Thursday, January 31, 2013

Arranged

Arranged
by Catherine McKenzie


Genre: Chick Lit

Synposis: Anne Blythe has a great life: a good job, good friends, and a potential book deal for her first novel. When it comes to finding someone to share it with, however, she just can't seem to get it right.

After yet another relationship ends, Anne comes across a business card for what she thinks is a dating service, and she pockets it just in case. When her best friend, Sarah, announces she's engaged, Anne can't help feeling envious. On an impulse, she decides to give the service a try because maybe she could use a little assistance in finding the right man. But Anne soon discovers the company isn't a dating service; it's an exclusive, and pricey, arranged marriage service. She initially rejects the idea, but the more she thinks about it-and the company's success rate-the more it appeals to her. After all, arranged marriages are the norm for millions of women around the world, so why wouldn't it work for her?

A few months later, Anne is travelling to a Mexican resort, where in one short weekend she will meet and marry Jack. And against all odds, it seems to be working out-until Anne learns that Jack, and the company that arranged their marriage, are not what they seem at all.

From the publisher

Review: Here's another book that just drew me in!  It definitely is a chick lit book with it's light humorous nature but it's different than other chick lit books that I've read.  It's not the traditional girl meets boy and fall in love story. Instead this is a story of an arranged marriage so girl meets boy as it is time to get married and then you see how their relationship develops.  Anne Blythe (yes her mother named her after her favorite character and her middle name is Shirley and her brother's name is Gilbert) is a likable character that you can't help to root for her during this strange situation of an arranged marriage.  She is quite the romantic just as her namesake was.  I love all the Anne of Green Gables references in the book-there are definitely lines taken straight from the book!    There is quite a twist in the story and one that I never predicted.  I would highly recommend this book if you are in the mood for a chick lit book.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars (only because it's hard for me to rate a chick lit book 5 stars)

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Secret Society Girl

Secret Society Girl
by Diana Peterfreund

Genre: Chick Lit

Synopsis: Eli University junior Amy Haskel never expected to be tapped into Rose & Grave. She isn’t rich, politically connected, or . . . well, male. So when Amy is one of the first female students to receive the distinctive black-lined invitation with the Rose & Grave seal, she’s blown away. Could they really mean her? 
 
Whisked off into an elaborate initiation rite, Amy awakens the next day to a new reality and a whole new set of “friends”—from the gorgeous son of a conservative governor to an Afrocentric lesbian activist whose society name is Thorndike. And that’s when Amy starts to discover the truth about getting what you wish for. Because Rose & Grave is quickly taking her away from her familiar world of classes and keggers, fueling a feud and undermining a very promising friendship with benefits. And that’s before Amy finds out that her first duty as a member of Rose & Grave is to take on a conspiracy of money and power that could, quite possibly, ruin her whole life.

From the publisher

Review:  I am a sucker for chick lit books like this.  I love light humorous books about young women and the scrapes that they get in.  And this book delivers. The main character, Amy, is quite like many other heroines in chick lit books.  She has a dilemma and needs to figure out what she is going to do about it.  She does it in a way that makes us laugh and sympathize with her.  She's a very down to earth girl even though she is a very elite school.  Peterfruend writes with a witty sense of humor and keeps the pace flowing throughout this book.  I enjoyed reading this book and I look forward to reading the next book in the series (if my library has it!)

Rating: 4 stars

Monday, January 28, 2013

Goldilicious


Goldilicious
Victoria Kann

Goldilicious

Genre: Picture Book

Summary (from Goodreads):  Being Pinkalicious is pinkatastic, especially when she's accompanied by her pet unicorn, Goldilicious. Goldie is a roller-skating, kite-flying, high-jumping unicorn who will protect Pinkalicious from the evil wizardry of her little brother, Peter. Together, Pinkalicious and Goldilicious can conquer anything!

This enchanting follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Pinkalicious and Purplicious brings to life a new and magical character that is every bit as captivating as her pinkeriffic owner. With heaps of creativity and a touch of sparkle, Goldilicious glows--from horn to toe.


Review:  Amelia chose this book from the thrift store, and I'm so glad we didn't pay more than $0.69 for it.  Here's the entire storyline in a sentence: A girl named Pinkalicious has an imaginary unicorn friend named Goldilicious; she and her brother have some fun with imaginative play, and then her mean parents tell her it's time for bed.  I liked only two things about this book: the fun and colorful illustrations, and the encouragement of imaginative play.  The biggest flaw in my mind is that the story is seriously disjointed; there are no transitions between different imaginary play scenarios so that it is difficult to read and follow.  Oh, and there's no plot!  My kids didn't understand what was going on, and I found myself having to ad-lib lines so that the story would make sense.  I'm also not a fan of kids in books behaving badly without consequences; in this story Pinkalicious used potty humor, was mean to her brother, acted bratty, called her parents names and was hardly even reprimanded.  Yes, I know the author was trying to be funny, and yes, I know that my kids aren't going to learn how to behave badly just from reading a picture book, and yes, I know not all kids' books have to have good morals, and yes, I know that Pinkalicious was just acting like a normal kid.  But really?   Where's the redeeming value in this book?  Just in the fact that the girl has a sparkly pink dress and a unicorn friend?  Surely we can do better than this.

IF I read this book again, I'll be making up a better story.

It's rare that I feel so passionately about disliking a book.  But I seriously dislike this one.

Rating: 1 star

A Hundred Flowers

A Hundred Flowers

I have been a fan of Gail Tsukiyama's for many years, so when I saw this book at the library, I was eager to read it.  I appreciate her simple yet beautifully descriptive writing style, and I usually enjoy the slower pace that is common in her books.  This book, however, fell a little short.

This story, of a family living in China in the 1950s under the rule of Chairman Mao, helped me understand the difficulties that ordinary people faced at that time with food, shelter and health.  But I found the character development lacking, perhaps because the book was written from the perspectives of the five main characters, sometimes with only a few paragraphs devoted to one character before moving on to the next.  The story did not flow as smoothly as I had expected from a Tsukiyama book.  The end was also unsatisfying, leaving the characters in the middle of their lives with no real resolution of any issues.  I wanted to know what happened - particularly to Suyin, the teenage mother.

But even after listing those flaws, I find myself thinking fondly of Kai Ying (the mother) and how Suyin blossomed under her care and I remember the lyrical descriptions of the tree and the gardens, and I can't help but give this 4 stars.

The House I Loved

The House I Loved
by Tatiana de Rosnay



Genre: Women's Fiction

Synopsis: Paris, France: 1860s. Hundreds of houses are being razed, whole neighborhoods reduced to ashes. By order of Emperor Napoleon III, Baron Haussmann has set into motion a series of large-scale renovations that will permanently alter the face of old Paris, molding it into a “modern city.” The reforms will erase generations of history—and in the midst of the tumult, one woman will take a stand.

 Rose Bazelet is determined to fight against the destruction of her family home until the very end.  As others flee, she stakes her claim in the basement of the old house on rue Childebert, ignoring the sounds of change that come closer and closer each day. Attempting to overcome the loneliness of her daily life, she begins to write letters to Armand, her beloved late husband. And as she delves into the ritual of remembering, Rose is forced to come to terms with a secret that has been buried deep in her heart for thirty years
From the publisher

Review:  After reading Rosnay's book Sarah's Key, I've read 2 other books by this author in hopes that I like a book as much as I enjoyed Sarah's Key.  Unfortunately I have been quite disappointed.  The House I Loved is much better than the last one I read by Rosnay.  This book reads relatively quickly as it is written as letters to the main character's deceased husband.  One thing Rosnay seems to do (as I noticed this in A Secret Kept) is hint at a very large secret but not tell us about it until much closer to the end of the book.  She leaves hints dangling often and I found this to be quite annoying.  Just tell me the secret or don't keep dangling it in front of my face!  I did enjoy the characters in this book and it was an interesting story even though there was hardly any plot.  I was amazed at how much Rosnay could write about not much of a subject.

Rating: 3 stars 

Monday, January 21, 2013

Those We Love Most


Those We Love Most
Lee Woodruff

Those We Love Most

Genre: Women's Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  In her fiction debut, beloved writer and speaker Lee Woodruff offers an intimate and moving novel that explores the ways in which four lives are broken and made whole again after a shattering tragedy.

On a warm June day, Maura Corrigan is walking with her nine-year-old son, James, as he rides his bike to school. The unthinkable happens: he darts onto the street and is hit by Alex, a 17-year-old neighbor. As if James's death isn't tragic enough for the Corrigan family, in its wake an intricate web of relationships, secrets, and betrayals begins to unravel.

Told through the perspective of four family members, Those We Love Most chronicles how this sudden twist of fate forces each of them to confront their choices, examine their mistakes, and fight for their most valuable relationships. It asks the age-old question: Why do we hurt the ones we love most? Then it shows us how we can, in the most difficult of times, forgive ourselves and others for our transgressions.


Review: I chose this book based on a quick read of the back cover - a story of an ordinary suburban housewife whose family experiences a tragedy that will forever change them.  When I realized it was about the death of her child, I expected to find myself in tears.  Instead, I found myself bored.  Bored, and irritated at the coldness and selfishness of almost all the main characters.  The mother had been having an affair, the father was an alcoholic, the grandfather was also having an affair, and the grandmother was an unfeeling martyr. While the author attempted to resolve some of these issues at the end of the book, I didn't feel like most of the characters changed in any substantial way; instead, they papered over the problems they had, and decided to move on.  With all those negative comments, I'm still giving this three stars because I thought the descriptions of the very ordinary, long, busy, child-full marriage between the mother and father rang true in a way that most books don't realize.

Rating: 3 stars

Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter



Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter
Diane Stanley

Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter

Genre: Picture Book

Summary: (from Goodreads)  0nce upon a time a miller's daughter was given an impossible task by a cruel and greedy king. She had to spin straw into gold. And who should show up to help her but an odd little man named Rumpelstiltskin.  According to tradition, the gold-bedazzled king and the miller's daughter are wed. But wait just a minute! This king is definitely not husband material, and there's someone else who is -- a hardworking guy who's supportive and nice looking, and who really comes through in a pinch.  Why not marry Rumpelstiltskin?

In Diane Stanley's merry rethinking of the traditional tale, Rumpelstiltskin and the miller's daughter are wed...and then sixteen years later their only daughter is stuck in the same dilemma: She's been locked in a room full of straw to spin for a greedy king! She could call for help from her father, but this fairy-tale heroine has some canny plans of her own.  How Rumpelstiltskin's daughter sets things to rights in the troubled kingdom, while achieving a unique place for herself, makes for a wise and witty tale of kindness and cleverness rewarded. Diane Stanley's wickedly funny text and zesty illustrations put a delightful new spin on a classic fairy tale.  Rumpelstiltskin's daughter may not be able to spin straw into gold, but she is more than a match for a monarch whose greed has blighted an entire kingdom.


Review:  I was searching for picture books with strong female characters, and this book definitely fits the bill.  When the greedy king shuts the miller's daughter in a room full of straw, she meets a kind Rumpelstiltskin and they decide to run away together and get married.  Eventually, their daughter gets imprisoned by the still greedy king; however, she uses her brain to not only get out of her predicament, but also bring peace and prosperity to the kingdom.  The daughter is the epitome of a strong female character - clever, independent, generous, brave and also beautiful.

The illustrations are ornate and beautifully done, and the moral can't be argued with.  As an adult, I appreciated the unusual word choices and overall story line.  But I'm giving this only three stars because my girls didn't like it.  At the ages of 2 and 4, they are used to sitting still for long books, but this one was just too wordy, and I think the concept was a little above their heads.

Rating: 3 stars

Sunday, January 20, 2013

The Happiness Project

The Happiness Project
by Gretchen Rubin



Genre: Stunt Memoir

Synopsis: 
Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. "The days are long, but the years are short," she realized. "Time is passing, and I'm not focusing enough on the things that really matter." In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project.

In this lively and compelling account, Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference.
From the publisher

Review:
This book started out so well and was quite inspiring!  I really enjoyed reading about Rubin's pillars of happiness through about July.  I found some of her suggestions on how to make herself happier could also apply to me and although I have not implemented them so that they have become a habit, I have tried some things out and they are in the back of my mind.  I felt like the second half the year pillars were not as strong and not as interesting and that made the book drag.  I felt that at the beginning Rubin really talked about what she did and how it went versus later in the year she just talked in abstracts and didn't really talk about applying it to her life.  She started a blog at some point during the year and would write in her book comments that her blog readers posted and I found this to be very annoying and much too long!  Rubin got quite wordy at times with some of her pillars and didn't say enough about others.  Overall, I would say this book is OK-read the beginning and skim the end!

Rating:
3 1/2 stars

Friday, January 18, 2013

Gone Girl

Gone Girl
by Gillian Flynn


Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Book Synopsis:

Marriage can be a real killer. 
   One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit and deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn. 
   On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? 
   As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?
   With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.
From the publisher

Review:
I've heard so much about this book and it was been recommended to me by several people.  I was very anxious to read it.  Boy, was I disappointed when I started to read the book.  The beginning is quite slow and Flynn does not give you enough information to want to keep reading.  I did keep reading because I hoped the book would get better, after all it is quite a popular book.  She also does not make either of her main characters likable.  I greatly disliked them (detested might be a better way to describe how I felt about Nick and Amy!)  Actually, I didn't think most of the characters were likable.  I liked Nick's mother but I think that was it.  There is a major twist in the book but one that I thought was predictable or else the story wouldn't have gone anywhere!  I thought the twist made the characters even less likable.  Another reason that I disliked the book was that the book was filled with gratuitous obscenities and it was quite vulgar.  The middle and end of the book are better reads than the beginning but the end of the book leaves you hanging and in my mind was just horrible.  The characters were so messed up that the ending seemed horribly unbelievable and just left me disgusted.  I have to admit that mystery thrillers are not a genre that I pick up that often so perhaps this book appeals more to people who like mystery thrillers.   The book was a quick read regardless of all the things I mentioned above and it did hook me at times but I resented the fact that it hooked me with how detestable the characters were!  Not a book I would recommend.
Rating: 1 stars

Friday, January 11, 2013

The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas


The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas
author: Tony Wilson
illustrator: Sue DeGenarro


Genre: Picture Book

Summary (from the publisher):  After tiring of the needs of overly demanding princesses, Prince Henrik devises a test to find a girl who's not so sensitive, using a very thin mattress and an entire packet of frozen peas. His dream girl shows up unexpectedly in the form of his old friend Pippa, who is all too happy to pitch a tent or play a hard game of hockey, after which she finds the perfect use for that packet of peas! In this twist on the fairy tale, Tony Wilson and Sue DeGenarro deliver a freshly humorous take on one prince s search for the just-right girl of his dreams

Review:  This is my girls' new favorite book.  It's a cute story about a prince who decides to look for an unconventional princess.  As my sister just told me, this type of book is called a fractured fairy tale - a takeoff of a traditional fairy tale that has an unexpected twist.  They love the illustrations, and I love the message it sends about how princesses can be outdoorsy and low maintenance.

Rating: 5 stars