“Rural Mississippi just after the Second World War is a hard and muddy place. Hillary Jordan’s novel Mudbound evokes the era brilliantly–returning soldiers trying to find their way after the brutality of the war, some facing the continuing brutality of a racist America. A very compelling story.” Cathy Langer on Indie Bound’s Indie Next List (March 2008 Pick)

You know how I’m lazy right? So lazy I might consider doing these book reviews via Twitter. I usually only have a few sentences to say about each book any way.

• 23:33 finished Black Tower, am now reading Mudbound. Am I seriously reading a book w/ phrase “he took me from behind”? Who do I recommend that to?
• 23:35 and that was a rhetorical question. We all know the answer: customers in turquoise velour track suits
• 00:54 Finished Mudbound & need therapy. Was so emotionally tumultuous. No wonder Vamp novels sell well: they have NO FEELINGS & they’re Dead Sexy.

Although this is a pick for September’s Indie Bound’s Indie Next list the blurbs for next month aren’t up on-line yet. Thus, you will have to make do with the book description for now:

“Hector Carpentier, a medical student, lives with his widowed mother in her once-genteel home, now a boardinghouse, in Paris’s Latin Quarter, helping the family make ends meet in the politically perilous days of the restoration. Three blocks away, a man has been murdered, and Hector’s name has been found on a scrap of paper in the dead man’s pocket: a case for the unparalleled deductive skills of Eugene Francois Vidocq, the most feared man in the Paris police. At first suspicious of Hector’s role in the murder, Vidocq gradually draws him into an exhilarating–and dangerous–search that leads them to the true story of what happened to the son of the murdered royal family.

In ‘The Black Tower,’ Bayarddeftly interweaves political intrigue, epic treachery, cover-ups, and conspiracies into a gripping portrait of family redemption–and brings to life an indelible portrait of the mighty and profane Eugene Francois Vidocq, history’s first great detective.”

Now I know the first thing most people think of when they think of me is “epic treachery” but to be honest - this isn’t the kind of book I normally read or like. However, I was quite taken with this one. I didn’t adore it wholeheartedly but I was quite smitten with Bayard’s style of writing. In fact, I know I have one of her earlier novels, “Mr. Timothy”, on my bookshelf and as soon as Christmas season (and the tireless prep of reading books to recommend for people during Christmas season) is over I shall pick it up. Although, seeing as that book is based on Timothy Cratchit from A Christmas Carol fame perhaps I should get to it BEFORE the holidays.

ETA: Here’s the Indi Next List blurb

“In The Black Twoer, a ne’er-do-well medical student is surprised by the founder and chief of a newly created Paris plainclothes police force and is asked to help solve a mystery involving French royalty, with surprising and dangerous results. Bayard’s talent for spinning a suspenseful story along in the margins of known history makes his books irresistible.” — Carol Schneck

“The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society is a gem. Just after WWII a writer is contacted by a fan on the island of Guernsey. As events unfold and she goes to Guernsey, she learns of the misery, bravery and ingenuity of the locals when Guernsey was abandoned by the British to be captured by the Germans. Because it’s told in letters, it’s bound to be compared it to 84 Charing Cross Road. But Guernsey Literary is like no other book I’ve ever read and it’s outstanding.” — Elaine Petrocelli in Indie Bound’s Next List

This is one of those feel good happy books - that happens to cover a few non-feel good happy subjects (the devastation WWII wrought on the people, the land, and their hearts). I’m really going to enjoy hand selling this one during the holidays because it really is a fantastic book to recommend to others (to give to someone else). It’s clean, insightful, and has a lot of humorous moments. Thus, I was thrilled to see this one in the holiday catalog and have already grabbed an arm full to give away as presents myself.

One is going to my grandmother - and it’s really that type of fare. Really, I wouldn’t suggest it to the hand full of people who comment somewhat regularly on this blog. A little to run of the mill for you selective readers.

“What a wonderfully complicated and rich novel! Set in past and present Salem Massachusetts, the story takes off immediately, interspersing splendid detail about the history of lace makers as well as the famous witch trials, with the modern story of a family’s intricate history and the manifestations for the present generation. The novel is packed with interesting characters (including modern witches) and many plot lines which come together magnificently at the conclusion. A truly amazing and riveting read.” — Karen Frank in Indie Bound review

I read the ARC of this one a couple months ago and quite liked it. I didn’t love it, but it was interesting story that I found myself unable to stop in the middle of. It (and especially the ending) reminded me of Anita Shreve’s stories - which isn’t a bad thing.

I was pleased to see this title made it into our regional holiday catalog as I think it will be a fun book to hand sell.

Preparing For Christmas Season In The Harried Book World: Book #2

“This is an unusual story about the power of love to transcend physical limitations and to transform ugliness into beauty. It’s all in the eyes of the beholder, as we are often told. This book makes you believe that simple truth.” Miriam Sontz from Indie Bound’s August 2008 Indie Next List

I really adored this one, but I can’t think of one single person who I would recommend it to. With a severely burned former porn star as its main character it’s not exactly the wholesome feel good story one likes to suggest to customers. But the people in the book who are on the cusp of “normal” society are just so intriguing, likable, and easy to relate to - whether it’s the gay viking or a fallen nun in the 13th century.

It’s part The Burn Journals (by Brent Runyon) and part “the last will and testament of a crazy homeless man.”  It doesn’t have a neatly tied happy ending, but the way this story wrapped up didn’t make me feel cheated either.

Preparing For Christmas Season In The Harried Book World: Book #1

Evidently the dust jacket to this book features a book description that gives away a major plot point that doesn’t occur until halfway through the book. Shame on you dust jacket!

Fortunately, I don’t read dust jackets prior to reading books! Unfortunately, I did read the letter from Stephen King praising the book that was included in the front of the advance reader’s copy of this title. It compares it to a story which not only gives away the plot but also the ending as well.

Even though I knew how it would end based on this comparison, I still feel sucker punched by it. I completely loved the entire book until the end which made me take all of my feelings of love and adoration back. It’s been over a month since I finished this one and I’m still steaming mad over the ending. I don’t know if it was worth it. I feel as if the author made me love Edgar Sawtelle and his story, only to manically destroy everything I loved with an evil cackle.

This one is the third in Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven series which is really quite likable. Normally, I like young adult books that are for the older readers whereas this one is more middle school level. It’s still a thick seemingly complex book though so I’m still a fan. I’ve had good luck with recommending this one because there’s really nothing for people to dislike.

In my regular blog, I detailed how due to Stephenie Meyer and “Twilight” series is gracing the top of all the best seller lists, I had bought myself a dream journal.

On her website she tells how she came up with the plot for the story from an intense dream she had one night. In fact, chapter 13 of her first book is basically a transcript of that dream. I’m fairly sure I’m among a large segment of the population who forgets their dreams within moments of waking up. So, what best sellers have I been missing out on? I mean SERIOUSLY. Coming up with story ideas is my biggest problem. Do you realize how hard it is to write without having a plot or an original story idea? I know, I know - Nicholas Sparks makes it look easy but still.

So I went and bought myself a dream journal. When I told Ben about it, he thought I mean like a “goal” journal where I would write down life ambitions and such. He has made fun of me for it so much. In fact, now if I dare to complain or ask for a favor he just replies, “Why don’t you go tell that to your Dream Journal.”

Now, the Host was not based off of a dream. It was based off of a story Meyer was telling herself to keep herself entertained on a long road trip while driving through Arizona to Salt Lake City. I’ve made that trip, but I didn’t tell stories to myself to keep myself awake. Of course, I was driving in the summer in a car that didn’t have air conditioning so any stores I would have told myself would take place in Antarctica. “Penguins, lovely.”

And unlike the dream journal, I don’t think I’m going to start taking long road trips in the desert just so I can try to come up with a good story too. This one was good. I don’t think that it has as compelling characters as Twilight (which has caused a lot of the adults to overlook some of the writing), but if you like Meyer’s other books and you’re willing to make it through the first several chapters (which are a real snoozefest) it gets pretty good. Halfway through I found myself caught up enough in the characters that I had trouble stopping until I was finished. I’m not saying it’s classic literature or that Meyer’s pen is obviously guided by angels. But it made me happy reading it.

I do love Stephenie Meyer - not just as an author but as a friend. She’s really awesome and has always been incredibly fantastic to her fans. I’ve had so many teenage girls who have written her and been astounded when she wrote back. She can’t keep up with that now, but she has always been so kind to all her fans. That’s what makes me love an author - almost as much as what and how they write. Because I love my customers and so it makes me happy when an author loves them too. Thus, I will always defend her and her books - sparkling vampires or not.

Also, if you’re still reading this - I’m having a Breaking Dawn midnight release party and it’s going to be seriously awesome. You should totally come.

Shortly after I read Marr’s first book a friend commented about what a shame it was that one was getting all the shelf space in large bookstores and so lauded when Cassandra Clare’s City of Ashes series was being overlooked. My first chapter into Clare’s work and I immediately agreed with my friend. It’s a fantastic story with compelling characters who are funny (so funny at times) and without the forced “I’m cool! Teenagers please love me!” feel that Marr (and Holly Black’s) books give off.

However, by the very end I was beginning to waver because of a huge plot turn (that I can’t even allude to without spoiling it) which is also explored more in the second book. And let me tell you it’s a big EW factor. It actually left me feeling pretty disgusted by the end of the first book, but since I was able to immediately read the second (the third hasn’t been published yet) those feelings were assuaged slightly. I think it’s going to turn out be a big hoax but still EW.

But even with the Ew factor, Clare’s books are still much better. Victory is to Clare - Knockout!

In this corner weighing in at 645 pages, I have a set of books set of books which are urban faeire tales with Seelie folk walking around with glamours to shield us mere mortal from their cruel beauty.

And in the other corner weighing in at 653 pages, I have a set of books set of books which are urban faeire tales with Seelie folk walking around with glamours to shield us mere mortal from their cruel beauty.

Hmm, wait. When I read the first book in each of these sets (where the second book is slightly related to each other as in they take place in the same world, but the second book isn’t a true sequel of the characters in the first books), I liked Melissa Marr’s tale slight better than Holly Black’s. Neither are fantastic books but there was something compelling about each one that kept me from stopping halfway through. They both try a little hard to be cool - look my humans have tattoos and problems! and so forth.

I didn’t love either book enough to whole heartedly recommend it to someone (unless they were a fan of the genre) but they weren’t horrible. Pretty much they’re on the same level - if you liked Holly Black’s books, I’d recommend Marr’s to you or vice versa.

However, Wicked Lovely & Ink Exchange have gorgeous covers so I declare them the winner by a hair!