The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht

Summary:
Natalia Stefanovi, a doctor living (and, in between suspensions, practicing) in an unnamed country that's a ringer for Obreht's native Croatia, crosses the border in search of answers about the death of her beloved grandfather, who raised her on tales from the village he grew up in, and where, following German bombardment in 1941, a tiger escaped from the zoo in a nearby city and befriended a mysterious deaf-mute woman. The evolving story of the tiger's wife, as the deaf-mute becomes known, forms one of three strands that sustain the novel, the other two being Natalia's efforts to care for orphans and a wayward family who, to lift a curse, are searching for the bones of a long-dead relative; and several of her grandfather's stories about Gavran Gailé, the deathless man, whose appearances coincide with catastrophe and who may hold the key to all the stories that ensnare Natalia.

My take: 3 looks
This is the typical 3 looks for me: I didn't dislike it, I didn't love it, I may or may not read more by this author.

This is the type of book that I lump together with Life of Pi, Cutting for Stone and others which are driven by character more than action or forward-moving story. There is a definite story here, but it is more about the progression of character development. The storyline moves back and forth in time and character perspective, but the rhythm is easy to follow and soon the back story merges with the current one. There was much symbolism here, much more than I understood. War, death, immortality, murder, fear. It was a very good book, but not my favorite type of writing. I may give it another read in a few years.

What Should I Read Next?

What Should I Read Next? is a very excellent link that someone tagged me in on Pinterest. I went to the link and it offered a treasure trove of suggestions based on an author that I entered.

Launched in 2010, it gives you the ability to enter an author, book title or ISBN number. This is how it works, according to its FAQ:

WSIRN produces recommendations based purely on collective taste: when books are entered into the same favourites list, they become associated with each other. The more often particular items appear on different lists, the stronger that association becomes. Purely and simply, WSIRN represents mass opinion about books. Over time the recommendations should get better and better as the database grows. (Note that books by authors you have entered won't appear in the results - we've assumed that you've thought of reading those!)

If you enter your email address, it will remember past books, favorites and recommendations. The site promises that they will only send the occasional email about updates to the site and will not share the email with any third party. I haven't used it extensively yet, but plan to try it out. Will let you know!

Still a mess

I am still all a-jumble over the state of my unorganized books upstairs. I went up this weekend to empty the bookcases, order them and reshelve. Sounds simple, right? I fairly swooned at the daunting task and, since there was not a fainting couch anywhere to use, I had to pull myself together and go back downstairs.

I need a game plan.

Here is what I am thinking:
Bookcase 1: Books to read
Bookcase 2: Books for PBS
Bookcase 3: Books that have been read and added to my permanent library.

Again, sounds easy, right? What the heck is my problem? <sigh> I will try again today.

Summer Reading Challenge

What on earth is it about these reading challenges that FIRE ME UP?!

I am all about my Bibliophile group's summer reading challenge, and am reading nothing but challenge books. I don't care if I win or not (don't get me wrong, it would be such a bonus!), I just want to make it through all of the criteria.

Every book I open these days must meet one of the challenge points. I have the added benefit of an extensive TBR list, so I have a 99% chance of choosing a book that I already planned to read anyway. There are a few exceptions (I probably would not have read The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht, but I found it at the Friends of the Library store for $2 and am quite enjoying it).

Reading is such a joy. I just can't imagine not loving it. And being excited about reading because of a challenge is just one of the best feelings ever! Here is my progress to date on the challenge:

1. Read 3 BOTM books from June-August and MUST participate in one of the books' discussions. *NOTE: If you participate in ALL of the books’ discussions, you will receive an extra raffle entry*
- Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (June)
- The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht reading now

2. Read a book that has a summer theme in the title.
- The Beach Girls by Luanne Rice

3. Read a book that has ONE of the sundae colors on the cover: brown, yellow, and pink.
- The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski (pink)

4. There are many adventures during the summer. Read a book tagged “adventure”.
- Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

5. Read a book that’s a Bibliophile member’s favorite.
- Forever Odd by Dean Koontz (Terry B's favorite)

Mini Challenge #1 : Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover: Read a book that only got your attention because of its cover. This challenge ends Saturday, June 23rd.
- Christmas at Harrington's by Melody Carlson

Mini Challenge #2: 21st Century: Read a book from the list of "100 Best Books of the 21st Century" from Avery on the Airwaves. This challenge ends Thursday, July 5th.
- Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Mini Challenge #3: Going to the movies: Read a book that has been turned to film. Ends July 15th
- I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Everything is all a jumble!

I did some redecorating in my kids' rooms this week. I had bookcases in each room, each with a different purpose for the books they held.

Chase's room had a bookcase containing books I have already read and have listed on PaperbackSwap. Jack's room had a bookcase of books that I have yet to read and are relatively new purchases. Strat's room contains a unit full of older books that I have not yet read, and another bookcase with books that I have read and want to keep.

When we redecorated, the boys removed the books and stacked them in the hallway and bathroom. Willy nilly. No rhyme or reason. Now that the bookshelves are painted and the boys have restocked them with books, there are books everywhere with no specific task in mind.

I went upstairs to find a book last night and my head fairly spun. On the other hand, I am actually looking forward to separating the books and placing them back in the appropriate bookshelves in alphabetical order.

How SICK is that? haha

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Summary:

Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We feel like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.....

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in becoming like you. We have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know. And they will follow us until we are all caught.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.

They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next.

My take: 3 looks
This is a very good YA book. It is gripping and suspenseful and I can see why they made a movie of it, which I am now interested in seeing. It follows the epic tale of two worlds at war. The Mogadorians decimate every planet they inhabit and continue to have to overtake other planets for their survival. When they overtook the people of Lorien, the Loriens sent 9 "Guards" to Earth for the future reinhabitation of their own planet.

Full of intriguing alien "truths"  and nonstop action, this was a very intriguing book and I will read the next in the series.

Review system

I have noticed that I am giving more and more books three looks, and this troubles me. There is a huge spectrum in my three looks than is apparent in the number alone. It could be just a notch above two, which I consider a bit of an insult and means that I probably will not read more bu that author. But it's not quite a four, which means to me that I will think about the book often after reading it. I really need a scale of one to ten to adequately rate many books.

To help with this, I decided on a picture system. That way, when I finish a book, I can choose the picture to which I most relate as I think of said book.


Here is my picture for one-look books. This is a book that I have either invoked the "100 page rule" on or finished and thought it was just terrible. I think the boy here says it all. He has just taken medicine or perhaps he has been kissed by an overweight and equally overbearing distant relative. Maybe he walks in the house from an afternoon of playing outside to smell the cooking of broccoli (and you know how cooled broccoli stinks - why is that?).  He is my perfect one look face. I will cross this author off my TBR list.

 

My choice for two looks is this sad feline. This is not the look of a terrible book, as seen above, but the look of complete disappointment. I invested the time to read (and finish!) the book and I will never be able to retrieve that lost time. The book was not worth it and I probably will not read more by this author, unless it comes highly recommended.



This is where most books fall for me. I hate to call a three-look book average or mediocre, but the fact of the matter is that it has simply and only met my expectations. It was well-written and I will probably read more by that author. I will not, however, think of the book later, will easily be able to pick up another book, and will not rush out to recommend it to others.



I love this picture! It portrays exactly how I feel about four-look books. This is a book that I really don't want to rush to the end because I want it to last a bit longer. What keeps it from being five looks? Perhaps it is a bit predictable. Perhaps the writing style is somewhat common. Perhaps the reading level is lower than it could have been. Whatever the reason, I will talk this book up and add the author's other words for reading in the near future.  



And this is five looks. Love, consuming, aflame. These are books that I could not put down, will read again, bought after reading, took in my purse so I could share with others, couldn't get out of my mind, read the same author immediately and still think of weeks, months and years later. There aren't many in this category.

 Now, with all of this explained, I scratch my head at times over the scores that I have given books in the past. Perhaps the book really spoke to me at that point in my life and I gave it five looks (Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie comes immediately to mind, which I would never give more than four looks today, and very probably three at the most). However, I am loathe to change a score once I have conferred it because it speaks to my impression at that time.

I am also curious about my own reluctance to bestow five looks. I think a book must be life-changing to achieve that score. The whole thing makes me chuckle and I remind myself that this is just for fun...

Beach Girls by Luanne Rice

Summary:

Luanne Rice is a rarity among novelists today; she's a true storyteller. Her unique ability to weave together the bonds of love and family with the challenges and rewards of everyday life has garnered her eight consecutive top-ten New York Times bestselling paperbacks. With Beach Girls , Luanne Rice returns to the place that she was born to write about—the Connecticut shore—to tell a story about a family of women whose lives encompass three generations, their histories intertwined with that of the mystic coastal town that has forever bound them to one another. Beach Girls explores the complex and contradictory territories of love, family and friendship. Luanne Rice's sensuous prose and unforgettably rich and textured characters guide us toward a truth that lies within and sometimes beyond our dreams—an enduring strength that we all must embrace to find our way home and into the hearts of those we cherish most. Beach Girls is an enthralling novel of haunting beauty that will resonate long after the final page is turned.

My take: 3 looks
I read this book solely for a Summer Reading Challenge from my very fantastic online Bibliophile group, where I had to meet the criteria of "Read a book that has a summer theme in the title". I am notoriously short on imagination, so I went for the obvious.

This is a series, evidently, with Beach Girls being the fifth, I think. It was a nice stand-alone story, though, with no trouble at all in not reading the others in the series. I am under the impression that the common thread throughout the series is the location and not the characters, which is an intriguing basis for a series and makes for easing reading out of order.

Story of a widower and his daughter in the aftermath of a horrible car accident, the story is familiar and predictable, but still good storytelling. Throw in the Connecticut coast, a dilapidated castle, a hermit rumored to be a witch and two celebrated artists and you have yourself a nice summer novel!

I was fairly uninvested in this one, but not because it was not a good book. I was uninvested because I had already read my "palate cleanser" book of late in the Melody Carlson book Christmas at Harrington's and I was not yet in need of another. I would recommend this one, but only if you need a light and predictable read to cleanse you from a book you can't get off your mind.

Quotations and Notes and Thoughts

I think I have mentioned this before, but I keep a Moleskine (a very specific brand of journal) close at hand at all times. I have one specifically for Haiku that I write (yes, I am a dedicated word nerd), lists that I make and, the most often used, quotations, notes and thoughts from my current read.

Following are a few of my favorites:

"Margaret was reminded of the way that very young children cry: fearlessly, shamelessly, with a total, noisy, self-centered commitment to grief that makes no apologies nor any effort whatsoever to contain the natural outflow of bodily fluids." p122 Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos.

"Life, too, is like that. You live it forward, but understand it backward. It is only when you stop and look to the rear that you see the corpse caught under your wheel." Cutting for Stone by A. Verghese.

On the other hand: "You can't always be looking backward or something will hit you from the front." The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick

"I stared at the room full of caskets on display - their lids gaping open like hungry mouths, waiting to swallow up the newly departed. I decided I'd much rather exit this world in a crackle of flames and a swirl of smoke through my ribs than be cooped up through all eternity in a dark box surrounded by puffy white satin." Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

Today people use as many words as they can and think themselves very wise for doing so. For always remember that while it is wrong to use too few, it is often far worse to use too many." The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster.

And on that note....

Lamb by Christopher Moore

Summary:

The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years -- except Biff, the Messiah's best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story in the divinely hilarious yet heartfelt work "reminiscent of Vonnegut and Douglas Adams" ( Philadelphia Inquirer ).

Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes. Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the Savior's pal may not be enough to divert Joshua from his tragic destiny. But there's no one who loves Josh more -- except maybe "Maggie," Mary of Magdala -- and Biff isn't about to let his extraordinary pal suffer and ascend without a fight.

My take: 3 looks
Christopher Moore is called an "absurdist author" and I certainly agree. This is the second book by him that I have read (the first was Fluke).

First to say, as a Christian, I had initial reservations about reading this book. However, curiosity got the better of me, and I was pleasantly surprised. It is not a commentary on the life of Jesus and I did not find it blasphemous. It was definitely irreverent, but I suspect all satirical, absurdist and dark humor is absolutely irreverent. This is fiction, and a fictional account of a boy who happens to be the Messiah with a best friend who is a boy through-and-through.

The writing here is witty and extremely clever. The greater your knowledge of the Christian Bible, the more you will chuckle. I enjoyed the back-and-forth in time where Biff is with Jesus, and where he is in modern day, writing this new gospel, under the sentry angel Raziel. I understand that there are a few character crossovers in other books and this one, making me want to read them, as well.

This is a fun book.

Christmas at Harrington's by Melody Carlson

Summary:

Christmas is approaching, and Lena Markham finds herself penniless, friendless, and nearly hopeless. She is trying to restart her life after false accusations landed her in prison, but job opportunities are practically nonexistent. When a secondhand red coat unexpectedly lands her a job as Mrs. Santa at a department store, Lena finally thinks her luck is changing. But can she keep her past a secret? This tender story about fresh starts will charm readers as all of Melody Carlson's Christmas offerings do. Full of redemption and true holiday spirit, Christmas at Harrington's will be readers' newest Christmas tradition.

My take: 3 looks
I read this one because I loved the cover. It's June in Alabama and 100*. When I looked at the cover, I felt cooler. A woman in a red and white coat, looking at a Christmas display of a department store while snow gently falls. It was so soothing.

Aside from the picture on the cover, the book was cute and took only about 2 hours to read. It is a bit trite, but one needs trite every now and again, and I felt myself welcoming the familiar flow, the predictability of the story and the happy ending. It focuses on a woman just released from prison, convicted of a crime for which she is innocent. Angels in human form come into her life left and right as her desire to "start over" takes one positive turn after another. After eight years in prison, she deserves it, right? It is very fairytale-like, but like I said, it was a welcome respite during this hot summer month. I will read more by this author when I need a "palate cleansing".

...a book by its cover...

I am thick in the middle of my online book group's, Bibliophile, summer reading challenge. You may remember that I participated in the last summer challenge, skipped the winter challenge, and am back on board. The last challenge I was a part of was very fun and extremely motivating.

Here is the summer challenge this year:

Here are the rules:

1. Read 3 BOTM books from June-August and MUST participate in one of the books' discussions (could be any three books from these three months). *NOTE: If you participate in ALL of the books’ discussions, you will receive an extra raffle entry*
2. Read a book that has a summer theme in the title (For example, Barefoot in the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire).
3. Read a book that has ONE of the sundae colors on the cover: brown, yellow, and pink.
4. There are many adventures during the summer. Read a book tagged “adventure” (go to the "Books" tab on top, click on tags, and then click on "adventure" to view the books).
5. Read a book that’s a Bibliophile member’s favorite.

This equals a total of 7 books for the Summer!
*Reminder, books can only be used for one category!

The challenge begins June 1st and ends August 31st. Members that complete the challenge will be entered into a raffle to win one of three prices:
First price- $30 from Amazon
Second price- $20 gift card to Amazon
Third price- a book of your choice under $10.

*Note: the first 3-5 (depending on how many participate) people to finish the challenge will be entered for the 1st place price. The people that don't win the first price will then be entered for the 2nd place price along with the next 3-5 people. Everyone (except those that already won) will be entered for the third place price.*

In order to get credit for the books read, the participant MUST write a review under this thread and indicate which number of the challenge was read. I will keep track of everyone who participates.

MINI CHALLENGES:
Mini Challenge #1-Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover: Read a book that only got your attention because of its cover. (ends June 23rd)
Mini Challenge #2-21st Century: Read a book from the list of "100 Best Books of the 21st Century" from Avery on the Airwaves.
http://averyontheairwaves.blogspot.com/p/100-best-books-of-21st-century.html (ends July 5th)

Isn't that fun?! The Mini Challenge #1 was such a cute idea, I thought! Unfortunately, judging a book by its cover is the MAIN way I buy books with which I am unfamiliar. I judge the title, the font, the picture (if there is one), the length and the description on the back (I am almost exclusive to trade paperbacks).

So, for the challenge's host, Vonnie, to instruct me to read a book I chose for its cover ... well, that is practically my whole library! haha I missed seeing the challenge until today, giving me only a few days to

read, so I agonized a bit over which book to choose. As I was perusing my collection, I ran across "Christmas at Harrington's", whose cover shows a woman in a red and white coat window shopping as snow falls. <sigh> Because it is the dead of summer here, I felt so refreshed just looking at the cover. That is the book I am reading!

I'll keep you updated on which books I have read for the challenge in my next few posts!

Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister

Summary:

"Moving, touching, wonderfully written, inspiring to read."-Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain At a festive, intimate dinner party in Seattle, six women gather to celebrate their friend Kate's recovery from cancer. Wineglass in hand, Kate strikes a bargain with them: to celebrate her new lease on life, she'll do the one thing that's always terrified her: white-water rafting. But if she goes, each of them will also do the one thing they always swore they'd never do-and Kate is going to choose their adventure, from getting a tattoo to learning to bake bread to reconciling with a former friend. Shimmering with warmth, wit, and insight, Joy for Beginners is a celebration of life: unexpected, lyrical, and deeply satisfying.

My take: 4 looks
This is the second book I have read by Bauermeister, and I must say that she is one of my favorites. Her writing absolutely transports me. One of the few authors who is able to make me feel a part of the story and not simply reading a story.

With that said, I really enjoyed the characters in this book. I loved the premise of the story: a cancer survivor handing out individual tasks to complete within a year to those friends who supported her through her illness. She has an uncanny knack for assigning extremely personal, poignant and life changing tasks to each woman.

I loved that each chapter was devoted to an individual woman. There was no one main character. Each chapter gave insight, background and reasoning into the woman. When a chapter was complete, you knew this person. However, each character popped in and out of all of the chapters, serving to make each character full and well-rounded. With the end of each chapter, I was sad to see that person go, and sure that I would not relate as fully with the next one; only to be proven wrong. By the end of the book, I loved all of these women, and their husbands, kids, boyfriends and mothers.

What keeps me from giving this one 5 looks? I'm not sure. It wasn't awe-inspiring, ground-breaking, life-changing or envelope-pushing. It is just great storytelling, and writing that really speaks to me. Maybe it IS a five. :)

The 13th Tribe by Robert Liparulo

Summary:

Immortals from the time of Moses roam the earth on a quest for justice . . . and heaven.

One man stands in their way.

In 1476 BC, the Israelites turned their backs on the One True God by worshipping a golden calf. For their transgression, forty were cursed to walk the earth forever. Banished from their people, they formed their own tribe, The 13th Tribe.

Now, three and a half millennia later, the remnant of this Tribe continues to seek redemption through vigilante justice-goaded by dark forces in the spiritual realm. They are planning a bold strike modeled on the Israelites' conquest of Canaan: the complete destruction of a major city-only now, they possess the horrific technology of modern weapons to ensure their success.

Jagger Baird is a husband and father…and security guard of an archaeological dig at the base of Mount Siani. Jagger suddenly finds himself in a fight for the future as he discovers the Tribe's plans. But to win this fight, he must overcome his own struggles with faith and self-worth - as well as his anger at God for a past tragedy.

This taut thriller by acclaimed novelist Robert Liparulo fuses tomorrow's technology with faith and non-stop action for a supernatural suspense novel unlike any other.

My take: 4 looks
Again I say, I am not a fan of Christian fiction, but this one had me riveted from the first page! I loved the back story from deep in the Old Testament, along with fictional accounts of the people who were at the bottom of Mt. Sinai when Moses was on the mountain obtaining the ten commandments from God; their fear, rebellion and ultimate punishment. I loved the depth of the characters. We knew what made them tick, what their passions had grown to be, and could very easily picture them from the detailed writing. Good and bad were merged in a way that made you compassionate for the "bad" guys while still wanting justice. I can't wait to read the next in this series!

Forever Odd by Dean Koontz

Summary:

Every so often a character so captures the hearts and imaginations of readers that he seems to take on a life of his own long after the final page is turned. For such a character, one book is not enough—readers must know what happens next. Now Dean Koontz returns with the novel his fans have been demanding. With the emotional power and sheer storytelling artistry that are his trademarks, Koontz takes up once more the story of a unique young hero and an eccentric little town in a tale that is equal parts suspense and terror, adventure and mystery—and altogether irresistibly odd. We’re all a little odd beneath the surface. He’s the most unlikely hero you’ll ever meet—an ordinary guy with a modest job you might never look at twice. But there’s so much more to any of us than meets the eye—and that goes triple for Odd Thomas. For Odd lives always between two worlds in the small desert town of Pico Mundo, where the heroic and the harrowing are everyday events. Odd never asked to communicate with the dead—it’s something that just happened. But as the unofficial goodwill ambassador between our world and theirs, he’s got a duty to do the right thing. That’s the way Odd sees it and that’s why he’s won hearts on both sides of the divide between life and death. A childhood friend of Odd’s has disappeared. The worst is feared. But as Odd applies his unique talents to the task of finding the missing person, he discovers something worse than a dead body, encounters an enemy of exceptional cunning, and spirals into a vortex of terror. Once again Odd will stand against our worst fears. Around him will gather new allies and old, some living and some not. For in the battle to come, there can be no innocent bystanders, and every sacrifice can tip the balance between despair and hope. Whether you’re meeting Odd Thomas for the first time or he’s already an old friend, you’ll be led on an unforgettable journey through a world of terror, wonder and delight—to a revelation that can change your life. And you can have no better guide than Odd Thomas.

My take: 4 looks
I love this series. As with any series, you should read the first one first; but, after that ... well, I read them out of order and didn't feel that the individual stories suffered in the least. This one continues to build on the relationships between the main character and his ramshackle, makeshift "family". I love the character of Ozzie and his literary genius, the Porters in their role of surrogate parents to Odd, Terri and her Elvis obsession...and of course Odd, who is the most well-mannered fry cook who sees the undead that you will ever meet. This is a compelling series: full of mystery, intrigue, on-going plot lines from book to book, and the always satisfying tying of loose ends of current dilemmas. I highly recommend this enter series.