The Choice (Nicholas Sparks)

Wow.  I just thought I would first take a moment to say that YES, I'm still alive.  Since June 2013, I'm sorry to say that unfortunately, reading was not at the top of my priority list. 

I spent last summer working in an office, playing baseball, coaching little kiddy soccer and going for long walks on the Boardwalk.  Since the fall, I have been trying to keep up with the every day planning and marking of a full time contract teaching courses I'd never taught before at a local high school and trying to maintain some kind of a social life. 

During Christmas, I tried to make it through a book (Divergent!), but the busy holiday schedule just wouldn't let me and then came exams, report cards.... *sigh*  Excuses, excuses... 

Long story to say that recently, I was able to take a short break from it all and go to the lovely Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  While I was there, I started a nice beach read - "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks.  Though I wasn't able to finish it on my trip, this morning I took an hour after I woke up way-too-early-for-a-weekend and finished it off. 

"The Choice" is about the stories of Travis and Gabby, and, as you can probably guess just based on who the author is, about love.  Travis is a veterinarian who is living in a small town, who never seems to be too serious about his girlfriends.  Enter Gabby, a new neighbour, who is in a long-term relationship already, but who is often alone when said-boyfriend is travalling for work.  After a weird first few meetings, Travis and Gabby start to hit it off as friends and start to discover that maybe they would consider wanting more from their friendship-relationship-whatever-it-is. 

As it's stated on his website, the book is truly about "How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?"

I loved reading about the early stages of Travis and Gabby's friendship and their chance encounters in the small town.  I found it was very true to what people often go through when first meeting someone and want to discreetly spend more time with that person.  By part two of the book, I wasn't so sure that I wanted to continue reading about their story since the book took quite a turn - don't want to give away any spoilers other than that.  By the end of Part Two, I didn't even know if I wanted to read the Epilogue because I was feeling so much hate towards a decision that was made.  However, I really did feel some good closure by the end of the book. 

I would recommend this book to those who love an occasional Nicholas Sparks book and to those who want to read another love story.  This book was perfect for the beach read I was looking for during my trip!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Ransom Riggs)

I bought this book with a gift card I received for Christmas.  Basically, I was at Chapter's and wanted to take advantage of the 30% off hardcover boxing day sale.  I searched on their computers for top 2011 picks and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs showed up under Top Teen Books.  (And once again, I did judge the book by the cover... Doesn't that picture make you want to read it?)

The story is centered around Jacob, a sixteen-year-old boy who used to believe everything his grandfather told him (because who doesn't believe these fairy tales as a young child?).  Jacob's grandfather, Abe, then whispers his final words to Jacob, filled with weird ideas and confusing information.  When his terrifying nightmares start, Jacob journeys to an island near Wales to find some answers.  If nothing else, Jacob's family hopes that this journey will help him distinguish between fantasy and reality.  Once there, he finds "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" and begins to believe that these children, who were in fact "peculiar," may still be alive. 

Sounds a little weird, right?  The first hundred pages seemed like they could be very real - no talk of magic - everything seems to be based on Jacob's imagination.  Later in the book, though, there is some "magic" (if you want to call it that!)  There is some time travel - that is, Jacob, who has found the home for peculiar children and knows that something is up, finally finds the entrance to their loop, which is a different world and relives September 3, 1940, over and over again. 

Now what do I mean when I say the children are peculiar?  Well, one of the boys is invisible, one girl has super human strength, another girl can light a flame ball in her hand, and another boy releases bees from his body every time he opens his mouth.  Sounds weird, but it actually makes a lot of sense in the story.

This story mixes real photography from old collections with a new fiction story. I really loved how these very strange photographs were used to tell a creative story.  Just looking at the pictures is cool enough, and then reading the story that "goes along with them" lets you use your imagination and really get into the plot. 

The storyline really kept me interested, especially near the middle and end of the book, where there is a lot more adventure than there is at the beginning.  Without too much of a spoiler... while the book could be a standalone book, I feel like there could possibly be a second one on the way, with the story left kind of wide open at the end. 

I liked this book.  It was good and kept my interest.  You need some imagination to read it - don't expect it to be like a true story based on the photographs.  It's worth reading just to see how well Ransom Riggs connects the photographs.  It was a great first novel by Ransom Riggs and I would definitely read another.

We Bought a Zoo (Benjamin Mee)

I got We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee for my Birthday from my brother.  For those of you who know that my Birthday was yesterday, don't be amazed that I'm finished this book already...  I opened this present a little early, since my brother was on his way out of town for work for a few weeks. 

My main interest for this book started when I saw the preview for the 2011 movie.  To be honest, I probably would never have found this book had this movie not come out.

Basically, meet Benjamin Mee, a DIY writer.  His father recently passed away, leaving his mother alone in a house worth half a million pounds (yes, pounds, not dollars!).  His mother is ready to downsize, but when Benjamin hears about a rundown zoo that has recently come on the market, he convinces (most) of his family to take on the task of revamping the zoo.  During this process, there are many obstacles, such as his wife having a brain tumor (I didn't give it away, it's on the back of the book), the amount of work that is required on many of the animal enclosures, restaurants and restrooms, as well as the lack of money since there is currently no income for this zoo.  The book basically travels through Benjamin Mee's experiences from buying the zoo to trying to secure funding to renovating numerous areas throughout the park to his experiences with learning about the animals.  The book ends on opening day of Dartmoor Zoological Park. 

I just want to say how good the story behind this book is.  I think it's amazing and very uplifting how this family was able to reopen a zoo that was in the condition he describes, especially considering the lack of skills that Benjamin Mee had when he first purchased the zoo.  He probably learned so much about himself and his family throughout this process, and based on how he talks about his experiences throughout the book, you can tell that he absolutely loves what he has done for himself and his family. 

Benjamin Mee was a writer before he bought the zoo and published this book, so there is no doubt that the book is well written.  I did find, though, that the book was written more like a report than a story.  He moves from topic to topic in an order that makes sense (although not always in a chronological order, since he is sometimes adding in his past experiences with the animals at various points throughout the book) and the book does start where you'd expect and end at a good point. 

The sentences, paragraphs, and chapters were all fairly long and I found that I really needed to be concentrated on my reading throughout this book, or else I'd be reading the same page over a few times before it sunk in.  (This is not ideal for reading at lunch time on supply teaching days!)

While there are many personal memories (such as when he was nearly attacked by a porcupine in the middle of the night) that make you smile, there is a lack of conversations between individuals.   While I don't want to judge the movie without having seen it, I'm wondering how well the events in the movie actually represent what happened at this zoo.  I already see so many things that are different than the book.  (I did just read on the Darmoor Zoo website that in the movie, the zoo has been renamed and that the zoo is based out of California.  "Based on a true story" means that the idea came from the book, right?  I guess that any and all publicity of the book and their zoo is great for them to ensure that they have the funds to keep the zoo open.)

The verdict?  Read it if you're into non fiction and if you have some time to sit and laze around on the couch with a book.  The story is very worthwhile.  (I may have even shed a tear at the end...)  It was good and I'm still very excited to go see the movie.

Bossypants (Tina Fey)

I got this book for Christmas, but I've had my eye on it for a while.  I've heard some good things about the book and decided that I was ready to try it.  I also saw her on The Ellen Degeneres Show and she was hilarious... Check out that appearance here and here. 

In Bossypants, Tina Fey describes many things she has experienced in life and her stories make her seem somewhat more 'human' and down to earth.  She discusses important times in her career (such as her years at SNL or on 30 Rock), her honeymoon, her college years, photo shoots, and being a mother. 

I read the book from start to finish in about a day, but you could also pick a specific chapter that you're more interested in and read that.  It's not the type of autobiography that you would need to necessarily read in order.  She wrote well and since she is pretty funny, this shone through in her writing. 

Now, I should tell you that I'm not a "must watch" Tina Fey fan.  I think she's funny and I do like her when I see her in movies or on television, but she's not one who, in the past, I have rushed out to see in a new release.  I think that someone who has watched her for those many years on SNL or who has been a fan of 30 Rock would definitely like certain parts of the book more than I did.  (I didn't get some of the 30 Rock stuff since I've never really watched much of the show... But lately, I have debated picking up a season). 

However, that said, there were so many parts of the book that were funny and heartfelt regardless of whether you have seen all of her shows and movies.  Who can't laugh at her honeymoon experience (where there was a fire on a cruise) or her commentary that goes along with a photo shoot? While it is non fiction, there were many chapters that were not specific to events in her life, but just her insights into some of her experiences.

The book was an easy read and it was definitely funny.  If you can watch the clips of her on Ellen and be intrigued like I was, then I think you'd enjoy the book.  It did definitely make me laugh and say to whoever was nearest me at the time, "You have to listen to this..." 

Dark Lover (J.R. Ward)

Are you a Twilight fan?  And if so, do think that maybe you're a bit too old for Twilight?  Then I have just the book recommendation for you!

If you haven't already read my embarrassing library story detailing how I ended up with this book in my hands, you should do that now. 

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward is a vampire love story with a bit of action and suspense.  Wrath is a purebread vampire who was asked by his friend (Darius) to take care of his (Darius') daughter (Beth) as she went through her "changing" from human to half-vampire.  (She's the daughter of a human mother and a vampire father, so obviously when she's about 25, she will go through her change and become a vampire.)  Although Wrath first declined the opportunity, it does fall upon him... Beth and Wrath have an undeniable chemistry from the beginning and he must do everything he can to help protect her. 

This book was like Twilight - but more hardcore in many ways.  There was a lot of detail about their "brotherhood" (that is, the vampires who are responsible for the livelihood of the vampire population) and about "lessers" (the humans without souls who are trying to get rid of the vampires).  A lot of interesting information was introduced and will no doubt be built upon in future books of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  The information seems to go into more depth about the vampires in this book than what Twilight ever did.  Also, there is more information about their relationships in this book, making it appeal to an older audience. 

I liked the book.  I found it a bit confusing at the beginning because I was learning a lot of new 'terms,' but once you get into it a bit, it all makes sense.  It was easy to read and kept you entertained by moving back and forth between different storylines that are all somehow connected. While you are comfortable with the ending of the book (i.e. it doesn't make you want to immediately go grab the second book in the series off the shelf), there is so much left to happen with the characters that you do feel as if you need to continue in the series to find out more.

"'Life is full of wonderful surprises, isn't it?'
'It certainly is.'" (Dark Lover, J.R. Ward, p. 329)

If you're not into the fantasy and vampire thing, then this is not for you.  However, as I mentioned, if you are a vampire fan but are looking for something a little more adult, then this would be a good pick.