REVIEW - Dead Politician Society by Robin Spano

Title:  Dead Politician Society

Author:  Robin Spano

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "When the mayor keels over dead in the middle of a speech, a clandestine student society immediately takes credit for his demise. Their mission is to create a perfect political system by any means at their disposal. Clare Vengel, a rookie officer fresh from the police academy and beyond bored with her routine as a beat cop, volunteers to go undercover as a student to infiltrate the secretive organization. A streetwise amateur mechanic, Clare takes a dim view of book smarts—she is of the opinion that higher education is for people who can't handle the real world. In short order, she alienates a popular professor and begins to lose the respect of her police superiors. Soon, another politician is killed, and Clare steps up her clandestine involvement with the suspect students. When two more politicians die, the race begins to apprehend the culprits before her own duplicity can be revealed."

Thoughts:  Filled with twists and turns, shadowy characters and situations that are not as they seem, Dead Politician Society is what one expects from a mystery. Yet, it is so much more. Subtle in its intricacies, each character peels back the layers of the mystery, unveiling a welcome depth to the story.

Dead Politician Society is told from the point of view of multiple characters. While this can be a bit confusing in the beginning, it allows the story to become character-driven rather than action-driven. In fact, the entire story is reminiscent of The Moonstone in that the action occurs behind the scenes. In turn, the reader builds a relationship with each of the characters, driving the discoveries and adding complexity to the tale. 

The mystery itself is quite interesting. It involves politics not typically seen in any novel, if ever, which lends a unique air to the story. Similarly, the use of multiple points of view highlights the different motives for the murders. Unfortunately, this also means that shrewd readers will be able to solve the mystery well before the big reveal. However, rather than detracting from the story, this adds to the reader's enjoyment, making the story almost interactive in nature.

Since Dead Politician Society is character-driven, a reader's enjoyment of the story hinges on one's engagement to each of the characters. The main character, Clare Vengel, is brash, tough, quick to judge and quick to react. Everything about her is over-the-top, from her determination to win, her determination to drown her sorrows, her determination to project a tough demeanor to her determination to solve the case. I, unfortunately, found Clare to have a huge chip on her shoulder, making it difficult for me to like her, let alone root for her to solve the case. However, the beauty of character-driven novels is that each reader will react differently to each character. Someone I may not like may be a character that others love and vice versa. With novels like this, reactions to characters are key.

Dead Politician Society is set in Canada, and Ms. Spano does an excellent job of highlighting the differences between Canadian and U.S. societies. The politics mentioned are uniquely Canadian, discussing various reforms and government seats that exist only in Canada. The verbiage too is different, although not as drastic as a novel set in England. The differences are slight but there, serving as a reminder that Canada is indeed not the U.S.

Overall, Dead Politician Society is a great addition to the mystery genre. Smart and well-written, Ms. Spano utilizes the most up-to-date politics to drive this modern murder mystery. Using the points-of-view of multiple characters, she creates a story in which the reader is actively engaged and involved, rounding out a story for any type of reader. Readers everywhere will fall in love with Clare and cheer her on as she works to solve her first case. For true lovers of the genre, Dead Politician Society will become a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy!

REVIEW - Dracula in Love by Karen Essex

Title: Dracula in Love

Author: Karen Essex

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books):  "From the shadowy banks of the river Thames to the wild and windswept Yorkshire coast, Dracula’s eternal muse, Mina Murray, vividly recounts the intimate details of what really transpired between her and the Count—the joys and terrors of a passionate affair that has linked them through the centuries, and her rebellion against her own frightening preternatural powers.

Mina’s version of this Gothic vampire tale is a visceral journey into Victorian England’s dimly lit bedrooms, mist-filled cemeteries, and asylum chambers, revealing the dark secrets and mysteries locked within. Time falls away as she is swept into a mythical journey far beyond mortal comprehension, where she must finally make the decision she has been avoiding for almost a millennium.

Bram Stoker’s classic novel offered one side of the story, in which Mina had no past and bore no responsibility for the unfolding events. Now, for the first time, the truth of Mina’s personal voyage, and of vampirism itself, is revealed. What this flesh and blood woman has to say is more sensual, more devious, and more enthralling than the Victorians could have expressed or perhaps even have imagined."

Thoughts:  When revamping an extremely well-known and beloved classic novel, liberties must be taken. Ms. Essex does this with her re-creation of Dracula, but these changes add a certain mystique and realism to the story - removing the horror from the Count and adding it to the vastly more realistic men of the novel. The result is a story that is both familiar and unique, creative in its use of other mythical beings to enhance the vampiric myth but chilling in its accurate depiction of women and men in Victorian England.

In Dracula in Love, Ms. Essex gives readers a chance to finally get into the mind of Mina. Intelligent, immensely resourceful, and extremely compassionate, Mina is ever a traditional heroine; all the men swear to protect her, and all the women cannot help but be her best friend. Yet, Ms. Essex challenges Bram Stoker's portrayal of the women by delving into Mina's minds, unencumbered by her diary entries, which must be edited by the mere fact that Mina always intends for them to be read by others. Mina, and Lucy, are highly empowered women who are shackled by society's values and, more importantly, by the men in their expectations of proper womanly behavior. Dr. Seward's mental hospital is understandably more frightening than Count Dracula, and all of the men's callous disregard for either woman's rights and feelings displace the horror surrounding Dracula and moves it to the more mundane Dr. Seward, Arthur, Quince, and Jonathan. The shock and confusion felt by Mina as she makes these discoveries is echoed by the reader at the injustice of her situation.

If Mina stood out in Dracula, she absolutely shines in Dracula in Love, as she realizes the dangers of the blood transfusions, the mental hospital and the idea the men may not always know best. Her willingness to stand up to these scenarios and fight for her rights fleshes out the strength of character only hinted at by Stoker.

Mythology has always been a huge part of any vampire story; Ms. Essex does not hide behind the one myth and includes all of them that have ever influenced any vampire story - Sidhe, faeries, and many others. Not only that, but Ms. Essex does a great nod to Mr. Stoker's own research and influence on the vampire myth. By including the red-headed Irishman in the background, it adds a tongue-in-cheek touch of realism to the story. This also means that Dracula himself is more honorable, more sensual and ultimately more romantic.

Read right after Dracula, Dracula in Love provides an intriguing fleshing out of each character's back story. In addition, it provides the reader the opportunity to read between the lines of the various journal entries and letters that make up the original story. While it doesn't outshine said original, it does add a very enjoyable, very interesting addition to the vampire genre.

Thank you to Doubleday for my advanced reading copy of this book!

REVIEW - Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Title:  Wintergirls

Author:  Laurie Halse Anderson

Narrator:  Jeannie Stith

Audio Length:  7 hours, 9 minutes

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books):  "Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend's restless spirit.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery."

Thoughts: This is an absolutely phenomenal book. Never before has the image of anorexia as a battle become so clear. Ms. Halse Anderson portrays this beautifully through well-chosen, almost poetic, words and phrases. The mental anguish of Lia makes itself forcefully known through the crossed-out words and asides and is utterly chilling in its honesty. These crossed-out passages belie the the fight between body and mind and are a clear indicator that hope is not lost. 

Much of the book is spent in flashbacks, as Lia reminisces on scenes that helped foster her anorexia. These memories are a stark reminder that one does not wake up and decide to develop an eating disorder. Rather, in Lia's case, it takes a regular cast of characters to help her in her downward spiral, from her best friend for making weight loss a competition to her uncompromising, demanding mother to her ignorant father. The one true moment of sanity in her life is her half-sister, making the rest of the novel torturous for the reader as one watches Lia's descent helplessly. Combine that with her crossed-out pleas for help, and the reader's impotence becomes even more pronounced. The result is a breathtaking journey into a mind held captive by her eating disorder.

Thankfully, as heartbreaking as Wintergirls is, there exists hope within its pages. Lia wants to battle her demons; this, as previously mentioned, is made abundantly clear through her tone, through the crossed-out words, and through her struggles after Cassie's death. Yet, Lia's battles provide a cautionary hope that one can go to the brink of death and recover. This is an extremely important lesson for anyone struggling with his or her own battles with an eating disorder.

On audio, Wintergirls is pure poetry.  Jeannie Stith is a perfect narrator, adding a sense of pathos, of pleading, of desperation to her voice that allows Lia to leap from the headphones and become very real. The crossed-out words on the page come across clearly via audio, through the use of asides, the quick use of a tone to denote the aside, a quickening of speech and a certain breathlessness that aids in effectiveness.  As a short audio program, at just over seven hours, the overall impact of the narrator and Ms. Halse Anderson's words is a book that is effectively memorable in its exploration of eating disorders and one that leaves the reader in simple silence with tear-streaked face and broken heart.

From The Smartly: Beauty

Originally published on The Smartly:

This past month saw my daughter start cheerleading for the first time ever.  At age six, she is still very much into princesses and everything girlie. In two weeks of cheerleading, she has done nothing but practice her jumps and cheers.  She takes it all very seriously and absolutely loves it.

You can imagine my surprise when she all but burst into tears after team pictures the other day and announced that she was not pretty.  This was followed up fairly quickly with the statement that she was fat.  Surprise is not a strong enough word, try stunned into silence.  How can a little girl at age six determine whether she is pretty or not, let alone fat?  More importantly, where in the world did she ever get these ideas?

She has always had a healthy opinion of herself and a level of self-confidence at which I could only marvel.  Anyone who could wear some of the outfits in which she chose to dress herself and pull it off is at a comfort level with her appearance that I did not reach until I turned 30.  When her father and I tell her that she is beautiful, we mean it with our whole heart.  She is simply gorgeous.  She has eyes that look like blue crystals and a smile that fills up her entire face.  She is tall and thin for her age, and is constantly fighting a losing battle with the waist of her pants because she can't tighten them enough to stay up.  We have been warned by many a friend and even casual acquaintances that we should be prepared to fend off all the suitors in a few short years; we can see it happening already with the neighborhood boys.  This is why her statement was all the more crushing.

What prompted her declaration?  It turns out that because she did not have her hair curled into ringlets or was not wearing a little blusher and lip gloss, she feels she was not as pretty as her teammates.  This is first-grade cheerleading here.  Why in the world is it necessary to spend such an inordinate amount of time primping a little girl for one picture?  What ever happened to natural beauty?  Am I doomed to fight this battle for the next few years because I do not feel it is necessary to treat my daughter like a Barbie doll?

Yes, this entire ordeal has me extremely upset.  My main goal as a parent is to ensure my children have healthy levels of self-confidence and the ability to know what is truly important in life.  Curled hair and make-up for a first-grade picture is not important in the grand scheme of things and yet, the other mothers have convinced my daughter that it is essential to be considered beautiful.  It actually makes me a bit sick to my stomach that I have to fight this battle now.  I was mentally prepared to deal with it as she got a little older, like prepubescence but definitely not before she had even started first grade.

What is even more upsetting is that I am not certain how I can win this battle.  I feel that I am one voice objecting among millions stating that it is okay to objectify our daughters.  How can I keep telling her that make-up and fancy hair is not true beauty when she sees all of the other girls wearing fanciful hairdos and make-up?  More importantly, how I can I help my little girl see what a true beauty she truly is?  How can I ignore her tears?

The Sunday Salon - September 26, 2010

Fall is officially here!  I thought it would never come.  This week included some of our hottest temperatures of the month.  It was well into the mid-nineties on the first day of fall.  Thankfully, the weather broke on Friday, and this weekend has been gloriously autumnal: beautiful blue skies, cool breezes, crisp temperatures.  It has been absolutely wonderful.  Now, if only we could get some rain. 

This week was relatively quiet, as people recovered from Book Blogger Appreciation Week.  I got right back into the swing of reviews, sharing my thoughts of Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel, If I Stay by Gayle Forman, A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, and my beloved Dracula by Bram Stoker.  Connor also shared his thoughts on Flawed Dogs by Berkeley Breathed.  Lastly, I posited on one's obligation to his or her employer versus following one's dreams.  Yes, there is a distinct theme going on with my reading right now.  Fall means vampires, thanks to Carl's R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge!

Are you going to the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association 21st annual trade show?  It is being held in October 8 through 10th in Dearborn, Michigan.  Jen from Devourer of Books and I will be there, reporting all the action.  It's my first trade show, and I cannot wait to check out all the action.  We'd love to meet up with you if you attend!

With that, it is time for me to enjoy this weather and my Sunday afternoon.  Have a great day and happy reading!

Connor's Corner: Flawed Dogs

Last week, I read a book called Flawed Dogs: The Shocking Raid on Westminster by Berkeley Breathed.  This book contains a lot of special moments where humans create special bonds with dogs, but that in spite of that this book is not entirely for dog lovers.  I mean, I like the book a lot, but I can honestly tell you firsthand that this book wasn't about humans and dogs living happily ever after.  Let me give you an idea about the book.  First, there is a dog named Sam the Lion, who is the main character of the book, and...Oh, what am I saying?  The point is, I really liked this book because it had a lot of comedy and, well, I just liked how the book was written.  So, get this book if you love books that are LOL material.  Or else.  (Oh shoot, I didn't say book!) Just kidding!

REVIEW - Dracula by Bram Stoker

Title:  Dracula

Author:  Bram Stoker

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries about his client. Soon afterward, disturbing incidents unfold in England - an unmanned ship is wrecked at Whitby, strange puncture marks appear on a young woman's neck, and a lunatic asylum inmate raves about the imminent arrival of his "Master"-culminating in a battle of wits between the sinister Count and a determined group of adversaries."

Thoughts:  I first read Dracula in elementary school; I believe I was eight or nine years old at the time.  You could say that this is the book that started it all - my love of classics, my love of suspense, and especially my love of vampires.  There is something so mysterious, so sensual, and so deliciously creepy without being overtly scary or gory, that I never fail to enjoy this story.

The epistolary nature of the novel is a stroke of genius.  It not only builds suspense because the reader can see the entire picture being established but it heightens the emotions of the reader through the intimate interaction with each diary author's personal thoughts.  In addition, what is left unsaid, everything left to the reader's imagination creates its own sense of building horror.  The result is a novel that places the reader on a roller coaster of dread and anticipation.

On this most recent of many re-reads, I was struck anew by the dynamic between the men and the women in the novel.  Mina and Lucy are much stronger, both emotionally and physically, than any of the men ever consider possible.  Their patronizing tone and declarations that Mina's mind is just as good as a man's is upsetting at the frequency with which both are used.  The blood transfusion scenes are a great example of a poor, weak woman needing the blood of a strong, healthy male to fortify her and help her recover from any illness.  I can never truly discern whether Mr. Stoker meant to confirm that a woman's place is at home, safely bundled away from danger, or if he was pointing out that a woman can indeed hold her own with a man.  Evidence for both arguments abound throughout the novel, lending a somewhat contradictory air to the implied message.

Much has been said of the sensuality of Dracula, with much debate about whether it exists or whether it is imaginary.  To me, I feel that it not only exists but is a huge part of the novel.  The nape of the neck is extremely sensual, and Dracula (and his vampire coven) tends to go for the neck when drinking from his victims.  When he starts to turn Mina, he forces her to drink from his breast.  Then again, the time of the day when vampires prey on their victims is suggestive - nighttime, when women and men are scantily clad.  All three combine to imply an intimacy between vampire and prey that typically is only present in the bedroom.  This intimacy only heightens the shock and discomfort of the main characters, making Dracula's crimes that much more sinister and depraved. 

Dracula is the quintessential vampire story.  It is important to remember that it is not the first vampire story but it is certainly one of the most influential.  There is a reason for this.  Spooky castles, mysterious counts, a tragic loss, a love story - it has it all.  Add a touch of gothic, combined with a hint of the supernatural, and you have a story that has ensnared minds throughout the decades, remaining as popular today as it was when it was first released in 1897. 

REVIEW - A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Title:  A Prayer for Owen Meany

Author:  John Irving

Narrator:  Joe Barrett

Audio Length:  26 hours and 57 minutes


Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books):  "In the summer of 1953, two 11-year-old boys — best friends — are playing in a Little League baseball game in New Hampshire. One of the boys hits a foul ball that kills his best friend's mother. Owen Meany believes he didn't hit the ball by accident. He believes he is God's instrument. What happens to Owen after 1953 is extraordinary and terrifying. He is Irving's most heartbreaking hero."


Thoughts:  Owen Meany is meant to be annoying; his voice, his size, and his sense of purpose, among others, all highlight Johnny's own love/hate relationship with Owen.  This is one area in which Mr. Irving succeeds.  Unfortunately, he succeeds so well that it truly impacted my thoughts on the book itself.  A Prayer for Owen Meany is so sweeping in its gesture of heroism and true friendship, in its ideals of self-sacrifice and remorse that the reader should have some sympathy for Owen's fate and Johnny's plight.  Yet, my own annoyance with Owen prevented me from truly caring.

My feelings for Owen are as conflicted as Johnny Wheelwright's are.  Owen is at times so manipulative, so condescending, so righteous and so devout, I had issues with almost everything he said and did.  I cannot understand why people listened to him, never questioned him and followed him blindly.  Present-day John Wheelwright reflects on past events with equal parts bitterness and fond remembrance, making it difficult for a reader to discern John's own feelings for Owen.  Is it true love, as his current employer and her husband thinks?  Is it completely platonic?  The love/hate dynamic that exists within John regarding Owen gives the reader permission to feel similarly.  It is an allowance on the part of the author like no other.

As with any novel of this length, there are many feints and sleights of hand, making it nearly impossible for the reader to predict, let alone follow at times.  Mr. Irving did an excellent job starting out with one story, uncovering bits and pieces of it, only to uncover the whole truth rather dramatically at the end and forcing the reader to realize just how wrong he or she was.  Not only does it make the story that much more enjoyable, it makes certain scenes in the story quite horrific because one does not see it coming until much too late. 

Like most people who aspire to write a Dickensian novel, including Mr. Dickens himself, A Prayer for Owen Meany suffers from a tendency towards wordiness and rambling over inane topics.  When the story was on track, it was concise, intriguing, and intelligently written.  Unfortunately, many times throughout the novel, the narrator veered off onto various tangents, making it quite easy to tune out while listening to this as an audio book.   However, like Dickens' works, tuning out proved to be quite dangerous because even the most innocuous comment on the most random tangent became a clue to final mystery of Owen's fate.

As hinted at in the title, A Prayer for Owen Meany revolves around the idea of faith.  Many of the characters either question theirs, have lost theirs, or have no doubts about theirs.  As a reader, it is not a novel to be read searching for answers.  In fact, I feel that because my own feelings about religion and faith are so confused, I could not adequately appreciate this key theme.  As religion is mentioned on practically every page, this is a huge omission on my part and directly impacted my reaction to certain scenes.

On audio, one can get a true sense of Owen's unique voice.  Joe Barrett does this to perfection, employing a high-pitched, nasal tonality that truly does grate on the nerves.  The impact of "that voice" from "that boy" takes on an entirely new meaning because the listener understands completely what a character may be experiencing when faced with Owen and his voice for the first time.  As for the rest of the audio performance, Mr. Barrett excels.  His voice is conversationalist in tone, pleasant and soothing to one's ear, except for when voicing Owen's lines.  His characterization of each of the characters is subtle yet distinct, making it easy for the listener to distinguish between Grandmother and Hester, Aunt Martha and John's mother, Dan Needham versus Reverend Louis Merrill, and so forth.  His enunciation is crisp and clear, and his adoption of a faint New England accent adds to the overall experience.

In spite of, or even maybe because of, my feelings for Owen, A Prayer for Owen Meany is a fascinating book.  The story itself is engaging and quite interesting.  There are enough teasers and hints as to Owen's fate, that the reader is compelled to continue with the story to confirm all suspicions or suggestions.  The characters themselves are all quite memorable.  Cousin Hester and Grandmother remain two of my favorites, Hester as the tortured soul and Grandmother as a revered matriarch of an entire town.  While I may not agree entirely with the final message regarding miracles and spiritual belief, I can respect what Mr. Irving was trying to accomplish, for no matter what one's beliefs are about faith, A Prayer for Owen Meany forces the reader to reevaluate those beliefs.  Well-written and perfectly executed, it will keep one pondering the idea of faith for a long time.

Inside Michelle's Brain: Dreams versus Reality

For those who have been following on Twitter, work lately has been incredibly crazy.  Within a matter of a few weeks, I have a new boss and a completely new organizational structure.  Then, I negotiated an alternative work schedule to accommodate the lack of daycare options.  This was all followed very quickly by the announcement of a massive two-year project that will take a majority of our current resources and change the way we completely do business.  Within this last announcement came the shock that my co-worker of five years, the senior person in our small department of two, will be permanently assigned to this special project and will then retire after the project is complete.  To say that I am discombobulated is an understatement.

There have been so many changes lately that I am honestly afraid to come to work because I do not know what else will be announced.  Today, I had the pleasure of listening to my workload and my future position in the company being discussed by my new boss and departing co-worker, all from my desk because I was not part of the conversation.  I feel like my career is quickly careening out of my control, and I'm not certain I like the feeling.

I do know that within this special project is the need for a full-time communications person.  As soon as that position was announced, I perked up and expressed my desire for the job.  I've been trying to volunteer for this special project for three months and have either not been taken seriously or have been ignored.  But communications?  This I can do well.  I already have traction as the editor and founder of the company newsletter, something which has been met with tremendous success and continues to generate impressive responses from elsewhere in the parent company.  I have proven that I can write communication pieces.  I want this job.

However, when I expressed my interest to my manager, he was concerned that it is the exact opposite of everything I have been working towards for the past five years.  This is indeed true.  It is the opposite of what I have been doing...at work.  This entire exchange has me more than a little concerned.  Should I be pigeon-holed into a role solely because that is where my experience lies?  At what point in time should reality limit your dreams?

See - I feel certain that even though I am volunteering for this special project and would be a perfect fit for the communications role, my request is going to be ignored.  Why is this?  For one thing, with my co-worker's pending departure, the company is going to have to fill her role, meaning hiring someone new.  When you work at something as important as pricing all of a company's products, it is not a role that is easily replaceable.  I do not see them letting both of us go, no matter how much I wish otherwise.  Also, I think the fact that I have my certification and MBA in accounting, my manager's incredulity will rule the day.  Because he can't fathom me wanting to switch career paths after all that work, he is not going to let me do so.  This means that no matter how much I lobby for my dream role, I have no confidence I will get it.

So I ask others - at what point in time do you put your dreams aside and face down reality?  Is it right to expect a company to allow me to switch career paths at the drop of a hat, even though it might cause temporary problems for day-to-day business?  Should I continue to fight (and beg and plead) for the communications role, or should I muster up excitement at becoming the senior pricing specialist in the building, complete with more meetings, more teams,  more bureaucracy, and a ton more work, 

REVIEW - If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Title:  If I Stay

Author:  Gayle Forman

Synopsis:  One bright morning, Mia has it all - a loving family, a bright future, an adoring boyfriend, a musical gift, a once-in-a-lifetime best friend.  Yet, that is all taken away in an instant, forcing Mia to make the most difficult decision of her life. 

Thoughts:  The premise of If I Stay is quite simple.  When faced with complete and utter loss, would you choose to stay or let go?  The agony and the emotion behind the decision is what gives this novel its power. 

Mia's life that bright morning makes the terror of the accident that much more forceful and shocking.  The love and joy Mia has for her parents and little brother leaps off the page.  The entire family dynamic is one of love and understanding, trust and utter honesty.  It is a dynamic that most people dream of having with their parents, siblings, children and extended family.  Whenever Mia flashes back to certain situations, the love and support she feels towards her family and receives in return soothes the jagged edges of the reader's emotions, already raw with emotion over Mia's fate. 

Contrast that with the shock and horror of having to face the loss of her family, the despair she feels as a silent observer to everything that is occurring around her body, making a difficult decision even more difficult as her emotions are pulled taut with conflicting desires.  Every time Mia flashes back and returns to the present, the reader is left with the emotional equivalent of a punch in the gut and heart-wrenching pain at the renewed sense of horror and loss. 

The characters are what make this novel so special.  The reader is automatically drawn to Mia and the awfulness of her present circumstance.  Yet, as she remembers and shares with the reader her innermost thoughts, there is a underlying vulnerability that melts even the hardest of hearts.  The reader wants to protect Mia from anything bad.  Adam does just that.  He supports her in a way that most teenagers cannot.  There is an unselfishness to their relationship that is touching and incredibly mature.  To me, theirs is an incredibly realistic relationship, reminiscent of my own courtship with my husband.  They know they are young and make no demands on each other outside of the present.  It truly is a special relationship.

The one character that most affected me though was Gramps.  Mia's grandfather is a quiet constant in her life, not as chatty as her grandmother, not as quirky as her father, not as forceful as her mother.  He is the quiet presence that provides stability and love, and he very much reminds me of my own grandfather, who I lost over twenty years ago.  He too was quiet, unobtrusive, yet the love I felt from him was a constant in my life and left a huge hole when he died.  Mia's memories of her grandfather were eerily similar to some of my own memories, making any scene with Gramps doubly painful for me. 

Like Mia, the reader cannot decide which path is the correct path to take.  Should she succumb and let go, knowing that without her parents and her brother, life will be a relative shell of what it used to be?  Should she stay, knowing that she still has the love of her grandparents, Kim, and most importantly, Adam?  Which is the correct answer?  Is there a correct answer?  If love is eternal, then does it matter in the end?

If I Stay has been compared to Twilight.  Honestly, I have no idea why this comparison was made and think it is actually an unfair comparison because it sets up certain expectations in readers of this beautifully poignant novel that will be left unfulfilled.  If I Stay is strong enough to stand on its own merits, and stand it does.  It is a shining example of the power of love and the power of choice. 

REVIEW - Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Title:  Infinite Days

Author:  Rebecca Maizel

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "Lenah Beaudonte is in many ways your average sixteen-year-old: the “new girl,” she struggles to fit in enough to survive at school, and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy captain of the lacrosse team.  But her challenges are beyond what anyone could have expected.  Lenah just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire turned human…

Shes just awakened from a century-long hibernation and each passing hour hears another tick of the time-bomb, counting down to the moment when her abandoned vampire coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping, and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her new-found life as fully as the passing moments allow. But, to do so, she must first answer the ominous questions at hand:  Can an ex-vampire survive in a time and place so alien to her?  What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them?  And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?"

Thoughts:  What originally drew me to Infinite Days is its premise.  Let's face it - most vampire novels these days involve a human falling in love with a vampire and finding a way to live happily ever after.  This typically means becoming a vampire as well.  Vampires remain popular after all these years because of mankind's fear of death.  Humans have searched for ways to thwart death for generations, but vampires do not have to worry about death because they are guaranteed a very long existence.  When the idea of no longer opening your eyes becomes too much to bear, vampires seem like a fair trade.  Yet, here we have the idea of a vampire wanting to trade in immortality for a normal, human existence.  It flies in the face of why vampires are so popular, which meant I had to read it. 

Infinite Days does not disappoint.  It is the interesting twist on the vampire myth I expected, one that I thoroughly enjoyed.  Yet I would have wished for greater detail on the vampire/human transformation.  There was a lot about Ms. Maizel's vampire world that was left unexplained and a lot about Lenah's transformation that was skipped over as well.  There was a chance to set herself apart from all of the other vampire stories out there, and while she started to do this with the transformation, I felt that she could have truly shined with just a bit more information and explanation.

What does make Infinite Days stand out is the emotional aspect of the story.  From the moment Lenah wakes up human, the reader understands that the story cannot end well.  With this as a backdrop, the reader is taken on a journey of guilt and pain, an exploration of selfishness versus selflessness, and a blurring of evil and good.  Can anyone can be truly selfless?  Make no mistake that according to Ms. Maizel, redemption and hope are powerful motivators, but the true answer remains deliciously vague up to the very last sentence. 

Speaking of the ending, I have to admit that I was absolutely stunned to discover that this was a trilogy.  The ending seems so...final.  I certainly did not catch the cliffhanger.  The fact that the story continues has me so intrigued that I will definitely pick up the sequel when it is released many months from now. 

Ideally, I would love to get more information about Rhode.  That is a character about whom the reader only gets snippets but everything learned is fascinating and frustrating.  Actually, that can be said about the entire story.  So much of what is mentioned is only fleetingly discussed.  There is an entire back story here that begs to be uncovered.  What did Rhode do during the 100 years while Lenah was in hibernation?  Why can vampires hibernate?  Lenah is said to be a vampire queen; just how many vampires are there and has no one else created a coven?  Too many questions and not enough answers are the biggest issues facing Infinite Days.

In spite of all the unanswered questions, I still enjoyed the book tremendously.  Lenah is alternatively sweet and naive and yet more than a little dangerous.  Infinite Days is not your traditional vampire story, and I look forward to seeing how the rest of the series unfolds.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this Advanced Reading Copy!

The Sunday Salon - September 19, 2010

Can you still feel the love?  Book Blogger Appreciation Week ended on Friday, and I'm still celebrating.  The love and affection throughout the book blogging community has been tremendous.  Not only did I add quite a few new bloggers to my Reader, I reconfirmed my belief that book bloggers are some of the most accepting, friendliest, supportive people I have ever had the opportunity to know.  Congratulations to Amy from My Friend Amy and her team for hosting this annual event.  You guys did a tremendous job this year!  Thank you for all of your hard work!

Speaking of congratulations, Billie Baker deserves a huge shout-out for winning my An Echo in the Bone giveaway from a few weeks ago!  Enjoy!!

Did you catch Connor's Corner yesterday?  I was finally able to convince Connor to share his thoughts about books.  The child reads as much as I do, and I really want him to be able to start expressing his opinions about his chosen reads.  Since he has to write one book report a month for school anyway, I had a fairly easy job to convince him.  All I had to do was promise him the freedom to talk about whatever he wants on occasion (expect lots of Star Wars talk), he was quite eager to say yes.  I truly hope this enthusiasm will last.

This week will see me return to a regular schedule of book reviews, Inside My Brain, and whatever else crosses my mind.  I have officially recovered from my reading slump and have quite a few books to review.  I am firmly entrenched in the RIP Challenge, and my reading definitely reflects it.  To help me get in the spirit, I've even pulled out my fall/Halloween decorations.  I'm ready for the weather to permanently cool off so that I can start baking!  Mmm...pumpkin muffins, apple crisp, zucchini bread...

In the meantime, I have a soccer game to attend.  Have a great week, everyone.  Happy reading!

Connor's Corner: Introduction

Hey there!  What's up?  Now, if you're reading this, you might be thinking, "What the heck is this doing on That's What She Read?"  If so, here it is.  See, my mom (that's Michelle, by the way) was thinking that I could do my own reviews on her blog.  I too had been thinking about this but had never decided on it.  My mom also thought it would be good for school.  I figured, "Yeah, probably true."  So here I am on the web.  By the way, I figured that you are probably going to want to know what you can expect from reading this. I'll mostly be doing reviews of books, but Mom promised that I could write about other things I like.  So until next week! 

 

BBAW - Future Treasure

We've been visiting each other and getting to know each other better; now is your chance to share what you enjoyed about BBAW and also what your blogging goals are for the next year!

My experience with and excitement about BBAW is more poignant this year because of the love and respect flowing from all book bloggers.  This past year has been one beset by drama and intrigue, arguments and controversy.  While there were moments of community and support (Armchair BEA is one shining example), there was a lot that made me somewhat ashamed to be a blogger at times.  BBAW is the one time of the year where we put aside the drama and controversy, shower affection on one another and celebrate the one thing that unites us all - our love of books.  The enthusiasm and support generated this week is one of the reasons why I love being apart of the book blogging community, as well as one of the reasons why I love BBAW so much.  The New and First Treasures are a great way to meet new bloggers.  Forgotten Treasures was an excellent way to discover books that I must read.  Unexpected Treasures are a wonderful reminder of the power of stepping outside of our comfort zone and the trust we have in each other to accept recommendations and challenges from others. 

As for what the future holds for That's What She Read, my main goal is to one day in the future, hopefully not-so-distant, use the knowledge and writing skills I've learned from writing my blog to incorporate them into a paying writing position.  I have devoted a lot of time and energy over the past two years to discovering what I want to be when I grow up.  While I have my goals for my current place of employment, what truly creates the most passion and excitement is the thought of writing for a living.  I do not want to write a novel.  I want to write op-ed pieces and even other articles that require a bit of research to share with others.  I know the right job is out there, and this would definitely have to be a job to convince me to quit my current job.  It is all just a matter of building a portfolio, networking,  and keeping my eyes and ears open.  My major goal this year will be to do just that. 

Other than that, I aim to have no other goals.  There are definitely things I would like to do this year.  I'd like to stay caught up on reviews.  I'd like to read more books.  I'd like to attend BEA or other conferences and blogger meet-ups.  If it happens, then I'll be tickled pink.  If not, then so be it.  Goals are great, but sometimes I feel they can prevent a person from going with the flow and experiencing life as a journey.  Blogging, to me, is a journey, and I don't want to miss a single part of it because I was too caught up in achieving my goals. 

Thank you to everyone for making BBAW such a huge success!  Thank you for being an amazingly supportive and welcoming community!  I am truly proud to be called a book blogger.

BBAW - Forgotten Treasure

Sure we've all read about Freedom and Mockingjay but we likely have a book we wish would get more attention by book bloggers, whether it's a forgotten classic or an under- marketed contemporary fiction.  This is your chance to tell the community why they should consider reading this book!

Historical fiction tends to get a fairly large nod from book bloggers, as it typically crosses several genres, from action to intrigue to romance.  Philippa Gregory's The Red Queen saw a large amount of headlines thanks to bloggers, as did The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott and The Postmistress, as well as Michelle Moran's novels.  One of my favorite books of the year is one that did not generate buzz in the way that I had hoped it would and would definitely be considered one of my forgotten treasures of the past twelve months.

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom is historical fiction at its finest.  Take a well-known subject matter, add in a shocking twist, add a dash of realism and deft writing and you get one killer story.  Ms. Grissom delivers just that with her debut novel about growing up as a white indentured servant on a plantation that owns slaves.  From my review:

"Ms. Grissom has created an engaging page-turner that made me part of Virginia in the 1810s.  The images of Tall Oaks, Williamsburg, and plantation life in general is so clear that I felt as if I was watching a movie rather than reading a novel.  Not only that, but Ms. Grissom is able to elicit an extremely strong emotional response through her well-researched portrayal of plantations, slavery, and indentured servitude.  There is a sense of foreboding that builds and greatly contributes to the overall story.  Ms. Grissom's greatest strength lies in her ability to utilize the imagination of the reader to help tackle the true difficult situations around abuse and mental health, for a reader's imagination will always be worse than what the author can portray with words.  This ability to leave much of the specifics to the reader's imagination strengthens the overall message behind power, love, and family."

"While slavery and indentured servitude are the backdrop to Lavinia's and Belle's stories, make no mistake that the main point of The Kitchen House is family.  What makes a family?  Is it blood only?  What are your obligations to blood relatives?  Are they greater than obligations to others you consider family?  Should they be greater?  Ms. Grissom explores the idea of family and its ties through Lavinia's struggles to adapt to her servitude and then to her emergence into the "white" world.  It permeates all decisions made by each of the characters and presents the reader with many questions about the essence of family."

"Slavery and servitude are not easy topics, but Ms. Grissom handles both with reality and care.  She does not gloss over the more evil aspects of either one, nor does she romanticize them.  Her matter-of-fact treatment of both situations allows the reader to learn more about them while not getting bogged down into the moral complexity of either issue.  A reader is left with a sense of the differences and similarities of both, highlighting the freedoms afforded Lavinia that Belle and her family would never be able to achieve, whether it is fair or not.  It truly is an interesting glimpse into two institutions that were all too common in colonial America."

If you have not yet had the opportunity to check out Ms. Grissom's novel, I highly recommend it.  The questions raised and the lessons learned are well worth the time spent reading it. 

BBAW - Unexpected Treasure

We invite you to share with us a book or genre you tried due to the influence of another blogger.  What made you cave in to try something new and what was the experience like?

I have always maintained that I love to read books from every genre.  If you look at my book list, you can see that I do not leave much out that I do not read.  Yet, the one genre I never could fully embrace was horror.  I do not like horror movies, and I struggle with being scared.  (Vampires do not count because honestly, I do not find them scary.)  I avoided true horror novels like the plague.   The R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril challenge last year forced me to change all that.  In the spirit of the challenge, I read my very first horror novel, Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill.  It was everything I expected, and yet, I loved it!  I enjoyed being able to read only a few chapters at a time because my stomach was tied in knots.  I loved the feeling of creepiness descend on me as I read, forcing me to turn on just one more lamp to scare away the monsters that lurked around corners.  More importantly, I survived reading the novel.  I didn't die of fright; I didn't have nightmares.   Now, I am much more inclined to read horror.  I have Joe Hill's latest novel on my list of books to read for this year's R.I.P. challenge, and I even have designs to read my very first Stephen King novel.  I'm eyeballing The Stand.  How's that for not liking horror?

BBAW - New Treasure

The Interview Swap - One of the most popular events of Book Blogger Appreciation Week.  It affords all bloggers an opportunity to reach out to other bloggers and get to know them a bit better.  It is also the day of the week where I add way too many new bloggers to my Reader, but that's okay! 

This year's interview partner is one that made waves over the past year - both by her ability to write a review and because of her age.  I give you Melina of Reading Vacation fame! 

Melina is a relatively new blogger who is only 11 years old.  That's right, she is the same age as my son but is an active blogger and participant on Twitter.  Her writing is amazing, and her comprehension and understanding of the subtleties of novels is very advanced.  I had the distinct pleasure of getting to know Melina a bit more.

You describe yourself as an average 11-year-old girl.  The fact that you are blogging regularly at your age would prove that you are anything but average.  What made you decide to start blogging about the books you read?

Thank you for the compliment, but I’m really just a typical girl who loves reading.  I have always been a reader and I wanted to find some way to do something more with reading.  But what?  My parents introduced me to blogging and helped me get Reading Vacation set up.  Once I got started, I found such a friendly community of readers, authors, and bloggers.  Everyone has been so nice and helpful to me. 

As the mother of a ten-year-old myself, I must state that I would be very hesitant to let him get online with any regularity, especially to blog and to use Twitter.  What do you parents say about all this?

My parents are very proud of me.  We made an agreement from day one that they would have complete access to my email, twitter, and blog.  They log into them every day to be sure things are safe.  There have been a few times where someone approached me inappropriately.  We just deleted the messages and moved on.   

Do your parents read your blog?  Do your friends?  What do they say about all this?

Parents – They read my blog daily to keep an eye on my Internet safety.  They know I work hard on it, so they are very proud.

Teachers – A few of my teachers read my blog.  Last year’s language arts teacher also uses it as an example of Twenty-first Century Learning when he is training other teachers.

Friends – Some of them read my blog to get book recommendations.  They think it is so awesome that I am in contact with authors. 

My ten-year-old is a voracious reader as well, yet he has never expressed an interest in writing reviews for either my blog or on my own.  What would say to kids your own age to get them interested in writing book reviews for the masses?

I would show them some of my favorite book blogs so they would have an idea of what is possible.  Then, I would leave the decision totally up to them.  Since it is such a big commitment, they would need to have their own motivation.

Other than reading and blogging, what keeps your interest?  What other activities keep you busy?

I was on a competitive dance team until I was ten.  My specialty was tap.  I gave up dance last year because it was starting to interfere with my homework time.  At dance competitions, I was the girl reading a book between dances. 

Aside from reading and blogging, I like to knit, listen to music, play wii, talk to my friends, and walk on the treadmill.

You mention that you read YA, but I suspect that you are not quite the target audience for such books.  Which books, if any, do you feel were a little too "old" for you?  Have you gone on to recommend them to friends?

There are plenty of YA books that are too mature for me.  I haven’t actually read any of them, so I could not recommend them.  My parents approve every book before I read it by reading some reviews and thumbing through the pages if we are at the library or bookstore.  There are lots of times that they will put a book back on the shelf after looking through it. 

You state that you love school.  What are your favorite subjects?  Do you find your favorite subjects influence your reading selections?

My favorite subjects are Language Arts (of course) and History.  I absolutely love historical fiction.  Books about strong females in history are some of my favorites in this genre.  Language Arts teachers are great for book recommendations too!

What are your top five favorite books you've read so far?

Oh, that’s hard to answer!  Here are a few of my all-time favs in no particular order:

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa

Radiance by Alyson Noel

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

What are the top five favorite books you are looking forward to reading in the future?

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

            Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

At your age, I was well immersed into reading classics (I was a weird child).  Is this a genre that interests you?  Have you read any classics?  Are you going to include them in future reading selections?

I went through a classics phase in fourth grade.  I read every single one of the Great Illustrated Classics that my library carried.  I have a blog post dedicated to that series and how much it meant to me.

Let's face it - most of the book bloggers out there are much older than you.  How do you handle this generational gap?  Do you ever find yourself uncomfortable with the age differences? 

I am comfortable being the youngest book blogger around.  At some point, someone younger than me will come around, and I will be right there to support them. 

As for how I handle it - When I see a review for a book or a twitter conversation that is too mature for me, I just pass it by.  No biggie. 

Sometimes the age difference can be fun though!  There was some twitter talk about Buffy the Vampire Slayer a few weeks ago and I had never heard of Buffy before.  That led into some pretty fun conversations about Buffy and what a tragedy it was that I had never seen her shows.

For the most part, I think I have more in common than NOT in common with my blog and twitter contacts.  We all have books in common and that is why we are here in the first place.

Very elegantly put, Melina!  Books are the common denominator and that does transcend any age difference.

If you have not had a chance to check out Melina's blog, she is a remarkable young woman that is worthy of your attention.  Thank you, Melina, for being so forthright and honest!