Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
Lucy Valentine comes from a family notorious for their matchmaking skills. This is great lucrative news for the family, except Lucy doesn't quite have the matchmaking gift, thanks to an electrical surge when Lucy was fourteen, changing her powers from matchmaking to lost object finding. When her father leaves the matchmaking business, Valentine Inc., to her for a couple of weeks, Lucy fears she will ultimately screw up the business and her family's good business name. Instead, Lucy finds trouble in a mystery surrounding a client and an engagement ring, a lost boy in the woods and a dangerously good-looking PI named Sean Donahue.
I had the fortunate opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book. Fast-paced and sprinkled with some laugh-out-loud moments, this is definitely a great, fluffy book to read while on vacation or just looking for a few hours to escape from reality. The back cover suggests this book for readers of Janet Evanovich and Jennifer Crusie...this is very true! Lucy finds herself in some very comical situations, and her ways to get out of them just add to the entertaining storyline. Webber seems to provide a story that has something for every reader - romance, mystery and an element of the supernatural.
This is the first in a series starring Lucy Valentine. Heather Webber also writes the Nina Quinn mystery series.
Reviewed by Jessica
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
The Dancing Plague by John Waller
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
This was such an unexpectedly enjoyable book. The Dancing Plague is a fascinating exploration of the strange and uncontrollable dancing that has gripped large masses of people repeatedly throughout history. John Waller vividly paints a picture of the religious terror, starvation and hopelessness that incubated the perfect setting for such a bizarre series of events.
I had never heard of choreomania and if I had, I would have probably thought it a strange and unlikely fictional malady. More often termed Saint Vitus’ Dance, its victims believed they were being punished for their sins. Over the centuries many “cures” were devised including more dancing. As many of these attempts proved fatal, belief in religious pilgrimage as the only sure method of relief grew. Across Europe, even though customs and beliefs have changed, some still believe in “preventative dancing”. After all, why would an angry saint curse an already dancing sinner with more dancing?
Waller ends with an interesting theory on the cultural changes that have erased choreomania from our worries replacing it with several more modern ailments. This book truly took me by surprise and gripped me with an uncontrollable need to keep reading.
Reviewed by Lisa
Format: Book
This was such an unexpectedly enjoyable book. The Dancing Plague is a fascinating exploration of the strange and uncontrollable dancing that has gripped large masses of people repeatedly throughout history. John Waller vividly paints a picture of the religious terror, starvation and hopelessness that incubated the perfect setting for such a bizarre series of events.
I had never heard of choreomania and if I had, I would have probably thought it a strange and unlikely fictional malady. More often termed Saint Vitus’ Dance, its victims believed they were being punished for their sins. Over the centuries many “cures” were devised including more dancing. As many of these attempts proved fatal, belief in religious pilgrimage as the only sure method of relief grew. Across Europe, even though customs and beliefs have changed, some still believe in “preventative dancing”. After all, why would an angry saint curse an already dancing sinner with more dancing?
Waller ends with an interesting theory on the cultural changes that have erased choreomania from our worries replacing it with several more modern ailments. This book truly took me by surprise and gripped me with an uncontrollable need to keep reading.
Reviewed by Lisa
Sunday, February 28, 2010
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
In her debut novel, Stockett writes about the civil rights struggles of African Americans in 1960s Mississippi. She chooses to tell her narrative in three voices: Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a young white woman who wants to be a writer, and two maids, Abileen and Minny. Looking for a way to become a published writer, Skeeter decides to record the stories of maids. At first, the maids are not interested, fearing the backlash of their white employers. But, Abileen finally decides to tell her stories to Skeeter, in covert meetings at Abileen's house. Abileen convinces Minny, her best friend, to also reveal her stories, and soon other maids decide to as well. What comes from these stories are the trials and tribulations each of these maids faced from their various employers. As Skeeter captures their words on paper, the city of Jackson is rocked by civil rights events, which only intensifies the maids' concerns over keeping their identities a secret.
This is an amazing debut novel! This novel transports readers back to the 1960s, allowing readers to see events through the eyes of Skeeter, Abileen and Minny. For me, the three voiced narrative worked perfectly; it gave me a better a understanding for the characters' thoughts and feelings. I have seen several reviews of this novel that discuss the poor dialect choices Stockett makes - I am not a dialect expert, so I cannot comment either way about the maids' dialect. What I can attest to is the novel's powerful ability to pull the reader into the narrative and refuse to let the reader go until the very end. The ending is a little predictable, but one can argue the ending shows a small victory for the Civil Rights Movement.
Historical fiction readers should pick up a copy of this novel.
Reviewed by Jessica
Format: Book
In her debut novel, Stockett writes about the civil rights struggles of African Americans in 1960s Mississippi. She chooses to tell her narrative in three voices: Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a young white woman who wants to be a writer, and two maids, Abileen and Minny. Looking for a way to become a published writer, Skeeter decides to record the stories of maids. At first, the maids are not interested, fearing the backlash of their white employers. But, Abileen finally decides to tell her stories to Skeeter, in covert meetings at Abileen's house. Abileen convinces Minny, her best friend, to also reveal her stories, and soon other maids decide to as well. What comes from these stories are the trials and tribulations each of these maids faced from their various employers. As Skeeter captures their words on paper, the city of Jackson is rocked by civil rights events, which only intensifies the maids' concerns over keeping their identities a secret.
This is an amazing debut novel! This novel transports readers back to the 1960s, allowing readers to see events through the eyes of Skeeter, Abileen and Minny. For me, the three voiced narrative worked perfectly; it gave me a better a understanding for the characters' thoughts and feelings. I have seen several reviews of this novel that discuss the poor dialect choices Stockett makes - I am not a dialect expert, so I cannot comment either way about the maids' dialect. What I can attest to is the novel's powerful ability to pull the reader into the narrative and refuse to let the reader go until the very end. The ending is a little predictable, but one can argue the ending shows a small victory for the Civil Rights Movement.
Historical fiction readers should pick up a copy of this novel.
Reviewed by Jessica
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Sisters Who Would Be Queen: Mary, Katherine, and Lady Jane Grey by Leanda de Lisle
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
In this nonfiction account, de Lisle argues that Lady Jane Grey, whose reign as "Nine Day Queen" during the Tudor dynasty ended in her execution, has received an undeserved negative connotation in history. Often described as cold, cunning and thirsting for power, Jane was nothing like that, according to de Lisle; rather, Jane was a victim of circumstances in a time of uncertainty involving the line of succession for the English monarchy. Her sisters, though not executed, also suffered tragic lives. De Lisle shows readers what life was like for those close to the English monarchy during the reign of Henry VIII and his son Edward VI. She includes family trees of all parties involved in the Grey sisters' lives, allowing readers to make connections between families mentioned throughout the book.
This book provides an interesting look at a part of English history that does not receive much attention in the classroom. I was unfamiliar with the Grey sisters' story until I read this book. I found de Lisle's arguments to be compelling and her narrative to be very easy to read.
Anyone with an interest in Tudor history or a history of England should read this book.
Reviewed by Jessica
Format: Book
In this nonfiction account, de Lisle argues that Lady Jane Grey, whose reign as "Nine Day Queen" during the Tudor dynasty ended in her execution, has received an undeserved negative connotation in history. Often described as cold, cunning and thirsting for power, Jane was nothing like that, according to de Lisle; rather, Jane was a victim of circumstances in a time of uncertainty involving the line of succession for the English monarchy. Her sisters, though not executed, also suffered tragic lives. De Lisle shows readers what life was like for those close to the English monarchy during the reign of Henry VIII and his son Edward VI. She includes family trees of all parties involved in the Grey sisters' lives, allowing readers to make connections between families mentioned throughout the book.
This book provides an interesting look at a part of English history that does not receive much attention in the classroom. I was unfamiliar with the Grey sisters' story until I read this book. I found de Lisle's arguments to be compelling and her narrative to be very easy to read.
Anyone with an interest in Tudor history or a history of England should read this book.
Reviewed by Jessica
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
Olive Kitteridge, a school teacher living in Crosby, Maine, is known for her emotional outbursts and opinions. Her life revolves around doom and gloom, partially thanks to being raised by an emotionally disturbed father. However, as Strout shows in this collection of short stories, under Olive's cool demeanor is someone who shares the same joys, concerns and feelings that are representative of people she knows. Olive appears in each of the thirteen short stories, either as a main character, a minor character or just simply a passing name in conversation; each of these stories show how Olive's existence plays on the characters, whether it be a former student reflecting on Olive's classroom mannerisms to her husband contemplating a deep love for an employee and its effect on his marriage. Emotionally charged with themes such as depression, suicide and love, these stories bring into the foreground life's insecurities and how each of the characters play on their strengths and weaknesses to overcome or succomb to their thoughts.
This is a very powerful book and one that I would not normally pick up to read. However, the fact that this book won the Pulitzer Prize changed my mind. I'm glad it did. Despite her shortcomings, it's rather easy to sympathize with Olive and to see how she has touched the lives of those around her, in both a negative and positive light. The short stories span a few decades, watching Olive and her family growing older and facing tough situations, such as bad communication and health scares. This is a view of small town life and how so many of the townspeople connect with one another. It's just simply amazing.
Those who enjoyed reading The Grace That Keeps This World by Tom Bailey or Plainsong by Kent Haruf should try this book.
Reviewed by Jessica
Format: Book
Olive Kitteridge, a school teacher living in Crosby, Maine, is known for her emotional outbursts and opinions. Her life revolves around doom and gloom, partially thanks to being raised by an emotionally disturbed father. However, as Strout shows in this collection of short stories, under Olive's cool demeanor is someone who shares the same joys, concerns and feelings that are representative of people she knows. Olive appears in each of the thirteen short stories, either as a main character, a minor character or just simply a passing name in conversation; each of these stories show how Olive's existence plays on the characters, whether it be a former student reflecting on Olive's classroom mannerisms to her husband contemplating a deep love for an employee and its effect on his marriage. Emotionally charged with themes such as depression, suicide and love, these stories bring into the foreground life's insecurities and how each of the characters play on their strengths and weaknesses to overcome or succomb to their thoughts.
This is a very powerful book and one that I would not normally pick up to read. However, the fact that this book won the Pulitzer Prize changed my mind. I'm glad it did. Despite her shortcomings, it's rather easy to sympathize with Olive and to see how she has touched the lives of those around her, in both a negative and positive light. The short stories span a few decades, watching Olive and her family growing older and facing tough situations, such as bad communication and health scares. This is a view of small town life and how so many of the townspeople connect with one another. It's just simply amazing.
Those who enjoyed reading The Grace That Keeps This World by Tom Bailey or Plainsong by Kent Haruf should try this book.
Reviewed by Jessica
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