I Capture the Castle
By: Dodie Smith
Published: 1948
# of pages: 343

Official description: 

I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"--and the heart of the reader--in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

My opinion:  I loved the first half of this book, but not the second half.  And I really didn't like how it ended.  Cassandra is an enchanting narrator and it is neat to watch her growing up throughout the book, which is written as her journal.  Her honest musings made me laugh at times and gave me great respect for her at other times.  However, she just isn't as fun after she grows up and I found the love story in the book to be predictable.

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Great main character, halfway unique story and halfway not.  Didn't like the ending.

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Dark Places
By: Gillian Flynn

Challenge:  RIP VIII

Published: 2009

# of pages:  345

Official description:
"I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ."

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived–and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who’ve long forgotten her.
The Kill Club is a macabre secret society obsessed with notorious crimes. When they locate Libby and pump her for details–proof they hope may free Ben–Libby hatches a plan to profit off her tragic history. For a fee, she’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club… and maybe she’ll admit her testimony wasn’t so solid after all.
As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the narrative flashes back to January 2, 1985. The events of that day are relayed through the eyes of Libby’s doomed family members–including Ben, a loner whose rage over his shiftless father and their failing farm have driven him into a disturbing friendship with the new girl in town. Piece by piece, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started–on the run from a killer.

My opinion:  I couldn't put this book down!  I was afraid it would be too sad or gruesome for me since it is about a family that is murdered, but while it was a little graphic, it wasn't too much.  I also didn't think I'd like the character Libby after reading the first chapter, but I ended up really liking and respecting her.  Not only was this a good mystery, it was also very thought provoking on the subjects of peer pressure (especially in high school) and on raising children.  Patty, the mother, was doing the hardest job there is, on top of being a single working mother, and it was sad reading about her depression while raising 4 kids.

I recommend this to lovers of mystery and also to anyone looking for a well written novel that is a good pace.  It does have some language, but not as much as one of Flynn's other novels, Gone Girl.


Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Well written, likable main character, good pace, good mystery / a little graphic with bad language

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The Lake
By:  AnnaLisa Grant

Series:  The Lake

Published:  2013

# of pages:  306

Official description:

At 17, Layla Weston is already starting over. Having lost both her parents and grandparents, and with nowhere else to go, Layla is moving from Florida to a small town in North Carolina to live with the only family she has left: her estranged uncle and aunt. The last five years of Layla’s life were spent appeasing her less- than-loving grandmother, followed by being her grandfather’s caretaker. Growing old before her time, Layla lost her identity, she must learn how to allow herself to be loved and cared for once again. Life takes an unexpected turn when Layla meets Will Meyer. His breathtaking good looks are enough to catch her eye, but his sincerity and passion are everything she needs to find the strength and confidence she lost — and lead her into love. When tragedy once again strikes Layla’s life, her hope is all but completely crushed. Through it all, Layla learns what it means to truly love and be loved.

My opinion:  These days I don't often read young adult books that take place in modern times unless it's a fantasy or sci-fi.  I know AnnaLisa Grant and so when she published her first book, I bought it.  I was excited about the story and I wasn't disappointed!  This review is written many months since reading the book, but the story has stayed in my mind and I can't wait to read the other books in the series (maybe I'll get those for my birthday!?).

The writing style and story are definitely written for young adults, but adults can very well enjoy it too.  Like I said before, the story is interesting and sticks with the reader long after the book is over.


Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Interesting, great characters, often has a young adult feel to the writing

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The Storyteller
By: Jodi Picoult

Published: 2013

# of pages: 460

Official description: Sage Singer befriends an old man who's particularly beloved in her community. Josef Weber is everyone's favorite retired teacher and Little League coach. They strike up a friendship at the bakery where Sage works. One day he asks Sage for a favor: to kill him. Shocked, Sage refuses…and then he confesses his darkest secret - he deserves to die, because he was a Nazi SS guard. Complicating the matter? Sage's grandmother is a Holocaust survivor.
What do you do when evil lives next door? Can someone who's committed a truly heinous act ever atone for it with subsequent good behavior? Should you offer forgiveness to someone if you aren't the party who was wronged? And most of all - if Sage even considers his request - is it murder, or justice?

My opinion:  Someone asked me what I thought about this book and I said "I love it!  I mean, I don't love it.  It's hard to read."  And that sums it up for me.  The novel is so well written and I couldn't wait to see what happened next.  However, it's a Holocaust book so it is very hard to read.  There were a couple of times where I thought I'd just put the book down and not pick it up again.  It's honest, people.  Picoult doesn't sugar coat what the Jews who suffered during the Holocaust went through.

I really liked the character of Sage.  Her scars made her a unique character and I loved how naturally she grew over the course of the book.  I guessed what happened with Josef, but that didn't ruin anything for me.
Overall, I recommend this to adults who enjoy historical fiction, WWII fiction, and who are looking for a serious, well written book to read.


Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Well written, great characters, hard read, brutal descriptions.

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After Death... An Anthology of Dark and Speculative Fiction Stories Examing What May Occur After We Die
Edited By: Eric Guignard

Published: 2013

# of pages: 330

Quote:  "'Careful, though—she likes tearing apart soft flesh.'
Revel wanted to argue that his flesh wasn’t particularly soft, then considered it from an alternative perspective. Dancing, drinking, lolling about—he wasn’t exactly a Hercules."  - Revel "Like a Bat Out of Hell" pg. 109

Official description:  Death. Who has not considered their own mortality and wondered at what awaits, once our frail human shell expires? What occurs after the heart stops beating, after the last breath is drawn, after life as we know it terminates? 
Does our spirit remain on Earth while the mortal body rots? Do remnants of our soul transcend to a celestial Heaven or sink to Hell's torment? Are we offered choices in an individualized afterlife? Can we die again in the hereafter? Is life merely a cosmic joke, or is it an experiment for something greater?
Included within this critically acclaimed anthology are answers to these queries alongside tales and suppositions relating from traditional ghosts to the afterlife of e-coli. Explore the afterworld of an Australian cowboy. Discover what the white light really means to the recently departed. Consider the impact of modern, or future, technology on the dead. Follow the karmic path of reincarnation. Travel from the 999th level of Fengdu's Hell to the gates of Robot Heaven.
Enclosed are thirty-four all-new dark and speculative fiction stories, individually illustrated by Audra Phillips, and exploring the possibilities "after death."

My opinion:  Alright fellow bloggers, this would be a perfect read for the R.I.P. Challenge!  I was very impressed with the quality of writing.  I wondered if it would be, with it being short stories from multiple authors, but each story was very well written.  My favorites were "Like a Bat Out of Hell" and "Mall Rats."  I enjoyed the different, thought provoking perspectives of what could possibly happen after death.  Each story is an original peep hole into the "other world" - each story's version being unique.  For example, "Like a Bat Out of Hell" is about what happens to mythical characters after their time on Earth has passed.  If those creatures had existed, what happened when the world moved on and stopped believing in them (keeping them alive)?

I highly recommend this to lovers of dark fiction or horror stories.  Keep in mind that it is an anthology of short stories (perfect for a short story challenge as well as R.I.P.!).  It is obviously dark just because several of the stories mention the death of characters or describe "hell," so if you struggle with depression you may want to skip or at least take it slow and possibly pick and choose stories.


Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Well written, original, thought provoking short stories.  The only reason it isn't five stars is because I'm not going to lie, some of these were difficult for me to read (the whole depression thing?) and this is my personal opinion after all.


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The Distant Hours
By:  Kate Morton

Published: 2010

# of pages: 562

Official description: A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WWII. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941. 
Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in ‘the distant hours’ of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it. 
Morton once again enthralls readers with an atmospheric story featuring unforgettable characters beset by love and circumstance and haunted by memory, that reminds us of the rich power of storytelling.

My opinion:  I'm a big fan of Kate Morton, especially The Secret Keeper.  I enjoyed The Distant Hours as well, but not as much.  My favorite parts were the mysteries, the descriptions of Juniper, and the Gothic feel throughout the novel.  What I didn't like was the slightly disjointed feel.  There was a plot line that really could have been completely left out.  It didn't fit and I was left feeling disappointed that Morton didn't use another way of introducing the story of Milderhurst Castle.


Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Interesting, slightly creepy story, a little disjointed, nice characters


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Zaremba or Love and the Rule of Law
By: Michelle Granas
Published: 2013
# of pages: 514
Quote: "'In spite of their frequent delusions in that direction, security guards are not policemen.  I have to go in; I can't get the certificate otherwise.  It'll be all right, don't worry.'
'How can you not worry all the time?' she asked in genuine puzzlement.
'The trick is to think that whatever happens it's going to be interesting - then you don't mind so much if it's not exactly what you wanted in the first place.'"

Official description:  In Warsaw, a shy and high-minded polio victim lives a life of seclusion caring for her odd family until a chance encounter plunges her into the intrigues of dirty politics. Zaremba, a wealthy businessman, is about to be arrested on trumped-up charges and only she can save him. Swept along by events, Cordelia finds her feelings increasingly involved with a stranger for whom she is both rescuer and victim. When Zaremba is implicated in terrorist activities and disappears, Cordelia is painfully uncertain if she has been abandoned and must overcome surveillance, corruption, the media, and mounting humiliations and difficulties to learn the truth.
This is a story about love between a man and woman, but also love of family, country, and justice. Although set in Poland, where the CIA had a black site, it is a story that could happen anywhere, in a world where young democracies struggle against the temptations of covert operations and older democracies sometimes lead them astray.

My opinion:  Thank you Michelle Granas for sending me a copy of this book, because it was great!  I loved the descriptions of all the characters, especially Cordelia and Zaremba.  The dialogue between them is what made the book.  I was afraid when it seemed the story was coming to an end....but I was only halfway through the book!  I just knew that it would drag on and I would end up hating it by the end.  However, it turns out that there's two parts to the books and each is its own story.  It could technically be two separate books, but it does work better as one book with two parts.

I also found the subject content to be interesting.  Especially after recently reading an "alternate" version of the Boston bombings where the military sends in drones to eliminate the remaining bomber, but kills several citizens in the process.  We would be shocked if that happened in America, but that stuff happens all the time in other countries when the U.S. eliminates "threats."  I'm no expert, but it wouldn't surprise me if the kind of behavior of the CIA that is present in this book truly happens in other countries.

The love story is what resonated with me, but there's action and politics (don't worry, it isn't overwhelming!) and morals as well so this story will be interesting to a wide range of readers.  Cordelia's character is amazing and I was glad to have a main character with good values.  I highly recommend this book!


Why I gave this book 5/5 stars:  Great character development, interesting/original subject matter, well written.

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Life of Pi
By: Yann Martel
Published: 2004
# of pages: 401
Quote: "Despite attending a nominally Christian school, I had not yet been inside a church—and I wasn't about to dare the deed now. I knew very little about the religion. It had a reputation for few gods and great violence. But good schools."

Official description: Life of Pi is a masterful and utterly original novel that is at once the story of a young castaway who faces immeasurable hardships on the high seas, and a meditation on religion, faith, art and life that is as witty as it is profound. Using the threads of all of our best stories, Yann Martel has woven a glorious spiritual adventure that makes us question what it means to be alive, and to believe.
Growing up in Pondicherry, India, Piscine Molitor Patel - known as Pi - has a rich life. Bookish by nature, young Pi acquires a broad knowledge of not only the great religious texts but of all literature, and has a great curiosity about how the world works. His family runs the local zoo, and he spends many of his days among goats, hippos, swans, and bears, developing his own theories about the nature of animals and how human nature conforms to it. Pi’s family life is quite happy, even though his brother picks on him and his parents aren’t quite sure how to accept his decision to simultaneously embrace and practise three religions - Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam.
But despite the lush and nurturing variety of Pi’s world, there are broad political changes afoot in India, and when Pi is sixteen, his parents decide that the family needs to escape to a better life. Choosing to move to Canada, they close the zoo, pack their belongings, and board a Japanese cargo ship called the Tsimtsum. Travelling with them are many of their animals, bound for zoos in North America. However, they have only just begun their journey when the ship sinks, taking the dreams of the Patel family down with it. Only Pi survives, cast adrift in a lifeboat with the unlikeliest oftravelling companions: a zebra, an orang-utan, a hyena, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.
Thus begins Pi Patel’s epic, 227-day voyage across the Pacific, and the powerful story of faith and survival at the heart of Life of Pi. Worn and scared, oscillating between hope and despair, Pi is witness to the playing out of the food chain, quite aware of his new position within it. When only the tiger is left of the seafaring menagerie, Pi realizes that his survival depends on his ability to assert his own will, and sets upon a grand and ordered scheme to keep from being Richard Parker’s next meal.
As Yann Martel has said in one interview, “The theme of this novel can be summarized in three lines. Life is a story. You can choose your story. And a story with an imaginative overlay is the better story.” And for Martel, the greatest imaginative overlay is religion. “God is a shorthand for anything that is beyond the material - any greater pattern of meaning.” In Life of Pi, the question of stories, and of what stories to believe, is front and center from the beginning, when the author tells us how he was led to Pi Patel and to this novel: in an Indian coffee house, a gentleman told him, “I have a story that will make you believe in God.” And as this novel comes to its brilliant conclusion, Pi shows us that the story with the imaginative overlay is also the story that contains the most truth.

My opinion:  I loved this book more than I can say!  It is so much better than the description makes it sound.  According to the description, it sounds very intellectual and like it's filled with lessons, but although there are several profound ideas throughout the story, that's just what it is - a story.  If you feel intimidated by the description or even by the description of the movie, I urge you to pick up the book and try reading a few chapters.  I think you will want to continue reading just like I did.

This would be a great book club read.  I find myself wanting to discuss it with others!  I'm also eager to see the movie although before I didn't have a desire to watch it.


Why I gave this book 5/5 stars:  Great writing, beautiful descriptions, smooth storytelling, interspersed with just the right amount of humor

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Fallout
By: Mark Ethridge

Challenge:  50 States Challenge

Published: 2012

# of pages: 266

Official description:

Josh Gibbs decided he was through with investigative reporting when controversy derailed his Pulitzer Prize ambitions in Atlanta. Now editor of a weekly paper, he gets two pieces of news from Dr. Allison Wright that change everything. The first is that his daughter has cancer. The second -- that a mysterious condition is plaguing Wright's patients -- leads the widowed newspaperman and divorced physician in pursuit of an unimaginable danger. Fallout is the story of their journey -- a journey through an Ohio River town's myths, heroes and oddities, from Indian curses to rat fishing to an alternative view of George Washington. Above all, Fallout is a story of corporate irresponsibility, of political self-interest, and of a potential catastrophe that looms in most American cities. Written by Mark Ethridge, author of the novel Grievances, now the major motion picture Deadline, starring Eric Roberts.

My opinion:  I was very interested when I discovered this book was written by an author from Charlotte, NC, where I live.  This was a well paced book with plenty of mystery and action.  However, I was unsatisfied with some of the jumps in the story.  I felt that some of the conclusions the character Allison comes to were a little too convenient.

I also hated the formatting of the book.  Weird, I know, but it really bothered me.  The author's last name and the title of the book were at the bottom of each page instead of the top.  Before I got used to it, my eyes kept going to it because it seemed like something else to read at the end of the page.  Also, there were several times in the book that there was a change in character without any kind of break in the page.  It would go to the next paragraph, but be a different character's point of view.  Usually you'd have a space between the characters or even a line to separate the paragraphs.

Overall the story wasn't anything special, but it kept my attention and was an easy read.


Why I gave this book 3/5 stars: Good pace and story, not very well-written, a little too "perfect" of an ending

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Secrets of Eden
By: Chris Bohjalian

Published: 2010

# of pages: 362

Official description: From the bestselling author of The Double Bind, Midwives, andSkeletons at the Feast comes a novel of shattered faith, intimate secrets, and the delicate nature of sacrifice.
"There," says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her baptism, and just before going home to the husband who will kill her that evening and then shoot himself. Drew, tortured by the cryptic finality of that short utterance, feels his faith in God slipping away and is saved from despair only by a meeting with Heather Laurent, the author of wildly successful, inspirational books about . . . angels. 
Heather survived a childhood that culminated in her own parents' murder-suicide, so she identifies deeply with Alice’s daughter, Katie, offering herself as a mentor to the girl and a shoulder for Stephen – who flees the pulpit to be with Heather and see if there is anything to be salvaged from the spiritual wreckage around him.But then the State's Attorney begins to suspect that Alice's husband may not have killed himself. . .and finds out that Alice had secrets only her minister knew.
Secrets of Eden is both a haunting literary thriller and a deeply evocative testament to the inner complexities that mark all of our lives.  Once again Chris Bohjalian has given us a riveting page-turner in which nothing is precisely what it seems.  As one character remarks, “Believe no one.  Trust no one.  Assume all of our stories are suspect.”

My opinion:  Didn't like it very much.  It was depressing with all of the domestic violence and disfunctional characters.  The whole angel thing was weird and didn't really fit with the main story line.  I liked the plot twist at the very end (the last few pages!), but I wish the rest of the book had been less disjointed and the characters easier to relate to.

Why I gave this book 2/5 stars:  Depressing, graphic violence descriptions, weird characters that were hard to relate to, a whole theme in the book that wasn't really developed and didn't go with the rest of the book.

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Still Alice

By: Lisa Genova

Published: 2007

# of pages: 292

Official description:

Genova's debut revolves around Alice Howland - Harvard professor, gifted researcher and lecturer, wife, and mother of three grown children. One day, Alice sets out for a run and soon realizes she has no idea how to find her way home. It's a route she has taken for years, but nothing looks familiar. She is utterly lost. Is her forgetfulness the result of menopausal symptoms? A ministroke? A neurological cancer? After a few doctors' appointments and medical tests, Alice has her diagnosis, and it's a shocker -- she has early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

What follows is the story of Alice's slow but inevitable loss of memory and connection with reality, told from her perspective. She gradually loses the ability to follow a conversational thread, the story line of a book, or to recall information she heard just moments before. To Genova's great credit, readers learn of the progression of Alice's disease through the reactions of others, as Alice does, so they feel what she feels -- a slowly building terror.

My opinion: I wish that I was in a book club and could discuss this book with other people! It was a great read, I couldn't put it down. At first I wasn't impressed with the writing, but soon I didn't notice any awkwardness, but that could have been because of an improvement on the author's part or because I was so wrapped up in the story I didn't notice.

I do have to say - if you are struggling with mental problems this may not be a book you want to read. On the other hand, maybe that will help you relate to the character of Alice more. All I know is that because I am struggling in the mental department these days, it scared me when I saw how similar many of my symptoms are to Alice's early Alzheimer's symptoms. But reading the book also made me so thankful that my issues are temporary (hopefully).

It was fascinating to read about Alzheimer's from the patient's point of view. And there were parts of the story that I continued to think about after I finished the book. I feel like one major part I didn't quite get while I was in the midst of the story, it wasn't until after that the full impact dawned on me. I'm actually about to go back and read that part again.

I highly recommend this book to all adults, unless you think it would be too depressing/intimidating to read while struggling with a mental illness. It has some bad language, but it's not tasteless. This book would be especially great for book clubs to read together.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Although not especially well written, the characters and story were unique and really drew me in. I can't stop thinking about this novel!

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Portobello

By: Ruth Rendell

Published: 2010

# of pages: 290

Official description:

Ruth Rendell is widely considered to be crime fiction’s reigning queen, with a remarkable career spanning more than forty years. Now, in Portobello,she delivers a captivating and intricate tale that weaves together the troubled lives of several people in the gentrified neighborhood of London’s Notting Hill.Walking to the shops one day, fifty-year-old Eugene Wren discovers an envelope on the street bulging with cash. A man plagued by a shameful addiction—and his own good intentions—Wren hatches a plan to find the money’s rightful owner. Instead of going to the police, or taking the cash for himself, he prints a notice and posts it around Portobello Road. This ill-conceived act creates a chain of events that links Wren to other Londoners—people afflicted with their own obsessions and despairs. As these volatile characters come into Wren’s life—and the life of his trusting fiancée—the consequences will change them all.

Portobello is a wonderfully complex tour de force featuring a dazzling depiction of one of London’s most intriguing neighborhoods—and the dangers beneath its newly posh veneer.

My opinion: I found this book on the crime/suspense display at the library and decided to give it a try. I usually don't pick up random books. Since I don't have much time to read, each book is carefully picked and usually recommended by someone before I dive in. So this is the first time I've just randomly picked up a book in a long time. And I'm glad I did, it was something new for me that I wouldn't have experienced otherwise.

Maybe it's because I saw Stephen King's recommendation on the cover, but I could not get it out of my head that this was similar to the 2 King novels I've read in the past. Just the description of the characters and how many of them are slightly exaggerated stereotypes. Or almost comically contradictory. Portobello's cast of characters includes a man who is a slave to his addiction (the object of his addiction is funny, but obviously addiction is never really funny), a crazy schizo, a "low life" who works hard to not work, another "low life" who ends up having the best values out of anyone in the book, and a religious man who thinks of himself as the most upright person in the book although he's actually the worst.

Portobello is by no means my favorite, but it was entertaining and even a little creepy at times. I recommend to fans of Rendell and psychological plots.

Why I gave this book 3/5 stars: Interesting characters, neat plot that all ties together in the end, a little disturbing, hard to really sympathize with the characters

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

By: Stieg Larsson

Series: Millennium Trilogy, Book 1

Published: 2005 - English version in 2008

# of pages: 631

Official description:

Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into a complex and atmospheric novel, with an unpredictable style, intriguing scenes, and giant twists to the plot in many places.

Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of iniquity and corruption.

It also could be described as another thriller with romantic affairs, that Salander cannot cope with.

My opinion: It took awhile for me to become interested in this book. It wasn't until about 80 pages in that I started enjoying it. I think it may be that way with most readers. The first part concentrates on the character Mikael Blomkvist's financial journalism career, so unless the reader is interested in financial affairs, this part won't be interesting. Although as soon as the mystery started unraveling I was hooked! I'm surprised I enjoyed this book so much because it's very violent and graphic. There's a theme of sexual abuse and violence against women.

However, I loved the mystery. It was intricate, but not too complicated. I was able to work out a couple of the pieces, but the whole thing wasn't spoiled. I couldn't put the book down because I just had to know what happened next!

The only thing I disliked is how there's a story within a story. There's the beginning and end which concentrate on Blomkvist's financial journalism career and then there's the middle, which consists of the mystery. Thankfully the mystery makes up most of the novel, but then again, that makes the end feel especially out of place. I felt like the book had already ended, but I still had to read a lot more before the actual end. It didn't tie together very well.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Very well written (and translated since it was originally written in Swedish), good character development, unique and thought provoking subject matter.

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Bridget Jones's Diary

Five Quarters of the Orange
by: Joanne Harris

Challenges: What's in a Name?

Published: 2001

# of pages: 307


I randomly chose this from a recommended books list on librarything.com because it has a food in its title and works for the What's in a Name? 3 challenges. It wasn't until I started reading it that I noticed it's by the "New York Times bestselling author of Chocolat." I read Chocolat a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. Once I noticed Five Quarters of the Orange is by the same author, I saw the similarities between this novel and Chocolat. The similarities are very obvious at the beginning (single mother who loves to cook - especially desserts, opens her own cafe in a small French town, is mysterious, befriends an "outcast" man....). However, the story quickly becomes its own and the reader is soon wrapped up in the mystery that the main character, Framboise, tells.

The story is about Framboise, a woman in her 60s who returns to the town of her childhood. The only thing is - no one knows its her. She keeps her identity a secret as she lives in the house she grew up in, restores the farm, and opens her own cafe in town. Framboise tells the story of her childhood and the story of her more recent past after she returns to her childhood home. The reader begins to see how the two time lines connect and exactly why Framboise is keeping her name and personal history a secret.

Framboise grew up with her widowed mother (Framboise's father was killed in WWII), her brother Cassis, and her sister Reine-Claude. Framboise's mother loves cooking. And that may just be the only thing she loves in Framboise's childish eyes. The mother suffers debilitating headaches that are preceded by the smell of oranges. Oranges are the one thing she fears and Framboise picks up on this and uses it against her mother at the age of 9.

The child Framboise is feisty, wild, confused, and bitter. She's starting to grow up and doesn't have any help. She turns to a German man, one of many soldiers occupying the town. She is influenced and guided by him to help spy on the residents of the town. She receives gifts for her work (such as oranges), but the most valuable gift he gives her is what she perceives as friendship.

The woman Framboise is hard working and open minded. She is afraid the past will take over, but is determined to stay in control. Her daughters no longer live with her and she wants more than anything to protect them from the dark secrets of her past. One of the things later in the book that is similar to Chocolat is the threat of her cafe's business being taken away. Not because she is a "heathen," but because someone has found out her secret...

I didn't think I'd enjoy this at first, even though it seemed similar to Chocolat. It actually frustrates me to read books that are really similar. However, this had more "action" in it. More mystery. It's darker than Chocolat. I recommend this to adults who are fans of Harris' other novels, who enjoy "dramatic mysteries," WWII novels, historical fiction.... There's some bad language, so it may not be appropriate for young adults, but it isn't enough to ruin the novel and make it unenjoyable for adults.



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My Sister's Keeper
by: Jodi Picoult

Published: 2004

# of pages: 448


I enjoyed this Picoult novel much better than Plain Truth! It was very well written and the story was unique and thought provoking.

The story follows several characters and, similar to Plain Truth, narrated by the different characters. The main character is Anna, a 13 year old girl who sues her parents for medical emancipation. You see, Anna was specifically conceived to be a donor for her older sister Kate, who is 3 years older than she is. She has donated to her sister several times and finally sues her parents when she is asked to donate a kidney.

Anna hires a lawyer, Campbell Alexander, to help with her case. He's intrigued by the girl and says yes, not realizing how much he would be sucked into Anna's personal life, not just her case. I enjoyed his character a lot. He's mysterious and funny and I couldn't help but like him. He meets an old love (sounds a lot like Plain Truth) and has to analyze his feelings for her and overcome his personal fears.

It was interesting to see how this book was similar to and different from Plain Truth. I couldn't help but compare them. They were so different but then again...so alike. I read multiple books by the same authors all the time, but for some reason I had to directly compare these books. I guess because they did have so much in common. It makes me want to read more of hers. I plan to read Nineteen Minutes next since I started reading it at my mom's a few months ago, but had to put it down because I had so many other books on my list to read.

There's a movie that just came out on DVD a couple of months ago. I really want to watch it now that I've read the book, although I heard that they changed the ending and that it isn't as good. It makes me wonder just how they changed it. If you've seen the movie, did you like it? As much as the book? If you didn't like it, why not? Try not to completely spoil the movie for me though, since I haven't seen it yet!

Anyway, I recommend this to adults although with the same warning I gave in my review of Plain Truth, it's not for the very sensitive person. This one wasn't as hard for me to read since it didn't involve infant death, but it was still a touchy subject and still hard for a mother to read. I couldn't help but place myself in the shoes of Sara, Anna and Kate's mother. Oh yeah, this would be a great book club book!


Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Plain Truth
by: Jodi Picoult

Published: 2007

# of pages: 432


My first Picoult book and it was.... kind of disturbing. I have to admit, one reason I felt this way was because I have an infant son. If you are a new mother, you may want to save this book for later if you are a sensitive person.

The story is about an 18 year old Amish girl, Katie, who is accused of hiding her pregnancy, delivering her baby in secret, and then killing him. Katie denies all of these charges although there is evidence against her. Ellie is a big city lawyer who is caught up in the drama while visiting her aunt who is related to Katie and her family. Ellie ends up living the Amish life, connects with Katie, and runs into a long lost lover.

I felt annoyed with Katie and thought that the story was very repetitive and didn't flow because of her character. It was also hard for me to read about an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy that ended so horribly. I don't believe in not reading a book just because it contains sensitive content or is upsetting in some way. I think it's good to be educated and read things that are thought provoking. However, while I'm glad I read the book, I couldn't enjoy it or even say that I like it.

I think that this is a common tone in Picoult's novels though. I just finished My Sister's Keeper and will be reviewing that soon. It seems like Picoult addresses sensitive issues in her novels and doesn't gloss over the bad things.

Interesting note: the only other books I've read that take place in an Amish setting were Christian novels (by Beverly Lewis). There were several times I was reading Plain Truth and was suddenly reminded that it was not a Christian novel. Haha! It was easy for me to think it was a typical Christian book, so the occasional curse word or sexual reference would come as a surprise.

So, I recommend this to adults who are not afraid to read such a sensitive story. I assume that if you are a fan of Picoult you would also like this read.



Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Haunting Bombay
by: Shilpa Agarwal

Challenge: R.I.P. IV

Published: 2009

# of pages: 368


It's past the due date for the R.I.P. IV challenge, but I finished this book October 28, so I completed it within the time frame. I was just too lazy to write a review before today!

The story follows the Mittal family living in Bombay in 1960. The main character, Pinky, is a 13 year old girl who lives with her grandmother, uncle, aunt, and cousins in a bungalow that is haunted by the ghost of an infant. One night the ghost is released from the room it has been confined in for 13 years and the Mittal family is never the same.

This is a "scary" book, but it is really horrifying because of the nature of the ghost and the family's secrets. There were a few times, especially at the beginning before much is revealed, where I felt a little creeped out. However, after learning more about the family, I just felt so sad for all of them, but especially Savira. I suppose this wasn't the best book to read as the mother of an infant.

Anyway, in spite of the sadness, it was a good mystery that I kept wanting to read to find out what happened. However, I felt like it was a little choppy. The scenes kept jumping from one thing to another and there were a few parts I felt could have been left out. I found it interesting that the women in the book were all connected, but in a way that was what was a little confusing.

And I just have to say...part of the reason I enjoy reading books that take place in India or have Indian characters is because of the beautiful names! I loved the names Savira, Maji, Jaginder, Avni, Parvati.... so pretty. Haha, I just noticed several of them have Vs in them, and that's obviously something I'm drawn too (my son's name is Evan).

Anyway, I recommend this to adult readers who enjoy the Gothic genre, Indian history, or ghost stories/mysteries that are more suspense filled than scary.



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book-a-rama

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Published: 2008

# of pages: 274

Quote: "I knew that all children were gruesome, but I don't know whether I'm supposed to encourage them in it. I'm afraid to ask Sophie if Dead Bride is too morbid a game for a four-year-old. If she says yes, we'll have to stop playing, and I don't want to stop. I love Dead Bride.
So many questions arise when you are spending your days with a child. For instance, if one likes to cross one's eyes a lot, might they get stuck that way forever - or is that a rumor?" -Juliet to Sidney pg. 175


Great book! It's very well written and interesting, especially for lovers of literature and writing. What stuck out the most to me was how unique this book is. I've never read anything like it. I had never heard of the island of Guernsey and never heard of the Channel Islands and what life was like there during the German occupation during WWII. The entire book was an interesting view of WWII, one that is made even better by the variety of characters and their different experiences.

The book is completely written in the form of letters. Most of the letters are from or to Juliet Ashton. She is a writer in London in the 1940s who receives a letter from a random man on the island of Guernsey. Little does she know, but that is the beginning of multiple correspondences and friendships that she forms with an entire group of people on Guernsey. This group of friends accidentally started a literary society during the German occupation. While most of the members had never read books for pleasure before, they all discovered a love of literature that reflected their personalities. Juliet is intrigued and decides to learn more.

It took me a little while to really get into the book, mainly because I'm not usually fond of the letter format in novels. However, the second half of the book grabbed my attention and I fell in love with the characters. Juliet's letters are full of humor, there were several times where I laughed out loud. The novel has a little of everything - adventure, mystery, romance, humor... I definitely recommend it to all adults, especially if you are interested in the WWII era, literature, or historical fiction in general. Some older young adults may also enjoy this, but it may be a little intense, plus there is some mild bad language.

Let me know what you thought of this book if you've read it! And I can imagine that this may be made into a movie someday...what would you think about that?


Other Reviews:
Booknotes by Lisa
Dolce Bellezza
BookBound

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Shack
by: William P. Young

Challenges: TBR Challenge, What's in a Name?

Published: 2007

# of pages: 248

Quote: "Trying to keep the law is actually a declaration of independence, a way of keeping control."
"Is that why we like the law so much - to give us some control?" asked Mack.
"It is much worse than that," resumed Sarayu. "It grants you the power to judge others and feel superior to them. You believe you are living to a higher standard than those you judge. Enforcing rules, especially in its more subtle expressions like responsibility and expectation, is a vain attempt to create certainty out of uncertainty. And contrary to what you might think, I have a great fondness for uncertainty. Rules cannot bring freedom; they only have the power to accuse." -Sarayu & Mack pg. 203


Well I finally read the very famous novel, The Shack. Emphasis on novel. After reading it, I have a hard time seeing what the controversy among Christians is about. It's a fiction novel, a man's opinion on how a weekend with God might go. I don't think he's claiming that anything in it is gospel, I think several of the statements that "God" makes in the book are ones that can be interpreted in different ways. I'm conducting this review from a Christian viewpoint since that's what I read it with and how I think of it, even though it is just a novel.

That being said, I didn't enjoy reading the book, it wasn't fun or even terribly interesting to me. It was a lot like going to hear a sermon, minus the jokes that the pastor at my church throws in. However, I'm glad I read it because at least now I can participate in the conversations about the book and know what all the hype is about.

I'm sure most of you know what the novel is about, but here's a brief plot summary. Mack's daughter, Missy, is abducted and evidence of her murder is found in a shack in the middle of the wilderness. Several years later Mack receives a note from God inviting him to spend a weekend at the shack with him. Mack arrives and meets God. God has taken the form of a black woman for Mack at first. Jesus is there and so is the Holy Spirit in the form of an Asian woman named Sarayu. The 4 spend the weekend together and Mack learns about God's true nature.

Unfortunately, I imagine that some people find this book controversial just because God takes the form of a black woman and the Holy Spirit takes the form of an Asian woman. Too many people I grew up with would probably find this "wrong." However, God is not a black woman, he's taking the form of a black woman because at that point in time, that's what Mack needs in order to accept God and what he has to teach. As a matter of fact, God asks Mack to call him "Papa," even while he's in the form of a woman. Same with the Holy Spirit, it's just a form that is comforting to Mack, it doesn't mean the Holy Spirit has a set form or really is an Asian woman.

There were a few things here and there that I thought, "Ah ha! I don't think that's Biblical!" but then after thinking about it for awhile realized that it could be interpreted differently and therefore not contradict the Bible. For example, at one point God talks about hierarchy within human institutions and relationships and how it's not what he wants for us. My immediate thought was if God doesn't agree with hierarchy among the human race, why does he assign different people different levels of authority within the church in books such as Ephesians (ch 4) and 1 Timothy (ch 3)? However, one interpretation of the novel is that God's original plan for humans (before the garden of Eden) didn't include any kind of hierarchy. But our sin and the evil that followed makes some sort of accountability structure necessary, even within the church. Unfortunately, humans will never allow equality in any system, including the church, but I'm sure God would prefer us to all be equal and not have to be forced into institutional structures. Also, in a church the pastor has the gift of being able to lead, but that doesn't give him more power. He's still accountable to the entire congregation. We are all different parts of the same body, we're all supposed to be working together, no one is more important than another because one part cannot function without the help of all the other parts (Ephesians). Also, I think many parts of the modern church have taken church structure, rules, and traditions too far, forgetting that a relationship with God really doesn't take that much work to maintain and that the church body should be more equal than they allow it to be. That's just my way of interpreting it, but Young could very well have meant something else. I just think there's no reason to get too upset or defensive when it could mean anything.


Anyway, I haven't done all the research and I'm not going to. It's just a book to me, I only thought deeper about some sections because I've known some people who have claimed it's very contradictory to the Bible and I wondered how exactly. Some things can be interpreted in different ways, so how can we feel strongly that it means just one? I don't know exactly what Young was thinking, but does it really matter? It's all fiction and his opinion anyway, even if it does contradict the Bible. I think the book is great for people who are struggling with loss. Different people need to hear and believe different things during times of deep loss, and this could be just what some need. I think it really brings home the fact that following Jesus isn't work, we can all do it. If you aren't familiar with a true relationship with God then this book can be very inspirational and share new concepts (and will be more interesting than if you already know or understand this relationship).



Other reviews:
Booknotes by Lisa

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.