Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Fict - Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris

 Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris
Anyone who has worked in an office setting, and especially anyone who has faced layoffs, can relate to this book. The paranoia, the office politics and awkward social situations. The author did a great job getting in the heads of the various characters. The descriptions of office social situations were on point. They were laugh out loud funny, cringe inducing, sad, but definitely relateable.

I did have some trouble keeping track of all the characters, especially the ones who were were introduced, or just mentioned, and then never heard from again. The timing of the book was also a little hard to follow since it jumped back and forth. Both of these resolved about halfway through when the story followed a more linear path. This was about the time that I really started to enjoy the book. All in all, I'd recommend it.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Fict - Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato

This review has a spoiler so I'm saving you from reading this annoying book that promised to be a good historical mystery/thriller.  Where to start?
Englishwoman goes to 60's Venice to study art.  Meets Italian Adonis vaporetto driver (who looks like a painting), & is descended from the most famous glass blower in Murano:  Corradino Manin.   Woman gets pregnant, returns to England, never hears from Adonis again & becomes a bitter feminist.
Fast forward 20 yrs: their daughter Leonora Manin, now a divorced women artist in search of her own roots, goes to Italy. The story alternates between Leonora's life in Italy and her ancestor Corradino Manin's life in Venice in the 1600s.  This was the only interesting part of the book - where you actually learned something of the ancient glassworks and how that society functioned.
Improbable coincidences/plot turns:
- Despite having received divorce proceeds of an English manor grand enough to have its own name, Leonora promptly runs out of money.
- She lands an impossible job at the ancient prestigious Murano glassworks, which for hundreds of years has only hired native male Venetians.
- Enter another Italian Adonis - a policeman this time (who also looks like a painting), who proceeds to find her an oh-so-cute, affordable (impossible to find) apartment in the heart of Venice.  Leonora makes an enemy at work, a descendant of a rival glass blower to Corradino Manin. Think Hatfield-McCoys, except these people hold grudges for CENTURIES! Then, surprise? Leonora gets pregnant to Adonis, who has a stiletto heeled, hell-on-wheels ex-girlfriend/reporter who writes a damning article about Lenora's ancestor. Leonora spends the rest of the book, (and pregnancy) trying to clear her ancestor's name and wondering why Adonis won't become her baby-daddy.
- You would think that Corrado Manin not having fingerprints, which the author emphasizes several times, would be crucial to the plot at some point?
- And why focus on the feminist mother at the beginning, when that fact is never again relevant?
- I also anxiously waited (in vain) for the reporter ex-girlfriend to wreak havoc on the relationship, as promised.
Incipid, with inconsistent time sequences, improbable events, and annoying stylistic tics (italic "thoughts" direct from the characters' brains.)
Yawn . . . . zzzzz

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

YA - Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff

What to say about this book - I really wanted to like it, I really, really did.  I thought for sure it would quench my thirst for some fun fantasy horror.  Boy, was I disappointed.  Clementine has been magically trapped the basement of her burnt out home for years, caught somewhere between this world and the next.  When a couple of boys from town stumble upon her, one - Fisher, is able to hear her and saves her.  From there she reintegrates herself into her family and the community.  She figures out the history of her town, her craft, and the reasons she was locked away.  She poses some questions, get some answers.  The book was so awful that I'm having trouble articulating how bad it actually was.  Trust me - if you're looking for some YA fun - keep looking.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

YA - Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

  I was so in love with this book that I asked a co-worker to read it just so I could confirm that I wasn't overreacting.  She agreed.  Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson is FABULOUS!  There's murder, romance, political intrigue, rich imagery - it has it all.
  When we meet Princess Lia, the First Daughter of the House of Morrighan, she is horrified that she is to be married to a man she's never met.  She is a peace offering, a pawn in a political alliance, secured by her own father.  Lia can't do it, and so, she flees with her closest confidant - her handmaiden.  
  As Lia settles into life in a sleepy, yet beautiful fishing village, she is intrigued when two beautiful men walk into the tavern in which she is working.  What she doesn't know - one is the prince she left at the altar, the other is an assassin who has orders to kill her.
  Kiss of Deception is the first book in a trilogy that promises to be one hell of a ride.  And, may I say, whichever movie studio is bidding on the rights to this book has a huge hit on their hands.  I can't wait for the next installment which, unfortunately, isn't set to be published until sometime in 2015.  My advice: read this book before everyone else catches on!

Saturday, July 19, 2014

YA - The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by Kate Hattemer

  Can I just say that I really, really enjoyed this book?  Finally, an author creates a work for young adults that assumes they're literate, capable and open to learning.  The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy follows a group of friends (Luke, Ethan, Elizabeth and Jackson), their pet gerbil Baconnaise, and the evil force that is changing the face of their school - kTV.  kTV has created a reality program centered on a few students from Selwyn Academy called "For Art's Sake".  The program has corrupted everything that Ethan and his friends hold dear.  No longer are hallway conversations debating the merits of Monet vs. Manet, people are more interested in who Maura Heldsman made out with last week.  When one of their own crosses to the dark side, the rest of the group will stop at nothing to rid their school of kTV.
  Seriously, this book was great.  Like I said earlier, it's refreshing to see a YA author use an extended vocabulary (I had to grab a dictionary more than once).  It's also refreshing to read a book about kids that care about school, their families, and each other.  Really - you need to read this book.  It's my favorite of the year (so far).

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

NON FICT - Sex With Kings : 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge by Eleanor Herman

  Sex with Kings is educational gossip at its finest.  It covers scandalous relationships from the past through the semi-present (the book was published in 2004, so the Charles and Camilla info is a little dated).  Herman uses what little recorded information she can get her hands on, mostly personal correspondence, to paint an extremely entertaining portrait of what royal sex lives were like over the last 500 years.  What I've learned from this book is that mistresses were an extremely powerful force at their zenith.  After that they were usually exiled, sent to covenants, beheaded, publicly derided, and subjected to the merciless gossip of those once fawning courtiers.  Some, of course, laughed all the way to the bank - raking in millions upon millions in titles, estates, and pensions.  Some, on the other hand, as I previously stated, were not so fortunate.
  If your desire is to write a research paper about the sexuality of the past royals, this probably isn't the book for you.  The content is somewhat disorganized, jumping back and forth between kings, their mistresses, and time periods.  If you're looking for an entertaining and sometimes hilarious read - this will do the job.  I found the stories to be really interesting, especially the focus on the mistresses' fall from grace.  Not to mention the money! Oh, the money!  Oh yeah - how could I forget the queen?  The poor queen.  Being queen stinks (apparently).  Give this book a read if you need to relax and enjoy.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

YA - Creed by Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie

  Creed centers on the total misfortune of Dee, her boyfriend Luke, and Luke's brother Mike.  Dee has planned a surprise getaway for Luke's birthday, but everything goes astray the minute their car breaks down.  In freezing cold, all three walk towards the closest town, but once there realize that the town seems to be deserted.  There's no one at the gas station, no one on the streets, and no one in the houses.  They decide to take refuge in one of the homes and what they find sets the tone for the rest of the book.
  Creed was a good book.  It's one that I'd recommend to a teen looking for a thriller/horror novel.  The plot is unusual and the pace moves quickly.  I will say YA is entering this trend where there is no "consumer satisfaction".  Part of the twist is that not everyone gets what they deserve, some things fall through the cracks, and good doesn't always trump evil.  Personally - I'm over it.  There is no shock value in it anymore.  The shine has worn off and now it's exactly what I'm expecting. 
  I was provided with an advanced reader copy of Creed via NetGalley.  Creed will be released on 11/8/2014.  Look for at the Lewes Public Library.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Bio - WILD: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed


WILD: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dustbowl   by Timothy Egan

  I read these books simultaneously and found an extreme juxtaposition of individual angst vs  tragedy of epic proportion. In both instances, people started out for a new life with as much baggage as they could carry. One was a voluntary personal journey of self-fulfillment, the other a necessary migration for survival.  
 
  Wild is the story of a woman who had a bad home life while young, then in her early 20's, lost her mother to cancer.  Failing to keep her family and marriage together, she embarks on a whirlwind of casual sex and drug use, ultimately deciding to hike the daunting Pacific Crest Trail solo as a purging experience. With no hiking experience, she buys gear and books from REI and starts out on her trek. Cheryl makes irresponsible life choices, taps into the luck gene, and survives relatively unscathed. This book has been viewed alternately as:  1. a self-indulgent me-fest;   2. a poignant homage to her mother;  or 3. a serious coming-of-age journey. What it assuredly is NOT - - is a guide to hiking the PCT. 

  The Worst Hard Time is a history of people who weathered the Great American Dustbowl of the 1930s. Taken from diaries, oral history, and interviews with survivors, it's a gripping story of optimistic, hardy westward-bound homesteaders.  The "Sod-Busters" or "Nesters" came to the Prairie lured by free land and a promise of better life life. It's also the story of speculators, lawmen, and desperados who killed then displaced entire nations of Indians while slaughtering millions of bison; both of whom had roamed the land in harmony for centuries. The magnitude of inexperience, hopefulness, stupidity, greed, and bad weather made for a perfect storm of desperation, poverty, and death. The lessons in responsible land stewardship were learned the hard way. 



Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Fict - The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin


We are introduced to A. J. Fikry, owner of the Island Book Store, as he meets with a publisher’s sales rep. He is extremely cranky and proceeds to tell her what kinds of books he does not like. “I do not like postmodernism, post apocalyptic settings, postmortem narrators, or magical realism…I rarely stock debuts, chick lit, poetry or translations…”  The list goes on but you get the idea.  Amy, the poor sales rep, does not have anything to sell him.  

What has made A. J. so unpleasant and unhappy? He has had a terrible tragedy in his life and is not coping well. Soon somebody leaves something in his store that will change his life and outlook forever.

I really liked this book. It has great characters, some romance, and a mystery that takes years to solve.  I also appreciated that it was less than 300 pages and not part of a trilogy or series. It also had some engaging book reviews by A. J. 

Thursday, May 29, 2014

YA - Love Letters To The Dead by Ava Dellaira


  Love Letters To The Dead is a story about Laurel, told by Laurel through various letters to famous dead people.  Her deceased pen pals include Kurt Cobain, Judy Garland, Jimi Hendrix, Heath Ledger, River Phoenix, Amelia Earhart and a couple more.  Laurel is really going through it.  Her sister May has died, her mother has moved to California to "cope", her father has pretty much checked out, and her Aunt Amy is a holy-roller who just doesn't get it.
  In an effort to distance herself from the death of her sister, Laurel changes schools and tries desperately to change herself.  She makes new friends and even starts dating her dream guy, Sky.  But as hard as she might try, Laurel can't escape the pain she has kept bottled up.      Eventually, despite her best efforts, the pain seeps out and so does the truth - not just her truth, but the truth about those around her.
  This is one of the best books I've read by a YA author in a very, very long time.  It's original, sweet, sad, and just so hopeful.  The characters voices are flawed and true.  I would recommend this book to anyone, young or old.  It's one of those stories that I'll carry with me and think of from time to time whenever I hear a Nirvana song or see a Judy Garland movie. 

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Bio - Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune by Bill Dedman

Interesting non-fictional account of the life of the richest women in the world no one has ever heard of.   This is the story of Huguette Clark and her self-made father, how he amassed his fortune, and how it passed through his descendants eventually to her.  It was the Golden Age of mansions on 5th Avenue - the Vanderbilts, Carnegies - and W.A. Clark had the grandest home of all.  

Huguette, the only surviving child from a second marriage, grew up with wealth, privilege, and tragedy. Sometimes withdrawn, sometimes generous, with unoccupied fully-staffed mansions on both coasts and an eccentric habit of doll-collecting, Huguette ended up managing her fortune a la Howard Hughes - from a hospital bed. Good story for a book club discussion.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

YA - Something Real by Heather Demetrios

 
  Something Real is a look at what it must be like to grow up on a reality television show.  Bonnie Baker and her 11 siblings had such a life on Baker's Dozen, until her father got caught cheating on national television and Bonnie tried to kill herself.  Year's later, the Baker's have moved to a new town and Bonnie has adopted a new name - Chloe. 
  Chloe finally has real friends, a normal social life, and a love interest, but all of this is thrown into chaos when she and her brother Benton come home from school one day to a lawn filled with production equipment.  Chloe finds out that Baker's Dozen is back - as Baker's Dozen: Fresh Batch.
  As Chloe struggles, her mother and the show's producer put tremendous pressure on her to fall in line with the rest of the family.  In one particularly shocking scene, the producer, Chuck is threatening her.
  All I could think about when reading this book is Jon & Kate Plus 8.  Is this the reality of reality t.v.?  Every mistake you've ever made readily available to a national audience.  Parents so obsessed with fame and money that the child's welfare isn't even a consideration.
  The book itself is outstanding.  The characters are well fleshed out and relatable.  Bonnie and her brother, Benton, have a relationship that I envy.  The book touches on infidelity, divorce, suicide, sexual preference, friendship and so many other topics, but it never feels forced.  A great book for anyone looking for a good read.

YA - Amity by Micol Ostow

  Maybe I'm a big baby....or Amity is the scariest book that I've read, like EVER.  Amity is perfect for teens who love anything horror.  Me on the other hand, I had to get a "buffer" book just to be able to fall asleep.  It freaked me out so bad that I kept talking about it at work, just to purge myself of fear.
  Amity is a spin on the classic Amityville horror house stories.  In Ostow's version, we have two alternating viewpoints, two different families, separated in time by 10 years.  In the first family we hear from Connor, who is unnaturally attached to his twin sister Jules.  Connor has a history of odd behavior.  He loves Amity.  He embraces her message.  He acts as her tool.
  With the second family we hear our story from Gwen.  Gwen has recently suffered a mental "breakdown", so her parents purchased Amity (because they got a good deal) to get her away from it all.  Gwen knows that Amity is evil, she's having visions, but because of her recent issues no one will listen to her.  Her brother, however, begins to be seduced by Amity.
  Bottom Line: The ending will leave you speechless and the way there will leave you with a serious case of the willies.
**An early release version of this book was provided by Netgalley and the publisher.  Amity will be released on 8/26/14.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Bio - Journeyman by Sean Pronger


Cover image for Journeyman : the many triumphs (and even more numerous defeats) of a guy who's seen just about everything in the game of hockeyJourneyman is the story of the ups and down of Sean Pronger’s hockey career. He bounced around from minor league to NHL so many times I lost count. Despite all the ups and downs, Pronger never seemed to lose the sense of humor that made this book so entertaining. Well, maybe he lost his sense of humor in Germany, but in his situation you can’t blame him. There were times when he was more serious, such as during the birth of his daughter. He also discussed the effect his many career moves had on his family, as well as the effect his family had on his career decisions. 


My only complaint, and it's a tiny one, is that he seems to downplay his hockey skills throughout the book. I've never seen him play, but if you make it to the NHL, you've got to be among the best. Sometimes his description made him seem mediocre, and I'm sure that wasn't the case. 

The accessible tone of this book made it read like a friend relating his experiences over a few beers. I loved it and am a little disappointed that this is the only book he’s written. 

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Col Bio - PROVENCE, 1970: MFK Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard & the Reinvention of American Taste by Luke Barr

     The American Heartland in the 1950's & 60's.  Middle class families are sitting down to tuna casseroles, meatloaf, corn, TV dinners, Sunday-after-church local diner food.  No Mexican restaurants north of Texas. Italian food? Chef Boyardee spaghetti & meatballs.  No Indian, Asian, French cuisine outside of any metropolitan area. French onion soup? Tacos? Calamari? Caesar Salad? Basalmic vinegar? Unheard of.
     Into this culinary abyss step the giants of American cooking. By kismet, several famous foodies - chefs and food writers/critics - converge in Provence in the fall and winter of 1970. Times they are a'changin'. French cuisine is no longer the epitome of food nirvana. The counterculture has spawned an organic revolution. The age of "Mad Men" is in full swing (think "fondue"), and good food is becoming more accessible, indeed indispensable to the upwardly mobile.
     Taken from lost diaries, this is a rare insight into how these influential people grappled with their own ideas of what food should be, and ended up changing American eating habits.  With their prickly personalities, they cooked, shopped, discussed, argued, drank, made friends, and made enemies. But in the end, they all left France that winter of 1970 changed, with a sense that something important was happening in the culinary world to which they would contribute mightily, each in his own way.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Fict - The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott

It is apparent within a couple pages that the setting of the book is going to be the Titanic.  Historical drama - great!! Love it!!  Then 1/4 of the way into the book, everyone's already in the water.   Yikes - where's this going now?

Actually it goes to the New York fashion world.  Talented, but dirt poor seamstress escapes England to pursue her dream of working in the house of a famous fashion designer.  Coincidental acquaintences lead her into romance, intrigue, duplicity.     

Involving several real life historical figures who actually were on the Titanic - ie: Molly Brown - the story weaves some of their history into the narrative.   Rigid pretentious class system clashes with realistic working class morals.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

YA - The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel

  The Break-Up Artist is the anti-romance.  Becca is so tired of all of the brainwashed couples at her school; so tired of hearing all of the girls start their sentences with "my boyfriend", and she's tired of being single shamed.   Her ex-best friend Huxley dumped her as soon as she started dating Steve - now they're the high school's star couple.  To make things worse, her new best friend Val is sinking to all-time lows to land the "sensitive artist" Ezra.  But what no one knows - Becca is the Break-Up Artist.  For a $100 PayPal payment Becca will plant evidence, start rumors, scheme and sabotage until the couples in question are no longer an item.
  The trouble begins when Becca is contacted by a grown man (her clients are usually the jilted friends of one member of the couple) to break-up Huxley and Steve.  Becca has to dig deep into her bag of tricks to pull this one off, and in the process she risks being outed as The Break-Up Artist.
Philip Siegel does a great job of keeping this from being a cliche.  Our main character Becca is real and flawed.  She's been hurt and in turn has no problem hurting others (though she doesn't see it that way).  Bottom line - this book is a fun way to spend the day - your classic "beach read".
  **I was given an advance copy of this title through Netgalley for review.  The publication date is April 29, 2014.

YA - Blur by Steven James

  Daniel Byers is a typical teenaged boy living in a typical small town.  He's worried about college and how to act around girls.  Then, a nearly invisible underclassmen named Emily Jackson is found floating in Lake Algonquin.  Daniel attends her funeral along with his sheriff father and the rest of their small town.  While there Daniel has a terrifying vision, Emily is reaching out to him from beyond the grave, and she's telling him her death was no accident.  As Daniel begins to investigate her death he realizes that he may be losing his grasp on reality.
  Blur was a great book and I'm anticipating the second volume in this trilogy.  YA mysteries are often formulaic and I find myself skimming through only to find that I was right about the "who dunnit" all along.  Blur is different.  As a reader I found myself questioning whether or not Daniel was crazy, just as he was questioning himself.  Many parts are quite endearing.  While Daniel is typical, he is the kind of jock to stand up for those being bullied, acts awkwardly around girls, and admires his best friend's aptitude for creative writing.  This is a must read book for any fan of YA mysteries!
  **I was given an advanced copy of Blur by Netgalley for review.  This title is due out on May 27, 2014.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

YA - Riot by Sarah Mussi

  This book felt timely as I sat down to read it and riots exploded all over the Ukraine.  In this fictionalized version however, the year is 2018 and the real problem, the problem at the root of all that is going wrong in the United Kingdom is overpopulation.  So, unless you are going to college or have a job lined up for after high school, you're going to be sterilized.  According to the government, the poor are eating up too many resources and must be weeded out.  Of course, they'll start in the prisons, because that's where this sort of thing always starts.
  Enter Tia aka Eve, an anonymous hacker on the underground web called DarkNet7.  She, along with her compatriot Adam, are staging protests to end the "snip bill".  While their intentions may have been peaceful it's only a matter of time until the populace reaches it's boiling point.  Then, it's time to riot.
  The book moved swiftly and feels so much different than the dystopian novels that are being released almost daily, it seems, in the YA publishing world.  The premise of this book felt possible.  There are DNA sensing robots and sci-fi type things that may not exist yet (or they might), but given some of the radical rhetoric in today's politics, this book felt frighteningly real.  I would recommend that you judge for yourself.  This book is scheduled for release on May 1, 2014, at which point you can find it on our shelves.

The 19th Wife, by David Ebershoff


A book about polygamy in the Mormon religion. How it started, how it died, and how it still lives on. Done in flashback form, the book is a bit of a struggle to navigate until you sort out all the characters.  You really have to be interested enough in the subject to get through the first 1/3 of the book. Combining historical fiction of a real 19th wife, with a modern day murder mystery it does pick up and everything ties up neatly at the end.

I found horrifying the effects on the children in this odd arrangement, and how many women were so isolated and so brain-washed. Very hard to believe this happened so recently and is very possibly occurring right now.

Firefly by Janette Jenkins

OK, not everyone is going to care about Noel Coward's last days on Firefly, his Jamaican estate. But if you do, this is a beautiful fictional account, complete with flashbacks, and enough name-dropping to delight the star-struck.

Attended only by his long-time and presumably long-suffering servants, he receives old friends as well as unwanted visitors while drifting in and out of consciousness between London & US in the 30's and 40's, and the present 70's on the island.  Jamaica has its independence, natives long to emigrate to England, culture has changed. His youth, beauty & glory days long-faded, the cantankerous wizened man of letters observes, judges, and strikes out with his famous razor sharp wit.
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My favorite scene: he was at a sweltering lunch with a movie star he did not remember & did not care to be with.  When presented with an elaborate tropical salad, he drifted out of the conversation to study the plate, wondering "how to attack this Jamaican still-life".  Needless to say, I loved the writing.



Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

This is my first Neil Gaiman book and I wasn't sure what to expect. It's an adult book on lots of reading lists, but if you're not a fan of fantasy, this won't be the book for you. Set in modern day England, it's a coming-of -age story done in flash-back that reads like a really scary fairy tale. 7 yr old bookish boy deals with preoccupied parents, transient boarders, and deeply mystifying neighbors who draw him into their weird world where things are not what they seem. Beautiful lyrical writing with thought-provoking quotes: "monsters are always scared, that's why they're monsters". 
The author started out to write a short story, which turned into a short novel, which could have been a longer novel. Ending too soon, it left me a bit dazed, wanting the characters and plot more deeply developed. But like a haunting dream that you can't quite totally recall, it left me ruminating on what exactly happened, or what I thought happened.

Paris Architect by Charles Balfoure

Holocaust book with a twist - it's not about a victim. Racist, shallow, thoroughly unlikeable French architect trying to survive the Paris occupation unnoticed and unscathed is approached with an extremely lucrative one-time job: design a hiding place for Jewish refugees while being moved out of the country.

Well-crafted story with many interesting & complex characters. Greedy, sadistic Nazis. Duplicitous women. Noble, patriotic women. 4th generation disenfranchised French Jews. Sympathetic German soldiers caught in the middle. Ordinary French citizens caught in a moral quandary; risk their lives for others with possibly fatal consequences, or turn their heads and live with shame while innocent people die.

Burgeoning consciousness is a beautiful thing to witness.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Redeployment by Phil Klay


Redeployment is a collection of stories by former Marine, Phil Klay. The stories are set in Iraq and Afghanistan and they are gritty, sometimes graphic, and believable. This is a great story collection that left me wanting to read more by this author and more about the characters in each of the stories.  The characters had different backgrounds, specialties and experiences, but each seemed real, well thought out and realistic. I'm looking forward to read what Phil Klay writes next.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Insanity by Susan Vaught

  Insanity begins with the story of Forest, a foster kid who just took a job at Lincoln Psychiatric Hospital.  While on duty one night she witnesses something otherworldly, as one recently deceased patient is trailed by something that can only be described as the devil's errand boy.  During her encounter Forest loses time and her true identity is slowly revealed.  As the book continues on we are introduced to two other characters whose fate become entwined with Forest and the other world.
  I felt like every time I was beginning to get into this book the author moved on to the story and perspective of another character.  Granted, each of the three are intertwined with one another, but because it jumped from perspective to perspective, I ended up not really caring about any of them.  I've read other books with alternating perspectives and I was good with it, but something about the way this was written just didn't do it for me.
  Bottom line: it's your average, run-of-the-mill, supernatural thriller.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Chasing Shackleton by Tim Jarvis


Cover image for Chasing Shackleton : re-creating the world's greatest journey of survivalThis was a fascinating account of a crazy expedition. Six men tried to recreate Shackleton's "double." In 1914, Shackleton was on his way to attempt a land crossing of Antarctica, but got stuck in an iceberg on the way and was trapped for over a year! Eventually he and six men traveled by lifeboat (stage one) to the Island of South Georgia. Once they got there, they had to cross a glacier (stage two) to get to a whaling station where they could find help for the rest of their crew. They accomplished their goal, and were able to rescue the men left behind. Jarvis & crew traveled to Antarctica, to the starting point of the lifeboat journey. Using a replica lifeboat and materials and technology from the period, they recreated the experience. 
It was really interesting to read about both the back story of the expedition as well as the expedition itself. A crew accompanied them to film the experience for a documentary, also called "Chasing Shackleton." I appreciated learning the history of Shackleton's original expedition alongside the attempt by Jarvis. There were beautiful photos from both expeditions.
As someone who really, really hates being cold, I can't imagine willingly putting myself in that situation, especially using the period clothing and equipment.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Art: high-brow thread linking New York socialites, terrorists, antique dealers, orphans, grifters and Russian thugs.

Drugs: Addiction. Weed, heroin, crack, pills, Long periods of deep non-sensical hallucinatory imagery.

Parental involvement: gambling, prep-school bullies, ice queens, bi-polar disorder, kind-hearted guardians.

Love: lost, unrequited, misplaced, obsessive, pay-for, same sex.

Adolescence: all of the above.

Drowning:  in a veritable ocean of words; in annoying punctuation gimmicks; in excruciatingly detailed descriptions.   And a cute dog.    Have we left anything out?

Half Bad by Sally Green

  Half Bad centers on Nathan, a witch who is a half code; his mother was a White Witch (good guy) and his father was THE Black Witch (bad guy).  Nathan lives with his half siblings and grandmother, because his father killed his mother and then fled, continuing to commit atrocities as he went along.  Now the governing body is hunting Black Witches, and Nathan slowly loses his rights and finds himself being harshly discriminated against in the Witch community.  Because of his father, Nathan becomes a target of the witch government, and after that, it's a struggle for Nathan to survive.
  Half Bad was okay.  Something about it just fell flat.  The idea that the witch government could exercise such strong control in some cases and then completely drop the ball in others seemed far fetched, especially when it comes to Nathan and his father.  This is the first book in a series, and maybe the next will give me what I need to really enjoy, and connect with the story.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.
  Half Bad will be published on March 4th, 2014 by Penguin Young Readers Group.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Grim by Ellen Hopkins, Julie Kagawa, Amanda Hocking, Claudia Gray, Rachel Hawkins et al.

Grim presents wonderfully twisted, fascinating fairy tales by some of the most recognizable names in Young Adult literature.  The Key by Rachel Hawkins is explosive and unexpected, while Better by Shaun David Hutchinson is completely heartbreaking.  My favorite of the short stories is Light It Up by Kimberly Derting, a suspenseful play on Hansel and Gretel made completely awesome by an ass kicking heroine.  I enjoyed reading this book, and was truly impressed by the quality of stories that it contained.  I was given the opportunity to read this book before it's publication date of February 25, 2014 by NetGalley and I think it will make an excellent addition to the young adult collection.  If you're looking for a creepy read, this is just what you need.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

High and Dry by Sarah Skilton

 
Charlie Dixon is having a run of bad luck.  His girlfriend left him, he's set up when his car is used to transport an overdosing girl to the hospital, and he's being blackmailed.  On top of it all, his childhood friend asks him to throw an upcoming soccer game.  Once Charlie's ex-girlfriend Ellie makes it clear that she doesn't like the person that he's become, he decides to put down the flask and get to the bottom of all of these mysteries. 
  Overall I enjoyed this book, but I have to say that the relationship between Charlie and Ellie can be a little grating.  First loves are all consuming, and this book is true to those feeling, but sometimes it's a little much to take.  Continuing in that vein, most of the relationships in the book feel authentic.  The way Charlie interacts with his friends, parents, and enemies all ring true.  However, there is a strange clique order in Charlie's high school that feels forced.  It's almost like each group, jocks, choir girls, and the debate team operate under mob rules. 
  I enjoyed High and Dry and would have no problem recommending it to any teen that walked into my library.  Every once in a while it's nice to have a young adult mystery that is also realistic and relatable.  This book is set to be released on April 15, 2014.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

The Caged Graves by Dianne K. Salerni


Honestly, I picked up this book simply because I was waiting for another to arrive.  I'm so happy I did.  I can't tell you the last time I finished a book in a day.  The gray, dreary, freezing temperatures didn't hurt either, but had it been a sunny day, I most likely would have binge read it anyway.
  Leaving the city life behind, Verity Boone is making her way to Catawissa, Pennsylvania, to reunite with her father and to finally meet her prospective husband, with whom she's only ever communicated to by letter.  After an inauspicious homecoming, Verity makes her way along a dirt road near her home and sees a most disturbing sight; two graves, both padlocked and caged, sitting outside of the cemetery proper.  Even more disturbing, one of the graves belongs to Verity's mother.  In accordance with her virtuous name, Verity sets out to find the truth about why this happened to her mother and ends up getting a lot more than she bargained for. 
  The Caged Graves is inspired by two actual caged graves in the town of Catawissa, Pennsylvania.  While I'm not usually drawn to American historical fiction, I found this book fascinating.  I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great mystery.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

  Leonard Peacock is a kid on the outside looking in.  He has no family, his father is a one-hit wonder musician who took off and headed down to South America, and his mother is a flaky fashion designer who has better things to do than to raise a son.  He has no friends except for his Bogart obsessed, elderly neighbor Walt; Lauren, a home schooled super Christian he barely knows; and Mr. Silverman, a teacher at his school with whom he shares a genuine connection.  This kid is on the edge, and he's about to jump.
  The book opens on Leonard's birthday, and along with the presents he intends to give his "friends", all of whom he's betting won't even know it's his birthday, he's packing his grandfather's P-38 pistol with every intention of shooting his ex-best friend and then himself.
  Author Matthew Quick is the same man that brought us Silver Linings Playbook, and there's no doubt that the book is well written.  Though readers know Leonard's intention for the day, the reader is slowly exposed to the reasons for why this happening.  The way in which the book is written is different, for fiction anyway.  There are multiple footnotes within the text that further explain people and experiences.  I found it a little off putting, but it wasn't terrible.  This book is worth reading.  It's dramatic, timely, and heartbreaking.