A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

by Betty Smith, 493 p.

I had never heard of this book before I picked it up on a whim at a half price store, and it sat on my shelf until the book group decided to read it in January.  I'm so glad that I finally got the opportunity.

It reminds me so much of what I would have read as a kid when I ran out of American Girl and Dear America books, and I so wish I could have had it then.  I really think that Francie is my historical spirit animal.  I want to take her home and give her lots of coffee and books and attention.

Gah!

Little Bee

by Chris Cleave, 271 p.

Little Bee is a Nigerian refugee.  Sarah Summers O'Rourke is a widow and writer.  How their stories collide is as rife with tragedy as it is with hope.  Told from both perspectives, Little Bee is breathtaking, difficult, and wonderful all at once.

The only reason I might say it was painful to read is that there is so much emotion in the book that I had to put it down often.  Read it, do.

The Big Crunch

by Pete Hautman, 280 p.

This was described to me as a YA "When Harry Met Sally."  Now, I happen to consider WHMS one of the best movies of all time (I blame both TNT for playing it in constant rotation throughout my childhood and my mother) so it automatically had pretty big shoes to fill.

I wasn't as thrilled with this book as other comedic, realistic teen romances that I've read recently.  Don't get me wrong - it was perfectly fine.  But it moved slow enough that I had a hard time actually finishing it.

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak, 552 p.

Out of all of the books I've read on Germany during World War II (I had a strange obsession with the Holocaust as a child), I had never read such a poignant book from the perspective of a German child.

All I can really say without getting too choked up is that this is, quite possibly, one of the best books I've ever read.  Ever.

Fables: Volume 1: Legends in Exile

by Bill Willingham (story), Lan Medina (pencils), Steve Leialoha and Craig Hamilton (inks), Sherilyn van Valkenburgh (colors), Todd Klein (letters), and James Jean and Alex Maleev (original series covers), 127 pages

When all the different kingdoms of folklore and fairy tale are overrun by an avaricious enemy only known as the Adversary, the denizens of the old worlds regroup in the mundane land of New Amsterdam. In order to survive, they must pull together, so they sign accords granting amnesty for all their past deeds and forge ahead for centuries as carriages give way to yellow cabs and New Amsterdam becomes New York. Things are going as well as they can when Rose Red, civil servant Snow White's wild-child sister, goes missing, leaving a bloody mess behind in her apartment. Bigby, once a scourge of civilization as the big bad wolf, is now a lawman of Fabletown and sets out to solve the mystery before it stirs up too many past grudges and tears their delicately maintained society apart.

Cheezy noir with semi-familiar personalities all tossed together for a somewhat fun, if a bit hokey, entry into a fairy tale-infested universe. Golly, it's been a long time since I read an American-style comic book á la Marvel or DC (the latter's Vertigo imprint, in this case). It'll take me a while to get reacquainted with the color palette and the drawing style, which are not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed aspects of the hammy, tongue-in-cheek story. Philandering playboy Prince Charming (ex of several of the leading ladies), irresponsible slacker Jack of Fables, Beauty and her Beast (in marriage counseling--again), and newly-engaged Bluebeard all make appearances this volume and help fill out this world of literary and cultural refugees. It'll be interesting to see who else shows up in the future and how well they do or do not fit our expectations from what we remember of their sources.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern
387 pp                                                                                      

I can't believe this is a first novel! Beautifully written, every word in place, it's an engaging read and I couldn't put it down. Mystery, magic, love, inspiration...it's all in there but it isn't overstuffed.  It's paced and measured perfectly.  I loved it!
Kim F.
                                                            

Revolution

by Jennifer Donnelly, 471 pages

I saw the print edition of Donnelly's book on the shelf and eventually got it on audio. Andi Alpers is an angry, grieving teen from a posh school in Brooklyn. Alexandrine Paradis is a young player who becomes involved in the lives of the royal family during the French Revolution. Andi lost her young brother Truman to a random act of violence, and Alexandrine must watch Louis-Charles suffer the brutality of the Terror. Their lives intertwine when Andi finds Alex's lost diary and she reads the gripping account of the attempts Alex makes to to save the doomed Dauphin, Louis Charles.

Why I picked it up: I thought it would be a time travel novel set during the turbulent era of the French Revolution.

Why I finished it: While I know a fair amount about the French Revolution, I was intrigued with the character sketches of real figures from the time. It is not really a time travel novel, but through Alex's eyes you get a level of detail about the lives of the royal family and their tragic ends.

Overall, I liked the book, though Andi's rebellious teen posture became a bit annoying by the end. It would appeal to people with musical interests since that is the main focus of Andi's character, especially when she talks about the history of rock music. The epilogue was a bit over the top, but given the fantastic elements of the story, it didn't seem that out of place.

by Cate K