It's summer, so I'm back in my usual routine of reading three or four books at a time. You know--one for the gym, one for the pool, one for Battle of the Books, one for bed... I suppose it might actually be easier to just read one at a time, but where's the fun in that? Anyway, it takes longer to finish a book when you do this, so I've been ignoring my posts. Additionally, I've been learning how to cook. Really cook. As in, no microwaves or frozen packaging involved. Now I'm stuck having to write a bunch of reviews at once, which means I'm picking and choosing what titles to discuss.
I wasn't going to write about the 50 Shades Trilogy because of its content, but after reading all three books, I figured I should at least mention it. As you've heard, it's basically erotica. Don't expect anything more in the first book. If you can get past the first one, the second and third have actual plots. They're predictable and definitely not the next great American novel, but "summer beach reads" that are entertaining. They've remained on the NYT Bestsellers list because they create a fantasy world where adults can lose themselves.
I thought they were okay. I'm not going to say they were great because I didn't think so. I don't care how much money EL James has made, there are thousands of books that are better. The characters were pretty flat (as in ALL of the characters, save Ana and Christian, the main characters. But to say they were round and went through leaps and bounds in character development is a leap in itself) and the dialogue was repetitive. How many times can you read the same jealous conversation, even if the words have changed slightly? I also have a hard time giving credit to the author when the books were originally written online as Twilight fanfiction. Ana and Christian are obviously replicas of Edward and Bella. As I told someone else when discussing the book, I kept waiting for Christian to look up from his somber midnight piano playing and provocatively reveal to Ana that he's a creature of the night.
However, I have never been one to completely neglect a book's entertainment value. Obviously, many people have been sucked into the story. In addition to the Christian/Ana escapades, there are car chases, tours of the world, parties, weddings, and attempted murders. If you're looking for a daring read, then this one might to pique your interest.
Haha, on a related note, I saw this picture on Pinterest the other day:
I agree 100% with the quote, but...you might want to read 50 Shades via Kindle. Save yourself from public scrutiny. I know I did.
Target Age Range: Adult
Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal by Mal Peet
I loved this book. I don't often start by saying that, but I loved this book. I'm not sure why I pulled it off the shelf at the library initially; a single word title that didn't mean anything to me wasn't exactly captivating. However, the cover revealed the rest of the title, and espionage, passion, and betrayal sound more than interesting. Receiving a Carnegie Medal is nothing to scoff at either, so what the hey, right? I'm so glad I randomly pulled this one because, especially as it was written in 2005, it's set in a time that's near and dear to my historical side---The Netherlands in 1945 during the Hunger Winter.
As an undergrad, the research for my senior history thesis focused on the Dutch underground resistance movement and the Hunger Winter during the latter part of the war. Tamar studies the same, except more is mentioned of the British/SOE's involvement with said resistance. Tamar and Dart are Dutch spies working to help unify the different underground groups. Not much is said about Tamar and Dart's personal lives; it almost seems they have no pasts of which to speak--perhaps this is due to their spy personae. Readers do know that Tamar has been to the area before, and is in love with Marijke, a young lady living with her grandmother on her farm. However, though readers may know about Marijke and Tamar's affair, other characters in the story do not.
Skip to 1995 (as the story jumps between '45 and '95). Here is another Tamar; a granddaughter growing up with her mother, grandmother, and grandfather after her father's disappearance. Not long after her grandmother, Marijke, is sent to live in a nursing home, her grandfather kills himself. He has left Tamar a box of clues--old money, a crossword puzzle, and a map dotted with Xs along the Tamar River--prior to his passing. Tamar and her cousin, Yoyo, travel the British countryside to unravel the mystery her grandfather has left behind.
Back in the '40s, and the war rages on, much to the Allies' efforts. Resisters are edgy, and some go to terrible lengths, resulting in deaths of many innocent men. Dart is counting down how many days he has left as a WO--they don't have a long shelf life. He finds himself visiting the farm more often to see Marijke, and he grows infatuated with her. This may or may not have been aided by the number of pills he has been taking in order to stay awake awaiting codes. Dart, impersonating a doctor, has a number of close encounters with the Nazis, and sleep has been evading him.
It is not until the end of the book, when in 1995 Tamar has reached the end of her journey, and in 1945, Tamar has reached his, that the stories fit together. Peet has created a novel that bases its entire plot on the readers' making an assumption (one I made, honestly), and then revealing the truth at the end. It's not often that I'm taken by surprise like I was during this book, but I'm definitely not complaining. I love it when a YA book is written so well.
I'm not 100% sure it's accurately targeted as a YA novel (though I get it--one of the characters is 15 years old), but if teens are going to read it, I'd encourage them to be older. Some of the deaths in the book are graphic, not in a William Wallace, "FREEDOM!!" kind of way, but in a sad-so-many-innocent-lives-were-lost kind of way. I don't think that younger teens can fully appreciate/understand the mentality of those who had to contemplate everything to survive. I will readily admit that I did not do this book justice in this post, but I didn't want to give anything away! If you like war stories, and you want something with a twist, this is a top recommendation from me.
Target Age Range: older teens - adults
Deadline by Chris Crutcher
I first read this book when I took a YA literature class when working on my MLS. I picked it up again on Sunday because the library was closed, and I needed a book to read out in the sun (as much I love my Kindle Fire, outdoor reading is not one of its selling points). Though it was a reread--and I knew what was going to happen--Deadline still proves to be one of my favorite YA novels.
The protagonist, Ben Wolf, is set to start his senior year of high school---at least he was set to start before he went to the doctor for his annual sports physical. Ben is diagnosed with a fatal blood disease. Since he's already 18, he decides to refuse treatment, opting for quality of life over quantity. He also decides to keep everyone in the dark in an attempt to live as normal of a life as possible.
"Live every day as if it's your last" becomes Ben's mantra for his senior year of high school. Despite high expectations of making it to the state championships in cross country, 120-something pound Ben tries out for the football team. He finally tells the object of his affection how he feels towards her. He challenges his stubborn, right-winged government teacher's teachings in an effort to get the most out of his remaining education.
However, Ben realizes that his secret isn't just affecting him. His brother, his girlfriend, his parents, his coach are all relying on him, so what's going to happen once he's not around? The internal conflict plays out when he's awake, but it's also shown through dialogue in his dreams between Ben and Hey-soos (whether or not this is Jesus is never actually stated, but it can be inferred).
There's a lot of language and some sex in this book, so it's not for younger teens. I'm also not sure if they're emotionally mature enough to understand some of the themes. It's a powerful novel, and I think the 13 awards it's won are a testament to that.
Target age range: 16 years - adult
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
Without a doubt, Jodi Picoult has been one of my favorite writers for years. See? An entire shelf dedicated to all of her books back in our office.
Granted, since she has published a book a year the past few years, I'm going to need to start a new shelf after next year. Despite having the ability to purchase her books digitally now, I can't do it. I need to own hard copies. Actually (if we're being 100% honest, and please don't tell Amazon), I really need to own hard copies of all my books. Hence why when I'm rich (or at least in my own home and not this apartment, whichever comes first), I'm going to have to have wall-to-wall bookcases. :p
But I digress. Which, in case you couldn't tell, isn't that unusual sometimes.
Picoult's novels tend to take places in court rooms and hospitals. I really enjoy the court cases, and she goes to lengths to research facts and statistics to support a realistic legal drama.
Luke Warren has lived with the wolves--literally. He left his wife and two children for two years to live in the Canadian wild and assimilate himself into a pack. Successful, he returns to the human world after realizing if he doesn't make a clean break and return, he won't. Skip forward a few years, and Luke has divorced his wife, and his son has moved to Thailand to escape him. His daughter, Cara, now lives with Luke, since his ex-wife has remarried and given birth to more children. Skip forward four more years, and Luke is lying in a hospital bed in a coma after a terrible car accident.
This is the start of the story. Luke and Cara have survived the crash, but to what extent? Cara is hurt and needs surgery, but is otherwise fine. Luke, however, is in a comatose state that doesn't bode well for his future. Georgie, Luke's ex-wife, calls and beckons their son, Edward, to return home, as the prognosis on his father is not good.
Cara is none too pleased to have Edward back in the picture at this point in Luke's life; she still blames her brother's disappearance as the cause of her parents' divorce. Her anger only grows after Edward decides to terminate their father's life support and donate his organs. Cara manages to object to the procedure in enough time to prevent the cessation of life sustaining measures, but this only leads to a court battle to decide who ultimately gets to make the decision regarding Luke's life. Cara hopes beyond hope that her father can recover, despite facts and claims from doctors and her brother. However, she is holding back a secret about the accident that requires her to hold onto the idea that he will regain consciousness.
Edward, too, has a secret regarding why he left home in the first place. He must work out his own negative feelings towards his father in order to make the decision that his father would want--and in a way that will convince his sister he is acting out of love and not hate. In the meantime, he finds himself in jail and facing other charges after infuriating his sister and an opportunistic attorney.
Chapters are divided with excerpts from Luke's experiences with the wolves. These have happened in the wild or within the wolf enclosures where he worked. Seemingly, they added a bit of science/Animal Planet to the plot, but the themes among the wolves and the pack always linked themselves to the themes in the main storyline.
As I've said, I love Picoult. A few years ago, I was pretty disappointed with the ending of Handle with Care (especially since that came right after Change of Heart, which was one of my faves), but the past few books have redeemed the resolution to that novel. Lone Wolf is a read for any one who appreciates a good drama, and f you're an animal lover, all the more reason to read.
Target age range: Adult
My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
This post will be a quickie (pardon the pun)gross embarrassing lewd entertaining situations --- none of which I'm sorry to have missed out on in my lifetime.
Given the nature of the contents, I'll let you read it if you want to know more about what happens in the book. Be forewarned that the Internet's NSFW (not safe for work) acronym should be blasted on the cover, as it's nsfw or for kids. Language, sex, drugs, alcohol...it's a party bound together in paperback. Horizontal Life is the epitome of a "beach read."
Target age range: Adults (definitely)
A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard
Before I start, let me just say that I have at three posts to write within the next few days. Technically, it could be six, but I'm choosing not to review Patterson's Private Games, Private: #1 Suspect, or Kill Alex Cross. For one, it's been a few weeks since I've read them; secondly, they were the usual killer thrillers that Patterson is notorious for in the literary world. However, they were all entertaining, and I give a nod towards Private Games if suspense novels are your thing. It's set in 2012 London during the Olympics, and that upcoming event adds more to the story. Sadly, as much as I relish Alex Cross novels, his glory days as the protagonist in books such as Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls have seemingly passed. Without characters like Gary Soneji and Kyle Craig, he's just not as strong of a hero figure.
Okay, now on to Dugard's memoir.
Every few months I decide to pick up a biography. I did two in a row this time (the next one will be in the following post), and I pretty much wish I hadn't read this one. D-E-P-R-E-S-S-I-N-G. I think spelling it out in all caps should sound off bells and whistles and throw up red flags. It's not that I didn't know who or what this book was going to be about when I checked it out from the library; I remember the whole Dugard disappearance in the early 90s, even though I was 6 or 7 when it happened. I definitely remember when she resurfaced a few years ago.
But jeez, Dugard didn't pull any punches when she described what happened to her. I suppose that's the point of a memoir--to tell the truth. I just don't think I could (if it had happened to me) retell the rape scenes that occurred when I was eleven years old. Dugard reflects on each chapter personally; how she's stronger now and looking back it was so hard for her to deal with it. I don't disagree with the idea that it would have been hard, but I think that's all the more reason I wouldn't want to relive it. Maybe that's just me. It may be part of the healing process (hopefully one I'll never have to worry about) to write about it, but publicizing it just seems like an invasion of an already terrible private memory. Eh, maybe it's a way to show the world what a sick SOB lunatic Phillip Garrido really is.
The rape scenes lessen as Dugard ages; instead the story focuses more on her survival in the backyard with her two daughters. She teaches the girls how to read and write by setting up a school in the backyard. However, the girls know Jaycee as their "sister," as Phillip's wife, Nancy, is posing as their mother. Again, something else that is incredibly sad. You give birth to two girls. You raise them. You teach them all that you can, despite not having past a fifth grade education yourself. However, they don't even know you as their mother. A Stolen Life is such an apt title for this book.
The book ends after Dugard finds herself confessing to who she really is when Garrido runs in with his parole officer eighteen years after the abduction. She is in therapy and has started her own reunification support and therapy foundation (JAYC) for those who have suffered from the loss of abducted family members or for those who are struggling with the reunification process. Sales from the book support the cause.
If you want to read this, go ahead. It's not an easy read, and (like I said) I wouldn't pick it up again. It was difficult to say the least, although it was quick to get through. I'll be a little more hesitant next time before checking out a book on someone who was a front page news sob story.
Target age range: Adults
Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood
It's been almost a month since I've posted, but I've been reading a lot of Patterson lately. I'm going to do a combined entry on those three books (if I blog on them at all) because they don't take much time to read/explore. I love them for quick, suspenseful reads though. Plus, Patterson is a huge proponent of childhood literacy, so I'm not knocking him.
Anywho, I read Glory Be after my old teaching friend, Lonnye Sue, suggested I buy it for the library. It's a great fit for my school, given its demographics. It's a touching take on the civil rights movement that's appropriate for elementary students.
Glory is an eleven --almost twelve-- year old white girl growing up in Mississippi in 1964. Her father is a preacher and the black maid in her home has been the closest to a mother figure she has had since her mother's passing years ago. She also has an older sister, Jesslyn, who has been a friend to Glory until this summer. Jesslyn is too involved in pep squad and hair styles to play games with Glory now, which leaves Glory with her friend, Frankie, and the local swimming pool.
At least Glory planned on spending the summer at the pool with Frankie. However, some Freedom workers from up north have come to Mississippi to "stir up trouble." Glory befriends the daughter of one of the freedom workers, much to Frankie's disapproval. Frankie's family, like much of the town, embraces the fallacy of "separate but equal" in society. The town closes the pool under the pretense of repairing cracks rather than face the possibility of integrating its population.
Closing the pool is an abomination to Glory. After all, her twelfth birthday is on July 4th, and she's had swimming parties for as long as she can remember. Though her initial anger is directed towards the pool's closing, she redirects her attention towards the ignorance of the townspeople. Glory realizes that color isn't a reason to discriminate. She says it best when a snooty busybody huffs about opening the doors to everyone in the library (ha, though I may be partial to the quote):
Libraries are about books. Books have no color. And they don't care who reads them.
Glory Be would be a good classroom read, if you're looking for a class novel. It works great by yourself, too.
Target Age Range: upper elementary - middle school
