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.

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.

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.

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).