"The Year of Endless Sorrows," by Adam Rapp

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

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A young adult novel based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and his first love, Mary Jane Watson. Except this book is written from Mary Jane's point of view.

Okay, so Mary Jane suffers from Anorexia and is in those "Nobody understands me!" years. It's still a good story. Girl befriends class nerd. Class nerd (Peter Parker) loves girl. Class nerd gets bitten by chemically altered spider, becomes buff, and moonlights as a superhero. Girl can't make up her mind whether she should date popular hottie or friendly nerd.

What's great is that MJ has depth finally. We understand more about who she is and where she comes from. Sure, Peter Parker's story is more unique, but enough about him! At last, MJ has a moment to shine in her own novel.

Disappointments: Peter Parker's sudden buffness in high school makes him popular, and cheerleaders dote on him. Also, Harry Osbourne is just the drippiest rich guy ever. Thank goodness the movie version of Harry isn't such a dweeb. Thank you, James Franco.

Loves: Pencil drawings at the beginning of chapters add definite interest. Reads like a novel, not a comic book.

4.5 stars

Whiny. Predictable. Boring.

'Nuff said.

1.5 stars.

"All Loves Excelling" by Josiah Bunting III

A few months ago I came across this book while our library was in the midst of rebarcoding everthing to get ready for a system change. I loved the title and front cover. It sounded exactly like something I'd want to read, a lovely little story about a girl attending a prestigious boarding school in the hopes of bettering her grades and SAT scores to get into an Ivy League college.

Plus, the quote on the front said "Should stand on the same shelf [as] A Separate Peace...and The Catcher in the Rye."

So finally, I had a chance to read the book. The entire first half of the book is filled with nothing. I mean, nothing happens. It's mostly about the main character, Amanda, studying nonstop, being pressured by her overbearing mother to be the best, and a very strict exercise schedule. She makes only two friends, but they are so rarely part of the story that it's a wonder they were created at all.

The second half starts to make up for the slow beginning. The prose is beautiful throughout, slowly taking Amanda from earnest and dedicated to an addiction to drugs and an eating disorder. The stiff but well-meaning story seeks to warn parents about the pressures put upon their children. My problem with it is the lack of warmth. At the end of the book, I should feel more than a slight disappointment for poor Amanda. It's a shame because I could tell the story meant a lot to the writer. I just wish it meant more to me.

One plus, for me, was the many references to the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, whom I also studied in college. But given the weightiness of the material and lovely prose, despite its stiffness and lack of fully realized characters, I give this book 3.5 stars.

I have read two of Gregory Maguire’s other books, Wicked and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. Both were great stories that had vibrant characters and rich detail. I imagined nothing less of Lost.

The book opens with the lead character, Winnie Rudge, witnessing a car accident. It’s compelling and interesting…and has nothing to do with anything else that happens in the book. Winnie then travels to London to work on a book she’s writing, intending to stay with her cousin, John. Upon arrival, it appears as though her cousin has disappeared. None of his neighbors or co-workers is willing to talk to Winnie, either. Strewn throughout the novels are random nursery rhymes and references to Peter Pan, Ebenezer Scrooge, and Jack the Ripper. It takes a pretty long time before the reader begins to understand what lies beneath the quotes and references.

The title could be used to describe the reader after finishing this book. I felt lost. I thought, “What was the point of this book?” The main character was obviously a candidate for therapy. She continues to spiral into depression and obsession. Oh, and she gets possessed by the spirit of a 12th century French woman who was burned to death.

I wondered if I was too harsh on the book, so I checked to see what reviewers on Amazon gave it. I felt pretty justified when I saw the average review was 2.5 stars. But because I like Maguire’s other books, and there were some great lines in Lost, my final judgment is for 3 stars.

One of the advantages of working in a library is seeing books of all shapes and sizes come in and out for interlibrary loan. Chick Living was one such book that came in for a girl, and I quickly put my name on a hold list for it.

Not only does Melcher ease her readers through first apartment searches, budgeting, and entertaining, she does it with style. What a fun little book! It's colorful, easy to read, and extremely helpful.

Melcher includes pages to help readers get started on their own budgets, evaluate wants vs. needs, and checklists for inspecting apartments.

I can't think of a single chapter I didn't like. Whether you're looking for fashion tips, furnishing and decorating, or planning a party, this book has it all. You learn a lot without feeling like you're being forced to learn. There's even a recipe for homemade lip gloss! Who wouldn't like that?

This money-conscious guide to living frugally and funky will satisfy any fab chick. Loved it! I definitely give it 5 stars.

I picked up this book simply because I liked the cover. Then when I read the inside flap, I thought, "Hey, this sounds like the plot of Just Like Heaven." Der.

I gotta say, this is one of the very few times that I have ever liked a movie better than the book on which it is based. What a disappointment. The writing is too sweet, too moralizing. It reminds me of, dare I say it? Nicholas Sparks. *shudder*

If you don't already know, the story is about Lauren, a medical intern who is in a car accident and is left in a coma. Several months later, architect Arthur moves into Lauren's apartment only to find he's not alone. Lauren's spirit or "ghost" is visible only to Arthur, and the two try to find a way to help Lauren's body and mind wake before her mother decides to pull her from life support. Unlike the movie, the novel's subplot shows Arthur finally dealing with his mother's death when he was about 12. Of course, this all happens at the end of the book, and by this time, I couldn't care less.

I really wanted to like this book, but forced dialogue, flat characters, and too-familiar lines kept me cringing. For instance, the once boyfriend of Arthur's mother says to Arthur, "Do you want to know the real reason your mom left without saying goodbye? She was a great lady, and all great ladies know how to leave in dignity..." Sound familiar? It should, if you're any kind of chick flick fan. Sipsey, in Fried Green Tomatoes, tells Idgy, "It's all right, honey. Let her go. You know, Miss Ruth was a lady. And a lady always knows when to leave."

If Only It Were True was Marc Levy's first novel, originally written in French. Wikipedia assures me that the translation is clumsy and, if read in its correct form, the book flows a lot better. Well, I'm not reading the French version. Mainly because I don't speak French.

I give this book 2.5 stars, and only that much because it led to a pretty good movie where I get to see Mark Ruffalo wearing only a towel.