In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

Let me begin by saying that I love food. Eating it, cooking it, talking about it - it's all good. So it stands to reason I'd be pretty fascinated by a book like this, even though much of it I already knew and agreed with. Still, I learned a lot as I read, and I found reading it to be a surprisingly emotional experience (but then again, I really like food, so maybe I shouldn't have been surprised).

Basically the book talks about the history of food in America, and how we as a society have gone from eating our traditional foods from our various cultural backgrounds to eating a diet that, for many of us, is made up of things that, when you think about it, can't really be called food at all. They are a concoction of broken-down nutrients, artificial colors and flavors, and unpronounceable chemicals. Our own government, under the thumb of major players from the food industry, has allowed them to remove the once required "artificial" label from their products, and people are confused about what to eat because of so much conflicting advice from "experts." Don't eat butter, eat margarine. Wait, no, don't eat margarine - it turns out partially hydrogenated oils are way worse for you than butter ever was! And that fat we told you to avoid? Looks like there's no connection between saturated fats and heart disease after all...

So what is a poor eater to do? After discussing the food industry, its history, and "nutritionism," as well as the way our agricultural methods are harming the earth and rendering our food less nutritious than it was fifty years ago, Pollan offers some simple tips about what to eat and why. For example, it turns out that organic produce actually contains more nutrients than commercially grown produce. Some of his tips are kind of funny, but sad at the same time - like don't eat food that doesn't rot. Has anyone else seen the footage from the extras in Supersize Me, in which the filmmakers take various kinds of food and put them in glass canisters to see how long it takes them to rot? The restaurant hamburger was pretty nasty in a few days, but that McDonald's burger took much longer to start decomposing - and the fries still looked pretty fresh after over a month! Ick. I wonder how long it would take an Oreo to start to rot? A Ritz cracker? A Dorito?

The book takes a fascinating look at American culture and food, and Pollan examines questions such as why do Americans obsess so much about their food yet are still, as a whole, so overweight - not to mention unhealthy? Why do Americans consume so many more calories than other cultures? It was particularly disturbing to hear about children seen in health clinics who are overweight yet malnourished.

I feel so grateful for the years I spent in Italy, because not only did I learn a beautiful language and get to know an amazing country and some wonderful people, but I was introduced to a way of eating that I brought back home with me when I returned almost a decade later. Before I lived in Italy, I had no idea which foods were ripe in any particular season. At the supermarket in America, I could always find oranges and berries and squash, no matter the season. I loved my corner fruit and vegetable shop in Bologna. They were always a bit amused by ignorance, but they were happy to tell me all about anything I wanted to know - how to prepare certain vegetables, what herbs went with which dish (and they usually threw those in for free). And the flavor of that produce was unforgettable. I remember when the cherries came ripe, I was there almost every day to buy a huge bag of them - I'd never tasted anything like it. Then there was the fresh bread at the bakery around the corner - and don't even get me started about the cheese....

In Italy, I learned not just how to prepare food, but I learned how rewarding time spent in the kitchen can be - not just to the palate, but to the spirit. Time spent with good food - and wine - in the company of friends is time well spent, in my book. The memory of those meals and that amazing produce is what has spurred me on to prowl through farmers markets when I returned to America, where I search for the perfect ingredients, the ones to build a delicious meal around.

So Pollan's advice to buy locally, stick to the perimeter of the supermarket, to avoid food with health claims, to spend more, if possible, for quality food, was really preaching to the choir. But this was still an inspiring, fascinating book, and it's been fun to share what I learned with my children (who are, admittedly, less than thrilled these days when they ask me to buy a particular a snack food, and I ask them, "How many ingredients are in that?"). Pollan suggests no more than five - if there are more, be suspicious that it's not actually food.

At any rate, I listened to the audio version of this one, and I thought it was fascinating. It might be a bit too detailed for anyone who is not as interested in health and nutrition research as I am, particularly with the audio version, which is more difficult to skim. It is an important book, though, and it should be required reading in high school science classes, to make kids think about their own assumptions about food. Pollan mentions that the kind of people who take vitamins are generally healthier than those who don't, but it is likely not the vitamins that are making them healthier - it might just be the fact that they are focusing on taking care of themselves. The same might be said about this book - those who most need the information contained in its pages are probably not nearly as likely to pick it up, and that is unfortunate.

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan; narrated by Scott Brick (Books on Tape, 2008)

Also reviewed at:
Books I Done Read: "Michael Pollan makes sense of complicated things. Well, maybe he isn't making sense, but he's simplifying things enough that I feel like I get it."
DogEar Diary: "The strongest impression I came away with after reading this book was: less is more (you feel more satiated eating better quality food), and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts (additives will never make up for what processing has removed from foods)."
Shelf Love: "Overall, I didn’t enjoy this book nearly as much as I did Pollan’s previous book. There was some fascinating information about why nutrition research tells us to avoid fat one year and carbs the next. But there was more information here than I wanted."

So this is what a total book geek I am...

I'm a little worried about even writing this post, because this is a bit embarrassing. I guess I'm hoping I'm not the only one out there who thinks like this...

Do you ever see people - I mean, actual, real-life people - and immediately you get the feeling they have stepped from the pages of a book by a particular author? There is a beautiful young woman who works at a sandwich shop near my house. Every time I see her can't help but thing she looks exactly like a protagonist from an Isabel Allende novel. I'd take her picture and post it here for your input, but like I said, she's an actual real person and might find that a tiny bit invasive of her privacy.

And then there's this tall, handsome young man with a sensitive, broody look to him, who works at a restaurant I sometimes go to. The moment I saw him, I thought Charles de Lint. Not the writer, but definitely one of his characters. And there's a lovely little girl who comes into my library from time to time. Her hair is in two long, shiny inky braids, and she has wide dark eyes that see right through you, and I can't help but think she might have stepped from the pages of an as-yet unwritten Neil Gaiman novel.

I could go on, but I imagine that most of you are quietly backing away, shaking your heads. I suppose I can count myself lucky that I haven't seen anyone who looks remotely Clive Barkerish lately....

The above image is from the Neiman Marcus Pop-Up Book

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Mary lives in a remote, fenced-in village in the middle of a forest they call the Forest of Hands and Teeth. The fences keep out the Unconsecrated: flesh-eating humans infected with a highly contagious virus (the word "zombie" is never mentioned in the book, but that is clearly what they are). The Sisterhood are the only form of government the village has; they are responsible for the education of the children and the safety of the residents.

Mary's mother often tells her stories about the time Before, about the ocean and the tall buildings that reached far up into the sky. She has never been the same since her husband disappeared. She refuses to believe he is among the Unconsecrated, yet she is continually drawn to the fence, dreading to see him there, moaning with hunger, trying to get through to the village. One day Mary lingers a little too long, talking with a friend, and when the sirens sound she knows something horrible has happened to her mother. From that moment on, Mary finds herself moving a world that she once thought she understood but now is full of secrets and lies, of unpleasant and unpalatable truths. People she thought she knew behave in hurtful, unexpected ways, and Mary finds that the only one she can rely on is herself.

This is a novel that should appeal to those who enjoy dark, harrowing post-apocalyptic novels, as well as survival stories. It is a fairly introspective tale, despite the action and adventure aspect, told through first-person narration from Mary's point of view. Mary is a compelling character, and I felt immediate sympathy for her, but she was the only character I felt a strong connection with. I felt occasionally frustrated by her inability - or unwillingness - to communicate with certain characters, and at times it felt as though the lack of information passing from her to other characters was more a convenience to the plot direction than a believable action (or inaction) on her part.

The story is bleak and would probably be difficult for more sensitive readers, and I'd recommend this to high school ages and up (although there are always a few younger readers who thrive on this sort of dark tale). I found the story to be riveting - it was had to put the book down, and there was a definite creep factor that eased its way under my skin. I did, however, find the ending disappointingly inconclusive. Admittedly that is a personal bias of mine (I've always hated those open ended, you-decide-for-yourself kind of stories, feeling that it's a total cop-out on the part of the writer. If you're to going to write it, I've always thought, then tell the whole story!). Don't get me wrong - the book has a conclusion; it doesn't end with a cliff-hanger. But it leaves scads of unanswered questions that left me feeling very dissatisfied and a teensy bit annoyed, particularly as I'd been so attached to the story throughout. But I have learned that there are going to be two more books in this series, so I'm feeling much better about things now. For more information on the series, check out Carrie Ryan's website.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (Delacorte Press, 2009)

Also reviewed at:

The Book Zombie: "Being the huge zombie fan that I am, I was a little skeptical of how a young adult novel would pull off a serious zombie story. But I was more than satisfied, the undead action is excellent."

Bookshelves of Doom: "The lack of answers totally makes sense considering the knowledge/background of the narrator and the storyline, but that logic isn't going to stop some readers from wanting to throw things when they reach the end of the book."
Stuff as Dreams Are Made On: "If you’re a fan of YA books, zombie novels, philosophical novels or all of the above, this is definitely one to pick up."
The Written World: "To sum it all up, I should say that this is probably one of my favourite reads from 2009 and it will likely make my best of lists at the end of the year!"

Rapture of the Deep

When a new Bloody Jack novel comes out, I do the happy dance around the library (quietly, of course). This is one of my hands-down favorite series, combining evocative historical settings, a strong and clever heroine, unforgettable characters, swashbuckling action and adventure, and a touch of romance - not to mention a healthy dash of humor. I started writing this blog when I was midway through the series, so unfortunately I only have reviews from books five on. But I have heard from many a book blogger that the audio versions of these books are excellent, so one of these days I may go back and start all over again.

This installment of the series, set in 1806, sees Jacky whisked away very rudely from a most important personal moment in her life. She has become, it seems, a pawn at the mercy of British Naval Intelligence, and they have a job for her to do. Jacky is none too pleased until she hears her mission involves a sunken Spanish ship carrying a whole lot of treasure - something that is sure to warm the cockles of this former pirate-maiden's heart.

Jacky's mission takes her to the balmy waters off the coast of Havana, where she poses as a member of a fake scientific expedition as they search for the sunken ship, while coming up against a particularly nasty Spanish naval officer, some pirates, and a very fast and hungry alligator.

This novel lacked some of the breakneck pace of previous books, but I enjoyed it all the same. I was pleased to see that Jacky finally got to spend some time with her beloved Jaimy, instead of never being in the same place at the same time, as has happened so often in previous books. I could have done without the cockfighting scenes; it seemed rather out of character for Jacky, who has always had such a soft heart for animals, to train up a bird to fight, and I didn't find her justification terribly convincing. Still, it is always a pleasure to spend some time in the company of the feisty, quick-witted Jacky, and I hope to follow many, many more of her adventures.

Books in the Bloody Jack series:
1. Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy
2. Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady
3. Under the Jolly Roger: Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber 4. In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber
5. Mississippi Jack: Being an Account of the Further Waterborne Adventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman, Fine Lady, and the Lily of the West
6. My Bonny Light Horseman: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, in Love and War
7. Rapture of the Deep: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy

Rapture of the Deep: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy (#7 in the Bloody Jack series) by L.A. Meyer (Harcourt, 2009)

Also reviewed at:
WORD for Teens: "The series is quite character driven - if Jacky was anything less what who she is, the plot lines and all the crazy stunts just wouldn't work. However, Jacky being Jacky, it works wonderfully and makes for a fantastically fun tale."

Dark Lord of Derkholm

Diana Wynne Jones is one of my hands-down favorite writers. Her books are consistently surprising, creative, intelligent, compassionate, and often very, very funny. I read this one when it was first published, but there is a sequel called Year of the Griffin that I've never read, and as I'm always delighted to have an excuse to reread one of her books, I brought this one home from the library to refresh my memory. And what a rollicking good time I had!

This book was written after her hilarious "nonfiction" book The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, which is a must-read for all lovers of high fantasy. It is written in the form of a guidebook, as though the reader were about to embark on a journey to a fantasy world, informing readers of such useful things as how to escape from goblins, the difference between an Amulet and a Talisman, and why high priests are always evil. It takes on all the stereotypes and cliches of fantasy fiction in an affectionate, hilarious way.

At any rate, this novel presents us with the actual fantasy world that a tourist might be visiting. And this fantasy world has had it with tourists! The premise is that Mr. Chesney, an incredibly rich and powerful (as in has-a-demon-to-do-his-bidding powerful) businessman from another world has set up a tourist industry on a planet that has magic. The inhabitants of the planet are fed up with the annual "pilgrim parties" of tourists who traipse through their world. Mr. Chesney has insisted they all play parts for the pilgrims, so every year one of the wizards has to be the Dark Lord and set up a creepy dark fortress, and there are battles to be fought (trampling the crops, of course), magical objects to be discovered, evil minions to "fight," and so on.

Desperate to change the situation, the High Chancellor consults the oracles. She is told that the first person she sees must be this year's Dark Lord. Unfortunately for the Wizard Derk, who would like nothing more than to putter about his peaceful domain, creating amazing magical animals such as griffins, flying pigs and winged horses, he is that person. Although no one tells him what the oracles have said. He is given a handbook on his responsibilities as Dark Lord that has instructions like "The Dark Lord's citadel must always be a black castle with a labyrinthine interior lit by baleful fire." Unfortunately, everything starts going wrong at once - and when Derk becomes wounded and is unable to continue with preparations, his family - including his griffin children - must step in to help out.

Aside from the constantly humorous inversion of fantasy stereotypes, the novel also tells an engaging and heartfelt story about family. It is a very complex novel, though, with an enormous cast of characters and a great many things happening at one, with much for a reader to keep track of as the plot unfolds. Although my library shelves this book in the teen section, I would say that it is equally appealing to adults, and perhaps even more appropriate for older readers - not because of any potentially objectionable content, but because it is so very complicated. I also find that it is easier to get teens to read books from the adult section than it is to get adults to read books from the YA shelves, and I'd hate for anyone to miss out on this funny, intelligent tale.

I leave you with a passage that had me grinning. Some quick background info: the Wizard Derk is having a tough time taking care of the many preparations for the pilgrims, and to top things off, the Emir has decided to be difficult:

The Emir was flatly refusing to be the puppet king the lists said he should be. "I'll be anything else you choose," he told Derk, "but I will not have my mind enslaved to this tiara. I have seen Sheik Detroy. He is still walking like a zombie after last year. He drools. His valet has to feed him. It's disgusting! These magic objects are not safe."

Derk had seen Sheik Detroy, too. He felt the Emir had a point. "Then could you perhaps get one of your most devoted servants to wear the tiara for you?"

"And have him usurp my throne?" the Emir said. "I hope you joke."

They argued for several hours. At length Derk said desperately, "Well, can't you wear a copy of the tiara and act being enslaved to it?"

"What a good idea!" said the Emir. "I rather fancy myself as an actor. Very well."

Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones (Greenwillow Books, 1998)

Also reviewed at:
Fyrefly's Book Blog: "I was also surprised with the depth of the story: hiding underneath the satire is actually a family story with a fair bit of heart."
Jenny's Books: "So it’s equal parts funny (because of all the tropes that the tourists (us, in a way) expect to see, and that the people have to work incredibly hard to give the tourists), and distressing, because here they all are, destroying their entire world year after year."

School's Out -- Forever

This second book in the Maximum Ride series picks up where the first book left off. Therefore, there may be minor spoilers in this review, so if you are interested in reading this series, I suggest you check out my review of the first book - the series really requires reading the books in order, as there is no real conclusion to the first book. (Wasn't I just complaining about that?)

At any rate, the flock (a group of genetically engineered kids with avian DNA who have wings and can fly), in a raid on a lab in the previous book, has found out some information about themselves and the possible identity of their parents. The only problem is that it's written in some sort of code, which they need to decipher. As with the first book, they are attacked by Erasers, genetically engineered wolf-men - but there is a new, nasty surprise in store for the flock, because the Erasers have been genetically engineered with a new capability.

The flock ends up finding what appears to be a safe place to live for a while, and they stay with a high-ranking FBI agent in her spacious farmhouse in rural Virginia. She even sends them to school, and for the first time in ages, they have enough to eat, enough sleep, and are not on the run. Then, of course, matters come to a head, the the flock must once more take off, try to stay together, and pursue the mystery of who they are, where they came from, and what exactly Max's "destiny" of saving the world really means.

There are elements of this series that I very much enjoyed: Max is an admirable protagonist, strong and smart, struggling to do the right thing to protect her flock; the plot is full of twists, turns and surprises; one of the antagonists is developed so that the reader can understand his motives and even empathize with him, if not with his actions; the pacing is taut and relentless.

There are also elements that have me losing a bit of patience with the series, however, and most of these have to do with straining the suspension of disbelief to the breaking point. I simply don't buy that the further modifications made to the Erasers could be possible, let alone work. A conspiracy involving thousands of people doesn't hold water. I accept that there might be a few sociopath scientists out there, but legions of them willing to put six-year-old children through excruciating medical tests and make them sleep in dog kennels? I don't think so. These are just a few of the issues I had with believability - there are dozens of them. It makes me wonder if there is going to be any true payoff for the many unanswered questions that are continually raised as the plot progresses - such as that voice in Max's head - that will not be addressed in a satisfying way. If I can't believe in the answers, it won't be satisfying. Also, while the plot is nonstop action, it has a directionless, episodic feel to it.

Still, the books are intriguing, and while I plan to take a break for now, I believe I will be curious enough to find out what will happen next to Max and her flock to pick up the third book in the series. I enjoyed Nancy Wu's narration of Max's part of the tale in the Recorded Books audio version that I downloaded through my library's website, although I've heard other versions aren't so great.

Books in the Maximum Ride series:

1. The Angel Experiment

2. School's Out -- Forever

3. Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

4. The Final Warning

5. Max

6. Fang (Forthcoming March 2010)

School's Out -- Forever (#2 in the Maximum Ride series) by James Patterson; narrated by Nancy Wu and James Jenner (Recorded Books, 2006)

Also reviewed at:

All Five Stars: "A high point of the book is the constant theme of morality. It takes the current world issues about cloning and commercialization to a whole new extreme level."
Bart's Bookshelf: "In all it’s another great page-turning story, just don’t expect any resolution at the end. Stand alone books these are not!"
Book Dweeb: "This book has everything I generally require in a good sci fi/fantasy: a strong heroine, action, intriguing premise. A few caveats: a) too many characters, b) some cliched/old-fashioned dialogue, c) an interesting premise, but does Patterson take it too far?"
Katie's Bookshelf: "Some mind-boggling new developments and tough situations will leave readers breathless and wanting more. I found it hard to put this book down. It's addicting, I tell ya!"

Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians

It seems like I've been reading a lot of books lately in which certain characters possess singular magical talents. There's Ingrid Laws's Savvy, with its storm-makers and perfect mothers; Graceling, with its phenomenally skilled warrior maiden; and Bones of Faerie, with various kinds of faerie magic suddenly appearing in different characters. And now there's thirteen-year-old Alcatraz, an orphan who's been bumped around from one foster home to another, due to his peculiar yet powerful talent for breaking things.

He's just accidentally set his current home on fire, which is, of course, the last straw for this set of foster parents. He's waiting for the social worker to come pick him up, and the day is ironically his birthday. He is astounded to receive a mysterious package in the mail from his parents that bears stamps from thirteen years earlier. "Here is your inheritance, as promised," reads the note inside. He opens the paper bag, only to find it contains nothing but sand.

Funny that the sand should suddenly disappear from his room. When an old man shows up claiming to be Alcatraz's grandfather and saves him from a man holding him at gunpoint, Alcatraz's life will never be the same. He discovers that he is an oculator (you'll have to read the book to find out exactly what that is), and that his talent for breaking things is actually not such a bad thing to have. Grandpa Smedry drags him into a world in which librarians are evil and menacing (who, me?) and Alcatraz finds himself on a mission with his grandfather, his cousins Quentin and Sing Sing and a fierce (and grumpy) warrior girl named Bastille. Together they must breach the spookiest and most dangerous librarian stronghold around: the downtown library. Action, excitement, adventure and mayhem ensue.

This book is such a lot of fun, from the outrageous premise to the humorous opinions and comments voiced by its outspoken narrator. He says things like,

Perhaps you think that my habit of using sarcasm is simply a method of hiding my insecurity. Perhaps you've decided that I wasn't a cruel boy, just a very confused one. Perhaps you've decided, despite my feigned indifference, I didn't like breaking things.

Obviously, you are a person of very poor judgment. I would ask you to kindly refrain from drawing conclusions that I don't explicitly tell you to make. That's a very bad habit, and it makes authors grumpy.

This is one of those books that would make an excellent read-aloud, not only for the strong voice and humorous asides of the narrator, but because Sanderson is obviously having great fun lampooning everything in sight, and much of the humor will be equally appealing to adults as well as children. I handed this one to my ten-year-old as soon as I finished it. It's in her book pile, waiting for her to finish up her current Percy Jackson novel. I'm very much looking forward to the further adventures of Alcatraz Smedry and his colorful friends.

Here is an interesting interview with Brandon Sanderson from the Fantasy Book Critic's blog.

Books in the Alcatraz series:
1. Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians
2. Alcatraz versus the Scrivener's Bones
3. Alcatraz versus the Knights of Crystallia

Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians (#1 in the Alcatraz series) by Brian Sanderson (Scholastic, 2007)

Also reviewed at:
Becky's Book Reviews: "I think everyone should read this book. Seriously."
Bookshelves of Doom: "It was funny. There are cracks about everything from the Newbery Award to Harry Potter to Michael Crichton -- and while it's geared towards the middle-school boy crowd, I think there are a lot of adults who'll get a huge kick out of it."
Fyrefly's Book Blog: "...while Sanderson’s outsized imagination and skill at creating unique, internally consistent magical systems is intact, Alcatraz has a completely different tone than Sanderson’s adult books, and has both the action and the goofiness turned up to 11."

The Awakening

This second novel in the Darkest Powers trilogy picks up where the first book left off, with Chloe on the run from the scientists at the Lyle House, where she'd been taken following an "episode" at school in which it appeared she was having a mental breakdown.

In reality, however, Chloe is able to see ghosts. More specifically, they can see her, too, and she has powers to control the dead. The problem is, she has no training, no idea how to use them. If she isn't careful, she can actually call back the spirits of the dead into their decaying or skeletal bodies, which is a generally unpleasant experience for everyone involved. This installment is action packed from beginning to end, and there while the book does not end with the cliffhanger of the first book, there is no real resolution. Readers will have to wait for the final volume, due to be published next year.

Some trilogies have single story arcs within each volume, and a larger story arc that carries through all the books. This is not one of those trilogies. This one is more in the vein of a book that is divided into three parts, each published separately. For that reason I would have preferred waiting to read them until they were all published, because while I've enjoyed them both thoroughly, I have closed each book with a feeling of frustration. If there had been a minor, satisfying conclusion of some sort, I would have been happier.

Still, the author has done an excellent job of creating a world in which the supernatural is believable and the characters have depth. The tension and pace will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Kelley Armstrong has set up a special website for the trilogy at http://www.chloesaunders.com/, which is a lot of fun. Chloe is the "author" of the site, and Armstrong is posting a serial novella prequel there featuring characters from the trilogy.

Books in the Darkest Powers trilogy:
1. The Summoning
2. The Awakening
3. The Reckoning (forthcoming - 2010)

The Awakening (#2 in the Darkest Powers trilogy) by Kelley Armstrong (HarperCollins, 2009)

Also reviewed at:
The Book Obsession: "Everyone has fangirled over The Awakening but for some reason I'm not. I thought it was really good but not OH MY GOSH if that makes any sense. I just was not very excited about it."
The Story Siren: "The plot was even more fast paced than the Awakening, there is a lot more action and adventure in the sequel. Which makes for a very exciting read, but also a very quick one."
Today's Adventure: "The Awakening continues the fantastic characters, expands the concept, and has an ever-twisting storyline that kept me riveted."
YAReads.com: "I like the characters and the world a lot: I’m looking forward to the third book not only so I can find out what happens next, but just because I really enjoy being with these fictional people and seeing how things play out for them. I recommend both books a LOT."

Rebecca

After hearing so many people rave last year about their wonderful R.I.P. Challenge reads of the classic suspense novel Rebecca, I added it to my list of books to read for this year's challenge. I hadn't read it in years, and this time I opted for the audio version. It turned out to be a good choice; the narrator was very good (she reminded me a bit of one of the women who read the audio version of The Thirteenth Tale, another great "listen"), and between each chapter there was some intensely melodramatic violin music which really added to the spooky mood.

The premise, for the three of you out there who have yet to read this wonderful book, is that a young, unnamed woman with no family, working as a "companion" for an unpleasant, wealthy woman, has a whirlwind romance with an older man named Maximilian (Maxim) de Winter. The heroine is besotted with him, and they have a lovely honeymoon. But when they return to his home in Cornwall, Manderley, everything changes. For one thing, everywhere she looks she sees reminders of his first wife, a beautiful, vivacious woman who drowned less than a year earlier. The heroine is intelligent but timid and self-effacing, and everywhere she looks she sees reminders of the amazing, wonderful Rebecca, a woman it seems she can never live up to. Complicating matters is the presence of the malicious, dour housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers.

Manderley is a place of secrets and darkness, and the heroine is ill equipped to meet the challenges it presents. Despite her timidity, she is determined to be a good wife to Maxim, even though she believes he'll never love her the way he did Rebecca. As time goes on, however, a very different picture of Maxim's first wife emerges...

This is an atmospheric, exciting, character-driven suspense novel, and it is the perfect read for a dark and windy October - or November - evening. It is not a romance novel in the genre sense, but there is romance in it, and also mystery and plenty of tension. I remembered identifying very much with the heroine when I first read this novel, and that's not surprising, as I was probably a teenager then. I was surprised to find myself growing a bit impatient with her this time around, as she hides behind doors to avoid having to meet visitors to the house and allows herself to be so bullied by the horrible Mrs. Danvers. Still, she does grow and change, and it is entirely believable that she'd behave the way she does, given her personality and social position. Maxim's carelessness of her irritated me, and I did not find him to be as compelling a character as I did so many years ago. It's funny how experience, age and perspective can make a reading experience a little bit different with each reread.

At any rate, I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a bit of creepy suspense and Gothic atmosphere - maybe for next year's R.I.P. reading challenge!

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier; narrated by Emma Fielding (Naxos Audiobooks, 2004); originally published 1938)

Also reviewed at:
Here, There and Everywhere: "There's love, there's deception, there's mystery...and then there's Mrs Danvers, making sure Rebecca remains in every room on every chair in the house..... it just has it all, and I believe you will find that once you begin to read this book, that you will not want to put it down."
My Friend Amy: "It's a delightful exploration of self, perception, and truth. It's beautifully written and though once or twice it felt too long, I felt such affection for the characters, that I didn't mind."
Stuff as Dreams Are Made On: "This book reminded me so much of The Thirteenth Tale and The Historian. If you liked the atmosphere of those books, I think you’d enjoy this one. Like those two, this one does a wonderful job of telling its reader a riveting story.
Things Mean a Lot: "The mood couldn’t have been more perfect. I also loved the pacing, and I found the story suspenseful even though I already knew what happened at the ending."
Where Troubles Melt Like Lemon Drops: "What I loved most about Rebecca is the language, Du Maurier's innate ability to write beautifully yet in a way that does not age nor seem dated, and the tension, the suspense."

Something I've been wondering about...

I had lunch with a friend the other day, and as often happens when we get together, the conversation turned to books. She's in a book group with women from her neighborhood, and one woman happened to mention that her 12-year-old daughter had expressed a desire to read Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella, which her mother had recently read and enjoyed. I have not read that book, but I've heard it's clever and funny, and at some point I'd like to check it out.

The woman was concerned about the swear words that are in the book, so she decided that she would let her daughter read it, but only after she inked out all the bad words with a black marker.

What do you think of that? Is that a reasonable compromise?

I keep thinking about it. I have to say that while I understand the woman's desire to protect her daughter from crude, objectionable language, it seems that if the mother thinks she isn't old enough to handle the language, maybe she's not old enough for that book yet. I also have to laugh, thinking that if my mom had done that when I was twelve, I'd have run straight to the library to see exactly what all those blacked-out words were!

A discussion between this parent and child about unacceptable language and why the parent believes it is not a good idea for her daughter to use those words might be more productive than expurgating the text. The child may well be familiar with many or most of those words already - so instead of sidestepping this issue, confronting it together might enable the child to ask questions and get straight answers, not to mention establish some trust. If a child feels comfortable talking with her parents about things her family disapproves of, she might be more likely to come to them later with other difficult questions.

So anyway, I've been thinking about that for a while, and I'm wondering if anyone else is as startled to hear of this expurgation strategy as I was. Any thoughts on the matter?

Speak of the Devil

Morgan Kingsley is an exorcist in a world in which demons can legally possess human hosts. No one but a select few know that she is secretly hosting an exiled demon king. In this installment of the series, everything that can go wrong in Morgan's life is going wrong. She's being sued for malpractice, she gets dumped by her boyfriend, and it appears that someone is out to destroy everything she values in her life.

This is the fourth book in a series that, when it comes down to it, I'm not entirely sure why I keep reading. The concept - that demons are beings from another dimension that can inhabit, legally or illegally, depending on the situation, human "hosts," giving them exceptional strength and healing abilities - is an interesting one, it is true. The fact that the heroine, Morgan Kingsley, is an exorcist, yet she is also hosting the king of the demons, is also interesting.

And I guess that's why I've kept reading - even though I haven't been pulled into this world as I have into, say, the fictional worlds of Mercy Thompson and Cassandra Palmer, I can't help but wonder what's going to happen next. I like that Morgan is the kind of character that wants to remain in control, and not just react to the things that happen to her. I don't like that she constantly runs off impulsively and puts herself and others into unnecessary danger. She is tough, which is good, but in this book she comes close to turning into a quivering blob of jelly when her relationship goes south. She tells us that this guy is the love of her life, etc., but I'm just not seeing why he's all that important to her. I don't feel that her life will be the worse without him, so the tension about their relationship just wasn't there for me.

I have come to like several of the secondary characters during the course of these four books - particularly Adam, the demon-hosting cop, and his lover, the former demon host but now just regularly old human (and superb cook), Dominic. Raphael and some of the other demons are developing into intriguing characters. In fact, as the plot develops it leaves me wondering what role Morgan really has to play. After all, the demon king she is hosting can move on to any other human simply through skin-to-skin contact, which would have the added bonus of giving him a host he can control 100% - which he doesn't have with Morgan - so why is he still there? Why bother involving humans in a political demon issue anyway? Why does Morgan feel bound to keep secret the fact that, when demons are exorcised, they aren't actually destroyed, as everyone thinks? I guess I thought these questions would be addressed - and maybe they will, eventually - but I find that I'm losing a bit of patience. I think if such issues were successfully addressed, I'd believe more in this world and Morgan's predicament.

These are just a few small issues I had, personally, with the series, which makes me doubt whether I'll carry on with it. There is a huge following of fans of these books, however, so the series might well become one of your favorites, too, if you give it a try. I'd love to hear what you think.

Books in the Morgan Kinsley series:
1. The Devil Inside
2. The Devil You Know
3. The Devil's Due
4. Speak of the Devil

Speak of the Devil (#4 in the Morgan Kingsley series) by Jenna Black (Dell, 2009)

Also reviewed at:
Literary Escapism: "Yes, there’s not a lot of action since the plot takes a break from the Dougal storyline and focuses on a demon with a vendetta, but we get a lot of character interactions that tells us more about each character."
Lurv a la Mode: "The last book was a bit slow for me due to a downplay in action, and this one didn’t really improve on that. However, I felt that what we get in character development kind of offset that, too, balancing it all out."

Once Dead, Twice Shy

Madison, the 17-year-old protagonist of Once Dead, Twice Shy, informs us in the first paragraph of the book that she died in a freak car accident - on her birthday, no less - on prom night. That kind of set-up left me expecting the story to backtrack, then lead up to that moment; but no, Madison is dead, yet she's still around, thanks to a magical amulet she somehow managed to snatch from a mysterious stranger after she woke up in the morgue.

She shouldn't have been able to take the amulet, much less use it to stay around and appear to be alive. She did it in moment of reflexive self-defense, as the dark reaper who was attacking her was bent on destroying her soul. Now she is being tutored by a light reaper named Barnabas, a sort of angelic being who attempts to thwart the destructive plans of the dark reapers. But Madison just can't seem to learn the most basic skills of being a light reaper. She is being chased by the dark reapers, who are determined to finish the job they started, and she is desperate to learn the skills to protect herself.

It seems that Madison can't manage to follow even the simplest rules, and she not only puts herself in danger, but she ends up putting one of her classmates in danger, too. He happens to be the guy she walked away from at the prom, the night she'd been killed in the accident, and the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes what a mistake it had been to walk away like that. She has to tell him the truth about herself, in order to keep him safe, at the risk of him thinking she's an utter lunatic - and that sets in motion a chain of events that unfold at a hair-raising, breakneck pace.

First of all, can I say how annoying it is to read a book and then discover that the first part of that book was actually a short story in an anthology somewhere, and there is no mention made of that fact anywhere on the book itself? I was able to figure out what was happening as the pieces of back story came together, but the opening of this book made me feel I was missing important information. I realize I am on the fanatical end of the spectrum when it comes to reading series books in order, so take it with a grain of salt when I say you might want to read the short story that introduces Madison, which is in the anthology Prom Nights from Hell (edited by Meg Cabot). Also it bugged me that the book repeatedly refers to the purple streaks in Madison's hair, but the cover image shows a blonde, no streaks, like it's some other girl who's on the cover.

That said, I did enjoy the novel. It introduced an interesting supernatural element that posed a lot of questions, which, as the plot twisted and turned, were answered in surprising ways. There is a nice romantic touch, and it was bittersweet to watch Madison realizing truths that might have helped her be happier when she was still alive. Her pleasure in photography gave her added depth, particularly as she discussed the details that inspired her attempts to capture specific images. Apparently there always has to be an over-the-top bitchy girl in YA novels these days, and I didn't think this particular girl added a whole lot - but it may be that I've just been reading too many similar teen novels lately.

I liked that the book has a satisfying conclusion, while leaving plenty of loose ends and unresolved issues that can be explored in future books. I did find that the conclusion cast into doubt much of what was told to us throughout the earlier parts of the novel, and the way it ended left me a bit confused as far as what was true and what wasn't. It did set up a most interesting dynamic, however, and I'm looking forward to further exploration of that in future books.

Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison (HarperCollins, 2009)

Also reviewed at:
Beyond Books: "I loved Madison and I was amused by Barnabas. I have to admit that I couldn’t stand the guardian angel at first, but then she grew on me. I liked her by the end of the story. The book was shorter than I would have liked (especially for the price of the book)."
The Story Siren: "Madison’s character as well as her thoughts seemed uneven at times. Adding another complication to the story. The plot was steady throughout the novel until the very fast and anticlimactic ending."
Writer's Block Reviews: "I adored Madison, she is a very feisty girl that will make you smile. If you are a paranormal junkie, you truly have to read this book!"

Life Sucks

In this darkly humorous graphic novel, which is often described as "Clerks with vampires," all the typical vampire stereotypes and cliches are turned upside down, with funny and surprising results. Dave is a vampire, but does he live in a sumptuous dwelling, surrounded by quietly lovely undead minions? Not a chance. He works at a convenience store in L.A., where he was turned into a vampire against his will by Lord Radu, a powerful vampire from the Old Country who owns the store. What's worse than working in a dead-end job for a boss you can't stand? Working in a dead-end job for a boss you can't stand for all eternity, that's what.

Dave was a vegetarian before he was turned, and he can't bring himself to hunt people for blood. So, because he subsists on stale, canned blood-bank blood, his powers are fairly weak compared to the other vampires, particularly his nemesis: a handsome, sociopathic surfer vampire named Wes. When Wes sees that Dave is interested in Rosa, a lovely goth girl (who is, ironically, into the guys who dress up as stereotypical, elegantly dressed vampires complete with fake fangs), Wes is determined to have her for himself. Dave hopes to stand a chance, but Rosa unfortunately seems determined to think of him as nothing more than a "good friend."

I thoroughly enjoyed this immensely entertaining graphic novel, which is targeted at teens but equally appealing to adults. It's funny and intelligent, with dark, bold artwork that perfectly suits the characters and storyline. The Los Angeles setting is skillfully depicted, and it's a very effective backdrop for the action, romance and humor of the story. Fans of the Scott Pilgrim books would likely enjoy this book as well. I fervently hope that we will presently be seeing more of Dave, his mellow mortal roommate, and the rest of the cast of Life Sucks.

Life Sucks by Jessica Abel, Gabe Soria and Warren Pleece (First Second, 2008)

Also reviewed at:
The Book Zombie: "The creativity used in putting together such a potluck of uniquely bizarre characters just reminds me so much of a Kevin Smith movie. Artwork, dialogue and plot were all fantastic as well, but it was the people that really made Life Sucks a winner for me."
Bookshelves of Doom: "It's well-written, funny and smart, it's easy to believe that Dave and Carl (his mortal roommate) have been friends forever, and the squabbling/ribbing between Dave and Carl and Jerome rings true."
The Written World: "I really like the cover, too. I find it fun. Once you read the book and understanding who all the characters are it is a fitting one. I recommend the book, but it is not something that I had to own."

The Beasts of Clawstone Castle

After the success of Ibbotson's The Haunting of Granite Falls as a Halloween-season read-aloud to my children this month, we chose this as our next read, and it was a hit as well.

Rollo and Madlyn, brother and sister, are sent to stay with their elderly Great-Aunt Emily and Great-Uncle George, who live in an ancient, moldering castle in northern England. Emily and George aren't too keen on the idea, as they have worries of their own - financial ones, as the castle requires so much upkeep - and they are not very experienced with children. But Rollo and Madlyn are not average kids. Madlyn is immensely capable, responsible, and resourceful, and Rollo is intelligent and very compassionate when it comes to animals. Uncle George realizes, when he sees how much Rollo adores the wild white cattle of Clawstone, that he has found a kindred spirit. When they realize that their aunt and uncle are in dire financial straits, the children act immediately.

Their scheme to restore the castle involves recruiting some proper ghosts to haunt Clawstone - so tourists will come to Clawstone on Open Days, instead of to selfish, wealthy Lord Trembellow's beautiful castle. And after auditioning many interested ghosts, the children take on the best of the best. Among them is the bloody bride, and the ghost who has the ghost of a rat gnawing on his heart (it produces a most wonderful effect when he opens his shirt to castle visitors), and - my girls' favorite - The Feet.

Things seem to be going well until the wild white cattle are threatened in a most insidious way. The children uncover a heinous plot, but by the time they realize what is happening, they are far from their aunt and uncle, far from the safe, stone walls of Clawstone, and completely on their own.

Ibbotson never fails to deliver a gripping, entertaining, and touching tale. Her protagonists are believable and sympathetic, and the villains are delightfully over-the-top horrific. The ghosts are simply wonderful, gory and gruesome, yet lovable all the same. The pacing is tight, but never too focused to spare a moment for a quick, fun side story about a minor character or two, and the plot takes wonderful twists and turns that are sure to keep readers guessing. The novel makes for an excellent read-aloud, and the girls and I are planning on more Ibbotson bedtime reads.

The Beasts of Clawstone Castle by Eva Ibbotson; illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (Dutton Children's Books, 2006)

Also reviewed at:
Books for Kids Blog: "Eva Ibbotson's characters are somewhere between spooky and spoofy, with plenty of the YUCK but not too much of the YIKES factor."
On My Bookshelf: "Ibbotson, as always, is very, very funny in a dry, witty way that I really enjoy. I would definitely recommend this, as well as her other books."

Terrier

Beka is a sixteen-year-old "puppy," a new member of the Lord Provost's city guards, known as "dogs." She's from the lower city, but was raised in the household of the Lord Provost himself, after she was so persistent and clever at solving a crime when she was just a child, which brought her to the Lord Provost's attention.

The book opens as she takes her first steps as a puppy, having just finished her years of training. She is astonished to find herself assigned to one of the most renowned pairs of dogs in the entire city - and they are just as astonished as she is. She has much to learn - and some things she learns the hard - not to mention excruciatingly embarrassing - way, but they have a lot to learn from her, too.

Beka is excruciatingly timid, but she has some unusual talents that lend themselves to investigative work. One is that she can hear the ghosts that ride the backs of the city's pigeons, as pigeons are the emissaries that carry souls on to the afterlife. The souls are talkative but are not capable of coherent conversation, so the reader garners clues along with Beka, and can try to piece them together along with her. Beka will need this and her other talents (which involve dust spinners and a talking cat) when she is called on to solve several mysteries, one involving the disappearance of dozens of the city's residents, and another involving kidnapping, blackmail, and an insidious criminal known only as the shadowsnake.

I have been a fan of Tamora Pierce's work for years, and this is an excellent addition to the Tortall books, set several hundred years before her first series. The blending of mystery and fantasy worked very well, and will be appealing to fans of both genres. I also enjoyed the fact that, in Beka's world, the lines between right and wrong are rather ambiguous. There are payoffs to be made to the criminal element of the city, and she is told that it is acceptable to take bribes (as long as she offers a percentage to her dog partners). She becomes good friends with people who are on the questionable side of the law, which sets up an interesting tension that I expect will be explored in future books.

Books in the Beka Cooper series:
1. Terrier
2. Bloodhound
3. Mastiff (forthcoming 2010)

Terrier (#1 in the Beka Cooper series) by Tamora Pierce; narrated by Susan Denaker (Listening Library/Random House Audio, 2006)

Also reviewed at:
All Booked Up: "Tamora Pierce has woven in some unique twists that kept me up late reading the book (and this was on a re-read)."
Today's Adventure: "This is one of the good ones. Beka Cooper is essentially a teenaged, medieval rookie cop. This book combines elements of both the mystery/crime and fantasy genres (no dragons or elves). It tells a compelling story that kept the pages turning."
Wands and Worlds: "Beka is an absolutely fascinating and compelling character, and the first person point of view draws you in to her world and makes you identify with her from the first. The other characters in the book, from Dogs to criminals to ordinary people, are equally interesting and well-developed."
Words by Annie: "It was neat how the book was a mix of thriller and fantasy. Beka's magic was also different and interesting, but you will have to read the book to see what I mean."

Stolen

This second volume in Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series continues the story of Elena, the only known female werewolf, who was introduced in the first book, Bitten. Elena is a headstrong young woman who is slowly learning to accept her life as a werewolf, along with everything that entails, along with her relationship with the Clay, the man who changed her into a wolf - without giving her a choice in the matter - in the first place.

While the first book falls more in to the paranormal romance/urban fantasy genre, this one is more an action/adventure novel. A very wealthy sociopath has come to learn of the existence of supernatural beings, and he is using his not inconsiderable resources to kidnap and collect various people, from vampires and shamans to witches and demons. He has set up science labs and has recruited doctors and scientists in an attempt to isolate and take advantage of those biological properties that give the supernatural beings their powers. Elena is approached by two witches who would like the werewolf pack to become involved in locating and stopping this man, but Elena - who hadn't considered the existence of other supernaturals beyond werewolves, is surprised and suspicious. It's not long, however, before she is on the inside of the supernatural menagerie, and it soon becomes obvious that the extra strength of one lone werewolf won't be terribly helpful in the face of armed guards, strong cells, sedatives and security cameras.

While I wasn't entirely captivated by the first book in this series, I found this second book to be much stronger, with greater character development and tighter pacing. Now that Elena is not railing against her personal situation and is focused on something outside herself, I find her a much more compelling character. There were a few issues that stretched my suspension of disbelief (e.g. - and possible spoiler here - if it is such an extremely rare situation for her to have survived the change as a female werewolf, it seems just a little too convenient that the one other woman who is infected with the virus should also survive).

I like the fact that this series does not focus on the same protagonist with each book, and that the next one will be branching out to different woman who are supernaturals in this fascinating world that Armstrong has created. I look forward to seeing how it all unfolds.



Books in the Women of the Otherworld series:
1. Bitten
2. Stolen
3. Dime Store Magic
4. Industrial Magic
5. Haunted
6. Broken
7. No Humans Involved
8. Personal Demon
9. Living with the Dead


Stolen (#2 in the Women of the Otherworld series) by Kelley Armstrong (Viking, 2002)

Also reviewed at:
Reading Adventures: "When I first read Bitten, it took me a long while to get really drawn into the story, and in the end I enjoyed it, but I have to say that this book was so much better."
Queen of Happy Endings: "There are some pretty evil characters in this story and with such a high level of suspense maintained throughout the book it's very hard to put down with an end that was evil yet so delicious."
The Written World: "Vampires, demons, shamans, witches -- in Stolen they all exist, and they’re all under attack."