Salvage the Bones

WARNING dog lovers! Set in an impoverished Mississippi bayou where dogs bred to fight are better fed than children, Salvage the Bones portrays 1 family & their Pit Bulls up until, then during Katrina.  I don't do spoilers, but suffice it to say several plot lines are delicately woven into this gripping, poignant, & very real story. Stick with it through the grit, & you may be stunned at the poetic writing & mesmerizing events.  I was drawn into a world I know nothing about & came away stunned. 2011 National Book Award winner.

Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught

  Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught explores the world of, as our main character Jason (aka. Freak) puts it, alphabets.  Jason is SCZI - schizophrenic, his best buddy Drip is ADHD, and Sunshine, Jason's favorite person in the world is SM - selectively mute.  When Sunshine mysteriously vanishes one day after school, Jason must fight through the voices in his head, try to separate which memories are true and which are a product of his mind, and convince the adults that what he says shouldn't be discounted just because of his alphabet.
  Vaught writes with a clarity that seamlessly connects the voices in Jason's head and everything that is going on outside of Jason.  She highlights the difficulties faced by kids like Jason.  Bullying from other students, suspicion from adults, and some level of fear from loved ones.  While parts of this book were difficult to read, I'm glad I got a look inside the mind of someone like Jason.  I feel like I have been enlightened.  Freaks Like Us was an entertaining read - and so very much more.

Sons of the 613 by Michael Rubens

  I intially chose this book because I find that I have limited choices in young adult literature that showcases a teen boy perspective.  I wanted to make sure that there were books like this in the library in case a guy ever decided to check something out, and I decided to read it because I was curious about what I would find.  I got an unexpected surprise.  Michael Rubens is a fluent author and was, for a long while, a producer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
  Sons of the 613 is about Issac as he begins his journey to manhood, literally.  At the beginning of the book Issac is prepping for his Bar Mitzvah.  Later, his parents drop a bomb on him - they're leaving him at home alone for two weeks with his older brother Josh.  Issac freaks.  He and Josh aren't tight.  Josh is a mystery, an angry mystery at that, but as Issac tells us, he's also a "Super Jew".  So, at least Issac will get the help he needs with his studies before his big day, but Josh has other plans on how to turn Issac into a man.  And so the journey begins.
  Sons of the 613 is clever and entertaining.  Even though I started reading this book as part of my job I was quickly pleased that I did.  By the end I was in tears, but hey, most teenaged boys probably wouldn't have that same reaction (and if they did, they'd never admit it).  Highly recommended read, but I should note that there is quite a bit of offensive language.

Butter by Erin Jade Lange

  Butter is a big guy.  He's tipping the scale at over 400 pounds.  His father stopped speaking to him a long time ago, and his mother overfeeds him because she doesn't know what else to do.  Given his size it's hard to imagine but at school Butter is invisible.  He sits by himself at lunch and has a special desk in each of his classes to accommodate his size.  After Butter sees a post online voting him "Most Likely to have a Heart Attack", he snaps and creates www.butterslastmeal.com.  He invites all of his fellow students to watch as he eats himself to death on New Year's Eve - he's even taking menu suggestions.  Butter expected a backlash, but instead finds morbid encouragement as people egg him on.  He's even invited to sit at the popular table at lunch.  Now Butter wonders if he can really go through with it and wonders what the consequences might be if he doesn't.

  Butter is a compelling and timely read.  Butter is equal parts hilarious and heart-breaking.  Some strong language is used, and one bullying scene is intense, so this is a book better suited to mature readers.  Witty and insightful Erin Jade Lange has done justice to the inner thoughts and struggles of teens.  While most teens will never bear the burden of such a struggle, most of us have felt invisible or "less than" at one point or another, so Butter feels relatable.  All in all a great read.

Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead

Seating Arrangements takes its reader into a world of upper class New England socialites where what is unspoken is more important than what is, alcohol is a food group and wearing your tennis whites is done so unironically.  I, for one, love a story that skillfully weaves its tale around characters whose flaws are believably typical and mundane yet NOT redemptive. 

The family of Winn Van Meter on the surface is preppy perfection.  As family and friends convene at the Van Meter Summer Home for the wedding of his eldest daughter, Winn Van Meter confronts infidelity, his daughters' dramas and his own desperate socially climbing with pathetic hilarity.  By the end of the novel, the man seems less like a powerful patriarch and more like a laughable idiot proving that money can not buy you dignity.

Sir John Fielding Mysteries by Bruce Alexander

Allow me to introduce you to Sir John Fielding the "Blind Beak of Bow Street".  While Sir John was a true historical figure, as were his Bow Street Runners, Bruce Alexander weaves fictitious tales on this stage all set in England around 1750.  I adore this series, of which there are 11, and find myself returning to them as if visiting an old friend.  The language used in conversation is true to it's time, as are descriptions of dress, propriety, working conditions etc.  Sir John is a court magistrate of renown, able to identify thousands of people by the sound of their voices and is known far and wide for his impartiality.  His young apprentice, Jeremy Proctor, came to him by way of a series of unfortunate circumstances, but serves as Sir John's eyes at crime scenes.  They have an interesting dynamic and each mystery/book is worthy in and of itself.  A great mystery series if you like historical fiction.

Fifty Shades of Grey

To all you aspiring writers convinced you could never write a book:   read Fifty Shades of Grey.

Having been number 438 on the hold list, I was anxiously anticipating a good read.  Hadn't seen any reviews or listened to any hype because I like to form my own opinion.  I deeply regret that decision.
This is quite possibly the worst book I have ever read and the author is laughing all the way to the bank. The writing is so poor, I started skimming over several pages at a time just to get thru it.  How many times can you tolerate  "he looked so freakin' hot!"?   or revelations about  "my inner goddess" ?  
Spoiler alert:   The 2 main characters are shallow and juvenile & much of the book consists of them writing emails to each other to which the reader is painfully subjected.   It's obviously to take up space in between sex scenes (involving bondage and torture), and to make the book longer because the author can't write her way thru a coherent story.   Did we ever find out about the trauma Grey was subjected to as a boy and how he became the character he is?  What about "Mrs Robinson", now a "good friend and business partner"?   What about the roommate and the brother?  What about Ana's new publishing job?  Huh???????   But in fairness, I may have missed something skimming through all those tediously boring emails.
I'm guessing the end is a cliff-hanger to "force" you to "submit" to enduring the next 2 books?    Reading 50 Shades of Grey was more than enough bondage and torture for me.