Black Moon

This book came to me in one of my favorite ways, it just stared me down on the new release shelf at the library. I kept looking, then walking away. Finally, I picked it up and read the inside sleeve:

"Insomnia has claimed everyone Biggs know. Even his beloved wife, Carolyn, has succumbed..." What the heck is going on here? I internally bellowed, then moved to another area of the library, further in the back.

I grabbed a bit of light reading off the shelf, knowing it had come time to read something light to balance some of the other stuff I've read recently. As I got back to the front of the library, it stared me down again, again I opened the flap and read further:
"He ventures into a world ransacked by mass confusion and desperation, where he meets others struggling against the tide of sleeplessness..." I continued to read, placed the book back on the shelf, took two steps toward the circulation desk and then went back and grabbed it. I don't know if it was the eye on the cover, the unique concept I saw on the inside cover or some mysterious aura - regardless, I felt compelled to give this book a go.

What I loved most about this book is that it does not suffer from what so much of what has flooded the book and especially the film world in the last few years - an amazing lack of originality. The originality concept alone grabbed my attention and even held if for the most part. I made a point of not reading any other reviews of this book until I finished it and I am glad that I did so.

I agree with some of what's been said, it's not perfect - but really, who the heck am I to make such a claim? In the end, there was never a time I didn't want to see this story to it's end and while I wish I were somewhat more fulfilled at the end, I still feel like the originality was enough to keep me interested throughout.

There came a point where I started to see this book as an alternate take on the all to common, especially in the current mainstream, zombie story and it turns out, others saw this as well. For me, zombies are so over done, I have zero interest in anything to do with them but this book really is much more than any of that. One of the key elements that makes this story interesting is that as far out as the underlying concept of insomnia as an epidemic may be, as it is depicted in Black Moon, it feels to me like something that could really happen and that, adds just the right amount of terrifying to the already interesting.

The back flab bio of the author, Kenneth Calhoun, indicates he is from my neck of the woods and teaches as a college just a hop, skip and a jump from where I work. A fine first novel worthy of a read in my all too humble opinion.

It's been awhile since I read a novel from start to finish. Actually, that's a lie. The problem is, now that I've sort of switched to e-books (don't kill me), I kind of forget which books I read or that I read books at all. I guess the physical act of turning every page from one to finish really does have more of a lasting impression. Anyway, I see that my friend, Chris, has basically been carrying this blog for a long, LONG time, so I figured it's time I threw in my *cough* yearly *cough* submission.

For awhile now, I've heard of this book. Apparently it's all the rage with preteens and teens alike. I actually really like young adult literature. It's a not so well-kept secret that I would love to write a book for that age range one day. So I try to read what my students are reading so that I can kind of keep up with the whole "cool teacher" vibe. It's nice to have a discussion with my students that doesn't involve math equations or the "why aren't you doing your homework" tone.

So, enter Divergent. According to the youngin's who have recommended it, it was "better than The Hunger Games." Hmmm. This I've gotta see.

It took me awhile to read this. A lot of stop and go, but I was determined (and, quite honestly, forced) to finish it.

Well, it's definitely in the same realm as Hunger Games. I don't know if I would say it's better or worse. Just different. It's got the same idea in the sense that it's in the future and the city is divided up into factions where you are born into and then chosen for one (based on strengths) when you turn 16. You could either choose to stay in the faction you already occupy, or you could change it all together whereby you essentially disown your family and vice versa.

Of course, with every sci-fi(ish) novel, there has to be turmoil and corruption somewhere along the lines for it to work. Well, one of the factions (not telling which one -- okay, I can't remember which one) is plotting to basically pull a Hitler on another faction until the heroin of the book, Beatrice "Tris", saves what could've been a bigger disaster than one that already played out (and took the lives of both her parents).

Tris is divergent which means she doesn't really belong to one faction, but has the quality of many. Apparently, this is a very dangerous thing to be and could get her killed if people (the wrong people) find out about it. Book one of the series (there are three) ends in a way that would obviously lead to book two, so no resolution is in sight.

If you like young adult novels and you like sci-fi and you like The Hunger Games, then chances are you'll like this book. I haven't watched the movie yet, but will probably catch it when it comes out on DVD.

The 8th Confession

The eighth installment of "The Women's Murder Club" series (which as of this writing is now on book 13), did it's job for me - it provided a quick read, with familiar, yet interesting characters, had a story that held my interest, and served as a nice pallet cleanser for a few deeper reads of late.

I am pretty certain that in a review of an earlier book from this series I professed my crush on main character "Lindsay Boxer", I may even have mentioned the briefly lived TV series based on this group of characters and stories. It had been a long time since I read #7 so I guess partly that length of time along with the timing, added to my enjoyment of this book.

At it's core, you have a murder mystery, there's, as their often times is, a b-story, in this case, another murder mystery. Add the lives of the 4 main female characters, and the back drop of San Francisco - and there you have it.

I've had my issue with Patterson of late, in the grand scheme of things, I've read about half of his work - 50 something books thus far and in some instances, the stories seem boiler plate and diluted. This book held my interest and was not a waste of time.

I just read everything I wrote here a realize two things, it's a bit disjointed and more of me convincing you that this book wasn't bad rather than say how good it was and I guess that's just where I am with Patterson. There are some really great books of his that I've read, a few that really were a waste of time - this was a good one; somewhere above the middle of that spectrum.

Mortal Fear by Greg Iles

As I closed the book after finishing it yesterday, I began to simply stare at it and repeatedly kept saying, "WOW!" My daughter was intrigued enough to inquire, so I chatted with her about how great this book is.

Folks, I've read a good number of books, certainly enough to know be able to say that writers like Greg Iles are very few and far between. Not taking anything away from some of the greats that we all know and love butthis guy really is something special, this is the second book of this that I read and both just blew me away.

You can read the synopsis out there on any of the book sites if you want to know more about the story, which is wonderful! I can tell you that because this book was written in the late 90's, there are a number of dated references, but that does no detract in any way form the character development, the imagery or the story line and incredible pace.

Folks, this is as good a book as I have ever read. I wish I was able to find a large print version to ease the middle aged eyes but every squint was worth it. WOW!!!

Blood Memory

If you love to read and are looking for a great book, forget the rest of this review and just go get this book and have at it! WOW! What a fabulous piece of writing. I have not read a book so well written in quite some time. A colleague mentioned this author stating that "his work is hard to stop reading" and having claimed to call in sick one day just so she can finish one of his books. I thought that was insane when I heard it but at several points I had to think twice about going to work in favor of just staying at home and reading; it's just that good.

This book revolves around the life of one Catherine "Cat" Ferry who works as a "forensic odontologist" (she knows a lot about teeth and bite marks) and has about as much drama in her life as one can as her work takes her "into the minds of rapists and murderers", reminders of her past haunt her and along with her love of Vodka and her controversial personal life, push her to the brink when she suffers a dramatic panic attack at a crime scene. This turn of events leads to a trip to her childhood home where she stumbles upon a decades old clue into her father's death when she was just a young girl. From there, wow...how one can come up with such a story and tell it with such amazing clarity - this book is truly a work of art.

I will say that it is not for the faint of heart, there are some serious issues dealt with in this book, especially those related to child abuse. However, Isles approaches the subject matter in a careful, sensitive, and extremely well researched manner. So looking forward to the next time I read one of his books. WOW!

The Good Guy

It's been a few years since I read a Koontz book. While at the library on Sunday, I came across the Koontz selections and decided it was time, I looked for one that was not part of any "series" and something struck me about this cover - so I grabbed it.

For those of you who may hold Koontz in a "horror/fiction" box, this book (many others as well) does not fit in that category or box. This is a thriller and thrill it did.

Tim Carrier, a seemingly simple mason stops by his favorite watering hole for a beer after a long day's work and in no time, his life become a circumstance of being in that place he was so many times before but at that particular moment in time.

What happens next takes you through 95% of the story and it's a wild combination of running for your life as Carrier attempts to preserve the life of a stranger and when the story ends, we learn more about Tim and the unusual circumstances that triggered the whole thing.

Earlier this morning, I was at the point where I had 30 pages left and was literally on the edge of my seat. I had to pause because I wanted to preserve the feeling I had. You know, the feeling when you are reading a great book that you just want to last. But of course, I also wanted to finish it, to see how it all comes to an end and feel what I am left with. I decided to pack it up, head off to work early and finish it at the office, This way, I was able to savor the anticipation. In the end, it did not disappoint!

I really loved this book, there was something about the characters that I was able to relate it was just written so well. I highly recommend this.

Double Cross

As I read my way through this year and play catch up, I am also working my way through the James Patterson books, a difficult thing to keep up with considering how many he releases each year.

Double Cross is part of the "Alex Cross" series, Cross is a detective who has been in and out of the game on local and federal levels. Previously retired and in a private practice as a psychologist. Of course, Cross can't leave well enough alone and seems to have no regard for the impact his career has had on his family. Sucked back in, Cross encounters a familiar killer and another nut (actually band of nuts).

The book got off to a slow start but did begin to pick up around half way through but aside from not ending so great (in my opinion), I felt there were so many loose ends here that I can only attribute to what seems to be lazy writing and lack of attention to basic detail.

I've read a few of the books that came after this, and there are many - around 60 or so, which keeps me hopeful that Patterson has not run out of steam. However, this was the 10th and final release from 2007 and I question if perhaps he was less focused on quality control then quantity of output during this period.

I think there are too many other good books out there, including many by Patterson himself, for me to tell you this is worth the short investment in time it takes to read but whatever time it takes is time that could be spent in something really worth reading.

No glory holes in this book. 

Alice Clayton wrote one of the best-worst chic lit books that I've read in a long time.

And by worst I mean there is stuff in there that made me blush in a way that I hadn't since the 50 Shades series.

I feel like this book is The Bachelor meets San Francisco meets delusion. I don't know. I've lived in an apartment complex for a while now, and I haven't heard any wall banging (unless someone is literally drilling a hole to hang up a picture) and I haven't seen any hotties roaming the halls.

Maybe I should move.

Back to the book. There's the main character, Caroline, who moves into this amazing apartment courtesy of her boss. She's in the midst of getting unpacked and settled and ready for bed on her first night there, when she finds herself in an impromptu late night fight with her neighbour, who is a little busy and therefore blissfully unaware that an altercation is taking place at all. Of course there's moaning. Of course there's a wall involved. And banging. Hence the name of the book.

She realizes that the culprit is a hottie mctottie who is wall-banging not one, but three different women folk, all of different shapes and sizes (well done, Alice).

Of course they meet and of course they have a Harry Met Sally Met Ross and Rachel type of introduction. They are oh so witty and oh so hot for eachother. So, naturally, they remain friends, but there's lots of slipping of the Freud. Through this friendship courting, they learn a lot about each other and realize there are things that they like (i.e. she bakes him bread and he protects her after a night of watching scary movies). They end up falling in love and decide to try and make the jump from neighbour to friends to more than friends. He decides he doesn't want to have sister wives anymore (okay, he never did) and she decides that she can tame this bad boy. And of course, as is the case in real life (insert eye roll here), she totally changes his need to be with multiple women.

Despite all the cliches ... in all honesty, I was jealous of this made up story with this made up friendship turned hot and heavy romance. I was 50 Shades of green with envy. If you have a weekend to spare, read the book. It's quite cute and the banter in it is actually very easy to read and very witty.

And, Caroline's cat is named Clive, for God's sake. Also, did you check out that cover? Not that one should EVER judge a book by it's cover, but, um ... damn.

Room

The book “Room” was written by Emma Donoghue.

It’s a book that had me wanting to read it, but for some reason the jacket description wasn’t enough to make me want to purchase it. Also, the fact that it was a hard cover hindered me even more seeing as hard covers are usually more expensive and I had put myself on a strict book budget because my shelves runneth over. But my book club chose this book, which kind of gave me the green light to splurge on the hardcover (you know, since I had no choice – borrowing from the library is pretty much something I’m not willing to do).

As happy as I was to finally have a legit excuse to read this book, I’ve got to say that it took me awhile to get into it. I read the first twenty or so pages and then stopped reading it for a few weeks (also, life got in the way). The language was a little tough to wrap my, oh so intellectual, brain around. It dawned on me that this book was probably written in the voice of five-year old Jack when I read sentences such as, “Ma moves Bunny around real slow to better the picture with his ears and head,” or, “Ma does the hotting up on the two rings of Stove that go read, I’m not allowed touch the knobs because it’s Ma’s job to make sure there’s never a fire like in TV.” In translation? The first one reads, “Ma moves the antennae on the television around until the picture on the television is more clear,” and the second one reads, “Ma turns on the stove so we can cook our dinner.”

Like I said, it took me awhile to get used to this particular voice.

I do believe that telling this story in the voice of a five year old was a good choice. If you noticed in the two sentences above, there are some common nouns that are capitalized as if they were proper nouns. This is because Jack has almost, in a sense, humanized all the objects that were in this room in which he was born and raised. This room was all he knew. His mom (and Old Nick – the protagonist) were the only people he knew. That room and his mother were his life. He knew of nothing beyond that. So stove was not just an object; it was the proper name for the thing that “hots up” his food. Bunny didn’t just fix the picture on the television; it was a part of his life.

The gist of the story is that Old Nick is the person who abducts Jack’s mom. He hides her in this shed that he built specifically for someone he would keep prisoner. He takes her and eventually fathers two children with her (Jack and a stillbirth baby). He limits her world to four walls and a sky light. She tries to escape before Jack is born, but after Jack, her only tactic is survival. She is captured in this room for 7 years. To Jack, this room is his world. It’s all he knows. But to his mom, it is a prison cell. She keeps her spirits up for Jack and tries to make this be a regular life for him since this is her only option. Old Nick at least ensures that their basic needs are met.

Once Jack turns five, his mom starts telling him of the real world. She plots an escape with Jack as the hero. Fortunately, this five-year-old boy with no experience in the outside world pulls it off. The last half of the book is one where she becomes reacquainted with her old life and one where Jack needs to adjust to it.

This book continues to focus on Jack and his outlook on the situation. He finds himself missing Room as, in this (literally) big and scary world, it has become something of a security blanket for him. The book was well written (despite stupid me not realizing it was kid-speak at first). Emma Donoghue did a superb job at capturing all the raw emotion that one would definitely go through if placed in a situation such as this. It shows that in the end, Jack saved his mom … not the other way around. This book proves how strong and resilient one can be even if you don’t have a lot of experience with life. The human spirit is a tough one and it can overcome even the most horrific of events. If you believe in survival and making the most of what you have, then this book is for you.

This Charming Man

I bought this book last summer in Greece because I'm a sucker for chic literature and I needed something that I knew would be a page turner for me while I lazied about on the beach. I never did wind up reading it while in Greece, which is actually good for me because you know ... I WAS IN GREECE LAZYING IT UP ON THE BEACH AND I NEEDED TO SOAK IN THAT FACT.

Sorry, didn't mean to yell there.

I finally got around to reading the book this past week. I've been doing a lot of heavy reading lately and needed to give my brain a bit of a break and figured this read would be the perfect distraction.

This isn't the first book I've read by Marian Keyes. She has a tendency to really jam-pack her stories and this book was no exception; it's over 700 pages long. I really like her writing style. I just throw on my Irish accent (in my head -- like I'd embarrass myself by saying it out loud where people could potentially hear me) and jump right into the story.

This book is written in the voice of four women.

First we have Lola, the woman who opens up the book. She just found out through the media that her boyfriend (an esteemed politician named Paddy) is getting married. To someone else. Obviously she goes through all of the expected emotions and behaviours, including stalking. I'll admit this: her voice was hard to read. It was very detached and improper and would it kill you to speak in a complete sentence kind of style. I damn near wrote a letter to the editor to alert them of all the grammatical errors in case a newer edition came into print.

I'm glad I saved myself the embarrassment, because we finally move on to the voices of the three other women who speak in complete (albeit psychotic) sentences.

Meet Grace, Marnie and Alicia. These three ladies knew Paddy when he was a cocky teenager, but he still strikes a chord with all three of them.

Here's some of the story to get you intrigued enough to buy the book:

Paddy is this great-looking, charismatic politician. He's also an asshole. The fact that he's a politician should have tipped you off to that fact. We don't find out he's an asshole until about the middle of the book. He dated Lola while getting engaged to Alicia. Alicia was friends with Paddy (and Grace and Marnie) when they were all in high school and Paddy dated Marnie. Grace was also interested in Paddy, but he wound up with Marnie. Grace's twin sister. Got all that?

Without giving too much away, this book touches upon issues of alcoholism, rape, physical and emotional abuse and cross-dressing. I'm sure I missed something in there. You're probably thinking, how could this be a light chic-literature read when these massive issues are playing a role? My answer is your guess is as good as mine. It just is.

Keyes has a way with words that literally will grip you and hold you tight until you read the final word on the final page. Like I said, it took awhile for me to get into the book and fully understand everyone's roles, but once I did, I could not stop reading. It was funny and endearing and in the end, like every good chic-literature novel, the good guys win.

Love in the Time of Cholera

I'm a sucker for a love story. A love story that spans fifty-three years, seven months and eleven days and nights? Be still my beating heart.

Love in the Time of Cholera is beautiful. In the beginning, I had a hard time keeping track of the characters (mainly because a) I suck at keeping names straight anyway and b) I was only reading bits at a time on the train in the morning). Soon though, it became hard to put down. I wouldn't mind the Boy being a bit late to pick me up from the train station at the end of the day on his way home, just because I could get in a few more pages of Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza.

Gabriel García Márquez is a beautiful writer and provides visuals that make you feel like you're there with the characters. Márquez' One Hundred Years of Solitude is on my booklist still, and I'll be picking it up sooner rather than later.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

First of all, let me preface this book review with a quick little disclaimer. I heart vampires and vampire stories. I have a bit of an (unhealthy?) obsession with these creatures of the night. I'm not sure why, but I do. That being said, I shall proceed.

Dead Until Dark is the first in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I don't know why I'm just now reading these - what with my obsession with vampires and all. But I guess I was a little wary of another vampire series. I tried reading that series by Laurell K Hamilton and just wasn't able to get into them. And I enjoyed Twilight to an extent but had issues with Bella and Meyers kind of jumped the shark with the last book. So I held off on this series, but after looking for something quick, easy and fun to read, these were suggested to me (my friends know of my vampire penchant) and I've fallen in love.

But I digress. As I was saying, Dead Until Dark is the first of a series. We are introduced to Sookie Stackhouse from Bon Temps, Louisana and she has a special ability to hear people's thoughts, though she tries to block them out as much as possible. She's a waitress at a local bar and is extremely excited when they get their first vampire customer. See, vampires are "out of the closet" in this series - they are integrated with humans for the most part, but a vampire in Bon Temps is a pretty exciting deal considering how small the town is.

Sookie quickly realizes that this vampire, Bill Compton, is special - different - she can't hear his thoughts! And he realizes that she's not like most humans. So begins the love story. But it's not all sex and lame romantic stuff. No, there's murder and humour and mystery and a cameo by a supposed dead "King" (which made me laugh hysterically)...it's just a damn good story. Well, a damn good story for someone who hasn't read an actual book in almost 9 months at any rate. Plus? I actually like the heroine of this story. This is rarity with me but Sookie rocks. She has her flaws (as any good protagonist does) but she more than makes up for them.

READ THIS BOOK. Then, go watch the HBO series True Blood. The plot of season 1 basically follows this first book...loosely. And for the first time, I actually enjoyed both the book and the TV adaptation - even though the TV series has quite a bit of differences than the book I never once uttered "that didn't happen in the book!" And if you don't fall in love with Sookie and Bill (seriously, how could you not?) and all the others of Bon Temps then...well then I'm just sorry for you. But if you tire of Twilight's immaturity and Edwards creepiness and Bella's annoyance and want some good vampire stories - read this now.

Ms. Taken Identity

I must admit, I'm very picky when it comes to chick lit; for every excellent story, there seems to be 100 "Babysitting for the Very Vuitton." What attracted me to Ms. Taken Identity wasn't the cute cover or even the plot, it was that it was written by a guy. And that, admittedly, is 100% why I chose to read it.

Ms. Taken Identity is about Mitch, a college professor and PhD student working on his epic novel. After being rejected by every publishing company, he has a moment of inspiration and a chance meeting. Seeing the popularity of chick lit books, specifically those done by the fictional author Katharine Longwell, he decides that it can't be that hard - that he, himself, should try to write his own novel. This is made even better when Katharine herself agrees to review the book after randomly meeting Mitch at a cafe. The only problem? Mitch told Katharine that his female cousin wrote the book - not him. And so starts a series of lies that spiral around until, of course, the end.

To get into the female mindset, Mitch reads magazines, watches Oprah, and joins a dance class under the pseudonym Jason. There, Mitch meets, and naturally falls in love with, Marie - a hairdresser who is more than the stereotypical girl Mitch is writing about. She's also his roommate's sister. And thus sets up the tale of Mitch - a slightly pretentious 27 year old who learns that sometimes you have to look past everything, every hang up, to see who you really are. And what you really want.

I must admit - I really liked Ms. Taken Identity. At 272 pages, it's an incredibly easy and short read (I got through it in two days). Full of pop culture references, the book absorbs you and messes with each emotion. Dan Begley does a fantastic job of telling a guy's story that will appeal to girls. The book, somewhat autobiographical (to the point that he, too couldn't sell is book so he decided to write a chick lit novel) sheds some light on why guys do what they do and think what they think. And, like every other girl, each decision still frustrated me. There were parts that I wanted to smack Mitch for being so stupid, but his decisions were so real - because it's what a guy would do in each situation. And that one element made it incredibly interesting.

What I liked most about the book was what it said about chick lit. There's one passage that specifically got to me:

In regards to the genre, Katharine states: "Even those stories that merely entertain us have the power to touch us and delight us, and that goes a long way toward making us more human."

Even I felt punched in the stomach there. Because it's true - like Mitch I was jaded by the genre for a while; it was too girly, to fanciful for me. But it still tells stories - ones that people truly love to hear. So what if every character ends up with the perfect person in the end, that's fun to read! And just as the realization hit me, it hit Mitch as well.

It was fun watching Mitch work through his novel, his lies and, even more so, his relationship with Marie. The characters were illustrated wonderfully - from the eccentric Rosie (who, admittedly, was my favorite) to the vulnerable father, each character was real.

Ms. Taken Identity is a great book for anyone who wants a quick, entertaining (albiet frustrating at times), and truthful read. It's a wonderful beach read and a perfect book to share with a friend. It's one that sticks with you for a while.

If interested, here's a passage from the book.

The Marriage Bureau for Rich People

The Marriage Bureau for Rich People
By Farahad Zama

What does an Indian man with a wealth of common sense do when his retirement becomes too monotonous for him to stand it? Open a marriage bureau, of course!

Thus starts The Marriage Bureau for Rich People, a fantastic book that tells the story of Mr. Ali and his small, yet extremely popular, marriage bureau. What starts out as a part time endeavor, flourishes quickly. The book showcases a brilliant cast of characters including Mr. Ali, the careful and kind business manager; Mrs. Ali, his strong and maternal wife; Aruna the full-time assistant to the bureau who's working through her own family-and non-existent marriage-problems; and a slew of people looking for the perfect match.

The customers, albeit important, are just the background to the true story. The young Aruna cannot get married due to her family's financial problems. She works to support them and without her salary, they cannot get by. And without money, they can't pay for the elaborate wedding or necessary dowry the husband's family will expect. While that is happening, Mr. and Mrs. Ali deal with their son, Rehman, a freedom fighter who's trying to stop a giant conglomerate from building on farmers' lands. As he fights for the rights of others, he forgets the feelings of his parents. And in India, you never disrespect your elders.

An underlining theme of the book is what makes a marriage work. To this day, the caste system is still going strong in India. One doesn't marry outside of their caste, and one very rarely marries for love. Instead, through family members, an appropriate match is made. But what's better? A marriage that appeases the family, or one that appeases the husband and wife?

What I found most endearing about the book was the role of Mrs. Ali. It's common to think that the man runs the household, that he leads. But, it's the wife's job to decide if she wants to follow or not. And although Mrs. Ali doesn't go against her husband, she's extremely well spoken and does what she sees as best, even if her husband doesn't understand at first. Mrs. Ali ultimately brings two important people together - not through a marriage bureau, but through love.

Farahad Zama tells the story beautifully with rich words and vivid elements. You could almost taste the halwa Mrs. Ali cooks, see the green sari Aruna purchases, or feel the ripe mango plucked from the tree. Zama doesn't leave one description out. I can't be alone in thinking this - Zama recently won the Melissa Nathan award for comedy romance. He is the first male writer to receive it.

The Marriage Bureau for Rich People is a delightful tale that's an extremely fun read. It made me laugh out loud at parts, and tear up with happiness at others. I loved how it concentrated on important elements of India, but presented them in a lighthearted manner. It's an excellent novel for anyone looking for a quick, enjoyable and interesting literary trip to India. I can't wait to read it again. I'll definitely be checking out the other books Zama has in store.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

Religious Symbolist Robert Langdon is back in this DaVinci Code prequel when he is called in by CERN (world's largest physics laboratory) after one of their top scientists, Dr. Vetra, was murdered. Upon his arrival at CERN, Langdon discovers that the killer left behind a clue that shows that the ancient brotherhood of the Illuminati may have resurfaced after being in hiding. At the same time, Vetra's daughter discovers that a container of anti-matter (an experiment she and her father was working on) had been stolen during the murder. Both of these elements lead Langdon to be swept up in to going to the Vatican to help destroy a plot to blow up the entire city.

It just so happens that the a beloved Pope had just died in preceding days and the Cardinals were beginning to start conclave to elect a new Pope. Just as the Cardinals head to conclave, four Cardinals go mysteriously missing and the Illuminant's vow to execute a Cardinal on each hour at the four altars of science. With the threat of the antimatter hidden somewhere in Vatican City/Rome and thousands of people gathered in Vatican Square, Langdon and his team must race against the clock to find the antimatter and discover the hidden clues that lead them to the ancient Illuminati altars of science.

This was a fantastic read and I really wish I had it read it much earlier before now. I finished the book before I headed off to the theater to see the film and I thought that the film was pretty decent. They left out quite a bit of detail surrounding the history of the Illuminati, CERN, and Vatican City in general but there so only so much you can do in a movie. I'd read the book just specifically for those elements. They also changed a bit about some of the ending details but the basic elements were there and I can see why they did what they did. Overall though, I found the book much more exciting. But, isn't that always the case?

Important Artifacts...

Important Artifacts and Personal Property From The Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion and Jewelry - Leanne Shapton

Important Artifacts... is quite possibly one of the most creatively done books I've ever read. Shown though an auction catalog, the book tells a story of two lovers (Doolan and Morris) through notes, gifts, books, clothes, and more all being auctioned off due to the fact that the relationship has ended. That's right - the story is told through pictures and explanations of each auctioned item.

Starting with the first time they met, each lot contains a memento from their four year relationship (2002-2006). From the invitation to a Halloween party where they mutually attended (dressed as Harry Houdini and Lizzie Borden) to dried flowers kept by both parties, the story of their love emerges. The items progress as the relationship does - from love notes hidden between pages of old paperbacks to angry e-mails sent from across the sea. The book shows what's left behind after a relationship ends.

Leanne Shapton, the art director for the New York Times Op-ed page, excellently puts together this story. In a fantastic interview with the New York Times, she states: “It’s sort of about how reliant we are on our things to define us,” Ms. Shapton said, acknowledging that there is a strain of what she described as somewhat “suffocating discernment” running through the protagonists’ lives. “But I wanted to balance that with a pretty genuine love of very private meaning,” she said, adding that most of the things put up for sale are “those kinds of things that mean everything to the person who owned them and nothing to anyone else.”

The book ends with the breakup, of course, but starts with hope. As a preface to the catalog, a recent postcard from Hal states that he and his current girlfriend broke up. That he'd like to see Lenore once again. It leaves the book open for another shot at love, or, another auction.

Important Artifacts... is a brilliantly done quick read that shows the transgression of a relationship. And how little artifacts can really tell a lot about a person or a time period.

Watch a clip with Shapton here and read an interview here.

The book's movie adaptation is currently in progress, staring Brad Pitt and Natalie Portman.

Atlas of Unknowns

Atlas of Unkowns by Tania James

Atlas of Unknowns was actually nothing like I thought it would be. And that's a good thing. Set in Kerala, India, this beautiful written and incredibly involved story introduces us to two sisters Linno and Anju, and their unknown past and future. When Linno was 7, and Anju just a baby, their mother Gracie died in the ocean. Being raised by their father Melvin, they faced another tragedy when Linno burns her hand badly with a firecracker. Trying to surpass their sad history, Anju, the brilliant one, applies for a scholarship that will take her to New York City, where she will study for 10 months. Lucky for her, she receives the scholarship, yet only by staging a lie - one that reveals itself a few months into her stay in the city.

The story continues to revolve around the girls and how they will one day be reunited again. As Anju tries to get a green card and works in a beauty salon, Linno earns money to get her Visa by creating handmade invitations. Juxtaposed by the story of their mother's past, everything comes together at the end when two separate tales are joined.

I really enjoyed Atlas of Unkowns. The book was incredibly engrossing - jumping from story to story, it was a nonstop page turner. As James's first novel, she weaves a beautiful, yet heartbreaking tale of two sisters and how much they'll risk to set things right. James' descriptions of rural India are so vivid that you could see the multi-colored saris and taste the spicy foods. What she portrays most interestingly, however, is Anju's time in the city. An outsider trying to fit in, Anju learns how to push her way into the subway, talk to people in department stores and make friends with classmates. I also loved the descriptions of Linno's innvitations. Seeing her create an object out of nothing was especially inspiring.

The story is deep, with many layers detailed different generations of the family. Each substory is important, each relates back to the present. Each section is told by a different main character, which is especially important. With that, you learn each side of a story, every part of a never forgotten tale. Additionally, every character is given an incredible amount of detail-enough that you feel as if you know them. Of those Bird is the most important, with her motherly protective ways towards Anju.

My main problem with the book is that it doesn't wrap up in the end. Yes, things are resolved, however so much more is left out. Characters are dropped and plot lines are avoided. Although none of them are as essential as the main story, I would have liked to see what happened afterward. I suppose this book isn't a story though - it's about a life. A life can't be wrapped up after 300 pages; it keeps going.

Regardless, Atlas of Unknowns truly is a beautiful book that I recommend to anyone who has an interest in Indian lifestyles, cultural studies or coming of age tales. I look forward to whatever else Tania James writes.

The Beach House

I've talked about enough James Patterson books on this blog to not have to go to much into detail here.

If you like thriller/murder-mystery type books and you would like to have something that you can bang out quickly (I started it on a Saturday afternoon and finished it on a Sunday afternoon), this is a good selection.

It would almost seem impossible, at least to the untrained author such as myself, to develop characters as deeply as he does because these stories just fly by but for me to invest such a short time and be so deeply involved in these fictional lives is very gratifying.

When the Wind Blows

I'd like to take a sentence of this to thank everyone, especially Airam, for keeping this blog going. It's been a while since I've posted so here goes...

Originally released in 1998, "When the Wind Blows" is a departure from the commonly themed stories the Paterson churns out. Patterson's readers often become invested in his characters because they run through so many of his books, it's easy to stay invested in them. Here, he proves that his character development skills are in top form as are his storytelling skills.

Not only do we get drama, but throw in suspense, thriller, and even a touch of science fiction make this a page-turner that I couldn't put down. Written in the classic style of Patterson, you'll leave this book wanting more but loving what you got.

The Monsters of Templeton

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

When this book came out in 2008, the cover instantly made me want to read it. And then, after seeing much talk about it, I finally picked it up. In the end, I'm incredibly glad I did. The Monsters of Templeton is about a girl who returns home from graduate school after a disastrous event to find her small, idealistic town turned slightly upside down. It turns out that in the lake she used to run by and play in, they discovered a monster. A real one. A giant one. The thing is, that's not at all the monster the title is referring to.

While home, at a place she never wanted to visit again, Willie tries to re-coop and reconnect with her hippie mother who's found religion. While doing this she learns of her mother's greatest secret: apparently Willie was not the product of a faceless father during her mother's reckless days in San Francisco, oh no, instead she's the product of one of her Templeton neighbors. One that may, just may, be related to her way back down the line.

And so starts The Monsters of Templeton an intricate tale that follows Willie as she does intense research to find how who her real father is. As the chapters fly by, you read accounts by each person from her family, from old letters to diary entries. Her family tree has so many branches that I created my own genealogy chart to follow it correctly. And it ends with one welcome understanding.

What I was most impressed with was Groff's voice. This being her first novel, she has a very sophisticated story telling ability. For each character she portrays within the novel, there's a new character voice. She creates so many personas and so many histories it's incredibly impressive and addictive. In the end, you just hope that everything she wrote was true and that Templeton (actually based off of the real city Cooperstown, NY) is exactly how you imagine it to be. I do agree that some subplots were a bit much and a bit overwhelming, but that didn't matter in the end. I devoured this book quickly, really loving it, which is why I'm trying to stop myself from tracking down the author who coincidentally lives right by my boyfriend. I'm definitely excited to read her new short story collection Delicate Edible Birds.

The Monsters of Templeton is about reconnecting with your past and learning from it. Going back and reevaluating the monsters and the heros. Learning enough from it to form a future that the next few generations can research and maybe even inspire to be like.