I know, I know. I’m a total book hypocrite. I used to make fun of women who read boatloads of Jodi Picoult and look at me now! This is the 4th. book of hers I’ve reviewed for CC! (“My Sister’s Keeper,” “The Pact,” and “Plain Truth.”) But, I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again – she is GREAT for entertaining reading. This woman can write, which probably explains why she is so darn popular.

“Change of Heart” starts out sad. So sad, in fact, that I actually debated even reading it. June’s husband Jack passes away in a car accident and she is left all alone with their two-year-old, Elizabeth. Yes, that is how the book starts.  But I’m not surprised because, after all, I’m reading Jodi Picoult. Begrudgingly, I continued on. June falls in love with the police officer who broke the bad news of Jack’s death to her, Kurt Nealon, and they marry. Then June becomes pregnant. And then Kurt and Elizabeth are murdered by a handyman June hired to help out around the house.

Yes, it does come out of nowhere. And yes, three of the main characters die within the first 25 pages.

When I got to this point, I once again considered putting the book back on my bookshelf for good, but decided that Jodi Picoult would have to revive the story and it was probably worth reading. And luckily, I was right!

The handyman who killed June’s family is suddenly at the forefront of the novel. His name is Shay Bourne and he is definitely simple-minded. He is tried and sentenced, where we meet another character in the novel, Michael. He is on the jury that decides to invoke the rarely-used New Hampshire death penalty sentence and is so upset over the whole ordeal that he joins the seminary and emerges as “Father Michael.” Read More »

As any loyal reader of my reviews (I like to dream, okay?) knows, I’m a book snob. I turn my nose up at the “Recommended” table at my local bookstore and never look twice at the bestsellers list on Amazon. However, I’m learning that I’m not always right – a huge step – and giving in to those recommended reads, often with great results.

Which brings me to my current position curled up in bed, my latest read lying next to me (which is next to an empty pudding container): “Water for Elephants.” Since this book was published in 2006, I’ve yet to hear a bad comment about it. Somehow, I managed to avoid it for the past 4 years but with it being turned into a movie (with RPatz!), I thought it was time to give it a whirl.

“Water for Elephants” tells the story of Jacob Jankowski. It flips back and forth between the present when Jacob is ninety or ninety-three (he is a little unsure and doesn’t really care) and when he was 23. The modern-day Jacob lives in a nursing home, where he is far from happy and very aware of his gradual, but inevitable demise. One day, the circus comes to town and sets up close to the home. This triggers memories in Jacob that he has tried to suppress and so begins the switching between the 1930′s and modern day.

In 1931, Jacob is just finishing up his training at Cornell Veterinary School when his parents perish in a car accident. Distraught and broke, Jacob leaves in the middle of finals examinations and eventually finds himself on a the train of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a traveling circus. Initially, the members of the circus aren’t too happy to have a stowaway, but when they find out he is essentially a vet, they are thrilled and he is hired. Jacob works hard at caring for the animals and through his work, meets Marlena, the beautiful star of the show. Of course, she is already married, to August, the horrible and unpredictable Equestrian Director. Along with Uncle Al, the deranged head-honcho, Rosie, the elephant, and a few other characters, the cast is rounded out. Read More »

I feel like I’ve been picking dull books lately, so, like last week with “The Curious Incident…”, I’m taking another highly recommended book for a test drive. My mom has been raving about “The Poisonwood Bible” for years and even though we don’t always see eye-to-eye when it comes to literature, I decided to finally cave.

“The Poisonwood Bible” starts out as the Price family of Bethlehem, Georgia arrive in the Belgium Congo in 1959, as missionaries. Nathan Price, a patriarch in every sense of the word, believes that his no-nonsense form of Christianity is just what the Congo needs, so he moves his family to a remote fly-in village. His family consists of his passive wife, Orleanna, and four daughters: Rachel, Leah, Adah & Ruth May. They are all good Southern girls, but they have no idea what to expect in Africa and come drastically unprepared, literally and figuratively. One of my favorite parts of the book, which illustrates this point so well, is when Mrs. Price decides to make a Betty Crocker cake for her daughter’s 16th birthday. She opens the cupboard, only to find that the Congolese weather has mutated the mix beyond use. The family lives through their time in Africa, learning of the Congo rebellion against their Belgium rulers, but the book also continues on for another 30 years. Each character narrates their own unique chapters and lives, but they all have in common their experience in Africa.

Kingsolver has really created a wonderful novel. I learned so much about Africa in the ’50s and ’60s and also missionary work, two subjects I had zero knowledge of. She seamlessly integrates the political aspects into the actual story, which is challenging. I believe she also portrays the African people of the village in an accurate light and gives them a voice despite Nathan’s harsh attitude towards them. I also enjoyed the fact that each daughter was given her own chapters and able to give her perspective on each experience. All four of them represent different qualities; Rachel is self-absorbed, Leah is loyal to a fault, Adah is clever and doubting and Ruth May is innocent. All of them were able to contribute something different to the overall development of the story and I liked that Kingsolver changed each chapter up so dramatically. It kept even the duller parts interesting and fresh. Read More »

A few years ago while visiting my cousin in Toronto, she gave me this book and said that I absolutely had had had to read it. Of course, it got tossed onto my overstuffed bookshelf and forgotten about for a long time. Recently, I decided to clean up my bookshelf, came across this little gem and decided to finally give in to my cousin’s advice.

“The Curious Incident” (as I’m now referring to it because the name is gigantic) is a story about Christopher John Francis Boone, a boy who is a genius, but has autism. He doesn’t understand the concept of human emotions, but enjoys animals, in particular his neighbor’s dog, Wellington. When he finds Wellington dead by a pitchfork, Christopher is blamed and because he cannot feel emotions, it seems likely that based on his reaction, he is indeed the killer. However, Christopher swears up and down that he is not guilty and vows to become Sherlock Holmes and find the real murderer. Eventually, through his adventures and detective work, Christopher confronts the real tragedy in his life: his parents’ crumbling marriage.

The absolute best part of this book is Christopher and his unique voice. I have no idea how Haddon wrote an entire book as a severely autistic child. He had to completely block-out any emotion he felt and write with only logic. As a writer myself, I don’t know how he avoided that and totally applaud him! The writing is just so different and quirky and definitely steals the show. Also, as a psychology student, I found the insight into the autistic mind so great too. I forgot that grown man had written this book and really believed that Christopher was talking to me! Read More »

I’m going to say that my Saturday Read for this week has to be one of the most interesting and unique to date. Okay, okay – anything to do with “Twilight” totally screams boy-crazy tweens.  I’ll admit, I’ve read all four of the books. And perhaps I enjoyed them. They are good if you consider what you’re reading and expect entertainment and not a literary masterpiece. But I do agree, they can be a bit juvenile. However, “Twilight & History” is a totally new take on this series that has captivated the entire world and puts a somewhat “intelligent” spin on the books.

Basically, “Twilight & History” delves DEEP into all the history behind the books, featuring short essays by different historians. I’m a history buff and former history major and even I learned a lot from this one. One essay explains why Bella thinks Edward acts so old-fashioned, with a whole comparison to Jane Austen! Another shows how the love triangle between Bella, Edward and Jacob mimics struggles the real Quileute nation had in obtaining their treaty (I don’t think Stephanie Meyer did this on purpose, but it totally fits).

It’s a complete brain-overload of information and nerds (like myself) will just lap this stuff up. Seriously, after reading this book, I think universities should start offering a Twilight history course; the information and potential are absolutely there and enrollment would be through the roof! Read More »

“Stolen” was definitely one of the most unique books I have ever read. When I read the synopsis, I knew I would like it: A girl is kidnapped and brought to the Australian outback and struggles with her feelings about her captor. I mean, I’m a nerdy psychology major and this one has STOCKHOLM SYNDROME written all over it. And it’s YA! Okay, I know it may seem like I just totally gave the plot away, but trust me, “Stolen” is so deep and cannot be summed up in a few sentences.

“Stolen” is written as a letter from Gemma to her captor, Ty. From the beginning, this approach put me at ease because it meant that Gemma eventually escaped captivity and was reunited with her family. I’m a sucker for happy endings and would rather not even read a book if the main character is going to die, especially after being kidnapped. Kidnapping is really one of my biggest fears (yes, I watch too many horror stories on the news) and a story about it makes me really uncomfortable, so I’m actually proud of myself for following through with this one, and happy that I did, too!

Gemma is a 16-year-old British girl on vacation with her parents when she meets Ty in the airport coffee shop. He seems very sweet, despite the fact that he is older and Gemma finds him strangely familiar and “safe.” She is flattered when he offers to pay for her coffee, but he also drugs it and sweeps her off to the Australian outback. Gemma awakens in a strange bed and an even stranger setting: desert and little vegetation for as far as she can see. It’s impossible to escape – she would die before she reached civilization. She has been stolen from her parents, from her life in London and brought to live with Ty. And then he tells her that she will be staying “forever.” Read More »

I am a HUGE fan of John Green! I’ve previously reviewed two of his books (Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska), so when I saw that he would be writing with another YA heavy-hitter, David Levithan, I knew I had to get my hands on it. After begging publishers for an advanced reader of “Will Grayson, Will Grayson” (unsuccessfully, might I add), I surrendered and bought myself a brand new hardcover the very day it was released.

“Will Grayson, Will Grayson” tells the story of two teenage boys living in the Chicago area, both named Will Grayson. Other than their name, they have little in common, but a chance meeting one night sets into motion a series of events that changes both of their lives. The first Will Grayson that we meet is a smart, normal teenager. His best friend is a massive, gay football player ironically named Tiny, who has decided to write a musical chronicling his life being gay. Will isn’t too thrilled about this musical, especially about the character who is supposed to represent him, Gil Wrayson.

The other Will Grayson is a bit sadder; he’s living with his single mother, is on anti-depressants and is all together quite lost. All of his happiness comes from an online boyfriend, Isaac, so one night when Isaac suggests that they meet, Will Grayson is thrilled. On the same night, Tiny, the first Will Grayson and their other friend, Jane, decide to go to Chicago for a concert. However, neither of the Will Grayson’s nights go according to plan and they end up meeting.

And that’s all I’ll tell you. Read More »

To be honest, I had never really read much of Meg Cabot’s work. I dabbled in the Princess Diaries series (FYI: so superior to the movies) and I know she is a fabulously well-known chick-lit author, but nothing I saw ever enticed me to pick it up and give it a go. But after receiving “Runaway,” the latest in her “Airhead” series (“Airhead” and “Being Nikki” are the first two novels) from her publisher, I decided to give it a whirl. (Hey, it was a free book!)

And boy, am I ever happy I did! This was hands-down one of the most entertaining reads I’ve had in a loooooooong time.

The series focuses on two girls: Emerson Watts and Nikki Howard. Emerson is your average video-game playing nerd, while Nikki is a world famous supermodel and the face of Stark Industries, an amalgamation of business industry giants: Wal-mart, Victoria’s Secret, Apple, among others. They set up mega-stores that cause small businesses to shut down, they hold an annual lingerie fashion show featuring their Angels and they sell cutting-edge computer and electronics.

In the original novel, Nikki tried to blackmail Robert Stark, head of the company, and he tries to have her killed in a “freak accident” at one of the stores. Emerson Watts also happens to be in the store and have a similar accident happen: a TV falls on her head. Because Nikki is the face of the company, Robert still wants to use her body, so he has scientists engineer a body transplant, putting Emerson’s brain into Nikki’s body. Read More »

For me, March is all about light reading. With my exams right around the corner (including an ominous GRE! – wish me luck!), I spend most of my days buried in textbooks, so when I grab a book for bedtime reading, I am the mood for something to take my mind off of my homework. Jodi Picoult is always a great choice for a stressful time; with each of her books, she creates an entire new world that totally enamors the reader. After reading for five minutes, I’ve forgotten about that 20-page paper that I’m putting off! And “Plain Truth” is no exception!

“Plain Truth” is set in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, an area of the states known for its large Amish population. For those of you who don’t know (I didn’t!), the Amish also refer to themselves as “plain”, making the title of the book that much more clever. I always appreciate cleverness, so kudos Jodi on that one! Also as usual for Picoult, at the center of “Plain Truth” is a legal battle. Eighteen-year-old Katie Fisher has been accused of smothering her newborn son, even though she claims that the baby is not hers. Katie’s aunt Leda calls on big-city attorney Ellie Hathaway (whose uncle is Leda’s husband) to defend Katie. After an initial trial, Ellie is forced to move in with the Fisher’s as part of a bail agreement with the judge. She initially resents this forced living arrangement, but Ellie comes to see that the Plain way is the key to Katie’s murder trial. Also, as Ellie grows closer to Katie and her family, Katie and her story begin to slowly unravel, ending with a shocking twist. Read More »

When I was younger, I was obsessed with Japanese culture. I tried to learn Japanese, read every book set in Japan I could manage and even made my mom take me out for sushi in the cultured city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, years before sushi was “hip.” Since then the obsession has died off considerably, but I still feel something for Japan. I had heard that  “Memoirs of a Geisha” by Arthur Golden was a fantastic read from just about everyone, including my mom and hair-dresser, but never managed to pick it up. Finally last week I decided to stop procrastinating and re-visit my childhood obsession.

“Memoirs of a Geisha” is set in Japan in the 1930s and ’40s. It tells the story of Chiyo Sakumoto who becomes Sayuri Nitta, one of the most famous geisha of her day. Chiyo is sold by her ailing parents to an okiya (essentially a geisha house) in the Gion area of Japan. She works for the Nitta “family” – Granny, Mother, Auntie and the house’s sole geisha, Hatsumomo. In an okiya, the “family” isn’t a real family at all; Granny, Mother and Auntie are all former geisha who now live and work together in the okiya. Chiyo is chosen by Granny because of her unusual eyes, which are a strange mix of blue-grey.

Hatsumomo immediately realizes that Chiyo will grow up to be a very famous and successful geisha because of these unique eyes and her natural beauty and sets out to ruin Chiyo’s chances of becoming a geisha. For years Hatusumomo tortures Chiyo while she works as a maid in the okiya and even convinces the Nitta’s to pull Chiyo out of geisha school, cementing her future as a maid. Chiyo hates living in the okiya and feels trapped in her life as a maid until she meets the Chairman. She meets him when she is only a girl, but she is completely infatuated with the Chairman and this infatuation drives her to become a great geisha. Perhaps if she becomes well-known enough, the Chairman will one day take her as a his mistress, which is the most a geisha can ever hope for. Read More »