Another 2009 Review: Monster by A. Lee Martinez

I guess if I could get my act together and finish reviewing all the books I read in 2009, I might actually get to the current years! It's weird, because I'm usually not this far behind. And I should probably be doing, I don't know, mini-reviews? But so far, each book I've read deserves its own full-blown review. As does this book, Monster by A. Lee Martinez (304 pgs, Orbit, 2009). This book was a 100% purely impulse read. Not for a challenge or because I'd seen it reviewed on someone's blog or I'd read something else from the author. Nope. None of those things. I saw it, I liked the cover, I decided to read it.

The thing was big and white and hairy, and it was eating all the ice cream in the walk-in freezer. Four dozen chewed-up empty cartons testified that it had already devoured half of the inventory and it wasn't full yet. From the safety of the doorway, Judy watched it stuff an entire carton of Choc-O-Chiptastic Fudge into it's mouth with a slurp. The creature turned it's head slightly and sniffed. It had vaguely human features, except its face was blue and it's nostrils and mouth impossibly huge. It fixed a cobalt eye on her and snorted. Judy beat a hasty retreat and walked to the produce aisle where Dave was stocking lettuce. "I thought I asked you to stock the ice cream," he said. "No need," she said, "Yeti is eating it all.".

When a couple of Yeti's decide to run amok one night at the Food Plus Mart, Judy, a 3rd-shift stock-girl, has her first encounter with Monster. Finding no one else to call for help, she decides on Animal Control, even though she's sure they won't believe her. But when she calls, Animal Control transfers her to the Cryptobiological Containment and Rescue Services. And they send out an agent: Monster, who happens to be be blue tonight. (He was bit by a basilisk, and the anti-venom treatment left him with an "unstable enchantment". IE, he changes colors each time he wakes up. And with each color comes some bizarre side effect! Blue is good. It means he's invincible.) With Chester, his paper gnome assistant (who's really a 6th-dimensional entity using the paper gnome as a way to interact on this plane), Monster spends his nights catching cryptobiological creatures.

See...there is magic that fills the world today. But not everyone can see it. Merlin's Lobe is a cluster of nerves in the brain, dealing with the perception of magic. In most humans, or incognizants, the lobe is not developed. These people can't see magic, even if it's right in front of them. There are also a few people that CAN recognize magic, but they forget about it almost as soon as it's not in front of their faces. They are light-cognizants, and that is what Judy seems to be. Once the Yetis have been dispatched, she completely forgets she ever saw them.

But Judy seems to be a magnet for all things magic. After the Yeti incident, she comes across a bunch of trolls, a kojin that destroys her apartment, an Inuit walrus dog-type monster, and a hydra, just to name a few creatures. A little too much to be a coincidence. But why are all these strange things happening to Judy? And will Monster be able to help her and save the world at the same time?

I have to say, I picked up this book on a complete whim. I hadn't heard anything about it. I hadn't read anything by the author. But the cover TOTALLY stood out and I loved it! After reading the first page, I knew I hadn't made a mistake. This book was hilarious! Tongue-in-cheek humor paired with all sorts of mythical creatures. What more could a person ask for? Oh yeah, did I mention that the entire fate of the universe is at stake?

As much fun as this book was, there were a few downfalls. Neither Monster, nor Judy were very likable. I'm not sure it it's planned that way, or if the character development just fell a little flat. You don't even feel very sorry for Monster, when his girlfriend from Hell (literally...she's a succubus from the Fiery Pits) makes his life miserable. If it wasn't for Chester, the paper gnome, Monster would be completely unsympathetic as a character. He's rough around the edges and bends over backwards to NOT get involved with people.

But see for yourself how much fun and how witty the writing really is: She didn't like to talk about it, but sin was a high-pressure job. It wasn't hard to get people to do bad things, but competition was stiff in her demon-eat-demon world. A demon was only as good as her last inspired atrocity, and even that didn't count for much.

He ran for the house as lightning bolts and miniature meteorites exploded around him. A shard sliced him across the cheek, and Monster learned that Elvis's downfall was engineered by vampires, that a dairy farm in Iowa had several super intelligent cows plotting the overthrow of the human race, and the mathematical equation for cold fusion, which he forgot almost immediately.

But Martinez also has a pretty good take on humanity itself: "Do you know what separates humanity from the other beasts of the world?" asked Lotus. "It's not the ability to make tools or complex language or any of that other nonsense you tell yourselves. No, humans are unique in all this world because they are the only creatures that can make themselves miserable. And do you know how you do it? You do it by expecting to be happy. You're so busy thinking about happiness, obsessing about finding it and why it isn't where you expect it to be, that you completely miss the point.

Pretty spot on, don't you think? Regardless of some of the problems, Monster is a really fun book to read. A book for 100% pure enjoyment purposes. I would definitely recommend this book! 4.25/5

Monster: The First Printz Award Winner

As part of my ongoing quest to read the entire list of Michael L. Printz Award winner and honor books, I picked up Monster by Walter Dean Myers (281 pgs, Harper Collins, 2001). Not only was this book the very first winner of the Printz Award, it was also nominated for a National Book Award and was named a Coretta Scott King Award Honor. Figured it would be worth my time!

The best time to cry is at night, when the lights are out and someone is being beaten up and screaming for help. That way even if you sniffle a little, they won't hear you. If anybody knows you are crying, they'll start talking about it and soon it's be your turn to get beat up when the lights go out.

Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is in jail. He is awaiting trial as an adult for felony murder. He is a relatively good kid from Harlem, that was the supposed lookout in a holdup at a drugstore. When things went wrong, the cashier was killed. Steve is looking at 25 years to life if he is convicted.

What makes this book unique is the format in which it is written. Because Steve was in a film club in high school, he tells his story of the trial as if it was written to be a screenplay. The rest of the book is in diary format. The prosecutor called the defendants Monsters. So this is the title Steve is using for his screenplay.

Also on trial is the alleged shooter, James King, a gang member. Steve was an acquaintance of King's.

I was very impressed with this story. The format, as strange as it was to read, really worked. It was like watching an episode of Law and Order! The harsh reality of prison life is made abundantly clear through the diary entries. Although sixteen qualifies Steve as an adult, it is plain to see that he is just a very scared little boy who is looking at spending the rest of his life behind bars. Is he really a monster that deserves this fate? Was he really the lookout during the botched robbery? Did he really want to be like King and the other gang members? Or was he just a boy who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? That is actually left up to you, the reader, to decide.

Honestly, this book should be mandatory reading in high school. The diary entries give you a glimpse into the harrowing world of prison. Here is an example:

Lying on my cot, I think of everything that happened over the last year. There was nothing extraordinary in my life. No bolt of lightning came out of the sky. I didn't say a magic word and turn into somebody different. But here I am, on the verge of losing my life, or the life I used to have. I can understand why they take your shoelaces and belt from you when you're in jail. When the lights went out, I think I heard someone crying in the darkness.

It is so raw and honest, you can feel the fear that Steve is feeling. Any student that reads this book, might think twice before doing something really stupid. An excellent book that rightful deserves the awards it was given. 4.75/5

Strangers in Paradise

Since taking up the Graphic Novel calling, I decided to spend some time browsing the pretty slim selection that my library has in stock. And I came across this little gem: Strangers in Paradise Pocket Book 1, Vol. 1 by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio, 360 pgs, 2004).

This is the story about friendship, first and foremost. Katina "Katchoo" Choovanski and Francine Peters have been friends since high school. Ten years later, they are now roommates. While Katchoo is strong, independent and self-reliant, Francine is just the opposite. She is insecure, timid and spends her time letting men walk all over her....to the utter dismay of Katchoo. Even though they are best friends, Katchoo is hopelessly in love with Francine.

But one day, while browsing an art gallery, Katchoo meets David, who is unlike any man she has ever met. He is gentle and kind....and falls hard for Katchoo. Even though she flat out tells him she is not interested in men, David installs himself into the girls' lives and quickly becomes a friend. When Francine is dumped by her boyfriend of a year, Freddie Femur, Katchoo goes on a rampage and gets arrested for assault. The arrest starts a chain of events that brings out a lot of ghosts from Katchoo's past. And while she is terrified that Francine will think less of her, Katchoo opens up to David about how bad things had been for her. And the things she had to do to survive.

When Katchoo disappears for just over a month, Francine and David start to become friends. But Francine, who is still reeling over losing Freddie, finds out about Katchoo's secrets, she is not so much disappointed in knowing that Katchoo was hiding portions of her life....but that she choose to share that past with David, and not her.

While half the beauty of reading a graphic novel like The Sandman was in seeing the beautiful illustrations, it's different with Strangers in Paradise. The illustrations are definitely second to the story and the characterization. Set in black and white, the pictures are simplistic and subtle. But the characters are so deep. Moore alternates from dark and violent to light and ditsy with ease. There is much more to the story than just a simple love triangle. There is murder, mayhem and the mafia involved....as well as $850,000 in stolen mob money.

And while Katchoo could easily be just a stereotypical independent man-hater, Moore develops her into so much more. By reading her back story, you come to find out the reasons she has become the hard-shelled woman that would rather shoot you than speak to you. But under the incredibly tough exterior is really a shattered little girl that has a tender heart and wants to be loved too. Francine is insecure and ditsy, but she also has more hidden underneath....although we don't learn as much about her in this volume.

I couldn't read this book fast enough. I just had to know what was going to happen next. And through the book, poetry is used to lace the different sections together. That is probably the most surprising and delightful part of the whole book.

There's a shadow on my back

From a light that never cracks,

I come to you in my sorrow,

A broken man who has to borrow,

In my eyes it's plain to me,

You're my star and destiny.

An empty house I call mine,

Deep in debt and buying time.

Turn what's left of energy

Into you, my only dream.

In my eyes it's clear to me

That you're my star and destiny.

Shine for me,

Blind my sight,

Don't let me see,

What I can't fight.

In my heart

You are there

Precious pain

But I don't care

Cause in my eyes

It's clear to me,

You're my star

And Destiny.

I can't recommend this book enough. But a mild comic it's not. Harsh, violent and abrasive at times, there are no superheroes. There are no fairy tales. Just people, dealing with some extraordinary problems. And that's what makes this comic so unique. 4.5/5

Return to Fablehaven.....

It's time for a book review!! I'm not feeling all that well today. I'm nursing a killer headache and what could be allergies. I'm achy, stuffy, sneezy and my eyes are all watery. Let's just hope it's allergies and not the swine flu!!



Book 2 in the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull is Rise of the Evening Star (456 pgs, Shadow Mountain Press, 2007). I am using this book to "check off " a couple of challenges: The Young Adult Challenge 2009 and the Once Upon a Time Challenge 2009.

Crowding into homeroom with the other eighth graders, Kendra found her way to her desk. In a moment, the bell would ring, signaling the start of the last week of school. One final week and she would leave middle school behind forever and start anew as a high school freshman, mingling with kids from two different junior highs.

After last summer's eventful trip to visit their grandparents, Kendra and Seth's lives have returned to normal. Finding out that your grandparents are the caretakers of a magical refuge for mystical creatures can make everyday life seem rather boring. That is, until the end of the school year when a new student enters Kendra's class. A new student that isn't human. But only she can see what a vile creature he really is. Last summer, when the kids were at Fablehaven, Kendra was kissed by the fairies. Now she has the ability to see past the glamour that everyone else sees.

When a man arrives and says he was sent by Grandpa Sorenson to help, the kids believe him. But when he tricks Seth into freeing a demon called Ooloch the Glutton, the kids are forced to retreat back to Fablehaven. Of course, Fablehaven is having troubles of it's own. It is just one of many magical refuges around the world. There are 5 special artifacts hidden in five different refuges, and Fablehaven is one. An evil group known as the Evening Star is trying to infiltrate the refuges and steal the artifacts. If all 5 are recovered and the mystical properties restored, it means bad news for the entire world. Now it seems like someone at Fablehaven is a traitor working for the Evening Star. And it's up to the kids to try and save the day....again!!

While Brandon Mull has created a wonderful world at Fablehaven, I seem to have some trouble with this series. I LOVE the storyline, but the writing just seems so elementary to me. BUT, in defense of the author, this story is written for a target audience of 9 - 12 year olds. This is actually younger than most of the YA books I normally read, so the problem is probably just mine.

As I've stated, the storyline is fun, unique and really fast-paced. You get to interact with all sorts of fantastical creatures, including faeries, brownies, satyrs, imps and naiads....along with some truly evil creatures. Now that Kendra has been made "fairykind", she has developed some powers all her own. And in the end, even the elementary writing didn't stop me from truly enjoying this book. A complete cliffhanger at the end also ensured me reading the remainder of the series, and I think now that I know how the writing is, I will be far quicker to enjoy the next book.

If you have a young fantasy lover in your house, I think this series will definitely be a must read. Even as an adult, I actually ended up really enjoying the book. I'm definitely recommending this series for anyone that wants to have a little adventure!! 4/5

And stay tuned tomorrow for a review of my 1st Graphic Novel!!

A "Wicked" Faerie Tale

Another book review?? Well....it's certainly about time!! Especially since it's the Once Upon a Time season!! Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr (352 pgs, Harper Collins, 2008) could probably fall into more than one Fantasy Subgenre. Urban Fantasy is probably where I would leave it. Is there a better way to kick off the Once Upon a Time Challenge than with book about Faeries? I think not!

The Summer King knelt before her. "Is this what you freely choose, to risk winter's chill?" She watched him -- the boy she'd fallen in love with these past weeks. She'd never dreamed he was something other than human, but now his skin glowed as if flames flickered just under the surface, so strange and beautiful she couldn't look away. "It's what I want." "You understand that if you are not the one, you'll carry the Winter Queen's chill until the next mortal risks this? And you'll warn her not to trust me?" He paused, glancing at her with pain in his eyes.

Every since Aislinn could remember, she's had The Sight. Like her Grandmother and her mother before her, Aislinn has the ability to see Faeries. You see, Faeries inhabit the world we live in....only we can't see them. But Faeries aren't cute little creatures Walt Disney would have us believe. Oh no. Faeries are mischievous at best. At worst, they are cruel creatures that have no sense of right or wrong. No moral compass.

Aislinn's Grandmother taught her at an early age, the only way to survive in a world with The Sight is to not let anyone know about it. Especially, the Fey. Never stare at the faeries; never speak to the faeries, but most importantly, Don't EVER attract their attention. Aislinn took this advice to heart, and it worked for her...until the day the Summer King started stalking her.

You see, Keenan, the Summer King, needs to find his Summer Queen. He has been searching for 9 centuries and has yet to find the woman who will break the spell his mother, the Winter Queen, has placed on him. His powers are bound, and unless he finds the Summer Queen, Summer will eventually fade away and the Earth will grow colder. Keenan believes that Aislinn is the one he is searching for, but now he has to convince her to take a chance.

I love a good faerie story. Especially one that is this well-researched. Marr begins each chapter with a snippet of faerie legend. And she has created some great characters in Donia, the Winter girl and Keenan, the Summer King. It was their story that really sucked me into this book. Donia, the once mortal girl who took a chance and lost, was tragic and yet endearing. Her love for Keenan, even after she found she wasn't meant to be his queen was almost heartbreaking. For me, I didn't appreciate Aislinn until later in the book. She was a bit too timid and mild at first. But when her back was against the wall, she came out swinging....and that's a sign of a great female protagonist!!

As with most fantasy books these days, there is never a solid ending. They all seem to be under the category of series...and this one is no exception. I find myself entrenched in yet another series! This was a quick read, but a good one nonetheless. I'm really glad I chose to start this series.....it left me wanting more....so I guess Marr did her job well!! 4.5/5

A Fantasy Tale Full of Magic and Faeries!

After reading many wonderful reviews of the Fablehaven series, I decided it was time for me to give it a go. So I picked up Book 1, Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (368 pgs, Aladdin, 2007). It is my first selection for the 2009 YA Reading Challenge.

Kendra stared out the side window of the SUV, watching foliage blur past. When the flurry of motion became too much, she looked up ahead and fixed her gaze on a particular tree, following it as it slowly approached, streaked past, and then gradually receded behind her. Was life like that? You could look ahead to the future or back to the past, but the present moved too quickly to absorb.

Because an accident occurred in their family, Kendra and Seth's parents were forced to go on a cruise with relatives. This didn't leave a lot of options for the kids. They were going to have to spend 2 weeks with their Grandpa and Grandma Sorenson at their estate in Connecticut. The kids have never been very close to their grandparents because they were rather reclusive. In fact, they had never even been to their estate before. And neither of the children were looking forward to the visit.

But when they arrived, the estate was beautiful and a huge bedroom/playroom in the attic had been designated just for the kids. Grandma Sorenson was out of town visiting a sick relative, but Grandpa Sorenson was there to watch them. He gave them some specific rules to follow, and forbade them to go into the woods.

Apparently Seth was not one for following the rules, though, and at the first opportunity snuck out into the woods to see if he could find an adventure. What he found was a little more than he bargained for.

The Soreneson's were caretakers for a Magical preserve called Fablehaven. It was inhabited by mythical and magical creatures, both light and dark. Ancient laws kept order among the residents, including faeries, imps, satyrs, trolls and even a witch that was held captive under a spell. But Seth's impulsiveness got the better of him, and on Midsummer Night's Eve he caused the forces of evil to be unleashed and his Grandfather was taken captive. Can the children make things right, and bring back their Grandfather??

I'm not sure what I expected from this book. The storyline is very unique, and I loved the descriptions of all the magical creatures, especially the faeries. But I really think my expectations were too high, because I just didn't love this book. Maybe it's the mother in me, but I was extremely annoyed with Seth's lack of respect for the rules. I realize that he is at that age -- 11 -- and boys will be boys. I HAVE a boy that age, so I know. But he just kept getting into crisis after crisis. And didn't learn until too late that his actions would have deadly consequences.

The writing was a bit stilted, but by the end Mull had pulled it off. He did create a wonderful world in Fablehaven. He also left the reader with the knowledge that more is coming. A secret society is bent of destroying the preserve, and I'm sure that is where the series is going to go. All things considered, I think I will definitely read on and see what lies in store for Kendra and Seth in future books. I'm hoping that I will enjoy the next book just a little more. I do think the younger fantasy reader will really like this series. I'm going to pass it on to my boy and see what he thinks!! 3.75/5

Book 2 in the Twilight Series......

Well....I can't stop reading the series now, can I? Not a series that has my son begging for more books?? I went out and bought New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (608 pgs, Little, Brown Young Readers, 2006) as soon as Chad was disappointed he was on a waiting list at school to get the book. I figured it was an investment in his education!! Again, I can see the appeal this series has for the younger set.

I felt like I was trapped in one of those terrifying nightmares, the one where you have to run, run till your lungs burst, but you can't make your body move fast enough. My legs seemed to move slower and slower as I fought my way through the callous crowd, but the hands on the clock tower didn't slow. With relentless, uncaring force, they turned inexorably toward the end -- the end of everything.

Things for Bella seem to be going smoothly. She and Edward are a couple. No one knows the Cullens' secret about being vampires. Life is good. There is still one tiny problem -- she wants Edward to turn her so they can spend eternity together, and he wants nothing to do with it. But dating a vampire has a few drawbacks!

Then the Cullens throw a surprise party for Bella's birthday, and in typical Bella clumsy fashion, she gets hurt. The realization that she IS human and they are not seeps in. The Cullens leave town, and Edward breaks up with Bella. In harsh fashion, he tells her that he just can't take their relationship. He doesn't love her enough to do it.

Bella goes into a tailspin of depression. So bad that her friends no longer want to be around her. Charlie is ready to have her committed. She is sleep walking through life. Until she finds if she is in trouble, she can "hear" Edward's voice inside her head. So Bella starts do really reckless things just to feel closer to him. She evens buys 2 motorcycles, although they need a lot of work. And who does she get to help her with it, but her old friend Jacob Black.

Bella starts spending a lot of time with Jacob. He comes her best friend, and the person she relies on the most since Edward left. It's pretty obvious that Jacob's feelings are a lot stronger than Bella's. But she really does care for him. But Jacob has secrets of his own, and now Victoria is back....and pissed off. She is trying to exact her revenge by killing Bella. Since Edward killed James, she is planning to kill Edward's mate. Mate for Mate. And Bella is scared.

Really, I do see how this series became so popular. Meyer's writing is smooth and certainly addictive. Once you start, you can't put it down. But I don't think I liked this one as much as I did Twilight. Edward and family took a backseat to the new monsters in town, and frankly, I am rather partial to vampires!!

Again, Bella stilled annoyed me WAY too much. I get that she's a teenager. Losing your love is traumatic at any age. But we've all been through it. She fell into such a depression, feeling so sorry for herself, that it made me want to scream!! Her recklessness was really starting to bother me too. Personally, I didn't blame her for turning to Jacob. I've read a lot of reviews that said she was being really fickle...but I just didn't see it that way. I think she valued Jacob as a friend. She was very honest with him that she didn't feel the same way about him...and he accepted that. But she did come to love who he was....and if that was gone, she was going to be sad.

And Edward....oh let's get started on him. If he can't have Bella, he's just going to kill himself?? Please. Give me a break. You'd think that a 100-year-old vampire would be smart enough to get over a whiny little thing like Bella. Maybe I'm being jaded by dismissing the whole "Soul Mate" idea. I get the concept....but I just have a hard time buying into it. And marketing books to teens that promote this kind of worshipful love seems kind of dangerous to me. Sheesh. Maybe I AM too old to be reading this series!!

Anyway, I enjoyed the book. Not as much as Twilight. But since I bought Chad both Eclipse and Breaking Dawn for Christmas, I'll definitely be finishing out the series!! 3.75/5

Since I'm the Last Person on the Planet.....

to read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (554 pgs, Little, Brown Young Readers, 2006) I'm not even sure if I should review it!! But I guess I will give a try. Actually, the reason I picked it up at this time is because Chad told me I had to read it. His reading teacher at school had all the kids in her 7th grade class read it for AR. When the movie comes out, she's taking the class to see it. THIS was the book Chad couldn't put down!! I even went out yesterday and bought him New Moon, because he is still on the waiting list at school and he was getting frustrated. Can't have that!!

I'd never given much thought to how I would die -- though I'd had reason enough in the last few months -- but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this. I stared without breathing across the long room, into the dark eyes of the hunter, and he looked pleasantly back at me. Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.

When Bella made the decision to move to Forks, Washington, to live with her father, she really had no idea just how drastically her life would change. Sure, Forks, with all it's rainy darkness, was world's away from the sun of Phoenix. The school was so much smaller than her old school, Bella worried she wouldn't fit in. And yet, in a matter of days, she seems to be the object of obsession for most of the guys in town. And she makes friends quickly. This should be a good thing, right??

But Bella isn't interested in the boys in her school. Except for one. She is unusually drawn to Edward Cullen, one the "beautiful" people. Edward and his "family" are rich, beautiful....and dangerous. You see, they are a family of vampires.

When I read The Host by Stephenie Meyer, I was completely blown away. I still contend it is probably the best book I've read all year. Maybe it's a timing thing. I know a lot of people preferred the Twilight series. And while I highly enjoyed this book, I still think The Host was better.

Meyer has a way of completely sucking you into the stories she writes. I had a hard time putting this book down, even though it was rather slow getting to the "action", so to speak. The majority of this book is spent on getting to know the characters. We learn....slowly....WHAT Edward is. Meyer's gives us a different take of vampire legends. Edward and his family have a conscious. They don't hunt people, even though most of their kind does.

I really liked Edward and his vampire family. I liked learning their history and why they made the choices they did and live the way they do. And when the conflict (FINALLY) presents itself, I like how they band together to resolve it.

My biggest complaint about the book turns out the to be "human" factor....Bella. At first, I liked her. She's different than most teenage girls. She's not scared of Edward...even though she should be. She's curious. But she takes too many chances, and puts people she loves at risk. And she's whiny. EXTREMELY whiny. By the end of the book, I wanted to throttle her. Her "Don't Leave Me" mantra was almost more than I could take. I love a strong female protagonist. And Bella started out that way....but by the end of the book, she was clingy, whiny and so controlled that it almost ruined my enjoyment of the book.

I can see why Twilight is so popular, especially for the younger set. It's the ultimate "forever and ever" love story. It's heartwarming to see soul mates find each other. However, I'm not sure this one will have that fairy tale ending. I don't really see how it can work. But it gives a person hope. And for all my criticisms, I DID enjoy the book. I just hope I want to smack Bella less in the next one! 4/5

Is There Every Safety in Secrets??

It's been quite a while since I've gotten a selection from the First Look Program at Harper Collins. But for some reason, this month I received 3!! Here is my first review, The Safety of Secrets by Delaune Michel (320 pgs, Avon 2008).

Fiona and Patricia have been friends since the First grade. Growing up in Lake Charles, Louisiana they were inseparable. Fiona grew up in a large house with her parents and housekeeper. Far from perfect, Fiona's parents were cold and strict. Patricia lived with her twice-divorced mother and half-brother in an apartment. Patricia's mom was never home and her brother would rather spend his time beating her up than actually speaking to her. In a world that wasn't very kind to either, the girls forged a bond that held the test of time.

Now, both girls are in their 30's and living in Hollywood. Fiona is married, expecting her first child and working as an actress with moderate success. Mostly TV movies and guest appearances in series. Patricia is now the host of a famous reality show and a bigger star than she had ever dreamed possible.

But the main focus of this book is not the careers of each woman, but relationships. The relationship between the two friends; the relationship between the families; but most importantly, the relationships between the woman and their husbands. Because there is a secret between the women that has been held since they were 10 years old....when they swore never to tell. But what happens to all the other relationships if this one secret ever sees the light of day?

I liked this book. Delaune Michel has written a lot of Fiona's inner dialogue in a way that made it a bit confusing to me at first. Then I realized it's written just like I think.....goes a bit in circles! But when I finally settled down, I was very impressed at the deep character study she has put to paper. Fiona is a bit of a fractured soul. As an actress, she has learned to keep a very positive exterior, while holding everything inside. She is rather neurotic, and you can see as Michel takes you into the past for looks at her childhood, the reasons for her self-doubt. Patricia, on the surface, comes off as an insensitive, career-driven user. And in a way, she is. But there is more to her than that.

Drifting between the past and present, The Safety of Secrets is an intense look at how secrets can bind you together....and how they can tear you apart. At first, it's a light book about Hollywood. But when the past comes into play, there is an evolution. And light, it is not. If you are looking for a good book about friendship, relationships, and life, this one might be it. If nothing else, it shows you that the little things a parent does, can affect a child for the rest of her life!! And that itself, is worth the price of admission! 4/5

One Fantastic Book for your Heart AND Soul

Not having read any of the Twilight Series (yes, I heard the collective gasp from the crowd!), I didn't have any expectations coming into reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer (624 pgs, Little, Brown and Company). I don't have any of the bias that a lot of readers will have. I didn't expect to find a book that I would fall head over heels in love with. But that is exactly what happened!! If it's any indication on how wonderful this book is, I read over 600 pages in 2 short days....hardly pausing for sleep!! I read The Host for The End of the World Challenge, The Stephenie Meyer Mini-Challenge (see...I'm PLANNING on reading the Twilight series!), and The Pub '08 Challenge.

In a time when Earth has been almost completely taken over by aliens, there were a few rebel Humans left in existence. The aliens, or Souls, have done a systematic take-over of this planet. They are a parasitic creature that can not live without a Host body. When they are inserted in a human body, their "soul" takes over. You can tell by the silver that shines in their eyes.

Wanderer is unlike most souls. She has lived on 8 other planets in 8 other host bodies. And yet, she has never found a place that she could truly envision herself at home. Hence, the name Wanderer.

Melanie was a rebel human. Along with her little brother Jamie, and her true-love Jared, she was carving out a small existence for herself. But when she saw on the news a person that looked like her cousin Sharon, she knew she had to find her and see if she was still human. That's why she went to Chicago in the first place. But when she was caught by the Seekers, the souls that were scouring the planet for the last of the humans, she knew she would rather die than become one of THEM. Unfortunately for her, the attempt of suicide failed. Her body was healed, and Wanderer was inserted into her body.

But unlike all the other Hosts that Wanderer had taken over, she couldn't lose Melanie. Melanie was such a strong human, she refused to let Wanderer completely take over. Mel was still there with her, talking to her and making her miserable. Wanderer knew all of Mel's memories and feelings. As much as Mel tried to block her thoughts, Wanderer would dream of Jared and Jamie. Soon, Wanderer finds herself longing to find the Humans that meant so much to Mel. On a trip to Tuscon, Mel remembers a map that her Uncle Jeb had drawn for her, and the two of them set off to find out if Jared and Jamie have survived.

But when Wanderer is found by the group of rebel Humans that include her family and friends, it isn't pretty. No one is sure what to do. They want to hate the alien that has taken over Mel. But things are not always as it seems. And Wanderer isn't the typical soul.

Can I tell you now how much I LOVED this book?? Although sci-fi in nature, it is so much more than that. It's a story of love and understanding, acceptance and humanity. This book is so deep and so beautiful that I'm having a hard time putting down in words my feelings for it. Melanie is such a strong human, but there were times that I just wanted to throttle her. She had become jaded and pessimistic during the occupation....and rightfully so. But she didn't think things through very well. Wanderer was such a beautiful and kind soul. Altruistic was a word that was used frequently, and for good reason. She would rather die than cause pain to other person or soul.

The cast of characters in this book is large, but my favorite would have to be Ian. He was one of the rebels that initially wanted to kill Wanderer. But spending time with the soul, he realized that to be human didn't always mean being a body without an alien presence. Stephenie Meyer has put together a brilliant novel. Her focus is more on relationships than on the alien presence, and is amazing to read. And the relationships are complex. There is a really weird triangle with Melanie/Wanda/Jared. Then you thrown Ian into the mix and it gets weirder yet. There are some seriously hard scenes to read. And as the end nears, as a reader you can see how difficult it is going to be to end this story well. You come to love the soul as much as the human. In fact, they come to love each as much as they do themselves.

If you are a fan of the Twilight series, I beg you to give this book a chance. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in this story. I can't remember the last time a book completely left me so emotionally drained. I laughed, I cried, I cringed at times. But I wouldn't take back a second of it! This book was Freakin' Fantastic....and I'm telling you: GO READ THE HOST!! 5/5

A Coming of Age Story for those of us Raised in the 80's!

First of all, I would like to thank Josh McClary himself for sending me a copy of his book! I'm sorry it took me so long to read it! Chance Murphy and the Battle of Morganville, (367 pgs, Kedzie Press) is a book in which I can relate! It's about a boy growing up in the midwest in 1986!

In the summer of 1986, Chance Murphy was living in Morganville, Indiana with his mother and his mentally handicapped older sister, Sabby. His parents are divorced and his father lives with his old Vietnam buddy, Pete, in an apartment over The Murphy. The Murphy is the local movie theater, and Chance and his sister went weekly to spend time with their father, but also to partake of "Monday Movie Madness", a tradition in the town of Morganville.

Chance is not your average 13-year-old. He has dreams of grandeur. His grandfather died during WWII while fighting the Germans. He wanted to be soldier too, but an accident when he was little involving his best friend Dan and a BB gun put an end to that dream quickly. He has the normal problems that any kid has at that age, and yet they always seem bigger to Chance. He lives across the street from his mortal enemy Otto Manheim (the dirty "Hun"). His best friend Dan lives next door with his perfect (at least to the outside world) family. When Dan gets home cooked breakfast consisting of eggs and whole hog sausage, Chance is forced to endure bran flakes and a mom that works all the time. And his sister Sabby is sweet and he loves her, but sometimes it's hard dealing with her handicap.

I really enjoyed this book. It's hard not to like Chance and feel sorry for him, although he has a lot of anger issues. In fact, he has a lot of issues period. He's got a mouth on him that needs a good bar of soap, and a temper that is hard for him to control. But through it all, Chance has a good heart. He really WANTS to be a better person, he just can't quite get there. But I think that's what being a 13-year-old is all about. Trying to become the person you will eventually grow up to be. And Chance has a lot of growing to do.

One of the best things about this book is all the pop culture references. When Chance is DYING to have Laser tag under the Christmas tree that year, it brought me back in time to my brother wanting the same thing!! From Top Gun and The Breakfast Club to Coca-Cola Shirts and Guess? Jean jackets, I was definitely transported back to the my days in jr. high and high school! Isn't that really the fun of books? 4/5

What's it REALLY like to be a 13-year old Boy?

Black Swan Green by David Mitchell (294 pgs, Random House) answers that very question. I choose this book to read as a part of the NY Times Notable Challenge, and I'm certainly glad I did!

Black Swan Green is the name of the small village in Worcestershire where 13-year-old Jason Taylor lives. It's a sleepy little village minus the swans. The year is 1982, and Jason is trying to navigate his way through a maze of difficulties: bullies at school, trying to blend in, overcoming a stammer that could label him forever, parents at war with each other, an older sister that calls him "The Thing", a war in the Falklands, and gypsies that have taken up residence is the village. Can life really be so difficult at 13? You bet it can!

Eliot Bolivar is a poet that submits his writing to the local parish magazine. He is talented and writes eloquently. And he is actually Jason Taylor, our 13-year-old antagonist. But really, could a kid hold up his head in school if he admits to being a POET? I think not!

This book is chocked full of insight. It is exactly one year in the life of Jason Taylor. Mitchell's writing is so fantastic, you can actually see through the eyes of this boy. At first, it was a bit difficult to understand some of the British phrasing and terms, but that didn't stop any enjoyment I felt reading this book. When Jason was called on to read aloud in class, I actually could FEEL his fear in the pit of MY stomach. Trying to navigate through school without being seen, not popular enough to be part of the in-crowd, and not detested enough to be one of the lepers, Jason tries hard to fit in. And he has to fit in in a way that lets him live with himself.

One of my favorite passages in the book comes right at the end: "The world's a Headmaster who works on your faults. I don't mean in a mystical or a Jesus way. More how you'll keep tripping over a hidden step, over and over, till you finally understand: Watch out for that step! Everything that's wrong with us, if we're too selfish or too Yessir, Nosir, Three bags full sir or too anything, that's a hidden step. Either you suffer the consequences of not noticing your fault forever, or , one day, you DO notice it, and fix it. Joke is, once you get it into your brain about THAT hidden step and think, Hey, life isn't such a shithouse after all again, then BUMP! Down you go, a whole new flight of hidden steps. There are always more.

The entire book is filled with this type of writing and insight. The characters are all well-rounded, simple yet complex. This book will make you laugh and it will make you cry. And it will make you exceedingly glad that you never have to go through that horrible time in life again. I would recommend it whole-heartedly! 4.5/5

A Wonderful Coming of Age Story

The Tender Bar by JR Moehringer (432 pgs, Hypernion) is the memoir of a an award-winning journalist. It is the first book that I read for the Non-Fiction Five challenge, and I can only hope the rest will be as good as this one!

Manhasset, on Long Island, was famous for a two things. One, it was the backdrop for F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Two, it was famous for it's bars. Plandome Road, the main drag in Manhasset, was wall-to-wall bars. But none made on impact on JR the way Dickens did. JR and his mother were living with his grandparents, and that was exactly 142 steps from Dickens. When JR was 9-months old, his mother left her husband and moved on. A single woman trying to raise her son and working 2 or 3 jobs at a time, Dorothy tried to make it on her own. But time and time again, Dorothy and JR ended up back in Manhasset with family. At any time, the house could be filled with cousins. But JR was content there. He would sit out on the stoop with his radio and listen for The Voice. The Voice was his father, a radio DJ that JR couldn't even remember. He even talked to The Voice, to this mother's dismay. And he worried about taking care of his mom.

Eventually, JR and his mother moved to Arizona. But every summer JR returned to Manhasett to live with his grandparents. When JR was in need of guidance, he turned to his Uncle Charley, a bartender at Dickens. Uncle Charley, along with some men from the bar, would take JR to the beach, Mets games, and eventually, into their circle. They raised him with love and compassion, these "fathers".

This book is filled with themes. Fatherless boy looking for a man in his life. Single mother trying to raise a son. Blue collar kid attending the Ivy league. Coming of Age. Trying to find yourself. And I could go on because this book is all of that and more. Beautifully written and heartbreaking at times, JR Moehringer tells the story of his life. The good AND the bad. He's very candid about his faults, probably more so than his amazing talents. I laughed and cried while reading this book. Maybe it appealed to me on some level because it's the story of a boy that loves his mother. And maybe it appealed to me because the characters in this book are real: full of faults and problems, just like me. But regardless of why, this book made me FEEL all kinds of emotions. And that is the makings of a great book!!

This is probably my favorite passage in the entire book:

I didn't want a ring. I told my mother about my aversion to men's jewelry, and I pointed out that Yale rings were expensive. She wouldn't listen. You must have a ring, she insisted. Fine, I said, send me the catalog. I'll order a ring. But I would pay for it myself, by working extra hours at the bookstore cafe.

Over dinner at Publicans my mother knew I hadn't kept my word, that the money for the ring had gone the way of the money for the name change. "You promised you were going to get a ring," she said in a disappointed voice.

"And I did."

From the breast pocket of my blazer I removed a velvet box and slid it across the table. She cracked the box open. Inside was a Yale ring. A woman's ring. I explained that Yale had been our dream, and our accomplishment. I told my mother that I couldn't have gotten into Yale without her, and certainly wouldn't have gotten through without her. "As far as I'm concerned," I said, "you graduated from Yale today too. And you should have some proof. Sparkling proof."

Her eyes welled with tears, and she tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat.

See? Simplistic, but touching. I loved it!! 4.75/5

A Christmas Mystery, But Not Much of a Gift

Mistletoe Murder (224 pgs. Kensington Books) by Leslie Meier is the first book in the Lucy Stone Mystery series. I generally like a good cozy, and the Women's Reading Group is using the Lucy Stone series as a Long-Term Reading project. I thought I would try it.

Lucy Stone lives in Tinker's Cove, Maine. It's a rustic small town that houses the famous Country Cousins mail-order company where Lucy works nights taking phone orders. One week before Christmas, business is booming. There is barely time to take a break from all the calls. But that night, Lucy decides to step outside to get some fresh air with the hopes of staying awake until her shift is over at 1 am. While she's outside, she notices that Sam Miller's car is idling in the parking lot. Sam is the owner of Country Cousins and usually isn't around in the later hours of the night shift. When Lucy goes to see if everything is all right, she notices that a hose has been attached to the exhaust and is pouring fumes into the car and Sam is slumped over the steering wheel.

It is hard to believe that Sam would commit suicide. The man has everything. A beautiful wife, a great business and lots of money. But when it is discovered that Sam was unconscious BEFORE he was put in the car, it would seem that Tinker's Cove was seeing it's first murder in many years!

I have to say this book and the entire storyline rather underwhelmed me. I have always loved a good mystery, especially with a female protagonist. But Lucy Stone isn't one of them. In fact, there really wasn't much mystery at all. She stumbled on the body and stumbled across a few clues in between shopping trips. She spends most of her time gossiping with her neighbors and sewing Christmas costumes! There were also a couple of unresolved threads in the story that were just left hanging. I'm still unsure how they are supposed to fit into the story. By the end of the book, I was more annoyed than anything. I have a feeling, this will not only be the first Lucy Stone mystery I read, but also the last! 2.5./5

A Very Compelling, but Very Depressing Book

The Cigar Roller (192 pgs) by Pablo Medina is the story of a Amadeo Terra, a Cuban-born Cigar Roller that has been paralyzed by a stroke. Amadeo is housed in a nursing home in Florida, isolated from the world. His children pay the bills, but never visit. He is unable to move or talk. And to the outside world, he is no more responsive than a vegetable. One day, as the nurse was feeding Amadeo his lunch of baby food, his memories are sparked by the taste of mango. He is immediately transported back to his childhood in Cuba.

This novel is very well-written, although it does follow the stream of consciousness writing that I'm not particularly fond of reading. Amadeo is a man that has ill-spent almost his entire life and has many deep regrets. He alternates from the present time through many episodes of his past life, some good and some bad. You see snippets of his marriage to Julia, a Cuban woman that immigrated to Florida with him and their three sons. You see bits of life as a Master Cigar Roller. Images of his many mistresses and infidelities are also abound. And the death of his young son that haunts him. But you are also drawn into his life as an invalid, trying desperately to make someone, anyone, realize he CAN understand. You are also drawn into the incredibly inadequate treatment the infirmed receive in this nursing home.

Even though the book was well-written, it probably won't be making my Top lists anytime soon! It was a short book for me, but I found it incredibly difficult to read. It's hard to have a lot of empathy for a man that really, truly was so detestable. And I'm not a fan of stream of consciousness writing. I find it very hard to enjoy. I was hoping for more about Amadeo's life as a Cigar Roller and culture of Cuba, and less of the clinical side of the stroke. 3.5/5