New Books!

The Leopard by Jo Nesbo
Now that winter break has arrived, and I was smart enough to have presentations the last week of school, I have a clear schedule ahead for pure, unadulterated pleasure-reading - yippee!!  The first book I finished was the follow-up book to The Snowman (written about in an earlier post).  Nesbo is a Norwegian writer who creates some creepy bad guys, flawed heroes, and twisted plot lines.  In other words, his books are page turners.  His lead homicide detective in Oslo is Harry Hole (again, not like a hole in the ground but "Hoo-lay" - sounds much more foreign and cool to say it that way regardless.)  We first find Harry in the bowels of Hong Kong, madly in love with his opium pipe, trying to escape the demons of his past.  As the beautiful young detective convinces him there's another serial killer in Sweden, Harry's addiction to murder proves stronger than his addiction to drugs, and thus...the story unfolds.  Nesbo is a master at leading his readers, and his detectives, in one direction and then twisting us all up in knots, only to find ourselves at a new junction.  The plot moves from Oslo, to the countryside, to the Congo, and back as we, the readers, continue predicting who the murderer might be.  At times the Scandinavian names can be confusing, so putting down the book, and picking it up weeks later, can be problematic.  Besides, you will want to know 'who dunnit.' There's a few stomach churning moments, so this book is not for weak stomaches, but if you like a good mystery, this is a great one.
The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian
I've read a few of Bohjalian's books before, and he tends to be a fairly eclectic writer.  Midwives was a story of a home birth gone wrong and the legal repercussions that followed, The Double Bind was a story of a mentally ill girl, a horrific rape, and the characters of The Great Gatsby, Skeletons at the Feast was a historical fiction on Germans and their lives during WWII, and The Night Strangers was a fantastical magical book on a small town in New England and a pilot trying to recover from a plane crash.  As you can see, Bohjalian doesn't seem to have a 'set' genre.  However, I have always been unable to put his books down; he has a compelling writing style, not what I'd call 'lyrical' but a very good story-teller.
His latest book, The Sandcastle Girls, while having some similarities in style, is so very different that it's hard to know where to begin.  It is the story of the Armenian genocide and begins in Aleppo, Syria in 1915.  The main characters are Armen, an Armenian engineer and Elizabeth Endicott, a Bostonian WASP.  Part historical fiction, part drama, part mystery, and part love story, it is also the story of a world gone awry, where over a million Armenians were murdered, marched through a deadly desert, raped, starved, and forgotten by a world where religious jihads were not covered 24/7 by CNN.  The stories of these women (always women and children, as the men were systematically annihilated) is difficult to read at times, heart-breaking and inspiring.  I dreamt of them at night, and could not wait each day to grab this book once again.  Read in just two days, I would say that Sandcastle Girls is Chris Bohjalian's masterpiece.  This is a book for men or women, any age (though the stories of brutality may be too raw for middle school and younger), and is a piece of history we should all know.  It is not a book I will forget any time soon.
The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

I have been waiting impatiently for Morton's newest book; her last one The Distant Hours seems to have come out years ago (okay, July 2011 - but it seems like forever).  I stumbled upon Kate Morton a couple years ago because I liked the title and cover of her first book The Forgotten Garden - rather shallow of me, but what a brilliant find.  Morton combines some of my favorite literary pieces - historical fiction, gothic mystery, a little bit of a love story, and complex characters.  I tend to get a bit obsessed with her books as she writes of days gone by in England, but always manages to weave in today's world as well.
 In The Secret Keeper, the main character Laurel is a rather well-known character actress in England today, but has some serious issues that need to be uncovered, due to the secrets of  her mother's past.  The plot line is split amongst the present day as the children gather at their mother's death bed, the Blitz in London of 1941, and Australia and the childhood of another leading character.  To say more might give things away and I'd hate to be a spoiler.  Sufficient to say, this is a fabulous "Brain-Candy" book that will not disappoint you.  And instead of the 'stage littered with bodies,' I found myself smiling and delighted as I turned the last page.  Delectable book that I absolutely could not put down.

Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
This is almost a painful book review to write, as this book has seared itself into my soul.  Over the last few months, I kept hearing about this Iraq war book, a finalist for the National Book Award as well as constant comparisons to Catch 22 and The Things They Carried, two of my favorite books to read and teach.  However, I'm not a particularly huge fan of war books (though I say that having read Matterhorn about the Vietnam war last year - one book I will never forget).  I let Yellow Birds sit in my Wish List on Audible for some time, needing to be in just the right mood, but let's face it, what is the proper frame of mind for a war story?  For the last eleven years, we have all seen the stories, the increasingly smaller articles hidden on back pages when troops are killed, but the headlines seem to move us less and less.   Support for our soldiers remains strong, appreciating their love and defense of country, but what is the real affect of battle, of carnage, of death?  'Baptism by fire' forms that soldier, giving birth to a dissimilar person, but who had to die for that new being to rise?  Kevin Powers shows us that no one comes back home the same person who originally left, and that is the ultimate cost of war.

On the surface, Yellow Birds is a story of soldiers engaged in the Iraq war, as well as the attempt to assimilate back into life in the states.  However, beneath the words is a story of monumental proportions.  Powers, a veteran himself, forces us to see the terrible choices a soldier must make to survive, as well as to hold on to the humanity within himself.  The story plays itself out in double time - the story of Bart and Murph in Al Tafar, Iraq and the story of a return home to Virginia.  A breath-taking first time writer,  I understand why Powers has his M.F.A. in poetry; he constructs a brutal, provoking story with shockingly beautiful sentences and language.  As an English teacher, I was in awe; as a reader, he painted a picture I will never forget.  The symbolism will strike you, and the story will, I suspect, sear itself into your soul as well.  Whether you're a fan of war stories or not, I truly believe this is a book all Americans should read, so that when we see that headline once again, it will no longer have the banality of the news within it, but instead will move us to compassion for our soldiers who give their lives, and sometimes their spirit, for their country.

The Poet, The Scarecrow and The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly

If you like Law and Order, you will love Michael Connelly books, and if you like listening to books, you will love the narrator for Connelly on audible.com.  His smooth voice and variety of character voices make you feel like you're watching a movie in your head.
 I first discovered Connelly last year on Audible, looking for some brain candy to listen to on vacation; I chose The Poet.  The main character, Jack McEvoy, is a newspaper reporter whose brother has recently committed suicide, but...did he??  Jack teams up with an FBI agent named Rachel, a newbie who gets way too personally involved with the case, and the two of them begin the hunt for a pretty ingenious serial killer.  Jack is allowed in on the FBI investigation, making him privy to all kinds of information he can use on a potential Pulitzer prize-winning article.
The Scarecrow follows these same two characters, five years later, on the heels of another creepy killer.    Jack's life is in a bit of a mess, as is his career, but this time it is Jack himself who gets pulled into the sphere of the murderer.  It's a thriller until the end, splicing together themes of love, psychosis, and the demise of the written word.
The Lincoln Lawyer was made into a movie last year (pretty good one, according to my family), but since I'm not a big fan of Matthew McConaughey, I bypassed the theater.  The book, however, is a humdinger.  At first, I thought...typical sleazy defense attorney, defending so-called 'innocent' client = same old, same old.  However, numerous twists exist in this book, plus it throws in a compliment about USC law school (where my daughter currently attends), so it's a winner.  I actually listened to
all three of these books while working out, driving, baking cookies, cleaning house - you get my drift - they're addictive.  There's just something about Connelly's stories - they're not what I would characterize as 'pretty' writing, but they are page turners.  He creates characters that are imperfect, scarred from life, yet enticingly likable.  Good authors have this ability, and Connelly certainly rates.   Highly recommend *****

The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers

I picked this book up a few weeks ago in one of my weekly wanders through Village Book Store, best independent book store ever.  It appealed to me for a few reasons.  One, it was short.  I'm a bit tired of the 500-700 page books. Perhaps I'm too impatient, but occasionally I'd like to cruise through a book quickly and then move on.  Secondly, its subject area was post-apocalyptic, my personal favorite.  The premise is rather intriguing...a virus has infected literally every female in the world.  This virus, MDS, has embedded itself into every woman, child or grown up.  Once the female gets pregnant, the virus then takes over, using the idea of the immune system 'opening' itself up so that it doesn't attack the fetus, thus leaving the woman open to the attack of this virus.  The brain becomes mush, like in mad-cow disease, and eventually kills the carrier.  It's a brilliant terrorist move that ultimately spells the end of the human race.  The main character, Jessie, through which the story is told, shows us a world where there is no future.  Scientists, her father being one of them, race against time to find a cure.  Fertility specialists create 'sleeping beauties' who carry babies to term, killing the mother.  Religious extremists convince girls to join the 'Noah' project to save the world.  As a reader, I was intrigued by the story, even when I thought the writing was so-so, but as a mother, I wanted to strangle the main character.  It is, however, a thought-provoking book.  With that said, as much as I liked the idea of a 'shorter' story, I felt as if it wasn't perhaps a bit under-developed.  Then again, what do I know?  It was nominated for a Booker award and has won much critical acclaim.  I do think it would be a fabulous book club book, as it contains many controversial, provoking issues such as medical ethics, religion, parental rights, child rights, and the role of science in the future.  It would be a fascinating discussion to have between a mother and a daughter as well.  It is a quick read and in paperback, so I'd say it's worth it.

The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro

Every birthday, from the time they were born, my daughters have always received a 'birthday' book.  We've moved from Goodnight Moon, to The Wizard of Oz, through all of Harry Potter, and into adulthood with The Book Thief. So, this year when I dropped the ball and forgot, it was important to make it up to my artistic daughter and find the perfect book.  The Art Forger should do the trick.  While Meg doesn't yet have time to read it, thanks to college, I was able to sneak a peek.  Of course, the peek turned into 14 pages, and by then it was impossible to put this book down.  Whether you're an art history buff, like my daughter, or a mystery fan like me, you will LOVE this book.  The main character, Claire Roth, is a poor artist in Boston, working on reproductions for an online company.  Mystery surrounds her, as we hear vague rumblings on her ostracism from the artistic world, and we meet Aiden Markel, a mysterious man who offers her a Faustian bargain.  Questions propel the reader through the book...is it really a deal with the devil?...will Claire ever be vindicated or find success?...is the Degas painting real or fake?...who perpetrated the 1990 heist?  Shapiro, an artistically knowledgeable writer, does a masterful job of splicing time periods together, moving among three years past, the Boston of today, and the Paris of one hundred years ago.  It is an engrossing, thought-provoking, intriguing novel;  I highly recommend it.

Winter of the World by Ken Follett

I think I started reading Ken Follett books back in college, when my dad loaned me The Man From St. Petersburg.  Since then, I've read them all.  I've always loved Follett's mix of history, intrigue, romance, and thrills; the man can tell a story.  His epic Pillars of the Earth, on cathedral building, is one of my all time favorite reads.  Follett began a new series last year with Fall of Giants, following four sets of family/friends in four different countries - America, England, Germany, and Russia.  That story focused on the build up to the 'Great War.'  Follett intertwines his characters across continents in a thoughtful manner, building some mystery, giving some historical facts, and of course, the requisite romantic entanglements.  I loved Fall of Giants, and looked forward to the sequel Winter of the World.  Luckily, since it was about 30 books ago, it wasn't necessary to remember all the characters and all the connections.  Follett sprinkles enough of the 'old' story throughout so that one can pick it up as the story continues.  It actually begins twenty years later, as the world leads into WWII.  Once again, I learned some interesting historical background (and I thought I knew a lot about the time period!) and became engrossed in the characters' lives.  I did, however, feel that the last 100 pages were a bit rushed and not quite as well-written.  Now granted, I don't read Follett for his lyrical prose - I read him for his stories - but it got pretty choppy in the end.  With that said, a 973 page book got read in about ten days, regardless of essays to read, so I would still call it a page turner.  However, it was very large and heavy - I would recommend waiting for the paperback or doing an e-book.  And yes, I will be first in line for the final installment of the trilogy; Follett has yet to disappoint me.

The Twelve  by Justin Cronin

If you go back to the beginnings of this blog, you'll see one of my first posts on Cronin's huge best-seller, The Passage.  The Twelve is the subsequent sequel becaus, God forbid, an author not capitalize on making even more money than the first time.  Now, with that said, I have to admit I read this second book just as obsessively as the first.  I am a self-confessed fan of post-apocalyptic literature; something about this genre is fascinating to me.  Perhaps it's the hidden fears I have about my children's future, or I've watched too many doomsday movies, or I just want someone to finally write about a future that's positive (that never happens).  Whatever it is, I'm obsessed and  The Twelve  does not disappoint.  Cronin once again gives us a variety of characters who are battling the end of the world, as the 'virals' continue their march towards dominance (remember - military science experiment gone REALLY wrong - only the government would give serum to convicted murderers, turning them into vampires, to see if they could create an invincible armed forces).  However, these creatures have eaten everyone so it's time for some new heroes to emerge, as well as some of the old characters from the previous book.  And what quest is complete without the sacrificial lamb, the little girl Amy, all grown up now.  Cronin does a masterful job of weaving together a variety of places, people, and problems.  I read this 538 page book in five days - my husband got no dinner and my essays went ungraded.  And yes...it was worth it.  I now wait anxiously for the third book.

The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan

Bookstores and I are a dangerous combination; I can never walk out of one without buying at least a couples books, to add to the growing shelf of 'books I still need to read after I finish grading all these student essays!'  So a few weeks ago, when wandering in a local bookstore in LaJolla, CA, I chatted with a salesperson about Justin Cronin's huge bestseller, The Passage.  I was impatiently awaiting my pre-order copy of that sequel in the mail.  Her reply was, "If you liked that book, you have got to read The Last Werewolf."  Naturally, I was intrigued.  Now, having read it, I wouldn't connect it in any way to The Passage, which is a post-apocalyptic thriller with virus-based vampires.  The Last Werewolf  is an existential novel, questioning our reason for existence.  I know - that sounds rather boring, but the book is far from that.  The main character, Jake, is the last werewolf on earth, spending every waking moment staying clear of WOCOP (World Organization for the Control of Occult Phenomena).  I know - it's sounds like Twilight or Harry Potter.  However, due to Duncan's writing style and twists and turns of the plot, it raises the level far above that of teen-pop or kiddie lit (not that I don't love HP).  Duncan is obviously brilliant, and Jake is the reflection of his philosophy and deep thinking about existence.  As Jake runs, we are pulled into his story, however violent and twisted his life is.  And believe me...it is.  Quite often, the raw language, the twisted sex, and the graphic violence is hard to get past - at times, it made me want to take a shower after reading.  However, the story itself is quite gripping and takes an unexpected little twist half-way through.  By the last 100 pages, I had a hard time putting it down.  Will I read the second book?  I believe so, but it will be awhile - I need a break from the rawness of this book.  Would I recommend it?  I think so - it's a good story, but if you're a sensitive soul when it comes to language, sex, violence, I would say it's probably not a good fit.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Once I had read Gone Girl (LOVED) and Dark Places (liked but oh so dark), I had to read Gillian Flynn's first novel, Sharp Objects.  I actually think this may have been her best, even with how much I loved Gone Girl.  Sharp Objects takes the idea of 'dysfunctional' family not even to a new level, but to a new plane of existence.  It makes me wonder what kind of family Flynn grew up in and how her mother feels about her fiction-writing?  The main character, Camille Preaker, is a news reporter, returned to her Missouri small town to cover a murder of a young girl.  It seems there was another murder months previously as well, so Camille's editor sees a possible serial killer in the making.  As Camille interviews and discovers things in her town, we discover things about Camille.  Like how she has carved dozens of words (yep, you heard me, words) all over her body.  Hence, the long sleeved dresses in the middle of summer.  We meet her psycho mother and her damaged little sister.  The FBI agent (aka love interest) cannot possibly be construed as a real love story in this type of book.  Each time I thought I had it all figured out, I had gone down a carefully constructed rabbit hole.  Gillian Flynn is a brilliant writer and obviously twisted human being, but I do admit - I'll be first in line for her next book.  If you liked Gone Girl or you haven't read Gillian Flynn yet, do yourself a favor and get Sharp Objects - it's worth it.

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

While I'm definitely the reading addict in our family, this time my husband beat me to this book.  After I read it, I can see why.  This is an awesome mystery!!  Nesbo is a Norwegian writer, so think Girl with the Dragon Tattoo kind of crime.  Same with Unwanted.  What is it with these Scandinavian writers? They have a twisted mind when it comes to crime, murder, sex, etc.  However, seeing as I'm strangely addicted to these books, perhaps that says something about my taste in literature as well? Regardless, Nesbo can certainly write.  He's written a number of books with the lead detective, Harry Hole (okay, we want to say it like American - hole - but it's actually said 'Hoo-lee' in Norway:).  Harry is an alcoholic, obsessive, strange little detective, but all together brilliant.  In The Snowman, he's chasing a murderer who, yes, leaves a snowman each time he kills.  And he always kills on the day of the first snow.  If you don't like brutal crime scenes, I'd stay away from this book - it doesn't pull any punches.  This is a psychological thriller that leaves the reader in one direction, then another, and then another, until we are just as twisted up trying to figure out 'who done it' as our good detective Harry is.  It's a great cast of sidekicks as well, with an intriguing ex-girlfriend, a few friendly detectives, and some weird doctors, but at the end of the day, it is Harry Hole who dominates the story, and the crime scenes.   I will be purchasing the next Harry Hole book as soon as I can get to the book store.

The Woodcutter by Reginald Hill
This is a humongously long book but...well worth it.  I wasn't sure what to make of it at first.  As you look at the outer cover, it seems almost like a fantasy, with the misty light in the forest.  Then, as you see the inner cover, it is the painting of a woodsman as he surveys the land.  Visually, it led me to believe perhaps a historical fiction, something during pioneer days?  I could not have been more wrong.  The story begins with the intrigue of a nameless boy, some secretive government spies, and a plan gone extremely awry. It is only in the last half of the book that those beginning snippets of mystery start to become clear.  The main character is a man named Wolf Hadda, and he has had a seriously bad last few years...falsely accused of horrific crimes, years spent in prison, and a disfiguring accident.  Through stories to his psychiatrist, we hear the tales of his youth and of his 'crime.'  The rest of the book is a roller coaster ride through family intrigue, friends betrayed, international espionage, and thwarted love.  In other words, it's a humdinger!  While I didn't want to put this book down, I had to at times, thanks to essays to grade.  Happily, the story was quite easy to pick back up and get into easily, reading the last 100 pages on a free Saturday afternoon.  This is not a straight mystery - it's so much more - but it is definitely a page turner - highly recommend.

The Financial Lives of Poets by Jess Walters
Obviously, going back to the classroom, after a summer of delirious reading, the time to pleasure-read has been cut down in a serious way.  However, thanks to the SSR time at Bellingham High School, I have been able to plow through a couple of books.  After reading Jess Walter's book Beautiful Ruins this summer (see review below) and falling in love with his eclectic group of characters, quirky plot line, and beautiful Italian setting, I figured his first book might be a similar love.  While I did love it, the word 'similar' is not exactly the right word.  In fact, if I hadn't seen his name as the author, I would never have guessed that the same man wrote The Financial Lives of Poets.
This book is a meanly hilarious look at the financial crisis of 2008 and beyond.  The main character is pretty much a loser...failed news reporter who decides that the best way to be an entrepreneur is to start an online financial advice column.  However, his reporting involves the advice in a poetic format, because of course, that's financially viable.  His next brilliant idea is to become a pot dealer to support his wife and two boys.  Thanks to some bumbling hood rats and snarky policemen, it does create for some hilarious moments.  Then, throw in a possibly unfaithful wife who has a TV shopping addiction, her ex-high school sweetheart otherwise known as Prince Chuck, a dementia-riddled father who only wants to watch the Rockford Files and make crude jokes about the television anchorwomen, and you've got some humorous moments.  However, some poignant ones also exist, along with some valid questions about life today...how do we create meaning when our expectations don't line up with our reality? This is a thought-provoking, timely, and entertaining book.

Signs of Life by Natalie Taylor
As I returned to school this past week, everyone seemed to be asking...how was your summer, where did you go?  My technically correct answer should have been "No where - just my yard."  However, if I am being really philosophical and 'English-teacher corny,' I could say...Victorian England, the murder room in Stockholm, Porto Vergona in Italy, Arkansas in 1951, a creepy English village, and even North Korea!  My summer was spent reading 23 books - oh, what joy.  And yes, I can still feel my brain expanding.
Sign of Life was our latest book club pick and it was not my normal fare.  I'm usually a sucker for pure fiction, or at least non-fiction historical books.  Natalie Taylor writes a memoir of her life as a 24 year old wife whose husband dies suddenly, and leaves her to deliver and raise a son on her own.  It is Natalie's walk through grief, fear, and a sense of recovery.  It could have been a total trudge through the depths of her despair, but surprisingly it is not.  Her hilarious conversations of what she'd actually like to say to a variety of people are laugh-out-loud funny, as are her conversations with her pretend Fairy Mom Godmother.  Admittedly, I first had to get past the truly terrible writing.  As an English teacher, the repetitive sentence patterns and sentences that start with the same word, in the same paragraph, drove me nuts!  (And yes, I understand I may be the only one who notices these things but I had to point it out) However, by about 30 pages in, I no longer noticed.  I was so drawn into her story and was pushed through the story by my own questions...how would I survive this?  Would I be any different?  I also started to wonder if the poor writing was a manifestation of her shock and grief, as the writing got better as her life moved on.  Taylor is also, God love her, a high school English teacher.  She will talk about a novel she's teaching and how it connects with her life, and yes, I highlighted these parts just to show my students how literature helps us to connect with the world.  In fact, I don't think I've ever highlighted a pleasure book this much.  There were so many raw truths that just made sense, and I don't mean the 'how-to' type of books.  Signs of Life is a very real story, with a genuine voice of a young woman who is just trying to survive the crap that life has thrown in her path.  I won't forget this book quickly; it's a powerful, moving story.

The Yard by Alex Grecian
As I watch the first day of school creeping closer and closer, I feel compelled to read as much 'brain candy' as possible.  The Yard defines that idea.  In many ways, Alex Grecian combines some of my favorite genres and motifs...Victorian England, gothic settings filled with fog and darkness, child saviors, love and friendship, and some smart detectives thrown into the mix.

This book is set during the year following Jack the Ripper's spree.  The city is still in fear, as Saucy Jack was never caught, the police are reviled as the men who couldn't catch him, and poverty and violence rule the East End of London.  Grecian then throws his main character, Walter Day, into this environment.  He's a new young inspector for Scotland Yard, plucked out of obscurity in Devon, by the expert older detective who died as the man who couldn't nab the Ripper.  Day's new boss at the newly formed Murder Squad is Sir Edmund, whose one-armed physical presence, intelligence, and sense of humor sets a new tone in the building.  Day's cohorts have distinctive and compelling personalities:  Hammersmith, the former coal-mining boy now a city constable, Blacker, the pun-loving affable fellow inspector, Dr. Kingsley, the coroner who's discovering all kinds of 'new' forensic' science, Day's well-to-do and intelligent young wife, and of course, the resident bad guys.  The murder of a policeman begins the story, and it rolls on from there, through both the upper crust and the workhouses of the desperately poor, in the bars where whores and their pimps rule, and the gas-lit morgue.  It is a thick book, but it never felt long.  I finished it in just a few days, as I truly couldn't put it down.  The characters are so richly drawn, you feel as if you've left their company as you close the book.  I truly hope, and expect, Grecian to write another tale with the fellows of the Murder Squad - I'll be standing in line.

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield

At the end of a 1,200 mile odyssey and leaving my oldest daughter a couple of states away from home, I was in no shape to sit calmly in an airport, waiting for my flight to be called.   So...what better way to cheer myself up than to buy a book?!  My need for mysteries had been sated this summer, so what next?  As I browsed through the books, I would pull up the Amazon reviews and see what others thought.  This novel by Jenny Wingfield, her first after a couple of screenplays, caught my eye.  When I read the reviews (five stars across the board), I figured why not?  I was expecting a simple, country tale, not much of a barn-burner.  Quite frankly, I was rather shocked at how much I loved this book.  It takes place back in the 1950's, when parents didn't provide the constant 'hovering' of their helicopter rotors and kids could be just that, kids.  No organized club sports, families ate dinner together, and pretending to be cowboys and indians wasn't seen as politically incorrect.
The plot revolves around the quirky, painfully honest Moses family, whose daughter Willadee married a preacher man named Samuel Lake.  Due to his refusal to pull punches with congregations, Sam gets a new church each year and this year, none at all so he's moved the family back to Arkansas to the Moses family farm.  This loving couple has three loud, boisterous, delightful children, with the girl Swan (yep, she's named Swan Lake!!) as one of the coolest kids I've read about in awhile.  There's a sister-in-law who's still in love with Sam, an uncle who's killed a man and lost his leg in the war, a grandmother who's trying to recover from her husband's suicide and has more wisdom in her little pinkie than the rest of the county, the abused child who blossoms with a little bit of love, and of course the stereotypical bad neighbor who beats his wife, children, and animals.  However, there's just something about the writing and the story that Wingfield is able to draw her audience in, not wanting to leave this community each night when you should be closing the book, but yes, you keep on reading until well past midnight.  It's not all sunshine and roses - there's some hard parts of the story that involve children - but it is a beautifully told story of family, faith, redemption, and occasional justice.

And When She Was Good by Laura Lippman

When you take a 1,200 mile road trip, you have got to have a good audio book along for the ride, and Laura Lippman's latest mystery kept my daughter and I thoroughly entertained.  As Alex and I rolled through the ugliest scenery ever (there is nothing between Portland and Los Angeles, in case you were wondering), we listened to the tale of Helen/Heloise and the double-life she leads.  In the beginning, my daugher denigrated the whole idea of listening to a book, but less than an hour in, she was hooked.  The main character, Helen, is a nice little suburban soccer mom, who leads a nasty little double life as a madame and prostitute.  High-end hooker, but at the end of the day, still a hooker.  As the book progresses, the reader moves back and forth in time, seeing Helen's past life and what led to her current role as a madame.  We see the nasty people who warped her (charming dad, weak mom, vile pimp/boyfriend, drug-addled friends), as well as the suburbanites who befriend Heloise, never knowing of her other life.  With Lippman, a best-selling mystery writer, she's got to throw some murders in, which are thoughtful and well planned, but not nearly as engrossing as Helen's life and how it came to be so messed up.  The characters are very well drawn, without the stereotypes Lippman could have fallen back upon.  Helen is less than perfect, as is her handy assistant.  The friendly accountant is perhaps not so friendly, and the neighborly pastor is a gay-loving, liberal truth-teller.  Alex and I had some great conversations about what turns people to a particular way of life, and how hard/easy it is to get out, and if people really want to escape.  It's a surprisingly thought-provoking book, with a bit of a cliche-ish ending that ultimately doesn't wreck the enjoyment of the book.  If you like mysteries, it's a very good one.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

For all of you Law and Order junkies out there, this book is for you.  From the very first page, I was all in.  In this old-fashioned legal thriller,  Andy Barber is the first assistant to the district attorney in a suburb of Boston.  Accustomed to locking up the bad guys, he finds himself in the position of defending Jacob, his fourteen year old son who has been accused of murder.  The author, William Landay, however, adds in a few twists and things are not as straight forward as the reader might like.  Interspersed amid the story of Jacob, is the grand jury testimony between Andy and his old mentee/current nemesis, new number one assistant to the district attorney.  Until the last page, the reader isn't entirely sure what the grand jury is investigating.  Juxtaposed with these two mysteries, is also the story of a family history, the role it plays in the current family, and the dynamics of two parents raising a 'less-than-normal' son.  As the story unfolds, I was constantly asking myself "Who's the naive one, mom or dad?  Is this kid a normal, angst-y teenage boy or a sociopath?  How does Andy's past play into his present?  And is mom deeper than she appears?"  Throw in a few friendly policemen, a vile grandfather, creepy porn web-site visits, and a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, and this is the 'ultimate' in legal mysteries.  It will not take you long to devour this one.

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

This was one of those books that's been building up lots of buzz lately.  I've read about it online, seen it at my favorite bookstore, Village Books, and watched it climb bestseller lists.  However, I wasn't really sure it was 'my kind of book.'  With a little bit of patience, I was proved so very wrong.

Walters takes the lives of a variety of people, relates their varied stories, and eventually pulls them all together in a truly stunning fashion.  We begin with the delightful Pasquale, a young innkeeper on the Lingurian Sea (if you've been to the Cinque Terra in Italy, you know right where this is!).  Throw in a mysterious and young and beautiful actress, a PTSD-scarred war veteran, a creepily preserved Hollywood producer, his idealistic and hopeful assistant, a screenwriter with perhaps the worst screenplay idea EVER, and a drug-addled young man.  (Oh, and let's not forget Richard Burton and Cleopatra)  What, pray tell, could these people all have in common?  Ah, that is the great answer that Walter creates in a compelling and brilliant fashion.  Who knew the doomed Donner party expedition could be such a thoughtful motif to weave through a book?

After listening to it for about six hours (yep, one of my audible.com purchases) however, I was ready to throw in the towel.  The constant changing of story lines, from one character to the next, was disconcerting.  As soon as I got to care a bit about what was going on in one person's life, the story changed and I was on to another.  I think perhaps if I had a paper copy, I could have flipped back through and caught up with that person again once I returned to his/her story.  With that said, the second half of this book is merely...stunning.  I was compelled to push through, becoming completely and utterly engrossed in each person's story, and more importantly, in how we are all connected in so many infinitesimal ways.  I can't wait for my book-reading friends to read this book, as I have SO much I want to discuss with you!!!

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
Once I read Gone Girl and realized how wickedly twisted Flynn is, I had to read another one of her books.  Dark Places did not disappoint...

The story involves a young woman, Libby Day, whose entire family (mom and two sisters) are killed in a horrific murder scene right out of In Cold Blood.  Yep, think small mid-west farm town, violence, blood on walls, the whole enchilada.  We meet Libby many years later, as her brother has rotted in prison for over twenty years for this horrific crime.  Libby is one messed up girl.  Anger management issues, sticky fingers, poor financial management - and that's putting it nicely.  Libby meets up with some freaky-deaky true-crime followers who want her to recant her testimony and figure out who really killed her family, as they believe her brother, Ben, to be innocent.  This sends Libby on a rather interesting journey of her past.  We see the story through many eyes - grown up Libby and then both her brother and her mother on the day of the murders.  This story brings the idea of a dysfunctional family to a whole new level.  I'm not sure there's any redeeming qualities to any of the characters, and perhaps my sheer love of black comedy wins out, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It's a bit of a slow start but then it gets going around page fifty or so.  If you like rather twisted characters, issue-laden relationships, and a mystery surrounding everything, you'll love Dark Places.  

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
After seeing this book around for over a year, I had studiously avoided it.  I figured, what's all that interesting about an older English gentleman nursing a school-boy crush on a shopkeeper?  However, after finding it on sale at Village Books (got to love the second hand carts by the front door), having my book-loving friend tell me it was a good read, I figured I had to give it a go.  I was shockingly, suprisingly, completely delighted by it.

The main character, Major Pettigrew, is a rather frumpy old English gent on the outside.  He doesn't like change, of any sort.  He's been widowed for six years and resides in a quintessential, sleepy old countryside village.  One would think that all the stereotypes of this type of book would be played out, with the busybody neighbors, snobby titled earls, and teenagers desperately in love.  However, in a creative and thoughtful manner, Simonson veers away from using any of these.  The major is a wickedly funny man, with the dry ironic British humor, and the love interest is a Cambridge-born Pakistani shopkeeper who is articulate, intelligent, and passionate.  Throw in a spoilt son, an environmental crisis in the village, a couple of historical pistols, and...oh yes, a culturally divided community who is insensitive and ignorant, and you actually have a wonderful book.  I wasn't sure for the first forty pages or so, and easily set it aside.  However, once I got to know Mrs. Ali, Roger, and of course, the Major, I actually couldn't put it down - another midnight bedtime!

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
I'm one of those freaky book lovers that actually doesn't like to listen to music very much.  In fact, my iPhone is packed with audio books, not music.  My students all think I'm weird, but I figure when I'm working out or walking the dog, why would you want to waste good time on songs when there are so many books left in the world to read?  My favorite source is audible.com.  I only choose books with great reviews on the actual reader; that way I get a movie playing in my head as I listen.

My latest book-listen was Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.  It's been on the top of all the Northwest bestseller lists, plus it's a mystery, so I figured I couldn't go wrong.  It is the story of Nick and Amy, a young couple who have been married for five years.  After job losses, money problems, freaky parents, and a move from New York back to Nick's home town in Missouri, Amy winds up missing on their fifth wedding anniversary.  The story is told through both Nick and Amy's eyes, in a diary/prose format.  Unfortunately, I cannot really say anything else about the plot line or I would wind up the biggest 'spoiler' in world.  Suffice it to be said, that this book is NUTS.  Every twist and turn an author could put in, red herrings all over the place, and some wickedly drawn characters populating the story - this book is a brilliant, mind-bending story.  I was so engrossed with it that I had to grab a paper copy from a friend and stay up until midnight to finish it (audible was reading too slowly for me!).  That was a first.  I love that it's not a 'pretty lil package' story and that unexpected things continuously pop up.  Good brain candy, yes, but also brilliantly written, wicked funny in spots, and thought-provoking.  This would be a great book club book as so much exists to discuss in the end.  Whether you like mysteries, romance, whatever, this is a book you should NOT miss.

The Clifton Trilogy by Jeffrey Archer
Beginning many years ago, I have been a Jeffrey Archer fan.  Starting with Kane and Abel, moving on to Prodigal Daughter, and loving the politics of Not a Penny More, Archer is the quintessential English writer.  Not known for his lyrical style or his brilliant turn of phrase, Archer is 'merely' a good story teller.  However, he's a REALLY good story teller, one of those authors that can suck you in quickly with his plot lines, making you stay up late for 'just one more chapter.'  His characters aren't necessarily original - there's usually a titled Englishman who has 'issues,' a 'pull yourself out of the muck' commoner, and always a love interest that has challenges along the way.  Throw in a bit of politics and intrigue and you've pretty much got the gist of it.

Archer's newest series follows the story of a boy named Harry Clifton.  His is the usual tribulations in the first book, Only Time Will Tell - poor boy with hard-working mum, gifted singer, attends private boarding school, makes friends with titled and wealthy boy, and falls in love with the sister.  However, there's a lovely little twist, with the question of who his father is, as well as the beginning of the second World War.  The characters are all quite lovely, particularly his mother Maizy, who is a strong-willed, intelligent, though uneducated young woman.  The teachers who influence Harry along the way are also quite delightful.  In the second book, The Sins of the Father, we follow Harry to an American prison, as well as the continuing sage of his love affair and his best friend Giles' war conflicts.  It's all quite British, with family inheritance, ship-building, politics, and unrequited love.  It is definitely good brain candy.

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James
Summertime seems a strange time to pick a ghost story to read, but that's exactly what my book club did.  Perhaps it was better to read this eerie story out in the broad sunlight; I think a drizzly grey day would have created even more creepiness than ever.

St. James has created three fascinating characters to lead the reader through this ghostly story.  First is Alistair, a middle-class, handsome young man who is driven to research, document, and write about the presence of ghosts throughout England.  His faithful sidekick is Matthew, a comrade-in-arms from WWI, still tortured by his time in the war, as well as his horrific burns he suffered.  Last is Sarah, the young orphaned woman, living in London, but plucked out of a dull life to become Alistair's assistant.  Of course, she thought it was secretarial work - a bit surprised to find out he wanted her to talk to a ghost.


Because, yes, our less-than-friendly ghost Maddy Clare is creating havoc in a small English village.  Throw in a mystery of why she haunts this place, the strange characters in the village itself, a lost love of Alistair's, and a passionate attraction between Matthew and Sarah, and you've got a lovely Gothic novel.  While at times predictable, it is also capable of raising a few goosebumps on the back of your neck.  Ultimately, it was a darn good read!

Unwanted by Kristina Ohlsson

As a huge fan of The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo series, I had high hopes for another mystery written by a Swedish writer.  I was not disappointed.  The story takes off right from the first chapter, with a distracted mother standing on a platform, watching the train leave the station, with her six-year old daughter onboard.  When the train pulls into the next station, the little girl is gone...and the mystery begins.  Ohlsson creates an interesting crew to solve the mystery - the chief with a big reputation, the new detective with more book knowledge than experience, the sleazy partner who cheats on his wife, and the nerdy media specialist whose love life seems suspect.  The families who are the victims are also well-drawn, with both their background history and the location of the bodies part of the solution.  As the disappearances and deaths pile up, the puzzle pieces remain scattered.  It's not until the last thirty pages, that it all comes together.  This is definitely a very gripping mystery.  I'm already anxious for Ohlsson's next book in the series to come out; I only hope she can equal this one.

All Woman and Springtime by Brandon Jones
The premise of this book is interesting...a girl in North Korea, living in an orphanage, becomes friends with another girl, one from a very different background from her's.  This wealthy, spoiled girl winds up orphaned through bad luck, where as the main character has been 'reeducated' in the gulags of North Korea.  Through a variety of poor choices, these girls wind up in the hands of the sex trade.  It's a pretty brutal story, though I questioned how well-researched the book was.  I doubt it is as easy to 'escape' from North Korea as author Jones makes it out to be.  While the story was quite disturbing in so many ways, I wished that it was more factual and political.  The last one-third of the book takes place in Seattle, where the sex trade is a serious problem, so it felt more 'real' when it got there.  The two girls and their stories are compelling and it is an intriguing read, just not the 'best' ever.

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson


Don't we all love that feeling of compulsion to keep reading, of not wanting to put a book down?  If you do, this is a great book for you.  It's definitely what I call addictive 'brain candy.'

Many of us have seen the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore movie Fifty First Dates.  It's a sweet romantic comedy about a man who falls in love with a girl with a traumatic brain injury, who has to be told each day who she is, what happened yesterday, and why she should love the man next to her in bed.  Now, take that same story, but give it a creepy mystery spin...because if you think about it, there's really nothing funny about not having your memory.  Watson does a very realistic job of peering inside a woman's head who wakes up each day next to a stranger and looks at an older version of herself in the mirror, wondering where all the years have gone.  Christine and her husband, Ben, have created a seemingly reasonable life, using pictures and stories to retell Christine's past each and every day.  However, is it real, or is it fiction?  As Christine discovers her journal and memories of the past, so do we, the reader.  As Christine pieces together the puzzle, wanting to know the answers pushes the reader towards the end.  I will leave it up to you, to decide if the ending works for you or not.  I started it one day and finished it the following evening.  It's not particularly lyrical writing, but the style is solid and Watson narrates a compelling mystery.

The Lost Wife by Alison Richman

Every birthday and Christmas, for as long as my kids have been alive, they receive a book as a gift.  What else would an English teacher give her children??  This year, Megan's book was The Lost Wife.  Seeing as we have pretty similar taste in books, as soon as she'd finished it, I stole it right back.

I was intrigued merely when I read how the book came about...through a real story that took place in New York city.  At a wedding, an elderly man came over to an older woman, took up her hand, and said "I think I know you."  When the woman didn't share his remembrance, he said "I believe you were my wife."  With that kind of intro, how do you not get pulled into this story?  I knew Meg would like it as it combines art, history, and a city we had all fallen in love with years ago - Prague.  It is a story of love, family, and artists during the Holocaust.  Two young people fall in love and marry, but are torn apart through evacuation, emigration, and genocide.  Much of the story takes place in Terezin, the terrible ghetto and prison where the Jews of Prague were imprisoned (pictured here when we visited in 2006).  The synagogue where they married (the oldest on continental Europe) is pictured here as well, with the ladder showing where the Golem (no, not from Lord of the Rings, but from Jewish folklore - a creature made of mud, who will rescue the Jews of Prague during pogroms).  This book tells a different side of the story of the Holocaust, one of the people left behind in the ghettos, trying to survive, but also of the refugees in America, attempting to assimilate and move beyond their past, an impossible goal.  It is a beautiful book.

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

Last summer, I was cruising around the internet, catching up on news-breaking moments, such as President Obama's vacation:)  Boring stuff, but it did talk about his summer reading books he'd taken with him.  The Warmth of Other Suns was on the top of his list, so I figured, if it's good enough for the President, it should be good indeed, seeing as he's a pretty smart guy.  Needless to say..thoughtful pick.

The Warmth of Other Suns is a non-fiction book that focuses on the Great Migration of the 20th century, of African-Americans from the deep south to the industrial cities of both the north and the west.  As a fairly well-read person and lover of historical-fiction, I thought I knew most of the 'biggies' of American history.  As I read this book, I realized how thin my own education had been - how did I graduate from high school, college, and graduate school, never having heard of the largest movement of a people in recorded history?  Shameful.

While non-fiction, this book takes on this historical period in the form of a story, rather reminiscent of Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, where the historical information is given out and then the story of a particular person/family is tied into that piece of the time period.  The Warmth of Other Suns examines three people - a poor cotton worker who moves with her husband and children from Mississippi to Chicago, an orange picker from Florida who had wanted to attend college, and an upper-class young college graduate who moves to Los Angeles to practice medicine.  I loved how Wilkerson looked at three different socio-economic situations through these people; it gave a rich variety to the various reasons for migration, as well the final results.  She didn't choose 'perfect' people either, in particular the doctor who is difficult to like.  However, Wilkerson sheds much-needed light on this great migration, and opens ones' eyes to the historical context surrounding the African American population in these cities.  I learned SO much and hopefully washed away a bit of my ignorance.  For anyone wanting to become more culturally literate, more aware of how history affects us today, or if you just plain simply want to get smarter, I would strongly and vociferously recommend reading this book.

Author:  John Hart

While I love just about any genre (okay, except sci-fi and robots, and fantasy that involves gnomes), my fall-back, never miss genre has always been mysteries.  I can still pick up any dime-store novel, even if it's poorly written, and cruise through it on vacation.  As long as it keeps me guessing, I'm in.

A couple years ago, my book club picked John Hart's first book The Last Child.  The story revolved around a years'-old mystery surrounding a missing child, the remaining mother and son, as well as a deadbeat dad who abandoned the family.  However, it was more than a mystery...it told the story of what happens to a family when a child is lost, as well as the aftermath amongst the townspeople.  Hart is a master at fleshing out both characters and the relationships among them.

Since then, I have read all of his books...The King of Lies (story of a father's murder and his dysfunctional relationship with his son), Down River (story of returning son who has been accused of murder in the past and gets wrapped up in another murder, along with a wacky dysfunctional family), and my personal favorite, Iron House (story of the past with a creepy foster care home and the consequences it has had on its graduates).  The best part of Hart's mysteries...I am usually still guessing at 'who done it' in the end, and after years and years of reading mysteries and watching old Law and Order shows, I'm usually pretty good at figuring it out.  Hart always has a few good twists, plus the man can actually write.  If you like a good mystery, you can't go wrong with any of these.  They read fast and are definitely page turners.

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller


This was a no-brainer for me to read, considering I teach AP Literature, assign Edith Hamilton's Mythology to all my seniors for the summer, start the school year out with The Odyssey, and then constantly and annoyingly refer to Greek mythology all year long, ending the year with student satires of the different stories.  Duh...what's not to love in this book?!

However, even if you're not a lover of Greek mythology, this is a fantastic read and you'll finally learn about all the Greek references in our world today, which, if you love trivia, is pretty cool (think Fluffy in Harry Potter = Cerberus, three-headed dog who guards Hades).  The Song of Achilles takes the story of The Iliad, the prequel to Odysseus' adventure, and gives us a different point of view, that of Patroclus, Achille's best friend.  Now most of us have grown up hearing the name of Achilles, usually remembering two things - he's a hero and the ankle ligament was an issue, nothing more.  Madeline Miller, though, uses all of what's known in Greek mythology and then fills in what's not known.  For instance, Achilles and Patroclus' real relationship, the reasons for the underlying bitterness between Agamemnon and Achilles, and role of Thetis, Achille's creepy sea nymph mother, are all revealed.  The story unrolls like a great bard of ancient Greece is reading it and even though many may know how it all turns out (yep, wearing Achilles' armor not the best idea for Patroclus), the tension and drama Miller creates keeps one reading.  And for those of you unfamiliar with Greek mythology and all its heroes, it's a dramatic introduction to where all the great stories in our world originated.  Happy reading!

The Unthinkable:  Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why? by Amanda Ripley

I admit it...I'm a total book nerd.  The best part of getting an iPhone was being able to listen to audio books when I exercise.  My students are horrified that I don't have one song on my playlist, but I have a whole library of books.  The latest 'listen' from audible.com was The Unthinkable.  I chose it because one of my favorite readers was doing the reading, but the title intrigued me.  As a mom, sometimes I think I worry about absolutely everything...because I do.  As my two daughters boarded their plane to Denmark last week, all I could think about was "What if it goes down?  There goes my whole world."  Yet, when the older one drove the younger one to school each day, I never considered how much more likely an accident was then.  Rationally, I supposed I knew it, but when are mothers rational?  Like all of the world on Sept. 11, 2001, I was glued to my television for the minute by minute coverage of the terrorist bombings.  We all watched the horrors of Hurricane Katrina, the devastation of the Bay area earthquake in the 1990's, and plane crash in the Boston river.  How many times have we all wondered...what would we do in the same situation?  Could we be the hero, or would we panic?

Amanda Ripley's investigative report is an in-depth look at the psychological and sociological study of disasters - how people react, what types of behaviors are common, and how we can handle situations in order to survive.  She gives many examples of real people in disasters that not only are we familiar with, but also ones we have never heard of and should have (for example, how about the bomb in Halifax harbor in 1916, that broke windows out sixty miles away?!).  My fear is that I would become more fearful of disasters and dangers after listening to this book, but instead it truly gave me a logical way to think about these situations.  Knowledge is a powerful tool.  And believe me, next time the flight attendant is yammering on about the exits and how to escape from the plane, I will definitely be paying attention.  As the Morgan Stanley employees found out on Sept. 11, planning and practicing evacuation plans can save your life.  Ripley even deals with young teenage drivers and how to better help them deal with accidents.  I believe this is a book that everyone should read.  It was intriguing, as well as educational.

Thunderstruck by Erik Larson
Nothing like a few rainy days and an Erik Larson book to start out summer vacation.  I've read most of this Seattle writer's books, starting with Devil in the White City (combines the story of the Chicago's World Fair and one of the most prolific serial killers in the U.S.), Isaac's Storm (story of the Galveston hurricane, still the greatest loss of American lives to a natural disaster), and In the Garden of the Beast ( story of the American ambassador to Berlin in 1933).  I have loved them all.  Larson is able to combine exacting historical detail as well as build suspense and mystery, creating page-turners as evidenced by finishing this one in just three days.

Thunderstruck is the story of an Italian man named Marconi, who through trial and error, invents the wireless.  Now, I had never really thought of this technology prior to this.  We've all heard of Alexander Graham Bell and his telephone and Thomas Edison and his lightbulb, thinking these were scientific discoveries that changed our world.  While they were, the wireless did something that no one else ever had - it gave ships the ability to connect with one another.  For the first time in history, seamen were no longer isolated.  And when one thinks of the explosion of the information age we have today, wireless seems to have been that first step, although some days I wonder of Facebook is a blessing or a curse.  Regardless, the stories of Marconi and his other rival inventors are reminiscent of the 1980's in Silicon Valley, except that Larson enhances the story with Edwardian England and a good-old fashioned murder mystery, the kind that Alfred Hitchcock ultimately used as inspiration for Rear Window.  If you like historical trivia and suspense, you will definitely love this book.

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

I think I was destined to read this book.  Let's see...dysfunctional sister relationships, a father who teaches Shakespeare, and a mother battling cancer...what doesn't connect with my life??

Eleanor Brown's first novel is a winner.  It's smart, sassy, thought-provoking, and well-written.  The story revolves around the relationships between and amongst three sisters - Rosalind (As You Like It), Bianca (Taming of the Shrew), and Cordelia (King Lear).  Told through both real time and flashbacks to their childhood, we see the history of their relationships, not only with one another, but with their parents as well.  All three have some similarities with their Shakespearian namesakes.  And while the entire family likes to throw out quotes from the plays at random, it is not necessary to be familiar with Shakespeare, or even to like him.  It's just another facet of this quirky family.

The sisters are well into adulthood and are drawn back home, a small college town in Ohio, as their mother battles breast cancer.  Rosalind, the eldest, is the organizer who must decide about her own romance, Bianca is the 'wild one' who brings major issues home from New York with her, and Cordelia is the 'lost' youngest child, trying to figure out how she fits into this new world.  There's no mystery to be 'discovered' here; it's compelling to keep reading, just to find out if the sisters figure out who they are meant to be.  The mother's battle with cancer doesn't pull any punches either - it's a pretty accurate look at how much cancer sucks.  The family dynamics are richly drawn - I read this book in about three days - I would highly recommend it.

How All This Started by Peter Fromm

As a Bellingham transplant, one of the first places I discovered early on, haunt on a weekly basis, and never leave without buying something is, of course, Village Books.  So last month, in my role as co-department chair of the English department here at BHS, I met with Chuck Robinson, owner, and Paul Hanson, outreach director.  We brainstormed different ways to keep students engaged and excited about reading.  And bless their heart, they came bearing gifts...a copy of How All This Started by Peter Fromm.  From what I've learned, Fromm has been a short-story author and this book is his first venture into the world of novels.  It is a worthy first effort.

The story, while it focuses on two young people, is definitely not a YA book.  It deals with complex and sometimes disturbing issues of mental illness.  The two children of the family, Abilene and her younger brother Austin, live out on a desolate Texas ranch, raised by two loving parents who have filled their heads with the stories of their conception (of course, in their namesake towns).  They have forsaken their parental hold over Austin and ceded both his time and his baseball training to older sister, Abilene.  Haunted by her own failed attempt to play on the boy's baseball team, Abilene comes off as obsessive and controlling.  As the story continues, you see Abilene fall deeply into a life or death struggle with her bi-polar disorder.  At times deeply disturbing and depressing, it is also a very raw and real look into how a mental disorder has the ability to destroy a family.

I felt at times like I was looking into a window, compelled to watch while knowing I shouldn't be - that what this family was experiencing was so raw, so powerful, so devastating that it should be kept private and personal.  However, that's the power of this novel.  In the end, it teaches us that mental illness is just that, an illness, not a deep, ugly secret from which to be shielded.  This is a book I will not soon forget.

The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney

My latest 'brain candy' read was The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney. Now, my idea of 'brain candy' isn't a book that is poorly written but engaging story nonetheless.  That would define..ahem...Twilight.  To me, 'brain candy' is a book that is very engaging, definitely keeps you turning pages, if not awake at night, and yes, is well written (poor writing makes me want to strangle the so-called 'editor' so it's not as delicious as real candy!)

The reason I liked The Invisible Ones so well is that it is a unique and different story, involves a mystery, and for once, I couldn't figure the puzzle out until the last twenty pages.  Now, for a person who grew up reading every Nancy Drew and Bobbsey Twins mystery, as well as a Law and Order junkie, that is a high compliment.

The story takes place in both flashback and real time, and two different perspectives - Ray Lowell, the Gypsy/Romany private eye and JJ, the Gypsy/Romany young boy whose family is at the heart of the mystery.  Ray is hired by a bereft Gypsy father who hasn't seen his daughter for six years.  Yes, this is the first time he's even thought of looking for her - thus, the beginning of the mystery.  As Ray digs deeper into this family and the inherent issues of their culture, their genetic disease, and Ray's own personal background of growing up half-Gypsy as well as his failed marriage, the story continuously builds upon itself.  I was compelled to continue reading, to discover the answers to the puzzle, just as Ray is. I would definitely recommend this book.

Night

This one is for my freshman English class, as we travel through Night together...

Each time I teach this book and research the background not only of the Holocaust but of Elie Wiesel, the author, I am horrified by the perpetration of such vile acts.  I am also always in awe of the life that Wiesel made for himself after liberation, of his work for peace and the freedom of persecution sought for all people.  It is an honor to teach about his life.

This is a story of a young boy, just fifteen years old, growing up in a devoutly religious family in Eastern Europe.  As his family is swept up in one of the greatest horrors of the 20th century, we as readers experience it along with Elie.  He writes almost abruptly, without flowery description or drama; he relates clearly and succinctly the changes in the laws that affect his family, the move into the ghetto, and eventually his journey through a variety of killing centers and labor camps.  Throughout his searing tale, lies the story of the relationship with his father.  This is a story of hate and bigotry, but it is also the story of a child's love for his father and how far a person can bend before they break.  This book will change the way you view the world, forever...the ashes will leave you scarred for life.

The Passage

Let's preface this review with...no, I don't like vampire books.  Okay, I admit I read all four of the Twilight books.  It was like eating Lay's potatoe chips - you know it's bad for you (ie. the writing is terrible and the editor actually needed to edit), but you can't stop with just one!  Also, Interview with a Vampire was incredibly well-written and fascinating, but gave me nightmares every night until I finally had to put it down.  With that said, Justin Cronin's book is not a 'vampire' book, though they're in it.  I'd describe it more as a post-apocalyptic book, which yes, I always 'bite' on those (okay, stupid pun but bet you still smiled:).

Let's start with how Cronin even got the idea.  As a big runner, he would go for his morning jogs and think about book ideas.  There came a day, however, when his little girl who had just learned to ride a bike, wanted to join dad on his run.  Knowing he would lose that book-planning time, he realized it could be fun to talk out a book with his young daughter.  So, on their first run/bike-ride, Cronin asked her, "What kind of story shall we write together?"  His daughter replied, "Dad, write a book about a little girl who saves the world"...  Aah, the wisdom of youth turned into a HUGE best-seller and the cause of many missed dinners, appointments, and tennis games for me.

The first fifty pages is confusing, following emails from research doctors in South America, stories of government agents, and a sad confused little girl.  However, those first few pages set the scene for everything else; I can't tell you how many times I went back to read the emails from South America (helped explain a lot).  The story moves from a science experiment gone REALLY wrong (yep, think vampires but not the creepy, Bela Lugosi kind, but the end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it kind).  As the plot thickens, it moves well into the future, with a glimpse of the havoc poor lab security can do on our world.  And Cronin can write - not only is the plot provoking, but the characters are rich and the themes of love and family ring true. Yes, I had nightmares all the time, thanks to the 'smokes' as they're called, but not a chance I was putting this book down.  It was one of the most gripping, hair-raising, addictive books I've ever read.  I am counting the months until the second in the series comes out, and would like to hurry Cronin on quite a bit, as next summer cannot come soon enough!

Be cautious when you pick up this book, be patient and get through the first 100 pages, and then be prepared to let your life slip away as you live in the world of the future, waiting to see if Amy really can 'save the world.'

Unbroken

I grew up listening to all the World War II stories from my dad, who was a Navy bomber pilot, taking off and landing from little tee-tiny carrier ships in the middle of a humongous ocean.  I remember watching the old war movies on a Saturday afternoon, curled up next to my dad, as John Wayne shouted out orders and George C. Scott sped through battlefields in a jeep.

When my dad was dying of cancer six years ago, we spent loads of time talking about his youth.  I learned that his entire group of high school skiing buddies was killed in the war; it made me understand why he never really had close male friends during my childhood.  I heard about the sudden leave he was granted when stateside, causing hurried wedding plans down deep in Texas.  I laughed as he told me of how he fixed the bus, when the driver couldn't, so that he could make it to the wedding on time, how he would 'waggle' his wings as he flew over the base so that my mom would know it was him, how his poker-playing buddy helped get him the heck off the base and into flying school just so he wouldn't get in trouble with the lieutenant.  Those months in the chemo chair opened my eyes to a piece of my father that I hadn't known existed.

When my dad died, I went on a reading terror, reading all the WWII war books I could get my hands on...The Last Stand of the Tin Can Soldiers, Flyboys...in an attempt to forge another closeness with a man who was no longer there.  When I read Unbroken by Lauren Hillebrand last year, I felt a further sadness, knowing that my dad was never able to read this amazing book; I know he would have loved it as much as I did.

Unbroken is the story of a little boy, Louis Zamperini, who grows up to be an Olympic runner and a hero in the most real sense of the word.  It is the story of unbelievable courage and the undeniable sense of the unbroken spirit of human survival.  The book includes stories of Louis' childhood, which are laugh-out-loud funny, his running career, as well as his time in the army.  I could not stop reading this...I was compelled to find out what happened.  It's tough to read in many places; the cruelty of humanity is indescribable and vile.  However, the reality of what Louis goes through is part of his story, and vital to the telling of this story.  I cried in so many parts, and cheered the victories when they came.  It is a book that I hope to someday talk about with my dad; it is a book I will never forget.

The Dovekeepers

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman is locked in a tie for my favorite book of 2012 (next post will be on its competitor).  I was fascinated initially by the concept of the story line - four women, at the Masada, in ancient Israel.  I was also a little nervous, as I knew how the Roman siege of the Masada ended (pretty much the way all things Roman ended back then!), and I didn't feel like getting besieged with sadness would be a great way to begin the Christmas season.  However, as I got to know these four women, I was able to move beyond the plot line, and look instead inside their souls.  Hoffman is a master at combining a touch of surrealism and ancient magic, with true historical fact, as well as themes of betrayal, passion, freedom, and devotion.

Each of the four women are distinct and singular.  The daughter of the assassin, the witch woman of Moab, the baker's wife, and the warrior - each has a beautiful story to tell, and each story could stand on its own.  The power of Hoffman's book is that she forces these women together; you become engrossed not only in their lives, but in watching how their four lives intertwine.

I had to be patient with this book; it took me about fifty pages to really get into it.  First, you have to get to Masada.  Then...you're hooked.  This trip into ancient Israel with four distinctive, heroic, exceptional women is unforgettable.

The Night Circus

While in Hawaii, I was excited to dive into Erin Morgenstern's debut novel, The Night Circus.  I was not disappointed.  From the very first line...The circus arrives without warning...it had me.  It's almost a visceral feeling as you read, watching the magicians construct their competition arena, known as the Night Circus.  You can smell the chocolate popcorn, you can feel the clouds as you jump from platform to platform, and you can watch in disbelief as the illusionist makes herself appear on stage.  The characters are quirky, yet familiar; you find yourself wanting to not only root for them, but be friends with them.  As the reveurs follow the circus from town to city, from continent to country, you wish yourself one of them.  You long for the day the circus comes to your town....

Perhaps I'm just a sucker for the circus - yes, I remember the Nancy Drew and Bobbsey Twins mysteries set in circus tents - but I think not.  It's a magical journey into a world we only dream of...don't miss this trip.  Trust me.