Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy. Like the others in the series it is very suspenseful and heartbreaking, but at the same time thought provoking and satisfying.

In Mockingjay, Katniss finds herself, her mother & sister and her best friend, Dale, in District 13. A safe place for the moment, while the rest of the districts rise in a rebellion against the Capital. She is the public figure at the forefront of the revolution. The face of the uprising. The spokesperson helping to increase the fire against those in charge in the Capitol. Once again she rises above injury, heartbreak, and difficult decisions to lead her people (whether she wants to or not). She has to figure out who to trust and how to best represent the rebellion. All the while, trying to figure out her relationships with Dale and Peeta, her partner in the Hunger Games, who for much of this book is missing, being held captive by the Capitol.

Underneath this storyline is a very real political message about keeping those in power in check, and about how power corrupts. It serves as sort of a warning for all of us about what could happen in the future if we don't keep our government from becoming too all powerful. But on top of all of that, this is a gripping story of hardship and triumph, and of love.

This book was emotionally draining to read. I read it in one day and loved every minute of it, even the heart wrenching ones. This entire series has been a wonderful ride. I highly recommend this series, although it is a little hard for me to see it as a young adult and I caution parents to read it first to judge the acceptability for their particular child. While I believe my son will love the series, at 11, he is not yet ready for the heavy subject matter. This book will be among my favorites of the year, and I look forward to sharing it with my oldest in a couple years.

Happy Reading!

The Witching Hour

The Witching Hour by Anne Rice is an epic novel. At over 1,000 pages it is quite an undertaking, but worth the effort. It is the first in the Mayfair Witches trilogy. And while I am not sure if I will continue the series, The Witching Hour was an engaging read.

This book follows the history of the Mayfair family. This family is rich in history and run by powerful women, who all happen to have supernatural powers. In each generation there is one woman who continues the legacy. That legacy includes riches beyond your wildest imagination, and a demon who either thrills that particular witch or drives her crazy. The story switches from centuries ago into the present day rather fluidly and follows the history of this family from the 1600s into present day.

The current holder of the legacy doesn't even know it exists. Having been taken from her mother as an infant, in an attempt to break the cycle with the demon that alternatively haunts and helps this family, she has lived on the other side of the country and knows nothing of her families history. The reader learns a lot about the family through an organization that follows those with supernatural powers in an effort to learn more about the supernatural and help those with powers hone their particular skills and use them for good. The story takes a while to unfold into present day and the current Mayfair witch, described as the most powerful yet.

As I read this book, while it was entertaining, it was also disturbing. The Mayfair family is rife with incest (in an effort to create even more powerful witches). I found the family tree hard to follow. However the book is full of suspense, and the storyline is richly colorful. I was a little disappointed with the end of the book, which I felt did not resolve the story. But I guess in a trilogy, you have to keep your reader hooked for the next installment. I am very curious to see how the storyline played out. But as this book took me six weeks to read, it may be a while before I pick up the next volume.

Happy Reading!

2010...Year in Review

In 2009, I read 37 books and posted that I hoped to break that record this year. Well, I fell short; this year I read 35. I am not disappointed, though, because in reviewing the books that I have read, several of them were quite long and a few of them took me quite a long time to read (including the book I am currently reading, The Witching Hour, which is over 1,000 pages long and I have been reading for three weeks). I spent an entire month on The Corrections, close to that on Eat Pray Love, and Paint it Black took a long time because of the subject matter. While, The Corrections isn't in my favorites list, it was an excellent book and quite a personal accomplishment.

My favorites of the year would include the 16th book in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, Sizzling Sixteen (as always). I just love her books and she has yet to write one in that series that I would not count as a favorite book. In addition, the Sookie Stackhouse short stories, A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris would be a favorite. The Hunger Games series (The Hunger Games & Catching Fire) were incredible books that I cannot wait to share with my oldest child. The third and final book in that trilogy was released late this year and I plan on reading it very soon. The Summons by John Grishom and Executive Privilege by Phillip Margolin were my favorite mystery books this year. Sundays at Tiffanys by James Patterson and Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts were also favorites. And two of our book club books make my favorites list of the year, as well: The Sugar Queen and Cold Sassy Tree. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen was so familiar and touching to me. I don't often re-read books, but I loved that one so much that I will definitely revisit it.

There were a lot of good ones this year. Who knows, maybe in 2011 I will make it to 40 books. I have such a passion for reading and am always "currently reading" something. So, as long as there are as many good ones in the group, I guess it doesn't matter how many books I have read.

Happy New Year & Happy Reading!

2010 Book List
Eat Pray Love (book club)
Home Again
Happily Ever After
Dirty Blonde
Heart of the Sea
Tears of the Moon
Jewels of the Sun
The Corrections
The Man from Montana
The Sugar Queen (book club)
Just Kate
Temptation
Executive Privilege
Sizzling Sixteen
The Taking
Sundays at Tiffanys
3 Willows
The Summons
Savor the Moment
Bed of Roses
Vision in White
Vinegar Hill
Dead in the Family
At First Sight
Cold Sassy Tree (book club)
Monkeewrench
Paint It Black
Murder in the Chateau
True Colors
Catching Fire
Above & Beyond
The Hunger Games
The Lost Symbol (book club)
A Touch of Dead
The Wednesday Letters

Catch Up

It has been two months since I have posted. Life got too busy, and I have not had time to journal what I have been reading. I did not keep a record of those books either, so I will try to recount to the best of my knowledge what I have read. I can only come up with three books, in addition to the one I am currently reading, though, and I believe I am forgetting something.

I read Happily Ever After, by Nora Roberts, which completed the Bride Quartet series. It was a fun, quick read, like the others in the series. Nothing of significance to note.

I read Home Again, by Kristin Hannah. This was a book that was offered at a deep discount for the nook. Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Hannah before, I purchased it. It was not as good as the other novel of hers that I have read. But, it was enjoyable. Family drama and romance are at the heart of this novel, and I finished it quickly.

Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert, was a book club pick. Based on the hype of this book from numerous sources, I thought (as did the rest of my BC girls) that this one would be a true winner, a favorite pick of the year. The book was a real disappointment. I expected some sort of "a-ha" moment while reading it. Sadly, I didn't have any, and I think my review of it would be better if there had not been so much hype surrounding the book.

Eat Pray Love is a non-fiction work, based on Elizabeth Gilbert's quest to find balance in her life, between the pleasurable and the spiritual. She deals with a difficult divorce, travels to Italy for pleasure (Eat), to India for spiritual (Pray) and to Indonesia to find balance and happiness (Love).

I am sure there were themes and messages in this book that eluded me. There must have been for it to be so critically acclaimed. I didn't get it. I enjoyed the first third of the book that took place in Italy. I liked her character, and her writing style which was very casual and much like she was just talking to you as her best friend. But there were things that occurred during her spiritual quest in India that I could not get past. She studied meditation and yoga there. She struggled immensely with the meditation. But then went from struggling terribly one day to having the ultimate Godly experience, achieving the ultimate goal of meditation, the next. I didn't buy into it, and I think the author never truly got me back after that. The last third of the book took place in Bali. The setting was portrayed beautifully, and I guess I enjoyed this part of the book almost as much as the Italy portion. In Bali, she finds friendship, romance and ultimately happiness.

My overall opinion of this one was that it was a disappointment. I expected more. I am glad that I read it, however, because now at least I know what everyone else is referring to, even if I do not share the viewpoint of those who are paid to know about such things. I will say that the overall opinion of our book club matched my own. We were all unsure of why there was such critical acclaim surrounding this book.

Happy Reading!

Dirty Blonde

Dirty Blonde is a mystery/suspense by Lisa Scottoline. The plot centers around a Philadelphia judge who leads a double life. A high profile case in her courtroom goes horribly wrong after she passes her judgement. Then in one night, one bad choice threatens to expose her dark secret and ruin the respectable life she has built for herself. A murder-suicide happens and she is at the center of it all. She needs to figure out the truth, but she might lose her job, not to mention her life, in the process.

Murder, mayhem, danger, Hollywood, sex, lies, & videotape. This one has it all. Dirty Blonde was a fast paced, page turner. Maybe not the tightest plot line, maybe not the most believable twists and turns. But it was enjoyable all the same. I couldn't wait to pick it back up again to see what was going to happen. It is my first Lisa Scottoline read. I will be back for more.

Happy Reading!

Jewels of the Sun, Tears of the Moon, Heart of the Sea

These three books are the Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy by Nora Roberts. This trilogy is a wonderful mix of romance and mystical elements. The books are about three siblings who run an Irish pub in the quaint seaside town of Ardmore. In each of the books, one of the siblings finds love. In doing so, they set free a lovely maiden and a fairy prince from a centuries-old spell.

This trilogy was wonderful escapism fiction. Romance abounds, likable characters, beautiful and romantic scenery, and enjoyable plots. The setting in this small seaside Irish village was so incredibly romantic. My favorite of the series was the first, where the setting is introduced. Roberts does a fantastic job of making the reader feel as if they are there. These are feel good books, that will put a smile on your face.

Roberts is not my favorite author, but each book in this trilogy was a great read. I highly recommend them for the next time you need some escapism romance. They will deliver!

Happy Reading!

The Corrections

The Corrections is a novel by Jonathan Franzen. The novel spans the lives of the Lambert family from when Enid and Alfred Lambert's children were little through their adult lives when the children have turned into the parents. Enid and Alfred did the best they could, but made lots of mistakes. Their children have paid the price and lead confused and unhappy lives. This novel is about all five of the Lamberts trying to correct the future by dealing with the past.

Each of the characters is maddening and is seriously flawed. Franzen does a great job of making you judge them, and then turns around and helps you find sympathy on the next page. Or vice versa, he makes you sympathetic toward them then turns around and shows you their flaws. Enid, wife and mother to three children, appears selfish and materialistic. Then you realize that Alfred is not all he is cracked up to be and you feel for this woman who has had to live with this rigid and difficult man. Their oldest son Gary seems to have his stuff together and his wife seems very unsympathetic. Then you realize what a jerk Gary can be, and you feel for his wife who has to live with him. Chip their middle child seems like a dead beat and is unreliable, then he becomes his parents savior. And Denise, their youngest, at first seems to have her life together, then you see the truth. That she is confused, selfish, and is living lie after lie.

All together they make the typical American family. Now, Alfred is suffering from Parkinson's and Enid wants one last Christmas together as a family. This book is funny & heartbreaking. I loved how flawed the characters were and how Franzen demonstrates that even though the parents made all sorts of mistakes, the kids try to muddle through and in the end the familial unit is just as strong. In the end, we all figure it out. Unfortunately, sometimes we are too late.

This book is not a light read, or an easy read. I spent one month reading this one; at 568 pages and difficult subject matter it is a commitment to finish. This is a book that I believe will become a classic. I believe that this one will be taught in Literature classes, and that Jonathan Franzen will be known as one of the greats.

Happy Reading!