Review: Her Royal Spyness

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
3.25 stars

Reason for reading: 2007 Agatha Award nominee (ran out of time to find a winner that my library owned and I wanted to read!)

Description: "Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, 34th in line for the throne, is flat broke. She’s bolted Scotland, her greedy brother, and her fish-faced betrothed for London. The place where she’ll experience freedom, learn life lessons aplenty, do a bit of spying for HRH—oh, and find a dead Frenchman in her tub. Now her new job is to clear her long family name."

First line: "There are two disadvantages to being a minor royal."

My thoughts: This was a fairly fun, quick read. I enjoyed the 1930's setting and that Georgie was a liberated young woman trying to find her way in a world that no longer forced her to marry the first prince who asked (though of course her family wishes she had). I really liked that, despite her privileged upbringing, she was willing to take on any tasks she needed to do to make it on her own, unlike her pathetic brother and witchy sister-in-law, and most of the other people in he set. The scene where she tries working at Harrod's is a hoot. The upper-class twit names like Whiffy and Binky and Fig and last names like Featherstonehough that's actually pronounced Fanshawe are straight out of a PG Wodehouse novel. I found the mystery part so-so, although the dead Frenchman in the tub was certainly a good twist. I wish there had been more about the actual royal family and Wallis Simpson, although maybe that comes in later books. I didn't warm to the book quite as much as I would have liked to, but the setting and spunky Georgie made it worth my time. I might try the next book in the series when I'm in the mood for a quick cozy mystery.

Review: Hearts at Stake

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

3.25 stars

Reasons for reading: 10 in 10 Chick Lit Challenge

Description: "On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family.

Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy—who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black—in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.

First lines: "Normally I wouldn't be caught dead at a field party. If you'll pardon the pun."

My thoughts: Another entry in the teen vampire romance genre. And not a bad one, although not stellar. I liked smart, brave Lucy and her fierce dedication to her best friend and about-to-be-vampire Solange. I liked the loving but rather scary all-son-but-one Drake family, especially that they took Lucy in as one of their own because she cares about Solange. The human-vampire romances were predictable but happily not all goopy - both Solange and Lucy spar with their love interests almost as much as they smooch with them. There was also a lot of action for sucha short book - chases and plots and twists and fights. But there was a lot of lore that I found a bit confusing. For example, vampires are made but occasionally one can be born? And almost all of the bad groups of vampires (and there are at least 4) started with the same letter, which didn't help.

The verdict: I'm pleased to see a cool book written by a Canadian author, yay! And while I don't know if I'll be reading on in the series, for vampire fans it's a good read with action and romance and, in particular, really strong friendships and family relationships as well.

Review: gods in Alabama

gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson
4.5 stars

Reasons for reading: I really enjoyed her Between, Georgia; this one has been on the TBR list for ages and since the sequel has come out I figured I should get it read , Place name book for What's in a Name? Challenge

Description: "For 10 years Arlene has kept her promises, and God has kept His end of the bargain. Until now. When an old schoolmate from Possett turns up at Arlene's door in Chicago asking questions about Jim Beverly, former quarterback and god of Possett High, Arlene's break with her former hometown is forced to an end. At the same time, Burr, her long-time boyfriend, has raised an ultimatum: introduce him to her family or consider him gone. Arlene loves him dearly but knows her lily white (not to mention deeply racist) Southern Baptist family will not understand her relationship with an African American boyfriend. Reluctantly, Arlene bows to the pressure, and she and Burr embark on the long-avoided road trip back home. As Arlene digs through guilt and deception, her patched-together alibi begins to unravel, and she discovers how far she will go for love and a chance at redemption."

First line: "There are gods in Alabama: "Jack Daniel's, high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus."

My thoughts: That's one of the best first lines I've read in ages!! I really enjoyed all of the aspects of this book. First, there's the mystery of why Lena left Alabama and why she promised God she wouldn't have sex, lie or return home. There's lovely, smart Burr and their relationship which has managed to withstand the no-sex clause. There's the bizarre Rose Mae showing up in Chicago and freaking Lena out. And then there's the journey back to Alabama, with Burr, to discover the truth about something horrible that happened a decade ago. It's just a great read, for all of those reasons, and especially for Lena's discovery that, in the end, despite their flaws and the scars left by grief, her family (particularly her fearsome Aunt Florence) loves her and she loves them. This is my second Jackson book and I wasn't disappointed - it's snappy, sad, Southern, smart, and somewhat sweet, all at the same time. I'm now really looking forward to Backseat Saints!

Review: How Not to be Popular

How Not to be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler
3.5 stars

Reasons for reading: Have been meaning to since it came out; 10 in 10 Chick Lit Challenge

Description: "Maggie Dempsey is tired of moving all over the country. Her parents are second-generation hippies who uproot her every year or so to move to a new city. When Maggie was younger, she thought it was fun and adventurous. Now that she’s a teenager, she hates it. When she moved after her freshman year, she left behind good friends, a great school, and a real feeling of belonging. When she moved her sophomore year, she left behind a boyfriend, too. Now that they’ve moved to Austin, she knows better. She’s not going to make friends. She’s not going to fit in. Anything to prevent her from liking this new place and them from liking her. Only . . . things don’t go exactly as planned.

First lines: "Oh crap. What did I just do? My right hand hovers over my phone, fingertips tingling like the sparking ends of live wires."

My thoughts: I liked that this book looked at popularity and how shallow it can be. I'm so saddened by all of the Clique-y books out there - it was nice to see someone being herself, even if it was for rather misguided (though understandable) reasons. It was a bit teen movie-ish - every day Maggie chose a terrible outfit from her dad's thrift store and I could see it totally being a montage. Though I did like her choices (the can-barely-walk kimono was quite inspired). Maggie's loving, hippie-intellectual parents were awesome (her name is actually Sugar Magnolia, after the Grateful Dead song). My favourite scene was when they out-talked, in a completely friendly way, the evil school principal. And it was fairly predictable and the bit right before the end where Maggie gave up and decided to go with the popular bitches was a bit jarring. But overall, it was a good book and I could feel Maggie's pain - I've lived within a few miles of the same house my entire life, I can't imagine what it would have been like to have been uprooted every year.

Review: I Take This Man

I Take This Man by Valerie Frankel
2.75 stars

Reasons for reading: I've liked some of her previous books; caught my eye

Description: "Penny Bracket waited two years to marry dream man Bram Shiraz. Then on the morning of the Big Day, while she's trying on her veil, Penny receives the worst two-line letter of her life: "Penny, I can't go through with it. Sorry, Bram."

Penny's hurt and upset. But Esther, Penny's divorced mom, wants Bram's head on a platter. So Mom ambushes the cold-footed coward before he hot-foots it out of town, bonks him on the head with a champagne bottle, and spirits him away to a hidden room in her gargantuan mansion in Short Hares, New Jersey. Esther doesn't want much. All Bram has to do is write personal, heartfelt apologies to each of the two hundred disappointed wedding guests . . . and eat every mouthful of the very expensive gourmet wedding feast that has gone to waste. Then he'll be free to leave.

Penny doesn't want Bram tortured. She just wants answers to "why" . . . and maybe a little revenge. Will she discover her runaway groom is locked away in the attic? Will Bram's widowed father—handsome tough-guy Keith Shiraz—be able to locate his missing son . . . and maybe seduce Esther Bracket in the bargain? Will Bram be able to maintain his athletic figure after consuming two hundred entrees and thousands of baby quiches? Read on!"

First line: "Penny Bracket, twenty-three, looked ghostly in white."

My thoughts: This was an odd book. It had some laughs but it was very over-the-top and odd. The author Q&A at the back said that Frankel had the idea of what would make a mother harm someone for her child, and a jilted bride came to mind. And I liked the basic concept, because I can imagine an enraged mother-of-the-bride wanting to bean the groom with a champagne bottle and I thought the forcing him to eat the food and write the return address labels for the gifts was hilarious. But the Q&A also discusses Frankel's career as a sex columnist and this comes out a bit too much. I'm not squeamish about sex, but the discussion/resolution of the issue that ultimately breaks up Penny and Bram really reads like something straight out of a sex advice book. It seemed like Frankel picked the sex problem and forced it into the book - I found it hard to believe that a groom would jilt his bride over it.

And then there's other weirdness - the fact that Esther happens to have a video-monitored safe room in her house (it's explained, but...eh), their bizarre (though entertaining) Russian "housekeeper" Natasha who up and leaves after 20 years of service, the fact that Keith Shiraz doesn't mind that Esther assaulted and kidnapped his son, and a weird twist that leads to a rather hasty, too-tied-up happy ending.

I also second this observation by a LibraryThing user: "And the numerous typos were very distracting - didn't anyone proofread this book after it was sent through spell-check?" It was quite annoying.

The verdict: If you're in the mood for quirky chick lit, it's a quick read with some laughs, but emphasis on the quirky.

Review: Getting the Girl

Getting the Girl: a guide to private investigation, surveillance, and cookery by Susan Juby
3.5 stars

Reasons for reading: I love Juby's Alice books; March author birthday for the Four Month Challenge; Young Adult Challenge

From the publisher:
"Sunglasses. Check.
Binoculars. Check.
Notepad. Check.
Mom's pink bike. Check. Check?

Meet Sherman Mack. Short. Nerdy. Amateur P.I. and prepared to do anything for Dini Trioli.
Nobody knows who began it or when it became a tradition, but every girl at Harewood Tech fears being D-listed, a ritual that wipes her off the social map forever. When Sherman believes Dini is in danger of being D-listed, he snatches up his surveillance gear and launches a full-scale investigation to uncover who is responsible.

Could it be the captain of the lacrosse team?
The hottest girls in school, the Trophy Wives?
Or maybe their boyfriends?

One thing is for sure: Sherman Mack is on the case. And he's not giving up."

My thoughts: While not as laugh-out-loud hilarious as the Alice books, Getting the Girl has some great humour. It's also a great story of one person deciding to stand up for what's right. And there's a bit of mystery thrown in there, too. At first I thought I was going to hate wanna-be ladies' man Sherman, but he's pretty endearing. He has a lot to deal with - his hot, young single mom is burlesque dancer and they survive mainly on toast; he has a growing attraction to his friend Vanessa, although he'd be happy with just about any girl, if only they'd respond to his charms; and now he's become an amateur sleuth in order to save more girls from getting Defiled.

I thought the funniest parts were Sherman's attempts at surveillance (particularly involving a mason jar for long stakeouts) and his cooking class misadventures with a home ec teacher who is both ridiculously perky and ridiculously hardcore about the world of professional cooking (that would be Cafeteria class). Sherman's odd but loyal friends and his adult mentor/neighbour add to the mix, bailing Sherman out - most of the time. The book culminates in a hilarious dinner party thrown by Sherman and if the conclusion feels a bit like the end of a Scooby Doo episode, I applaud Sherman for wanting to stop the cruel tradition of defiling, all while pursuing his interest in both cooking and women.

Review: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5 stars

Reasons for reading: Have heard amazing things about it; Have been trying to get hold of it for a almost a year but it's too popular at the library; Young Adult Challenge

Description: "In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the-death on live TV. One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The winner brings riches and favor tohis or her district. But that is nothing compared to what the Capitol wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rule. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her impoverished district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love."

First line: "When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold."

My thoughts: This book was crazy-good! It kept me up til 1am! I've enjoyed Collins' first two Gregor the Overlander books and I'm glad to see that she's extended her talent to young adult fiction.

The premise of the book is just staggering - a country that forces its people to send their children to be killed for the entertainment of others. It's actually Survivor! I was completely drawn into the world of Panem and this insane "game". Katniss is a complex character. She's smart and tough and fiercely loves her sister, but she has a lot of anger inside about her father's death, her mother's failure to look after her daughters, and the circumstances of her impoverished district. She's thrown into the national spotlight and doesn't know how to act - she's a gifted archer and hunter, but she doesn't really have the charm required to win over viewers. The fact that the contestants get a team of stylists before they're sent to their deaths says a lot to me about our society that's so obsessed with image and by what's in the media. Her handlers try to create an image for Katniss, but she's thrown for a loop when the boy from her district, Peeta, declares his love for her on TV. Is it strategy or is it true? Katniss has to deal with that along with two dozen people trying to kill her, all while the nation is forced to watch her (viewing is mandatory in Panem). She makes some very smart moves, but her wilful streak does not please the powers-that-be, which is where the book leaves off.

The verdict: Highly recommended. My hold for the sequel just came in and I can't wait to read it!

Review: Heart and Soul

Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
3.5 stars

Reasons for reading: snagged it out of the booksale; I like Maeve Binchy

From the publisher: "With the warmth, humor, and compassion we have come to expect, Maeve Binchy tells a story of doctors and staff, patients, family, and friends at a heart clinic in a community caught between the old Ireland and the new. Dr. Clara Casey agrees to take on the seemingly thankless task of establishing a clinic with little funding—for a year. With her own plate full—two troublesome grown daughters and a needy ex-husband—she is still able to gather a wonderfully diverse and dedicated staff. And before long she has done the impossible, made the clinic a success and a aprt of the community. Now Clara must decide whether or not to stay."

First line: "Some projects take forever to get off the ground."

My thoughts: Binchy's books all refer back to previous ones, it seems. While you don't have to have read them, I think it helps. I still haven't read Quentins and it keeps coming up and up. And this one has many references to Nights of Rain and Stars and Evening Class, so I was glad to have read both.

Reviews of Binchy always seem to mention things like warmth and coziness and this book has a fair bit of it, with just enough bite from a very mean-spirited old woman and a couple of bitchy 20-something daughters. There are the usual multiple, intersecting stories which all come together in the end, mostly happily. And I was glad to find that I enjoyed most of the characters much more than I did in the previous Binchy book I read, Tara Road. I wish I knew many more people like shy, kind Dr. Declan and Ania, the Polish immigrant willing to be a friend to all and to cheerfully work as many jobs as she can get to help her mother back in Poland, who she believes she has shamed. There's feisty, pretty, but baggage-laden Fiona from Rain and Stars and Nora Dunne, who made Evening Class the wonderful read it was. Clara Casey grows on your after a bit of prickliness. And teenage caterer-wannabe twins Simon and Maud are endearing yet a bit bizarre. There are love affairs, breakups, deaths, journeys to and from Greece, and, unexpectedly, a very strange plot by an unstable woman to trap a priest into marriage, which was rather a highlight.

The verdict: I'm relieved to have enjoyed this book after a rough patch with Tara Road. I can see why she's so enduringly popular and I really must read Quentins.

Review: His Majesty's Dragon

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik (Temeraire, book 1)
5 stars

Reasons for reading: Husband highly recommended the series; Owlmoose chose it for Herding Cats

Synopsis: "Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.

When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future–and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire."

My thoughts: Gosh, this review is late! I read this one back in the summer. But I loved it - both Husband and Owlmoose were right. It's such a cool concept - that dragons were used basically as airplanes. Temeraire is an amazing character - wise, innocent, petulant, brave, loving.... And Laurence is the perfect stoic British sailor. Their bond is a wonderful thing to witness. It's really interesting to see how the dragons and their captains are treated rather like second-class citizens in the armed forces - people are still pretty afraid of dragons and the people (some dragons will only take female captains, incredibly shocking in 19th century England) who ride them are thought of as odd ducks.

The verdict: High-flying adventures abound in this tale of a man and his dragon!

Review: Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins
4 stars

Reasons for reading: I loved the first book in this series; Seconds Challenge

Synopsis: "Gregor learns of his role in another Underland prophecy, yet he swears he will never return to that place. But his vow crumbles when his little sister, Boots, is snatched. Gregor knows it is a ploy to lure him to the subterranean world, but he gives in and heads back underground, where he is reunited with his bat, Ares, the princess Luxa, and new allies. Together, they descend into the deadly Waterway in search of an ominous rat known as Bane. But Gregor must face the possibility of his greatest loss yet, and make life and death choices that will determine the future of the Underland."

First line: "When Gregor opened his eyes he had the distinct impression that someone was watching him."

My thoughts: The second book in this series is a great read, too! I was concerned it would just ben another "adventure" that was exactly the same as the first, but Collins manages to fit it into the format she established (Gregor has to go on a quest to fulfill a confusing prophecy for the Underlanders) while still including fresh elements. Boots is as adorable as ever. The underground creatures like enormous rats and roaches continue to be fascinating, and are joined by funny but very annoying giant fireflies who eat like pigs and bicker constantly. Gregor's connection to the Underland continues to grow, especially as he learns that he has a special capacity for fighting. Princess Luxa didn't play as much of a role as she did in the first book, I hope there will be more of her in the next one. Also, I hope that Gregor's dad regains his strength and his character develops and he's able to join in the adventures.

The verdict: A great sequel!

Review: Homer and Langley

Homer & Langley by E.L. Doctorow
4 stars

Reasons for reading: this month's book club selection

From the publisher: "Homer and Langley Collyer are brothers–the one blind and deeply intuitive, the other damaged into madness, or perhaps greatness, by mustard gas in the Great War. They live as recluses in their once grand Fifth Avenue mansion, scavenging the city streets for things they think they can use, hoarding the daily newspapers as research for Langley’s proposed dateless newspaper whose reportage will be as prophecy. Yet the epic events of the century play out in the lives of the two brothers–wars, political movements, technological advances–and even though they want nothing more than to shut out the world, history seems to pass through their cluttered house in the persons of immigrants, prostitutes, society women, government agents, gangsters, jazz musicians . . . and their housebound lives are fraught with odyssean peril as they struggle to survive and create meaning for themselves."

First line: "I'm Homer, the blind brother."

My thoughts: This was a very well-written, interesting book. Doctorow immerses the reader in the lives of these eccentric brothers. Their descent into hoarding, their eccentric outlook on life (especially Langley), and, the part that I enjoyed most, their fraternal love for each other. Deserted by every other person in their lives, they had only each other and their house to rely on. Despite their strangeness, it was quite a portrait of brotherly devotion.

The book covers 4 wars and many changes in society and New York City. It's interesting to see them from the brothers' viewpoint - most things don't really affect them, but Langley does get excited about new technology (although he often discards it once the novelty wears off) and their neighbourhood slowly changes from wealthy to poor, ungentrified Harlem.

I have to say, though, that I find the real story of the brothers just as interesting as the book. There are photos and a history of the men here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collyer_brothers
One thing that I found a bit odd about the book was that their lives seemed to be very, very long. When I looked them up online, I saw that they both died in 1947, 20+ years before their demise in the book. (Their dates are mentioned in the book and Doctorow notes that it's a work of fiction, I just hadn't noticed the dates beforehand.) While it's conceivable that a World War I veteran would live that long, I definitely found it a bit odd, especially since Homer is sleeping with a young hippie girl and Langley is still ambulatory enough to roam all over New York to get their food and water. I doubt he would have been able to do this at 89 or so. So that was a bit of a niggle as I was reading it, but not enough to put me off what was otherwise a great story.

The verdict: I've always been daunted by Doctorow, but this shorter book was a good introduction. I may read more of his books and I bet they'll get me interested in looking up the historical figures/events they're based on.

Review: Graceling

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

4.25 stars

Reasons for reading: heard it was really good - one of our book suppliers said she was recommending it for all teenage girls who asked her for Twilight!; for the Young Adult Challenge

Description: "Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone."

First line: "In these dungeons, the darkness was complete, but Katsa had a map in her mind."

My thoughts: This book kept me up late into the night, always the sign of a great read! Everything about it is well-done - the fantasy setting of the 7 kingdoms, the idea of people being Graced as everything from swimmers to mind readers to fighters, the characters, the romance, the adventure and conflict...

Katsa really has to grow in this novel - she goes from feeling like nothing more than an attack dog, treated with fear and revulsion by almost everyone, to realizing that she is caring, intelligent, and that her Grace is something more than she realized. She grows into her Grace and, along the way, learns how to care about people and allow them to care about her.

The romance element with Po also works well - it's not treacly at all. These two have finally found a person who is both their equal and a complement to their personalities.

The verdict: I can't wait to read the sequel, Fire! This is a novel that works well as everything - an adventure, a fantasy, a coming-of-age story, and a romance! (I wonder what my Grace would be....?)

Review: The Good Fairies of New York

The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
4.25 stars


Reasons for reading: I like fairies, it sounded fun, recommended by Nymeth for the Herding Cats Challenge II

Summary: "When a pair of fugitive Scottish thistle fairies end up transplanted to Manhattan by mistake, both the Big Apple and the Little People have a lot of adjusting to do. Heather and Morag just want to start the first radical fairy punk rock band, but first they’ll have make a match between two highly unlikely sweethearts, start a street brawl between rival gangs of Italian, Chinese, and African fairies, help the ghost of a dead rocker track down his lost guitar, reclaim a rare triple-bloomed Welsh poppy from a bag lady with delusions of grandeur, disrupt a local community performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and somehow manage to stay sober enough to save all of New York from an invasion of evil Cornish fairies.If they can stop feuding with each other, that is."

First line: "Dinnie, an overweight enemy of humanity, was the worst violinist in New York, but was practicing gamely when two cute little fairies stumbled through his fourth-floor window and vomited on the carpet."

My thoughts: This book was hilarious, bizarre, and quite touching. From the moment they make their vomitous entrance, punk-rock loving fugitive fairies Morag and Heather are irritating yet irresistable. I really liked that there were fairies from all over the world living in New York (although, oddly, no Irish or Scottish ones). There are so many threads to this story - including but not limited to: the bag lady who thinks she's an ancient warrior, the travels of the Welsh poppy around New York, the fairy rebellion back in Britain, the fact that Morag and Heather break every sacred fairy treasure they come in contact with, a musician's ghost searching for a lost guitar - and they're all woven together incredibly well. Kerry, a lovely young artist who suffers from Crohn's disease and Dinnie, the aforementioned enemy of humanity, are each befriended by a Scottish fairy and their lives will never be the same.

The verdict: A weird but wonderful story.

Review: The Help

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
4.5 stars


Reasons for reading: Maggie's endorsement at Maggie Reads; first book for the Southern Reading Challenge 2009

Description: "Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed."

My thoughts: I really enjoyed the 3 narrators - sometimes that device can be annoying, but Aibileen, Skeeter, and Minny's voices were all very different and all well done. Also, dialect is sometimes annoying to see written down, but Aibileen and Minny's suited them well and weren't written in an awkward way. There's so much in this book - hatred, love, affection, sadness, hope, humour, warmth... It's a really interesting portrait of a time when change was starting to come.

I found the disconnect in the white Southerners' minds quite astonishing- how can black women be good enough to raise white women's children, cook their food, and clean their houses, but they can't use the same toilet or cutlery? They can't shop at the white grocery store unless they're shopping for their employers, yet aren't they just as black in their uniform as out of it? They think of black people as dirty, yet have no problem with them feeding, bathing, and holding their children? The way people can justify things like in their minds that is incredible.

I also liked that Stockett showed the affection between black women and the children they look after and sometimes even the older women whose lives they're much more involved in than those ladies would like to admit. Some employers are actually very kind, some are cruel, some are just stupid.

I don't want to give much away, but there are parts that made me laugh, made me want to cheer, made me angry, and made me sad. It's a great read.

The verdict: I agree with the author that these are some of the best lines in the book and I think they sum it up well: "We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought."

Review: The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
4 stars

Reasons for reading: 2009 Newbery Medal-winner for the Book Awards Challenge

Description: "Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family . . . "

First line: "There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife."

My thoughts: I didn't think I was going to like this book. The only Gaiman I've read is American Gods and it was tooooo weird for me (though, to give him credit, very memorable). And, as it opened with horrible murders, I figured I was going to be right. But it was okay - because out of those murders came Nobody Owens, an extraordinary boy. He's raised by an entire graveyard of ghosts and one shadowy guardian who is neither alive nor dead. Gaiman really makes the ghosts come alive, as much as they can - they never change, but they all have their own distinct personalities and they all come to love the living boy who grows up to be a brave, clever young man.

My only quibble is that backstory of why Bod's family was murdered by "the man Jack" is a bit...vague, in my opinion. It felt a bit like there had to be a reason for the murders and that was inserted in. (I'm sure it wasn't the case, but it felt like it to me.) But I loved how the evil league of Jacks of All Trades had the names of every famous legendaryJack in history.

Gaiman is definitely a very talented writer, I should stop thinking of him as weird and creepy and give him more of a chance. :) His description of the Danse Macabre - when the dead come down to town and dance with the living - is beautiful, haunting, sad, and joyful. The section with the ghouls (who name themselves after dead historical figures, like The Emperor of China or The Bishop of Bath and Wells) is both hilarious and horrifying. And the climax with Bod being chased by Jacks around the graveyard kept me up last night.

The verdict: I had my doubts, but I can definitely see why this won the Newbery.

Review: The House at Riverton

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
4 stars


Reasons for reading: many bloggers have recommended it; it sounded like my type of book; my third sisters-oriented book for the Themed Reading Challenge


Description: "Grace Bradley went to work at Riverton House as a servant when she was just a girl, before the First World War. For years her life was inextricably tied up with the Hartford family, most particularly the two daughters, Hannah and Emmeline. In the summer of 1924, at a glittering society party held at the house, a young poet shot himself. The only witnesses were Hannah and Emmeline and only they - and Grace - know the truth. In 1999, when Grace is ninety-eight years old and living out her last days in a nursing home, she is visited by a young director who is making a film about the events of that summer. She takes Grace back to Riverton House and reawakens her memories. Told in flashback, this is the story of Grace's youth during the last days of Edwardian aristocratic privilege shattered by war, of the vibrant twenties, and the changes she witnessed as an entire way of life vanished forever."


First line: "Last November I had a nightmare."


My thoughts: I enjoyed this book. It reminded me in some ways of Water for Elephants - they both centre around an elderly person in a seniors' home who is remembering their past self and the secrets they kept back then. It also reminded me a lot of Upstairs, Downstairs and it turns out the author acknowledges the show at the end, so I guess it was a good thing that it did!

I really liked the premise of Grace being called in to check out the movie set and the memories flowing from that - it really added a contemporary element to a story set largely in the past. I felt Morton painted the house of Riverton very well - it's almost a character by itself and she's clearly done her research. I found myself wishing I could pay it a visit.

I chose this book for the Themed Reading Challenge because it's about sisters. Hannah and Emmeline are an interesting pair of sisters, because they end up (as they themselves note) basically living the life the other wanted - suffragette-wannabe Hannah married to a staid, boring man who wants to use her family heritage to advance his political career and seeming-homebody Emmeline becoming a silent film star and jazz baby. They are very close when they're young, but their different lifestyles move them apart, and then both sisters end up in love with the same man, which brings about a tragedy.

It's also the story of Grace, who observes them all for years - she serves them faithfully, envies them, wants to be like them, and eventually gains a connection with Hannah that turns out to be more than they realized. (I don't want to spoil it!) It was a very interesting look at a domestic servant at the turn of the century - Grace was constantly reminded and honestly felt she was privileged to serve the Hartfords and in fact sacrificed a great deal of her own life and happiness for them (though happily we find that she didn't give up everything and managed to have quite the life herself eventually). This is an alien idea today, but was obviously very much the way things were then, before the Wars came and started to change the fabric of life in England.

The verdict: A great read, especially for anyone interested in the period from the Edwardian era to the two World Wars.

Review: Grounds for Murder

Grounds for Murder by Sandra Balzo
3 stars

Reasons for reading: I enjoyed Balzo's first book, Uncommon Grounds, last year; Seconds Challenge

Description: "Set in Milwaukee at a scaldingly competitive trade show for the coffee industry, events reach a head when coffeehouse-owner Maggy Thorsen discovers a body under a table at the conference centre. As the reluctant conference coordinator and a potential suspect Maggy must track the murderer, save her coffeehouse, and hopefully put some froth in her love life. . . "

First line: "Slut in a cup!"

My thoughts: One review of this book describes it as "lukewarm" - I wouldn't go quite that far, but I definitely preferred the first book. This one felt a bit rushed and hard to believe. Most of the secondary characters are quite caricature-ish - an uber-enviro-earth mother and her money-grubbing egotistical husband, for example. Fortunately, one of one them - Maggy's chain-smoking friend Sarah who decides to "quit" by breathing in second-hand smoke and cracks the whip on the conference exhibitors -adds some spark to the story. Balzo's humour is still there (as you can see from the first line!), but I'd have liked better characters and more development of Maggy's budding relationship with hunky detective Jake Pavlik.

The verdict: Not a bad little cozy but not the sequel I was hoping for.

Review: How I Live Now

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
4 stars

Reasons for reading: The Book Awards Challenge - 2005 Michael L. Printz Award winner

Description: "Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy. As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way."

First line: "My name is Elizabeth but no one’s ever called me that."

My thoughts: I can see why this one won the Printz Award - it's raw and intense and really quite different.

At first, being left alone on the farm is like a jolly old-fashioned British children's book - camping out, taking care of the animals, what larks. In this no-adults zone, Daisy and her cousin Edmond fall in love - sex and all. It's quite shocking, but the strange circumstances as well as the cousins' various spiritual powers (Edmond reads minds, his brother Isaac communes with animals, and little Piper is basically, in Daisy's words, a "mystical creature" that everyone adores) seem to mitigate the shock.

After war breaks out, the cousins are forced to leave the farm and live with other families. Soon everything goes to hell and Piper and Daisy stagger out into the wartorn countryside to try to find the rest of their family.

I don't want to ruin the ending, but it's a bit too quick. After the detailed descriptions of the girls' search for home, things accelerate into warp speed and then there's an epilogue 6 years later. That was a bit jarring.

The verdict: Not for those looking for a light-hearted read, but a very powerful, interesting story about the power of love, family, and finding out where you belong, even after horrific experiences.

Review: Glitter Baby

Glitter Baby by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
3 stars

Reasons for reading: I've really enjoyed Susan Elizabeth Phillips' other books

Description: "Fleur Savagar is the most beautiful woman in the world . . . to everyone but herself. With her oversized hands and paddle-boat feet, her streaky blond hair and funny green eyes, she lives a life filled with secrets that began before she was born. That was when her bewitching mother left home to find James Dean and met Errol Flynn instead. Now Fleur has to grow up quickly, and life won't make that easy. Jake Koranda is both New York's most brilliant playwright and Hollywood's hottest actor. Difficult, talented, and tormented, he has no patience for international glamour girls, not even ones with beautiful bodies and smart-aleck mouths. But there's more to the Glitter Baby than shine, and Fleur's tougher than Jake expects. Even with the odds stacked against her, she's fiercely determined to discover the woman she's destined to be."

My thoughts: From the beginning, I really thought this book felt dated. I figured that was because it was set in the 80's (though I wasn't really sure why it was set then). Partway through, I noticed that it was actually originally published in 1987 and this is a reissue. So that explained it.

It really didn't feel like Phillip's other books - which are usually very American and Southern. This one reminded me of Louise Bagshawe or one of the other British bonkbuster authors - quite European (though it's set in LA and New York as well as France) and revenge-oriented rather than Phillips' usual football-player types being thrust into situations with quirky heroines. I missed that Phillips and I'm glad she evolved into the writer she is now.

Fleur and Jake are good characters, very typical of this type of novel. I liked the Errol Flynn references and the ongoing revenge plot spiced things up a bit, though it was all pretty predictable. Jake being a Vietnam vet really added to the dated feeling of the book, although it was necessary for his character to have gone through it.

This wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't very special, I felt like I'd read it all before. Of course, perhaps in 1987 it was special. She has a new book out now, and I'm looking forward to reading the Susan Elizabeth Phillips of this century.

Review: The Hoboken Chicken Emergency

The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Pinkwater
3.5 stars

Reason for reading: Daring Book Challenge

Description: "When Arthur Bobowicz is sent out to bring home the family's Thanksgiving turkey, he returns instead with Henrietta -- a 266 pound chicken with a mind of her own. Feathers fly when this colossal clucker descends upon Hoboken, New Jersey."

First sentence: "Nobody in Arthur Bobwicz's family really liked turkey."

My thoughts: Not much to say, really, it's a really short book, but it's funny and fun. Pinkwater is always a hoot. Or perhaps a cluck, in this case. The part about Anthony DePalma, fake chicken catcher, is hilarious, particularly his top-secret method of trapping poultry. It's also a really neat example of a multicultural story that isn't going out of its way to be one - there are simply lots of immigrant families living in Hoboken and that's the way it is.

The edition I read is is a 30th-anniversary one, with new illustrations and, I think, a few changes to the text, as there's a reference to e-mail, which certainly wasn't around in 1977. But other than that, the strangeness and the good lesson of the importance of kindness are intact. I remember enjoying Pinkwater when I was a middle-grader myself, so he's Pinkwater is a classic and always a great recommendation for reluctant readers or kids looking for a laugh.

Addition: I was searching my parents' basement for childhood books and I discovered I actually own a copy of this book, whoops! But I'm still counting it because, unlike other Pinkwaters I read as a kid, I didn't have any memory of it at all.