REVIEW - Stay by Deb Caletti

Title: Stay

Author: Deb Caletti

Synopsis (Courtesy of IndieBound): "Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is--and what he’s willing to do to make her stay.

Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough...."

Thoughts: For those who have ever criticized young adult romances for their unhealthy approach to relationships, Stay is exactly what the doctor ordered. Clara's relationship with Christian starts out in the traditional way that society has come to romanticize when it comes to young love - love at first sight, the idea of being soul mates, the constant need to be together or talk to one another, and the feeling of being complete when together. Yet, real life is never quite this amazing, and Ms. Caletti takes no prisoners with her story on abusive relationships.

The story comes together through Clara's authentic voice. She tells her story with stark honesty, recognizing moments that the reader may be most dubious and commenting on it. Even though the reader knows that the events being told happened in the past, the sense of guilt Clara felt at her supposed part in Christian's behavior still shines through her storytelling. This adds such an air of realism, that it feels as if the events are happening immediately rather than have already happened.

Even better, Clara tells her story in fits and starts, reflecting on her relationship with Christian and then focusing on her relationship with her father and burgeoning relationship with Finn. The reader knows something awful has happened but cannot tell exactly what it was until such time as Clara decides to unveil the full story. This building sense of doom keeps the reader turning the page, anxious to find out if Clara's fears about Christian come true.

Yet, Stay is not just about Clara's relationship with her former boyfriend; it also touches on her relationship with her father and the need for it to grow beyond protector and protected. It is about uncovering some hidden truths behind her parents' relationship and the consequences these have had upon her life. Ultimately, it is about Clara's ability to grow beyond her current relationships and rediscover herself again.

Stay is a wonderfully honest, refreshing look at damaging relationships, how easy it is to get into one and how difficult they are to end. Ms. Caletti showcases the psychological damage they instill on the victim and the tremendous strength it takes to overcome the damage. Growing up is never easy, and these obsessive relationships, as glamorized by certain movies and other novels, make it even more so. Stay is a great reminder of this while being an immensely enjoyable read.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster's Galley Grab for this review copy!

Inside Michelle's Brain - Trends in Book Blogging Part 5

While I haven't been that active in visiting other blogs and commenting on various posts and reviews in recent months, I have noticed certain trends that have me rolling my eyes, raising my eyebrows and in general wondering about the state of book blogging. I want to take some time to address each one and hopefully start a discussion about them. As I have a lot to say, this is going to be spread out over several weeks. Think of it as a modern-day expose on the world of book blogging. I've discussed readathons, giveaways, blog hops, and rules. This week I tackle the reasons for starting to blog.

A discussion on Twitter prompted this one, and I do think it needs to be addressed. I mentioned when discussing the idea of blogging rules that one needs to have a strong idea of the reasons and goals behind blogging. Why did you start? Why do you continue? What motivates you to put forth the time and effort to blog? What do you hope to accomplish with your blog? Without serious, thoughtful answers to these questions, most bloggers will flounder and eventually quit because they have no direction. I've seen it happen time and time again.

Along with this is the idea of blogging for external versus intrinsic rewards. For those bloggers who have been around for a while, we have all been asked by new bloggers how to get free books or to improve stats. These questions, to me, are disturbing and indicative of the fact that the blogger did not start blogging for the "right" reasons. Yes, I realize that there are no right or wrong anything to blogging, but hear me out.

Blogging takes a lot of time and energy. The payoff, most of the time, is negligible and for the most part internal. It is a sense of satisfaction at starting discussions, at broadening one's horizons, at being exposed to new authors and new genres. It is a sense of community that there are other people out there who are just as crazy about books as you are. It is exposure to a new audience, improving one's writing skills, and creating a network of people to potentially help further your writing career. Notice, these are all intrinsic rewards. They are not tangible. You cannot put a dollar figure to them.

Blogging is not about the external rewards and never has been. Sure, the free books are nice, but I challenge the idea that they are free. The publishers who send them out are doing so in exchange for something from us. They want to see reviews and are hoping the money they are losing to send out these "free" review copies will be offset by increased sales. Keeping in mind that this is a business transaction for the publisher, they are going to be less willing to take a chance on a new, unestablished blog because the payback for the publisher will be less.

Stats, books, recognition - these all take time. You have to establish yourself as a blogger who means business, one who is not going to quit at the lack of external rewards, before you will be recognized in the industry as a true book blogger. Time means work. It is not easy to write day after day with little to no feedback. It is a balancing act to put yourself out there on other social media sites without letting it consume the rest of your life. Those that succeed understand that it is internal motivation that keeps most of us going. If you do not recognize this before you start blogging, you are doomed to fail.

What do you think? Am I too harsh? Thoughts?

REVIEW - Dark Life by Kat Falls

Title: Dark Life

Author: Kat Falls

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "The oceans rose, swallowing the lowlands. Earthquakes shattered the continents, toppling entire regions into the rising water. Now, humans live packed into stack cities. The only ones with any space of their own are those who live on the ocean floor: the Dark Life.

Ty has spent his whole life living deep undersea. When outlaws attack his homestead, he finds himself in a fight to save the only home he has ever known. Joined by Gemma, a girl from Topside, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and discovers some dark secrets to Dark Life. Secrets that threaten to destroy everything."

Thoughts: In Dark Life, Kat Falls has created an amazing undersea world that seems a distinct possibility in our current predicament of global warming and natural disasters. Ty is immensely likable as a boy on the brink of adulthood that knows more and is capable of more than his parents realize. While this could result in the strained teen-parent relationship that is prevalent in YA novels, Ty instead loves and respects his parents and understands how his actions will hurt them and their trust in him. He wants to protect them as much as they want to protect him. It is a refreshing change from what I feel is a disturbing trend in teen fiction. Ty proves that parents and teens can have a good relationship.

Even better, Ty and Gemma are not perfect teens. They get into desperate situations because of their failure to grasp the larger implications of their actions. They are hard-headed and believe naively that nothing bad will happen. Their innocence and failure to realize their naivety is also different. Gemma and Ty do not know everything and cannot solve the overarching problem on their own. Rather, they must work with the adults to save their world. In Dark Life, everyone must work together, which is as it should be.

Dark Life is a unique dystopian tale that shies away from the more popular gimmicks and plot devices. Ms. Falls, with a brevity that is both unique and immensely effective, has created a world unlike any other, with unfamiliar sea creatures, landscapes and cultures that are all realistic and plausible. The reader has no problem picturing the stack cities or life under the sea. Even better, Dark Life is not a series but a very satisfying stand-alone story that is great for pre-teens and adults. It is no wonder it garnered lots of buzz, and long waiting lines, at the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers trade show last October!

Thank you to Terribeth B. Smith from Scholastic and GLiBA for my review copy!

REVIEW - The Girl Who Would Speak for the Dead by Paul Elwork

Title: The Girl Who Would Speak for the Dead

Author: Paul Elwork

Synopsis (Courtesy of IndieBound): "Emily Stewart is the girl who claims to stand between the living and the dead. During the quiet summer of 1925, she and her brother, Michael, are thirteen-year-old twins-privileged, precocious, wandering aimlessly around their family's estate. One day, Emily discovers that she can secretly crack her ankle in such a way that a sound appears to burst through the stillness of midair. Emily and Michael gather the neighborhood children to fool them with these 'spirit knockings.'

Soon, however, this game of contacting the dead creeps into a world of adults still reeling from World War I. When the twins find themselves dabbling in the uncertain territory of human grief and family secrets- knock, knock-everything spins wildly out of control."

Thoughts: Grief is a tricky thing. It can cause someone to give up, to barricade oneself behind closed doors and remove oneself from the world as a way to compensate. Conversely, it can cause one to romanticize the past, to view a relationship through rose-colored glasses and consider past situations as better than they actually were. Yet, no matter how one reacts to grief, the one overarching issue that everyone has is the lack of closure. It is this need for closure in which the Stewart twins find themselves ensnared.

The Girl Who Would Speak for the Dead explores this world of grief through the eyes of Emily, as she deals with the repercussions of her actions and understands just how far one is willing to go to obtain closure with a dearly departed. The story ultimately crosses generations, with Emily uncovering family secrets and the impact of grief on her own ancestors. These secrets are intriguing, but Emily's reactions to them are what make the story. Emily is an interesting character, seemingly heartless and yet filled with guilt. Watching Emily uncover the power she has over people and struggling with this guilt is at once horrifying and yet hopeful. She understands that she is fulfilling a need within people's lives, and her discovery of just how tenuous the line is between helping and hurting is fascinating.

For those who are have read about the Fox sisters in previous novels, like Deborah Noyes' Captivity, it would be easy to dismiss The Girl Who Would Speak for the Dead. Yet, unlike these other novels, Mr. Elwork explores the deception behind the Spiritualism movement and how easy it would be to take advantage of grieving people with minimal effort. This approach is refreshing in its honesty, and yet, he writes in such a way that the line between fact and fiction is blurred, and what seems like deception becomes a form of therapy.

The Girl Who Would Speak for the Dead is one of those novels that sounds simple in its concept but ends up being so much more detailed in its execution. To describe it as a novel about grief is too simplistic, as is the idea that it is about deception. It is about that and so much more. When done poorly, something this complicated could be confusing and distracting. However, Mr. Elwork is able to bring together all the of the elements in a most effective manner, creating a story that is creepy and yet heart wrenching. Amy Einhorn Books has done it again with a novel that is fresh and immensely enjoyable in a psychologically uncomfortable way.

Thanks to Adam Khatib from Amy Einhorn Books for my review copy.

The Sunday Salon - March 27, 2011

March Madness has definitely lived up to its name, has it not? All of my favorites are out, as there has been upset after upset these last few weeks. However, I can't complain too much as this is what makes this tournament so much fun to watch. Even if you aren't a huge basketball fan, there is something so compelling and fun about watching ten college kids putting it all out there each and every game and knowing that heart can and does overcome skill. It is must-see TV.

Unfortunately, along with the shift in weather - we are currently seeing highs in the 40s again, down 30 degrees from last Wednesday - comes illness. I am not certain what I have, but I spent all day Saturday and will probably spend all day today in bed fighting something. Severe muscles aches, some chest pain and a mild sore throat are all that I have, but it is enough to make me want to burrow under the covers and not move. I'm hoping that in doing so, I can prevent it from getting worse in time for the work week. It's a hardship for Jim and kids, but sometimes Momma just needs a break to take care of herself.

This week, I finally shared my thoughts on Chapters from my Autobiography by Mark Twain, Picking Bones from Ash by Marie Matsuki Mockett, Land of the Painted Caves by Jean Auel, and Holly Black's Red Glove. Connor also got in on the action and posted his review of The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. I am so happy he is reviewing again. His writing never ceases to amaze me.

Also, I continued to explore various trends in blogging, this time discussing the idea of rules. This has been a tremendously popular series, and I would like to continue it. However, I've seem to run dry of trends. Is there something I have missed? Is there one particular topic you would like me to tackle? Please leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail and let me know!

Another productive week reading, all the practices and rehearsals are really helping me finish novels. This week, I tore through Kat Falls' Dark Life, A. M. Tuomala's Erekos, and David Vann's Caribou Island on audio. I started J. R. Ward's Dark Lover on audio but realized that the narrator was completely ruining the story for me. That will definitely be a novel to read in print. I switched to Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair and am enjoying that so much more. I also finished A. D. Scott's A Small Death in the Great Glen yesterday as well as Gayle Forman's Where She Went. Today, I hope to get through Meg Wolitzer's The Uncoupling. I just went on a requesting binge from NetGalley, so I definitely need to step it up!

With that, it is time for me to burrow under said covers and take another nap. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Sunday. Happy reading, everyone!

Connor's Corner - The Looking Glass Wars

Wonderland. A word we all love and know. A dreamscape filled with fantastic things, all created by a young girl named Alice. But what if all of it was real?

Wonderland is real. And it's at war. Seven-year-old Alyss Heart, heir of the throne, has escaped Wonderland, along with her bodyguard Hatter Madigan, through a mysterious body of water known as the Pool of Tears. Said to teleport you to a different world (and never being able to come back), Hatter and Alyss are separated in an unfamiliar world: Earth.

But she's not safe yet. Alyss' evil Aunt Redd, now queen of the Wonderland, after a series of beheadings, has not forgotten that her niece has escaped. Now, Hatter must hurry to find the lost princess so she can claim back her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.

All I have to say is, "Wow". Frank Beddor has taken Lewis Carroll's make-believe world and turned it into something almost believable. The book is like a giant puzzle; it had to fit in with every bit of detail from Lewis Carroll's book. For instance, everyone knows the Cheshire cat. In Frank's Wonderland, the mischievous feline is actually a murderous assassin, part cat and part human. Get the picture? The Looking Glass Wars amazed me and after reading it, I was really upset thinking it was the end. But, hallelujah, it's a trilogy! Isn't that just wonderful?

REVIEW - Red Glove by Holly Black

Title: Curse Workers #02: Red Glove

Author: Holly Black

Synopsis (Courtesy of Indiebound): "Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose."

Thoughts: In this second of the Curse Workers' series, Ms. Black picks up where she left off with Cassel's story. His mom is most decidedly in the picture, while his relationship with his brothers is now more complicated than he ever thought possible. Let's not even talk about his feelings for Lila, which have been ruined by his mother's "gift". In spite of his abilities, Cassel is still trying to be a normal teen in this most decidedly abnormal world of Ms. Black's imagination.

Holly Black is a master at grabbing a reader's attention and not letting go until the very end. She manages to pack in such ideas as tolerance, morality, peer pressure, and other teen dilemmas while exploring the seedy world of the workers, a world which Cassel manages to straddle without committing himself in either direction. Cassel is a character that maintains his innocence in spite of the world in which he was raised. This innocence helps him and yet hurts him as he struggles to make decisions that remain faithful to his family and to himself. In spite of this innocence though, Cassel is most decidedly a bad guy in the strictest sense of the word. He is not a boy you would want to bring home to your father, as he is always looking at the world as a con does a mark. This dichotomy makes for an interesting, if conflicted, main character.

The beauty about Red Glove is that Ms. Black plays so well in the gray area between right and wrong. Humans are never as white and black as one would like, and Cassel and Lila are reminders of this. These are not good people, no matter how much the reader might like Cassel or adore Lila. These are people who take advantage of and even harm others. It is a testament to Ms. Black's writing that she can get her audience to care about such characters as much as the reader cares about Cassel and Lila.

Red Glove sets up the third novel in the Curse Workers' series quite nicely, with some surprising twists that will make for an interesting future for Cassel in his effort to keep his family and friends safe. Engaging and fun while remaining dark and twisted, Red Glove highlights Ms. Black's skill at creating and writing such subtly macabre worlds. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors of all time.


Thank you to Simon and Schuster for my galley copy!

REVIEW - The Land of Painted Caves by Jean Auel

Title: The Land of Painted Caves

Author: Jean Auel

Synopsis (Courtesy of Indiebound): "The highly anticipated sixth book of Jean Auel's Earth's Children® series, The Land of Painted Caves, is the culmination fans have been waiting for. Continuing the story of Ayla and Jondalar, Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived more than 25,000 years ago."

Thoughts: The assumption is that anyone even remotely interested in this novel has read at least one or two of the Earth's Children series, if not all five previous novels. If you have not read them, please be warned that spoilers may abound.

The Land of Painted Caves remains true to Ms. Auel's vision, following Ayla on her path from outsider to one of the leaders of the Zelandonii. In true Ayla fashion, she blazes her own path, fostering the advent of monogamy, parental rights, and even art appreciation. For those who have read the first five novels, the ending is anything but a surprise. Ms. Auel has been leading fans along this path for decades, to the point where there is only one conclusion that would be remotely acceptable. Unfortunately, with this all-but-foregone conclusion already known, there is very little in the way of tension and strife to drive the plot. The story itself, while fun and a blast from the past, remains flat and tedious. It has none of the excitement of the first five novels, when Ayla's fate was less than certain.

Also missing is Jondalar. While he is still an important character as Ayla's other half, he fades to the background in this novel, and the story suffers. His struggles and concerns were always a fascinating balance to Ayla's, but this novel has very little of that. Instead, what little conflict that exists feels more like a rehash of The Mammoth Hunters than anything new.

Speaking of which, there is a definite feel of a series finale to this novel. Ayla spends a lot of time reminiscing about almost everything that happens in The Clan of the Cave Bear and The Valley of Horses. In fact, Ms. Auel brings back several characters seen in The Mammoth Hunters as well as in The Plains of Passage. It is very much the parading of old characters to celebrate the end of the series, and while the novel does not suffer, it is a bit unusual to have this particular plot device in novels. Fans will remember most of what is recalled in this latest novel and will enjoy the trip down memory lane, but those that are attempting to pick up the series with the last novel may find it a bit more difficult to get through these passages.

One of the pleasures of reading any of Ms. Auel's novels is her meticulous research. Each novel is specific in its details, to the point where the artifacts/landscape/behaviors being described are crystal clear. The Land of Painted Caves follows this tradition with tremendous attention to detail regarding various cave paintings throughout the region that Ayla visits as part of her Donier tour. The detail is so great that a quick Internet search after finishing the novel was able to uncover the exact caves and landmarks described in the novel, so that the reader, if one so chooses, can easily discern where in France the action is taking place. Unfortunately, while adding an air of reality and credence to the novel, the descriptions also tend to bog down the story and add at least 300 mostly unnecessary pages to this behemoth.

I am an unabashed Ayla fan and have been since I read the first novel of the series in high school. I squealed with delight when I opened the box containing The Land of Painted Caves and eagerly anticipated all 768 pages of it. While it is not my favorite in the series, it was great to be able to visit again with Ayla and Jondalar and experience what life may have been like for the Cro-Magnons tens of thousands of years ago. A true fan can overlook the bad - the repetition and tedious descriptions, the lack of tension - for the good - it's Ayla and Jondalar. The ending is satisfactory, albeit expected, but I am supremely glad that I was able to experience this ground-breaking series. Ms. Auel's descriptions are so realistic, I will forever picture Ayla and her family when reading about prehistoric man. In Ayla, Ms. Auel makes our ancient ancestors come alive, and readers everywhere are better for having been introduced to this amazing woman.

Thank you to Crown Publishing Group for my advanced copy!

Inside Michelle's Brain - Trends in Book Blogging Part 4

While I haven't been that active in visiting other blogs and commenting on various posts and reviews in recent months, I have noticed certain trends that have me rolling my eyes, raising my eyebrows and in general wondering about the state of book blogging. I want to take some time to address each one and hopefully start a discussion about them. As I have a lot to say, this is going to be spread out over several weeks. Think of it as a modern-day expose on the world of book blogging. I've discussed readathons, giveaways, and blog hops. This week I tackle the idea of blogging rules.

While I might not understand some of the more recent trends I've examined over the past month, for the most part they are harmless and provide some benefit for new bloggers. Yet, in my exploration into some of these trends, asking why they exist and getting feedback from those who have participated, I have noticed one running theme among new bloggers. The only reason they participated in some of these events is because they "did not know any better" and were "only trying to follow the rules."

Now, anyone who knows me and understands my approach to blogging will realize just what those words are inclined to do to my blood pressure. Rules for blogging, especially for beginner bloggers about memes, blog hops, readathons and giveaways, is laughable and yet so sad. That new bloggers felt that they HAD to participate in some of these events is ultimately disturbing to me because I immediately wonder who is applying such pressure to these new bloggers that they feel compelled to participate in various weekly events even though they do not want to do so. This, to me, is the most disturbing trend of all.

Why do new bloggers feel this pressure? I know that there have been several mentoring programs in years past that were created to help new bloggers navigate the tricky and somewhat confusing world of book blogging. Have these programs disappeared? For those in the first, second, and even third generation of bloggers, which includes those who started a year ago, are we so wrapped up in our own branding and blogging that we are forgetting the newest generation? Should we? Do we nor owe it to these newbies to help them out, just as more seasoned bloggers helped us out, so that they do not feel compelled to participate in every single thing that comes their way because they do not know otherwise? For those who knew her, is this acting in the spirit of Dewey, who more than anything wanted to build a strong, united community of book bloggers?

For new bloggers, there are no rules when it comes to blogging. Just because you are invited to participate in an event, you do not have to do so. If you are not a fan of memes or blog hops, readathons or giveaways, do not participate. Rather, research which ones actually look like fun and which ones tie into your blogging goals and dreams. That way, you will not be overwhelmed with all of these daily activities and can continue to grow your blog as you see fit. No one is going to kick you out of the blogging community for not participating. Trust me.

When it comes to blogging, the best guidance I can give you, as opposed to a rule, is to stay true to your voice. Set aside some time to think about what you want to accomplish with your blog and do that. Blogging rules only stifle the creativity and fun, and bloggers who follow these supposed rules often find themselves losing the passion and spirit which caused them to start their blog in the first place. When you remain true to your goals and aspirations, and when you speak from the heart, you will find blogging more enjoyable and fulfilling than you ever thought possible. That I can promise you.

REVIEW - Picking Bones from Ash by Marie Matsuki Mockett

Title: Picking Bones from Ash

Author: Marie Matsuki Mockett

Synopsis (Courtesy of IndieBound): "Ghosts lurk in the bamboo forest outside the tiny northern Japanese town where Satomi lives with her elusive mother, Atsuko. A preternaturally gifted pianist, Satomi wrestles with inner demons. Her fall from grace is echoed in the life of her daughter, Rumi, who unleashes a ghost she must chase from foggy San Francisco to a Buddhist temple atop Japan’s icy Mount Doom. In sharp, lush prose, Picking Bones from Ash examines the power and limitations of female talent in our globalized world."

Thoughts: Picking Bones from Ash is one of those subtle stories that has more depth than a reader initially realizes. Not just a ghost story, this is ultimately a story about family - what brings one together and what tears one apart. For those unfamiliar with Japan and their culture, Ms. Mockett introduces the reader to the intricacies of Japanese families, the beauty of its geography, and the grandeur of its religious sites while bridging the gap between East and West with a story that resonates no matter who is reading it.

Told in three distinct sections, the strongest of these belongs to Satomi as a young girl. As a girl who is desperately seeking love and acceptance by her mother, whose main goal is to see her daughter succeed, the reader's heart goes out to this conflicted narrator as she struggles to determine whether her fate lies with piano or elsewhere.

My mother always told me that there is only one way a woman can be truly safe in this world. And that is to be fiercely, inarguably, and masterfully talented. (pg. 3)

Love through talent - this drive on the part of Atsuko can resonate with readers who have been pushed down career paths or into after-school activities that they may not want in an effort to live up to their parents' expectations. Satomi's plight takes on greater resonance when she experiences life in the West and the pull of another way of life.

Rumi's story, as she unravels bits of her past, is not quite as compelling. Her relationship with her father is not as angst-filled or torturous, and Rumi is not as spirited or as willing to defy tradition and her family as her mother was. This makes for a less intriguing narrator. The Gothic feel of this section is a bit jarring as well, as it is out of place from the rest of the novel.

The two sections come together quite nicely during the denouement, as the reader understands the symbolism behind Satomi's and Rumi's stories. As they come together and meet face-to-face, the reader gets a clearer picture of the complexities of the Japanese culture and how the two main religions have created this unique landscape. More importantly, the reader gets the chance to delve into the ideas behind parenthood and the sacrifices that being a parent may or may not entail. Atsuko is quite a different mother than Satomi, but is either one right or wrong? Ultimately, it is up to the reader to decide.

Picking Bones from Ash was a great introduction to the nuances and beliefs behind the Japanese culture. Satomi is a strong character, and her problems finding her path in her world resonates well with the reader. The rest of the cast is not quite as strong, and the story itself loses steam as Ms. Mockett deviates from Satomi's quest. Thankfully, the stunning descriptions and flawless prose balance these minor concerns, and the overall story is one that is poignant in its simplicity but lingers like a fine wine upon one's palate. For a reader who is looking for a way to broaden his or her horizons and become acquainted with another culture without straying too far from the familiar, Picking Bones from Ash is a great novel to accomplish this.

Thank you to Nicole from Linus's Blanket and Greywolf Press for my copy!

REVIEW - Chapters from My Autobiography by Mark Twain

Title: Chapters from My Autobiography

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: Bronson Pinchot

Audiobook Length: 11 hours, 1 minute

Synopsis (Courtesy of Indiebound): "Famed author's plain-spoken words -- recorded as character sketches, essays, diary entries, letters and more -- recall his boisterous boyhood in Hannibal, Missouri, life as a riverboat pilot, as a young adult in rough Nevada mining towns, years spent as an author, plus somber passages noting the death of his wife and their three children."

Thoughts: Within the first few minutes of this audiobook, one knows exactly why Mark Twain was such a success as an author and humorist. His wit and satire abound with each story, and yet he maintains a level of humility that is just as charming as it is surprising. The anecdotes and stories presented by Twain in this collection are at times heartbreaking, touching, difficult, and, as one would expect, hilarious. Twain does not shy away from highlighting his faults and foibles and presents them with an alacrity that is simply amusing.

What makes Chapters from My Autobiography so difficult is the randomness of each story. Twain jumps around from discussing his children to his brother to his time in Europe and back with no introduction and no preparation for the reader. Following along quickly becomes a study in concentration, as this is not an audiobook that allows one's mind to drift. However, when the effort is made, the reader/listener is rewarded with a better understanding of how remarkable Twain's life was. His relationship with his wife and children is especially poignant, as he presents his daughter's biography of him in its entirety, complete with spelling errors. His pride at his daughter's ability to capture him in all his faults is simply beautiful to behold.

Mr. Pinchot earns his Narrator of the Year nod with a spot-on performance as Mark Twain. His accent never wavers, and his ability to take rather dry material and imbibe it with spirit and humor is alone worth the time necessary to listen to the audio. Twain literally comes alive again through Mr. Pinchot.

Chapters from My Autobiography is charming in its own right, especially with such highlights as Susie's biography of her father, but it is truly the narrator who makes this such a special experience for the listener. For those who are not willing to tackle Mr. Twain's entire autobiography, or at least the one volume of it that was recently released, this audio is a great introduction to his story and a wonderful teaser of the true face of one of America's most celebrated authors.

The Sunday Salon - March 20, 2011

Happy Sunday everyone! This has been a rough week at work. Some things went down, and I had to come to some tough conclusions about my work lately. I am still reeling from it all. I am using the weekend to recover and find some peace with everything before starting back on Monday.

Soccer started up again this week! This means that we now have soccer three times a week, along with the continuation of piano and ballet. This also means warmer weather and having to spend time getting our lawn in shape. With all that time on the boat last summer, our yard is in bad shape this spring and is in desperate need of some TLC. Yard work is my least favorite chore, but it has to be done.

This week was an eclectic mix of novels reviewed: Wither by Lauren DeStefano, A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum, and Ten Miles Past Normal by Francis O'Rourk Dowell. I also posted an update to my Motivate Me feature.

Better yet, I finished some great novels this week as well. Picking Bones from Ash by Marie Matsuki Mockett will be reviewed this week as part of Jen's and Nicole's Book Club. The others, Stay by Deb Caletti and The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry, will go live in April.

With that, it's time to settle down to watch some more basketball and write reviews! Have a great day, everyone. Happy reading!

REVIEW - Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Rourk Dowell

Title: Ten Miles Past Normal

Author: Frances O'Rourk Dowell

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "Janie Gorman wants to be normal. The problem with that: she’s not. She’s smart and creative and a little bit funky. She’s also an unwilling player in her parents’ modern-hippy, let’s-live-on-a-goat-farm experiment (regretfully, instigated by a younger, much more enthusiastic Janie). This, to put it simply, is not helping Janie reach that 'normal target.' She has to milk goats every day…and endure her mother’s pseudo celebrity in the homemade-life, crunchy mom blogosphere. Goodbye the days of frozen lasagna and suburban living, hello crazy long bus ride to high school and total isolation--and hovering embarrassments of all kinds. The fresh baked bread is good…the threat of homemade jeans, not so much.

It would be nice to go back to that old suburban life…or some grown up, high school version of it, complete with nice, normal boyfriends who wear crew neck sweaters and like social studies. So, what’s wrong with normal? Well, kind of everything. She knows that, of course, why else would she learn bass and join Jam Band, how else would she know to idolize infamous wild-child and high school senior Emma (her best friend Sarah’s older sister), why else would she get arrested while doing a school project on a local freedom school (jail was not part of the assignment). And, why else would she kind of be falling in 'like' with a boy named Monster - yes, that is his real name. Janie was going for normal, but she missed her mark by about ten miles…and we mean that as a compliment."

Thoughts: Ten Miles Past Normal is an adorable coming-of-age story that explores finding one's path through high school. Engaging and funny, it is a very quick read and thoroughly enjoyable. Janie is an engaging heroine, and her voice is quite authentic. In fact, she reminded me of reading Connor's writing, which never fails to make me laugh. Anyone who has ever had anything embarrassing happen to him or her at high school can definitely relate to Janie's desire for normalcy. Yet, is being normal really desirable?

Ms. O'Rourk Dowell's writing is simply fun. Her characters are larger than life but thoroughly realistic. They blaze their own trails and live large. If one needs a lesson on how to experience life without succumbing to peer pressure, Ten Miles Past Normal is a manual to do just that. It does this without being preachy and does it in a very charming way.

Adult fans of young adult fiction will enjoy Janie's predicaments and life observations. The target market will find a kindred spirit in Janie and Monster. Ten Miles Past Normal is a refreshing break from the paranormal romance. Reminiscent of Anne Shirley, with her own quirks and foibles, I hope you get the chance to get to know and enjoy this plucky heroine.

REVIEW - Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum

Title: Amaryllis in Blueberry

Author: Christina Meldrum

Synopsis (Courtesy of IndieBound): "Meet the Slepys: Dick, the stern doctor, the naÏve husband, a man devoted to both facts and faith; Seena, the storyteller, the restless wife, a mother of four, a lover of myth. And their children, the Marys: Mary Grace, the devastating beauty; Mary Tessa, the insistent inquisitor; Mary Catherine, the saintly, lost soul; and finally, Amaryllis, Seena’s unspoken favorite, born with the mystifying ability to sense the future, touch the past, and distinguish the truth tellers from the most convincing liar of all.

When Dick insists his family move from Michigan to the unfamiliar world of Africa for missionary work, he can’t possibly foresee how this new land and its people will entrance and change his daughters—and himself—forever.

Nor can he predict how Africa will spur his wife Seena toward an old but unforgotten obsession. In fact, Seena may be falling into a trance of her own. . . ."

Thoughts: While the synopsis may be reminiscent of The Poisonwood Bible, in actuality Amaryllis in Blueberry is decidedly different. Secrets are at the heart of this novel, as each character, major and minor,  pretends to be something he or she is not. These secrets end up driving all major characters to actions that surprise the others and help progress the plot.

The plot itself is intriguing, as the novel opens with Seena as the narrator as the reader quickly discovers that she is on trial for Dick's death. From those first pages, the reader knows that there is a key point that is missing from Seena's story. Ms. Meldrum then takes the reader on a ride through all of the characters' points-of-view to uncover the truth and the complex reasoning behind everyone's actions. Each change in narrator adds a bit more complexity to the story while uncovering various motives and rational explanations for each's behavior. It is a fascinating study into the mind of a character, what keeps a character going, and what he or she is willing to hide from others and from him or herself.

Secrets are often the driving force in novels because everyone has them, and everyone will often go to great lengths to protect them. While Ms. Meldrum's use of each character's secrets are essential to the family's eventual move to Africa and Dick's fate, it is the character interactions that bring heart to the novel. Each character is flawed but not outlandishly so. Each wants to be loved and to find acceptance within his or her own circle of influence - something to which most readers can relate. Added to this dynamic is the idea of religion and its overpowering ability to influence certain behaviors without specifically engaging the mind.

Amaryllis in Blueberry is one of those novels that is steeped in symbolism and allegory, to the point where one reading of the novel is not sufficient to uncover all of the hidden feelings, foreshadowing, and other subtle points. Thankfully, Ms. Meldrum wrote the novel in such a way that each re-read allows the reader to peel back more of the layers of this rather complex novel but an initial read is just as satisfying and surprising in its own right.

Amaryllis in Blueberry is not an easy read, and as you can tell, it is an even more difficult novel to review. There is so much that occurs in the novel that one can spend hours dissecting only the more important aspects of the novel. The language. adjusted for each narrator, is outstanding. Ms. Meldrum excels in differentiating between the older Grace, Catie, Tessa and younger Yllis, highlighting their pain and struggles through a scarcity of words that enhance the overall novel. Unlike The Poisonwood Bible, Amaryllis in Blueberry is a novel that demands the closest attention and rewards readers with an experience that is not just mental but emotional. All of the characters find a way to wriggle under one's skin and cross that boundary of impartiality in a reader.  The end result is a novel that challenges a reader but compensates one's efforts through breathtaking visuals, subtle emotions and story that forces one to rethink what it means to love.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for my review copy!

Motivate Me - Update 9

153.6 pounds. That's what my scale read this past Sunday when I weighed in for the first time in a month. This is down from the 155 the scale told me several weeks ago, i.e. after the trip to New Orleans. I have officially hit over 10 pounds lost. YAY!!

I must be doing something right because I truly haven't been following any formal plan since New Orleans. I haven't been weighing in, and I haven't been journaling my food intake. I started to keep track this week to make sure I am not getting into bad habits again, but I am quite proud of the fact that I have managed to continue to lost weight without strictly following the guidelines.

On the exercise front, soccer practices started again. This means 90 minutes of sitting at a soccer field twice a week. While it hasn't exactly warmed up to temperatures I want, it is above freezing these days, and that means I get to start back up with running again. I am going to start back with one of the earlier weeks of the program since it has been so long since I have done any form of exercise. It will be slow-going but with the advent of spring and the longer daylight hours, I know I can actually finish the program this time and keep going. This is my story and I'm sticking to it!

REVIEW - A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Title: A Confederacy of Dunces

Author: John Kennedy Toole

Synopsis (Courtesy of IndieBound): "Toole's lunatic and sage novel introduces one of the most memorable characters in American literature, Ignatius Reilly, whom Percy dubs "slob extraordinary, a mad Oliver Hardy, a fat Don Quixote, a perverse Thomas Aquinas rolled into one -- who is in violent revolt against the entire modern age". Ignatius' ire explodes when his mother backs her car into another automobile. The owner of the damaged vehicle insists on payment; Mrs. Reilly demands that her son cease watching television and writing in his Big Chief tablet and get a job.

Set in New Orleans, A Confederacy of Dunces outswifts Swift, one of whose essays gives the book its title. As its characters burst into life, they leave the region and literature forever changed by their presences -- Ignatius and his mother; Miss Trixie, the octogenarian assistant accountant at Levy Pants; inept, wan Patrolman Mancuso; Darlene, the Bourbon Street stripper with a penchant for poultry; Jones, the jivecat in space-age dark glasses. Satire and farce animate A Confederacy of Dunces; tragic awareness ennobles it."

Thoughts: A Confederacy of Dunces has been on my radar forever, as those who love it state it is one of their favorite novels of all time. Now that I have finished it, I can see why people love it. Ignatius and his mother, Miss Trixie and the Levys, Patrolman Mancuso and the entire cast of characters are so insane, the reader cannot help but laugh at their exploits. To do otherwise would be to despair forever of mankind while becoming bogged down in their depravity.

Yet, the novel is not without its sense of tragedy. Ignatius is the brilliant scholar who could have been something amazing and yet is deluded into thinking he is the only one who understands life. Miss Trixie just wants to retire but is unable to do so because of someone else's fantasy. Patrolman Mancuso loves being a cop and is just trying to avoid being fired. Jones is looking for a way off the street. They each get mired into the most comedic situations that lightens their struggles while highlighting them.

A Confederacy of Dunces is not for everyone. As a fantastic example of satire, the characters are SO over the top, so farcical that certain readers can easily become disgusted. This is exactly what occurred in the book club with whom I read this novel. A great majority of those who started it could not finish it because they could not handle Ignatius and Miss Trixie and the whole cast of characters. I can see their point.

Frankly, Ignatius is simply disgusting. He is overweight to the point of obese and constantly eats; he is uncouth, flatulent and simply grotesque. It is a difficult characterization to overlook but worth doing because his approach to life, while misguided, is harmless. He espouses his ideology passionately and is only trying to improve the world as he sees fit. A person in the book club compared him to Howard Rourk in The Fountainhead, who refuses to play by society's rules. The only difference is that Howard is good-looking and successful and Ignatius is most definitely not.

Equal portions hilarious and disturbing, A Confederacy of Dunces is a great example of farce set in modern times. The entire novel is not meant to be taken seriously but rather to poke fun of those who take themselves too seriously. When a reader is willing to overlook the more disturbing elements of the story, he or she will be rewarded with a rich literary experience that merits the attention it has garnered over the years.

REVIEW - Wither by Lauren Destefano

Title: Wither (Chemical Garden Trilogy)

Author: Lauren Destefano

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?"

Thoughts: Wither is one of those novels that is generating a lot of buzz in the book blogging community, with people touting it as the next The Hunger Games. Personally, I think those comparisons sell each series short, as one immediately considers that Wither is going to be just as thrilling, with the characters as fully formed as in Suzanne Collins' world. In my opinion, this is just not the case. Wither is a decent novel with an interesting premise, but this first novel in the trilogy leaves more questions than answers. It doesn't make it bad, just different.

Reminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale, the reader sees this world of polygamous wives and short life spans through Rhine's memories and thoughts. At first, the reader sympathizes with Rhine. She is forced into a world she does not want, imprisoned and torn apart from her beloved twin brother. As with any narrator though, as the story progresses, one gets the sense of how naive she is. Her initial impressions about her sister wives and her husband prove false, as she understands more about their past and their own overcome obstacles. As this happens, the reader's sympathy with Rhine lessens slightly, for the question becomes who is right? Does Cecily have the right idea in accepting her fate and being proud to be a sister wife? Is Jenna? Or is Rhine correct that she needs to escape this privileged but suffocating world?

Taking place in the future, the differences in this dystopian world created by Ms. Destefano are very subtle. People still drive cars and watch television. They still attend movie theaters and conferences, buy and build houses, work in factories and call centers. Yet, one needs a telescope to see the Statue of Liberty from the Manhattan harbor, and there are furious blizzards in Florida. The subtle differences are easy to miss, and if a reader were not paying attention, one would find it easy to believe that Ms. Destefano were describing today's world gone horribly awry. This familiarity adds a certain realism to the overall story that makes the tragedy of this society that much more palpable. Yet, the similarities to today's modern world make it difficult to describe Wither as a truly dystopian novel.

Throughout the novel, the reader gets the definite impression that all is not as it seems. Why haven't the greatest scientific minds in the remaining world been able to find a cure for the virus, especially when they could find a cure for cancer? Is Vaughn truly evil or just desperate in his attempts to save the life of his sun? While the world does not appear to be run by the government, nor does it appear that this government is manipulating the information disseminated via the news, is this truly the case? With Rhine rather naive in her experiences in the outside world, one cannot help but believe that there is much about this world that remains to be exposed.

Wither is not as enthralling as The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, or even Twilight - for those who are fans of that series. It is easy to read but also easy to put down. Rhine does not have the depth of character that other female heroines have, and her focus is decidedly inward. Unfortunately, such comparisons only do Wither a disservice, as it unfairly raises expectations to such heights that one is undoubtedly going to be disappointed. When taken by itself however and those expectations are removed, Wither is a decent story. There are enough questions left unanswered and Rhine is an interesting enough character that one wants the story to continue. It might not be a novel that one is compelled to read nonstop, but it is one that gets the reader thinking about this unknown world. In the end, that is what any author can hope to accomplish and in this Ms. Destefano definitely succeeds.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for my galley copy!