The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis

I quickly requested this book from our library system once I saw it was Oprah's next book club pick. I don't read all of Oprah's book club choices, but this one looked interesting based on Oprah's interview with the author and a summary included in O Magazine.

Hattie is the matriarch of a large, dysfunctional family - the twelve tribes are her children and one granddaughter. Each chapter takes the reader into another character's life. One review of the book noted that it was heartwarming and redemptive... well, it is that in the same way that The Pursuit of Happyness (sic) was a happy movie. There's about 5% happy and redemptive in this book. That said, I was impressed with the author's debut - it moved right along and spanned many years without making it feel like an epic novel. I don't know if I would make the comparisons to Toni Morrison that many seem to do in their reviews - but Morrison's influence is definitely present in this book.

I'd recommend this book if you like stories based in gritty reality and don't mind that things won't get much brighter at the end. I give it 8 out of 10.

My Two Favorite Books of the Year: Gone Girl and The Round House

I read both of these books this fall/winter, and I've found myself recommending them to several people since.

Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn, was a big hit this year. I often shy away from such books because I usually am more critical of them than the general public (it's the English teacher in me). However, I devoured this book right along with the rest of America.

Gone Girl follows Nick and Amy's relationship in a very circuitous fashion. It starts with their five year wedding anniversary, when Amy suddenly disappears. Where is she? Is she alive? What did Nick have to do with it? There are so many twists and turns in this novel that my head was practically spinning by the end. It was very hard to predict what would happen next, which I love. Without revealing too much, I can say that there is a change in narrator, and that really helps the reader see a fuller picture of what's going on. There is already a movie in the works - Reese Witherspoon is producing and possibly starring in - so read it before the movie ruins the book for you! I give Gone Girl 9.5 out of 10 stars

The other book I loved this year was The Round House by Louise Erdrich. Not only is the story engrossing, but the way Erdrich has with words left me going back to reread paragraphs and sentences just to catch the pure beauty of them as much as I could.

The Round House is narrated by Joe, a 13-year-old Native American boy who lives with his parents on a North Dakota reservation. When Joe's mother is brutally assaulted and nearly killed, Joe decides he needs to find the killer. The twist is that the assault could have happened on tribal land, state land, or federal land, and the race of the perpetrator could also muddle the situation.

The way Erdrich shows the reader about life on the reservation seems very realistic, and I would have loved to use this book in my classroom if it wasn't for the very sexual nature of it. While I can't recommend it to my students for that reason, I most definitely recommend it to anyone college-age or older. The storyline grabs you, but Erdrich's poetic language is also reason enough to sink in. I give this novel 9 out of 10.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars is a critically acclaimed YAL novel. I'd seen it mentioned so many times in my Entertainment Weekly magazine that I had to give it a try. I'm glad I did - it was worth the read.

The book is narrated by Hazel, who is a teenager with terminal cancer. She has a dry wit that my students would love. Of course, she meets a boy - Augustus also had cancer but is in remission. The story follows their ups and downs, including their shared love of Hazel's favorite book, which leads them on quite the adventure. I can't reveal too much more without a spoiler alert, so I'll stop there.

Hazel's relationship with Augustus, as well as her parents, is very believable, yet it's not boring. It's easy to see why teens like it, and adults can enjoy it as well. I give this book an 8 out of 10, and I would recommend it to those who like YAL (and don't mind crying a bit).

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

I will preface this by mentioning that Wonder is YAL (Young Adult Literature), which as an English teacher I like to read. The good stuff, that is. I've found that the right YAL can really open students to reading more, and that is of course my goal!

Wonder is a really great book. Its audience level could be anywhere from 5th grade to adult, which is pretty amazing for any novel. I've already recommended this novel to the other two English teachers at my school, thinking they may be able to use it in their classrooms. As for me, it will be taking a place in my independent reading cabinet for anyone to borrow.

The main character in Wonder is August. He is a fifth grader, but he has been home-schooled up until now because of his facial deformities. His brain works perfectly fine; however, the judgement he receives from others is hard to bear, for him, his family, and the reader. We follow August through his first year of private school. That alone would probably be interesting, but the narrator changes throughout the novel. We get to read from his sister's perspective, her boyfriend, August's best friend, and more. The change in perspective is pretty eye-opening, and it's one thing that would make this a great book in the classroom.

One thing I like about this book is that while the ending is redemptive, it's not a Full House type of ending. Everything is not shiny and fixed at the end. It's heartwarming but realistic. I give this book a 9 out of 10. If you enjoy YAL, read it!

Apron Anxiety by Alyssa Shelasky

I requested this book at the library a few months ago after reading a review of it in one of the dozen magazines I get. Not that it was the worst book ever, but I have a feeling the author of the book has a connection with the author of the book review - okay, but not worth recommending to most people.

As the subtitle suggests, Shelasky writes about both love and cooking - and how the two intertwine in her life. The bulk of the book is about her relationship with a famous chef - although she chooses not to use his name, a simple Google search will let you know who it is.

Memoirs often seem narcissistic - I barely made it through Eat, Pray, Love, for example. However, I didn't totally hate Shelasky by the time I finished reading. I did question her judgement in relationships, but then again so did she. I saw "Chef" in a pretty negative light, far more than she seems to.

I did like the tie-in to cooking. Shelasky barely knew how to make a thing at the beginning of the book, but by the end she was a well-known cooking blogger. Each chapter included a couple related recipes. I can't see myself making most of them, but it's nice to have the option after reading about how wonderful the food was!

I give this book 6.5 out of 10, and I would recommend it to my friends who love to cook (or wish they could), as well as friends who have a hard time seeing flaws in their very faulty partners. They may see a little of their own partners in "Chef" and come to their senses.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

I chose to read Dark Places after enjoying Flynn's more recent novel, the acclaimed Gone Girl. (I'll post my review of Gone Girl shortly.) While I found Gone Girl to be a little more engaging with more plot twists, I also enjoyed Dark Places.

The story is primarily based on Libby Day, whose sisters and mother were violently murdered when she was young. Libby testified that her brother was the culprit, sending him to prison for life. However, as the story continues, she becomes unsure whether he was the true murderer.

The chapters are focused on different characters- Libby, her brother, and her mother take turns as the focus. I like this style of writing, as it helps the reader get to I know the characters in more depth and gives them a sense of omniscience.

Without ruining the ending, I can say that I had a few suspicions, and I was about 25% correct about the outcome. I give the book a 7.5 out of 10. If you really enjoy Gone Girl, it's worth reading this book as well - just don't expect the exact same thing.

In the beginning...

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me what I've read lately, I'd have enough money to stay home and read all day. I really don't mind this question - I get it; I'm an English teacher - but the problem is I have a hard time remembering what I recently read. I read so much that I can't devote the brain space to memorizing the titles and authors, much less my thoughts on each book.

Enter this blog - a way to document and collect my thoughts on books I've read. Perhaps it will even improve my working memory on the subject. Either way, I hope you, my reader, find it useful. And hey, if tons of people start reading my blog, and authors start sending me advance copies of their books for my honest, thoughtful reviews, all the better. :)