Title: Second Time Around: A Novel
Author: Beth Kendrick
ISBN: 9780385342247
Pages: 336
Release Date: March 30, 2010
Publisher: Bantam
Genre: Chick Lit
Source: Author
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Jamie, Anna, Brooke, Arden, and Cait have been best friends since their days as English majors at the small Thurwell College.  When Arden passes away unexpectedly, she leaves each of her friends a small fortune, and thus, a chance to pursue their dreams and do things the right way the second time around.

Review:

Beth Kendrick’s chick lit novels are always light, fun and easy to read (my reviews of The Pre-Nup and Nearlyweds), and Second Time Around was no exception.  I love how Kendrick can develop solid and sympathetic characters in a short amount of time.  It’s easy to fall in love with the four women in this book; they’re strong, loyal, and absolutely hilarious.

My personal favorite character was Brooke.  I loved how she never let anyone underestimate her, and never doubted her capabilities.  She’s a petite blonde, yet she undertook the incredible task of rewiring a house all on her own.  While she wasn’t afraid to ask for help when she needed it, she was resourceful and determined.  She would make a wonderful role model for a teenage girl, as she refused to let others tell her what she could and couldn’t do.

Each of the stories in Second Time Around was interesting – I never found myself bored or impatient to move onto another character.  I loved the small mystery that Cait had to deal with, as well as Anna’s hilariously juvenile rivalry with another baker. 

Second Time Around was an entertaining chick lit novel that I definitely enjoyed.  If you’re looking for something easy to read and enjoyable, look no further!

One of the most popular book blogger events, Dewey’s 24 Hour Read-A-Thon, is coming up on April 10.  If you’re not familiar with it, it’s pretty self-explanatory – you read for 24 hours!  You don’t have to participate the entire time, and are definitely allowed to sleep, so it’s very flexible.  It’s a great event that really brings the community together; I’ve participated twice, and enjoyed it immensely both times.

But…

I’m not participating this time around.  Why?  Well, two main reasons.

If you follow me on Twitter, you know my husband works a lot.  I mean A LOT.  Saturdays are one of the few days we almost always get to spend together.  Sure he has to work some of the time, but generally Saturday afternoon, we get to go out to lunch, run some errands, walk around – it’s the only time of the week we’re almost certainly assured uninterrupted time together.  My husband’s always been supportive of my reading, and even made me snacks for the last couple of read-a-thons, but I feel like I’d rather spend time with him than spend time reading, as much as I love this event.

And also, there’s the matter of the types of books I read for the read-a-thon.  I usually choose books that can keep my attention span, but also that aren’t very literary, as reading that much in one sitting creates a huge brain fog for me.  My first read-a-thon, I tried to intersperse some literary fiction into my reading choices – that did NOT work very well. 

The fact is that, right now, I don’t feel like reading a lot of fluff.  I’ve been reading some amazing books lately – every book I’m currently reading (Origins by Neil deGrasse Tyson, The Postmistress by Sarah Blake, and Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese) is incredible, not to mention that, last week, I finished Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, a top book of 2010 for me. I don’t feel like picking up a box of fluffy reads and spending a day reading them, especially considering I don’t read for a few days after the read-a-thon because of burnout.  I do enjoy the fluff, but if I did the read-a-thon, I’d be reading a lot of those at the expense of what I really want to be reading right now, and that just doesn’t make much sense to me.

So between wanting to spend time with my husband and a lack of desire to read the “fluffy” books I usually choose for the read-a-thon over the great reads I have sitting on my shelves, I’m not participating this time around.  If I find myself reading that day, I’ll likely get on Twitter and read along/cheer unofficially, but I’m sad to say, I won’t be an official participant.

If you want to learn more about the Read-A-Thon and sign up as a reader or cheerleader (which you should, if you’ve never done it, it’s really an experience!), here is the official website.

Title: Arcadia Falls
Author: Carol Goodman
ISBN: 9780345497536
Pages: 368
Release Date: March 9, 2010
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Devastated after her husband’s death, Meg Rosenthal moves with her daughter to the small town of Arcadia Falls in upstate New York.  Money is tight, and Meg is lucky enough to have found a position teaching at a boarding school there, with free tuition for her daughter Sally.  What Meg doesn’t expect, though, is that a tragedy at the school will set off a search for the answer to a mystery that dates from the school’s founding, and Meg will find herself in the middle of it.

Review:

I absolutely adore Carol Goodman’s novels.  I’ve read all of them (reviews of The Drowning Tree and The Night Villa) so I was literally breathless with anticipation when I heard about her new book Arcadia Falls.  I was really excited that it returned to the locale of upstate New York, where Goodman’s first books were set.  While her later books are still very good, she has a way of capturing the remote atmosphere in New York that make her books impossible to put down.

I thoroughly enjoyed Arcadia Falls.  Goodman writing style is incredibly atmospheric and evokes an almost gothic sense when reading the book.  While it’s less creepy than some of her other novels, the entire novel has an almost claustrophobic nature.  Everything centers on the school, and it seems like everyone there is consumed by the mystery of what happened between Lily in Vera that resulted in Lily’s death. 

The mystery itself is well-written and engaging.  I admit that I did figure out some parts of it before they were revealed in the book, but the entire thing is so complicated that by the end the reader might need some sort of graphic representation of what really happened.  That’s not to say it’s too difficult to figure out or anything like that – Goodman clearly has a mind for creating complex mysteries and it shows in Arcadia Falls. 

If you’re a fan of atmospheric mysteries, I can’t recommend Carol Goodman’s novels highly enough.  There’s a very good reason she’s one of my favorite authors.  She has this ability to draw me into a story and keep me there until she chooses to let me go that is so appealing.  I absolutely love getting lost in her novels, and Arcadia Falls is no exception to that steadfast rule

Title: Young Bess: The Girl Who Would Be Queen
Author: Margaret Irwin
ISBN: 9781402229961
Pages: 400
Release Date: March 1, 2010
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

Young Bess follows the life of a young Elizabeth I beginning during the time of her father’s marriage to Catherine Parr, Henry VIII’s last wife.  The first in a trilogy, this book is the story of Elizabeth’s journey to the throne and all the obstacles that were in her path.

Review:

Young Bess is an interesting look at the young Elizabeth I.  Irwin did a great job writing the character – she is tempestuous, changeable, and prone to follow her heart rather than her head.  Though Elizabeth can be frustrating at times, she is an extremely convincing teenager.

The historical details in Young Bess are interesting and well-researched.  Additionally, since the book was originally written in the 1950’s, there are none of the graphic sex scenes that seem to have become prevalent in today’s historical fiction novels.  It’s definitely a welcome change.

One very minor quibble I had with Young Bess was that Anne Boleyn was constantly referred to as Nan Bullen in the book.  Now, Nan Bullen was a derogatory name used to emphasize Anne’s common origins by those who despised her.  I was surprised to see, then, that she was referred to this way by those who really should have known better.  Like I said, a minor quibble, but an irritating one.

Young Bess was a solid read, though it didn’t really capture me as well as I’d hoped.  Still, if you’re looking for a good historical fiction novel on Princess Elizabeth, this is a good place to start!

I’m thrilled to say I’ve completed My Friend Amy’s Beth Kephart challenge at the one book level!

January 1, 2010 – December 31, 2010

1. The Heart Is Not A Size – Beth Kephart

This week was spent recovering from midterms and catching up on work, but all in all it was a good week.  I have book club today, in which we’re going to discuss Darling Jim by Christian Moerk.  If you’ve read it, you know it’s exceptionally strange.  I enjoyed it and am excited to talk about it, as I think there will be a lot to discuss.

I finished John Steinbeck’s East of Eden last night.  I’ve gone back and forth on whether to write a review, and finally decided not to for two reasons.  First, it’s not exactly an obscure book with few reviews – I mean, it was an Oprah’s book club pick!  Second, I’m not sure I would be fair in my review at this point.  I was reading East of Eden along with the Classics Book Club, and as a result, it took me months to finish.  Now, I could have read it faster, but I felt no urgency to do so.  Therefore, at this point, I’m incredibly frustrated with it and am SO GLAD to be done with it.  Don’t get me wrong, it really was a good book and I’m very glad I finally read it.  It’s just that right now, I feel like the main sentiment of the review would be THANK GOD IT’S OVER, and that would not be helpful.  I may wait a month or two and write it then, but that’s hard for me to do, so likely it will just remain unreviewed!

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I also finished Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda this week.  I cannot express my love for this book in mere words.  It’s definitely a top book of 2010 for me.  My review will post on 4/6 (I had to move around some other reviews so I didn’t have to wait until the end of April), but if you see this book in the meantime, know that it has my wholehearted support and love.

Last week, I posted about Allison Winn Scotch’s blog post on Book Bloggers.  I didn’t do a LOST recap this past week, but I’ll definitely do one next week.

Books I’ve read this week:

Other reviews posted this week:

Title: The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon
Author: David Grann
ISBN: 9781400078455
Pages: 448
Release Date: February 24, 2009
Publisher: Vintage
Genre: Non-Fiction, History
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

David Grann discusses the search for the lost city of “Z” in the Amazon, as well as the stories of the many explorers that became obsessed with finding it.  He starts his own quest in order to determine what happened to the explorer Percy Fawcett, who disappeared in the Amazon in 1925.

Review:

I had heard a lot of great things about The Lost City of Z by David Grann, so when I was at Politics & Prose Bookstore with Rebecca of The Book Lady’s Blog for an author event (see my post about it), I decided I was going to pick it up.  I didn’t leave it languishing on the TBR pile long, though, and read it a few weeks later.

I really enjoyed The Lost City of Z.  This isn’t really an archaeological mystery; instead, it’s the tale of Percy Fawcett, and the puzzle of what happened to him after disappeared in the Amazon.  As the book progresses, the reader can tell that Grann is getting more and more sucked into the obsession with the Lost City of Z.  It’s funny that a lot of people’s interest in this subject starts with Fawcett, but ends up fixating on “Z.”  Grann falls prey to that, even as he is describing it happen to others in the book.

Grann’s descriptions are really incredible in The Lost City of Z.  He does an amazing job of vividly depicting the Amazon jungle, with such detail and clarity that the reader should have no trouble imagining the setting in their head.  In fact, at times he does it too well – after reading this book, any illusions about an extended trip to the Amazon have been shattered, between the bugs and flesh eating fish!

I have to admit, even when I started this book I knew deep down that the ending wouldn’t satisfy me.  I’m not happy when everything isn’t neatly wrapped up into a package (preferably with a little bow on top!) and I just knew that wasn’t possible with this book.  Imagine my surprise, then, when I was really happy with the ending.  True, all loose ends aren’t tied up, but Grann does a great job making the reader feel content with how The Lost City of Z ends.

I enjoyed The Lost City of Z and am really glad I picked it up and didn’t put off reading it!  It was an entertaining and rewarding read and I definitely recommend it.

Title: Blood Vines
Author: Erica Spindler
ISBN: 9780312363925
Pages: 352
Release Date: March 2, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Mystery
Source: Library
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Alexandra Clarkson knows nothing of her father or her early life.  Her mother Patsy has always kept it a secret from her, insisting that she doesn’t know who Alex’s father was, even though Alex believes she’s lying.  When Patsy is found dead, Alexandra decides to start digging into her past and is shocked by what she finds – and what she’s forgotten.

Review:

I’ve been on a bit of a mystery kick lately, so a mystery set in California’s wine country sounded great to me.  The setting was part of what really made this book so much fun.  Spindler does a great job evoking the atmosphere of Sonoma.  While we don’t get a lot of information on the process of making wine, there’s enough there to make it believable.

The mystery in Blood Vines was really intriguing.  This was one book I really couldn’t put down.  I intended to just read the first few chapters, and ended up devouring the entire book in one sitting.  Spindler kept me guessing at every twist and turn; I definitely couldn’t have predicted what happened.  At the same time, though, I had to suspend my sense of disbelief in order to accept what was going on.  I didn’t have a problem doing that, and thus enjoyed the book.

I really liked Blood Vines and definitely recommend it if you’re in the mood for a gripping mystery.  I’m definitely going to peruse Spindler’s back catalog and read more of her novels soon!

I’m a huge fan of Allison Winn Scotch.  I enjoyed both of her novels, Time of My Life and The Department of Lost and Found, and her upcoming book The One That I Want, is one of my most highly anticipated of the year.  She is actually a blogger herself as well – she answers questions on every facet of being a writer, from the writing process to how to handle reviews.  Though I’m not considering writing a book at this time (though that may change in the future), I still find her thoughts on the subject fascinating – it’s one of the first blogs I look at when I open Google Reader!

Yesterday, Allison posted on book bloggers – their importance, and whether they actually make a difference or not.  I found her thoughts on the matter to be intelligent and well-articulated (as all her blog posts are), and definitely encourage you to check out the complimentary things she has to say!

Allison Winn Scotch – Book Bloggers: Their Time Has Come

Title: The Sky Is Everywhere
Author: Jandy Nelson
ISBN: 9780803734951
Pages: 288
Release Date: March 9, 2010
Publisher: Dial
Genre: Teen/YA
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Lennie has always lived in the shadow of her older sister Bailey, so when Bailey dies, Lennie is shattered.  She doesn’t know how to live a life without Bailey in it, and finds solace in spending time with Bailey’s boyfriend, Toby.  However, the new boy at school, Joe, has also been paying attention to Lennie, and for the first time, Lennie is forced to live life on her own terms. 

Review:

The Sky Is Everywhere is a beautifully written and moving portrait of one girl’s grief as she tries to move on after her sister’s death.  Lennie is a complicated individual, on the cusp of adulthood and desperately trying to figure out her jumbled feelings and emotions.  She doesn’t know how to deal with her grief at Bailey’s death, and reaches out to Toby because he understands what she’s going through.

Lennie’s grief was so real to me when I was reading The Sky Is Everywhere. I thought it was completely believable, the way she tried to live life, yet every once in awhile would get slammed with the realization that she wouldn’t be able to share her day with Bailey.  She also felt guilty when she would forget, at least for awhile, that Bailey had died.  However, Lennie also learned how to live her own life in this book, which was an amazing character development.  I love how Lennie finds courage that she didn’t have before.

Nelson’s writings about grief are simply beautiful in this novel; they really made the book for me.  There are a lot of amazing passages, but the one below that I’ve chosen to share left me simply breathless.

“As I walk through the redwood trees, my sneakers sopping up days of rain, I wonder why bereaved people even bother with mourning clothes when grief itself provides such an unmistakable wardrobe".” – page 12

I highly recommend The Sky Is Everywhere.  It’s a moving portrait of grief, but also a testament to the healing powers of love.  These two emotions seem at odds with one another, but it’s amazing how, in this book, they exist side-by-side, and even seem to flow into and fuel one another.  It’s a beautiful book that will stay with me for a long time.

Title: Sea of Poppies
Author: Amitav Ghosh
ISBN: 9780312428594
Pages: 560
Release Date: October 14, 2008
Publisher: Picador
Genre: Literary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Sea of Poppies is the story of several disparate individuals in India, including Zachary, a man who left America in order to escape his fate, Deeti, the wife of an opium farmer, a raj named Neel who will ultimately be brought down by the British, and many more.  All of these people end up together on the Ibis, a ship transporting Indian coolies to work in the Mauritius Islands.

Review:

I first heard about Sea of Poppies when it was shortlisted for the 2008 Man Booker Prize, and I thought it sounded fascinating.  I don’t know a lot about this time period in Indian and Asian history and I was eager to learn and really take this book in.

The setting of Sea of Poppies is in India in 1838, which is on the eve of the Opium Wars between Britain and China.  Indeed, opium farming is central to this novel.  Ghosh explores what the British-mandated conversion of regular crop fields to poppy fields did in India and the harm it caused the native people.  There is a lot of social exploration and commentary within this book’s pages, and it’s handled very well.  From caste issues to widow burnings, Ghosh isn’t afraid to take on serious problems within Indian society and explore them fully.

I also loved how detailed Sea of Poppies was with history.  Ghosh clearly researched this time period fully, inserting enough detail to allow the reader to see the scenes in their mind.  He depicts life in the 1830’s masterfully, from village to city life to life on a ship.  Ghosh’s elegant writing also contributes to his ability to vividly portray scenes just through his words.  The style of the novel is simply beautiful; it is grand and lush, a real achievement.

There were times when Sea of Poppies was a difficult read.  This is not a book to be rushed.  Its prose is meant to be savored, its issues meant to be contemplated, its characters meant to be explored.  I would not recommend reading this novel if you are going to try to read it cover to cover in one sitting.  Instead, you should read slowly, digesting each individual word as you go.  It’s not a book you can read quickly, even if you want to.

I very much enjoyed Sea of Poppies and am thrilled that it is the first in a trilogy.  I really liked getting to know the characters, as Ghosh drew them masterfully, and cannot wait to revisit them in future volumes.

This Thursday, March 25 (that’s right, tomorrow), we’ll be discussing Irene Zutell’s Pieces of Happily Ever After as part of the SheKnows Book Club.  As an official blogger for the book club, I’ll be there, peppering the discussion with my insights, wit, and charm.  (Just kidding, likely, I’ll be trying as hard as I can to not say something dumb). 

If you’ve read the book, stop by the SheKnows Book Club Message Boards, where the discussion will be taking place from 6 PM – 10 PM ET.

Title: The Language of Secrets
Author: Dianne Dixon
ISBN: 9780385530637
Pages: 272
Release Date: March 23, 2010
Publisher: Doubleday
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Justin Fisher is returning to California after over a decade away from home.  He decides it’s time to start speaking to his parents again, but when he goes to their house, someone else is living there.  He goes to the nursing home his father has apparently been living at, only to discover that he passed away a few weeks ago.  Justin then proceeds to the cemetery to visit his parents’ graves, only to discover that there is a third headstone with them – his own.  According to the grave, he died when he was just four years old.  Shocked and bewildered, Justin embarks on a journey to discover who he really is.

Review:

The Language of Secrets is about those hidden aspects of our pasts, the ones that we’ve been repressing either consciously or unconsciously.  Justin realizes there is a lot about his past he doesn’t know about or understand when he sees that headstone.  He (understandably) becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to him and who he really is.  The question the novel raises is whether it matters – does where we come from matter to who we are now?  If Justin abandoned the quest and accepted the fact that he’ll never understand his past, won’t he still be the same person he is now (as his wife points out)?

However, it’s also about the pain and sadness of losing a child.  As Dixon shows us, that’s not something a mother ever really recovers from.  Of course, day to day living becomes easier and in time, you come to terms with your grief.  But the sadness and despair will always lurk in the background.  Dixon convincingly depicts the anguish associated with such a traumatic event.

There is a lot of angst in this novel, especially with Justin’s mother’s storyline. Her life is painful and dramatic, almost to the point it’s overdone.  However, Justin’s reserved and emotionally distant storyline balances hers out and keeps the story from being overwhelmed by the drama present in Justin’s mother’s life.

However, the reader can’t really blame Justin’s mother for her actions – after all, a central theme of the novel is about our choices.  How do our choices define us?  If someone chooses the wrong path, can they pull themselves out of it and pick a different one?  It all goes back to what I talked about earlier.  What defines us in the grand scheme of things?  Is it our past, our choices, or a little bit of both?  Can we choose?

The Language of Secrets is a thought provoking novel that will have readers itching to discuss what they read.  Despite the heavy questions, it’s a light book that’s easy to read.  This would make a great novel for book clubs.

Title: Shadow Princess
Author: Indu Sundaresan
ISBN: 9781416548799
Pages: 352
Release Date: March 23, 2010
Publisher: Atria
Genre: Historical Fiction, Multicultural Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:

Indu Sundaresan’s first two novels featured Mehrunnisa, the twentieth wife of Jahangir, the leader of the Mughal Empire.  In Shadow Princess, Sundaresan returns to seventeenth century India.  Emperor Shah Jahan, son of Jahangir, is on the throne.  When his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal dies, Shah Jahan’s grief cripples him, and he becomes consumed with building a glorious tomb for her.  His oldest daughter, Jahanara, takes her mother’s place and his sons begin scheming to capture the power behind the throne.

Review:

I have read everything Indu Sundaresan has published.  From The Twentieth Wife, her beautifully written debut novel about Mughal India, to In the Convent of Little Flowers, her moving and insightful short story collection, every single piece of fiction she has published is simply incredible.  Despite knowing this, I approached Shadow Princess with some hesitation – I absolutely loved the first two books in the series, The Twentieth Wife and The Feast of Roses, so my expectations were sky high.

It’s saying something, then, that Shadow Princess blew my expectations out of the water.  This book was simply amazing.  Sundaresan shows her incredible skill at writing characters in this novel.  The main character in the first two books, and the person with whom the reader’s sympathies lie, is Mehrunnisa, also known as Empress Nur Jahan.  However, in Shadow Princess, the main characters are Mehrunnisa’s opponents, the people that the readers’ minds were set against in the first two novels.  There is a generational gap between Mehrunnisa and Jahanara, the main character of Shadow Princess, but Mehrunnisa is still a very important character in the book, more for her legacy than anything else.

As a result of this turnaround, it’s easy to become concerned that this book might not be as magical as the previous two, that the characters might not be as sympathetic.  And here is where Sundaresan displays her genius – she gives the reader the ability to fully identify with these characters, while not losing their sympathy for Mehrunnisa.  It’s an incredibly delicate balance, yet it’s accomplished deftly and amazingly well.

It’s not necessary to read the first two books in the series before reading Shadow Princess; Sundaresan does an excellent job at delivering the necessary information in order to establish the background of the story.  However, I still would recommend reading The Twentieth Wife and The Feast of Roses because they are such excellent, rich and textured books.

The history in Shadow Princess is also enthralling.  It’s about the building of the Taj Mahal, at least in part, which adds a certain mystique to the novel.  Sundaresan handles very complicated and varied history with a beautiful simplicity.  The book never becomes bogged down in details, yet she provides a vivid look at an amazing period in Indian history.

Shadow Princess is an incredible novel that I will recommend to everyone.  Indu Sundaresan is a wonderful author; I can’t sing her praises highly enough.  I will read anything and everything she writes, and I hope more people will pick up her novels – you won’t be disappointed!

Title: Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History
Author: Scott Andrew Selby & Greg Campbell
ISBN: 9781402766510
Pages: 336
Release Date: February 2, 2010
Publisher: Union Square Press
Genre: Non-Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

In this riveting book, authors Scott Andrew Selby and Greg Campbell take the reader through the heist in Antwerp’s Diamond District on February 15, 2003.  They introduce the reader to the key players, detail how the heist was likely pulled off, chronicle the investigation, and discuss the aftermath of the biggest diamond heist in history.

Review:

I love intricate stories about heists, and judging from the success of such movies as Ocean’s 11, I’m definitely not the only one.  Therefore, when I first heard about Flawless, I was immediately intrigued.  I knew nothing about the largest diamond heist in history and was very eager to learn about it.  I jumped at the chance to review this novel, and once I started it, I didn’t want to put it down.  Selby and Campbell’s tale is incredibly interesting and a lot of fun to read.

Often, books such as this end up being very dry.  Despite exciting subjects, the authors don’t have lively or engaging prose, and as a result, the book becomes a chore to read.  That isn’t a problem at all with Flawless.  From page one, the reader can tell they are in for a real treat.  From beginning to end, there isn’t a dull spot.  Flawless is what non-fiction books should aspire to.

I found myself captivated by this book, and I loved how Selby and Campbell told the story.  They never filled in ambiguous details; instead, if they weren’t entire sure what happened, they gave their opinions and let the reader decide for him or herself what they want to believe.  As a result, the reader knows they are getting a factual account of what happened.  Additionally, they never overburden the reader with details, yet are precise enough so that the reader can visualize what’s going on in their mind.  It’s a delicate balance, and they accomplish it masterfully.

I really enjoyed Flawless and definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in the subject of heists, even if you aren’t a fan of non-fiction books.  This book does an excellent job of appealing to a variety of readers.  I certainly hope that Selby and Campbell find some sort of other theft to write about, as I am already waiting for their next book!

This week was another stressful one, though I did manage to read a good amount while I wasn’t studying.  The good news is that I’m pretty much done with midterms, though now I’m behind on work, so I’ll spend the first half of next week playing catch-up.  Hopefully, things will be back to normal by the end of next week.

I have a lot of catch-up work to do on my blog (I haven’t updated my review database for the past three weeks – yeesh!), so I’ll finish with that today.  I also want to add a tab for the South Asian author challenge (I haven’t a clue when I’ll get to that).  Additionally, I unveiled my new tagline on Friday - “Thoughts from an Insatiable Reader.”  Thanks to Rebecca from The Book Lady’s Blog for helping me come up with it!

Books I’ve read this week:

Other reviews posted this week:

Title: The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Author: Carrie Ryan
ISBN: 9780385736824
Pages: 336
Release Date: March 10, 2009
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Genre: Fantasy, Teen/YA
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Mary lives in her small village, surrounded by fences to keep the Unconsecrated, or the undead, out.  The villagers go about their daily lives, controlled by the Sisterhood (a religious organization) and protected by the Guardians.  But Mary knows there is more out there than this.  She dreams of the ocean, something her mother has told her about but no one else believes exists.  When Mary’s mother is bitten by an Unconsecrated, it unleashes a chain of events that will change Mary and the village forever.

Review:

I’ll admit, I have been disappointed with the paranormal YA novels I’ve read lately.  I’ve read some great novels, but many of the hyped, popular novels that everyone else has loved have fell flat for me.  I knew I wanted to read The Forest of Hands and Teeth eventually, but wasn’t really clamoring for it, for fear that it would disappoint me like so many other books have.  But when I received the sequel The Dead Tossed Waves for review, I decided I really needed to go ahead and read this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Forest of Hands and Teeth and am honestly relieved at how much I liked it.  Carrie Ryan does a wonderful job with the world building in this novel.  She builds it slowly, and each answer she provides the reader only serves to spark more questions.  But it’s intricately done and incredibly well thought out; each sentence, each description in this novel left me wanting more and made me read on that much faster, to discover the answers to the mysteries behind this dark world.

I thought Mary was a little bit selfish, but completely believable as a teen.  I loved her inner fight in this book.  She wants Travis, loves Travis, but she also wants the ocean.  She lives in her dreams; they sustain her.  It’s interesting to watch her grapple with the notion that she might not be able to have both her dreams and the boy she loves.

There are a lot of other important issues discussed in The Forest of Hands and Teeth as well, which I loved.  From religion to the importance of our choices, Ryan doesn’t shy away from important topics, and it makes the book that much better for it.

I was a little worried about the descriptions of the Unconsecrated (basically zombies) because undead really aren’t my cup of tea.  Carrie Ryan does a great job proving her point at how horrifying they are through her descriptions, but doesn’t try to gross the reader out. 

I really liked The Forest of Hands and Teeth and cannot wait to start reading The Dead Tossed Waves.  Carrie Ryan has created a vivid and enthralling world in this novel and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Title: Almost Home: A Novel
Author: Pam Jenoff
ISBN: 9781416590705
Pages: 400
Release Date: February 3, 2009
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery
Source: Curled Up With a Good Book
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Jordan Weiss hasn’t been back to the UK in ten years, not since the accident that took her boyfriend’s life at Cambridge.  However, now a friend has asked her to return, one who is terminally ill with ALS, and Jordan knows she must go back to England and face the demons from her past.  She applies and is immediately granted a transfer from her State Department post in Washington, DC to London.  Upon arriving, she is embroiled in two different cases and is shocked to discover that she has not left the past behind after all.

Review:

I read Pam Jenoff’s debut novel The Kommandant’s Girl a long time ago and really enjoyed it, so I’ve kept an eye out for the novels she’s released since then, though I haven’t picked any up until now.  I had heard good things about Almost Home, but was unsure about it because it wasn’t a historical like Jenoff’s previous novels.  However, after just reading the first few pages of Almost Home, I knew I was in for a treat.

Almost Home is a suspenseful novel that will keep the reader hooked from beginning to end.  It definitely has a “thriller” feel, but is literary enough to satisfy different types of readers.  Jenoff’s writing is clear and consistent.  She uses the present tense in this novel, which can be awkward at times, but once the reader gets used to it, it’s a barely noticeable feature of this interesting novel.

Jordan is an intriguing character that really carries Almost Home on her shoulders – if she wasn’t appealing, the novel wouldn’t be nearly as good.  Luckily, though, she is very easy to like.  I appreciated how smart and savvy she was.  It was strange that she was so broken up over her boyfriend’s death that occurred ten years ago, but as the novel progressed, it became very understandable.  After Jared died, Jordan immediately left Cambridge, returning to the United States and shutting that part of her off.  When she returned, it was as if she was dealing with his death for the first time and it was fresh in her memory.

The mystery in Almost Home is thrilling and takes twists and turns galore.  The reader never knows who to trust as one person after another falls under suspicion.  Admittedly, I figured out who was the “bad guy” about 50 pages before Jordan did, but it was still an exciting read that I really enjoyed.  Some of the developments are a little difficult to believe, so this novel will work the best if you can suspend your sense of disbelief while reading it.  It makes for an exciting and thrilling ride!

Almost Home is a fun novel that I definitely recommend if you’re in the mood for some light, fun fare.  Be warned though, this is a novel you’re really going to want to read cover to cover, so be prepared to stay up late into the night with this appealing novel!  I can’t wait for the release of its sequel, Hidden Things.

Title: Magnolia Wednesdays
Author: Wendy Wax
ISBN: 9780425232354
Pages: 448
Release Date: March 2, 2010
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

After a humiliating accident (which was caught on tape and posted on YouTube), investigative journalist Vivien Gray flees New York City.  She takes refuge in Georgia at her sister Melanie’s place.  What’s more, Vivien lost her prestigious job in the aftermath of the accident, and as a result is now writing a scathing incognito column about life in suburbia.  But what Vivien doesn’t expect is that there is more to her sister than meets the eye, and more to being a mother than she ever thought possible.

Review:

Magnolia Wednesdays was an excellent Southern women’s fiction novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.  Though it was on the longer side, it was captivating and I didn’t even notice the length, as I was absorbed in Vivien’s story.

Vivien was an incredibly written character who was as endearing and funny as she was frustrating.  I loved her at the same time I wanted to wring her neck!  Wax wrote her very well, making sure the reader found her lovable, despite her many flaws.  Vivien is stubborn, self-centered, and judgmental, but she’s also vulnerable, sweet, and can be very thoughtful.  I loved the dichotomy that was present within Vivien – she rang so true for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her.  Her character development over the course of the novel really was satisfying and well-done.

Magnolia Wednesdays presents a very interesting view of life in suburbia.  When Vivien is looking for material to write her articles, she is judgmental and often cruel.  She completely discounts the good aspects of this culture and focuses on the negative.  At the same time, however, she does present some interesting criticisms of the more absurd aspects of suburban culture (lawn watering wars, anyone?).  While I felt like Vivien’s column’s were harsh and mean, I also thought there was some semblance of truth behind some of them.

I also loved the character of Melanie.  She is a widow, strung out and overworked trying to provide for her two children.  I loved how she tried to be there for Viv and be supportive, despite the fact that Vivien hadn’t been very good to her in the past.  She was selfless and giving, and it was great to watch her evolve over the course of the novel, learning to think about herself more and stand up for herself. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Magnolia Wednesdays.  The characters were interesting and realistic and the plot line moved quickly and smoothly, ensuring that the reader stayed interested through the course of the novel.  I definitely recommend this book for fans of women’s fiction.