The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson)

I don't know why I didn't read this book sooner, when it was at the front of Chapters or when my mom whipped through them.  I still didn't know much about the book when my aunt started talking about the new movie that's now out.  When I told her I hadn't read the book, she just told me, "Oh, you have to.  They were so good."

So, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson was the next book I decided to read.  When I started it, I didn't read the back so I had no idea what I was getting myself in to. 

The novel is giant and it's a thriller/mystery/suspense book (with a bit of a love story at parts, I guess).  Without giving much away because most of this is on the back of the book, Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist, is hired by Henrik Vanger to solve a mystery.  Henrik's niece disappeared forty years ago and Henrik believes that she was murdered.  He's been stuck on this case for forty years and is desperate to find an answer.  Lisbeth Salander enters the story (she's the one with the dragon tattoo!).  She's a "genius hacker with someone twice her age" and tries to help Mikael with this mystery. 

"You didn't have to be a rocket scientist to see that these events were somehow related.  There had to be a skeleton in one of their cupboards, and Salander loved hunting skeletons.  Besides, she had nothing else on at the moment."  (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson, p. 390)

I really liked this book.  It took me a little while to get into for a few reasons.  First, I didn't have a good chunk of time devoted to reading when I started the book, and I think that you really need that to understand what is going on at the start of the book.  The whole novel isn't like the first fifty pages, so if you're having trouble with the beginning (the first hundred or so pages), don't worry - it gets a bit easier to read once the story is set up a bit for you.  Second, it just took some time getting used to the names of people and places (because they're all Swedish).  Once you start reading though, these names become familiar and it's fine.  Don't ask me to pronounce them, but it was easy to understand and recognize the names. 

This really was a "don't want to put it down" book for me.  It was exciting and a little bit crazy.  (That's one messed up family, the Vangers!)  If you haven't read it and are looking for something with a bit of substance, this could be it!  It's big and has a lot of details, but it moves at a steady pace and was very interesting. 

This is the first in the trilogy and I am looking forward to reading the next two!

The Embarrassing Library Story

It all started about a month ago.  I was all "I think this year, for my New Years Resolution, I'm going to buy less.  One thing I can do is start using the library more!"  (Realistically, I know that if the wait is too long for a book, I'm not going to wait for it - I'll end up buying it anyway.  But hey, I thought it would be good to try for a while.)  My first "book on hold" library story was a success - I put a book on hold, it got transferred to the library nearest me, and I was able to pick it up a few days later.  Woohoo - this library thing will be awesome.

The story continues at a Christmas party at the beginning of December, when the series "The Black Dagger Brotherhood" came up in conversation.  I was told by a few girls that I MUST read this book.  "Hey," I thought, "let's check if it's at the library."  They had one copy at a different branch, but it was currently checked out.  I put it on hold, knowing that it was due mid-December.  Perfect!

I've been checking the status of my book online (which is an awesome feature) and I noticed that it had been "In Transit" for a few days now.  Since I finished my latest book last night, I was ready for the first book of "The Black Dagger Brotherhood" series and decided to just go ask at the library.

She was very nice at the desk and called the branch it was being transferred from.  This was her end of the conversation.  "I have a patron here who has a book on hold.  It has been in transit since December 21st.  Could you check if it's on your shelf? (pause) It's W-A-R.  The author is J.R. Ward.  The book is called Dark Lover."  (Oh, this is embarrassing... It's not what it sounds like.)  So it wasn't there.  She tells me, "Maybe it's on the shelf here by accident.  The lady at the other desk across the library will be able to help you."

On to desk number two.  She was busy, so I thought, "This could be easy and less embarrassing.  I'll go look for the book on the shelf myself."  Nope, it wasn't there.  During this search, I said to my mother, "Mom, the book is called 'Dark Lover.'  It's not what it sounds like... It's a vampire book that (insert name of friend) said was very good.  This is kind of awkward."

Back to desk number two.  I ask about it, she checks the shelf again and it's not there.  Then she calls the library it was initially from, thinking it could have somehow ended up back there.  What I hear (along with the dozen people who are sitting right next to her at the computers.)  "Hello.  I have a patron here looking for a book.  It's been in transit for a while and maybe it's ended up back on your shelf by accident. (pause)  It's W-A-R.  Author J.R. Ward.  The book is called 'Dark Lover: The Black Dagger Brotherhood series.' Oh you don't need to write it all down.  You can just write down Dark Lover."  Meanwhile, a man shows up at the desk and is laughing (and we also get a few looks from the people at computers).  As I start turning red, I say to him, "It's not what it sounds like."

I find out he works there when he says, "Oh, there's a bin of books downstairs that has been there for a couple days.  I think they're transit books."  He goes down to get the bin of books as my mom and I wait near the movies just in case my book is there.  We see him bring up the box of books and he helps go through them, trying to find the book.  Mom says, "Well, they don't need to be reminded what the title is, at least."  Yes, it's an easy one to remember.  Dark Lover.

They find it and I go to the desk again to check it out.  I thank him, turn to the lady at the desk and say, "Well, I'm going to check out Season 3 of The Muppets, too, so that it doesn't look so bad.  That was really embarrassing."  After she punches in my stuff, the guys asks, "What's the book about anyway?"  I respond, "My friend told me it was good.  I don't even know really, it's like vampires or something."

I made their day.  You're welcome.  Now I have a book to read AND a season of The Muppets to watch. 

I haven't started the book yet, but it better be worth it. 

P.S. They were all extremely nice at the library and I think it was just a little mix up. Had I not asked, it would have sorted itself out (minus the embarrassment).

Secret Daughter (Shilpi Somaya Gowda)

I've been putting off my review of this book because it's currently on loan to a family friend... (I like to have the book in hand as inspiration!)  Since we still haven't gotten it back yet, I decided to just go for it.  Get her done before the new year - plus this book just may be one of my top picks of 2011. 

My mom recommended Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda this past winter when I was looking for a "good" book to read (you know, a book you don't want to put down?) 

Kavita, who lives in an Indian village gives birth to a girl.  In their culture, boys are strongly favoured and Kavita is expected to end the life of her child.  Instead, she brings her daughter to an orphanage.  At the same time, Somer and her husband Krishnan, who live in America and have been unable to have a child, decide to adopt.  Asha, the daughter, becomes curious about her past and decides to search in Mumbai for more information about her history. 

I loved that this book dealt with so many different issues, such as adoption, interracial marriages, poverty and infertility, just to name a few.  I couldn't put the book down once I started it - you so badly want to know how Asha's story turns out. 

This was Shilpi Somaya Gowda's first novel and I am excited to see what else she publishes!  I definitely recommend this one!

baby proof (Emily Giffin)

I read baby proof by Emily Giffin last year after receiving it as a Birthday gift from a friend. 

Claudia doesn't want children.  She finally faces the fact that she probably won't find Mr. Right (a man who also wants to skip the children) until she meets Ben.  Things seems to be going perfectly until one of them changes their mind... Now what?!

"This is the witty, heartfelt story about what happens to the perfect couple when they suddenly want different things. It’s about feeling that your life is set and then realizing that nothing is as you thought it was--and that there is no possible compromise. It’s about deciding what is most important in life, and taking chances to get it. But most of all, it’s about the things we will do--and won’t do--for love."  (from Emily Giffin's website)

If you've read Something Borrowed and Something Blue, also written by Emily Giffin, then expect much of the same type of writing.  I enjoyed the storyline and I found that it was a nice, easy read that dealt with a serious enough subject.  I just kept thinking throughout the novel, "I don't know what I would do!" 

It was a decent read, so if you're looking for something a little lighter that has a lot of heart, give this one a try.

Once Upon a Day (Lisa Tucker)

I grabbed Once Upon a Day by Lisa Tucker at the last minute on my way to a last minute supply teaching day.  I wasn't sure if it was the next book I wanted to read, but once I was about two chapters in, I was really intrigued.  (I stumbled upon this book at a bookstore and, even though I hadn't read anything by Tucker or really heard much about her, I decided to buy it after reading the blurb on the back...)

Nineteen years ago, Charles Keenan disappeared from his life with his two children.  Dorothea and Jimmy live with their father, Charles, in a huge house in the middle of nowhere.  He's a very overprotective parent - he won't let his children do anything that he thinks could result in them getting hurt.  That is, no tire swings, no cooking, no painting (because paint is toxic, you know!) and no leaving their property.  They are homeschooled, everything is delivered to them, such as food, and their doctor makes house visits to see them.  Jimmy decided to leave in his 20s to find his mother's family.  When Dorothea is 23, her father becomes ill and she goes out in search of her brother.  She's put into a world she has never known and begins to search for the truth about what really happened in her father's past.

"Tragedy, loss, and especially guilt: these were the real truths of the world, and Lucy knew it.  God help the person who didn't understand this, she thought.  God help themif they have to find out the hard way that the life they're taking for granted is as fragile as a naked heart."  (Once Upon a Day, Lisa Tucker, p. 71)

I loved this novel.  Like really loved it.  I want there to be a movie that follows this story exactly as it's written.  I finished it, wishing that it wasn't over, wanting to know more and more and more.

The novel is written a little differently.  Some chapters used a first person narrative, whereas others used the third person.  Tucker had to let the reader see everything that was going on in different locations and what different characters were thinking and feeling.  I loved the bit of back and forth and really felt that I got to know most of the characters so well.  Tucker did a great job of recounting past stories that were important to the outcome of the novel and characters within it. 

I loved the idea of the story.  It kept me interested after a little hook at the beginning, when Stephen and Dorothea's stories start to mesh a bit.  There were so many angles that I thought were covered well and they were all included at exactly the right time in the novel.  I couldn't put it down once I was a third of the way through - I just needed to know what happened next!

"This is the charming coincidence.  When things in the world that are unconnected suddenly connect, and a pattern emerges."  (Once Upon a Day, Lisa Tucker, p. 55)

At first, I thought the novel would be a bit like Room by Emma Donoghue.  Although it's similar in that there is a child who is basically restricted to where he/she is living, it's really quite different.  Dorothea, in this novel, does have a family who loves her and her father would have let her leave when she was ready (as he let her brother leave...).  Jack, in Room, has a mother who loves her, but he really is locked in a prison with his mom. 

Lisa Tucker has written a few other books, and I am anxious to read another one of her novels since I was so impressed with this one.

"[...] life is as much about what you believe as what seems to be reality."  (Once Upon a Day, Lisa Tucker, p. 153)

Nights of Rain and Stars (Maeve Binchy)

I've made reference to Nights of Rain and Stars in a past post, so I thought it was about time to write a description and brief review of this novel by Maeve Binchy. 

Four strangers from different countries end up in a Greek village.  They have all ended up here, trying to escape from the realities of their own lives.  Tragedy strikes the town and the stories of these four individuals begin to intertwine.  Through the experiences, tales, and advice from some older and wiser individuals in Aghia Anna, the four strangers begin to face their problems and find solutions to the questions they have been asking themselves. 

I enjoyed this book... It took me a while to get into, but once I got to know the characters, I really started to feel for them and started to create the endings that I wanted to happen.  (Isn't that one of the things that happens when you're reading?  I often think I have the perfect ending, but sometimes what I want to happen isn't what happens in the end...)

Maeve Binchy has a long list of novels, and I will definitely keep her on my "to read" Reading List.

Wonderstruck (Brian Selznick)

I just finished Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick.  I first heard about this book from this blog, written by a librarian who reads many young adult books.  Often, I just skim what she's read, but when I saw her review about Wonderstruck, I immediately looked for it in the library database.  Since there were quite a few copies available throughout the area, I decided to wait for a bit before checking it out (since I saw that it was a GIANT book and didn't think I had time to read it quite yet).  Walking through Chapters last week, I noticed that Brian Selznick's Wonderstruck has now made it right to the front and center.  I picked up the book and skimmed through it, noticing that a good portion of the book is made up of beautiful art.  After being home for two minutes, I searched for it again and noticed that now, 5 of the 7 copies were currently checked out of the various libraries in town.  I thought I'd better get on it before 30 people put the book on hold before me!  I had a copy transferred to my nearest library and picked it up two days later.  Wow, what a story...

The concept of Wonderstruck:  It's composed of two different and separate stories.  Ben's story is told entirely through words and Rose's story is told through pictures.  Ben is searching for a father that he has never known and Rose is in search of an actress who she reads about in the papers.  Their stories are set 50 years apart - oh, and did I mention that both Rose and Ben have hearing impairments?

I read this book very quickly - partly because it was very good and partly because of the beautiful artwork that fills up many of the pages in the book (and allows you to flip the pages quicker than if they were filled with words).  As you're reading both stories, you can see some similarities.  Both stories are well told and, as a reader, you wonder how Selznick is going to finish (and perhaps mesh together) these separate stories.

Also, let's take a moment here to again say how beautiful the artwork in the book is.  I was unsure when I was starting this book - how I was going to understand a storyline when there are no words to help?  The images do such a good job of telling a solid story.  (Yes, a picture can be worth a thousand words.)

Because of its size and weight, it's not a book I would recommend when you're heading on vacation, but it was a great, quick, young adult read that makes you smile at the end.

Room (Emma Donoghue)

The book needed a border!

I was reminded of this book during a brunch conversation yesterday morning.  I read it this past winter and thought it was deserving of a post! 

Room by Emma Donoghue is told from the perspective of Jack, a 5-year-old boy.  He has been living in a simple room for his entire life.  This is reality to him and he doesn't understand that there is a world outside of the room where he could have a much brighter life.  His mother, on the other hand, who has been in this prison since she was nineteen knows that she needs to do whatever she can to get her and her son out of the room alive. 

I enjoyed this novel.  It was interesting, being told from the point of view of a small child.  It's hard to imagine what it would be like to be stuck in one room for years at a time.  It would also be difficult to think what this would mean to a young child - this really is his reality and he doesn't know any better.  It would be hard to imagine that trees exist if you only see them on a television and have never seen one in real life.  It would also be a challenge for Jack's mother - how do you explain the world to your child who has been in the same small room his whole life?  And how do you keep things positive when all you really want to do is save yourself and your son?

I would recommend this novel.  It was interesting and kept you guessing.  Another book this makes me feel grateful for the life that I have!

A Wedding in December (Anita Shreve)

It seemed fitting to read this book since it is December and all.  I recently finished my first Anita Shreve book, so I decided to give this one a try too!

A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve takes place throughout one weekend.  Seven high school friends (and a few of their life partners) are reunited when Bridget and Bill, high school sweethearts, get married after being apart for nearly two decades.  During this weekend, both good and bad memories are brought up.  All the characters seem to leave their reunion a different person than when they arrived. 

"A twenty-two-year marriage is a long story," Nora said. "It's... it's a continuum with moments of drama, periods of stupefying boredom.  passages of tremendous hope.  Passages of resignation.  One can never tell the story of a marriage.  There's no narrative that encompasses it.  Even a daily diary wouldn't tell you what you wanted to know.  Who thought what when.  Who had what dreams.  At the very least, a marriage is two intersecting stories, one of which we will never know."  (A Wedding in December, Anita Shreve, p. 151)

Meet the characters:
Nora owns the inn where the wedding is taking place.  She's a widow in this novel and has a past with Harrison.  Harrison is a publisher who is living in Toronto with his wife and two children.  He's been keeping a secret since his days at Kidd (their school).  Agnes is a writer and a teacher at her former high school, Kidd.  She's always been known as the "single one".  Bridget and Bill are the ones getting married after being apart for two decades.  Rob and Josh are both musicians.  Jerry and Julie have both have done very well for themselves since high school. 

"I just couldn't stand having you all leave after this weekend [...] and not know this about me.  That I have had a life.  It's a different life than most.  A life dispensed in moments.  But they were transcendent moments, never dull, intensely felt, full of joy.  How many of you can say that?  I have had riches.  I have had my share."  (A Wedding in December, Anita Shreve, p. 262)

This book was good.  It was an easy read, and you often wanted to know what would happen next in this busy weekend.  I liked that in different parts of the book, the narration shifted to different characters.  In one chapter, you heard about the wedding from three different points of view.  It gave you the opportunity to know what the characters were thinking about as they were about to reunite with their long lost friends.  There were lots of little secrets that were brought up at the reunion, things that either happened in high school or that had happened since.  In this way, the book wasn't entirely predictable.  I also liked how the reader is left with the ability to decide how some of the story lines will end. 

"If Harrison had learned anything about private lives, it was that anyone looking in from the outside could never know the reality."  (A Wedding in December, Anita Shreve, p. 151)

When reading some books like this, though, I do sometimes think that it's unlikely for these events to happen.  Who goes to a reunion weekend twenty years after high school and has this much drama occur?  Despite this thought, it was a good read. It makes you think of what your reunion with your best high school friends would look like, and it makes you wonder (at my age, anyway) where you will be in twenty years.

"The things that don't happen to us that we'll never know didn't happen to us," Harrison said.
"The nonstories."
"The extra minute to find the briefcase that makes you late to the spot where a tract trailer mauled another car instead of yours."  Harrison took a bite of buttery muffin and thought about his next cholesterol test.
"The woman you didn't meet because she couldn't get a taxi to the party you had to leave early from," Bill added.  "All of life is a series of nonstories if you look at it that way."  (A Wedding in December, Anita Shreve, p. 207-208)

(If you're expecting something winter-y and Christmas-y, this is not it!  It only takes place in December.)

A Soft Place to Land (Susan Rebeccca White)

I found this novel at a used bookstore in town.  I didn't really know what I was looking for when I went there...  I was checking out some authors that have been recommended to me and browsing some of the award winning books.  This novel was in with the fiction books and I initially pulled it out because the spine of the book looked like it was in perfect condition.  Then, I saw the cover and, of course, judged it.  I liked the look of it and, after reading the back, decided that it looked like an interesting story. 

"Just know that whatever feelings you shove down are going to have to come up again sometime. And some people think it's better to control when it comes up than to have it just one day boil over and take you by surprise." (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 104-105)

A Soft Place to Land by Susan Rebecca White is the story of two half sisters, Ruthie and Julia, who have to deal with the devastating news that their parents were killed in a plane crash while they were on vacation.  Ruthie and Julia are surprised when they hear what is in the will.  Julia, 16, who still has one living parent (her biological father), will be moving in with him and his new wife (we'll call her the evil stepmom).  Ruthie, 13, who has now lost both of her biological parents, is now moving in with an aunt and uncle.  On top of losing their parents, these girls are now, in a sense, losing each other.  The novel, told mostly through Ruthie's story, spans across a few decades and shows the hard times and complicated-ness that is involved in this sister-sister relationship. 

"Her mother.  Her mother who was so alive and then - so quickly, so finally - was simply gone.  From matter to memory.  Like that."  (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 241)

When I first picked up the book, I noticed what Kathryn Stockett, the author of The Help, had said about this book: "A beautiful complicated love between two sisters.  Book clubs: This is your next pick.  I loved this book."  Considering how much I loved The Help, I thought that I would also enjoy this one. 

I completely agree with Stockett - it was most definitely a nice story about "the complicated love between two sisters."  You never know what kind of effect tragic news, such as the sudden death of two young parents, will have on you.  Especially being right at the center of everything, these girls would have had a lot to go through.  It was nice to see the good and the bad of their relationship after the death of their parents.  Also, not only did it show you what events happened right after the girls hear the news, but the author provides you with chunks of information from different points in their lives.

"I've never felt more grateful for my life than I do today, but I think it's fair to say the gods have put me through some shit." (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 327)

I would recommend this novel if you're looking for something real.  It can be a hard topic to think about, write about, or read about, but Susan Rebecca White gives you an honest look at the relationship between Ruthie and Julia.  There were some parts of the story that I found more interesting than others, and some parts that I found to be a bit slow, but it was a good read.

"Knowing that everyone has a story," Naomi would say, "I find it very hard to judge." (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 262)