2012 Reading

Title: A Tale of Two Cities
Author: Charles Dickens
Pages: 448, pp
Published: 1859
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

A classic chosen for my Reading Group. I read this while in high school. So I knew the basics of the story and didn't feel driven to re-read it entirely. There is much to talk about what with the French Revolution as the backdrop. The atrocities of war, the atrocities of peace. I'm sure we'll also discuss the redemptive nature of the book, too, how the characters are changed by their circumstances.

I am really glad this is a re-read for me because I had a hard time sticking with it.






*************************************************
Title: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
Author: Avi
Pages: 256, pp
Published: April, 1997
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Recommended by several students, it is the exciting tale of Charlotte Doyle: a self-absorbed thirteen-year-old girl who finds herself aboard the Seahawk, in 1832, on a life changing voyage from Liverpool to Providence, RI. This book challenges conventional stereotypes and issues, such as gender, race, class and justice. Transformation is as much a character as it is a theme in the novel. I learned a lot about sailing and boats. I can see why my students raved about it--murder, mayhem, and mystery tightly woven together in the two-month journey.






*************************************************
Title: 11/22/63
Author: Stephen King
Pages: 864, pp
Published: November, 2011
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

It's a Stephen King novel without creepy clowns or scary monsters! Here's an interview with King:



From the publisher:

It begins with Jake Epping, a thirty-five-year-old English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching GED classes. He asks his students to write about an event that changed their lives, and one essay blows him away—a gruesome, harrowing story about the night more than fifty years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a sledgehammer. Reading the essay is a watershed moment for Jake, his life—like Harry’s, like America’s in 1963—turning on a dime. Not much later his friend Al, who owns the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to the past, a particular day in 1958. And Al enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination.

So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson, in a different world of Ike and JFK and Elvis, of big American cars and sock hops and cigarette smoke everywhere. From the dank little city of Derry, Maine (where there’s Dunning business to conduct), to the warmhearted small town of Jodie, Texas, where Jake falls dangerously in love, every turn is leading eventually, of course, to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and to Dallas, where the past becomes heart-stoppingly suspenseful, and where history might not be history anymore. Time-travel has never been so believable. Or so terrifying.

I really loved this novel. The storytelling is amazing. King is at his best, without a doubt. There is some violence and gore, but it is a Stephen King novel. And, truthfully, I don't think I would have read it if it wasn't in e-book form. It's dauntingly huge.





*************************************************
Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Pages: 400
Published: September, 2011
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I need one of my friends to read this book so I can talk it over. Because I can't decide if I liked it or loved it. I never quite lost myself in the world of Le Cirque des Rêves. This is quite an imaginative book, I've never quite read anything like it before. It is a story of love, magic, imagination and belief. What I did not like was that in a few places the pace dragged. What I did like, however, was the twists and turns that challenged me to wonder what was going to happen next--how the challenge would play out. It stimulated all my senses and I wished I could walk the grounds with the other Revers.







*************************************************
Title: Started Early, Took My Dog
Author: Kate Atkinson
Pages: 400, pp
Published: October, 2011
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Another installment in the Jackson Brodie series and another literary novel with a mystery at it's heart. From the publisher:

A day like any other for security chief Tracy Waterhouse, until she makes a shocking impulse purchase. That one moment of madness is all it takes for Tracy’s humdrum world to be turned upside down, the tedium of everyday life replaced by fear and danger at every turn. Witnesses to Tracy’s outrageous exchange in the Merrion Centre in Leeds are Tilly, an elderly actress teetering on the brink of her own disaster, and Jackson Brodie who has returned to his home county in search of someone else’s roots. All three characters learn that the past is never history and that no good deed goes unpunished. (Book Depository)

It's not a typical page-turner but I found I couldn't put it down. It's about love, death, and the search for self. And there are literary references that really kept me on my toes.

I love Jackson Brodie and felt that there wasn't enough of him in this story. But the other characters are so human and compelling that the story is satisfying. What I didn't like was shift in time, it was a little confusing to begin a section in 1975 and find myself in the present in the next sentence. Although, that might be the transition to the e-book, losing some spacing.





*************************************************
Title: Pompeii
Author: Robert Harris
Pages: 368, pp
Published: October, 2004
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Pompeii is a thriller set in the Roman city of Pompeii, at the time of its destruction by the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. There is a lot of detail about daily life at this time and the research is evident. Hints of mystery and romance weave the characters together. Pliny the Elder makes an appearance, even.

Not a book I would have ordinarily picked up but there is a lot for us to talk about at book group.







*************************************************
Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages: 400, pp
Published: September, 2009
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The second of The Hunger Games trilogy, this book was riveting. Although the first half of the book sort of dragged, the second half got me all twisted in knots with a cliffhanging ending. Now I've got to pick up the third book and find out how it resolves. I don't want to give any spoilers so I'll just say that I liked the description of the Victory Tour that Katness, Peeta and their teams take because it gave me a better understanding of Panem.

From the publisher:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

*************************************************
Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages: 390, pp
Published: August, 2010
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The finale of the Hunger Games trilogy, it was action-packed and had me interested from page one! I'm afraid if I say much about what I liked and disliked I'll spoil it for those who haven't read it. So, I will say that I'm satisfied with the ending. The ending wasn't a surprise and I figured out how the love triangle would resolve. Most of the loose ends were tied up but I still have a few lingering questions, but they're more character-driven questions than plot-driven.

I'm glad I read the series. Maybe I'm softening a little in my dislike of dystopian fiction. I'm very curious about the movie(s).







*************************************************
Title: Dutch Me Deadly
Author: Maddy Hunter
Pages: 279 pp
Published: February, 2012
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The seventh installment in the Passport To Peril series delivers! Joining the cast of characters is a contingent from Bangor, Maine, and the authenticity of them is fun. Knowing the names and the characters and some of the locations described made this especially fun. This time, Emily, Nana and the Iowa crew are traveling through Holland and Belgium. Having been to the locations described made this book relatable. I could imagine a group of senior citizens attached to their smart phones clicking away. What I didn't like was that there seemed to be almost too many red herrings and near the end I stopped trying to keep track of who done it.





*************************************************
Title: Trail of the Spellmans
Author: Lisa Lutz
Pages: 384 pp
Published: February 2012
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This whole series is such a hoot! The dynamics between the family members is just so darn funny! The characters really take center stage and the plot serves to keep the characters on their toes.

From the publisher:

FOR THE FIRST TIME in Spellman history, Isabel Spellman, PI, might be the most normal member of her family. Mom has taken on an outrageous assortment of extracurricular activities—with no apparent motive. Dad has a secret. Izzy’s brother and sister are at war—for no apparent reason. And her niece keeps saying “banana” even though she hates bananas.

That’s not to say that Izzy isn’t without her own troubles. Her boyfriend, Henry Stone, keeps wanting “to talk,” a prospect Isabel evades by going out with her new drinking buddy, none other than Gertrude Stone, Henry’s mother.

Things aren’t any simpler on the business side of Spellman Investigations. First, Rae is hired to follow a girl, only to fake the surveillance reports. Then a math professor hires Izzy to watch his immaculate apartment while he unravels like a bad formula. And as the questions pile up, Izzy won’t stop hunting for the answers—even when they threaten to shatter both the business and the family.

I hope there are many more books in this series.

*************************************************
Title: Friday Night Knitting Club
Author: Kate Jacobs
Pages: 352 pp
Published: January 2007
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

This was a recommended read by both my sister and a knitting group member so I thought I would give it a read. It's almost corny but there's something comfortable about the group. The main character, Georgia Walker, drives the story with her path of hardship, friendship, and forgiveness. The supporting cast are almost cliché--representing every socio-economic group out there. But the spirit of the book is strong. What I liked about it was the voice: each character is explored and authentic. What I didn't like about it was the predictability. Aside from that, I really liked the book and will probably pick up the second installment. And I really enjoyed the knitting talk.





*************************************************
Title: 11 Birthdays
Author: Wendy Mass
Pages: 272 pp
Published: January 2010
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

From the publisher:

On their first birthday, they learned to walk. On their fifth, they planted seeds in homemade pots. On their tenth, they learned there are some words you can never take back.

Amanda’s eleventh birthday should have been a happy occasion. Instead she’s dressed in an itchy costume her mother picked out for her Hollywood-themed party (Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, even though the flying monkeys have always creeped her out). Meanwhile, across town, her ex-best friend Leo is celebrating their joint birthday with a huge bash including a hypnotist, a football star, a giant iguana, and a rock band. SO not fair!

Amanda can’t wait for the day AFTER her birthday so she can stop thinking about the fight that led her and Leo to have separate parties for the first time in their lives. There’s just one problem. The next day is her birthday all over again.

It's called the Groundhog Day for kids--and it is fun to see how kids handle repeating the day over and over. Amanda and Leo eventually team up and share the potential of the repeated day. It's a fun story. I've got to send it to my niece!



*************************************************
Title: Friday Night Knitting Club
Author: Kate Jacobs
Pages: 336 pp
Published: November 2008
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This is the second installment of the Friday Night Knitting Club series. Picking up five years after the first book ends finds the characters dealing with their lives while still committed to the knitting group. Not to be too punny, but the knitting group is the thread that connects these women. I didn't like how some of the characters are still cliche but I did enjoy the twists the story took. I enjoyed it but probably wouldn't recommend it, unless you're a knitter.







*************************************************
Title: Revolutionary Road
Author: Richard Yates
Pages: 480 pp
Published: December 2008
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This is not a happy book. That knowledge is the reason I put off reading it as long as I did. It is the April selection for my book group and I'm curious to see what everyone else has to say about it. Once I realized it was written in 1961 it "clicked" for me and I appreciated it a bit more.

None of the characters are sympathetic. None of them were people I could relate to. I didn't think Frank was anything special--he seemed indulgent. April seemed vacuous. The minor characters were too broadly drawn to be believable.

I think it's a book about battle: war within the self, against society's expectations, and within relationships.

I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. I appreciated it.


*************************************************
Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Pages: 496, pp
Published: May, 2011
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

From the publisher:

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

Make no mistake, this book is not for the feint of heart. It's a gripping, thrilling tale. I didn't have any expectations of this book, other than a student's recommendation. It's hard to not make comparisons between this book and The Hunger Games. There are similarities. But not really. My only complaint is that it's rather violent. I'm not jumping up and down raving but I really did like this book.


*************************************************
Title: Divas Don't Knit
Author: Gil McNeil
Pages: unsure
Published: July, 2011
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

This was kind of a re-read but it's another version of a novel I read last year. I enjoyed it the second time around. Here's the original review.













*************************************************
Title: The Lacuna
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Pages: 507
Published: July, 2010
My Rating: did not finish

Could not finish this. Could. Not. Finish.









*************************************************
Title: A Dog's Purpose
Author: W. Bruce Cameron
Pages: 336, pp
Published: May, 2011
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Told from a dog's perspective, it's the eternal quest to figure out "why am I here?" I enjoyed this book--at times funny, at times sad, but not cutesy. I kept thinking of my childhood dog, my best friend for fourteen years, and hoping her life was satisfying and that she knew she was loved. It was a quick read and I want more.









*************************************************