I like this author, but can only read his books periodically or I tire of him. In this book, a country pastor, Stephen Drew, is grieving over the murder-suicide of a woman he baptized the morning of her death. The story is told by multiple narrators, one of my favorite styles, and like usual, this helps add perspective to the story and keep the reader engaged. I enjoyed this book, because I enjoyed the majority of the characters and the many surprising twists keep it flowing. However, I think the editors could have cut at least 75 pages without losing anything.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, but be patient, it definitely could have been a little shorter.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
This book was recommended by my friend Stacey. She's not much of a reader, so I was excited when she mentioned a book! It's teen fiction, not a typical genre for me, but I requested it anyway.
This is the story of Hannah Baker, a 17 year old girl who committed suicide. Before she died, Hannah created a series of audio tapes addressing the 13 people who contributed to her decision. She gave specific instructions that once a person listens to all of the tapes, he or she should pass them on to the person whose story is next on the tapes. The story is told from the perspective of Clay Jensen, the 9th person to get the tapes and the only one Hannah felt did not contribute directly to her suicide.
Hannah's story is comprised of multiple events/interactions/rumors that most teens face, which makes her story very believable. It's a clear demonstration of the signs of depression and the signals that an individual is contemplating suicide. It's a reminder to all of us to pay attention to those around us, not to believe everything we hear, and to be responsible in our interactions.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, especially if you spend any amount of time with a teen...and when you're done, go ahead an pass it on to someone in that age group.
This is the story of Hannah Baker, a 17 year old girl who committed suicide. Before she died, Hannah created a series of audio tapes addressing the 13 people who contributed to her decision. She gave specific instructions that once a person listens to all of the tapes, he or she should pass them on to the person whose story is next on the tapes. The story is told from the perspective of Clay Jensen, the 9th person to get the tapes and the only one Hannah felt did not contribute directly to her suicide.
Hannah's story is comprised of multiple events/interactions/rumors that most teens face, which makes her story very believable. It's a clear demonstration of the signs of depression and the signals that an individual is contemplating suicide. It's a reminder to all of us to pay attention to those around us, not to believe everything we hear, and to be responsible in our interactions.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, especially if you spend any amount of time with a teen...and when you're done, go ahead an pass it on to someone in that age group.
Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler
Anne Tyler is a recent discovery for me...which means that I read one book and then proceeded to check out everything she's done that I could get my hands on. This was my second book of hers, and it didn't exactly live up to my expectations. Don't get me wrong, I didn't dislike the book, it just didn't knock my socks off, so to speak.
Liam, a possibly-retired school teacher is in a transitional phase of his life when he wakes up to find himself in the hospital. He learns that he was severely injured by a would-be burgler, none of which he can remember. This memory loss leads Liam into a relationship with a married woman who is employed as "a rememberer" for a successful, elderly, businessman. Throughout the journey, Liam comes to terms with his memories and develops his relationships with his three daughters.
Would I recommend this book? Probably not, I've read a lot of books that engaged me more and this wasn't a real "stay up all night to finish" page-turner.
Liam, a possibly-retired school teacher is in a transitional phase of his life when he wakes up to find himself in the hospital. He learns that he was severely injured by a would-be burgler, none of which he can remember. This memory loss leads Liam into a relationship with a married woman who is employed as "a rememberer" for a successful, elderly, businessman. Throughout the journey, Liam comes to terms with his memories and develops his relationships with his three daughters.
Would I recommend this book? Probably not, I've read a lot of books that engaged me more and this wasn't a real "stay up all night to finish" page-turner.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
Again, I LOVE CHELSEA HANDLER!!! In this, her second memoir, the focus shifts from her love life to her family, which is equally hilarious. I also love books read by the author so I opted for the audio version of this one; I don't want to give away any of her stories, but I will say that if you enjoy her sense of humor, the tales will make you laugh out loud--her telling the tales might make you pee your pants or shoot soda out your nose. Take this as your warning!
Would I recommend this book? In the words of Chelsea Handler, ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY!!!
Would I recommend this book? In the words of Chelsea Handler, ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY!!!
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
This was selected for my book club, and I'll admit I wasn't super excited about reading ANOTHER book from the Nazi era, but this one surprised me!
The story is set in France and ties together the events of July 1942, when the French police rounded up French Jews in Paris before sending them to concentration camps, and those surrounding the memorial of the round up 60 years later. The two main characters are Sarah, a 10 year old who was part of the round up and Julia, a journalist reporting on the memorial who discovers a family secret that connects her to Sarah.
Until reading this book, I was unaware of the events that took place in France, or the extent to which the French police and government were involved in the internment of Jews. I liked the style in which this book was written; the dual perspective added some credibility to the novel and helped to draw the reader into the story.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, it's one of the better stories based on this era.
The story is set in France and ties together the events of July 1942, when the French police rounded up French Jews in Paris before sending them to concentration camps, and those surrounding the memorial of the round up 60 years later. The two main characters are Sarah, a 10 year old who was part of the round up and Julia, a journalist reporting on the memorial who discovers a family secret that connects her to Sarah.
Until reading this book, I was unaware of the events that took place in France, or the extent to which the French police and government were involved in the internment of Jews. I liked the style in which this book was written; the dual perspective added some credibility to the novel and helped to draw the reader into the story.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, it's one of the better stories based on this era.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)