Title: Constructing Reality
Author: John Marburger
ISBN: 9781107004832
Pages: 296
Release Date: September 30, 2011
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Genre: Science, Non-Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

In this introduction to quantum theory and the Standard Model of Particles, physics professor John Marburger explains key concepts behind these complicated ideas using as little mathematics as possible.

Review:

Constructing Reality is the perfect resource for the layperson interested in quantum physics.  John Marburger makes every effort to explain these difficult concepts in the simplest language possible.  He cannot always avoid using mathematics to explain concepts, especially when simple math is the most efficient way to express something, but he makes sure to explain his thinking clearly and thoroughly to the reader.  This doesn’t mean that this book is in any way easy to read, but it’s one of the most accessible introductions to particle physics that I’ve read.

Marburger breaks up the book into small concepts; each chapter is devoted to an overall idea, and he uses sections in each chapter to explain that idea in small parts.  As a result, everything is broken down into its smallest pieces.  Readers can spend time understanding each individual thought, and these build up to the more complex ideas.  It’s a great way to understand the subject in a piecemeal fashion, especially because, as Marburger says,

“Quantum theory, the very framework for the modern description of Nature, is strange almost beyond belief.”

If you have no interest in quantum theory, of course, I would stay away from this book.  But if you have a casual interest in the subject, whether because of your occupation or (like me) a fascination with the universe around us, Marburger’s book is a great place to start.  It will help you to develop an understanding of the fundamentals in the clearest (and most math-free) way possible.

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Title: The Beautiful and the Damned: A Portrait of the New India
Author: Siddhartha Deb
ISBN: 9780865478626
Pages: 272
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Genre: Non-Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

After living in the United States for six years, Siddhartha Deb returned to India as a journalist. While working on a news story undercover at a call center, he began to wonder about the state of modern India, with all of its contradictions and opposites.  He decided to interview those around him, and over the course of five years, put together this book discussing the lives of nine different Indians.

Review:

Siddhartha Deb takes on a monumental task in The Beautiful and the Damned: he tries to paint a clear portrait of modern India.  The problem is, the country is so complicated, and the economic, cultural, and religious differences between its people so vast that it’s a near impossible thing to do. 

The book is divided into nine different chapters, each of which focuses on one person or situation Deb has observed.  He follows the story where it leads, not trying to structure the story to suit his needs or make any kind of specific point.  As a result, he finds absurdities around every corner.  Some of these stories are so sad, they’re comical.  Other times, the reader wants to weep for the injustices inherent in the system.  The reader gets to know these people, coming to understand the way they think, not an easy feat considering how different each of them are.

The Beautiful and the Damned doesn’t really have an overall plot or structure to drive the narrative, so it can meander sometimes.  Each of these chapters can stand alone, and Deb doesn’t provide a lot of commentary to tie the stories together, so it’s up to the reader to make their own conclusions.  Additionally, Deb assumes the reader is familiar with the basics of recent Indian history, so this might not be the best option for the casual reader.  For someone interested in India and familiar with her quirks, though, this is a marvelous read.

While The Beautiful and the Damned isn’t perfect, it is a well-executed and detailed narrative about the state of modern India.  Deb doesn’t overwhelm the book with his personal journey, instead letting his journalism speak for itself.  He presents an honest and unflinching look at the hardships and difficulties of modern India, while also letting the beautiful nature of the country shine through.

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Title: Girls in White Dresses
Author: Jennifer Close
ISBN: 9780307596857
Pages: 304
Release Date: August 9, 2011
Publisher: Knopf
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Isabella, Lauren, and Mary are three best friends navigating the treacherous waters of adulthood and the single life in New York City.  From heartbreaks to the start of new relationships, new jobs, and the weddings of friends, these women remain connected as they embark on the crazy adventure that is being an adult.

Review:

Girls in White Dresses is a novel about female friendships, that unconditional love that can bind women together for life.  Isabella, Lauren, and Mary each have their own lives, their own adventures, but they always come back to one another, in sorrow, but also in laughter.  That description may make this book sounds sappy, but it’s the opposite - in a snarky and witty voice, Jennifer Close manages to describe the mid-to-late twenties urban experience perfectly.

But be warned - Girls in White Dresses is not for everyone.  This is not a plot-driven novel; in some ways, it isn’t even character driven.  Isabella, Mary, and Lauren aren’t intricately drawn and developed characters.  This book actually functions better as a series of connected short stories or anecdotes, rather than an novel with an overall plot and established characters.  You might be very confused at this point, wondering, “If it doesn’t really have a plot or fully developed characters, what is the point of reading this novel?”  The answer is this:  this is a book about life.

I thoroughly enjoyed Girls in White Dresses, despite how the previous paragraph may sound, simply because I recognized so much of myself and my social circle within it.  When I was reading about Bridget, the woman who would overhear people talking about a party and invite herself along because it never occurred to her that she might not be welcome, I was laughing out loud.  I recognized a version of Bridget in someone I used to know, as I recognized almost every woman described in this novel.  The social commentary in this book is both genius and hilarious; most women will find something to laugh about and see people they’ve known in the characters.

Girls in White Dresses is a lighthearted look at life, from the wild and crazy days and nights to learning to settle down.  If you’re looking for an easy but interesting read, and the vignette style of storytelling appeals to you, give this book a chance.  It’s funny, warm, and very enjoyable.

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Title: You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know: A True Story of Family, Face Blindness, and Forgiveness
Author: Heather Sellers
ISBN: 9781594487736
Pages: 368
Release Date: October 14, 2010
Publisher: Riverhead
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Source: Amazon Vine
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

In her memoir, Heather Sellers recounts her dysfunctional childhood, growing up with her schizophrenic mother and her alcoholic father. For a long time, Heather didn't realize that her mother was mentally ill, and this revelation helps Heather to understand her condition of face blindness.

Review:

When I first picked up You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know, I knew the subtitle - A True Story of Family, Face Blindness, and Forgiveness - meant that Sellers would discuss her family and come to terms with some issues about them, but that wasn't why I was picking up this book. I wanted to read this book because I was intrigued by Heather's prosopagnosia, or face blindness. I wanted to learn more about this condition, how Heather was diagnosed, and how she lives with it from day to day.

Sellers does discuss her face blindness at length towards the end of the book, and it's really interesting. Basically, the author does not have the ability to remember and recognize facial characteristics, and for the longest time, she didn't realize this was a condition. Her colleagues thought she was merely rude, too stuck up to acknowledge them when she saw them in the hallway or outside of work. As a result, Heather retreated into herself. What shocked me the most, though, is how people reacted once Heather finally "came out" (her words). Instead of understanding, or trying to learn more about her condition, many simply didn't believe her. While this is partially a testament to Heather's ability to "fake it" - relying on hairstyles, posture, and other indicators to recognize a person - I couldn't imagine the pain the author felt at this turn of events.

However, You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know wasn't what I expected. Most of the book revolved around Heather's dysfunctional upbringing and her current issues with her new marriage. While it certainly was interesting, I constantly found myself wishing that Sellers would focus on her condition, rather than her difficult childhood and teen years (which she discuss at extreme length). Had I been aware that this wasn't a memoir about face blindness, but how Heather's parentage and upbringing contributed to her difficulties later in life, and how she overcomes these issues, I may have been satisfied. However, since I was in the mood to read about the peculiarities of prosopagnosia, I found much of this memoir unsatisfying.

Still, You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know is a book worth reading. Heather's triumph over adversity is both satisfying and inspirational. Additionally, when she does turn the focus towards her face blindness towards the end of the book, it's fascinating. While I still would like to know more about prosopagnosia, I definitely found this memoir interesting and would recommend it to those interested in books such as The Glass Castle and Breaking Night.

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Title: Ashes
Author: Ilsa J. Bick
ISBN: 9781606841754
Pages: 480
Release Date: September 6, 2011
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Genre: Dystopian, Teen/YA
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Alex is hiking in the woods, trying to get away from the world and deal with her own personal crisis: the knowledge that the tumor in her brain is eating her alive. During her hike, she comes across Ellie, a young girl, and they experience something very strange - an electromagnetic pulse that fries all of their electronic equipment. Alex and Ellie soon learn that the EMP has affected more than just their equipment, though - people are acting strangely, and Alex begins to wonder if she and Ellie are the only ones unaffected when she encounters Tom, a former soldier. Together, Tom, Alex, and Ellie try to make sense of the new world around them and learn how to survive.

Review:

Ashes is the newest book to be hyped up in the YA dystopian wave, and for good reason - it is unique and very well written. The novel presents a different look at the traditional YA dystopian tale; when the book begins, the world is the same as the one we inhabit now. There's no question of how the world we are in has become what we see in the book because the reader gets to witness that world-changing event that brings about the horror of the new world order. This makes Ashes unique and gives the reader an entirely different perspective for this novel.

Alex is an engaging teenager that readers will sympathize with. When the book begins, she is ready to die, but after the EMP, she finds herself changed. She has a new lease on life, and is determined not only to survive, but to protect those she has come to care about. Alex has much more patience than I do; I'll admit that I kept hoping she'd leave Ellie behind, just because the young girl is so difficult and frustrating. But Alex sticks with Ellie, and is rewarded with her trust and warmth. This is a great example of Alex's loyalty; she will go to any length to help those around her, but at the same time, she isn't a paragon of virtue. She realizes she is in a horrible situation, that the world has become an unrecognizable nightmare scenario, and that difficult choices must be made. Alex never strays over that invisible line, though, and holds others to that same standard.

The world that Bick has created in Ashes is frightening, to say the least. While the EMP is drastic, the world does start out as our own, and it is terrifying to think that a single terrorist action could turn the world into the one in this book. My stomach was turning while reading it, and if I had read it late at night, it would have given me nightmares. That's not to say it's scary, because it isn't. It's more the disturbing nature of this world and the "changed" that really got under my skin.

Ashes is a worthy addition to the growing genre of YA dystopian literature. Bick doesn't use a formula and I appreciated how realistic she made the novel. Alex doesn't think about love because she's too busy trying to survive. At the same time, though, it's present in the back of her mind. I loved this depth, especially because it mirrored how people would actually act, and it's present in many different aspects of the novel. If you're a fan of dystopian novels, I highly recommend Ashes; even if you're tired of this genre, this book presents something different.

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Good morning everyone!  Today finds me playing catch-up after weeks of neglecting my blog.  I’m behind on just about everything - writing reviews, updating my review database, and I’ve barely even checked my blog email over the past week or two.  I don’t think I’ll have enough time to catch up on everything today, but I want to at least get a good head start.  This next month promises to be a little quieter than the last few, so I’m hoping I can catch up and stay there!

Last week I was at the SIBA (Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance) trade show for 2011, and I had a lovely time.  I really enjoyed meeting authors - geeking out over Karen White, taking Wendy Wax, Lisa Patton, Marybeth Whalen, and Jim Minick to dinner, to name a few - and hanging out with Kathy from Bermudaonion’s Weblog, Sandy from You’ve Gotta Read This, and Heather from Raging Bibliomania.  I won’t be doing recap posts (simply because time is getting away from me), but these ladies are writing some great ones, so check them out!  I will be doing a post on the books I’m most looking forward to that were promoted at SIBA sometime this week.  And of course, I’ll share a few pictures.  These were taken by either Kathy or Sandy, so apologies if you’ve already seen these on their blogs.

L to R, top: Heather, Marybeth Whalen, Jim Minick, Wendy Wax
L to R, bottom: Me, Kathy, Sandy, Lisa Patton

L to r: Wendy Wax, Me, Karen White

Today starts Banned Books Week, and while I’m not doing anything about it on my blog (seeing a theme here? I really am that behind!!), I wanted to mention it.  I love seeing the Banned Book Week posts and thoughts from people, so I’ll be looking forward to that over the course of the week.

Life will slow down this week before speeding up again next week, so I’m looking forward to some reading and relaxing time.  What I will not be thinking about is that it will be October by the weekend.  OCTOBER. Where has the year gone???

Reviews posted this week:

To Be Sung Underwater - Tom McNeal	The Most Dangerous Thing - Laura Lippman
The Keeper of Lost Causes - Jussi Adler-Olsen	Saraswati’s Way - Monika Schroder
Friday Mornings at Nine - Marilyn Brant	Tainted - Brooke Morgan
Leaving the Saints - Martha Beck

Title: Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith
Author: Martha Beck
ISBN: 9780307335999
Pages: 352
Release Date: April 25, 2006
Publisher: Broadway
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Source: Personal Copy 
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

After Martha Beck makes a difficult choice about her son, Adam, she and her husband move to Utah in order to be around the Mormons she grew up with.  Beck knows that people in the Mormon faith will not question her decision about Adam.  But when she arrives in Utah and begins teaching at Brigham Young University, Beck finds a different place than what she remembers.  The Mormon church she finds in Provo does not tolerate arguments, and when difficult memories from her childhood begin to surface, Beck realizes she can no longer be a part of the church.

Review:

Leaving the Saints is an interesting and witty look at the Mormon church from an outsider who was once firmly within the church’s embrace.  It’s filled with questions, doubts, and horrifying actions, and is completely shocking at times.  Beck doesn’t hold back as she criticizes the church and its practices within Utah (most Mormons outside the state will believe she is lying - and I wouldn’t be surprised if many Mormons who live within Utah claim that as well), and what she finds is both fascinating and repulsive to a thinking person. 

But Martha Beck has to be taken with a grain of salt.  While I never believed she was lying or untruthful about her experiences and memories, this is an extremely harsh look at a religion and culture that Beck has rejected (and so has rejected Beck).  It’s dangerous to make generalizations about an entire religion, and I would definitely hesitate to apply what Beck discloses in her memoir to Mormonism as a whole.  I treated Beck’s experiences as her own, rather than assuming what she discusses is indicative of a typical Mormon experience.

That being said, this memoir is incredibly interesting.  Beck portrays Mormonism as having welcoming and open arms for the faithful, unquestioning members, but harsh realities for those who dare to doubt what they have been taught.  She doesn’t mince words and has a lot of criticism about the way the church is run.  For example, Beck says,

“I’ve always been perplexed that when my son with Down syndrome speaks gibberish, people assume it’s because he’s mentally retarded, but when Mormon leaders do the same thing Latter-day Saints assume it’s because the power and depth of their insights boggles ordinary understanding.”

The most interesting and disturbing part of the memoir for me was when Beck discusses sexual abuse of children.  She ponders whether the incidence of sexual abuse is higher within the Mormon church than within the general population (she believes it is) and discusses the likelihood that a victim of sexual abuse will, in turn, abuse their own children.

Beck’s acerbic wit is what really makes her memoir worth reading.  Her criticisms and experiences within the Mormon church are definitely interesting (and controversial, I’m sure), but she deals with them with the same dry sense of humor she shows in the quote above.  It makes Leaving the Saints an incredibly engaging book to read.

It’s difficult to review a book like Leaving the Saints because it is such an indictment of the Mormon Church (while also, somehow, being grateful for the warm embrace of the Mormon community).  I’m sure this memoir would completely offend faithful Mormons.  However, I can’t help but be fascinated by the book, especially because it is so well written and thought provoking.  I highly recommend Leaving the Saints to those curious about the Mormon church and Beck’s experiences, but caveat that recommendation with a warning not to judge an entire community and religion based on what Beck discusses within her memoir. 

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Title: Tainted
Author: Brooke Morgan
ISBN: 9780061853371
Pages: 448
Release Date: December 1, 2009
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Holly Barrett’s life hasn’t exactly gone as planned.  She got pregnant in high school, and while she adores her daughter, Katy, Holly has hidden from the world with her grandfather in her small Cape Cod town.  But when she has a chance meeting with Jack, a charming British stranger, Holly begins to wonder if she might find love in her life after all.  As she becomes closer to Jack, those around her begin to wonder if Jack is really as harmless as he seems.

Review:

Tainted is a psychological thriller that doesn’t really show its true colors until halfway through the book.  At the beginning, it seems like an innocuous women’s fiction novel about Holly Barrett’s path towards learning to live her life again.  Jack seems like just the ticket - he’s smart, handsome, and really seems to adore Holly and embraces Katy as his own daughter.  But as the novel progresses, Jack’s temper begins to surface and his actions become emotionally abusive.  It’s really interesting how subtly Morgan writes this; Jack’s negative actions creep up on the reader, such that even they are trying to make excuses for his bad behavior.

Holly is an endearing, if naïve main character.  She’s incredibly young for what she’s experienced in her life.  Just twenty three years old, she has seen both of her parents die and has a daughter of her own.  While in some ways, she seems wise beyond her years, it is clear she has never been in a relationship.  It’s easy to understand how she writes off Jack’s negative tendencies, though frustrating at times because the reader wants her to have more sense.  However, Holly’s actions are consistent with that of an abused woman, and readers can’t help but feel for her.

Morgan does a wonderful job ratcheting up the suspense of Tainted.  It seems like a completely different novel three quarters of the way in than it was one quarter of the way in, yet the novel as a whole is seamless. It’s a great, easy thriller that will keep readers hooked from beginning to end.

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Title: Friday Mornings at Nine
Author: Marilyn Brant
ISBN: 9780758234629
Pages: 352
Release Date: October 1, 2010
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Curled Up With a Good Book
Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary:

Jennifer, Bridget, and Tamara meet every Friday morning at nine.  It’s their time to decompress with their girlfriends, to discuss their marriages and their discontentment with life.  One Friday, they hit upon the topic of adultery, and each woman admits she currently has a temptation to stray outside of her marriage.  They decide they owe it to themselves to explore these avenues, and to determine their feelings on their own marriages.

Review:

Friday Mornings at Nine is a somewhat disappointing look at three different women.  While it had a lot of potential, these women aren’t written endearingly enough to really capture the reader’s attention.  The subject of infidelity is a difficult one to present sympathetically, and Brant unfortunately doesn’t accomplish that.  Each of these women seems selfish for exploring these temptations, rather than trying to face their problems with their husbands head on.  At the same time, though, the premise is interesting but its execution is, unfortunately, flawed.

Additionally, it’s difficult to understand why Jennifer, Tamara, and Bridget are friends.  They constantly judge one another and therefore refrain from sharing all of the details of their situations because they know they’re being judged.  It’s difficult to make a group of friends the centerpiece of a novel if they don’t even like or trust one another enough to be honest.

Jennifer is probably the most sympathetic and easy to relate to of the three women.  Because her temptation is an ex-boyfriend, it’s much easier to understand the attraction, as well as the question of what might have happened.  However, it’s a bit difficult to understand her unhappiness with her husband, except for the fact that he’s not David.  Tamara, on the other hand, is difficult to like.  While her unhappiness is understandable (her husband has basically abandoned her with his constant traveling), her personality is a turn-off. 

Bridget is in the middle – it’s understandable why she’s unhappy, and she is the most careful with her temptation.  She understands what she’s risking and doesn’t want to throw anything away.  All three of these women have their separate stories, though not all are equally endearing.  In a novel like this, it’s very important to care about the characters, and that unfortunately doesn’t happen in this book.

While I found this book disappointing, if you are interested in explorations of infidelity, you might want to seek out this novel.  In the meantime, I look forward to Brant’s next novel and seeing what she discusses next.

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Title: Saraswati’s Way
Author: Monika Schroder
ISBN: 9780374364113
Pages: 240
Release Date: November 9, 2010
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Genre: Teen, Multicultural Fiction
Source: Author
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Akash is a boy with a dream.  Twelve years old, he lives on a farm in rural India, but he is lucky enough to be able to attend school.  Akash is a math whiz, and he wants to complete his education and break the cycle of poverty that surrounds his family.  But when Akash’s father dies, his grandmother sends him out to work in order to pay the family debts.  Will Akash lose the drive to succeed, or will he find a way to make his dreams come true?

Review:

In her middle grade novel, Monika Schroder takes a look at the difficult world that Indian rural youth must face.  Akash is a bright boy with a lot of potential, but he has very few opportunities.  In order to continue schooling, he must find a tutor to help him excel so that he can gain a scholarship.  However, there is no money for a tutor; Akash’s family is poor, already in debt, and an education has never been a priority, especially not over the family’s well-being.  Schroder deftly captures so many aspects of rural Indian poverty with this family portrait - the emphasis on family, rather than on the individual.  Akash’s dreams and hopes are subordinate to his grandmother’s wishes for him; she doesn’t see an education as an advantage because it will not help them rise out of their debt in the short-term.  However, there is a double standard - Akash’s uncle is an alcoholic.  Not only does he not contribute to the family, but he spends their money on his vices.  Akash does not understand why he cannot pay a tutor to improve himself, but his uncle can throw money away.

Saraswati’s Way is a pitch-perfect commentary on the issues that plague modern day rural India.  The fastest way to rise out of poverty is through education and investment in the futures of the young, yet in too many cases, the youth are considered a bargaining chip for the older generation.  Of course, this is not the case everywhere, but many uneducated rural Indian citizens don’t understand the value of sending their children to school because the end benefit is not immediately realized.  This makes this a great book to share with middle school aged children in the United States; it’s so easy to take the free public education system in this country (which definitely has its own flaws, to be sure) for granted, and it’s valuable for our children to learn what others their age are undergoing.

Saraswati’s Way is appropriate for a wide range of ages.  The book has a hopeful note, though Schroder notes that most stories like Akash’s don’t have a happy ending.  There are some run-ins with a drug dealer that parents might want to take note of, but overall this a great book for pre-teens and adults alike.  It’s a well-written and fast paced story with a heartwarming main character that readers will root for from beginning to end.

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Title: The Keeper of Lost Causes
Author: Jussi Adler-Olsen
ISBN: 9780525952480
Pages: 400
Release Date: August 23, 2011
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Mystery
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Detective Carl Morck is emotionally wounded after a shooting left one of his partners dead and the other paralyzed.  He has become a liability to his department, and they plot to push him aside by promoting him to the head of Department Q, a new department directed by the government to solve old Danish cold cases.  What the department doesn’t expect, though, is that Morck will take his new position seriously and resurrect the case of Merete Lynggaard, an up-and-coming politician who disappeared from a ferry five years earlier.

Review:

Jussi Adler-Olsen is the latest Scandavian author billed to be the next “Stieg Larsson”.  Is he?  I say it’s irrelevant because Adler-Olsen stands on his own two feet with The Keeper of Lost Causes.  It’s a well-written and gripping thriller that will keep readers hooked from beginning to end.

The reader is treated to two different perspectives in The Keeper of Lost Causes.  The first is Carl Morck.  Carl isn’t the easiest person to like initially, but he grows on the reader as the book progresses.  He is tortured by the shooting that left his partner paralyzed, as Morck thinks it’s his fault for not drawing his gun.  Morck is shrewd and knows how to play the political game; he uses his knowledge as leverage in order to gain an assistant and some resources for Department Q.  He’s a great main character and has as-yet unimagined depths for the reader to explore over the course of future novels.

The other perspective in The Keeper of Lost Causes is that of Merete Lynggaard, who is being held by persons unknown.  The novel details her bizarre and twisted confinement, and here is where the book becomes incredibly dark.  Who is doing this to Merete, and why?  What is the point of these experiments, except to probe the limits of what the human psyche can withstand?  What Merete must undergo is incredibly disturbing, and readers will root for her as they hope that Carl will find her before it’s too late.

The Keeper of Lost Causes is twisted and at times horrifying, but it’s also got memorable characters in Carl and his assistant Assad.  They develop a great relationship over the course of the novel; each is appealingly flawed, and their banter is surprisingly funny for such a dark novel.  I found this novel to be completely gripping and am glad that Jussi Adler-Olsen is receiving acclaim in the United States for this book, as he certainly deserves it.

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Title: The Most Dangerous Thing
Author: Laura Lippman
ISBN: 9780061706516
Pages: 352
Release Date: August 23, 2011
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

When Gordon, better known as Go-Go, commits suicide, it sends shocks through the old group of friends that used to live in Dickeyville.  Gwen, Mickey, and the Halloran brothers, Sean, Tim, and Go-Go, used to explore the nearby woods and were inseparable until something unthinkable happened, a secret that drove the group apart until now, years later.  As they discover more information about Go-Go’s death, each begins to wonder if his suicide was connected with that secret that they have tried so hard to forget.

Review:

I am a fan of Laura Lippman’s Tess Monaghan series and her standalone thrillers, so I was eager to read The Most Dangerous Thing.  After reading it, though, I must say that it didn’t live up to my lofty expectations of what a Laura Lippman book should be.  It was well-written, but I didn’t feel that need to finish it and understand the truth behind the story, as I have with her other novels such as What the Dead Know and I’d Know You Anywhere.

The Most Dangerous Thing is told from multiple different points of view.  Gwen is arguably the primary narrator, but the reader hears from all five adults who made up that group so long ago.  Additionally, the book jumps in time, such that readers see both the present day, as well as what led up to the life-changing event in the past.  Lippman does an excellent job distinguishing between narrators and time periods for the most part, though the use of “we” became confusing at times because it seemed as though no single character was narrating.

The story is seamlessly woven, and given its complexity and number of characters, it is a testament to Lippman’s writing prowess. Her prose is clear and precise, and she fleshes out characters and events like the expert she is. 

My issues with the novel stem from the storyline.  I just didn’t find it as engaging as I’d hoped.  I had no trouble putting the book down, and didn’t feel my usual need to pick it up again as soon as possible.  I wasn’t that involved in the story, and I can’t say I loved any of the characters.  A certain cameo towards the end of the book was the most exciting part of the novel for me; I didn’t feel like the reveal of the secret was enough impetus to drive the plot forward, and as a result, this book didn’t keep my attention as well as I’d have hoped.

Still, The Most Dangerous Thing is an interesting novel.  Perhaps my issue with it is that it isn’t really a mystery or a psychological thriller, which is what I’ve come to expect from Lippman’s books.  Instead, it’s an in-depth character study at how one tragic event can affect many different lives, even years later.  It’s also a testament to the importance of the truth, how the truth can be “the most dangerous thing”, especially considering the fallibility of memory.  It’s an intriguing contemporary fiction read, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for something quick and gripping.

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Title: To Be Sung Underwater
Author: Tom McNeal
ISBN: 9780316127394
Pages: 448
Release Date: June 2, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Literary Fiction
Source: Publicist
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Judith Toomey Whitman is unhappy in her current, married life.  She has lost any connection to her husband Malcolm, and is reasonably certain he is having an affair.  Judith longs for a different life and can’t help but think about Willy Blunt, the boy she loved as a teenager.  But the more she thinks about Willy, the more she becomes lost in her memories, until the past and present collide in a shocking way.

Summary:

In To Be Sung Underwater, author Tom McNeal takes two narratives, years apart, and seamlessly weaves them together in one cohesive whole.  In doing so, he makes it clear to the reader that Judith’s past and her relationship with Willy is just as important to who she is as her present with Malcolm.  The two time periods are tied together beautifully and effortlessly, though at times, it can be difficult for the reader to tell whether they are in the past or present.

The novel makes for a beautiful testament to the road not taken, something many can relate to.  Judith constantly doubts her marriage and revisits her choices, trying to see if she should have lived her life differently.  She is sympathetic, and readers will be able to understand her confusion and longing.  Judith and Willy are both incredibly well drawn and vivacious characters.  Readers will see the Judith of the past and wonder how she has become so drained of life, when she was so vivid as a teenager.

Tom McNeal is a talented writer, and that shows in To Be Sung Underwater.  His prose is beautiful and atmospheric, transporting the reader to a different place entirely.  His words are carefully chosen and convey so much emotion.  At times, though, the novel can seem overly long and drawn out, as the reader waits for the narrative to move forward.

If you are seeking out a fast-paced thriller of a read, To Be Sung Underwater is definitely not what you should pick up.  But if you are in the mood for a contemplative, moody novel with beautiful prose and the ache of loneliness, one in which the characters are everything, this is the perfect book to curl up with.

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Title: Sonia Gandhi: An Extraordinary Life, An Indian Destiny
Author: Rani Singh
ISBN: 9780230104419
Pages: 272
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Sonia Gandhi, widow to Rajiv Gandhi and daughter-in-law to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, has played a large role in Indian politics for the last forty years.  Born and raised in Italy, she met and fell in love with Rajiv while studying at Cambridge.  She adopted India as her country and has helped shape its politics since their marriage by supporting her mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and husband in their political careers.  Now, she is watching her children rise to the forefront of Indian politics.

Review:

Sonia Gandhi is a fascinating woman whose life has been filled with tragedy.  Since her marriage to Rajiv, she has dealt with the death of her brother-in-law, Sanjay, in an airplane crash.  Her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi (daughter of one of the forefathers of modern India, Jawarhalal Nehru) died in Sonia’s arms at the hands of one of her bodyguards.  Her husband, Rajiv, was assassinated just a few years later while campaigning.  It would be enough to make any woman retreat into herself, but not Sonia.

In this biography, Rani Singh portrays Sonia as a quiet but confident woman.  Very private, it’s difficult to really get to know Sonia, but Singh does an excellent job giving the reader an extended glimpse into her personality, and how her decisions have been shaped by her history.  Upon arriving in India, Sonia wasn’t sure she wanted the very public life that goes hand in hand with being a Nehru-Gandhi.  But she rose to the challenge admirably, and traveled further than anyone expected, becoming a well-respected politician in her own right, destined to shape the future of India.

So how did this marvelous transformation occur?  Singh takes the reader back to Sonia’s early days and traces her life, talking with those who knew her the best.  From her closest friends to fiercest political rivals, Singh looks at as many different sources as possible in order to create an unbiased and true picture of Sonia Gandhi.  Though the end result is flattering for the most part, Singh is honest about Sonia’s flaws as well.

In order to discuss Sonia Gandhi, it is necessary to scrutinize the family she married into, and here is where this biography really excels.  By placing Sonia’s life into the larger context of Indian politics, Singh shows what a true force Sonia is.  Singh also has some interesting insights into difficult periods of Indian history, from the true brains behind the Emergency to Indira Gandhi’s certainty that she was signing her death warrant by taking certain actions (and indeed, she was assassinated very soon afterwards).  She portrays the still-controversial Indira Gandhi as a complex and astute woman, but one with major flaws and trust issues.

Whether you are looking for a biography of the charismatic Sonia Gandhi or a brief and easily digestible history of the politics of modern India, Sonia Gandhi is a wonderful book to pick up.  Singh’s writing style is engaging and the book never is dry.  I found this glimpse into Sonia Gandhi’s life and personality fascinating, and am eager to read more about her.

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Title: Kiss Me, Kill Me
Author: Allison Brennan
ISBN: 9780345511690
Pages: 416
Release Date: February 22, 2011
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Mystery
Source: Personal COpy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

After her difficult experiences in Love Me To Death, Lucy Kincaid has been working on her FBI application with a renewed fervor.  She has sent off all her application materials, has had her interview, and is now just waiting for the final decision.  In the meantime, Lucy agrees to help her boyfriend, private security expert Sean Rogan on a case involving a runaway.  The case takes a sickening turn, though, when Lucy and Sean connect it with a series of murders in New York City.

Review:

Kiss Me, Kill Me is a suspense novel that will leave readers breathless.  There are two storylines that run concurrently through the novel - that of Sean and Lucy’s investigation, and the NYPD’s search for a serial killer that is preying on young women.  Both are intriguing and keep the reader guessing through the twists and turns that populate the novel.  Brennan balances well between the two plots, and brings them together in a great way.

Once again, Lucy Kincaid is an appealing main character for this novel.  I loved visiting with her once again, and I appreciate how her and Sean’s relationship has matured since the last book.  While this book could function as a standalone, it’s important to understand Lucy’s full history to really get her character.  While Brennan does give a quick overview of her past, as well as the events of the previous book, in Kiss Me, Kill Me, I’d recommend reading these books in order.  Both are quick, fast-paced reads that are well-plotted and engaging.

The mystery in Kiss Me, Kill Me is interesting, and the conclusion was surprising.  I guessed the killer’s identity at the same time as Lucy did; it was gratifying that I was able to follow the clues, yet wasn’t able to predict the ending with ease.  Brennan is releasing a third Lucy Kincaid mystery soon, and I’m glad to have caught up in this excellent series in time for it.

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I'm currently in Charleston, SC at the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance trade show for 2011, but I wanted to write a quick post saying that I am so honored to have won the BBAW (Book Blogger Appreciation Week) award for Best Cultural Book Blog. I apologize for not writing anything longer, but I want to give a quick shout out to my two fellow shortlisters, In Spring It Is The Dawn and The Feminist Texan Reads. I was glad to be nominated with such great company!

Title: The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted
Author: Bridget Asher
ISBN: 9780385343916
Pages: 448
Release Date: March 29, 2011
Publisher: Bantam
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Curled Up With a Good Book
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

It’s been two years since Heidi’s husband, Henry, passed, and she still wakes up in the morning, unsure of how she’ll make it through the day. To make things worse, her young son Abbott seems to have developed a sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder since Henry’s death. Heidi can’t help but reminisce fondly about her family’s house in Provence, where she, her sister, and her mother used to spend summers when she was young. But the trips to Provence stopped after one mysterious summer, when her mother left their family and went to Provence, returning at the end of the summer and never looking back.

When Heidi receives news that there has been a fire in the Provence house, she is saddened, but doesn’t think anything of it. But then her mother asks her to return to Provence and fix up the house, hoping that Heidi will find some healing in that place which they all love. At first, Heidi refuses, but slowly she begins to understand the appeal of the idea of dropping everything and taking Abbott to France. What’s more, Heidi’s sister’s stepdaughter, Charlotte, is going through some adolescent issues of her own, and only Heidi seems to be able to get through to her. When Charlotte decides to come along to Provence, Heidi knows that she has to go and face the ghosts of her past, and try to come out the either side.

Review:

The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted is a novel of love and healing, set against the beautiful backdrop of Provence in France. Heidi has been unable to come to terms with Henry’s death, even though it’s been two years since the tragedy occurred. It’s understandable why she is in a rut. Trying to be strong for Abbott, especially because of his tics, Heidi has been unable to really process her feelings because of her responsibilities. By leaving for Provence, dropping everything and escaping to a place that she has fond memories of, Heidi is finally able to take care of herself.

The secondary characters are developed with just as much care and love as Heidi is. Asher took care with every single person that inhabits this book, making sure she fleshed them out fully and breathed a spark of life into each of them. As a result, this is a book full of quirky and endearing characters. Charlotte was a personal favorite of mine. Though at the beginning, it seemed like she was going through a typical teenage rebellion phase, it quickly becomes clear that there is much more to her than that. Asher makes certain that readers can’t write off any of the characters in this book with a stereotype.

The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted is a charming and sweet novel, full of wonderful characters and an amazing setting. It’s perfect escapist fare, great for a quiet and cozy afternoon when a reader wants to be transported to somewhere else entirely. Asher writes Provence with such loving detail, the reader feels like they are surrounded by the quiet charm of France. Any women’s fiction fan shouldn’t hesitate to pick this book up.

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Title: The Things We Cherished
Author: Pam Jenoff
ISBN: 9780385534208
Pages: 304
Release Date: July 12, 2011
Publisher: Doubleday
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Charlotte is satisfied with her work as a public defender in Philadelphia when her ex-boyfriend, Brian, shows up in her office to ask for a favor.  His client has been accused of Nazi complicity during World War II - specifically, selling out his brother, a war hero credited with saving thousands of Jews - and Brian’s client will not speak out in his own defense.  Intrigued, Charlotte takes on the case and tries to uncover the secret that has been hidden all these years.

Review:

I have read a few books by Pam Jenoff and I have always been blown away by her beautiful, thoughtful writing style.  That was no exception with The Things We Cherished - her writing gives the book an anchor and really underlines the high stakes that Charlotte is facing.  Additionally, it highlights the importance and the tragedy of the Holocaust while softening its blow.  It makes the book compulsively readable and ensures that the weighty subject matter of the book never drags the reader down.

Jenoff has created some great characters in The Things We Cherished.  Charlotte is very sympathetic; she is conflicted by Brian’s reappearance and enraged that he takes her for granted, yet she can’t stay away from the case.  Both Brian and his brother are a little flat, but Charlotte is fully realized.  The magic of the book, though, is in its historical characters.  The reader only sees some of them for a few pages, yet Jenoff really breathes life into them and makes them three dimensional and very relevant for the reader.

The mystery behind the war crimes was a bit of a let down and I’m not sure I could really sympathize with it, but moral ambiguity is an important part of the book.  However, I could understand the overall sadness and uncertainty of the World War II time period, and thought Jenoff did an exceptional job evoking that time in history, especially with the uncertainty for Jews.  The Things We Cherished deals with a very important subject matter in a manner perfect for those who choose to shy away from more difficult, depressing reads.  While there is a sadness that permeates the book, it is not a gloomy read.

Overall, I enjoyed The Things We Cherished and am hopeful that this might be the start to a series.  I would love to read more about Charlotte’s pursual of Nazi war criminals, while also finding justice for those falsely accused.  While I’m not sure that this will happen, given the ending of the book, either way, I look forward to seeing what Pam Jenoff does next.

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Title: Lucifer’s Tears
Author:  James Thompson
ISBN: 9780399157004
Pages: 336
Release Date: March 7, 2011
Publisher: Putnam
Genre: Mystery
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

A year after the events Snow Angels, Inspector Kari Vaara has relocated to Helsinki in order to start over.  He has brought his very pregnant American wife, Kate, with him, and while she has adjusted to life in Finland, Kari misses the cold bleakness of the north.  When a woman is found dead and her lover claims that he wasn’t the culprit (though he is covered in her blood), Kari must draw on all his resources - mental and political - to catch the killer.

Review:

Lucifer’s Tears is the second in James Thompson’s Inspector Vaara series set in Finland, and it’s a worthy follow-up to that outstanding series debut.  When the book begins, Kari is even more damaged than he was in Snow Angels.  The events of that book really took a toll on him mentally, and what’s more, he blames himself for his wife’s miscarriage.  He no longer trusts himself or his instincts, and it takes him some time to regain his confidence.  Kari’s issues make for a bit of a heavy read, but that is balanced out by Thompson’s easy writing style; overall, it’s enjoyable and never becomes too much.

The mystery in Lucifer’s Tears is an engaging one.  Kari actually figures out the solution behind the murder about halfway through the book, but it takes him some time to figure out how to prove it.  It’s a great procedural, as Kari navigates the treacherous waters.  Kari’s final decision on how to deal with the issue sets up the next book in the series, and I found it to be very interesting.

There is also a sub-plot in Lucifer’s Tears dealing with Finnish complicity in the Holocaust, and I found this to be completely gripping.  The discussion of guilt, innocence, and complicity are heavy moral topics, and the fact that Kari was personally connected to them through his grandfather made it all the more interesting.  This part of the book actually made me want to go seek out a non-fiction read on the subject, and I’m very glad Thompson chose to include it.

Lucifer’s Tears was an impressive and absorbing novel from beginning to end.  Thompson has created a very sympathetic main character with Kari, and I do hope that he will find some closure and heal a bit in future books.  The revelations and set-up for the next book are clear at the end of this one, and I simply cannot wait to see what Kari does next.

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Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
ISBN: 9780385534635
Pages: 400
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Doubleday
Genre: Literary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:

Celia and Marco are just children when they are bound to one another, forced to compete and push the limits of their magical abilities and knowledge until one is triumphant.  Years later, they discover the setting: the Night Circus, a magical circus that only operates at night.  It vanishes overnight, only to reappear halfway across the world the next day.  As Celia and Marco compete without knowledge of how to win, or even of each other, their magic may not be strong enough to hold their worlds together.

Review:

The Night Circus is an absolutely breathtaking novel that is as surprising as it is beautiful.  Morgenstern’s writing is lush, but never self-indulgent; while her writing is gorgeous, she doesn’t allow her prose to overshadow the story she is trying to tell.  As a result, the reader is presented with a richly imagined world that is vividly described and well defined.  In between the chapters advancing the story and characters, there are chapters focusing on the experience a visitor might have at the Night Circus.  It was a wonderful way to break up the story, as well as immerse the reader in the setting.  When I closed my eyes, I could smell the food and taste the anticipation in the air; this novel is really a feast for the senses.

There is an air of mystery surrounding The Night Circus.  From the beginning, Celia and Marco each know that they are bound in competition, though the identity of their opponent remains hidden.  The circus is the setting for the competition.  Because these two characters know no more about their situations than the reader does, it creates a great atmosphere as Celia and Marco embark on their competition.  It’s clear there is more going on than meets the eye, but what is that something?

Morgenstern allows her characters their own personalities and lives, and it makes for a wonderful reading experience.  Each character has their own agenda, their private thoughts and emotions, and they aren’t always clear.  The author weaves the threads of all of the characters magically, bringing them together but ensuring that the reader is never fully aware of everything that is happening within the Night Circus.  It adds an extra layer of depth to the novel, a delicious complexity that readers will enjoy being immersed in.

I wouldn't say The Night Circus is a slow novel because it never lost my interest, nor did I ever feel like it needed to move faster.  However, readers should not expect a quick and easy read with this book.  As I’ve said, it’s a complex novel, and its beauty only becomes apparent if you take your time with it.  The Night Circus is a book to be experienced, rather than merely read.

The Night Circus will stay with me for a long time to come.  Its beauty and the wonder it creates in the reader are spellbinding and I cannot say enough positive things about the sheer joy of reading it.  This is a book that will transport you through time, to a magical place, and will leave you completely enchanted and wanting more.

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Title: Love Always
Author: Harriet Evans
ISBN: 9781451639629
Pages: 480
Release Date: June 21, 2011
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Natasha Kapoor’s life is falling apart.  She is separated from her once-beloved husband and her business is failing.  When her grandmother dies, Natasha travels to her grandparents’ home in Penzance for the funeral.  The last thing she expects while there is to receive another life-changing jolt, but she does - the lost diary of Cecily, Natasha’s aunt who died tragically when she was just a teenager.  Through the diary, Natasha begins to uncover some of her family’s darkest secrets, while also learning how to put her life back together.

Review:

In Love Always, women’s fiction author Harriet Evans has successfully managed to combine the storyline of a dark, hidden past with the plight of a modern-day woman struggling to understand her place in the world.  Natasha Kapoor is a broken woman when the novel begins.  She had such high hopes and lofty goals for herself and never thought she would sink this low.  But now that she’s hit the bottom, she has the chance to rethink her life and what she wants out of it.  She can build things back up the way she wants and learn from her mistakes.  Natasha is a capable and smart woman, and while she does wallow in self-despair for parts of the book, it’s wonderful to watch her pull herself out of her misery and start succeeding again.

Cecily is the other main character of Love Always, and it’s interesting to see her, considering she’s been dead for nearly fifty years when the book begins.  Natasha is so like Cecily in some ways, a more mature and seasoned version of the teenager.  Cecily hasn’t had the heartbreak and loss Natasha has had, but she’s dealt with her own issues.  The insight into people’s reactions to Cecily’s half-Indian/Pakistani, half-British heritage is very interesting and gives the novel a welcome cultural depth.

The story of Love Always is equally divided between Natasha’s personal struggles and her search for the truth behind Cecily’s death.  These plots are balanced well; the book is never too introspective or self-pitying.  When Natasha can no longer stand to focus on herself, she throws her energy into Cecily.  The unraveling of the family’s secrets is handled at a slow but satisfying pace.  The reader learns just enough to keep them curious, but not so much that they are overwhelmed with information.  Evans’ timing is well thought out, and makes the book a bit suspenseful, driving the narrative forward.

Love Always is an enjoyable novel that I recommend to fans of character driven novels with a hint of mystery.  While it will appeal to women’s fiction fans, the cultural touches and family secrets make the book appropriate for a wider, contemporary fiction audience.  This was a satisfying summer read, and I look forward to seeing what Harriet Evans does next.

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Title: Mistress of the Monarchy: The Life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster
Author: Alison Weir
ISBN: 9780345453242
Pages: 432
Release Date: January 5, 2010
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Non-Fiction, History, Biography
Source: Curled Up With a Good Book
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

Duchess Katherine Swynford, immortalized in Anya Seton’s historical novel Katherine, is given a biography by noted British historian Alison Weir.  In this book, Weir relays the life story of Katherine Swynford and her epic love story with John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster.

Review:

The basics of the life story of Katherine Swynford are well known to most people that have an avid interest in British royal history.  She was married young and widowed at twenty-one, after which she became the mistress of John of Gaunt.  Their scandal-ridden relationship lasted through most of John’s second marriage, during which Katherine bore John numerous children.  They separated for some time, but then after John’s wife passed, John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford obtained papal dispensation and married, making their years-long relationship official.

Weir notes the difficulty in creating a biography of Katherine Swynford because there is such little documentation about her that has survived through present day.  As a result, much of this biography is actually about John of Gaunt, because much more information survives about him.  Weir makes inferences through Gaunt’s ledgers and accountings about Katherine - for example, when he bestowed a large gift upon Katherine, it was likely because she bore him a child.  It makes for a lot of guessing, though Weir provides solid reasons for the assumptions she makes. 

Mistress of the Monarchy is impeccably researched and is up to the standard that Weir’s readers have come to expect from her.  Though she expresses a love for Katherine Swynford at the beginning of her history, Weir is largely impartial and unbiased in this book.  It’s also a fascinating look into how historians do their work; Weir painstakingly details her sources and interpretations, ensuring that the reader fully understands where her thoughts are coming from.  While this can make for a dry read at times, there is no doubt that Weir really has done an exceptional job bringing Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt to life for the reader.

While this is a great book for fans of Katherine Swynford and those who have read much about British history, someone with a very casual interest in the subject may want to look elsewhere.  While it’s an unparalleled look at Katherine and John, as a whole, it’s not the most engaging of histories.  If you are specifically looking for a book about Katherine Swynford, especially if your curiosity has been piqued after reading Katherine by Anya Seton, don’t hesitate in picking this book up.  Otherwise, readers may want to start with one of Weir’s other, more engaging histories as an introduction to her writing and research style.

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Title: The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle
Author: Jim Butcher & Ardian Syaf
ISBN: 9780345507464
Pages: 160
Release Date: October 14, 2008
Publisher: Del Rey
Genre: Graphic Novel, Urban Fantasy
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Taking place right before the events of the first Dresden Files novel Storm Front, Welcome to the Jungle chronicles Harry’s involvement in events at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.  When a security guard is found dead at the zoo, and fingers point towards an innocent gorilla, it’s up to Harry to clear the animal’s name and prove that there are supernatural forces at work.

Review:

I don’t need to express my love for The Dresden Files to regular readers of this blog; it’s one of my favorite series currently being written.  For a long time, I wasn’t aware that a Dresden Files graphic novel had been written, but once I found it, I immediately knew I had to have it.  I’m becoming increasingly interested in the world of graphic novels, and one set in my favorite urban fantasy world was completely enticing.

I absolutely loved experiencing The Dresden Files in this new medium.  The back of the graphic novel contains concept art for two different Harry Dresdens, one of which is featured on the pictured cover.  This portrait of Dresden didn’t really agree with my mental picture; it makes him look more like a scruffy teenager than the tough, witty wizard I’ve come to know and love.  The second portrait (which is in keeping with the portrayal of Harry in the graphic novel artwork), however, is exactly as I’ve always seen Harry in my head.  I absolutely loved having the chance to watch him, rather than just read and imagine him, working his magic.

The Dresden Files translates incredibly well to a graphic novel format.  Butcher chronicles how difficult it really is to write a graphic novel (the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” is apt) , but he did a great job with this.  The story is intriguing and fun, and the artwork is wonderful.  Ardian Syaf uses a great color scheme for the story, and I loved all the visuals.

Welcome to the Jungle is great for avid fans of the series, but it’s also perfect for those who are interested in The Dresden Files (maybe because I’ve been raving about the books for so long on this blog).  Because the events take place before the first book in the series, readers get an introduction to Harry, and the graphic novel won’t spoil any of the ongoing storylines.  It’s not too much of a time commitment, and manages to capture the spirit of the novels, as well as Harry’s great wit, all in this great and easy-to-read graphic novel format.

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Title: The Fox Inheritance
Author: Marry Pearson
ISBN: 9780805088298
Pages: 204
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Henry Holt
Genre: Dystopian, Teen/YA
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Warning: This review may contain spoilers for The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson

Summary:

Jenna Fox’s two best friends, Locke and Kara, the two that were in the accident with her, have been reawakened using Bio-Gel.  Two hundred and sixty years have passed, and they know nothing of the world around them.  They are being held prisoner by the man who restored them, but Locke and Kara are determined to find a way out, and find a way back to Jenna.

Review:

I enjoyed The Adoration of Jenna Fox, but I had some issues with it, namely that I felt like it was anti-climactic and I didn’t love the world-building surrounding the novel.  Those hesitations weren’t an issue in The Fox Inheritance; Mary Pearson fills in many of the gaps that The Adoration of Jenna Fox left behind, while forging new ground with this gripping sequel.

Where The Adoration of Jenna Fox was a quiet, contemplative novel full of secrets, The Fox Inheritance is action packed.  From cross-country chases to murder, Locke and Kara are on the go from the first few chapters.  Locke is the narrator of the book, and he’s appealing.  Sympathetic and a peacemaker, he tries to manage the increasingly wild tendencies of Kara while also being hopeful at the prospect of reuniting with Jenna.

The world building is certainly interesting in The Fox Inheritance.  Kara and Locke have missed out on almost three centuries of history, and they have to catch up quickly.  Some of the revelations don’t seem practical at all (for example, the idea of the United States splitting in two and each citizen being able to choose which they join, regardless of location - how would that even work?), but it’s definitely interesting.  The introduction of bots, and their dynamics with humans, brought an entirely new dimension to the novel.

Overall, I enjoyed The Fox Inheritance.  It wasn’t perfect - there were some discrepancies, and I thought the addition of Dot, while a great idea, was executed a little artificially.  Additionally, the plot was incredibly predictable, to the point where I wanted to yell at the characters in the book because I could see what was coming.  But it was a quick and intriguing read, and I was glad to learning more about Jenna Fox’s world.

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While I do discuss books at length on this blog almost exclusively, I do partake extensively in another form of entertainment - television.  I absolutely love TV, much more than I enjoy watching movies.  While I do like movies, television has the blank canvas of HOURS in order to develop characters, story arcs, and the mythology behind the show’s premise.  You can’t accomplish that kind of depth in the measly two hour time frame of a movie, not unless it has many sequels.

I was over at Michelle’s blog (My Books. My Life.) and she was discussing the fall TV shows she’s excited to tune into, and I was inspired to do the same. 

Returning TV Shows

• Fringe
• How I Met Your Mother
• The Sing-Off (I love a capella. That is all.)
• Hawaii 5-0 (I am SO excited that Terry O’Quinn, AKA John Locke, is going to be doing an arc on this show)
• Glee (It’s going to take some convincing to keep me watching this show all the way through the third season. While I really enjoyed the first season, I was incredibly disappointed in the second)
• Body of Proof (This show was rocky at the beginning, but it evened out well, and I like the cast dynamics)

New TV Shows

• Person of Interest (Ben Linus and the Count of Monte Cristo preventing crimes? Yes please.)
• Prime Suspect
• Ringer (To be honest, I’m not sold on the premise of this show, but the casting is so good that I’ll at least give it a chance)
• Grimm (Again, not sure how well this show will work, but will give it a chance)
• Once Upon a Time (I’m pretty sure only one of these two fairy tale shows will make it, but I’m interested enough in both.)

Title: Dominance
Author: Will Lavender
ISBN: 9781451617290
Pages: 368
Release Date: July 5, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Mystery
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Alex Shipley is a professor at Harvard who has returned to her alma mater after the suicide of a beloved classmate.  Fifteen years ago, Alex, along with eight other students, was an undergraduate in a night class taught by Richard Aldiss, a former literature professor who was sentenced to life in prison for murdering two of his students.  Through a TV feed, Aldiss took his students on a ride to unravel a literary mystery through a game called “The Procedure.”  Now, it looks as though someone is playing The Procedure again, and Alex’s life and those of her fellow classmates might be in danger.

Review:

If you think my summary of Dominance sounds a little bit vague and convoluted, you are probably right - this is an incredibly difficult book to describe.  What’s more, I didn’t include some of the information the reader discovers within the first ten pages of the book because part of the pleasure of reading the novel is finding out these key pieces of information for yourself.  The best way I can describe Dominance is as a literary puzzle in which you can’t trust anyone and can’t be certain of anything.

Alex is a great narrator for the novel.  She’s somewhat naïve, but is smart and capable.  She is loyal to her friends, sometimes to a fault.  She is committed and willing to see things through, from beginning to end.  This makes her perfect for this book, where The Procedure requires its players to be completely committed and willing to go to any lengths in order to win.  At the same time, though, Alex is not ruthless and has enough sense to understand how dangerous the game can be.

The highlight of Dominance is the twisty puzzle that makes up its plot.  The book jumps in time from the night class to the present day, so the reader doesn’t have all the information up front.  The reader is learning about the night class at the same time that present day events are unfolding.  Lavender builds up suspense like an expert; the two storylines are intertwined, and are incredibly tautly woven.  Each thread has its place in this intricate story, and it’s up to the reader (and Alex Shipley) to deconstruct what it all means.

Dominance was a thrill ride from beginning to end, and it truly was a pleasure to read.  This is a book you will want to read in one sitting; it’s so suspenseful that readers won’t be able to put it down as they race towards the shocking conclusion, one with a twist that will leave them reeling.  It’s perfect for literature lovers because the entire novel is about bringing books to life; the only question is, how far is too far?

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