Recent Reads -- 4 stars each

My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead

I first read Middlemarch when I was in college. I'd picked it up because I knew it was one of the "greats" and I felt like I had to read it sometime or other; I didn't suspect how much engaging it would be. A few months ago, I started listening to it while I ran. Thus, when I had a chance to read an early copy of My Life in Middlemarch, I jumped at the chance. To be honest, I was expecting more of a memoir than this biography/criticism/personal reflection, but I still loved reading about the layers of George Eliot's life, the construction of the massive, masterful novel, and the way books color and influence every reader's life.

4 stars

Warnings: Some thematic material and vague references to sensuality

A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle

I love Madeleine L'Engle. If, someday, I am a famous writer (I can dream, can't I?) and someone asks me who my greatest influence was, she will be at the top of the list. I actually read part of this memoir several years ago and I have no idea why I didn't finish it at the time, but several of the lines I highlighted have become so much a part of my own opinions that I had forgotten that I first read them in A Circle of Quiet. This memoir explores L'Engle's experiences with writing, living in a small community, spirituality, and family life. It is rambling but gorgeous, with many gems of wisdom. I am so excited that there are three more Crosswicks Journals for me to dive into.

4 stars

Warnings: A few instances of language, discussion of some heavy ideas

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Rainbow Rowell is pure delight to read. Something about the way she frames emotions and experiences makes them both infinitely relatable and yet entertainingly unique. Landline is the story of Georgie McCool (which, really? what a name -- but it worked with the character once I got acquainted with her), a career woman and mother whose marriage is faltering. After she chooses work over family and her husband, Neil, takes their kids to see his family for Christmas without her, she tries to call them from her mother's landline -- only to find that it isn't present-day Neil but Neil from her past that answers. As she speaks with him, she evaluates her life, love, and relationship and tries to work her way back to her family. One of the things I loved about this book was that I could really empathize with Georgie in many ways. I am a working mother too -- I am going to have to be away from my family on Christmas too (although for me, it is not a choice, and my husband isn't mad at me about it, thank goodness). The pain she experienced reverberated with me, and as she went through the growing process I also felt like I learned some things about love. Rowell is an auto-read for me now.

4 stars

Warnings: Language, references to sex (no explicit scenes)

Paper Towns by John Green

I'm (very slowly) working my way through John Green's backlist. Paper Towns is about a guy whose name I've already forgotten whose childhood best friend goes missing -- but leaves some clues for him to find her. As he leaves on his wild goose chase he learns about love, friendship, and living. So here's the thing about John Green. Fault in Our Stars was amazing and moving. Looking for Alaska was pretty good, and unique from Fault in Our Stars. However, Paper Towns reads a lot like Looking for Alaska. Manic-pixie-dream-girl, much philosophizing about love, friendship, purpose, and death. It was a solidly good book, but definitely didn't veer from the prototype. I will say that I don't mind Green's hyper-intelligent protagonists, though -- I know people complain that teenagers don't talk like that or think like that and so on, but I disagree. Not all teenagers do. Maybe not even most. But some do, and I think they would definitely be the most interesting ones to read a book about. End of that rant. Basically, good book, good coming of age story, if you like John Green, here's a John Green book that sounds just like a John Green book.

4 stars

Warnings: Language, teen drug use and drinking, references to sexuality

Three Reviews

I first read the Mitford books in middle school. I was way too young to appreciate them, but I still have a general sense of fondness and comfort from reading them. A few years ago I started craving the coziness of those books and decided to reread. I've been tracing my way through them slowly. Recently, I finished the audiobook of These High Green Hills.

If you are unfamiliar with the Mitford books, they are the chronicle of an Episcopalian preacher in a small town in North Carolina. They are full of the charm of the South, delicious food, and enchanting characters. The books are not what one would call action-packed, but are instead a comforting place to exist for a while with old and new friends.

I love getting to know the characters in each book. I also love the way each experience by each main characters has poignancy to it. There are moments of pain and loss and moments of rejoicing, but each moment has a lesson and seems so relevant to life. I can't finish one of these books without feeling uplifted. However, despite the fact that the book is about a preacher, it never feels preachy. It is simply good, and edifying, and I love it. In a few weeks or months I will return to Mitford in the fourth book, and I can't wait.

4 stars

Warnings: None

Most of you are well-acquainted with my weakness for spin-offs, so when I saw Love, Tink on NetGalley I snatched it up, and was happy a few weeks later when a friend emailed me to recommend it. A spin-off of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, Love, Tink returns Peter to his home, which in this case is New York City -- but the love-struck Tinkerbell is compelled to follow him, resulting in an at times awkward, at times amusing transition from a fairy of Neverland to a teenage girl.

I loved the concept of Love, Tink. I think the idea of taking Tinkerbell and Peter out of Neverland was creative. Not to mention the fact that I adore Peter Pan. Love, Tink did well with keeping the plot bouncing along quickly. There were many twists and turns that kept me invested, and I read the book in less than a 36 hour span of time (which is pretty quick, when you're working full time and a mother to a 15-month old). However, the execution suffered a bit in my opinion. At times the writing was a bit childish (and yes, it was a YA book, but no, writing for young audiences does not mean the writing needs to be childish). Also, at times, the events were not believable within the world that Elle Strauss had built. Some of the decisions made by the characters were completely irrational and explained away with, "Fairies are different from people" and nothing more to back-up that concept.

Still, Love, Tink was a fun, romantic story. If you are a fan of Peter Pan and don't mind the fluffiness, Love, Tink makes for a quick, entertaining read.

3 stars

Warnings: None

I have this quirk -- I love to read books that are set in a place where I live, or where I am very familiar with the area. I love to be reading about a place and realize that I have walked down that street or driven past that building. It connects me more, I suppose. So Beautiful Ruins really hit the nail on the head for me, with Italy (which I haven't visited myself but where my husband lived for two years), Los Angeles (where I live now), and Idaho (where I grew up). That quite possibly might have been enough to make me love it, but Beautiful Ruins brought even more to the table -- romance, a unique story-telling format, and excellent writing.

I think one of my favorite things about Beautiful Ruins was the way each chapter was from a slightly different segment of one of the main characters' lives. Rather than telling the narrative in a linear fashion, Jess Walter gives us a series of snapshots that expose rather than inform a certain truth about one of the characters. Finally, everything comes together in the last few chapters. I also loved how some of the chapters, rather than strictly narrative, were a sort of multi-media -- a pitch for a movie, a play, the first chapter in a novel. It kept me interested in what would happen next (an essential for any book) without keeping too much from the reader (something that personally drives me bonkers). The flow was perfect, revealing the pieces of the story just slowly enough to tantalize.

The writing was also exceptional while managing to be highly readable. Many of the works touted as excellent literary fiction are impenetrable. And while I enjoy the occasional challenge of trying to figure out what an author is trying to say through the obscurity of their overwrought art, mostly, I like books to make sense. To make me think, yes, but also to make sense. And Beautiful Ruins does that excellently, keeping a lovely balance between artistry and, you know, making plain sense.

Also, the romance. It's been a while since I've really gotten caught up in a good romantic read. Some of the teen books seem far-fetched (find true love between your lunch hour and gym class), while many literary fiction books seem too hopeless. Beautiful Ruins struck a good balance -- yes, people are imperfect, and yes, circumstances may contrive to keep you apart, but you can find happiness with a lot of hard work and a little luck.

So, yeah, I would recommend Beautiful Ruins.

4 stars

Warnings: Language, non-graphic descriptions of sex and scandal, some drug use

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

First of all, can I be honest and say that the main reason I wanted to read this book was for the cover? It is gorgeous.

Being Sloane Jacobs is about two girls who are both named Sloane Jacobs, who bump into each other on their way to summer camp. One is going to ice skating camp while the other is going to hockey camp. Both disillusioned with their sport and dealing with things they'd rather escape in their personal lives, the girls, who look somewhat similar, decide to switch places. Naturally, awkward and funny situations ensue, while the girls also have the chance to deal with some of the deeper issues they are experiencing.

Being Sloane Jacobs was a fun and addictive read, one that I finished in two days, which pre-motherhood and pre-career wouldn't have been all that impressive, but now that I work full time and have a toddler is not too shabby. The comedy is situational and the characters are both likable. There isn't a ton of depth here -- while the characters do develop and change during their month of impersonation, they don't delve too deeply into introspection, and their main accomplishments at the end of the book are managing to get through sports camps in sports they don't play and landing attractive love interests. However, if you are looking for a little light-hearted fun, Being Sloane Jacobs was delightful.

The real thing the book left me with was the desire to visit Montreal, stay in the Westin, and eat a lot of poutine. Anyone care to join me?

3 stars

Warnings: Some adult themes (infidelity, alcoholism), maybe light swearing? I don't remember

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

If three's a charm, then Rainbow Rowell has charmed herself into an auto-read for me, because I have loved every word she has ever written (well, I could do without the swearing, I suppose). But seriously -- she has yet to disappoint me. Fangirl is a fitting title for the book I'm about to rave about.

Cath and her twin sister, Wren, have always been a package deal. But when they go to college, Wren wants to room with someone else and assert her independence. She no longer shows an interest in spending time with Cath or working on fanfiction with her (if you're unaware: fanfiction is basically spinoffs of published works, unpublished but posted on fanfiction sites). As Wren explores her new life, Cath retreats further and further into her own fanfiction world -- but her new life just might manage to pull her out.

So here's what I love about Rainbow Rowell's books: Everything. But seriously, her writing is incredible. She is able to convey emotions in a uniquely-colored but totally relatable way, making her language both delightful and clear. Also, she has a good balance of humor and real life. It's kind of funny that Cath took a popular series (similar to Harry Potter) and made the two main characters fall in love with each other, and it's really funny the way she wears t-shirts all the time and has commemorative busts of them in her dorm room (much to the chagrin of her edgy roommate). However, she also deals with severe social anxiety (think eating nothing but protein bars for a month to avoid going into the cafeteria alone) and has some family issues that require her to act like much more of an adult than she is.

Rainbow Rowell also writes the most irresistible of leading men. Every one she's written about has been a "nice guy" that has warmed my heart, and Levi is no exception. Don't get me wrong -- none of them are perfect -- in fact, they all commit some actions that made me cringe -- but they are all redeemable.

Another element of Fangirl that I really enjoyed was that it was set in college. Over the last few years, there has been an outcry in the blogosphere for "New Adult" books -- books written about young adults in their late teens and early twenties, navigating the choices that come with college and early career. I've noticed that NetGalley has recently added a New Adult section, but every book I've seen there has basically been about sex. While sex is an important issue during those years, I don't think it is the complete focus of most young adults' lives -- there is more to write about. Fangirl deals with it, but it isn't what the book is about. I liked that it was a realistic book about a person in college.

Well, I think I've made my point. Excuse me while I go off to write fanfiction about Cath and Levi now. Ahem. (Oh, and one more side point -- I wish that I could read the Simon Snow books in real life. Even though they are basically making fun of the Harry Potter books with perhaps a smidge of Twilight thrown in -- I would enjoy them. Any fanfic writers want to put that together for me? Shoot me an email. :) )

5 stars

Warnings: Language, thematic issues (mental health, drinking)

The Slammed Trilogy by Colleen Hoover

The Slammed trilogy by Colleen Hoover is a chronicle of the relationship between Will and Layken, neighbors who share tragic similarities in their family situations and who also experience quite a bit of turmoil in their relationship. The series is pretty unique and I don't want to give too much away, so just know these things:

* Will and Layken's relationship is forbidden, which makes them crazy
* A lot of their relationship develops around poetry slams
* Their families will break your heart
* If you don't listen to the Avett Brothers, you will.

There are several things that I really loved about this series as a whole. First of all, I think Hoover did an excellent job of conveying the emotion that each character felt in a very true way. They didn't always handle difficult situations with grace; in fact, for the most part each character was a complete mess when disaster struck. However, to me that is very real, and made the books much more relatable. While I'm on the subject of the characters relatability, let me also mention that the books are filled with inside jokes that develop throughout the series, which makes the characters and their lives seem so real. They have funny little terms for situations and experiences (an example would be "basagna," otherwise known as lasagna as pronounced by a little kid, and a portent for evil). While these books are in no way fantasy, the closest approximation I can come up with that describes what Colleen Hoover does is "world-building." These characters exist in their little universe in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and she brings the reader in effortlessly. We know what they are thinking, how they will react to certain situations. I found myself bracing for certain tense situations as if it was my own life. These books definitely wrap the reader up in their world, and definitely elicit tears along the way.

My list of complaints is short. First of all, it is a little bit unbelievable that Will and Layken's personal situations were so similar. While I appreciated how it brought them closer, it was a little hard for me to suspend disbelief at that one aspect of their lives. It wasn't enough to turn me off the book, but it did niggle a bit. Secondly, you could almost skip the last book. There is some new information in it, but for the most part it is a rehashing of Slammed, only from Will's point of view. The last scene brought me to tears, and there were a few choice bits of information that had been left out of Slammed, but for the most part the book was not very satisfying. However, overall this series was moving and an excellent reading experience.

Slammed: 4 stars

Point of Retreat: 3.5 stars

This Girl: 3 stars

Warnings (for the series as a whole): Detailed makeout scenes, language

Mini-Reviews: Young Adult Contemporary

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

I don't know about you, but that cover definitely made me think I was in for a fluffy, romantic read. NOPE (read in Chuck Testa's voice) (you're my favorite if you got that reference).Sweethearts is about Jennifer, who used to be fat and almost friendless. Now she goes by Jenna and is popular and thin, but can't forget about the one friend that she did have back in the days of Jennifer, who disappeared after a traumatic experience that is alluded to in pieces throughout the book. When her friend re-enters her life, it causes Jenna to re-evaluate her priorities. It sounds like it could still be that fluffy, romantic read. However, it is not. Everything is awkward, and the entire premise for the book seemed implausible. I couldn't understand many of the characters' motivations. And the end of the book left me dissatisfied and with that slightly gross, off feeling you get about five o'clock when you've had a long day. Anyway, not my favorite. I will say that it was fun reading a book set in a place that I have lived -- I am a sucker for that.

2 stars

Warnings: Language, child abuse

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

I did have a more positive experience with How to Save a Life. In this book, a teenage girl's mother decides to adopt a baby after the death of the girl's father. However, she goes about it in an unorthodox way, finding a pregnant girl on a website and inviting her to live with them for a few weeks until the baby is born. The girl, Mandy, naturally has a few secrets of her own. 

I think the premise of How to Save a Life is as implausible as Sweethearts, but for some reason I could relate much more to this read, perhaps because of my recent pregnancy and childbirth experience. The characters were initially unlikable, displaying their flaws long before their redeeming qualities emerged, but by the end of the story I felt invested in them. Sara Zarr is also an excellent writer, and I think because I enjoyed this book as a whole more than Sweethearts I was able to appreciate her writing more as well. I also loved that the bookstore where Jill worked was called Margins. Ahem, could it possibly be Borders she was mimicking? I used to work at Borders and I felt like I was reading pages from my own life. 

3.75 stars

Warnings: Language, child abuse, some mostly off-page sensuality

 Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty

For some reason I can't get this picture to load, so I apologize for the lack of cover-age. Second Helpings is the second book in the Jessica Darling series. We were left with Jess's rage at Marcus Flutie in the last book. Now, Jess is doing things differently -- choosing different friends, different extracurriculars, and even finding a boyfriend -- one who is not Marcus Flutie. She is trying to choose a college as well. 

I have had mixed feelings so far about the Jessica Darling books. There are many elements of the books that bother me, such as the negativity and some of the gratuitous innuendo. At the same time, I love the openness and snarkiness of Jessica Darling's voice. She is stressed out and over-analytical, and it is something I can relate to so much. I keep going back and forth on whether I'd like to finish the series. I probably will read the next book, but I'm not sure how far I will go. 

3 stars

Warnings: Language, innuendo, off-the-page sensuality

The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding

Okay, I'm just going to come out with it -- this is possibly my favorite contemporary YA novel ever. Ever ever. The premise is that Devan, who was raised by her father and (evil) stepmother, has never met her mother. All she knows is that she is an author named Reece Malcolm who lives in California. That is, until her father passes away and the evil stepmother doesn't want to be responsible for her anymore. Devan winds up moving to California to live with her mother. As she adjusts to her new life, she learns more about herself and her family.

I think what really made this book memorable was the characters. They all had so much dimension -- no one was perfect, everyone had their little quirks and annoying personality traits as well as their redeeming qualities. Every character felt so real and so genuine. The details of Devan's life also seemed so realistic to me -- I felt as if I was existing in her interesting little world. I loved reading about her performing, Reece Malcolm's messy and eccentric writerly life, the shopping and dinner dates Devan and Reece had together. Even though this is a contemporary book, I was completely transported into Devan's story while I read. This book was fun, with its share of drama and romance, but it also struck deeper chords, exploring the bonds between mother and daughter and the definition of what family really means. Definitely read it. Now.

4.5 stars

Warnings: Language, discussion of sex (not at all graphic)

Unbound Series by Eve Marie Mont

I was very intrigued by the idea of the Unbound series -- a girl finds herself in the midst of a classic tale. However, this series surprised me by bringing a much more satisfying story to the second book.

In the first book, A Breath of Eyre, Emma, an aspiring writer, finds herself transported multiple times into the world of Jane Eyre while facing her own issues with her mother's death, a classic "mean girls" scenario at her boarding school, and a complicated boy situation. 

Sound like a lot? It is, but Eve Marie Mont almost pulls it off. I really enjoyed the critical analysis of Jane Eyre embedded in the text, and the constant drama of Emma's life kept me intrigued. However, the fact that she had to be in a coma to enter the literary world led to several Bella Swan-esque situations of constant injuries and rescues. A Breath of Eyre was colorful and interesting, but could have done with a bit of tight editing.

3 stars

Warnings: Language, thematic material

However, while I felt a little iffy about A Breath of Eyre, A Touch of Scarlet really impressed me. In this case Emma is back at school after a summer of romance, but her dreams have gone away with the warm weather (cheeeeeese) and she finds herself in a compromising situation that results in a cold freeze from her friends. Meanwhile, she is studying The Scarlet Letter in school and finds herself transported into the novel when she runs.

First of all, Emma's literary travels seem more believable to me in A Touch of Scarlet. She isn't getting struck by lightning and landing in comas. Instead, she is running and entering a trance-like state. It's all fantastical, but in a more believable way. Also, the drama in this book is addictive. There is a lot going on, and I was completely absorbed, dying to find out what happened next. Finally, while Emma did learn lessons in A Breath of Eyre, I found the lessons in A Touch of Scarlet to be much more resonant. 

All in all, the series so far is unique and enjoyable, blending classics, contemporary, historical fiction, and fantasy. I am excited to see what A Phantom Enchantment will bring.

4 stars

Warnings: Same as above

If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman

If I Stay and Where She Went, by Gayle Forman, receives a lot of love in the blogosphere. I'd heard that they were tearjerkers and beautifully written. They definitely had a lot to live up to, and while they fell slightly short of my expectations after all the hype, they were definitely moving novels.

In If I Stay, Mia, a gifted cellist, is in a devastating car accident with her family. While in a coma, she is given the decision to live or die. While pondering this decision, she explores memories of her family, her love of music, and her relationship with her boyfriend, Adam.

If I Stay is gorgeously, gorgeously written. The novel isn't very long, but every scene is packed with emotion and vivid details. Mia's voice is powerful and distinct. The snapshots of Mia's life before the accident are organized in such a way to pull our heartstrings -- so I'm not sure why mine were so resilient. I liked the story, and intellectually I knew it was heartbreaking and beautiful, but something kept me from fully engaging.

3.5 stars

Warnings: Sensuality, language

Where She Went takes place three years after If I Stay, and is told from Adam's point of view. Despite the strong relationship described in If I Stay, Mia is no longer a part of Adam's life, and he is completely wrecked. Now a famous rockstar, the glittering surface of his life conceals turmoil and an inability to connect with anyone. However, one night Adam has the chance to revisit his relationship with Mia and try to find answers to why things happened the way they did.

I'm not sure if it was the fact that I liked Adam's voice better than Mia's, the fact that this story was told somewhat more in "real time" than If I Stay, or if it just takes me a while to warm up to a series, but Where She Went impressed me much more than If I Stay. I felt for Adam, even when he was making stupid decisions. I was also much more eager to find out how everything played out -- the ending of If I Stay was somewhat predictable for me, but I had no idea how Where She Went would be finished.

4 stars

Warnings: Same as If I Stay

Both books are incredibly well-written, and while I didn't have the emotional experience I had anticipated with If I Stay, both books were well worth my time. I am looking forward to reading Gayle Forman's future work.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Title: The Truth About Forever
Author: Sarah Dessen
Genre: YA, contemporary
Publisher: Penguin Group, Inc., 2004
Source: Borrowed from library
Read for: Fun

Macy is careful to keep everything in her life under her control. Ever since her father died, she has made sure that she is not overly emotional, not imposing on anyone, and that she is as perfect as possible. However, life seems to have other plans one summer. Macy's perfect boyfriend is at an academic camp and Macy is working a boring job in the library, but suddenly a new job and new friends seem to beckon her out of her perfectionist coma.

Anyone who reads contemporary YA knows Sarah Dessen, and from what I'd heard The Truth About Forever is one of her best books. While I enjoyed the story and went through it pretty quickly, at times the characters irritated me and a few of them lacked depth.

When I began the book initially, I found myself extremely irritated with Macy. She is so compliant with what everyone else wants, allowing herself to be trampled over by her boyfriend, her mother, and anyone else whose path she is in. She buries herself in a quest for perfectionism in order to handle her stifled emotions about her father's death and refuses to impose upon anyone. Fortunately, as she makes new friends and has new experiences, she begins to take up a little more space in the world, although she reverts back to her ways toward the end for a little while, which made me want to smack her back into reality a little bit.

The other character that bothered me was Monica. I know she was somewhat of the comic relief with her constant one-word answers and slow-moving silence, but I just couldn't bring myself to believe that someone would actually exist that way in real life. Every scene she was in felt just a little unbelievable to me.

With that said, there were also awesome characters, particularly Wes, a juvenile delinquent-turned artist that helps to bring Macy out of her shell. Sarah Dessen is known for creating great love interests, and I think Wes was a prime example. I loved the way he expressed himself through his art, the way he and Macy played "Truth" to find out each other's deepest and most ridiculous secrets, and the way Wes was continually true to himself and honest. Reading about Wes was enough to make up for my on-again-off-again irritation with Macy. Another favorite supporting character was Delia, the frazzled but likable pregnant owner of the catering company Macy begins to work for (and I could totally relate to all her late-pregnancy complaints).

I also appreciated the theme of perfectionism, both with Macy and her mother, despite the fact that the manifestations of it in the characters drove me bonkers from time to time. It was interesting to see the way both of their grief manifested in their actions and in their relationships with each other.

From my somewhat limited experience with Sarah Dessen, I think she is excellent at putting together a well-written book -- her plots and storylines move quickly and effortlessly, and she adds just enough extra detail to keep things interesting without bogging down the flow of the story.

While The Truth About Forever wasn't my favorite book, it was an enjoyable, light read.

3.5 stars

Warnings: Language

Room by Emma Donoghue

Title: Room
Author: Emma Donoghue
Genre: Literary fiction, contemporary fiction
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 2010
Read for: Alex Awards Challenge
Source: Library

Jack and Ma live in Room. Room has everything they need -- Bed, Toilet, Table, Meltedy Spoon, even TV. However, Room is also a place where a bad man comes and hurts Ma. Is there life outside of Room, and if there was, could Jack handle it?

I've heard quite a bit about Room since it came out about two years ago. Many people I know heralded it as one of the best books they had ever read, disturbing and provocative. Room is definitely a book that caused me to consider how day-to-day life would be perceived by someone who lived in a more simplified paradigm.

When Jack learns that the things he sees on TV actually exist outside of Room, his entire world view is shaken. It was very interesting to experience the changes he went through in his own voice -- his distress is palpable, and his unique way of talking and seeing things intensifies that. His entire life has been carefully scheduled and peppered with specific rules and routines, and realizing that there is something beyond that life causes him to question everything that he used to believe was solid truth. At times, these discoveries were very stressful to read -- the book had many moments when I just wanted to warn Jack to act differently, and would cringe at his behaviors. At the same time, it was impossible to ignore how complicated his life was and how difficult it would be to deal with.

The narrative voice in Room was very unique. It is told from Jack's point of view, a voice that is quite different from your average five-year-old. First of all, Jack's perceptions are warped by his limited reality. In addition, he makes frequent grammatical and syntax mistakes in his speaking, but also uses huge words and thinks about his life at times in a complex way. It made for a unique reading experience, although at times I felt that Jack was not quite believable as a five-year-old. Then again, Jack would be difficult to pin down, having lived such a bizarre life. I did think that the plot construction and the experiences Jack has were very artfully arranged, leading to a poignant scene at the end of the book that was beautifully executed.

As Room was exploding across the blogosphere a few years ago, the reaction I most frequently encountered was that of disgust and sadness for the abuses and privations that Jack and his Ma endured. While those emotions were definitely present in my reading of Room, what most stood out to me was the bond between Jack and his Ma and the way she made such an effort to give him the best life possible with her extraordinarily limited resources. She doesn't let him watch more than an hour of TV a day, even though they are in an isolated room with only ten books to keep them entertained. She makes him run around the tiny room to exercise and be healthy. She comes up with game after game to keep him entertained as well as educated. To me, that was the most hopeful part of the book -- the fact that Jack's Ma loved him so much and made such an effort to raise him well in her uniquely awful circumstances.

Room is definitely an interesting book. It presents many questions about our modern lives without providing easy answers. It also gives an opportunity to perceive the complexity and excess of day to day life through a refreshing and different voice. While Room was not my favorite book of all time, it was an interesting experience.

3.5 stars

Warnings: Some violence, disturbing images and themes, not-detailed sexual abuse

YA Friday: The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab

Title: The Opposite of Hallelujah
Author: Anna Jarzab
Genre: YA, contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Read for: Review

Caro used to tell people that her older sister, Hannah, was dead. Somehow it seemed easier than explaining that she was a contemplative nun in a convent where her family could only see her once a year. However, for whatever reason, Hannah has decided to leave her life in the convent, and now Caro has to adjust to the fact that her long-absent sister is about to complicate her life.

I was drawn to The Opposite of Hallelujah by its interesting premise -- you don't often hear about nuns in this day and age, especially not young ones in their twenties. In most ways, The Opposite of Hallelujah does not disappoint, delivering an interesting plot, a hint of romance, and a lot of growth for the main character, Caro.

I'll be honest -- Caro definitely rubbed me the wrong way at the beginning of the book. First of all, I thought she was a total brat, completely negative about her sister and constantly breaking her parents' rules by sneaking out and freaking out whenever they asked her to do anything. Sometimes when I read books about teenagers, I have to silently pray that I was not that self-absorbed. However, Caro legitimately learns some lessons in the book. She doesn't have this complete change of heart in which she never does anything annoying or selfish again, but she does begin treating her family with more love and she also tries to do some pretty giving things. I really enjoyed watching her transformation, as well as reading some of the conversations she has with a scientist-priest from her church.

The plot was also well-done. The whole premise of The Opposite of Hallelujah is pretty unique, and I think it lived up to its promise of being an intriguing story. Hannah's reasons for both entering and leaving the convent are somewhat secret for most of the novel, and the Caro's process of uncovering those reasons is interesting. In addition, there is a great side plot involving Caro's romance with a new student named Pawel (pronounced "Pavel") who was absolute YA dream-boy material.

My major complaint with this book may seem like a small thing, but I noticed it several times and it was very distracting. There were several instances where a character would say or do something and then directly contradict it later in the book. For example, at Christmas Caro is so excited to give Hannah her Christmas present that she can hardly keep herself from bringing it to the dinner table. But on the next page, she says that she holds on to Hannah's present, saving it for last. This seemed jarring and contradictory to me, and there were several other similar instances in the book.

However, for the most part The Opposite of Hallelujah was an interesting read that examined religion, family, trust, and the punishments we impose upon ourselves.

3.75 stars

Warnings: Brief strong language, teenage drinking, some moderate kissing

The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. by Nichole Bernier

Title: The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.
Author: Nichole Bernier
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Publisher: Crown, 2012
Source: Finished copy from publisher
Read for: Review

After Kate's best friend, Elizabeth, dies in a plane accident shortly before September 11, she is entrusted with a trunk full of journals and instructed to start at the beginning. Jostled between Elizabeth's widower's feelings of betrayal that he wasn't given the journals, Kate's husband's confusion at why the task is so important to her, and Kate's uncertainty at how best to fulfill her friend's wishes, Kate devours each notebook and quickly realizes that the woman who was her best friend had many secrets. As Kate explores Elizabeth's journals, she re-evaluates her own experiences with working, motherhood, marriage, and self-discovery.

I thought The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. was beautiful and absolutely relevant to women in the America of today. I found myself underlining so many sentiments that struck a chord with me, from the difficulty of balancing motherhood with a career (and the unspoken expectation from society that it be performed flawlessly) to feeling the need to censor oneself in a world of shiny happy suburban women in designer clothes with designer homes, the novel explored many of the "mundane" problems of suburban life while managing to show that in reality, each life is unique and anything but mundane.

As I mentioned, many of the ideas Kate explores through Elizabeth's journals and her own life struck a chord with me. I'm not a mother yet and I'm not working yet, but the circumstances of my life for the next few years are seeming to indicate that I will be yet another of those women trying to do both, and I found the struggles and triumphs of both Kate and Elizabeth in both arenas to be enlightening. In addition, I found it interesting to read about the falseness of some of the relationships among the "play group" where Kate and Elizabeth met -- Elizabeth constantly describes comments and experiences as "precious," which I thought fitting. She describes feeling the need to always be appropriate, to be the person they expect her to be, and the difficulties of living life in that way from day to day. I don't necessarily agree with Elizabeth's (and to a lesser extent, Kate's) way of making over their lives to something polished and acceptable to the people who surround them, but it is definitely a pattern in today's society, and one that caused me to consider what truths I feel the need to gloss over when I am in "polite company."

I was impressed with Bernier's poignant and efficient writing. The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. is not a long novel, but it covers a lot of ground by artfully showing specific scenes and actions that illustrate the counterpoint experiences of Kate and Elizabeth. Bernier's writing is clean and vivid, not littering the page with wordiness but not so sparse that it leaves unanswered questions, either.

Reading The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. was an engrossing, thought-provoking experience. It was easy to fall into the rhythmic cadences of the novel, but not always serene as Bernier stirred up questions and ideas that were certainly not always comfortable, but also difficult to ignore. I definitely enjoyed my experience with Bernier's debut novel and will be looking out for more of her work in the future.

4 stars

Warnings: Some language, mild, un-detailed sensuality

One Pink Line by Dana Silver

Title: One Pink Line
Author: Dana Silver
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Read for: Review

Sydney has a perfect life -- great friends, an amazing long-distance boyfriend, and only a few short weeks until she graduates from college. Until the realization hits her that her period is late, and the one pink line she hopes for on her pregnancy test is actually two. She's about to experience some major changes and hurdles as she tackles pregnancy and parenthood.

Grace loves her family, but is curious about the absent father she has never met or even spoken to. She struggles with her identity and how she feels about her father's abandonment, wondering if she'll ever have the chance to meet him.

One Pink Line tells the story of two women and how they are affected by an unplanned pregnancy. I was interested in the story initially because of the pregnancy aspect -- being pregnant myself, I wanted to read others' stories about their experiences, despite differing circumstances. While I found One Pink Line to be entertaining, I was ultimately disappointed with the book due to its brevity and lack of character development.

One Pink Line is decidedly plot driven. We follow Sydney and Grace through their experiences. Considerable drama unfolds (mainly from Sydney's side of the story, which definitely takes up more space in the book), which kept me curious about what would happen next, but I felt that I never truly got to know the characters beyond the immediate events affecting them. Sydney does undergo some changes, from a somewhat self-centered and self-indulgent party girl to someone who is responsible for another life, but Grace is essentially flat, telling a story but not really changing or developing throughout the story.

In addition, while I was entertained by the plot, I found it quite predictable. Only one twist really surprised me, and it was resolved so quickly that I felt dissatisfied and somewhat confused as to why it was even included. It seemed almost like an afterthought.

I did enjoy Dana Silver's writing, which was fast-paced and readable. Sydney's voice was also enjoyable -- while at times her choices bothered me, and while she could be whiny and selfish, for the most part the story was told well through her perspective. I do have a complaint about the editing -- there were several odd punctuation errors and a few fragmented sentences scattered throughout. This was an advance reader's copy, so these might have been removed in the finished copy.

I think One Pink Line could have used a little more meat and detail to really flesh out the story. It was entertaining, but it could have been a powerful and strong story if we knew more about the characters and had more details into the events surrounding them. My lack of emotional involvement in One Pink Line may have been because I was just craving something more than a fluffy read, so if you are in the mood for something light and quick it might be just what the doctor ordered for you. However, for me, I was left wanting more.

2.5 stars

Warnings: Language, several references to sex but no detailed descriptions

YA Friday: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Genre: YA, contemporary
Publisher: MTV, 1999
Source: Personal Copy
Read for: Fun

Charlie begins writing letters to an anonymous person that he has never met as he enters high school. He has always been on the fringes of social life, especially since his best friend committed suicide the year before. However, with a new year and the encouragement of his English teacher and mentor to "participate," Charlie befriends Patrick and Sam, and begins a new experience that teaches him about life and love.

So, possibly the first thing you need to know about The Perks of Being a Wallflower is that it is the issues book to rule all issues books. We start out with a shy, awkward kid whose only real friend just killed himself, and then we enter into the realm of rape, teen pregnancy, drugs, depression, child abuse, homosexuality, and potentially Asperger's as well (it is never mentioned, but Charlie seems to exhibit some of the hallmarks). Basically, what I'm telling you is that The Perks of Being a Wallflower can get really heavy. There's a fair bit of pain and suffering going on.

With that said, despite the fact that my high school experience was relatively issues-free, I really found myself relating to Charlie in unexpected ways. Whether or not the standard "issues" are involved, adolescence is definitely when people start thinking in overdrive. I remember my Psych 111 teacher telling us that it was a time of developing "intense theories about the universe." I also remember being on the phone until three in the morning, discussing emotions and ideas about people that seemed like the most crucial truths to uncover. There was this layer of intensity and immense importance to everything. Reading Charlie's words really brought me back to that time in my life, and I found myself underling sentence after sentence. Everything was so magnified and passionate to him, and he was so confused about so many things, and I really enjoyed his journey.

So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be.

At times I did find myself a little frustrated with the plot, just because issues seemed to crop up page after page after page. I don't doubt that many people are struggling with multiple issues in their lives, but it seemed slightly overwrought with Charlie's story, especially because he was so hypersensitive. Most of the plot seemed congruent, but the major hurdle in the last few pages of the book seemed like too much to me.

I've also read reviews of Wallflower where the reader complained that Charlie seemed immature and simplistic for a fourteen-year-old. His language was very literal and at times sounded juvenile, but the thoughts it was expressing were poignant. I really think he sounded like he had Asperger's, which would also explain his social difficulties. I personally didn't find Charlie's voice distracting -- getting used to it was just part of getting to know the character.

Overall, I thought The Perks of Being a Wallflower was a powerful book, despite being packed from top to bottom with issues. Charlie's thoughts are often insightful and at times transcendently beautiful. The music and literature incorporated into Charlie's story further enhanced the experience of going back in time and remembering the thoughts and experiences of someone just beginning to find out who they are.

3.75 stars

Warnings: Strong language, drug use, references to sex, sexual abuse

A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson

Title: A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar
Author: Suzanne Joinson
Genre: Literary fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Read for: Review

Eva and her sister Lizzie have joined the persuasive Millicent as missionaries to Kashgar, although Eva's actual motives are less than honorable -- she intends to write a book about her experience going through Asia on her bicycle. Kashgar proves to be more perilous than expected, leading to tragedy for all three women, and a new outlook on life for Eva. In a second narrative, Frieda, the daughter of a New Age mystic who deserted her at the age of seven, receives a mysterious call alerting her that a woman named Irene Guy has died and listed Frieda as her next of kin. Pulling with her a displaced immigrant running from the police, Frieda seeks to unravel the mystery of her connection to Irene Guy.

A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar had some interesting elements. However, in the end they did not unite well, and I was ultimately dissatisfied with this read.

For me the book was disjointed; there were too many different elements pulling in different directions and they never seemed to align. There was no cohesive theme or element to pull together the two narratives -- while the connection is revealed by the end of the book, the reason the two stories were told together seemed shaky at best. I felt as if the author was trying too hard to integrate mysterious, unique, and at times grotesque details when a little restraint would have given a stronger impression. When too much is thrown in at once, the story ceases to be believable.

I also felt that the historical narrative's background was obscure enough to warrant a little background. From what I could discern from the narrative, the women were in Kashgar, which is part of China but mainly inhabited by Muslims. In the book there was a great deal of mistrust aimed at the missionaries, as well as rebellions and civil unrest. The author puts these scenes in motion, but I was frustrated by the fact that I didn't know anything about the situation except that there was unrest and that the people seemed offended at the religious pamphlets the missionary women were distributing. I appreciate a book that doesn't lay everything out for the reader, but in this case I think more information would have made the book a more interesting and a more comprehensible story.

I will say that the writing was well-done for the most part, with poetic images and vivid language.  Many of the images were vibrant in my mind, especially scenes with Tayeb, the immigrant who befriends and helps Frieda solve the mystery of Irene Guy's past. However, there were a few instances when the writing was a little overwrought for the dialogue. For example, there is a scene  where Frieda is flashing back to the age of seven, where she says several things that just did not seem natural coming from a seven-year-old. (It is bad form that I haven't quoted it -- while trying to sort the book into my "Read" folder on my Kindle I accidentally deleted the scene I had highlighted). However, for the most part the writing was lush and kept me reading even though the plot was not coming together for me in a satisfying way.

Ultimately, A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar fell flat for me. Beautiful images and well-constructed sentences were not enough to pull the story together.

2 stars

Warnings: Brief strong language, disturbing images, violence, brief scene of sensuality

The Hand that First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell

Title: The Hand that First Held Mine
Author: Maggie O'Farrell
Genre: Literary fiction, historical fiction, contemporary fiction
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010
Source: Personal copy
Read for: Fun

The Hand that First Held Mine is the twin narrative of Lexie, a girl who just can't please her family and thus escapes to a bohemian life of art, journalism, and true love, and Elina, a brand new mother who struggles through the trials and trauma of taking care of a new baby after an especially traumatic labor and emergency C-section. Their stories intersect in unexpected ways, unveiling a tragic truth.

For obvious reasons, The Hand that First Held Mine was a very emotional read for me. On the brink of motherhood myself, I have often complained about the way people just continually tell me, "It is so hard, you won't even know what hit you" and then walk away, leaving me freaked out but not sure what to do about it. The Hand that First Held Mine was no-holds-barred about exactly why it is hard to have a baby. First of all, Elina had just about the worst labor and delivery experience imaginable, complete with three days of labor and a dramatic post-partum hemorrhage that left her so ill she couldn't even remember having the baby for several days. To follow that, Maggie O'Farrell uses her amazing, descriptive writing to delineate in exact detail the sights, emotions, and smells of new motherhood. We get plenty of descriptions of walking around shirtless trying to get the baby to eat, of blow-outs all over the mother-in-law's white bathroom, of sleepless nights. However, all of these descriptions were comforting to me, rather than disturbing, and here is why: I got a crystal clear description of what was happening, in all its gory detail -- and I also got Maggie O'Farrell's amazing, descriptive writing telling me about how it feels to fall in love with your baby. Here's a passage that sums it all up perfectly -- a little long, but that is how this review is going to be, because I reacted to this book:

Should she mention the nights spent awake, the number of times she must wash her hands in a day, the endless drying and folding of tiny clothes, the packing and unpacking of bags containing clothes, nappies, wipes, the scar across her abdomen, crooked and leering, the utter loneliness of it all, the hours she spends kneeling on the floor, a rattle or a bell or a fabric block in her hands, that she sometimes gets the urge to stop older women in the street and say, how did you do it, how did you live through it? Or she could mention that she had been unprepared for this fierce spring in her, this feeling that isn’t covered by the word ‘love’, which is far too small a word for it, that sometimes she thinks she might faint with the urgency of her feeling for him, that sometimes she desperately misses him even when he is right there, that it’s like a form of madness, of possession, that often she has to creep into the room when he has fallen asleep just to look at him, to check, to whisper to him. But instead, she says ‘Fine. Good, thanks.’

Just reading over that again, I started crying. Pregnancy hormones? Yes, maybe. There's also another aspect of this book that I reacted strongly to, although I don't want to spoil anything. Highlight the following if you are just dying of curiosity. Elina's boyfriend, the father of her child, Ted, loses his mother, and the realization of that is heartbreaking and traumatic to him. My husband lost his mother when he was a teenager, and reading through those emotions for the character made my husband's personal tragedy so painful and close for me. Like I said, this book emotionally wrecked me on so many levels. End of spoiler.

Now that I've given you all this information about my personal, biased reaction to this book, let me give you some objective review material. I mentioned in brief the beauty of Maggie O'Farrell's writing. This above all stands out to me in her books. She describes emotions and events with a fragile, tenuous beauty. She draws out these tense, delicate situations and weaves them like a spider's web, and then shakes the branches from which they are suspended, and we are left gasping as we hope they don't fall to the ground. For me, reading this kind of writing makes any slowness in the plot forgivable, because I just want to keep eating up those words. I've read one other book by O'Farrell (pre-blog), The Disappearing Act of Esme Lennox, and now with this second excellent experience, I am adding O'Farrell's entire back-list to my to-be-read list.

I also love her characters. From my limited experience of reading two books by Maggie O'Farrell, I think it is safe to say that she explores feminist themes in her work. This results in very strong female characters that challenge the expectations of their time periods. In The Hand that First Held Mine, the two narratives focus on a girl in the 50's and a woman living in modern times, and both manage to challenge society's expectations of them, although they are living on completely different levels. At the same time, the brand of feminism they embrace is not caustic or bossy. O'Farrell isn't trying to tell women how to live their lives -- she is simply illustrating that they should be free to live their lives in the way that is most fulfilling to them.

While I will say that I felt most invested in Elina's side of the narrative, it was Lexie's side that resulted in the most underlined passages, the most tears. So even though at times I felt impatient and that the part of the plot that focused on Lexie was moving slowly, in the end it was very rewarding and emotional, and absolutely necessary to the climax, although it takes several pages to establish that.

The Hand that First Held Mine is a book that will stay with me for a long time. I read the book at a time in my life when it had the most ability to impact me emotionally, but I think even if I had read the book at a different time it would still have moved me. It has convinced me that I need to read Maggie O'Farrell's entire backlist. The Hand that First Held Mine is a rare gem that needs more attention in the literary world.

4.5 stars

Warnings: Language, a few non-graphic scenes of sensuality

The Cranes Dance by Meg Howrey

Title: The Cranes Dance
Author: Meg Howrey
Genre: Contemporary fiction, literary fiction
Publisher: Vintage Books, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Read for: Review, New Adult Challenge

Kate Crane is a solo dancer on a premier dance company in New York. Until a few months ago, her sister Gwen was a principal, surpassing her older sister -- until she had a nervous breakdown and intentionally injured her knee. In the aftermath, Kate has to recenter herself now that she doesn't have her sister to hold her in balance. As she examines what she has lost because of Gwen, her own sanity threatens to fray.

When I requested The Cranes Dance from NetGalley, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I'm drawn to books about mental health issues due to my first degree, and the ballet/perfectionism element also intrigued me, but I wasn't sure if the book would be enjoyable. While The Cranes Dance was certainly not an easy book to read, I was very impressed with the powerful way the story enveloped me in Kate's stressful world.

Initially, I had some issues with Kate's voice. While she is presumably in her mid to late twenties in The Cranes Dance, at times her voice is very superficial and young-sounding, peppered with profanity and at times immature images. However, as the story progressed, her voice became very real. As she described the way living with Gwen in the throes of her mental illness affected her and the continued stress of having to evaluate her life in ballet after Gwen left it, I felt compassion and empathy for her character, despite the fact that she was at times irritating.

I also felt that Kate's personal journey was compelling and believable. Kate hits some very low points in The Cranes Dance, abusing pain medications due to a neck injury, fascinating about taking comfort in some of Gwen's bizarre rituals in order to cope with life, entering into negative relationships for something to distract her from her life. However, she also experiences growth. While we journey with Kate into the lowest parts of her life, we also explore her thought processes. We see her act with compassion despite the fact that she is contemplating horrible things. I think The Cranes Dance was able to convey a message of hope to those struggling with mental health issues without sugarcoating the issue.

I think The Cranes Dance presents some compelling themes for the modern young woman, whether or not that woman has an interest in ballet. While my interest in dance has always been casual and amateur, in other arenas of my life I have felt the intense expectations, whether real or imagined, of peers and family, to excel and attain perfection. I think modern-day America has some high expectations for women -- we are supposed to have strong careers in spite of gender discrimination, as well as raising healthy, well-adjusted children, and being good friends, and maintaining spotless homes, and cooking well-balanced vegan meals for our families. Oh, and if we aren't thin and beautiful, all of that other success is negated. Does anyone else ever feel like this? Ballet is the perfect microcosm to display this more global issue -- the dancers are expected to execute difficult physical feats with exactness, learn multiple roles, and maintain tiny, beautiful bodies. I think these issues are relevant to all women, even if we don't execute them in the world of ballet. I think many women will find something to relate to in the overwhelming stress that affects Kate in The Cranes Dance.

The Cranes Dance is not always a pleasant book to read, but it presents many interesting truths for our modern society in the theater of ballet. I think many women will be able to relate to the stress and struggles Kate experiences.

4 stars

Warnings: Smattering of f-bombs, drug abuse, scene of sensuality, strong thematic material

YA Friday: 3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares

Title: 3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows
Author: Ann Brashares
Genre: YA, middle grade, contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2009
Source: Borrowed from my sister-in-law
Read for: Fun

Polly, Jo, and Ama were the best of friends, supporting each other through every hiccup and struggle. They once planted three willow trees and cared for them diligently every day. However, lately things have changed -- they have different interests, different friends. However, as their lives change, they realize that maybe the people most able to support them are still each other.

3 Willows is supposed to be a continuation of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Books. While the three main characters are unique and new, they all have ties to the members of the original Sisterhood -- Polly babysits Tibby's younger siblings, Jo works with Effie Kaligaris at a restaurant, and, apparently, everyone knows about the Sisterhood and wants to be just like them. I really enjoyed getting sneak peeks of the original characters, but I found the idea that all the girls in their high school looked up to and sought to emulate the older girls a little far-fetched. First of all, why would they know about the pants? And second of all... why would they know about the pants? I also found the willow metaphor to be a bit odd. While Brashares did a good job at incorporating the willow with the story, it also seemed too far-fetched.

However, aside from the premise of the book being unbelievable for me, I actually enjoyed the story quite a bit. Something about Ann Brashares' writing always pulls me in. Her style is personable and conversational, describing emotions and experiences that I can relate to in phrasing that is creative and vivid. She squeezes little gems of life wisdom into the everyday experiences of her characters, and the way the characters experience and discover those gems is realistic and raw. I remember feeling a strong connection with the characters in the original books when I was in high school, and it was good to see that I can still relate to Ann Brashares' characters several years later.

In short, I enjoyed the characters created by Brashares and the story; however, I think she tried a little too hard to relate them to the characters she created in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Once I was able to suspend my disbelief a little bit, I really loved 3 Willows, but it did take me a few moments to get over the all-too-convenient coincidences.

3.5 stars

Warnings: Some drug/alcohol use, making out, moderate language