2010: Year in Review

2010 was a big year for me reading-wise:

• I set a new personal record (since complete records were started in 2007) in terms of numbers of books/pages read. Below is a complete list of all books I read to completion, with links to reviews for those that have them.
• I resurrected this blog, and transitioned it into a 'truer' bookblog than the word-stash it'd been before.
• I discovered the entirely amazing world of bookbloggers, and have made some new friends!
• I entered - and completed! - my first ever reading challenge.
• I revisited one of my earliest reading experiences, the Little House on the Prairie books, and in the process rediscovered quite a bit about myself.
• I learned just how much I really love fairy tales.
• Jane Austen is pretty much a favorite too.

So, after such a 'big' 2010, what does 2011 hold? Hmm ... I hope to get better about actually getting my reviews posted. To do this, I'm going to start exploring further all the news bells & whistles Blogger has added since I starting blogging, like scheduled posts. (Okay, so maybe I'm discovering these a little slow ... but we all have to have some area of weakness, right?). I don't know how many challenges - if any - I will join this year, but I'm not opposed to them. I am going to concentrate on reading the things I love -- following the reading trails I stumble upon, whether it's reading everything by an author or every variation of a particular story I can find. I want to read more of the books I see on others' blogs. I would love to make a serious dent on my To Read list, which is currently growing faster than I can read. I'm going to sit back and see where the year takes me. Care to join me on the ride?

January 2010
- Going Rogue: Sarah Palin (408)
- Knit the Season: Kate Jacobs (238)
- Little House in the Big Woods: Laura Ingalls Wilder (238)
- Little House on the Prairie: Laura Ingalls Wilder (335)
- Farmer Boy: Laura Ingalls Wilder (372)
- On the Banks of Plum Creek: Laura Ingalls Wilder (339)
- By the Shores of Silver Lake: Laura Ingalls Wilder (299)
- The Long Winter: Laura Ingalls Wilder (335)
- Little Town on the Prairie: Laura Ingalls Wilder (307)
- These Happy Golden Years: Laura Ingalls Wilder (289)
- The First Four Years: Laura Ingalls Wilder (142)

February
- Family Trust: Amanda Brown (319)
- Ice: Sarah Beth Durst (308)
- Once Upon a Marigold: Jean Ferris (266)
- Twice Upon a Marigold: Jean Ferris (297)
- The Princetta: Anne-Laure Bondoux (430)
- Holly Would Dream: Karen Quinn (419)

March
- Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter: Lisa Patton (308)
- Dairy Queen: Catherine Gilbert Murdock (275)
- The Off Season: Catherine Gilbert Murdock (277)
- Front and Center: Catherine Gilbert Murdock (254)
- Mississippi Jack: LA Mayer (611)

April
- The Irresistable Henry House: Lisa Grunwald (407)
- My Boyfriends' Dogs: Dandi Daley Mackall (265)
- Lucia, Lucia: Adriana Trigiani (260)
- Jane Austen's Guide to Dating: Lauren Henderson (277)
- Wedding Season: Katie Fforde (424)

May
- Waiting for You: Susane Colasanti (320)
- Sweet Little Lies: Lauren Conrad (309)
- The Alpha Bet: Stephanie Hale (232)
- The Cranford Chronicles: Elizabeth Gaskell (484)
- The Cinderella Society: Kay Cassidy (322)
- Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots: Abby McDonald (293)
- The Summer I Turned Pretty: Jenny Han (276)

June
- Spoken from the Heart: Laura Bush (432)
- Wish: Alexandra Bullen (323)
- Dreaming of Dior: Charlotte Smith (292)
- Wedding Season: Darcy Cosper (340)
- Odd and the Frost Giants: Neil Gaiman (118)
- Princess Ben: Catherine Gilbert Murdock (344)
- A Song for Summer: Eva Ibbotson (397)
- Android Karenina: Leo Tolstoy & Ben Winters (538)
- Tammy: Adventure in Hollywood: Alice Wellman (214)
- It's Not Summer Without You: Jenny Han (277)
- The Bad Queen: Carolyn Meyer (420)

July
- Cleopatra's Daughter: Michelle Moran (422)
- Someday My Prince will Come: Jerramy Fine (305)
- Portion of the Sea: Christine Lemmon (422)
- After the Kiss: Terra Elan McVoy (382)
- The Cupcake Queen: Heather Hepler (242)
- Runaway: Meg Cabot (310)
- Persuasion: Jane Austen (283)
- Ice Land: Betsy Tobin (354)

August
- Everlasting: Angie Frazier (329)
- Heist Society: Ally Carter (287)
- Commencement: J. Courtney Sullivan (324)
- Lowcountry Summer: Dorothea Benton Frank (340)
- My Name is Memory: Ann Brashares (324)
- Girl in Translation (290)

September
- The Cookbook Collector: Allegra Goodman (394)
- Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom: Susin Nielsen (240)
- Stars in the Night: Cara Putman (320)
- The Daughters: Joanna Philbin (275)

October
- Mini Shopaholic: Sophie Kinsella (418)
- The Wide-Awake Princess: ED Baker (261)
- Emma: Jane Austen (422)
- Mr Knightley's Diary: Amanda Grange (294)

November
- Embers of Love: Tracie Peterson (351)
- The Darcys Give A Ball: Elizabeth Newark (156)
- The Mermaid's Mirror: L.K. Madigan (310)
- Life After Yes: Aidan Donnelly Rowley (340)
- I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend: Cora Harrison (345)
- Sugar and Spice: Lauren Conrad (279)

December
- Jane: April Lindner (369)
- Pegasus: Robin McKinley (404)
- Russian Winter: Daphne Kalotay (459)
- Beauty: Robin McKinley (247)

Total: 76 Books, 25128 pages

Pegasus

Pegasus
Robin McKinley
Putnam, 2010

I. Loved. This. Book.

Actually, to say I loved it feels like an understatement - however, true. Let me try and explain, without giving away too much. This is definitely a book you must experience for yourself - if you are ready for it.

The cover caught my attention. The design itself draws me in, the title intrigues. I see the flying horse - the glorious pegasus - above the girl-in-the-amazing-dress, and even without knowing anything about it, know I must read this story. The premise is deceptively simple: in a world where pegasi and humans coexist, a Princess, Sylvi, has her own personal Pegasus, Ebon, (a Prince in his own right), and - by some strange twist of fate - they are able to speak to each other. Sweet story, right? Who wouldn't want to be able to "have" their own pegasus, let alone be able to talk to one?! ("Have" is used very loosely - it's a centuries-old Alliance that binds royal humans with royal pegasi, but they're more ceremonial companions than pets or possessions).

As I began to read, I was swiftly caught up in this story on an emotional level. Actually, it took me longer than it 'should' have to read, because I would have to put it down rather than just keep reading. My heart got involved. My mind got involved. I actually dreamt I had my own pegasus one night. I loved watching the way everything unfolded. Four years' time is covered in the text, and yet there's so much more. It's a fantastic world - literally - populated by strange creatures and unbelievable things. It's a story that twists and turns and will leave you breathless. I listed Sylvi and Ebon in my "Favorite Book Couple(s) of the Year" post, because even though it's not a "romantic" relationship, it's a very very real - and powerful - relationship. It's engrossing, fascinating, and involving. At the end, I cried my eyes out. Actually, I started crying before the very end - as soon as I realized the story was going to take one more crazy twist. And normally, I really don't like books that make me cry, but the fact this one was able to make me cry just speaks of its power. I was a little devastated when Pegasus ended - yearning to know what happens next, what is going on. Good news however! There is a sequel coming in 2012, and though it's a (painfully) long wait, I have every belief that Robin McKinley will satisfy my hopes.

Book provided by my local library (however a copy is soon to-be-added to my personal library!)

Wide-Awake Princess

The Wide-Awake Princess
E.D. Baker
Bloomsbury, 2010

I first met Baker's creative take on traditional fairy tales via The Frog Princess books (which I loved, until my library stopped buying the new volumes - now I've got to try to get my hands on them all and start over. But I digress.) When I saw this on my library's shelf, I knew I had to give it a go. The cover looks a little young, but the story was fun and I did not feel like I was reading a "young" book. There's a humor to the events that had me cracking up inside, and I loved making all the connections.

Basically, The Wide-Awake Princess takes the story of Sleeping Beauty and upends it - along with many other fairy tales. Princess Annie is immune to magic, so the witch's spell on her sister - the "sleeping beauty" - has no effect on her. Rather than hang around and wait 100 years, Annie decides to see what she can do to wake her sister up, beginning with escaping the instantly-rose-covered castle and setting out to round up every available Prince to be found. All kinds of fairy tale characters are introduced on the scene, mingling and interacting with success - and hilarity. I love fairy tales, so I especially enjoyed seeing so many mixed like this. It was fun, it was a little different. It made me smile. Of course, everything turns out right in the end (it is a fairy tale after all!), but there are some surprises thrown in the mix. Not only will it appeal to the fairy tale lover, but those who just like a fun story will appreciate too.

Book provided by my local library.

Jane

Jane
April Lindner
Poppy, 2010

I first read Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre in early high school - I want to say it was actually freshman year. I was shelving books at the library I volunteered at, saw it, and decided to read it. I fell in love, revisiting it my junior year as the topic of my first 'real' (college-level) research paper. There is something about Jane's story that tugs at my heart and just calls to me. So when I realized there was a contemporary retelling of Jane Eyre coming out, I got just a little excited.

Lindner did a good job of transferring the story into something modern and current. Jane's a college student who must take time off to work for tuition money. She ends up nannying for Nico Rathburn - the bad-boy rocker who's trying to resurrect his career (and life). Anyone familiar with the original story can quickly see where Jane will go - but that doesn't make it less intriguing. It was interesting to see the way Lindner 'converted' aspects of Bronte's original, making both characters and situations/context relevant and relatable for readers. If some moments feel a little fantastic or too-good-to-be-true, well, that's kind of what the whole story is: the rocky romance between two people worlds removed in terms of social standing and experience. It's not quite a fairy tale, but it's a story that makes people want to believe in the power of love to transcend boundaries. Nico's far from perfect, as is his model Mr. Rochester, but the imperfections and flaws in him keep the story from being too perfect. I feel like Lindner successfully revisited a classic - and now find myself wanting to revisit and reread Jane Eyre once more.

Book provided by my local library.

[Everything Austen II] Persuasion (DVD)

Everything Austen II is a challenge hosted by Stephanie over at Stephanie's Written Word.
The goal: To read 6 Austen-themed works between July 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011.
The progress so far:
1: Persuasion (Jane Austen)
2: Emma (Jane Austen)
3: Mr. Knightley's Diary (Amanda Grange)
4: The Darcys Give a Ball (Elizabeth Newark)
5: I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend (Cora Harrison)
6: Persuasion (DVD)

This post will conclude the Everything Austen II challenge! Huzzah! I have thoroughly enjoyed this first-ever-challenge experience, and will continue to read my beloved Austen and the whole world of Austen-related books, even though the challenge has been completed. There is something about Austen that transcends time and experience, making her writing live ...

And so, the final review ...

Persuasion
BBC, 1995
Starring: Amanda Root & Cieran Hinds

I've been watching Jane Austen DVDs throughout this challenge, but did not want to include them as reviewed components, because I've seen them all several times. Persuasion, however is new to me - I read it for the first time over the summer, and I've just not watched a movie version. I must admit, I liked the movie better than the novel, but I still found myself incredibly annoyed. I think, for whatever reason, Anne Elliot and I do simply do not 'geehaw'. (And yet, I liked the contemporary retellings of Persuasion I have read. Strange...)

So far as the movie goes - it's a beautiful BBC production, and I felt it to be a good cinematic adaptation. I confess to finding it amusing that Mary Elliot (er, Musgrove) was played by the same actress who brought Miss Bates to life in Emma the next year. Seeing the characters interact was nicer for me than reading about them, and I did warm a bit to Anne herself as she began to 'evolve' and come in to her own. The subtle changes to her costume was a very nice touch to demonstrate this process. I *loved* Captain Wentworth as portrayed by Cieran Hinds. Loved him. He was just as he ought to have been - a bit gruff, but also sensitive; a weatherworn sailor, but also strikingly handsome. Yes, Capt. Wentworth is definitely a worth Austen hero.

DVD provided by my local library.

First Dog Fala

First Dog Fala
Elizabeth Van Steenwyk
Illustrated by Michael G. Montgomery
Peachtree Publishers, 2008

As soon as this came in the mail, I sat down and flipped through it, oohing and aahing over the illustrations. Montgomery definitely spends time around dogs, because I felt like Fala was just about to jump off the page and into my lap! (I'm totally smitten: I want a Scottie!) Since then, I've actually read the book several times - and the whole book is just as delightful as the illustrations.

It's been a little while since I read children's picture books *seriously* (translate: graduate class on children's lit as opposed to picking one up because I find it appealing), and I was at first surprised by the amount of text on the page. Once I started reading and thinking about it though, I realized it wasn't as 'extreme' as my first glance thought. (I was probably subconsciously wishing for less text and more Fala illustrations - he's that adorable). There's a lot of information shared, yes, but it's presented in a way that both "little" and "big" kids will be able to sit down and enjoy. The story is about Fala, and his life as a White House pet, but it also is a gentle introduction to American History. And there's something about Scottie dogs that just feels "Christmassy" to me, making it a fitting book for this season!

Book provided by publisher for review.

[Everything Austen II] I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend

Everything Austen II is a challenge hosted by Stephanie over at Stephanie's Written Word.
The goal: To read 6 Austen-themed works between July 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011.
The progress so far:
1: Persuasion (Jane Austen)
2: Emma (Jane Austen)
3: Mr. Knightley's Diary (Amanda Grange)
4: The Darcys Give a Ball (Elizabeth Newark)
5: I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend (Cora Harrison)
6:

United States cover

I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend
Cora Harrison
Delacorte Books, 2010

I first learned about this back in the spring, when it was still months and months from releasing in the US. I was so excited about it though, I made plans to buy the UK edition since it was already out (plus, that cover is so incredibly cute! LOVE it!). Those plans never materialized, but my library bought a copy and I managed to snag it first. (Love-love-love when that happens).



UK cover



Going into the reading, I really wasn't sure what I'd get - the basic premise is that this is the diary of Jane Austen's cousin/best friend Jenny Cooper, and tells the story of how Jane helped Jenny with matters of the heart. I was expecting a light, fun read - and got that, but also got more. Harrison crafted a lovely story that offered a glimpse at what it must have been like to grow up with Jane Austen. In the adventures (and misadventures) Jenny and Jane share, you can see the beginnings of the stories and characters that would go on to become Jane's contribution to the literary world. Jenny's take on the Austen family is enough of an 'outsider' to be able to see things Jane cannot, but she's still very much a part of that close circle. It is in this circle that she becomes better acquainted with herself, and discovers what it means to fall in love.

I enjoyed the book, it was cute and fun, but also had a lot of interesting little details. Harrison, in her author's note, states that she drew heavily from surviving letters of Mrs. Austen and Jenny Cooper (who was actually also called "Jane"). I was amused by comparing what was going on in the book, and the characters, with what occured in Becoming Jane -- some interesting overlap.

Book provided by my local library.

[Everything Austen II] The Darcys Give a Ball

Everything Austen II is a challenge hosted by Stephanie over at Stephanie's Written Word.
The goal: To read 6 Austen-themed works between July 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011.
The progress so far:
1: Persuasion (Jane Austen)
2: Emma (Jane Austen)
3: Mr. Knightley's Diary (Amanda Grange)
4: The Darcys Give a Ball (Elizabeth Newark)
5:
6:

The Darcys Give a Ball
Elizabeth Newark
Sourcebooks, 2008

I saw this on the shelf when I was wandering the stacks one day, and knew I *had* to read it. So very glad I did! I loved it. Seriously loved it. A quick, easy read, I was hooked from the beginning. (Truthfully, hooked by the title). Imagine a world, 20ish years after Pride & Prejudice ends, where Lizzie and Darcy and Jane and Bingley have children. Oh, and don't forget Charlotte and Mr Collins and their children. Now, take a deep breath and imagine the children of all the other Austen couplings ... Yes, all of them. Emma and Knightley; Elinor and Edward; Marianne and Col. Brandon; Anne and Capt. Wentworth ... and, of course, the rest of 'em too. They all have children. And all the parents and children know each other. And they all come together at one ball - held at Pemberley and hosted by the Darcys. What happens is sheer delight. I absolutely loved seeing all the characters come together and coexist and interact across the novel borders. I loved getting a peek at what Lizzie and Jane felt and thought about the other great Austen figures. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the children of the matches - there is much to be said for having good parents, let me tell you. And the ending? Lovely. As lovely as a dance on a moonlit night. Now ... I just need to get my hands on Newark's mouse-version of Pride & Prejudice -- 'twas mentioned in the 'About the Author', and I have begun a quest to find it!

Book provided by my local library.

[Everything Austen II] Mr. Knightley's Diary

Everything Austen II is a challenge hosted by Stephanie over at Stephanie's Written Word.
The goal: To read 6 Austen-themed works between July 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011.
The progress so far:
1: Persuasion (Jane Austen)
2: Emma (Jane Austen)
3: Mr. Knightley's Diary (Amanda Grange)
4:
5:
6:

Mr. Knightley's Diary
Amanda Grange
Berkley Trade, 2006

I happily timed the reading of this to coincide with the finishing of Emma. I liked the juxtaposition of having just finished reading the 'full-fledged' version with seeing everything unfold from Mr. Knightley's point of view. Having read Grange's Mr. Darcy's Diary when it first came out, I knew to expect good things of Knightley - and was not disappointed! Everything that I loved about Mr. Knightley in Austen's original comes through - and is gracefully and carefully fleshed out - in Grange's. Here is a Mr. Knightley who feels, and who battles with his own understanding. Watching his words reflect his so-very-obvious preference for Miss Emma Woodhouse above all others, before he realized he was in actually rather in love with said young lady, was delightfully amusing. I smiled often, chuckled a little, and fell even more in love with the gentle Mr. Knightley. Grange is very careful in her writing to stay true to Austen's original characters, even while giving them more 'body' and story. There are faithful accounts of the actions that take place in Emma recorded in Knightley's diary - whole conversations have even been recorded for posterity! A lovely read, and most definitely a wonderful accompaniment for Emma.

Book provided by my local library.

[Everything Austen II] Emma

Everything Austen II is a challenge hosted by Stephanie over at Stephanie's Written Word.
The goal: To read 6 Austen-themed works between July 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011.
The progress so far:
1: Persuasion (Jane Austen)
2: Emma (Jane Austen)
3:
4:
5:
6:

Emma
Jane Austen
Bantam Classics, 1984 (original publication 1815)

I read Emma ages ago, back in early high school. Probably sophomore year? I remember liking the story at the time, but at 15 there was no way I could possibly appreciate it the way I did now, rereading at the ripe old age of 25. This go-round, I was able to not only delight in the writing itself -- this may be the best written of Austen's novels, in my opinion -- but to lose my heart to the story, the characters, the whole shebang.

Perhaps one of the reasons I got so much more out of the novel this time was because for the first time in my life, I can actually relate to Emma Woodhouse. (I've watched the movies a dozen times, so I'm intimately acquainted with the story itself, if not as familiar with reading the words). I keep hearing that people do not like Emma as a character, and I'm not sure why. She's no Lizzie Bennett, but I find Emma refreshingly human. So she's spoiled and vain - she has every reason to be, and there is a good heart underneath the silliness. I found her a bit flippant at times, but attributed it to her youth and comparative isolation from society. What I did get a wee bit frustrated with was her inability to see Mr. Knightley. I fell in love with Mr. Knightley, really and truly, and found him to be a rival of Mr. Darcy for the title of "Perfect Romantic Hero".

Emma has much to offer the ready reader: a love story of aching sweetness and possibility; a host of characters that reflect all the best and worst of humanity; moments of dialogue that could be overheard in any college hall or coffee shop; and that special flavor that Jane gives to her best work. A delightful experience, and I shall revisit Emma again before another 10 years passes.

Book provided by my personal library.

Mini Shopaholic

Mini Shopaholic
Sophie Kinsella
Dial Press, 2010

There's a new Shopaholic novel! My little sister and I were so very excited when we found out this was coming out, and when I got my hands on a copy before she did ... Well, let's just say there was a little jealousy. I had toyed with the idea of rereading all the others before reading this latest installment, since I haven't read them in several years, but I just didn't have the time. Turns out it would have been a totally unnecessary endeavor - this edition of Becky Brandon (nee` Bloomwood)'s life can stand alone easily. Yes, it helps to have some idea of who (and what) Becky is, and the nature of her hilarious life with Luke and Co. But this is a new phase of Becky's life, and seems to be a much more concentrated focus too -- dealing with a few months' time and a massive project. I liked it. It was different than the other Shopaholic novels, and so different from what I was expecting. But I did like it -- I had to find out if everything turned out alright. I had to see what on earth Becky would end up doing (or not doing) as the story progressed. It was an easy read, enjoyable and satisfyingly fluffy. And I really, really hope Sophie Kinsella picks up where she leaves off and gives us a seventh Shopaholic novel in a little while!

Book provided by my local library.

Stars in the Night

Stars in the Night
Cara C. Putnam
Summerside, 2010

I won this from a weekly giveaway over at Favorite PASTimes, and Ms. Putman signed it with a wonderful message I needed the day it came: "Dreams do come true!" Even though I don't normally read mysteries, this book called and beckoned and I had to answer ... Yes, there is a mystery to it, but the story itself is so much more than trying to figure out "whodunit". The characters are real - I recognized much of myself in Audra - their feelings are familiar, their conversation believable. I knew I'd like the story based solely on it being about the Homefront effort during WWII - especially since it focuses on glamorous old Hollywood. I did not expect to get so 'sucked in' to the story -- I devoured it once I was able to sit down and read it. I had to find out what was going to happen next, how everything would turn out in the end. I didn't expect everything to resolve as it did - I was truly surprised by the twists and turns in the mystery part of the telling. I don't want to give anything away, but this is definitely a book I'd recommend for someone wanting an involving, satisfying read that has more weight than chick lit, but isn't really heavy.

Book provided by my personal library.

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom
Susan Nielsen
Tundra Books, 2010

As promised in a previous post, a review of Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom! I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting into when I started to read -- I haven't read about middleschoolers in years -- but the premise was just too good to pass up. How could I resist a story about a girl trying to set her mom up with George Clooney?! You just can't do that. Resist, I mean. Although chances are it'd be a bit difficult to set up someone with Clooney. But I digress ... Back to the review: The characters are younger than what I've read in a while, but that did not detract from either the story nor the characters themselves. Violet is not too growny, and while once or twice I felt like she was acting a little 'beyond her age', within the context of the story it made sense and worked. Then too, I stopped to think about my little cousin and her friends - all 13-14 - and how they behave ... Violet was very convincing as a character, and I enjoyed her escapades.

For all the fun and humor of the title, there is some serious real-life stuff going on in Violet's life. Nothing is over-dramatized or played up for emotional shock value, everything is presented as "this is reality". I think there are probably a lot of readers who can relate to Violet and her experiences and emotions. It's a real book, that will make you think about real things, but in a super cute and very enjoyable, fun read. Definitely glad I gave it a go - thanks, Amanda, for making it possible!

Book provided by my personal library.

The Cookbook Collector

The Cookbook Collector
Allegra Goodman
Dial Press, 2010

What caught my attention initially was the title - my mum and I collect cookbooks, so to see a novel entitled "The Cookbook Collector" was attention-getting to say the least. Then I saw where people are calling Allegra Goodman "the modern-day Jane Austen". And at that point, I knew I needed to give in and read the book. Thankfully, I lucked out and the library had it available and ready for check out!

I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call Goodman the new Jane Austen, but I can understand why people draw the comparison: Just as Jane knew humanity and was able to demonstrate the ridiculous and the admirable in her characters, Goodman is a keen observer of human nature and draws very believable, real figures. So while I can understand it, I don't entirely agree. The Cookbook Collector has a LOT of characters. And almost all of them get a chance to 'speak'/ be in the spotlight. While that creates a very developed, detailed and dimensional story, it was also rather confusing until I got everyone sorted out in my head.

Actually, that's kind of my overall feeling about the book: I was confused until I got it all organized. There are a lot of storylines, and figuring out how they all related - IF they were all related - took some mental attention. As the story progressed, it got easier and easier to follow. Whether that's because I was now totally engrossed in the story or because I had worked through the confusing beginning and made it into a clearer-in-general part of the story, I don't know. What I do know is this: Goodman wove an intricate tale, and took it somewhere I was not expecting. At all. Once I reached the end, I had a moment of thinking "I should've seen that coming," but then - if I had seen it coming, I wouldn't have liked the story so well. Because I did like it, a lot. Allegra Goodman may not be Jane Austen, but she can write an amazing and arresting story.

Book provided by my local library.

Girl in Translation

Girl in Translation
Jean Kwok
Riverhead, 2010

I have seen this listed on a lot of To-Read lists, and read several reviews, and let's be honest: the cover and title are pretty amazing. (Random sidenote: I wish my own hair would stay that nicely with a pencil stuck through it.) So when I saw it available at the library, I quickly scooped it up.

The story is straight-forward and chronological, after the initial chapter that is a little bit of a "Huh? Did I miss something?"-intro to the book. It makes sense later, after you've read the story of ah-Kim from beginning to end. Premise is simple: mother and young daughter immigrate from China to America, and do whatever it takes to survive. Ah-Kim is very smart, and quickly learns what needs to be done to rescue her mother and herself from their situation in life. Along the way, there are all sorts of 'normal' growing up adventures, and these are contrasted to the 'hidden' life of New York's Chinese.

For me, the book was just 'okay' -- it didn't have me hanging on every word, but I wasn't disgusted either. I kept reading, and was actually surprised by the ending. Did not see that one coming. At all. Kwok's ability to slip that in while leaving me, the reader, totally unawares of where the story was going earned a few points.

Book provided by my local library.

My Name is Memory

My Name is Memory
Ann Brashares
Riverhead, 2010

I am a huge fan of Ann Brashares, and have read every book she's written. So when I found out she had a new book coming out this year, I was thrilled! Until I saw the premise ... I'm definitely not a fan of paranormal, and while time travel in the sense of - well, I guess it's basically reincarnation - isn't that "paranormal" it was a little odd and not really on my reading radar. But the cover kept beckoning, and I kept seeing it popping up in places, so I gave in. Oh. Wow. I am so glad I did. The story isn't about reincarnation so much as it is about memory - and what makes a person the person they are. It's about trust and faith and love. It's about humanity. And it's a bittersweet romance.

Daniel, the one who remembers the most, gives us all the backstory, which involves a lot of flashbacks/memories. They're nicely done however, and clearly marked - both by chapter headings and a change in font. The memories are scattered in among the 'current' story, and help explain why everything is happening as it is in the now. In the process of learning about Daniel and Lucy/Sophia's past, the reader also gets to experience fun historical vignettes - Daniel has lived many times, and has many memories. This is most definitely a book that requires the willing suspension of disbelief -- it is rather fantastic at points -- but if you read the words on the page instead of trying to reconcile them with a sense of reality, the story will take you amazing places.

All things considered, I'm glad I took a chance on My Name is Memory -- it is very different from what I tend to read, but the story was everything I expect from Brashares. Sometimes risks are lesser than their rewards.

Book provided by my local library.

Commencement

Commencement
J. Courtney Sullivan
Knopf, 2009

I originally picked up Commencement because it looked to be one of those chick lit books I love: four girls, from different backgrounds, finding each other at the right time, and staying friends through life's adventures and misadventures. It was that, but it was also so much more! I expected fluffy, happy-go-lucky, maybe a tear but definitely some laughing out loud. I got that, but I also got a thought-provoking story that reached in deep and made me think about all kinds of 'issues'.

Logistically, the novel is written from each of the girls' perspective in turn - clearly labeled, and you always know which character is narrating which section (this is a good thing). Since the story begins with their freshman introduction and continues to the present, there is a lot of 'flashback' and time-jumping -- however, it is not confusing and transitions are introduced very well. Each girl is allowed to tell her own story, or own personal interpretation of shared events as well as her own individual journey. Because of this, there is some overlap between accounts - however, this only adds to the depth of the story, making it more real and involved.

I definitely loved this novel, even though some parts were really hard to read ((there are a lot of serious, weighty issues that are present - it's not overwhelming, but you will think)). I had no idea where the story was going, and at the end I was totally surprised -- since I tend to guess how things are going to end, this is an accomplishment on the part of the author. I'd love to know where the story is going from there -- will there be a sequel? Does it continue only in the minds and hearts of those who read it? Time will tell, I s'pose.

Book provided by my local library.

Heist Society

Heist Society
Ally Carter
Hyperion, 2010

This is totally not my normal read, but I saw it and decided to pick it up on a whim; the cover and title are fun, and the blurb on the bookflap suggested there might be something I'd at least like to the story. I was quickly whisked away on an adventure unlike any I've been on before. Sometimes taking risks pays off - whether they are simple, like reading something out of your ordinary, or huge risks that put your life and the lives of all those you love best at work, like Kat has to make in the story.

The story was surprising well-written. Fast-paced, with enough action and drama to keep me focused and interested, but not so much as to be overwhelming. Timing was key, because the main story takes place in just two weeks' time. Some of the travel that takes place seems a little far-fetched, but this is a far-fetched story set in a global world. This was definitely a glimpse into a world I can barely even imagine, but - surprisingly - enjoyed. May have to take a few more [reading] risks in the future ...

Book provided by my local library.

Ice Land

Ice Land
Betsy Tobin
Plume, 2008

Oh. My. I fell in love with the cover a year or so ago, and when I found out it was about Norse myth, knew I simply had to read it. When I finally got my hands on it, it was definitely worth the wait.

I knew the story dealt with Freya (Norse goddess of love), and somehow the country of Iceland. What I didn't realize was that there were two separate storylines that were going to be presented -- stories that were overlapped and interwoven with an intricacy I did not expect. I was quickly immersed in the story - excuse me, stories - I was reading, and then when everything came together I was surprised. But also delighted.

I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting - probably a novel just about the Aesir and Asgard. Instead I got a beautifully descriptive novel that examined the humanity of the gods, and their undeniable connections to the 'earthlings' (humans, dwarves, giants, animals ...). It's a novel about life, and chances, and most of all: Love.

Book provided by my personal library.

[Everything Austen II] Persuasion

Everything Austen II is a challenge hosted by Stephanie over at Stephanie's Written Word.
The goal: To read 6 Austen-themed works between July 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011.
The progress so far:
1: Persuasion (Jane Austen)
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:

Persuasion
Jane Austen
Signet Classics, 1996 (original publication 1817)

I have read at least 3, if not 4, contemporary retellings of Austen's Persuasion - so I was very familiar with the story. Several of my close friends love it, calling it their favorite Austen of all. So I went into this with high hopes and a happy sense of anticipation. And then I struggled my way through it ... I love Jane, but I definitely do not love Persuasion. At all. You can tell that this novel was written as she was "running out of time" sotospeak, and was not able to go back and rework everything -- it's almost like a second, maybe third draft, and one more good revision would have done the trick. The story's there, the characters have some promise, but it's just not quite clicking. The best of the whole book are Chapters 10 and 11 of Volume 2 -- coincidentally, the only two chapters Jane went back and did serious reworking of (or so says the introduction in my volume). You can tell. There's a difference to the story in those two chapters.

Anne Elliot annoyed me. I wanted to shake her until her teeth rattled in her head and she woke up. They say she shows amazing patience -- to me, she showed immense passivity. Did she feel things? Yeah, to varying degrees. But she was just so ... complacent and accepting of everything. I got increasingly frustrated with her as the course of the novel continued. Captain Wentworth was not a bad hero - but I'd like to get to know him better. He had a humanity to him, a normal, familiar pride about him, that reminded me of Darcy. Perhaps if the Captain were written more, Anne would be more appealing and the story revived greatly.

Unfortunately, strangely, the original Austen is lacking in story and likeability to the contemporary retellings.

Book provided by my personal library.