Time for another round of book reviews…

All the novels have a special connection of books being recently turned into movies. My longest review is for Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen because that’s the movie that seemed to be all the rage recently.

Last summer, on my many trips from Columbus to Cincinnati for wedding-planning related events, I listened to a lot of books. Yes, I’m that geeked out. But anyone who has driven that strip of 71 knows the levels of boredom and drowsiness can run high. So, if I had a plot to follow, I stayed awake. Anywho, I picked up Water for Elephants on CD from the library, thinking it might be kind of interesting. This was all before the book blew up the bestseller list so I hadn’t heard much about it. After about an hour of driving, I was hooked. The storyline is so enthralling that I remember sitting in my parents’ driveway not wanting to turn off my car.

From Amazon.com:

“Stripped of everything after his parents’ tragic deaths, 23-year-old Jacob Jankowski has failed to sit for his veterinary exams at Cornell, left with no home and no future, the country struggling through the Great Depression, bartering in goods instead of money. Hopping a train that by chance belongs to The Flying Squadron of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, Jacob hires on to care for the menagerie, his training an entre into this bizarre world; but as the novel begins, Jacob is an old man, restricted to an assisted living home, his memories sparked by a nearby visiting circus and a creeping helplessness that assaults his ageing body.”

>Age is a terrible thief” was my favorite quote because I have a fear of getting old (that’s a whole other post).<

“In the circus is star performer Marlena, an equestrian, is sensitive to the needs of her horses, although her brutal, tyrant-of-a-husband, August, the trainer, is obsessively jealous and given to unspeakable cruelties. Uncle Al, Benzini Brothers circus owner-by-default, is a ruthless businessman who cares little for man or beast, engaged in a quest for fame to rival the great Ringling Brothers. With his advanced training in veterinary medicine, Jacob does his best to protect the animals from their harsh existence, especially Rosie, an elephant purchased to replace Marlena’s lead horse. Jacob and Rosie share an affinity for one another, the huge creature at times almost human. Because of his growing affection for Marlena, Jacob suffers August’s increasing affronts, caught in a cycle of inevitable violence, certain of a reckoning.”

The climax is devastating but the ending is graceful, tying up loose ends and helping you to realize even more the delicacy of life and love. I was obsessed with most of the characters, even August and his many lynch men. And I officially would love to have an elephant as a pet, especially if it was THE Rosie. :)

Something Borrowed, by Emily Giffin, is the epitome of a chick-lit-beach-read. And that’s exactly where I read it a few years ago – on the beach of Oak Island, NC!

Here’s the brief review from Publishers Weekly:

“An unexpected love affair threatens a long-lived friendship in this soap opera–like debut from Atlanta ex-lawyer Giffin. Since elementary school, Rachel and Darcy have been best friends, with Darcy always outshining Rachel. While single Rachel is the self-confessed good girl, an attorney trapped at a suffocating New York law firm, Darcy is the complete opposite, a stereotypical outgoing publicist, planning a wedding with the handsome Dex. After Rachel’s 30th birthday party, she knocks back one drink too many and winds up in bed with Dex. Instead of feeling guilty about sleeping with her best friend’s fiancé, Rachel realizes that Dex is the only man she’s really loved, and that she’s always resented manipulative Darcy. Rachel and Dex spend a few weekends in the city together “working” while Darcy’s off with friends at a Hamptons’ beach share, but finally Rachel realizes she’ll have to give Dex an ultimatum. The flip job Giffin pulls off—here it’s the cheaters who’re sympathetic (more or less)—gives Dex and Rachel’s otherwise ordinary affair extra edge.”

Rachel would be a more appealing heroine if she were less whiny about her job and her romantic prospects, and rambling dialogue slows the story’s pace, but this is an enjoyable beach read—one that’ll make readers cast a suspicious eye on best friends and boyfriends who seem to get along just a little too well.

I liked it- a guilty pleasure like Nicholas Sparks’ books are for my sister. :)

Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre will always, always, always be my favorite classic. I don’t know why but I’ve just been hooked since I had to read it in high school. Though the book has definitely received its criticism and the Bronte gals were wholly misunderstood, I liked the martyr-esque feelings that I get from Jane and the turn of events with Mr. Rochester.

Now, I’m not going to even summarize the book – look it up on Spark Notes. I’m super excited, though, for the newest film version of the book to come out, though. I was always a fan of the Timothy Dalton movie version of the book but only because my sister and I were obsessed with the movie Beautician and the Beast. You remember that Laurie? Oh, goodness – Fran Drescher and macaroni-covered tissue boxes.

So, when I heard that a newer, fresher version of Jane Eyre was coming out I was beyond excited! Jamie Bell is in it, too. :) Here’s the movie trailer for the newest version:

Well, we’re talking all things Jane. I thought I’d review an adaptation of the classic that I read for one of my master’s course last semester.

Jane, by April Linder, is a modern twist on the old book.

From the School Library Journal…

“Jane Moore has just withdrawn from Sarah Lawrence as her parents have passed on without leaving any money. She accepts a job as a nanny, working for Nico Rathburn, a famous rock star, at his home, Thornfield Park. She plans on earning enough money to finish her schooling. Despite being incredibly practical and emotionally reserved, Jane falls for the bad-boy celebrity, and he for her. After she accepts his marriage proposal, the little oddities at Thornfield Park are pieced together to form a big problem for their new love. Jane flees from her fiancé and must decide for herself whether she can accept the problem or live without Mr. Rathburn’s love. The relationship builds almost out of nowhere but emerges as a passionate romance. Lindner’s love story delivers an entrancing star-crossed relationship, and it is not necessary to be familiar with the original to enjoy it. A few plot elements seem a little unnecessary to readers not familiar with Jane Eyre, but exist to satisfy those who expect them. In any event, this is a great ‘gateway read’ to interest teens in the original novel and other classics by the Brontë sisters or Jane Austen.”

Here’s my bit of forewarning, though. Linder took the classic up a little too high on the inappropriateness volume. I almost fell out of my chair when I came upon the first of many curse words. Also, I was totally uncomfortable with the older rock star being in love/sleeping with a young 19-year-old. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not for censorship but some of the language and elements were over the top. This will not be a book I’d put on my classroom shelf but I do appreciate the recreation of a classic original.

Just thought I’d share some books. :) I’m on a John Green kick right now. He’s such a quirky author and I’ll have to share some of his books next!

Have a great week! (YEA SUNSHINE!)

My favorite easy-read books, or as I affectionately call “beach books,” are usually written by the likes of Jodi Picoult, John Grisham and Sue Grafton (yes, the Kinsey Millhone Mysteries…like M is for Malice or my favorite: G is for Gumshoe.) Though you ask my dear friend, Penny, how I fly through Jodi Picoult books because of the twists and turns with the use of hot topic issues and some major emotional struggles. I caution you, though, to not read some of her books without first feeling solid in your own beliefs because she purposely takes a look at some of the country’s biggest controversies and contemporary social issues and offers up a voice for all the “sides.” Abortion, medical ethics, date rape, school shootings (if you want to start reading her books, you MUST begin with the school shooting-related novel, Nineteen Minutes), marital affairs, “witch” hunts, the Amish communities, etc.

House Rules is Picoult’s newest books and deals with Jacob Hunt, a teenage boy with Asperger’s syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject–in his case, forensic analysis. He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right. But then his town is rocked by a terrible murder and, for a change, the police come to Jacob with questions. By book reviewer Cynthia Lord: “All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger’s–not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, flat affect–can look a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel. Suddenly, Jacob and his family, who only want to fit in, feel the spotlight shining directly on them. For his mother, Emma, it’s a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it’s another indication of why nothing is normal because of Jacob. And over this small family the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?”

Basically, the book is emotionally powerful from beginning to end. House Rules looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way–and fails those who don’t.

Any other recommendations? I’d love to hear of other novels that take the time and effort to accurately portray characters with disabilities because they used to be a rarity.

Happy Reading!
xoxo.

Now, in the interest of not turning my blog into a nerdy bookworm rant, I will keep this brief. I read a lot (obviously). I often could sound off about a book for several hours minutes. Just ask some of my friends and my poor husband. What can I say? I come from a long line of readers (the Clark vacations always included a bag just for paperbacks) and I’m an English teacher. ‘Nough said.

I feel like modern young adult literature is a special teacher secret, shared by few adults who do not daily work with pre-teens and teens as an educator or parent. For many, the image of “young adult literature” is still cluttered withThe Babysitters’ Club,  Sweet Valley High, and the inimitable works of R.L. Stine. Don’t get me wrong – I was a fan of all of the above but YA lit. has become so much more in the past decade! Even more than the cliché Harry Potter or Twilight series (no offense, also read those, too!).

But if those are all you think about when you hear YA lit (which actually statistically covers the age span of 12-29 as read in here), you are missing so much. There is a whole world of real literature out there, yes, aimed at young adults, but well-worthy of grown up reading lists.

SO, I’ve read some really good books and thought I’d share…

1. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I read this series over two days during Thanksgiving break. ADDICTING and all the rage right now. A good teacher friend of mine, Mrs. Sarah, will actually be teaching the first book through a reading buddy program (my seniors will be pen pals with her seventh graders – sure to be a hoot!). The pace of the plot combined with a very original concept makes it hard to put these quick reads down. Think War and Peace meets Lord of the Flies.

2. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jaqueline Kelly. Reminiscent of the (and one of my top 3 favorite author) Harper Lee, Kelly writes about Calpurnia, a young self-proclaimed naturalist, at end of the 19th century in rural Texas. Her mother wants to be an etiquette-filled proper lady with knitting and cooking skills to boot. Calpurnia, or Callie Vee, would much rather be outside exploring. So from a historical and feminist perspective, I loved this book. My only quibble with the book is a personal one. As much as I loved the story of a girl as a naturalist, I was disappointed that the book perpetuated the myth that there can be no blur between science and faith. Callie Vee rejects the imaginative worlds she used to play at as she strives to be strictly scientific. The same holds true with religion, with the scientist in the book having given up on the church in favor of studying the world. While I know the dichotomy is accurate historically, I just wish that it wasn’t always assumed that “objective” scientists must reject imagination, faith, and mystery. Such things aren’t necessarily incompatible, we are just constantly told that they are. So it disappointed me to hear that (mildly) reaffirmed in what is otherwise a fantastic book about self-discovery, awe of nature, and strong intelligent girls. But still a good book!

3. The Cardturner by Louis Sachar. Yes, the author of Holes! Apparently Mr. Sachar was inspired to write this book based on his parents favorite hobby, bridge. Alton Richards is an awkward teen (which I love – awkwardness is just a reality for teenagers) who has just lost his girlfriend to his best friend. His mother forces Alton into the company of his wealthy great-uncle, an aloof, blind bridge genius called Lester, in the hope that Alton will worm his way into his rich relative’s affections and get the family a mention in Lester’s will. Alton takes a job as the “card turner” – telling Lester what cards he holds and playing them when he’s told to do so. I was stunned to find out that Lester, an AMAZING player who has won loads of tournaments, is blind. Enters Alton who tells him all the cards and Lester remembers EVERYTHING. I honestly thought parts of this book could have bored me to tears because Sachar takes every few chapters to explain the actual game of bridge. Yawn, right? Well, after a while I couldn’t help but get sucked in and read about how to play. Gimme a bridge partner, blue-hair and all, because we’d make bank!

Happy reading! More reviews next week. :)