Book Review: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

ISBN: 978-1439157381

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Paperback: 448 pages

First Line: When I was little, the great mystery to me wasn't how babies were made, but why.

One Word Review: Heartrending

Publisher's Description:

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

I have a friend who's been trying to talk me into reading Jodi Picoult for a long time. I actually did read one of her books, Perfect Match, several years ago. Tabitha (the friend) had been telling me yet again that I just had to pick up a book, any book, by Picoult. It would change my life, she said. The little library in the town where we were living happened to have a copy of Perfect Match sitting on the top of the shelf one day, and I felt perhaps it was book destiny that this would be the one I'd start on my road to life-changing reading. I'll be honest. I didn't care for it. A quick glance at the labels many people have tagged her books with on LibraryThing (words like abuse, pedophilia, death, infanticide, euthanasia, leukemia, suicide, cancer, bullying, and school shootings) should have clued me in to the fact that I was probably not going to find Mrs. Picoult's writing enjoyable. I read the book anyway. And, like I said, I didn't like it. It's not that I couldn't appreciate her talent. I just couldn't really wrap my brain around the subject matter without feeling a deep sense of sadness. So, after that one attempt, I would nod my head and um hm when Tabitha would suggest the latest Picoult offering.

Although I hate to say I was inspired by a movie, I was inspired by a movie. Well, a trailer, really. I saw an extended preview of the film My Sister's Keeper a few weeks back, and I cried. It was heartbreaking, but it was also fascinating. I decided to give Jodi Picoult another go. And...it was wonderful. It was still sad, and awful, and painful at times, but it was lovely, and beautiful, and surprisingly easy to read. The characters were well written, though I'll admit I changed some of their features around in my mind to fit the actors I knew were playing the roles. The story was devastating, but I never really experienced the hopelessness that Perfect Match left me feeling.

So, I'll pick up another of her books, I'm sure. I do think I'll be selective about the titles, though. Some subjects just aren't for me. But, I've definitely become a fan.

Book Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

See the extended trailer.

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Book Review: The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

ISBN: 978-1590513132

Publisher: Other Press

Paperback: 272 pages

First Line: It was more comfortable than I could have imagined.

One Word Review: Unsettling

Publisher's Description:

One day in early spring, Dorrit Weger is checked into the Second Reserve Bank Unit for biological material. She is promised a nicely furnished apartment inside the Unit, where she will make new friends, enjoy the state of the art recreation facilities, and live the few remaining days of her life in comfort with people who are just like her. Here, women over the age of fifty and men over sixty–single, childless, and without jobs in progressive industries–are sequestered for their final few years; they are considered outsiders. In the Unit they are expected to contribute themselves for drug and psychological testing, and ultimately donate their organs, little by little, until the final donation. Despite the ruthless nature of this practice, the ethos of this near-future society and the Unit is to take care of others, and Dorrit finds herself living under very pleasant conditions: well-housed, well-fed, and well-attended. She is resigned to her fate and discovers her days there to be rather consoling and peaceful. But when she meets a man inside the Unit and falls in love, the extraordinary becomes a reality and life suddenly turns unbearable. Dorrit is faced with compliance or escape, and…well, then what?

The Unit is the sort of book I have to read between other, more upbeat novels. It's distressing and emotional...certainly not the sort of story you finish with a smile and a sense that all is right with the world. I don't read dystopias often for that reason. I prefer my reading to carry me away from my problems not introduce new worries and sorrows. However, once in a while, one will come along that I feel is worth my time. This one was. I can't say I loved it. I am not sure it's the sort of book one can love. But I did appreciate the writing, the story, and the depth of the emotions it evoked.

Its strengths lie most in the characters. While I had very little in common with Dorrit, aside from being a woman, I still felt a connection with her. I am not sure if I really liked her or any of the other residents of The Unit, but I was able to sympathize with their situation and wish that somehow things could be different. At times, I found it frustrating because I wanted to reach into the pages and shake these people and ask them why they didn't stand up for themselves. That, I think is what makes it compelling. I began to question myself and how I might react in the situation. I'd like to think I'd fight tooth and nail rather than allow this sort of thing to occur.

It was definitely thought-provoking and well written, but it's not one I'd suggest for a bubble bath read.

Book Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Book Review: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

ISBN: 978-0553590326

Publisher: Bantam Discovery

Paperback: 320 Pages

First Line: Every smiley moon, without fail, Claire dreamed of her childhood.

One Word Review: Bewitching

Publisher's Description:

The Waverlys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation. For the Waverly history is in the soil. And so are their futures.

A successful caterer, Claire Waverly prepares dishes made with her mystical plants - from the nasturtiums that aid in keeping secrets to the snapdragons intended to discourage the attentions of her amorous neighbour. Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, distributes unexpected presents whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverlys - except for Claire's rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom the moment she could, abandoning Claire, as their mother had years before.

When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire's quiet life is turned upside down. Together again in the house they grew up in, Sydney takes stock of all she left behind, as Claire struggles to heal the wounds of the past. And soon the sisters realize they must deal with their common legacy - if they are ever to feel at home in Bascom...or with each other.

I have found a new favorite author, and her name is Sarah Addison Allen. Garden Spells is her debut novel, and it is simply wonderful. First of all, the cover is stunning. I would like to say I don't judge a book by it's cover, but it's just not true. It's gorgeous. I'd probably have bought the book even if I wasn't all that intrigued by the description. In fact, I'm not even sure I read the description.

But, I'm getting of track. Back to the book and its content. I wouldn't call it highly original. It had a very Practical Magic feel (a movie I didn't actually care for, to be honest). But what the plot may have lacked in originality, Ms. Allen more than makes up for in the way she tells her story. The characters are the best part - my favorite being Evanelle. I wanted to bring that sweet old woman home with me. Everything about the story is a bit fantastical, but therein lies the charm. The characters, the events, the mood...it's all a bit over the top, but in such a delicious way, you don't mind suspending your disbelief for even a second.

I loved the book so much, that as soon as I turned the final page, I went online and ordered her second novel, The Sugar Queen. I've actually already read it, too, but you'll have to wait for that review.

Book Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

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New Beginnings

Well, if you're reading this...I'm shocked! I look back and see that my last post was in November - not good. A multitude of occurrences led to my hiatus from posting, and I had actually considered just giving up entirely. Well, more than considered, because I had pretty much given it up. But, recently I've started missing it, and I've decided to give it another go. I've read some really terrific books lately (and some not so great as well) that I'd like to share with my fellow bibliophiles. So, look for some book reviews to come, and if you actually are reading this....then thanks!!

Book Review: Savvy by Ingrid Law

ISBN: 978-0803733060
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Hardcover: 342 pages
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
First Line: When my brother Fish turned thirteen, we moved to the deepest part of the inland because of the hurricane and, of course, the fact that he had caused it.
One Word Review: Empowering

Publisher's Description:

A vibrant new voice . . . a modern classic.

For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a “savvy”—a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Grandpa Bomba moves mountains, her older brothers create hurricanes and spark electricity . . . and now it’s the eve of Mibs’s big day.

As if waiting weren’t hard enough, the family gets scary news two days before Mibs’s birthday: Poppa has been in a terrible accident. Mibs develops the singular mission to get to the hospital and prove that her new power can save her dad. So she sneaks onto a salesman’s bus . . . only to find the bus heading in the opposite direction. Suddenly Mibs finds herself on an unforgettable odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up—and of other people, who might also have a few secrets hidden just beneath the skin.

At first glance, Savvy is a cute and entertaining yarn about a small band of misfits who overcome numerous obstacles in the journey to help Mibs' dad. But it's actually a great deal more than that. There are subtle moments throughout the story that reinforce how one should never doubt their own worth. It also sends a strong message that what we want and what is best for us are often different things. Middle grade and young adult readers will enjoy the story - it's fun and lighthearted, and Mibs is a great little heroine. The plot moves at a relatively quick pace, making it an easy read. I think this is a must read especially for young girls, who have a tendency to overlook their own special gifts and talents.

I have a tendency to select books because I am struck by their lovely cover art. Often, the substance of the book doesn't live up to the packaging, but Savvy definitely does.

Book Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Happy Turkey Day

I hope you all have a wonderful day today!!

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