Dream House by: Valerie Laken

Synopsis:

One terrible night. One outraged act. What price will people pay to hold their homes and dreams together?

When Kate and Stuart Kinzler buy a run-down, historic house in Ann Arbor, Michigan, they're looking for a decent remodeling investment and a little space in which to rekindle their troubled marriage. Instead they discover that their home was the scene of a terrible crime many years ago—a revelation that tips the balance of their precarious union.

When a mysterious man begins lurking around her yard, Kate—now alone—is forced to confront her home's dangerous past. Hers is not the only life that has crumbled under this roof. But the stranger who has returned to this house—once his own childhood home—is in search of something Kate may never fully understand.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

I had the pleasure of meeting Valerie Laken earlier in June when she came to my school for a writer's conference we had. She talked some about the novel, such as what research went into it and how she got the idea. It was pretty cool to see those ideas she had been talking about at the conference in the novel.

I think Laken told a really good story. It was an entertaining novel with some strong, solid characters. I felt for all of them, and could really relate to each of them. I've read a couple of Laken's short stories and have noticed that she always has really strong characters in her stories, which is a major plus. And the house was a character itself, which was really cool. I liked the way Laken personified it and made it a living, breathing thing.

I also liked the setting. Ann Arbor just fit right with the story. It helped make the novel as realistic as it was. Reading it, you can almost believe that these characters are real and that this happened.

It's a strong debut novel, and I hope to see more from Laken in the future. I think she's coming out with a short story collection in the fall, which I'm pretty excited about. (One of the short stories she read at the conference; it was amazing.)

All in all, a very enjoyable read. It had that "man, I wanna know what happens next" quality to it that kept me interested until the end. I would recommend it to fans of strong character novels, who like a little mystery thrown in there, too.

Overall rating: 9/10
Cover Commentary: I love the cover. I think it's very striking, and even if I hadn't known about Laken prior to reading the novel, if I had seen it on a shelf somewhere, I probably would've picked it up. Works well for the story.

Behind My Eyes by: Li-Young Lee

On my latest trip to my local library I picked up a couple poetry collections that I've had my eye on for a while. This including Li-Young Lee's collection Behind My Eyes. I haven't been reading Li-Young Lee for long, but after reading this collection, he's steadily making his way to becoming a favorite. Some of his pieces are so heartfelt, so emotive, you can feel them. Some of my favorites in this collection include, "Immigrant Blues", "Hymn to Childhood," "Have You Prayed," "Virtues of a Boring Husband,"  and "To Hold."

The collection's main themes include: childhood, life, death, being an immigrant (Li-Young Lee was born in Indonesia to two Chinese parents), and Lee's father.

There were some poems I didn't care for in the collection, but not becase they weren't written well, just from personal style/prefereces.

I would recomend this collection to anyone looking to broaden their horizons concerning poetry.

Overall rating: 7/10

Interpreter of Maladies: Jhumpa Lahiri

Synopsis:

Navigating between the Indian traditions they've inherited and the baffling new world, the characters in Jhumpa Lahiri's elegant, touching stories seek love beyond the barriers of culture and generations. In "A Temporary Matter," published in The New Yorker, a young Indian-American couple faces the heartbreak of a stillborn birth while their Boston neighborhood copes with a nightly blackout. In the title story, an interpreter guides an American family through the India of their ancestors and hears an astonishing confession. Lahiri writes with deft cultural insight reminiscent of Anita Desai and a nuanced depth that recalls Mavis Gallant. She is an important and powerful new voice.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

I picked this collection up along with The Thing Around Your Neck at my local library, and I enjoyed it about as much as I enjoyed that collection. The stories were well written, I think Lahiri has a wonderful style to her writing. Each of the stories were realistic, with real situations and characters. I liked getting the chance to see and learn more about Indian culture through Lahiri's characters. Her descriptions painted a clear picture of the settings and characters. She put just the right amount of detail into her work.

As I said, I enjoyed every story in the collection. They each had an interesting tale to tell. I'd have to say I enjoyed "Sexy" and "The Third And Final Continent" the best.

I will definitely be checking out Lahiri's novels. If they're anything like her short stories, I know I'll enjoy them.

Overall rating: 10/10

The Thing Around Your Neck by: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Synopsis:
These twelve dazzling stories from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — the Orange Broadband Prize–winning author of Half of a Yellow Sun — are her most intimate works to date.

In these stories Adichie turns her penetrating eye to the ties that bind men and women, parents and children, Nigeria and the United States. In “A Private Experience,” a medical student hides from a violent riot with a poor Muslim woman, and the young mother at the centre of “Imitation” finds her comfortable life in Philadelphia threatened when she learns that her husband has moved his mistress into their Lagos home.

Searing and profound, suffused with beauty, sorrow and longing, this collection is a resounding confirmation of Adichie’s prodigious literary powers.
[from barnesandnoble.com]
 
There was not a story in this collection that I didn't enjoy in some way. Each was well written and contained individual tales that shown two completely different cultures. It was interesting to read the stories where the characters came to America, I liked seeing the differences between the cultures.
 
Her style of writing is simple but strong, and her descriptions are very vivid. She's a wonderful writer. Her stories were realistic; that's what I think made them so powerful. Her characters were people I could relate to, even though I come from a completely different background. Her characters were selfish at times and completely human.
 
If I were forced to choose, I'd say the first story was the weakest. I think the stories I enjoyed the most were probably the title story and "Tomorrow Is Too Far". But I liked all of them for separate reasons.
 
Adichie is also one of the only writers to write a story using "you" as the narration that I think works. Usually I'm not too fond of those sorts of narrations, but she made it work.
 
I'll definitely be reading more by her. If her novels are anything like her short stories, I know I'll love them. This was a great collection I'll definitely be re-reading.
 
Overall rating: 10/10

Fire In The Blood by: Irène Némirovsky

Synopsis:

We hear the voice of Silvio: a man getting on in years who has returned to the village of his youth after a long time abroad. He lives by himself, enjoys his wine and his solitude. But a visit from his cousin Hélène and her husband François, with their future son-in-law in tow, begins to draw Silvio back into the life of his family and of this insular community, toward the revelation of secrets he and others have guarded for decades. As the novel unfolds, we are given an intimate picture of the web of marriage and infidelity, loyalties set against love, trust and betrayal, scandal vying with reputation, evils petty and potent, youthful passions and regrets of age that tie Silvio to both his past and the unexpected events of...(the present).

[from barnesandnoble.com. the end was cut off for some reason, so I added what I assumed they meant to be written after the elipsis.]
This is the first novel I've read by Irène Némirovsky, and I know it won't be the last. It was a well crafted story, taking place in a small French town, where everyone knows everyone, but doesn't like to get involved in anyone else's business but their own. It made for the perfect setting for the novel, especially when all the secrets from the past and the secrets in the present are unraveled.
 
At the core of this novel is youth and the passing of time. How when you're younger you have that "fire in your blood" that sometimes disapates when you get older, and how it's missed once it's gone.
 
I liked the main character's voice and how we get to see him change throughout the novella, and I liked the tiny glimpses into his past that we were shown, especially the ending bit.
 
All in all, a good story. Very easy to finish, but something that makes the reader think.
 
Overall rating: 7/10

Beloved by: Toni Morrison

Synopsis:

Staring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby. Sethe, its protagonist, was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free. She has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. And Sethe’s new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved. Filled with bitter poetry and suspense as taut as a rope, Beloved is a towering achievement.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

This is a story I'll have to read again to fully understand and appreciate it. There are so many layers to Beloved and so many messages, it's hard to grasp each theme and idea the first time around. It definitely focuses on aspects of guilt, living with our pasts and trying to move on, defining ourselves as humans (there's a point in the story I loved where the main character, Sethe, is told that she has two legs, not four. It was a really powerful moment), and family.

The descriptions and ideas Morrison uses to paint a picture for something is so beautiful. The style of this book, much like The Bluest Eye, flows well and has a heavy poetic feel to it. The story is both raw and real, while also being dreamy and kind of like the state between being awake and asleep. Sometimes you don't really know what's going on until she hits you with an image so powerful you're left almost breathless, wondering how you got to that point without realizing what was happening.

I really liked the story. The characters left me wanting more at times, but they were well written. I could feel their pain, especially when they were talking about their past as slaves. Very emotional. The whole book is emotional, especially considering when it takes place. I liked how in the end Denver was stronger and became more independent. I really, really wanted to know what had happened to Halle though! I think not knowing worked for the novel, though. There were some aspects that were left to the reader's imagination, and I liked that.

I liked the supernatural aspect to the novel, and how it felt so realistic. It was well written.

All in all, this was a very good book. Not for the light-hearted, because it's very dark at times.

Overall rating: 8/10

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by: Kim Edwards

Synopsis:


On a winter night in 1964, Dr. David Henry is forced by a blizzard to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy. Yet when his daughter is born, he sees immediately that she has Down's Syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split-second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret.
But Caroline, the nurse, cannot leave the infant. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child herself. So begins this beautifully told story that unfolds over a quarter of a century in which these two families, ignorant of each other, are yet bound by the fateful decision made that long-ago winter night.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

“A moment was not a single moment at all, but rather an infinite number of different moments, depending on who was seeing things and how.”
                    --The Memory Keeper’s Daughter; page 214-215

 On of the first things to draw me into The Memory Keeper’s Daughter was the story. The second thing that drew me in was Edwards’ style of writing. It’s very poetic and flows together to create beautiful passages and moments. I loved the imagery and descriptions she gave (though some become a bit redundant at times); everything just sounded so beautiful, even if she was describing a great tragedy.

 I also liked how all of the characters in this novel were selfish, because it made them realistically human. Each one of them made mistakes. David wasn’t the only character to make a wrong decision, though his was, obviously, the climax of the novel.

 Speaking of the climax of the novel, I liked how it was right in the beginning of the novel, and how the rest of the novel was the resolution. This story was about consequences and living with a secret and how it can tear people apart. I like novels that show that aspect of human life. It’s always interesting.

"This was what his father had believed: that each person was an isolated universe."
                  --The Memory Keeper's Daughter; page 381


The characters were written well. The reader can sympathize with them all at one point, and at one point want to shake them and ask them to wake the hell up. I felt bad for Norah, started to dislike her a bit during the middle of the novel, and towards the end of the book I understood. Even though she made some bad decisions, I understood why she made those decisions. Just like I understood why David made the decision he made. It wasn’t the best decision, but I understood. And that was a fulfilling moment.

 All in all, I really liked the novel. It’s probably one of the best pieces of literary fiction I’ve read (I would consider it literary fiction, not genre fiction, per say). The characters are completely realistic and it has a beautiful tone of voice to it. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, and tried to soak in as much as I could. This is a novel I can definitely see myself re-reading.

"He imagined the notes falling into the air like stones into water, rippling the invisible surface of the world. Waves of sand, waves of light: his father had tried to pin everything down, but the world was fluid and could not be contained."
                         --The Memory Keeper's Daughter; page 401

Overall rating: 9/10

Tempest Rising by: Nicole Peeler

Synopsis:

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.
 It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever-rub the genie's lamp.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

The first thing that drew me into this novel was the cover. I thought it was really original and pretty cool looking (I admit to being one of those who do judge a book by its cover). And I'm glad I gave it a shot. For a debut novel, Tempest Rising was really entertaining, and had some really strong characters.

Jane True is a pretty solid main character. She has flaws and she's indepentdent but vulnerable at the same time. She's relatable, and had a great voice. I especially loved the parts when she argued with herself. It's something I'm guilty of doing at times, and it made me laugh. She was sarcastic and witty, and all around the type of girl that I would probably want to be friends with.

Her relationship with Ryu, like in most paranormal novels, gets heated up pretty quickly. They do have good chemistry together, but I wish we could've had a bit more time to get some more tension in and then have them finally do the deed. But that might just be me. And I wish we'd gotten to know more about Ryu's background. I was surprised that Jane never asked him about his life. What he's seen and done. If I learned that the guy I liked was 270 years old, I was certainly ask him a few questions. I think without that bit of a background, Ryu isn't going to be as developed as he could be.

A side character that I absolutely loved was Anyan. Even though he only had a few moments in the novel, he was great. I can't wait to get to know more about him. I think he's going to be a really strong character.

The plot was decent enough and it stayed constant throughout the novel. And the amount of supernaturals she put in this was good. It wasn't just vampires and other "normal" supernaturals one sees these days. There was incubi, succubae, elves (though they're called Alfar), dryads, genies, selkies; a whole slew of supernaturals. I liked that. It showed a lot of variety from what we've been seeing lately. And I like that she lives in a small town.

One thing I really liked was the allusions that Peeler made. From Dostoevsky to Edith Wharton to Angela Lansbury playing Mrs. Fletcher in Murder She Wrote (that allusion particularly made me laugh, because right before I read it, I had been thinking about how the novel paralled some aspects of the show). Those were great.

So, all in all, I liked the first book enough to want to pick up the second. It was a fast read, entertaining, and  had great characters. So I'll definitely be picking up Tracking The Tempest.

Overall Rating: 8/10

Agnes Grey by: Anne Brontë

Synopsis:

Written when women—and workers generally—had few rights in England, Agnes Grey exposes the brutal inequities of the rigid class system in mid-nineteenth century Britain. Agnes comes from a respectable middle-class family, but their financial reverses have forced her to seek work as a governess. Pampered and protected at home, she is unprepared for the harsh reality of a governess’s life. At the Bloomfields and later the Murrays, she suffers under the snobbery and sadism of the selfish, self-indulgent upper-class adults and the shrieking insolence of their spoiled children. Worse, the unique social and economic position of a governess—“beneath” her employers but “above” their servants—condemns her to a life of loneliness.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

This is the first novel I've read by Anne Brontë, and I think there's only one other novel of hers that's been published. I was excited to see what the differences between her and her sisters were in their styles of writing. There are some distinct differences, but they all have sort of the same voice at times. Agnes, in my opinion, was pretty reminiscent to Jane in Jane Eyre when she was talking directly to the reader, and when she was describing how she felt for Mr. Weston (although she was much more conserved than Jane was). I thought it was funny how Weston's first name was Edward and Rochester's first name was Edward. I know it was a common name at the time, but the fact that it was used in both Agnes Grey and Jane Eyre for love interest of the main character was funny to me. Agnes Grey didn't parallel Jane Eyre, though. It was a much different novel. Agnes had a pretty rough time with the kids she taught and watched. They were spoiled little brats! I felt very bad for her. Whereas Jane got along really well with her pupil.

I think Agnes was a pretty strong character. Even though she could've ran home at any time and admitted defeat, she didn't. She stuck it out for her family through all the difficulties (and there were many). I do think this novel was probably a bit more realistic on the aspect of being a governess than Jane Eyre might have been.

I do wish, however, that there had been more scenes between Agnes and Mr. Weston. I wanted to see more interaction between them. Just to make the romance a little more believeable. I don't think we were given enough of a reason to believe they could love each other.

But I did like the end and how they met on the beach. That was pretty cute. Weston was pretty witty, which is why I would've liked some more scenes with him!

One thing Anne Brontë did well was create utterly unlikeable children. I wanted to throw them. Repeatedly. And the parents she created for these children were great. Definitely very realistic.

All in all, it was a good novel. Good enough to make me want to read her other novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. The novel isn't quite up there with Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, but it was worth reading. I'd recommend it to people who like the other Brontës, and to people who like novels that reflect the time period.

Overall rating: 7/10

Catching Fire by: Suzanne Collins

Synopsis:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

As most are aware, I loved the first novel,  The Hunger Games, so I was very excited to finally get around to reading the sequel, Catching Fire. It definitely didn't disappoint! It was so entertaining, that I finished it in one day! I literally could not put it down.

Katniss was, once again, a strong main character. I liked getting to see the changes in her life after the Games, and getting to see more of the townspeople.

There was a lot of tension in this novel, especially in the beginning with President Snow. It worked well, at some points I was holding my breath, unsure of what was going to happen.

I was glad to see more of the secondary characters that were great in the first novel: Peeta (of course), Haymitch, Cinna (I still adore him, probably more than I did in the first. He's amazing), Effie, etc. And the addition of new characters, like Finnick, was great.

The plot was a little shaky, up until near the end, when a huge twist is thrown in. I don't really want to give it away for those who haven't read the novel, but it's great. Right at that moment, the novel picked up, and I read it possibly faster than I had been reading it before.

Now, I'm also not a fan of the love triangle. I adore Peeta. I think he's great. (I do love how both Haymitch and Katniss know she doesn't deserve him; that was a great moment in the novel). The whole love angle with Gale just seems forced. I think the novel would be far stronger if Gale just remained a friend. We haven't gotten enough of their relationship together to feel like they would be a great couple. But, we get some great moments with Peeta and  Katniss, like when he sleeps with her to keep the nightmares away. That is so well written, and it works better than any moment between Gale and Katniss. I just think that with all the other love triangles in young adult books, this one didn't need it. That's one premise of the novels that just don't sit well with me.

The action in this one was good, too. Especially when they were watching the video of the year Haymitch was in the Games. That was great. We get an ax in the head, an empty eye-socket...it's wonderfully gruesome.

So, all in all, the sequel was good. I wouldn't say it's as good as the first, but it's entertaining, and definitely a great read. I cannot wait to read Mockingjay, especially with the way Catching Fire ended. (Cliffhanger alert, guys.)

Overall rating: 9/10

Graceling by: Kristin Cashore

Synopsis:

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.
When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

Let me start off by saying that I absolutely loved this novel. I thought it was well written, the voice and tone of the story was well developed, and the characters were awesome.

I loved the idea of people having certain Graces, and that if they're Graced they have two different eye-colors. I thought that was pretty cool. I also liked the fantasy setting Cashore set the novel in. The seven kingdoms and all. It worked well. Sometimes when people try to write fantasy it just doesn't turn out right, but I thought this brand of fantasy, for this novel, worked well.

Katsa was a strong main character. I liked her. I would've liked to have known a bit more about how she grew up, but all in all, she was a solidly developed character. She had flaws, which made her realistic. The reader can easily look past the fact that she can kill a man with her bare hands and relate to what she's going through. And I loved her Grace; I liked that it turned out to be a bit different than originally perceived in the beginning.

I also liked her relationship with Po. They had good chemistry and worked well on the page together. Their energies seemed to feed off each other. I think Cashore could've shown more interaction between them in the beginning, so their relationship didn't seem so rushed. Maybe that was just me. I kind of just wanted a bit more of a development between them.

Some of the secondary characters were great also. I loved  Bitterblue and Raffin. They were great. And the villain was cool, too. I'd like to know why he did what he did, because no explanation was given (for obvious reasons) and with no indication of his motive, he isn't really as developed as he could be. He's just "the bad guy" with no reason why he's the bad guy, except because he's needed for the plot.

So, I loved the novel. For a debut, it was great. The characters Cashore set up are awesome, and I'm hoping they make an appearance in Bitterblue, because I know they're not in Fire. The ending? Amazing. I loved how she ended it. It left me, as a reader, highly satisfied, and as a writer, I appreciated the route she took to end the novel. I thought it was well done. And, Graceling isn't just a novel for young adults. I think plenty of adults could appreciate and love the novel, especially because the main character is an adult herself.

And the cover is gorgeous. Not as pretty as Fire's cover, but still pretty in its own way.
 
Overall rating: 9.5/10

I Am Legend by: Richard Matheson

Synopsis (for just the novella I Am Legend, not any of the other stories):

From out of the night come the living dead with a single purpose: to destroy Robert Neville, the last man on earth.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

I watched the movie I Am Legend a while ago, and was excited to see the similarities and differences between the movie and novella. There were definitely more differences than similiarities. I really liked the novella, I think it had a cooler message in the end, and I liked how the main character wasn't really someone the reader could fully love or fully hate. It was easy to empathsize with him, but he wasn't a very likeable character. He had flaws. And I liked that. He wasn't a kind-hearted survivor like Will Smith was in the movie, he was rough around the edge. So, I think the novella was a stronger story. I liked how the vampires communicated. The creatures in the movie didn't really communicate like the ones in the novella did. And I liked the scientific explanation that was given in the novella. It was definitely an interesting take on vampirism.

So, while I loved the movie, I think I liked the novella a bit more.

The other stories in the collection were interesting. I wasn't fond of "Buried Talents" or "Dance of the Dead".

"Prey" was okay, as was "Witch War", although I would've liked more on "Witch War". I think Matheson could've gone farther with that story. It was interesting. I would've liked to have known more about the seven girls. The end of "Dress of White Silk" was creepy, and I liked how he wrote it in the perspective of a little kid. That was cool. I liked the premise of "Mad House, but hated the main character. I didn't feel bad for what happened at the end of the story at all.

"The Funeral" was cool, but it's another story I would've liked to read more about. "From Shadowed Places" was all right, interesting enough. "Person to person" was probably my favorite in the collection, after the novella. I loved the ending, it was pretty awesome.

All in all, the stories were entertaining, but it's not a collection that I'll be going back to anytime soon. For some, I would recommend checking it out from the library first. 

Overall rating: 6/10

Rebecca by: Daphne Du Maurier

Synopsis:When the dashing Max de Winter finds a new wife while vacationing in Italy, he feels happy for the first time since Rebecca, his first wife, died. However, de Winter's grim housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, is obsessively devoted to the first Mrs. de Winter and won't let the newlyweds forget Rebecca. As the tension escalates, Mrs. Danvers grows more desperate — and more deadly.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

I loved this novel. I should just get that out of the way. It was really good. It had a very Victorian feel to it, even though it was written in the late 30's.

I thought the characters were great. The main character (I really don't think we ever learn her name) gets a tad annoying in about the middle of the novel, because she is afraid of standing up for herself, but then she finally does, and it's a great moment. I know I was cheering for her. And Mrs. Danvers is a great creepy housekeeper that everyone would probably be a little scared of. Maxim wasn't really in the novel as much as I would've liked him to be. He was more prominent in the end of the novel. He was there in the scenes, but he was a stoic, kind of off-standish character. I liked seeing more emotion in him at the end of the book.

I loved Manderley. The descriptions were great, there were some great images I could see clearly. What's a suspense novel without a big house, after all?

It should be clear that this is an old novel, so there isn't a lot of action or drama. I mean, it's there, but it's mostly about the characters and setting up for whatever drama there is. Much of Du Maurier's writing reminded me of Agatha Christie's writing.

The one thing that sucked was that there were quite a bit of errors in my copy of the novel, so that broke the flow sometimes. I don't know if it's just my edition, or if it's all of them. An editor should definitely go through the novel and fix them, if that's the case. Hah.

But, I loved the book. It's great for a rainy day.

Overall rating: 8/10

The Picture of Dorian Gray by: Oscar Wilde

Synopsis:

The Picture of Dorian Gray highlights the tension between the polished surface of high society and the life of secret vice. In this updated version of the Faust story, the tempter is Lord Henry Wotton who lives selfishly for amoral pleasure; Dorian's good angel or conscience is the portrait painter Basil Hallward whom Dorian murders. Although sin is punished in the end, the book has a strong flavor of the elegantly perverse. Wilde asserted in his Preface to the expanded edition: "There is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Books are well written or badly written. That is all."
[from barnesandnoble.com]

I loved this book. It's been sitting on my shelf for a while, waiting to be read, and I'm glad I finally got the chance to pick it up. Wilde's prose is beautiful, it flows wonderfully, painting clear pictures in the reader's mind. I could see everything vividly, as if I were in the story.

The plot was awesome, I loved the idea. And the dialogue is well written, especially the dialogue between Lord Henry and Dorian. There's a lot of philsophy in this novel, it's definitely a novel to make you think. But it's entertaining, too. There are some very funny moments. It's a novel that reflects Wilde's viewpoints of society at the time, much like most of his writings do.

The characters were great, too. I loved Dorian, he was so flawed it was easy to hate him, but you kind of loved him, too. Lord Henry was interesting, as was the Duchess. The moments between them were hilarious, I kind of wanted to see more between them. And Basil was interesting, too. I liked the way that the three main characters were distinctly the same, yet different at the same time. They played off one another well.

Along with the amazing descriptions, the dialogue was well written, too. There were a lot of great lines that make awesome quotes in this novel.

All in all, it was an amazing novel. Definitely one I would recommend to those who love British literature. Wilde was a great writer, one of my favorites. There were some parts that dragged a bit, but they were few and far between.

Overall rating: 9/10

The Time Traveler's Wife by: Audrey Niffenegger

Synopsis:

Audrey Niffenegger's innovative debut, The Time Traveler's Wife, is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.


The Time Traveler’s Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's marriage and their passionate love for each other, as the story unfolds from both points of view. Clare and Henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals — steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.
[from barnesandnoble.com]
 
I had really high hopes for this book after hearing some of the awesome reviews people had given it. So, maybe it's my fault for placing it on such a high pedestal. I really should learn to stop doing that.
 
Not to say I was completely disappointed with this book, but it wasn't what I thought it would be. I think the layout of the story was really confusing and disorganized at times, I had to frequently check back for dates and just trying to keep everything straight was sometimes difficult. And I didn't really like that it was in present tense. It read less like a story, and more like a diary at times.
 
I also didn't like how Niffenegger would introduce a character, and then we wouldn't hear about them for one hundred plus pages. I think some of them were just tools for her to develop the character. Like, there was really no point to Ingrid or Celia in the story (although I thought Ingrid was one of the more interesting characters. I wanted to know more about hers and Henry's relationship). I also think that alternating POVs, while I can understand why Niffenegger did that, I do think it delayed developing the characters big time. I didn't really start caring about the two main characters until more than two hundred pages in. They just seemed like characters I'd seen before. The girl who is always waiting on a guy, and the guy who is crazily fucked up who gets "saved" by this girl.
 
The plot was also lacking a little. It wasn't strong. This was definitely a character driven story, not a plot driven story. I think after a while it was just a story about how these two people cannot seem to overcome all these horrible things being thrown at them. And, really, a lot of horrible things happened to them. At one point in the story, I wondered if Niffenegger hated her own characters for everything she put them through.
 
That said, Niffenegger knows how to write. Her prose was really well done. Details were spot on. She had very clear concise pictures. So that was definitely well done. At times, the writing was a little cheesy, like the note Henry wrote to Clare at the end of the novel. That was just unrealistic to me. Here's this guy, librarian or not, who drinks and is quite fond of drugs and punk music, the tone of the note just seemed completely out of character. The note was more unrealistically written than him time traveling.
 
In all, this isn't a sweeping romantic tale. At least not in my opinion. It was a well written novel, with sort of developed characters that had somewhat shaky motives for the things they did, and an interesting premise. Worth a read, but I'd recommend you borrow it from the library before buying it.
 
Overall rating: 6/10

Cranford by: Elizabeth Gaskell

Synopsis:

With a series of sketches, the novel lovingly describes the "adventures" of middle-aged ladies in the quiet country village of Cranford in the 1830's. Despite their poverty, residents of the village are kind, decent, and thoroughly proper.

[from barnesandnoble.com]

I had to read Cranford for a class I'm taking. It was a pretty pleasant read. It's slow and hard to get into at first, but about halfway through the novel the overall quaintness of the town and its inhabitants kept me interested. Miss Matty was just a sweetheart, and I liked the main character (though I didn't like how you don't learn her name until the end of the book). The novel is written almost as a series of short stories about the town, instead of a continuing plot. There are continuing themes throughout the novel, but each chapter is,  essentially, its own story. I liked that. I think that was partly due to the fact that Cranford was a serial publication.

If you're interested in British literature, I would definitely recommend Cranford. It contrasts with a lot of the ideas in society at the time, but reflects some also. And the atmosphere of the small town works to the novel's advantage.

In all, I didn't hate the novel, but I don't know if I'll ever reread it. It's pleasant enough for one read through.

Overall rating: 7/10

The Great Gatsby by: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Synopsis:

The mysterious Jay Gatsby embodies the American notion that it is possible to redefine oneself and persuade the world to accept that definition. Gatsby's youthful neighbor, Nick Carraway, fascinated with the display of enormous wealth in which Gatsby revels, finds himself swept up in the lavish lifestyle of Long Island society during the Jazz Age.

[from barnesandnoble.com]

The decades surrounding the roaring 20s have always fascinated me, which is part of the reason I love Fitzgerald's work so much. They're always very character-driven. Less about the plot and more about the people. While I don't always love that style of writing, I think Fitzgerald makes it work.

His details are often spot on, able to put you right in that  moment, so you can hear the parties and the music. His settings always appropriate, and often a character in itself.

I've wanted to read The Great Gatsby for a while now, and I'm glad I was finally able to. The characters you might have been rooting for at the beginning are the ones you hate at the end, and there's a sad sort of complexity to Gatsby's character that just makes the reader feel sorry for you. I know I did.

The ending threw me, I loved it. It was not what I was expecting at all.

If you're a fan of the 20s, then this is a great novel to read. It breathes the decade, and the characters are enough to draw you in.

My rating: 7/10

Hush, Hush by: Becca Fitzpatrick

Synopsis:

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.
[from barnesandnoble.com]


After reading all the reviews of this novel, I had pretty high expectations for this novel. While it was far from a horrible read, it wasn't as good as I've heard. It was plenty entertaining, taking me only two days to read it. The dialogue was well written, and the scenes were pretty clear and detailed.

A couple things I had problem with was her punctuation in parts. Most of the ellipsis only got in the way of reading, stopping the flow of the story. And some of her em-dashes just seemed out of place.

Some of the ideas from the story have definitely been written before. The way the plot was delivered seemed pretty reminiscent of a lot of YA books out there I've read. I think this novel would've been better at a college setting. Almost all of the characters seemed older than sixteen, aside from the while Marcie Miller thing, and I think that was just thrown in to give the book more of a high school feel.

There were a couple characters I didn't really think needed to be in the story, like her mother. Her mom just seemed to be someone to add to climatic moments. Sort of a, "Man this horrible thing is happening, but it's going to be even worse if I don't get home before my mother does." Their relationship wasn't as developed as it could've been, so it left me just wanting the mother out of the story completely. Hopefully that is something Fitzpatrick works on in later books in the series.

I also think the change in Elliot's character was just odd. It seemed weird to portray him one way and then completely flip it over. I know what she was going for, but I don't think it was presented in the best way possible. It seemed like two different characters.

I liked that she waited to reveal what Patch was to Nora until later in the story, instead of throwing it out in the first fifty pages. The delay really made me want to keep reading more until I got to the point when Nora finds out. The pacing was pretty good. I do think there may have been too much happening, I kind of wanted more scenes to be built on, instead of continuous action happening throughout the novel. It was like one thing happened, and then something else happened, and then something else happened. It seemed a bit forced and rushed. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is the writing was paced well and such, but the action scenes were rushed and forced.

The relationship between Patch and Nora was pretty cliche. But I loved the end. I thought it was definitely sweet as hell. And Patch was a pretty original character. I liked the way he was written. Definitely something I enjoyed about the story. I also really liked Vee. She added to the story.

What really drew me to the novel was the aspect of fallen angels and all that. I think she delivered it pretty good. It kind of seemed like there was going to be this epic fight between the fallen and the regular angels, but that didn't happen. So I wouldn't say that Nora is caught between an "ancient battle". I don't know. The inside jacket just made it seem like I was going to be reading a different story than the one I read.

So, I haven't decided if the characters and the storyline about the angels is enough to make me read the novels next in the series. I might, I might not. There's plus sides and negative sides to the story. But I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking to kill a few hours, it's an entertaining enough story.

Overall rating: 7/10

Cover: I love the cover. It's gorgeous.

The Disappeared by: Kim Echlin

Synopsis:

A love story set against the background of the Cambodian killing fields, Echlin’s novel is a Romeo and Juliet for our time. Sixteen-year-old Anne, raised by her widowed father, attends a proper young ladies’ school in Montreal. But Anne has a secret – she sneaks into blues clubs with her tutor, and one night, she meets Serey, a sexy Cambodian musician who plays the songs of his people as well as blues and rock.

Serey was in Canada when the Cambodian government fell, and his father begged him not to come home. The sheltered girl and the accidental refugee fall passionately in love; between them “everything was animal sensation and music.” They play the role of a gorgeous, exotic couple until the borders reopen, and Serey’s yearning for home and his family pulls him away.

Eleven years later, Anne flies to Phnom Penh to search for Serey in the chaos left by war and famine, following in the footsteps of the biblical heroine Ruth, who declared, “Your people shall be my people and your God, my God.” Her love is undaunted by the obstacles she faces – from a merciless government to a people so desperate and downtrodden they’ll do anything to survive.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

This book was just a random pick I made. I saw it on the shelves, liked the description and gorgeous cover, and bought it.

In a way, I'm glad I did. The book wasn't a huge epic tale, the messages and points of the novel were given subtly at times and bold at times. Set in a war-torn country, it's definitely got a gruesome and sorrowful backdrop. The words the author uses paint a clear picture in the reader's heads.

The characters weren't as developed as I think they could have been. I wanted more. I wanted the boundary to be pushed and a line to be crossed. In some parts, they just didn't feel real to me.

But the writing was beautiful. It was poetic and flowed very well. Some of it was breathtaking, some horrifying.

The conclusion wasn't as strong as I think it could've been. I know what she was going for, and I think it could've been persented a little better. It was still touching, though.

All in all, this is a book to be read by those who enjoy novels that are meant to show the terrors and horrible things that happen in countries like Cambodia. The writing alone is enough to keep the novel standing on its own two feet, but the backdrop gives it a little extra something.

Overall rating: 7/10

Shutter Island by: Dennis Lehane

Synopsis:

The year is 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Multiple-murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this barren island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on them, a strange case takes on even darker, more sinister shades—with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, and lethal countermoves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is remotely what it seems.
[from barnesandnoble.com]

I ordered this book a while ago to read before seeing the movie, and I just got around to finishing it up.

I loved this book. Right from the start it's a mystery that captures the reader, especially with the isolated environment. His details about the Hospital and its surroundings are amazing, very well written. As were the characters. I loved the little backgrounds into Teddy's past with himself and Dolores. They not only added depth to the character, but they were very well written. Teddy was, all around, a really well written main character.

This read like a good ol' mystery at first, but soon turns into a totally mind boggling story. It's definitely a psychological thriller.

I can't say a lot without giving something away, and that would definitely take away from the experience of reading the novel. But the combination of a great setting, awesome characters, and a plot that just twists and turns in the greatest of ways, makes for a great novel. Definitely one I'll be reading again, only to see if I can catch clues and hints that I missed the first time around.

Wonderful read. I'll definitely be checking out more by Dennis Lehane. Hopefully the movie does the novel justice!

My rating: 10/10