Charlotte’s Web | by E. B. White

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
(HarperCollins, 1952, 184 pages)

One of the marks of good children’s literature is the ability to convey sentiment without becoming sentimental. This is a mark of good literature in general of course, but sentimentality is a pitfall to which children’s books are particularly prone. This is (part of) the great accomplishment of E. B. White’s classic; in a story about the lives of farmyard animals he deals with the subjects of love, friendship, and death in a way that never sidesteps the harsh realities of life. What’s more, he does this with a plot that keeps children fully captivated, anxious to see whether Wilbur the pig will live or die and to find out which message Charlotte will spin next in her web. Through an evocative, beautiful, and funny depiction of life and change in an ordinary farmyard, White gently introduces children to the issues that will define the rest of their lives.

I read this to my three year old daughter, and she loved it. It seemed that each time a word, phrase, or concept was introduced that might be difficult for children to comprehend, White anticipates the child’s question and puts it in the mouth of one of his characters (usually Wilbur). I remember reading Charlotte’s Web as a child, and as an adult I found myself drawn in again, not only by the plot, but by the sense of place that White evokes. The beautiful descriptions of summer days and changing seasons of a farm form the perfect backdrop for the themes of the plot. This is the best of children’s literature – a book that engages a child’s love of the fantastic while depicting a world that an adult can recognize as true to the realities of life.

Gypped | by Carol Higgins Clark

Gypped by Carol Higgins Clark
(Scribner, 2012, 224 pages)

Gypped is the fifteenth novel in the Regan Reilly Mystery series by Carol Higgins Clark. In this novel, Regan Reilly and her husband, Jack, take a trip from their home in New York to Jack’s conference in California. While in California, Regan runs into Zelda, an acquaintance from seven years earlier when the two of them appeared on a game show together. Neither Regan nor Zelda won the big prize on the game show, but Zelda has since struck it rich when her neighbor died and left her eight million dollars. When Regan and Zelda sit down to chat about their lives, Zelda quickly becomes ill. Is it food poisoning or is someone out to get Zelda and her money?

Gypped is a quick, short, read-in-one-sitting novel. The plot’s not new, but the dialogue is witty and the characters are fun. This is a good book to read in a waiting room or on vacation. I recommend it for anyone looking for some light reading.

Harry Potter Series: Books 1 – 3 | by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
(Scholastic, 1999, 320 pages)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
(Scholastic, 2000, 341 pages)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
(Scholastic, 2001, 435 pages)

I decided to reread all the Harry Potter books this summer and I have sped through the first three in record time.  It really is amazing what J.K. Rowling accomplished with these books; the plot is so tight, when you reread them you can see how thought out the story was from the very beginning.  I’m catching things I didn’t the first time around and things I forgot about because they weren’t included in the movies.  It’s been lot of fun so far!

You can check out Julia and Sadie‘s reviews of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

You can also see Julia’s reviews of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone | by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
(Scholastic, 1999, 320 pages)

Harry Potter has been living a miserable life with the Dursley’s ever since his parents died when he was just one year old. But Harry is surprised when he finds out that he is not only a wizard, but a famous wizard who took down Voldemort, the most powerful dark wizard in history. Now Harry must find his way through this magical world and adjust to this new fame and talent. As Harry’s first school year goes on, he makes friends with Ron and Hermoine and discovers a secret plan that the trio must stop before Voldemort rises again.

My sister reread the Harry Potter series a few months ago and I was completely jealous of how much fun she kept saying it was. So like any normal little sister, I’m copying her idea. I was lucky to have literally grown up with Harry Potter as my mom gave me the first Harry Potter book when I was in elementary school. So as the series is responsible for creating my first reading obsession, I could never say anything negative about it. I just enjoy reading them too much. I will say that it’s amazing how you notice little things in the first book that become pivotal parts of Harry’s story later on. As many times as I’ve read the first book in the series, I always think I notice something new each time.

You can also check out Julia’s review, here.

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk | by Ben Fountain

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain
(Ecco, 2012, 320 pages)

Billy and the Bravo Squad are home on “break” after an intense exchange with Iraqi insurgents that just happened to be caught on film by Fox News. As a result of this highly viewed fight, the men of  Bravo Squad are seen as heroes and take a brief respite to tour around the U.S. in an attempt to recapture public support for the war. Billy spends the majority of his time trying not to dwell on the events that brought him back to America. He and the Bravos have certainly received a great deal of attention and they’re spending their Thanksgiving attending a Dallas Cowboys game and trying to mentally help their agent get the green light to make their experience in Iraq into a movie – they head back overseas at the end of the day.

Billy spends this Thanksgiving Day reflecting on the state of his country, his family, and his squad and trying to come to grips with his role in everything. He wants to fall in love, he wants the friends he lost to be back, he wants not to have to fight again, he wants his mother and sisters to be happy, he wants so many things… In Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk we experience what it feels like to be a soldier doing things and facing things that the average citizen can’t even hope to comprehend.

I liked this book more than I thought I would. The audiobook narrator was good, but I think it might have been better to have a younger person doing the narration since the story is told from the point of view of a 19-year-old. A good read – and we have it on our SCC Nooks!

Daddy’s Gone A Hunting | by Mary Higgins Clark

Daddy’s Gone A Hunting by Mary Higgins Clark
(Simon & Schuster, 2013, 338 pages)

Overview:

In her latest novel Mary Higgins Clark, the beloved, bestselling “Queen of Suspense,” exposes a dark secret from a family’s past that threatens the lives of two sisters, Kate and Hannah Connelly, when the family-owned furniture firm in Long Island City, founded by their grandfather and famous for its fine reproductions of antiques, explodes into flames in the middle of the night, leveling the buildings to the ground, including the museum where priceless antiques have been on permanent display for years.

The ashes reveal a startling and grisly discovery, and provoke a host of suspicions and questions. Was the explosion deliberately set? What was Kate—tall, gorgeous, blond, a CPA for one of the biggest accounting firms in the country, and sister of a rising fashion designer—doing in the museum when it burst into flames? Why was Gus, a retired and disgruntled craftsman, with her at that time of night? What if someone isn’t who he claims to be?

Now Gus is dead, and Kate lies in the hospital badly injured and in a coma, so neither can tell what drew them there, or what the tragedy may have to do with the hunt for a young woman missing for many years, nor can they warn that somebody may be covering his tracks, willing to kill to save himself . . .

Step by step, in a novel of dazzling suspense and excitement, Mary Higgins Clark once again demonstrates the mastery of her craft that has made her books international bestsellers for years. She presents the reader with a perplexing mystery, a puzzling question of identity, and a fascinating cast of characters—one of whom may just be a ruthless killer . . .

I’m a big fan of Mary Higgins Clark and was excited about reading her latest novel.  I have to say I was a little disappointed.  It was still readable and entertaining, but not with the depth or the just-can’t-put-it-down excitement of her earlier books. I found it hard keeping up with all the characters and trying to remember each one’s role.  Although, that could have something to do with my brain function, hehe!  It was still full of suspense and had me wanting to know what the outcome was going to be. If you are a fan of hers, you will still enjoy it. I will continue to read her books because I still think she’s a fantastic writer.

My Friend Dahmer | by Derf Backderf

My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf
(Abrams ComicArts, 2012, 224 pages)

Jeffrey Dahmer could have been a kid in your class, and that’s what this graphic novel is about. Author Derf Backderf went to high school with Dahmer in the late 1970s. He was a member of small group of kids that formed the “Dahmer Fan Club,” more of a mockery of Dahmer than a tribute to him. They made fun of Jeff and his “Dahmerisms,” placed him in the back of group yearbook photos where he didn’t belong (e.g., National Honor Society), and put him up to pranks at the mall. While the members of the “fan club” hung out with him some, they weren’t really his friends.  Dahmer was mostly socially isolated and grew up in a house of conflict–his mother and father fought constantly. Along with family problems, persistent thoughts of death and sex  always plagued Jeff, which he fought with hard liquor. Eventually he acted on those urges and became infamous serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer.

This book didn’t make me feel sorry for Dahmer, but it did help me to understand him better.  It is a well-researched account of Dahmer’s life based on the author’s personal observations of and interactions with him, interviews with classmates and neighbors, and transcripts and videos of interviews with Dahmer by various media and FBI. An extensive notes section offers interesting supplemental information. At the end of the book a quote by Dahmer sums up his experience: “This is the grand finale of a life poorly spent and the end result is just overwhelmingly depressing… A sick pathetic, miserable life story, that’s all it is.”

Rebecca | by Daphne du Maurier

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
(HarperCollins, 2006, 410 pages)

There’s no question that Rebecca is a classic – I saw it on the shelf at the library and couldn’t resist picking it up. The story is the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter (whose name we never learn) reflecting back on her first year of marriage at the Manderley estate. She came from a low class upbringing and having married into this whole new upper-class world she is hesitant about her place in Maxim’s life and at Manderley. Plus she is constantly comparing herself to Rebecca, the original Mrs. de Winter.

Things at Manderley are a bit strained for the new bride. She doesn’t want to take charge of the household, instead leaving it to Mrs. Danvers, who was Rebecca’s devoted servant. Our narrator can tell that Mrs. Danvers isn’t a fan of hers and she does her best to stay out of her way. The thing is, it feels as if Rebecca is everywhere. The narrator can’t escape her presence and Maxim never wants to talk about her… Something is going on at Manderley, our narrator can sense that something is wrong, she’s just not sure what it is…

Rebecca is definitely a book filled with mystery and suspense. I wasn’t surprised to learn that Hitchcock had made it into a film – one I plan on watching. A good read – I’m glad I finally found the time to pick it up

The Perks of Being a Wallflower | by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
(MTV Books, 2012, 224 pages)

This was the final book of the Spring 2013 semester for SCC’s “Between the Covers” book club and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. It’s a quick read; I was able to get through it in two days and I really enjoyed it. Told through a series of letters written by the main character, Charlie, we are taken back to the early 90s as Charlie begins his high school experience. He’s a quiet individual, more prone to sitting back and observing than actively participating. But he starts coming out little by little as he makes new friends at school, primarily Sam and Patrick who love and appreciate him for being exactly who he is.

The reader isn’t sure who Charlie is writing his letters to which leads to some interesting speculation. While I was reading I certainly found myself relating to certain high school experiences and feelings that Charlie was going through. Chbosky did a great job developing Charlie’s voice and leading the reader through this story. I’m glad The Perks of Being a Wallflower was part of our book club so I had to pick it up and see why so many people love it. I am curious to see the movie now… and I can’t wait to hear what other people think about the book tomorrow when we meet to discuss it at our “Between the Covers” meeting!

And don’t forget to check out Sadie’s review of this title

Me Before You | by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
(Viking, 2012, 369 pages)

I picked this up on a whim and I can’t get over how much I loved it. Me Before You has a unique story – set in England, Lou (short for Louisa) has recently lost her job. She eventually finds work as a sort of “companion” for Will. Will lives in a world completely different from the one Lou grew up in. He is clearly upper class and was used to living a full, rich and adventurous life as a powerful businessman. Now, however, Will is confined to a wheelchair – a quadriplegic. He’s had an incredibly hard time adjusting to his new “life” and Lou makes it her mission to help show him that his life doesn’t have to end because of his medical condition.

Lou and Will start off on the wrong foot, primarily because Will is already resentful of her presence before she even starts working. Gradually they warm to one another and as a friendship blossoms one can’t help but detect there is something else there as well. Lou has a boyfriend but he’s pretty focused on his own life and goals, marriage isn’t anywhere near the forefront of his mind. Will more or less becomes ingrained in Lou’s life and vice versa. She can’t imagine what her life would be without him, but it turns out this fear might become an all too startling reality when Lou learns that Will already has plans for how he wants his life to go…

This book had me hooked pretty quickly. Moyes’s character development and writing style draw you in almost immediately. There were numerous times while I was reading that I laughed out loud and then there were other times where I literally couldn’t stop myself from crying. This was a great read. A pleasant surprise to stumble across when browsing the book shelves. I should have known I’d like it based on Sadie’s review