American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

Apart from the similarities to the current White House, I found this book to be an interesting look at the complexities of a marriage. The majority of the book focuses on the non-political portion of Alice's life, laying a solid foundation early on for the decisions she makes later in life. I believe the last section dealing with her time as First Lady was the weakest, and the very end was quite disappointing to me (can't say more without being a spoiler). In the end, I couldn't give five stars because no matter how well-imagined her character and motivations, I just could not bring myself to like Alice. Definitely worth a read regardless of your political opinions.

Banned Books Week

Every year I am astonished by the books that are challenged for inclusion in libraries and schools across the country. I'm always reminded of a book I read as a child- Maudie and Me and the Dirty Book. Love them or hate them, not every book is a good fit for every person, but no one has the right to tell me what I can or cannot read. Banning books is wrong and I am disheartened that the list of books grows every year.

Here is the top ten list for 2007- read as many as you can! For the record, I LOVED the top book on the list And Tango Makes Three. It is heartwarming, it is about love and family, it is beautifully illustrated and sensitively handled, it is a TRUE story, it is about penguins, and yet it was the most challenged book last year for the following reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, and Unsuited to Age Group. One reviewer on Amazon said the book "went against everything the Word of God speaks of" which just made me sad- sad, and glad that my view of the Word of God stresses the "Love thy neighbor as thyself" message. It also makes me want to scream "but they are penguins" at the top of my lungs to people complaining about the book endorsing homosexuality, but that is a post for a different day...

Great Contest for Free Books

In honor of her 100th book review, Jane over at Devourer Of Books has posted a fun contest/book giveaway. I love the look of so many of the books on her list- go check it out...

Between Here and April by Deborah Copaken Kogan

When Elizabeth starts fainting for no discernable physical reason, she finds herself thinking of April, her best friend from first grade who just never came to school one day. As Elizabeth researches the case, she learns that April and her sister Lily were killed by their mother Adele in a car in the woods. The more she delves into Adele's life leading up to the tragedy, the more parallels she finds with her own unravelling life.

The book did get a bit heavy-handed at times, especially as relates to Elizabeth's relationship with her husband. On the other hand, the author did a masterful job of painting a picture of a woman slowly edging toward the brink with no one and nothing to stop her from plunging. The book was sad and a litle scary, and dealt with a very difficult subject with sensitivity and empathy. Highly recommended.

Songs for the Butcher's Daughter by Peter Manseau

This wonderful book is tells the tale of a young Catholic graduate with a love of language who finds himself the custodian of a library of Yiddish texts. He finds himself drawn into the story of Itsik Malpesh, the self-proclaimed greatest Yiddish poet in America. The book unfolds along two timelines, gradually merging together at the end into one seamless story. Itsik's love for Sasha, the butcher's daughter he believes is his bashert provides the main thread to both the narrative and his entire life.

I was drawn completely into this novel that traces the often dark experiences of an Eastern European Jew who ultimately immigrates to the US. The story was compelling, the characters engaging, and the denouement exciting. Manseau's use of Yiddish was masterful and the language of the novel overall was lyrical. I highly recommend this book.

Because She Can by Bridie Clark

I read this book on a recommendation, and enjoyed it (though not as much as I had hoped to before reading). Readers familiar with The Nanny Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada will recognize the basic plot: crazy boss gradually turns down to earth employee a little insane before employee remembers she is a good person and makes a break to follow her heart.

Claire Truman lands a fabulous job working for a famous publisher Vivian Grant (a thinly disguised Judith Regan) only to discover that her new boss is certifiable. Assistants rarely last a month, editors are subject to profanity-laden tirades, and books are almost a sideline at the publishing house. Add in a troubled relationship with her fiance, and you have all the makings of a bestseller.

The book is well written, and I enjoyed the inside dirt on the world of publishing (though I recommend Olivia Goldsmith's The Bestseller if you want more focus on the publishing end). All in all, this was an enjoyable book club read, and worth a 3.5 star rating.

Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner

Covering the years around the revolution in Cuba filtered mostly through the eyes of children, Telex from Cuba tells the story of the American community living in Cuba managing the United Fruit sugarcane factory and the U.S. government-owned nickel mine.

This book was mesmerizing- beautifully written and truly evocative of the time and place of the story. Kushner paints an indelible picture of life in the United Fruit company's outpost in Cuba, her words creating a vivid portrait of a way of life in collapse. The characters, including Cuba itself, are wonderfully drawn- true to type in many ways but just eccentric enough to stay interesting as different layers of their lives and personalities are revealed.

Knowing that Kushner's mother lived through this tumultuous time in Cuba lends even greater reality to the narrative. I picked this book up and could barely stand to put it down. The book highlights the inequalities that helped lead to the revolution, and the sadness of people on both sides when it didn't all work out as planned. I highly recommend this book.

Waiter Rant by Steve Dublanica

Though I had never heard of the blog before receiving this book, I can only imagine how popular it must be given the subject matter. For anyone who has ever waited tables, this book will cover familiar ground- the insanity of the kitchen staff, the abusiveness of the owner, the obnoxiousness of the customers, and the mind-numbing aggravation of it all are covered in great detail. Tempering this of course are the rare moments of joy- the couple deciding to have a baby, the couple who truly enjoy their budget-busting night out thanks to the waiter's guidance.

I thought the book was a bit rough around the edges, and the underlying narrative structure was a bit weak, but the stories rang true enough to counter these negatives. Waiter Rant was an enjoyable read, one that exposes the ugly underbelly of the restaurant business. Definitely a must read for anyone who works in or patronizes a restaurant!

The Tall Pine Polka by Lorna Landvik

I liked this book, but not as much as I really wanted to, and nowhere near as much as I enjoyed some of Landvik's other offerings. Though the cast of characters was initially interesting, they all seemed a little too eccentric as the novel progressed. The movie in a small town element was done better in the movie State and Main, and I for one thought there were too many subplots running throughout the novel which overcomplicated it all.

I did think that Fenny, Bill and Lee were well-drawn, developed characters, but found the entire ex-husband/abuse story line deserved more inital attention especially given its sudden importance halfway though the story. The Hollywood people all seemed fairly shallowly drawn, and poor Boyd never really got the development he deserved.

Truthfully, even a mediocre Landvik novel is better than a lot of other books out there, but I was disappointed that this novel didn't live up to her usual high standards.

The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

I picked up The Good Thief intending to read a few pages before bed but was unable to put it down before I finished. A 12-year old orphan at a Catholic orphanage, Ren has spend his whole life trying to unravel the mystery of his missing hand and missing family. Considered unadoptable because of his deformity, Ren had nothing to look forward to but conscription into the Army when he got too old for St. Anthony's- nothing that is until the day Benjamin Nab showed up claiming to be Ren's long-lost brother. Unfortunately, Ren soon learns that Nab's story is just a story; he in fact excels at telling people just what they want to hear.

One on level, this book is an enjoyable adventure story populated with colorful characters and some light humor. Much more compelling are Ren's attempts to unravel the mystery of his past while developing a moral code that is much less flexible than that of his savior. Enough hints of the truth are peppered throughout the story to prevent the reader from crying foul at the denouement (no spoilers here though!) and the action is well paced if sometimes a little over the top.

Both the plot and the writing style are strong; the Good Thief is an enjoyable read I will certainly recommend to friends.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Three days before her 10th birthday, Alice was taken by Ray. Now she is 15 and waiting for Ray to kill her. Unfortunately, Ray has a different plan- he wants Alice to find a new little girl to complete their family, a perfect little girl for him to love. Hollow inside from years of horrifying physical and sexual abuse, Alice can think only of being set free of Ray's incessant demands and twisted desires.

This book is deeply disturbing and only for mature readers. Alice is masterfully painted, her spare unemotional tone the legacy of years of physical and emotional torment. Her unflinching acceptance that death is likely her only escape provides a terrifying view into the mindset of an abuse victim.

I would have given the book five stars if the ending had been different. I don't want this review to be a spoiler so I cannot elaborate, but I think a different ending could have been simultaneously more satisfying to the reader and more challenging to the author. Regardless, Living Dead Girl is an unforgettable read.

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Barely out of the hospital in CA, recovering from life-saving surgery, Towner Whitney is called home to Salem MA because her great-aunt Eva is missing. Towner reluctantly returns to the town she abandoned after the death of her twin sister, only to discover her great-aunt is dead. As Tonwer and others grapple with their belief that her uncle Cal is to blame, events in town escalate toward further violence. Towner herself starts to unravel as the secret of her past are brought to light in a journey toward self-discovery and redemption.

I made the mistake of starting this book in the evening and was unable to put it down. The power of Barry's writing is undeniable; her haunting narrative pulls you into Towner's reality, and it it only gradually that you realize just how skewed that reality is. This book is a sensitive and moving narrative of one woman's attempt to recover her past in order to ensure her future.

I highly recommend this book, which is one of the best I've read this year. Five strong stars.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

This is an excellent addition to Holocaust literature for young adults. When nine-year old Bruno and his family move to "Off with" because of the "Fury", he is confused and angry- throughout the book, Bruno never really learns what is happening next door. Showing the camps through the eyes of a child on the outside of the fence was a novel technique and allowed for spare descriptions that underlined the looming horror. Once Bruno befriends a young Jewish boy, the reader knows the story isn't going to end well. Despite that knowledge, and the fact that the actual friendship is so unrealistic, Boyne's writing is so powerful that I still found myself tearing up at the end. I highly recommend this book for adults and teens alike.

The Diplomat's Wife by Pam Jenoff

I read this one because the title caught my eye, and was seriously disappointed. The beginning of the story tracing Marta's ordeal with the Gestapo and her subsequent time in a refugee hospital was by far the best part of the story, but once Paul's plane crashed, both the story and the book headed downhill. Thought it opened strongly, the book never really took off for me- neither of the two big shockers were at all surprising to me because they were so telegraphed ahead of time (though knowing they were coming didn't make them any more realistic or believable...) The book had potential, but I feel like it just glossed over the issues it raised, and I never really connected with any of the characters. I certainly won't be rushing out to pick up the Kommandant's Girl because I fear it will be an equally shallow treatment of a potentially interesting story.

in which I confess to being a terrible blogger

man this is hard. I mean, I read a lot of books, but I'm not having a lot of success writing about a lot of books. I've got a lot going on in real life these days, but I do want to get back into the swing of writing about books again. I'm going to work on it. I promise.