her life. Bella finally figures out his secret (shocker, he's the vampire), but she also falls in love with him. I'm not doing the story justice. Why don't you just do us all a favor, and read the freaking book, okay? Excellent writing, interesting characters, villainous villains, and an ending that was pleasing...and led to a sequel. Which brings me to...

New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer

Yes, the second book was good, too. Personally, I found the first book to be better written, but this one was also enjoyable. The complex love between Bella and Edward is shattered, with distraught Bella left to make sense of her life. But, oh, the twists and turns that may bring us back to Edward. Sexy, vampiric Edward. Er...anyway. Worth the read, especially since it will eventually bring us Eclipse, due out in the fall of 2007.

Twilight, 5 stars
New Moon, 4 stars

"Calling Out," by Rae Meadows

2006-10-22T14:18:00.000-07:00

Moved by depression over a failed relationship and unsatisfactory job, Jane drives away from NYC and lands in Salt Lake City, Utah. There she is hired to answer phones at a Mormon-approved escort service. Working as Roxanne, she tends to mother and worry over the girls who go on "dates" with the clients, always hoping the girls will quit to go on to school or better jobs. But the longer Roxanne works there, the more inevitable it becomes before she, too, decides to be an escort.

Read this book to see how the line between Roxanne and Jane slowly fades, how escorting and sex become the same, and how Jane's past collides with the present.

This book isn't some sleazy foray into adult fantasies or erotica. It isn't Mormon versus non-Mormon, though there is quite a bit of the history and religion. Calling Out is a very moving account of one woman's depression and quest to find something better for herself. It's about making mistakes and moving on.

4.5 stars

"The Slow Moon," by Elizabeth Cox

2006-10-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

In a small town in Tennessee, teenage couple Crow and Sophie decide to have sex for the first time on the night of huge party. They sneak off into the woods alone, and halfway into their experience, they realize they don't have a condom. Crow runs just in his underwear back to his car and is waylaid for about 20 minutes while he hides in embarrassment so a group of girls doesn't see him. When he finally makes his way back to Sophie, he sees her beaten and bloody on the ground. At the sound of police on their way, Crow makes the decision to run. A decision that haunts him from then on.

What happened in the 20 minutes he was gone? Why won't Sophie tell the police what she knows? Cox slowly examines all those who surround Sophie, carefully peeling away layers of deception. While Sophie's psychological trauma may be a bit smoothed over, The Slow Moon still remains a relevant novel that reflects todays troubled youths.

4.5 stars

"The Cinderella Pact," by Sarah Strohmeyer

2006-10-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

Nola Devlin works at a fashion magazine as an editor, and as all lead female characters are wont to do in chick lit, she wants to be a writer. But since she is overweight and slightly less than fabulous, she is discriminated against. To prove a point, apparently just to herself, she alters a photo of herself from her thinner days, and creates a new persona, Belinda Apple, who is beautiful and British...and instantly hired.

Nola writes advice columns as Belinda Apple, and even her best friends don't know her little secret. In fact, her friends decide to use Belinda's weight loss plan (something purely invented by Nola) as the basis for their own weight loss goals. And, of course, they rope Nola into shedding some pouds, also.

You see where this is going, right? The weight loss. The secrets. And, you guessed it, a handsome mystery man.

Okay, so it's a little predictable. But it was written pretty well, made me laugh several times, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Give it a shot.

4 stars

"The Sixteen Pleasures," by Robert Hellenga

2006-10-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

This book was a donation to the library where I work, and the description intrigued me. The story is set in 1966, where Margot Harrington joins hundreds of other volunteers in Florence to save the city's precious books and works of art from massive flood damage. During Margot's stay in a convent, salvaging and rebinding books, a nun discovers a shocking work of pornography. The back-cover synopsis concludes that Margot is then drawn to explore and experience all of the sixteen pleasures with a forbidden lover.

A bit dramatic. The found book turns out to be 17th century (I think) lost erotic poems by Aretino, along with anatomical engravings, that the pope had ordered destroyed. How this one copy survived remains a mystery, though it had escaped notice before because it was bound together inside a hymnal. Sale of this book could bring a great amount of money to the sisters of the convent and their library.

The history and culture of Florence is beautifully detailed, though the character of Margot is a tad dry for my taste. And her "forbidden lover" is simply an older man who has been separated from his wife for many years. The only thing forbidden is a divorce. And though Margot has taken it upon herself to restore the erotic volume with the prayer book, there is no focus or need to experience all of the sixteen pleasures...which, by the way, weren't really explained.

So the book details art, history, food, the minutia of book binding. Blah, blah, blah. It was okay. I forced myself to finish reading.

3 stars

"The Dogs of Babel" by Carolyn Parkhurst

2006-09-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely smitten with this book. Honestly, the best book I've read in a very long time.

The story is deeply moving. Paul's wife Lexy has fallen from a tree to her death, and the only witness is their dog, Lorelei. Paul is consumed with grief and confusion. Did Lexy commit suicide, or was her death an accident? Why was she in the tree? There seem to be clues everywhere, with no way of adding them up. So Paul, a linguistics professor, decides to try to teach Lorelei to speak in order to share the answers he desperately seeks.

Obviously, you'll have to suspend your disbelief, but I promise, it won't be a huge stretch. Yes, there are a couple of odd twists, including a telephone psychic. However, the richness of the story, the poetry of the tale, will hold you fast to the end. This book has earned a permanent spot on my bookshelves.

5 stars

2006-09-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

My boss highly encouraged me to read this book, so I gave it the old college try.

Cinematherapy lists and categorizes movies according to women's moods. For example, if your mother has done something to once again annoy you, you consult Chapter 4's "I Know She's My Mom, But She's Driving Me Nuts: Mother-Issue Movies." From there you'll know to check out the video store for such titles as The Glass Menagerie, Mommie Dearest, and that old classic Drop Dead Fred.

Speaking of classics.... The majority of the movies listed are from the '30s thru the '50s. Personally, not really interested in tons of movies from back then. But perhaps you are.

Also includes Ten Top Bodice-Ripping Lines, Stupid Guy Quotes, and a Handy Hunk Chart. Funny, though it all seems a little out of date at this point. Perhaps I should try their 2004 book, Cinematherapy for Lovers: The Girl's Guide to Finding True Love One Movie at a Time.

I have only two major gripes about this book:
1) Bridget Jones's Diary isn't mentioned even once. Of course, I then realized that the book came out before the movie, so maybe there's hope that it'll show up in one of their later books.
2) In a section called "Prepubescent Power Pics: Getting in Touch with Your Inner Grrrrl," the writers, describing Anne of Green Gables, say that orphaned Anne is taken in by "Marilla Cuthbert and her husband," meaning dear, sweet Matthew. What the? Everyone who has ever read the book or seen the movie knows that Marilla and Matthew are brother and sister! Appalling! Hmph. Makes me wonder what else these self-proclaimed film fanatics got wrong.

3.75 stars