Book Blurb: Midwives

Title: Midwives

Author: Chris Bohjalian


Genre: Fiction, Legal Thriller (kinda?)


Synopsis: A midwife in rural Vermont is charged with involuntary manslaughter after one of her patients dies in childbirth.


Stars: 4/5


Lauren's Review: At first I couldn't really get into the story, I even put it down for a month. I thought it was slow and repetitive. But towards the end I got hooked and at the climax I was almost sick I was so nervous! The last ‘chapter’ is a kick in the balls. Glad I came back to it.

Book Blurb: Cloud Atlas

Title: Cloud Atlas


Author: David Mitchell


Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Dystopian Fiction, Crime Thriller, pretty much everything


Synopsis: This book is made up of 6 mini stories all packaged together like one of those Russian nesting dolls, you get the first half of each story in chronological order all the way to the middle, then you get the second half in descending chronological order until you've finished the first story of the book.


Stars: 5/5


Lauren's Review: I absolutely loved this book! Like I said in the synopsis, it is made up of six 'nesting' stories. Each story is told in a different 'style' (diary entries, letters, crime novel, first person account), focusing on a different character in a different time period. That being said, this is NOT a collection of short stories! Each character encounters the works of the previous story in some form and they are all linked in subtle ways involving theme and a comet shaped birthmark.

This is one of those rare types of book that draws you in for the characters and plot, but leaves you thinking about the themes days and weeks later. It focuses on power, corruption, and the value of a human life; but it does so in a way that is unique and interesting. Please please pick up a copy and don't be turned off by the first story or two (which are a little old-Englishy), I promise it's worth it!

I got into a bit of an online debate about whether or not this book is 'pretentious.' Some people thought of it as a poorly written and without meaning...I really could not disagree more, but to each their own. I will say that not every aspect of the story is completely fleshed out nor is there an 'all loose ends tied up' kinda ending. I think this is troubling to some who want every story to wrap up or have a sequel, but it's just not that kind of book.

Just last month filming started on a movie version of this book, which is going to have an EPIC all star cast! I'm pretty excited - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/

I'd love to hear from someone else who read it and what their take on it is!

Book Blurb: The Sweet Relief of Missing Children

Title: The Sweet Relief of Missing Children


Author: Sarah Braunstein


Genre: Fiction


Synopsis: The story jumps between several different characters and their inter-related life experiences, with one constant story line that regards a missing girl named Lenora.


Stars: 2/5


Lauren's Review: This was my book club book last month, and I'm starting to think I'm cursed when it comes to picking a book club book. I always pick stinkers, and this was no exception.

The book has a lot of good qualities, for one the writing style is straight forward and blunt, therefore easy to read (which is what my book club needed after our previous book). And the stories are interesting and often leave you wanting more.

The real problem of this book is just that it seems to go nowhere. The characters' stories start to intertwine and it becomes a hassle to keep up with who's who. Instead of the masterful 'bring-it-all-together' ending that this book seemed to hint at with its structure and twists, it just kinda falls flat. I felt as if the author got tired, or couldn't think of a good way to end it.

What's more, the stories that started out as 'interesting and dark' end up more 'dark and depressing.' In the end I just felt disappointed and sad, the book was just a real downer. Guess I should have seen that coming with the title.

Book Blurb: A Game of Thrones

Title: A Game of Thrones


Author: George R. R. Martin


Genre: Fantasy


Synopsis: Fantasy at its finest. Any short synopsis will not do it justice.


Stars: 5/5


Lauren's Review: This book was everything I wanted it to be, and then some. I cannot get it out of my head. If you are a fantasy buff, this is an absolute MUST READ! If you're on the edge about fantasy ("I liked Harry Potter, but I'm not a total nerd") this book is STILL a must read! It combines the bests of all my favorite books, like King Arthur, LOTR, and Pillars of the Earth, into one awesome, epic tale.

The thing about this book that is the most amazing is the scope and detail. It's so intertwined and complex, and yet still totally enthralling. Description and dialogue are perfectly combined, and cliffhangers are randomly thrown in to make this 800 some page book a total page-turner.

Another beautiful thing is that it's not completely black and white. Fantasy has a tendency to have 'bad guys' and 'good guys,' and while this book isn't totally innocent of that, it has enough gray area that you feel connected to all the characters (at least the main ones).

I cannot recommend this book enough, please please please read it! Just be warned that you will be completely sucked in and may not have a social life until you finish it...and perhaps the 4 sequels.

Side Note: If you're not aware, this book has also been made into an HBO mini-series. I haven't seen it yet, but I hear fabulous things. I plan on checking it out soon!

Book Blurb: The Mermaid Chair

Title: The Mermaid Chair


Author: Sue Monk Kidd (who also wrote The Secret Life of Bees)


Genre: Romantic Fiction


Synopsis: A married middle aged woman goes home to take care of her depressed mother and has a mid-life crisis.


Stars: 0/5


Lauren's Review: Do not read this book. It sucks.

Why does it suck? Because the plot is boring and the main character is selfish. I understand that women are complex, emotional beings. But I also understand that when you have a nice husband who works full time so that you can pretend to be an artist in your cushy Victorian mansion, you really don't have that much to whine about. But Jessie whines and whines for a full novel. All the while ignoring the fact that her mother is DANGEROUSLY depressed and hurting herself. She is a terrible person. And I don't enjoy books about terrible people, unless they're interesting. And this one isn't.

That's why it sucks.

I hear The Secret Life of Bees is good, but I doubt I'll ever read it.

Book Blurb: The Girl in a Swing

Title: The Girl in a Swing


Author: Richard Adams (of Watership Down fame)


Genre: Horror? Romance? I dunno.


Synopsis: A man meets a woman while on a business trip and falls head over heels for her. They get married after knowing each other only two weeks and live happily ever after...until strange things begin to happen.


Stars: 3/5


Lauren's Review: I decided to read this book because someone I know listed it among their favorites. I picked up a used copy that had the same cover as above...which is why I need to tell everyone that this book is NOT a "beautiful, haunting, erotic love story and absolutely terrifying ghost story."

First things first, this book IS well written. Wonderful prose, and of course I loved that it was set in the English country side (I'd even been to a few sites mentioned!). That being said...

It is NOT a beautiful love story! It's like Romeo and Juliet (not the ending), these people have known each other TWO WEEKS! I just can't cheer on their decision to be married! And as for erotic...call me pervy, but in this Nora-Roberts-Danielle-Steel age, this book fell far short of erotic.

Which brings me to the most disappointing part...the horror aspect. This book just didn't scare me. Richard Adams is not a ghost story writer. At one point I was telling John what happened and he said "that sounds scary to me!" and I thought "yes, this should be scary...but it's just not."

It's a good book and worth the read, but that quote on the cover just left me expecting so much more than it offered. The irony is that this book is very similar to Rebecca, one of my all time favorite books. Two strangers meet, soon get married, weird stuff happens, scary ending. But with Rebecca I had no expectations so I really enjoyed it. With this book I expected so much, and it just fell flat. I blame the cover.

So...I guess you should never judge a book by it's cover? And don't read this book when you want a horror story.

Book Review: Never Let Me Go

Title: Never Let Me Go


Author: Kazuo Ishiguro


Genre: Fiction


Synopsis: This novel is narrated by Kathy, who is now 31 years old, and tells about her life starting with her childhood at the boarding school Hailsham. The students of Hailsham know that they are 'special' but there is something mysterious going on that neither they, nor the reader, seem aware of.


Stars: 5/5


Lauren's Review: I really don't want to say too much about this book because the best way to read it is totally blind. The art of Ishiguro's story telling is in the way he reveals the truth little by little. Suffice to say that it is a beautifully told and deeply moving novel with something for everyone. I had a hard time thinking of a good genre for it and so I just left it as 'Fiction.' If you're thinking of reading this book, I say go for it. Don't peek around the internet looking for reviews or summaries, because too many of them have spoilers. Just pick it up and jump in, you won't regret it. After reading the novel, I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie next week!