The Help - Kathryn Stockett

 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 children grow up color blind – we all have the same color heart. I know for her, this was not such a cut and dry concept, but I am thankful every day that she embedded in me a love for humanity and the rationality to make my own decisions.

For me, books like The Help are instrumental in making us think. I was moved by Kathryn Stockett’s multi-perspective take on 1960s Mississippi. Her bravery in giving voice to a silenced population was both effective and enlightening. There are simply no words to give justice to the heart-opening experience that this read was for me. I can only hope that we, as society, can take these lessons from our past and apply them to the present-day prejudices that we face. Stockett’s novel goes on a short list of important works that I will one day pass on to my daughter.

Book Chick Rating: ©©©©©

Hope in a Jar - Beth Harbison

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: YY

Chasing Fire - Nora Roberts

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: YYYY

Behind the Curtain - Peter Abrahams

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: YYYY

The Matchmaker of Kenmare - Frank Delaney

I can count on one hand the number of books that I have disliked so intently that I stopped reading. No matter how disengaged or insulted, I just can’t leave a book incomplete, but I usually come away with one of two reactions: 1) Wow, I can’t believe I just wasted part of my life on that; or 2) I’m glad I stuck with that; it was worth it. Unfortunately, Frank Delaney book was mostly the former. Sure, my World War II-buff heart pitter-pattered occasionally at the intriguing new perspective of the well-known events, but the characters bordered on unlikeable, their motivation was unclear, and the foreshadowing was so overdone that it hindered the plot’s progression. I was sorely disappointed that such an eloquently written tale could be so lacking in substance. 

Book Chick Rating: YY

Down the Rabbit Hole - Peter Abrahams

Peter Abrahams is a master of three things: imagery, suspense, and the adolescent psyche. His distinctive style paints a story, rather than tells it, sucking the reader into the tale and giving them a vested interest in the outcome (and discovering the identity of the villain). Abrahams’ rich portrayal of Ingrid, along with her flaws, her complicated relationships, and unique outlook on her world, provides the YA lit world with an unrivaled heroine who is at once likeable and real. The suspense too, is very real, and I found myself afraid for Ingrid for both what she had and what she hadn’t yet figured out. 

Book Chick Rating: YYYYY

Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen

Sara Gruen’s tale is raw, detailed, and disappointingly lacking in chemistry and emotion. The storyline itself, though occasionally predictable, is compelling and the descriptions of a Depression-era circus so thorough, you feel like you could have been along for the ride. Gruen magnificently captures the displacement and lack of identity of an elderly Jacob, bringing life to both past and present perspective. It is unfortunate that the relationship between the two main characters is not more developed. This lapse hinders the illusion of belief necessary for real enjoyment and casts doubt upon the final outcome of the story. 

Book Chick Rating: YYY

The Five Love Languages - Gary Chapman

I am constantly skeptical about books claiming to revamp anything in my life, especially my relationships. I was pleasantly surprised to find Gary Chapman’s book not only approachable, but helpful and based entirely on common sense. Though occasionally pretentious for my taste, I enjoyed Chapman’s real-life examples and the inclusion of learning experiences gave the impression of an evolving theory that has developed along with his expertise. After I finished the book, I immediately went Chapman’s website and found a plethora of useful information, including a quiz to help me determine my own love language – something that perhaps could have been included as a workbook section to give immediate results to the reader. Overall, this was a pleasant experience that has led to conversations with both my husband and daughter, not to improve our relationships, per say, but to enhance and better understand each other. 

Book Chick Rating: YYYY      

Miles to Go - Richard Paul Evans

In Richard Paul Evans’ second book in The Walk series main character, Alan’s, journey has come to a hiatus, but his ability to inspire and question has not. Without an ounce of preachiness or condescension, Evans’ characters question the existence of an afterlife, fate, and the continuation of life, encouraging the reader to examine as well. This sequel’s tone is markedly different than the first in its focus on hope and restoring faith, rather than an all-encompassing despair, paralleling the emotional state of Alan. Evans’ tale is obviously well-researched, as the details, from the street signs to the mundane, everyday dialogue gives the impression of a real experience, colored with the insights of the well-traveled. Only one complaint remains in my mind: how long will I have to wait for the next in the series?

Book Chick Rating: YYYYY

Mutant Message Down Under - Marlo Morgan

Marlo Morgan’s dry dictation is far from vivid, but still manages to capture a certain spirit of insight that makes it difficult to stop reading. The message is simple, but stirring and made me question the way I live – the way we all live – and the near-sightedness of American culture. The controversy over the validity of Morgan’s experience has overshadowed the importance of a very real purpose and, unfortunately, had squelched some of the exquisite insight revealed in the story. I must ask myself: should the fact or fiction of this tale change its significance?

Book Chick Rating: YYY

The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton

Kate Morton’s weaving of generational perspective developed an intriguing, if sometimes repetitive, plot. While the mystery at the heart of the tale was not particularly arduous, the intricacies of the characters and the need to feel them succeed generated an emotional attachment and a pressing need to read more. Morton’s narrative illustrated a clear scene of both a past and present English seaside community and a family dynamic polluted with selfishness and resentment. Yet, it is Cassandra’s journey to cope with loss and accept friendship that cements the charm locked both within the plot and the garden of the title.

Book Chick Rating: YYYY

The Walk - Richard Paul Evans

My initial reaction to the first book in Richard Paul Evans’ new series was unpleasant. Not because the plot was lacking or the prose was trite - quite the opposite actually - but because something in me is repelled by the tale of the good person getting crushed by the ugliness of circumstance. (I felt the same way about the first Harry Potter book.)  Through the purposeful painting of sorrow at rock bottom, Evans brought me, his reader, along on Alan’s journey. Only through feeling the utter anguish of the fallen, could I understand the main character and his motivation. How else could I suspend my reality to justify a walk from Seattle to Key West? As always, Evans’ vibrant voice and simplistically real dialogue cast a spell that lured me into a page-turning trance.

Book Chick Rating: YYYYY