The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

One of my favorite books of all time is My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, so I feel obliged to read her latest novel, no matter the topic. (Funnily enough, this doesn't apply to all authors of my favorite books.)

The Storyteller is not going to make my top ten list of favorite books, but it was definitely worth reading. There are three layers to the story: the present, narrated by lost soul and baker Sage Singer; the past, narrated by Sage's grandmother; and a fictional story within the story. These elements make it a pretty interesting read.

Sage befriends Josef, a very old man with a dark secret and a plea for help. I will give a partial spoiler that it involves the Holocaust, because most people are either interested in that subject or not. I for one have always been interested in it, so it made the book even better.

While it isn't my favorite book of Picoult's, it is up there with the best of them. I give it an 8/10.

Delerium and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Somehow I managed to read Delerium a few months back without ever picking up the sequel. While browsing for available ebooks from my local library, I found the sequel and dove in. Good choice!

Delerium is the first in a trilogy by Lauren Oliver. The narrator is Lena, who lives in a post-apocalyptic East Coast city where love is a disease. Teenagers get inoculated from it, but of course there are some pretty bad side effects (not caring about anyone?). So there are some people who don't want the "cure."  Lena plans on getting the cure until, of course, she meets a boy. Then her world is opened up to all kinds of different viewpoints, and she has to make some tough decisions.

I do not remember being completely swept up in the first novel, but the second one, Pandemonium, was a different matter. Once I remembered the plot, I was carried away with Lena to her new situation, and it took less than a day to read.

The third book comes out in early March, and I will be reading it right away!

Columbine by Dave Cullen

The book Columbine was briefly mentioned in a book I read last summer about teaching writing to adolescents. Intrigued, I picked up a copy, but it took me quite a while to actually read it. Who purposely spends their time before bed reading about mass murder? Apparently, me.

In the book, Cullen attempts to explain what really happened - not just on April 20, 1999, but in the many years before and after. The amount of information he had access to is what gives him more credibility than most. Reading about the killers' actions, past crimes, journals, and video tapes were absolutely chilling. The fact that the police had knowledge of Eric Harris' criminal tendencies and their failure to act on them is incredibly frustrating.

However, the best part about this book is the amount of misinformation that gets tackled. It is amazing how much false information the media put out there, and most of us still remember it to be fact. Unfortunately, this hasn't changed much - just look at the Sandy Hook shootings, where the media misidentified the brother as the shooter, the mom as a teacher, and more.

I enjoyed reading this book as much as one can enjoy an account of such a terrible tragedy. It is well-written and extremely thorough. 8.5/10.

Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I love reading good Young Adult Literature, but it can be hard to come by. For every Hunger Games, there are 100 copycats that don't measure up. However, Veronica Roth manages to write a great dystopian series without getting too close to the Hunger Games trilogy. Right now only the first two novels are out: Divergent, followed by Insurgent. I've been recommending these books to my students ever since I finished reading them! Apparently a theatrical version is being filmed in Chicago this spring, so this series will only be getting more popular.

Divergent is narrated by Beatrice Prior, a teenager who lives in a futuristic, dystopian Chicago. It is clear that Roth has spent time in Chicago, as the sights she mentions are well-known to a Midwesterner like myself. In Beatrice's world, though, there are five factions around Chicago. Each has a different raison de'etre, including bravery, selflessness, peacefulness, happiness, and honesty. When Beatrice turns 16, she takes a test to determine which faction she most fits in with, but then she gets to choose which faction she wants to belong to. Her position isn't guaranteed - she has to pass initiation or else risk becoming factionless (like being homeless forever). Like in any dystopian society, things aren't always as they seem, and not everyone can get along. I don't want to spoil too much of the novel, so I will stop there. I also won't tell you anything about the companion novel Insurgent, since that would be a huge spoiler as well!

These books really pull you in - I was disappointed when I found out the third book was not out yet! Hopefully the movies will be of the same caliber. I'd recommend this series to anyone who likes Young Adult Literature and/or dystopian novels. You won't be disappointed! 9/10 for both novels.

Bringing up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman

As an expectant mother, I have been getting a few tips on books to read regarding parenting. One of my friends highly suggested Bringing Up Bebe, so it became my first dive into the world of parenting texts.

The author, Pamela Druckerman, was an American journalist before getting married and moving to Paris. When she has her first baby, she realizes how differently the Parisian babies act in comparison to hers. As a journalist, she takes it upon herself to note and research all these differences, and of course try out techniques that might make her child (later children) act like the wonderful children all around them. Sometimes it works, and often it doesn't.

I found it really interesting to read about the very different parenting styles that they have in France. It's also notable that they don't necessarily label their parenting styles like we do in the U.S. There were some takeaways from the book as well, although I feel I'd have to get my whole family and any other caretakers on board for some things, and that probably won't happen.

I'd recommend this book to new parents, and I give it 8/10.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

This book came highly recommended by a few media sources. The book follows Andy Barber, an assistant DA in suburban Boston, as he investigates the murder of an eighth grade boy. As clues come up that his own son may be the culprit, he goes from investigating to helping defend his own son.

This is a courtroom procedural, but there are definitely enough twists to keep it interesting. I find that I'm not especially impressed with the writing style of many crime authors, but Landay's was better than most. There were certainly some examples of stilted language - especially some dialogue, but overall it was well-written.

What I like most about this book is the ending. It was very unexpected, and while the end wasn't tied up nicely, I think it was a smart decision on the author's part.

I would recommend this book to people who like to read about crime - it is a step up from most crime books. I rate it 7/10.