The Book Was Better

 It's been a minute. 14 years to be exact, since I last penned a book review. Goodreads tells me I've read over 1000 books since then; probably more. I thought it about time to revive the conversation -- not just consume the books, but share and talk about them.  First up...one of my favorite new cozy mystery series: The Homefront Sleuths.  From the dynamic father-daughter duo that brought us the Sherlock and Lucy series, this WWII countryside set is like a warm blanket on a cold day. It has just enough intrigue to keep you guessing, a smattering of romance, and vibrant, budding friendships.  So far, I have read up through The Valentine Cipher , which was one of my favorites. Romance is in the air, but so is espionage.  Evie, Nigel, Harry, and the crew always seem to have different pieces to the same puzzle. Part of the magic of this series is the way those pieces eventually fall into place in a non-forced, collaborative way. Every member of the team brings thei...

By this point, nearly anyone who has any desire to has devoured Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga. Though intended as a young adult series, Meyer’s tales have captivated young and mature, creating a frenzy rivaled only by Ms. Rowling. Rather than echoing the countless reviews of those who have loved or despised the series, I ask the question: why? What is it about these supernatural tales that has captured our hearts and inspired all-night, breathless page-turning sessions? My observations have led me to conclude a three-fold appeal: We all feel a little abnormal. Bella Swan’s character is insecure, fallible, and ordinary – easily relatable. But more, Bella feels that she has never quite fit in – there’s something just a little different about her. From adolescence to present I can recall feeling this same striking displacement. No matter our situation in life, we tend to think we’re just a bit unusual compared with those surrounding us. For some, this becomes a crutch, an excuse, but...

 Last night, my daughter was practicing some skills she’s been learning in kindergarten: same and different, sorting, patterns. She held up two dolls and said, “Mommy, what’s different about these two girls?” just like she was a little teacher. I glanced over from where I’d been sitting next to her, reading The Help and noticed she was holding up a Caucasian doll and an African-American doll. Here we go , I thought, our first discussion about race relations . “Well, they have on different colored shirts,” I noted. “What do you see that’s different?” “Very good, Mommy,” pronounced my little instructor. “What’s different is, one girl has ponies in her hair and the other has a barrette.” I simply looked at her for a moment, stunned and proud. “But they’re both little girls, right?” I asked. “Yes, that’s why they’re the same.” Growing up in the south, race is something that has always been a sensitive subject for me. Fortunately, my mom felt very strongly that her chi...

While I am completely in favor of a good read-for-pleasure-not-for-thought-provocation novel, Beth Harbison’s book was more along the lines of a get-sucked-into-the-abyss-of-high-school-ridiculousness read. While I enjoyed the narrative trips back in time, the plot remained painfully predictable, while at once seeming to tackle issues a little too lofty for its capricious tone. The characters were so underdeveloped that they were unlikeable. I found myself not really caring if the heroine succeeded in her love quest since I knew little more about her than the flashbacks of a bossy and materialistic adolescent. Worse than a trip down memory lane, this book absorbed all of the absurdity of the teenage years (and the adults who are stuck there) and none of the joys. Book Chick Rating: Y Y

Boy meets girl; they fight the initial attraction; they go through an intense experience together; boy and girl live happily ever after. Nora Roberts’ recipe for romance manages to work in any setting without feeling repetitive or formulaic. Here, we delve into the world of smoke jumping – an intense and fascinating environment. As Nora does best, her characters are endearing for their humanity – while we may not be able to relate to their situation, we can most definitely connect to their fallibility and their desires. Rowan’s passion, both for fire and for life, is contagious, as is Gulliver’s happy-go-lucky optimism. While the plot’s mystery is hardly a puzzle, the unique perspective and relentless action make this one of Nora Roberts’ most intensely satisfying novels yet.   Book Chick Rating: Y Y Y Y

Once again, Peter Abrahams manages to capture the suspense of a good mystery, while mastering the complex adolescent thought pattern – a mystery of its own. Ingrid’s relationships become even more of a puzzle in this second visit to charming Echo Falls: the duality of her bond with her brother, the childlike adoration, yet not quite trust in her mother, and the questioning of her previously idolized dad’s deterioration. Ingrid’s look “Behind the Curtain” of her tumultuous family parallels the realizations of the imperfections of her beloved town and even a new awareness of herself. This sequel lacked a bit of the “magic” of its predecessor, but it did not fail to entertain, nor did it squelch my desire to solve the mystery alongside Ingrid in her fallible, yet endearing, Holmsian way. Book Chick Rating: Y Y Y Y