Masterpiece Classic Update

I finally finished watching Wuthering Heights on Masterpiece Classic. At first, I didn't really enjoy it and that is why it has taken me several weeks to watch it. In the end, though, I thought it was very good. Not excellent, but very good. I really liked the actor who played Heathcliff, Tom Hardy. I thought he was especially exciting to watch.
Next up is Oliver Twist. I am not a huge fan of Dickens, but I will watch this. You can see a preview of it here. It is nice to see that Tom Hardy will also be in this film, playing Bill Sikes.

The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food by Judith Jones

I love reading about food and this memoir sounded like the perfect weekend reading. Judith Jones is an editor at Knopf who was responsible for publishing books by Julia Child, Marcella Hazan, Claudia Roden and others who pioneered the way that Americans think about food and who influenced our tastes and cooking habits over the past 50 years. She was also a serious foodie herself who, with her husband Evan, experimented with recipes and became an accomplished home cook. Her memoir is a very enjoyable and entertaining read. I even enjoyed reading about her love for beef brains, which almost makes me want to be a vegetarian. I recommend this if you're in the mood for an intelligent and satisfying read.

Books I Gave Up On (BIGUO)

I picked up a promising book at work yesterday, but after I got home and started reading it I realized it wasn't my thing.

On Kingdom Mountain by Howard Frank Mosher - He's an excellent writer, but I wasn't in the mood for quirky characters.

Most Recent Book I Gave Up On

I have several of these, too. My most recent, however, was Charlotte Gray. I had been reading a book set in the same time period and it was too depressing, so when I tried to read Charlotte Gray I was up to my eyeballs in dark and fear and privation and I just could not do it. I also gave up on the other book, which I can't remember anymore, but I know Anbo read it. Anyway, I'm sure I'll have many posts on this subject in the future.

Books I Gave Up On

I'm going to start a new series logging the books I've given up on. It seems this happens a lot to me. I'm not the type of reader who will read something just because it's there. If I don't like a book within the first 20 pages, I'm gone. Here are a couple of books I've recently given up on:

Daemon by Daniel Suarez - The main reason I quit this book was because of the excessive foul language and the horrid depiction of a gang rape. It made me nauseous.

Bone by Bone by Carol O'Connell - This novel was trying so hard to be gothic, creepy and mysterious, but it just seemed silly to me.

Have you given up on any books lately?

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Niesa has already heard me rave about this book, but I can rave for days about it to anyone who will listen. I loved this novel!
Set just after World War II in London, this story is told in a series of letters between the various characters. The main character is Juliet Ashton, a thirty-something writer of humorous war articles that have been compiled into a best-selling book. She's single and an orphan, having lost her parents when she was a teenager. While she's touring for her current book and struggling to find a topic for a new book, she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams who lives on the island of Guernsey. She begins a correspondence with him and with other members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and finds herself becoming increasingly infatuated with Guernsey and its inhabitants. She learns about what life was like for them during the war when they were occupied by the Germans and decides she wants to meet these incredible people in person. Leaving behind a new beau Juliet moves to Guernsey and starts a life there that is full of love, learning how to nurture and celebrating the history of Guernsey and its inhabitants.
The tone of this novel is upbeat and hopeful, even when it is addressing serious issues of deprivation and cruelty inflicted during the war. The characters are loveable and quirky, but also brave and steadfast. There is lots of humor to balance the horror and hardship.
This is one that I consider to be an instant classic! Make time to read it; you won't be disappointed.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Still Alice is a first novel by former neuroscientist Lisa Genova. Genova uses her background in brain development and functioning to insightfully and creatively craft a novel that explores the heartbreak of Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (EOAD).
Dr. Alice Howland is a fifty-year-old professor of linguistics at Harvard University. She’s married with three grown children and has a very successful and fulfilling career. When she starts forgetting how to get home, missing classes, and overlooking deadlines she realizes that something is wrong. For months Alice tries to ignore her increasingly abnormal memory problems, but when she forgets to catch a flight to a conference she decides to see a doctor.
Eventually diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, Alice negotiates with her family and colleagues to maintain as normal a schedule and a life as she can. Genova uses each chapter to represent a month in Alice’s ordeal and this linear structure works effectively to show the reader how EOAD is a progressive disease. The characters are engaging and sympathetic and we come to feel forlorn along with Alice as she struggles with losing her career and status as a Harvard professor and forgetting her husband and children.
Still Alice is a thoughtful and simple novel that successfully portrays the nightmare of living with dementia. Genova’s skill at creating realistic characters is vital in showing that Alzheimer’s victims are not to be feared, but to be treated with love and patience.

Unshaken by Francine Rivers

This month for our genre study at work we read Christian fiction. I chose to read Francine Rivers because she didn't seem preachy and I also wanted to read a story based on the Bible. I ended up really liking this book and hope to read the entire Lineage of Grace series of which Unshaken is volume 3.
This novella centers on the story of Ruth and Naomi. Rivers really dramatizes the story and makes the characters come alive. I so admired Ruth and her courage, determination, faithfulness and devotion to Naomi. The tone of the book is serious and devout, but like I said, she is not preachy at all. The plot moves along at a crisp pace and had me turning the pages, even though I knew what happened. I so wanted to see Ruth happy that I couldn't stop reading until she was. I would recommend this if you are looking to be inspired and want to read about good and faithful people.

In the Coils of the Snake

I would like to revise an earlier opinion. I read only the first two books in the Hollow Kingdom trilogy when I wrote my last review. In the Coils of the Snake was the last book in the series and it totally redeemed it. This book captured the things I loved about By These Ten Bones. I cared about the characters. The emotions of the story drew me in and I even liked the ending. I notice that YA fantasy books are usually an interesting and thinly veiled social commentary. This book was no exception. All the books in this series were about misconceptions different cultures have about one another. It was especially effective in that one of the cultures was that of the goblins, who are actually kind, gentle, social, and honest in spite of their hideous appearance.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

I don't think I've mentioned before that I started a new book group at work that is focusing on science fiction and fantasy novels. You all know that this is not my favorite genre so it has been interesting reading one of these novels every month since August now. For January we read Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler.
Lauren Olamina lives with her family in a neighborhood enclave surrounded by walls. The outside world is dangerous and unpredictable since the US society has collapsed. There are crazy drug addicts and people who are starving and living in shacks ready to pounce on the neighborhood at any sign of weakness. Lauren is a deep-thinker who has developed a religion she calls Earthseed and that she thinks will be the cure for the ills of the world. When she is finally forced to leave the compound she starts heading north, up the coast of California with several friends and people they pick up along the way. Their lives are threatened daily, but they manage to band together and form their own community in which Lauren begins to teach them about Earthseed.
This novel was very relevant to our society today. One of the major themes of the book is the idea of preparedness and of being realistic about what can happen to society. I enjoyed reading about how Lauren and her friends dealt with the danger and anxiety of living in chaos, but it was definitely disturbing. However, I think it was instructive to be reminded about how we should prepare for the worst but have hope for the best.

Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

So, this time around I didn't care for this novel. It is depressing and makes you hate and despise men. I don't really like Hardy's didactic writing style either. He pounds the reader over the head with how horrible religion and God are and, though I find his theories interesting, he really overdoes it. Tess as a character is intriguing and I find myself still thinking about her plight days after I've finished the book.
The Masterpiece Classic adaptation is fantastically depressing, but wonderful in its faithfulness to the feel of the book and the acting is great.
Now I am on to Wuthering Heights.

YA Fantasy

I told Niesa I loved this book by Clare B. Dunkle called By These Ten Bones. I was so excited that I checked out all her other books, but, alas, they were not as good. I read the Hollow Kingdom Trilogy about a goblin kingdom. The books were good, but I HATED the way they ended. She starts out with a set of main characters and then by the end of the book there's like seven. So you start reading and get an interest in these certain characters and then at the end it wraps up like 5 other people's stories so the main characters ending gets a small blurb, just like the others. I was like, "What the crap!" I wanted a detailed happy ending for the people I cared about and all it tells after all the story that lead up to it is "... and then they got married. The end." Terribly frustrating and disappointing. I also read the Shamer series by Lene Kaaberbol. These were excellent books. I really enjoyed the stories and the characters. They dealt a great deal with agency and manipulation of agency, which at times was heartbreaking and horrifying, and more than once I cried while reading them out of sheer frustration for the characters. Great story with an interesting concept of the Shamer.

Excited

Happy New Year everyone! I have a feeling it will be a good year for reading. I'm really excited that the new year is beginning with new episodes of Masterpiece Classic. Tonight, Tess of the D'Urbervilles begins. I read Tess when I was a teenager and loved it. I decided to read it again before I watch it. I have about a hundred pages to go and it is so tragic and depressing, but very thought-provoking. Poor Tess.

And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander

This novel is very similar to the previous one I blogged about, Silent in the Grave. As in Silent, And Only to Deceive centers on a young widow in the Victorian era who comes to believe that her husband was murdered. Lady Emily Ashton never really knew her husband, as he died in Africa several months after they were married. He was a great art collector, especially of Greek antiquities, and in an effort to know him better Emily develops an interest in and passion for art and literature (she reads The Iliad and takes ancient Greek lessons). Through her new art-world connections she begins to suspect that her husband was involved in something shady and with the help of her friends Cecile, Margaret and Ivy and of her love interest Colin Hargreaves, she gets to the bottom of the mystery. Was her husband really an art thief and involved in forgery? Or was he the victim of a forgery ring that spanned countries and classes? I really liked this mystery and I loved the art aspect of it. It stimulated my interest in Greek art and literature and I will definitely be reading the second book in the series, A Poisoned Season.

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn

As this wonderful novel opens, Lady Julia Grey witnesses her husband's demise and becomes a young widow. After his death she is bound by the strictures of widowhood in the Victorian era and lives a quiet and undemanding life. Until she meets Nicholas Brisbane, a private inquiry agent who had been hired by her husband to investigate a series of death threats he received before he died. Convinced that her husband was murdered she hires Brisbane to help her discover the murderer. Of course Brisbane is a dark and mysterious man who she can't help but be attracted to. Misunderstandings and arguments ensue, making their relationship intriguing and infuriating for both of them. With the help of her large and eccentric family, Lady Julia navigates society and the disappointment of her marriage with wit, dignity and elegance. I really enjoyed this mystery/romance/historical novel and am already devouring the second book in the series. On a side note, I also very much enjoy Deanna Raybourn's blog. Check it out; it is just as satisfying as her novels.

Forgot to Post

I did finish a book last month. I read The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald for my genre study at work. We were concentrating on gentle fiction. The Bookshop is the story of Florence Green, a widow who lives in a small village on the north coast of England. She has no friends in town and is without children. Looking for some way to spend her time and talents she purchases an old building and opens a bookshop, the first ever in the village. She has opposition on many fronts and is not completely successful. This is a quiet and subtle read. The humor is very subdued and it is not really a "feel-good" book at all, but it works it's way under your skin and had me thinking about it for several days after I finished. I'm not sure I would recommend this to very many people because it isn't fast-paced or happy, but some readers may recognize its beauty.

Next Month's Pick

Alright girls, I found a book for next month. I would like to read Magnificent Obsession by Lloyd C. Douglas. If you guys have already read it, just let me know and I'll find another classic. Anyway, when are we going to discuss A Tree Grows in Brooklyn?

True Classic

I just finished reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and I love love LOVE it! I loved this whole book from the first sentence to the last and I will read it at least 5 times more throughout my life. I loved the Nolan family and the Rommely girls. Her descriptions of the people hid nothing, all their faults were laid along side their virtues, but you loved them. Their faults seemed... sensible, somehow. Not like the novels with the heroines I wrote about whose only faults were an unawareness of their own beauty or a fiery but charming temper or a sensitive pride. I loved Katy in spite of her favoritism towards Neely. I loved Sissy in spite of her senselessness and deceptions. I loved everyone she laid bare in this novel. I loved how some periods of their lives were written in much detail and some skimmed over with just vague descriptions of what had passed. It was the perfect mix with all the desired information covered. I'll stop gushing now, but I must say I am looking forward to other classics much more than before.

Join Us

Niesa and I are going to resurrect the book club. We've decided to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith for our first discussion. If you'd like to join us we'd love to have you ! We don't have a date for the discussion yet, but I will post when I know. We've both already started the book and have found it to be quite sad, but I'm sure it will make for an interesting discussion.

What I'm Reading

I'm reading a few things right now. I started reading Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell after watching the PBS miniseries. I'm re-reading What Southern Women Know about Flirting. I'm trying to read the latest Elizabeth George mystery. And I'm working up the courage to read the violent and scary ending of a book called The Exception by Christian Jungersen, which is brilliant, but makes me too anxious.

2nd Childhood

I'm reading the Chronicles of Narnia after watching the second movie this weekend-so good! The books are really simple and short and I feel like I accomplish something because I can read it so quickly! I hope they are all as good as Prince Caspian!

What is Wrong With Me?

I have never before felt such a disinterest in reading. Every night after I get home from work I pick up a book hoping to relax and escape and end up being disenchanted and feeling like I am wasting time. This is not like me! Has anyone else gone through this horrible phase? Reading is my solace and my comfort - why isn't it working anymore?

A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

What a lovely book this is! It is one of my favorites. I watched the film a few weeks ago on Masterpiece Classic and loved it and decided to read the novel. I read this when I was a teenager and vaguely remembered it, but the film brought it all back to me. It is romantic, funny, passionate and wise. Lucy Honeychurch is a flawed and very believable heroine and her cousin, Charlotte Bartlett, is so complex and aggravating and fascinating. This is a short and near-perfect book.

No Interest

I've lost interest in reading this week. Everything I pick up seems pointless and boring. Last night I was bereft so I walked over to my bookcase hoping that something would entice me. My eye fell upon a P.D. James mystery and I immediately knew that is what my heart wanted. I've been missing my British mysteries! So I started A Taste for Death last night and reading is a pleasure again.

Is this Realistic?

It seems the books I have been reading lately have a common element: what I call "the Helen of Troy" character. A woman of gifts, beauty and spunk. The further commonality that makes her a Helen is that not all men are attracted to her. Some hate her, some fear her, some are indifferent. But the men who are attracted to her are invariably powerful, intelligent, and charismatic. And they are not just attracted to her, they're practically obsessed with her. Is this pure fiction? Or is this a phenomenon that a simple, homely girl such as myself just can't equate to anything in my personal experience? I don't know. What do you guys think?

Fantasy Land

At work, the next genre we're discussing (in May) is fantasy. So, I'm reading a few fantasy novels right now: Tithe by Holly Black, The Blue Girl by Charles De Lint and A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Now, I am not normally a fantasy reader so this is a departure for me, but I'm really enjoying each novel and am glad that I'm forced to read different genres.

I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron

This is a very funny, sweet and slightly sad tome on aging. I really enjoyed it. With essays on everything from body maintenance to apartment love to JFK, it is really endearing and amusing. Just don't read the final essay before going to bed. It is about death and was painful and terrifying to read. I couldn't sleep and when I did I had nightmares because it truly makes you think about death seriously. But it is mostly hilarious and entertaining and if death scares you just skip the final essay!

Something New

Well, good things can come even from a terrible gothic novel. At the end of my book there was an excerpt from a novel called Dead to the World. I read it and was interested. It turns out it was the fourth book in a vampire series by Charlaine Harris. I read an entire book yesterday. It is the strangest mix of genres I have ever seen. It's like sci-fi/romance/mystery. I had to look in like every section of the library until I finally found it in mystery. It's like the vampire part of it is more part of the setting than the main subject, which is really a mystery about women being murdered in a small Louisiana town. It's set in a world where vampires have "come out of the coffin" as they put it in the book and revealed their existence to the world because a synthetic blood has been invented so they no longer have to feed on humans (they still do, though). Anyway, interesting main character who is not a vampire, only telepathic, colorful characters throughout, AND they were written by a hugely fat Southern woman, and that just makes me feel good! It's called the Sookie Stackhouse series if you're interested. I think Niesa would really like them.

Sofie Metropolis by Tori Carrington

I read this mystery as part of the genre study we are doing at work. We had to read a type of mystery that we normally don't read. I never read P.I. novels and this one looked okay. Sofie Metropolis is from a large Greek family in Queens and has inadvertently started working for her Uncle Spyros' detective agency. She gets caught up in a mob-related, cheating spouse, murder case and in finding the missing dog of her mother's friend Mrs. K. The mystery really only takes up about 30% of this novel. The rest is concerned with Sofie's family and her love life. I enjoyed it, but I prefer more of a mystery and something a bit darker.

Finally Finished

I finished The Historian! It was pretty good. It was a bit anti-climactic. You read through like seven thousand pages of convoluted and overlapping plots for about 3 seconds worth of action and loose end tying and then POOF, it's over. Left me feeling unsatisfied. I am currently reading a blatantly bad Gothic novel called On the Edge of the Woods. It was the only book that came up when I typed in the word "Gothic" at my closest library. It reads like an R.L. Stine novel for young adults, but not as good. Ah well, it's the only thing I have to read at the moment so I will continue being amused when I'm not supposed to be until I can get something else from the library.

It just keeps going and going and going...

I'm STILL reading The Historian. It's finally starting to move at a somewhat faster pace but I've just already put so much time into it that I've kind of lost interest. I think the style of this book creates problems. 1) How do you tell people the plot of your book when there's 3 different timelines going on? I've tried to describe this book unsuccessfully several times. 2) It's like Heroes: when you're trying to advance three different stories in flashes, it takes a LONG time to make any of them go anywhere. 3) I've been reading it so long with so little progress in the stories that I'm just done. I don't know if I'll ever finish it! I will. It might just take a while.

What Southern Women Know About Flirting by Ronda Rich

This is one of my favorite books dealing with charm. I've read it 3 times now and could probably read it again and learn something new. Ronda Rich is a Southern woman who exudes graciousness, charm and kindness. I am definitely NOT a natural flirt and some of her suggestions would be terribly hard for me to even try, but she makes them seem fun and easy. Hopefully, I can learn something from her advice and become a great social flirt. Her advice might be hard for modern women to swallow, but I believe she knows her stuff. She gives tons of examples of how flirting (with men AND women) led her to get better flights, hotel rooms and restaurant service. It would be worth your time, married or single, to read this book.

Day at the Ballpark

I spent the afternoon at Phoenix Municipal Stadium with my dad watching the Dodgers (see all the blue?) vs. White Sox. It was heavenly! I will aggressively root against the Dodgers when the season starts, but it was fun to see them in action today. Brad Penny pitched and Russell Martin, Andre Ethier, Rafael Furcal and Andruw Jones all started the game and played nine innings. I just love the baseball atmosphere and had a great time today.

The Power of Charm

I read this short book by Brian Tracy and Ron Arden last night. According to the authors charm is a learned skill and they give tips on how to effectively communicate with anyone. The tips are sensible and definitely doable and don't advocate anything that would make you feel stupid or uncomfortable. I enjoyed this little gem and might even read it again.

Gothic

Anbo, I read your blog about your love for Gothic novels and decided to give it a try. I read Thirteen Tales, and I really enjoyed it. It was a thoroughly engrossing read and it was vivid enough that imagining the people and settings came naturally without being so descriptive you forgot what was being described in the first place. The library didn't have Fingersmith, so I checked out Sarah Waters' Night Watch, which is most decidedly NOT Gothic, so I just stopped reading it. I have the Historian and plan to start reading it tonight. I'll let you know what I think.

It's Almost Here!

Baseball season, that is. I am so excited I can hardly wait. Most of my reading lately has been fantasy baseball sites, doing research for Yahoo fantasy baseball. My draft will be next week, I believe. I must get good pitching this year or I am doomed. I know this is off-topic, but if there is a reason I'm not posting, this is it. Go D-backs!

This one's for you Anbo :)

I'm actually posting! Read a book titled Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughn that I really liked. It's about a country at war and it's princess who studies medicine and treats the injured enemy prisoners. When her country is forced to surrender, she is claimed by the barbarian warlord that defeated them as the warprize. My description makes it sound like some cheesy romance and, of course, she and the warlord do fall in love but it was actually a really enjoyable read. I guess this is the first book in a series so I'll have to check the others out.

That Teenage Feeling

This week I've been pondering my reading history and realized with a shock and a bit of pride that I was a great reader as a teen. My teen years were when I embarked on the most ambitious and challenging reading of my life. I read more classics of fiction, history and philosophy than at any other time. Not even in college did I read so well. I truly educated myself and laid a great foundation for all the reading to come. Why can't I do that now? I think my avid curiosity still lives, but laziness has nearly completely taken over. In order to return to those great reading years, I've decided to watch less TV and spend less time on the Internet. I'm embarrassed by my lack of knowledge on many subjects and now is as good a time as any to remedy that situation.

Genre Study

At my library we're starting a genre study to help us learn more about different authors and genres we may not be familiar with. I'd like to extend the challenge to you! For April we'll be reading and studying mysteries. This is your chance to read something you've never explored before. I'll post more later on the sub-genres of mysteries and authors you may want to consider reading if you take the challenge.

The Hanging Valley by Peter Robinson

The Hanging Valley is the fourth novel in the Chief Inspector Alan Banks series. Peter Robinson is one of my favorite mystery authors, but I find these early novels a bit plodding. And I can't help but miss the druggies, thieves and con-men of Rebus' Edinburgh. However, the country setting is a nice change. This particular mystery takes place in Swainsdale where a decomposing body has been found. The police suspect he is a hiker as he is found in the hanging valley where walkers frequently visit . Interrogating the townspeople leads them no where and it is only when a forensic odontologist is called in that they discover the victim is a college professor who lives in Toronto. The unique feature of The Hanging Valley is that Banks is permitted to go to Toronto to investigate for a short part of the novel. I don't know much about the city, but this novel makes it sound charming. Anyway, Banks learns that several people in Swainsdale have secrets and the professor knew them all. A bit of an unsatisfying ending, but in the end a good read.

Green Again

The brown was too blah. I think the original green is fresh and pretty.

Poll

The library I work for is considering merging all of our genres into one large fiction section. We currently have them split into fiction, mystery, romance, science fiction and westerns. I personally like them separated, but I'm curious to see what others prefer. Please take my survey to the right and give me your opinion!

A Gothic Kind of Girl

I really dig gothic literature. I'm currently reading Fingersmith by Sarah Waters which is deliciously gothic. Wondering what gothic is? According to Wikipedia gothic novels contain elements of "terror (both psychological and physical), mystery, the supernatural, ghosts, haunted houses and Gothic architecture, castles, darkness, death, decay, doubles, madness, secrets and hereditary curses". Sounds good, doesn't it? Recent gothic novels I've also enjoyed are The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and The Historian (which I haven't quite finished yet) by Elizabeth Kostova.

This is kind of random

Okay, this really doesn't have anything to do with books, but on Without a Trace they have a new detective. It's Spike from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show!
P.S. Anbo, whenever that happens to me I read super easy kid books, like the old John Bellairs series. Sometimes I just need something that is enjoyable and doesn't deal with heavy life issues. Or big words!

Kinda Bored

The past couple of days I've been bored by reading. Nothing is sparking my interest and everything I pick up is unsatisfying. Does anyone have any tricks to get out of this funk? Or do our brains just need a break from reading sometimes?

Try This Blog

If you are looking for a witty and knowledgeable read all about grammar and editing try Editrix. My friend Stacey writes this and though I don't know much about punctuation myself I've enjoyed reading her opinions.

Recent Reads

Wednesday's Child by Peter Robinson -- An engrossing, interesting mystery featuring Alan Banks, one of my favorite police detectives. A little girl is kidnapped and days later a man is found brutally murdered at an old mill. Are the cases connected? And can they stop the killer and find the girl before it is too late?

The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond -- I had high hopes for this novel. The premise is intriguing. Emma disappears (I'm sensing a theme) on the beach in San Francisco while her father's girlfriend Abby is watching her. How does Abby cope with the guilt? The plot centers on Abby's search for Emma and her desperate need to remember what happened that day. Though it sounds irresistible, I found this novel to be mediocre. Abby is too whiny and needy and yuppie. The main character of this book is the city of San Francisco itself. The author's obvious love for the place sometimes overshadowed the progression of the plot.

Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson -- I really don't have the words to describe this novel. It in unlike anything I have ever read. Set in Fingerbone, a town in Idaho dominated by water, it traces the history of a unusual family of women. The water theme is oppressive and dominating and reading this felt like drowning.

Mail

Today I received Fingersmith by Sarah Waters and The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett.

The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks

I normally don't like any science fiction type books, but this was more of an action-adventure novel with science fiction elements. Maya is a Harlequin, one of a group of trained warriors who protect Travelers. Travelers can leave their bodies and visit different realms. The Brethren want to kill the Travelers because they want a controlled society where everyone behaves because they are being watched all the time. It's believed that there are no Travelers left in the world until Michael and Gabriel Corrigan are discovered living in Los Angeles. The plot revolves around Maya's efforts to save them from the Brethren and protect herself from being killed. I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced adventure of this novel. The Big Brother elements are tinged with reality and make the plot believable. If you're looking for an absorbing novel that doesn't really have a lot of character development you should try this.

Interesting Blog Post

Today I read a blog post by novelist Susan Hill that addresses Sybil's concerns. It is here. Maybe this will help us understand a bit more about why authors choose to write about unhappiness and depravity.

What I (don't) Love About Books

I was thinking about this just today as I've had this particular problem with the last two books I've read. What is up with the uneven pages? I know it's supposed to be novel and old fashion-y looking, but it just makes the pages darn hard to turn! I read a P.D. James mystery novel a la Adam Dalgliesh. I love mystery novels and hers was pretty clean besides everyone being incestuous, gay, or a sexual pervert. At least she didn't really describe their activities in detail. I am currently reading a book called The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay. I don't know how I feel about it. Why is it that sexuality is such a pervasive theme? I've been thinking about this as I've been reading a lot and it seems every book mentions something if not many somethings about the sexuality of the characters. Which brings me to this question: Is sexuality a valid aspect of character development? Or is it just sensationalist fluff? As a woman who has recently had an infant ripped from my womb after many long, painful, and unsuccessful hours of labor and who currently has no interest in sex, it seems largely the latter. It just frustrates me that as human beings with pre-frontal cortexes (what is the plural for this word?) in the 21st century, we choose to dwell on and magnify something that does NOT separate us from the animals. And I think it is especially hypocritical in a world that tells us sexuality does not define a person. The argument could be that it is part of everyday life for the character, but so is peeing and pooping, and I do not see that included in many novels. Just some points for pondering. Hope this is not too risque for our little circle of readers, Anbo.

Happy Valentine's Day

I Love Paperbacks

For some reason I only want to read paperbacks lately. I just love how you can squish them and fold them and how soft they are. I just can't read hardbacks right now and so have been scouring the book sale at the library every day for new paperbacks to buy. This limits my choices a bit, which is probably a good thing as I can't limit myself when it comes to reading. In honor of Valentine's Day tomorrow, what are you loving about books lately?

This has nothing to do with reading, but it reminds me of our fun (and cold) weekend and it is a pretty picture.

Mail

I received two books in the mail today. They are Bleak House by Charles Dickens and I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.

Welcome!

Yay! Fobo has joined us. It will be fun to read more of her reviews. I love hearing her talk about books.

Deadline

I recently read Deadline by Chris Crutcher. I really liked it. It dealt with some pretty heavy issues without being overly serious. I liked the main character as he was always trying to take care of others and spare them the knowledge of his death while having to pack everything he wanted to do into his Senior year of high school. I also liked how you never really felt sorry for him because he was so determined to make the most of the time he had left. It made me reevaluate how I think of people, even racists, bullies, and molesters, if you can believe it. A real tear jerker.

Masterpiece Classic Update

I realized that I've never given my thoughts on Northanger Abbey or Mansfield Park on Masterpiece Classic. Well... I liked them both. Much, MUCH better than Persuasion. I know most people don't like Northanger Abbey, but I enjoy it. It was the first novel that Jane wrote and was published after her death. It is light-hearted and buoyant in a way her other novels aren't.
Mansfield Park, along with Emma, are my two least favorite Austens, but I always like Mansfield Park better on film. The actress who played Fanny was not exactly my idea of the character, but she ended up doing a fabulous job.
Now this Sunday we're on to the 1995 Pride and Prejudice that made every woman in the world fall in love with Colin Firth.

No More Reviews

I've decided I'm not going to call my thoughts about books "reviews" any longer. Because they aren't really reviews. I am in no way a critic. I was an English major, but those days are very much over. I don't really like looking at a book in a purely critical manner. So I'm just going to give you my impressions of books I've read, which is what I've been doing anyway.

Review: Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield

How I loved this book! Rob Sheffield is a music journalist who works for Rolling Stone. In his early twenties he was a grad student in Virginia when he met and fell for Renee, who shares his love of music. Renee sounds like an awesome woman, the kind we all want for our best friend. She loves life, people, music and, I was thrilled to read, baseball. Their relationship quickly progresses and they marry. They are together for five years when Renee suddenly dies and Rob is left a widower (a word he doesn't like). A major theme of their relationship is their love of music and the mix tapes they make for each other. Most of the music mentioned is from the early 90's when I was in my late teens and early twenties. Rob's opinions of various bands and artists from this era are hilarious -- I nearly peed my pants laughing several times while reading this. This is a bittersweet and tragic tale of love and music and life told in a funny, thoughtful, endearing, and yes, truly romantic way. It is a perfect read for Valentine's Day and might inspire you to make a mix tape for your honey (although jewelry and chocolate are nice, too).

Blue Was Bugging

Okay, I changed it again. I kind of like the blah brown.

Better in Blue

It was time for a change and I think this blue looks great. I hope you don't mind -- what do you think of it?

Recently Read

You might have guessed that I don't review every book I've read, mostly because I don't feel like it. So here are a couple of books I've read recently that were very good, but did not inspire a review:

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert

Genres I Despise

I don't have much to write this week, but I can tell you that I hate Christian fiction, romances, most chick lit, best sellers, cozy mysteries and books where women "bond". Although, as in most things, there are always exceptions.

Pick of the Week

This week I recommend On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan. I didn't review it, but it is fantastic and you should read it.

Mail

Today I received a book in the mail that I mooched, Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell. I want to read this because Masterpiece Classic is going to show it in May, I think, and I'd like to see if the film lives up to the book.

Today's Purchases

Today I purchased four books from the Friends of the Library book sale.
1. Black Water by Kerstin Ekman
2. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
3. Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks
4. The Paris Review Book of ........

I can never resist the paperback sale cart at the library, even though I work there and could probably check all of these out and not have to spend a dime. But there is something about owning books that is very alluring.

Review: The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller

This novel is about sex. No, really, it is. It certainly isn't erotic or even very arousing, but there is A LOT of sex in this book and, in fact, the strange and unexpected ending revolves around a wife walking in on a sexual scene involving her disabled, elderly, long-estranged husband.
I love Sue Miller because she writes about real people and their inner lives and relationships. Everything is mundane, everyday, normal -- on the surface. But she digs deeper and reveals the bizarre workings of her character's minds and thoughts and how that affects their, in this case, marriages, and of course the sexual aspect of marriage.
Meri and Nathan are a newly married couple who have recently moved to the East Coast, where Nathan has secured a job as a professor. Their next door neighbor is Delia, the 70-ish wife of a former senator. The novel gives parallel accounts of the two marriages and how adultery, pregnancy and children shape and define the physical and emotional bonds between husband and wife. The star of the book is Delia who is a complex and fascinating character. I was engrossed from the beginning and experienced a variety of emotions while reading this novel: amusement, revulsion, outrage. In the end I applaud it as a fabulous character study and a very satisfying read.

Review: People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks is being hailed as the latest DaVinci Code-like novel to take readers by storm. It is 1996 and Hanna Heath, a rare-book conservator, has been commissioned to work on the Sarajevo Haggadah. A haggadah is a manuscript that is used at Passover to tell the story of the Exodus. The Sarajevo Haggadah is illuminated, which is rare, as Jews did not normally use likenesses in these manuscripts. The haggadah has recently been discovered again after disappearing from the national library during the Bosnian war. It was saved by a librarian, Ozren, who risked his life to spirit it out of the library during intense shelling. Hanna, a fiercely independent Australian, arrives in Sarajevo and spends a week documenting and conserving the haggadah before it is to be placed in a special exhibit at the museum. During her work, she discovers three items inside the book that she hopes will help her to discover its origin: a butterfly wing, a drop of salt water, and a single white hair. The remainder of the novel goes back and forth in time as we learn about the people who not only created the book, but who saved it. These tales are interspersed with the modern tale of Hanna discovering who her father is and her disintegrating relationship with her mother. I truly enjoyed this novel and think it is far superior to The DaVinci Code. It is not action-packed, nor very suspenseful, but as the title suggests, it is about people. Each small section of the historical record is compelling and riveting and made me want to know more about the characters and their fates. I heartily recommend it.

Persuasion

I finally watched the new version of Persuasion that aired on Masterpiece Classic and I have to say... it isn't very good. The acting was blah, the story was too rushed and the romance and sense of anticipation that you feel while reading the novel was extremely lacking. I was a bit disappointed. I hope Northanger Abbey turns out better. On a side note: I kept staring at Mr. Elliot and desperately racking my brains to figure out where I had seen him before. It finally came to me -- he was Giles from Buffy!!

Jane Austen Bumped

The new Masterpiece Classic series began on PBS on Sunday evening with a showing of Persuasion. I've Tivo'd it, but I'm not sure when I can get to it as I am thoroughly engrossed in the Australian Open this week. This is one of my favorite tennis tournaments if only because it is on in the evenings --it being the next day in Australia --and I can watch tons of matches. So, I probably won't find time to watch Persuasion until this weekend. And Sunday, I will Tivo Northanger Abbey. So exciting! I love having things to look forward to.

Bibliotherapy

Because I've been sick for over a week now and was feeling crummy and irritated yesterday, I decided to go to Barnes & Noble and buy some classic novels I've been wanting to read. I picked up Emma by Jane Austen, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell, Middlemarch by George Eliot and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. They are all very pretty and smell like heaven. I love new books -- why don't I buy them more often?

Review: Party of the Century by Deborah Davis

I read Party of the Century while I was sick in bed over last weekend. I heard about it on an episode of Barefoot Contessa. Ina Garten had the author, Deborah Davis, for dinner and prepared a meal that included chicken hash, which is what was served at Truman Capote's famous Black & White ball held in November 1966. I enjoyed reading about the preparations for the ball and about Capote's relationship with his "swans" -- several beautiful, rich women whom he socialized with, including Babe Paley, Gloria Guiness and C.Z. Guest. This is a nice, fluffy read that gives an insight into high society in the 60's and how Capote helped usher in the new era of "publi-ciety". I'd recommend this for a day spent bundled up with the flu or for a flight.

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2008! Does anyone have any reading goals for this new year? I haven't really formulated any yet except that I'd like to read more classics, especially Victorian fiction, and I'd also like to read all of the Adam Dagliesh novels by P D James. Other than that, I've discovered I just like to see where life takes me in my reading adventures. It is hard for me to commit to reading challenges because my moods and tastes vary daily, if not hourly. I definitely want to read MORE this year and more quality books. I feel that 2007 wasn't my best reading year -- I was too ambitious and it made me crabby when I didn't fulfill my goals. I hope everyone has a fantastic year of reading ahead!

Changes at PBS

I was excited to read of some huge changes coming to Masterpiece Theater. I have loved this program since I was a teenager when it helped fuel my still existing Anglophilia. I am really looking forward to their new format and to new hosts.

Review: The Murder Room by P D James

The Murder Room centers around the Dupayne Museum, a fictional place that sits on the edge of Hampstead Heath in London. The Museum is devoted to chronicling the inter war years and features a room that displays information about famous murders during the 20's and 30's. As the mystery opens, the museum is in jeopardy of being closed as Neville Dupayne, one of the trustees of the museum, refuses to sign a new contract to keep the museum open. His siblings, Caroline and Marcus, try to persuade him to change his mind -- the next day Neville is burned to death inside a garage on the museum grounds. Adam Dagliesh and his Special Investigative unit are brought into the case because one of the museum employees works for MI5. As they investigate the various motives and suspects another murder is discovered; a young girl is found stuffed into a trunk in the murder room. She's been strangled and it's determined that she was killed on the same day as Neville Dupayne and probably by the same killer. Lending an aura of distaste to the investigation is the discovery that Caroline Dupayne runs a sex club out of her flat at the museum. Are the murders tied into the activities of the club? The conclusion of the mystery is very dramatic, with one of the witnesses being nearly murdered, but it falls flat in the motive. There was no background leading up to why someone would murder Neville and it was disappointing. The real ending of the book is in a very romantic love scene at a train station for Dalgleish and his love, Emma. At least that was satisfying. As usual, this James novel is very good on characterization and drama; not so good on the mystery. But, I love her writing and will continue to try to read all of her novels. Happy New Year!

P D James-aholic

So, lately I've been obsessed with P D James, the octogenarian British mystery author. I am currently reading The Murder Room and have 4 of her other books being sent to me through Bookmooch. Her writing is elegant, character-driven and efficient, which is not common for a mystery novel. And of course, the characters are British. Although he doesn't quite measure up to my beloved Rebus, Adam Dalgliesh is one of my favorite literary detectives. If you are looking for something that requires care and attention to digest try James. Not fast-paced in any way, you will be rewarded with rich characterization and delicious writing.

Yes, I am Reading

I am still here, just busy. I have finished a couple of books since I last posted: Election by Tom Perrotta and The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike. I am currently reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, which I LOVE. I will write more later.

My Solution

So, I have been in a reading funk the past couple of weeks. After reading 7 or 8 novels in September I've stalled and can't find anything interesting. But I think I've found a solution: young adult novels. It seems I only ever turn to the YA section when adult literature fails me. I checked out a couple of novels yesterday and put a few more on hold. Hopefully, they will cure my reading malaise.

Review: Songs Without Words by Ann Packer

I was very excited to get this novel because I loved Packer's first book, The Dive From Clausen's Pier. Sadly, I found Songs Without Words to be depressing, whiny and a waste of time. Set in the Bay Area it centers on two best friends Liz and Sarabeth. Both in their 40's, Liz is a yuppie mom of two while Sarabeth is a career-less single. When Liz's daughter Lauren tries to commit suicide, their worlds and their friendship falls apart. I read most of this on an afternoon off from work and finished feeling depressed, discouraged and sick to my stomach. Because of this, I can't recommend this book at all. I'm not asking for sunshine and roses, but this novel plunges the reader into a scary and dark place where, really, I feel no one needs to go

Busy

Sorry, I haven't posted in a while. This week has been busy. I worked all last weekend and have worked 2 nights this week. I am completely off my regular schedule. I have 2 reviews to post and will try to do that tonight. Happy reading!

Review: The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill

The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill is my favorite type of British mystery. It is much like a P.D. James or Ruth Rendell novel. Set in a cathedral town it centers on the disappearance of two local women, who disappear while walking on The Hill, which looms over the city. There is no evidence that they've been harmed, but DS Freya Graffham has a feeling that they are dead and convinces her boss, DCI Simon Serailler to let her investigate. Simon is a mysterious loner who Freya immediately falls in love with. Meanwhile, Simon's sister Dr. Cat Deerbon is trying to stop quack new age doctors from "treating" people in the town. These various plot lines seem to be traveling down different roads and, indeed, in the end they don't really converge. But they all overlap in some way and make for an interesting and engaging thriller that has a knack for making the characters come alive. I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of the second novel in the series.

Cool Website

Keep track of your favorite authors or just look to see what authors are appearing near you at BookTour.

Review: Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli is the much-awaited sequel to the fabulous young adult novel, Stargirl. I listened to Stargirl about 2 years ago and loved it, so was very excited to hear about this continuation. This novel is written as a series of letters from Stargirl to Leo, her former boyfriend in Arizona. Stargirl now lives with her parents in Pennsylvania and is home schooled, lonely and longing for Leo. When the novel began I was a bit startled by how like a normal teenage girl Stargirl was sounding, pining after Leo. After a while though, I really appreciated how much more mature Stargirl is in this novel. Though she still has kooky ideas and says kooky things, she is struggling in this novel to be the girl she once was. Her best friends are a 6 year old named Dootsie and Betty Lou, an agoraphobic divorcee. Throughout the year Stargirl befriends a tomboy named Alvina, a complex boy named Perry and various other characters in town. Through it all she realizes that she still loves Leo, but can have a normal and fulfilling life without him near. The climax of the book comes when Stargirl hosts a solstice party which brings all of her friends and neighbors together to watch the sun rise on December 21. The ending, when she hears from Leo, is sweet and satisfying. I really enjoyed Love, Stargirl and am so happy that Jerry Spinelli decided to write this lovely sequel.

Books I Don't Want to Read

For some reason, I never want to read the books everyone is reading and raving about. I don't know if it is a rebellious streak in me or if the books truly don't appeal. One of those books is The Kite Runner. Another is The Memory Keeper's Daughter. I've heard nothing but good about these novels, yet something in me resists giving in. I also am dead-set against reading any James Patterson or Janet Evanovich books. I know some of it has to do with appeal on these. When I open a novel and all I see is dialogue I am immediately turned off. I like some narrative meat in my reading sandwich. Sometimes I feel this makes me a bad librarian, but I think I can understand the appeal of the popular novels without reading them myself. One day I will probably cave in and read The Kite Runner, but I'm sorry Janet Evanovich, your books will never be read by me.

Review: Forgive Me by Amanda Eyre Ward

Nadine Morgan is a 35 year old journalist who travels to all the danger spots in the world reporting on revolutions and uprisings. As Forgive Me opens she is beaten up by Mexican drug runners in Chiapas and is recuperating with her dad and his girlfriend at their motel on Cape Cod. Nadine has erected many emotional walls to protect herself from attachment and commitment. She doesn't even communicate very well with her father or her best friend. She does form a relationship with her doctor, Hank, and spends Christmas with him at his house on Nantucket. But when Hank brings her a local newspaper and she reads a story about South Africa she immediately buys a ticket and heads to Johannesburg and her past. As a young reporter Nadine had lived in South Africa and reported on the murder of an American teacher, Jason Irving, by ANC members. Jason's parents are on the same flight with Nadine and refuse to give her an interview. Once in SA Nadine confronts her past and reflects on her lover, Maxim's, murder, her relationship with Thola, the sister of the girl who murdered Jason, and the nature of forgiveness as she attends hearings to free Thola's sister. The entire novel reflects on forgiveness and reconciling past injustices and regrets. Nadine is a complex and mysterious character and we're never sure if she will forgive others or herself. Reading about the atrocities of apartheid and the efforts of an entire country to forgive is fascinating and an interesting backdrop to Nadine's personal struggles. I enjoyed this novel and was compelled to discover what path Nadine would take. Will she continue in her solitary life as a journalist or return to Hank and life as a doctor's wife? Interspersed throughout the novel are diary entries written by a boy we think at first is Jason, but come to realize is Nadine's future son. This aspect of the novel was a bit confusing to me, but overall it doesn't deter from the powerful message of forgiveness the novel explores.

Fun Quiz

Take the Quiz here!

Another Cool Book Challenge

I think I am going to try the Book Around the World Challenge.

Review: The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson

The End of the Alphabet is a slim, yet moving account of a marriage and a life at its end. Ambrose Zephyr is a contently married advertising executive in London when he finds out that he is dying of a mysterious disease. He has only 30 days to live. With his remaining time, he decides to fulfill a childhood wish to visit places whose names begin with every letter of the alphabet. He and his wife Zipper go to Amsterdam, Berlin, etc. By the time they get to the letter J Zipper convinces Ambrose to go to Paris instead and by this time his health is so poor that they make their way back home. There Ambrose spends his remaining days. In a very economical way, Richardson conveys the emotions that exist when a partner is lost and the awkwardness of imminent death. If you have a spare afternoon and want to read a quietly sad, yet uplifting, book, this is the one for you.

New Name

In honor of Kyla joining our blog, I've renamed us "Cousins Read". Our web address can't change, though -- blogger won't let me change it. Welcome, Kyla!

Finally! Review: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

I finally finished!! I don't know what it is about Stephenie Meyer, but one minute I love her and the next I despise her. I shouldn't say her; I despise her writing and her characters. Eclipse opens with Bella about to graduate from high school. She is still being chased by Victoria and the Volturi are a possible threat. She fully expects to be changed into a vampire after graduation, but Edward decides that he will only change her if she marries him. Bella is dead-set against marriage and they try to manipulate each other back and forth into getting what they want. Also, Jacob is mooning after Bella and being an all-around jerk about it. There is a serial killer loose in Seattle and they all finally realize that it is a pack of new vampires who have been created by Victoria to destroy the Cullens and Bella. The Cullens team-up with Jacob's wolf pack to stop them and amidst all of this drama Bella has a major make-out session with Jacob and realizes she loves him. Very annoying. In the end, Bella chooses who she will stay with, but there is still a possibility she will end up with the other. These novels are so gag-me a lot of the time and I hate that Bella is so weak and always being nurtured by everyone, but the story is compelling enough to keep me coming back for more. I will definitely read the 4th and last in the series when it is published next year.

First Book

For my first award winning book for the challenge below I've chosen The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox. It won the Newbery award in 1974, the year I was born.

Book Challenge

I just read about the Book Awards Reading Challenge that I think I will try. The gist of the challenge is to read 12 award winning books before June 30, 2008. Here is a list of different literary awards to choose from. I'll update you on my progress.

Review: Bloodline by Fiona Mountain

Bloodline by Fiona Mountain is set in the Cotswolds of England and begins when young genealogist Natasha Blake is hired to compile a family history for Charles Seagrove, a secretive elderly man. The history turns out to be a history of his granddaughter's fiance's family. Later, when Seagrove is found shot to death Natasha realizes that her work for him may have gotten him killed. She continues to investigate and discovers that Seagrove had a sinister affiliation with the Nazis during WWII and that he was highly interested in eugenics. This interesting plot is somewhat bogged down in the end and too many different characters make the book confusing. I enjoyed it, but the plot could have been tighter. I would read another of these as I really like the Natasha character and find the genealogy fascinating.

Great Austen News

January is going to be my favorite month. I recently read that PBS is showing new adaptations of the Jane Austen books Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion that month. It will be so nice to curl up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa and watch these . Now, I do love the movie versions of the last two, but I am always willing to watch new Jane Austen adaptations. They will also show her biopic. I can't wait!

Poetry Kick

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall

I've been on a poetry kick lately. Longfellow is still one of my favorites. I love that he acknowledges sorrow and hardship but remains hopeful. For the most part, I'm uplifted after partaking. I like to read poetry when life is busy cuz it's easy to put down. With novels, I get so involved in the story, I just want to read and read and read until I'm done.

Still Reading Eclipse

I have it for only another week, though, so I need to get cracking. I enjoy Stephenie Meyer's work, but her over-the-top, emotionally charged hormone fest sometimes gets to me. I can see why the teenage girls like it. I am also reading a really good mystery called Bloodlines by Fiona Mountain. It is an "Ancestor Detective" mystery. The main character, Natasha Blake, is a young genealogist working out of the Cotswolds. I'm almost finished -- I'll let you know what I think.

Currently Reading

I am currently reading Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. The Bella and Edward saga continues. What are you reading?

Review: The Ruins by Scott Smith

I hated this book. It consumed my entire week and was the only thing I read besides the latest fashion magazines. I stayed home to read it. I thought about it before going to bed. I told everyone at work about it. In the end, I felt like throwing it across the living room.
The Ruins opens in Cancun and introduces us to two couples who've just graduated from college and are in Mexico as a last fling before starting jobs and grad school. Eric and Stacy and Jeff and Amy meet several other foreign tourists; three Greek guys and a German named Mathias. Mathias' brother has disappeared into the jungle and left him a crudely drawn map of where he is. Mathias decides to go find his brother and Jeff volunteers himself, Eric, Stacy, and Amy to go with him. As they are all getting ready to leave, one of the Greeks whom they know as Pablo, arrives and wants to tag along. The group rides a bus to a distant town and then takes a cab into the dusty jungle. Trying to follow the map, they walk for several miles before coming upon a Mayan village. No one in the village will acknowledge their presence and so they turn around and start walking back to the road. Shortly after leaving, though, they find a concealed path that they are sure leads them to the archaeological dig where Mathias' brother is supposed to be. They come upon a hill covered with tangled green vines with bright red flowers in the middle of a strange clearing. Standing at the base of the hill they are startled to see several of the Mayans charging toward them with weapons. They are forced to climb the hill and quickly realize that the Mayans have surrounded the hill and trapped them there. The reason for this slowly unfolds over the next two days. I won't say why they are there in case you ever want to read this, but I will say that the sense of drama and foreboding is extremely realistic. The author has perfect timing and knows how to keep the reader hooked on his every word. I couldn't stop reading this and was thoroughly engaged with the story. However, I felt cheated at the end. It is a great story told by an excellent author, but caused great irritation in its conclusion.

What I Am Reading

I am reading several different books at the moment. Here is a list:

> The Ruins by Scott Smith
> The Brambles by Eliza Minot
> The Dead Hour by Denise Mina
> A Question of Blood by Ian Rankin
> Front Row, Anna Wintour by Jerry Oppenheimer

I am excited by these books and intend to finish all of them. I currently have 34 holds at the library so it looks like it will be a busy fall reading season for me. One of the books I am most anxious to get is New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. As you know, I loved Twilight and have heard that New Moon is just as good and is a satisfying sequel. I think it comes out next week -- I am seriously considering buying it instead of waiting to get it from the library. I will try to review as many of the above as I can. I think it is good practice for me and helps me to describe them to patrons.