Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Book: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: A
For: Book Club later this month
From: I bought it.

Just in case there's someone out there that hasn't read this book yet, here's what it's about. It takes place in the South during the 60s. A young woman, Skeeter, wants to be a writer and so, with encouragement from a big time New York editor, she decides to compile a book about the relationships between the black house maids in her area and their white employers. In order to do this, she must find black house maids willing to tell their stories! Not an easy task.

This book jumps back and forth between Skeeter's point of view, as she struggles with this project, and two of the maids, as they decide to tell their stories, even while still in the midst of living them.

The book is very powerful in its ability to capture these three voices. Amazing characterization! The emotional intensity is also very real as we, the readers, live the lives of these women right along with them. It feels like you are right there suffering the indignities they face, falling in love with the children they tend, and feeling the anxieties they have after deciding to speak, out loud, their experiences to this a white girl.

I especially loved the melding of historical events (such as the moon landing or Bob Dylan's debut) with the stories of these characters. That was cool.

I also appreciated learning about this period of Southern culture that I knew nothing about. It sounds like there were aspects of it that were quite sweet, along with the many unpleasant parts. I also appreciated that even though the book dealt with some serious issues, it never crossed over to the "preachy" side.

Tonight I'm very excited to be going to meet Kathryn Stockett and to listen to her tell her personal story about this book. I hear she is wonderful! I'm planning on going with Melissa from One Librarian's Book Reviews, which makes the evening even more to be anticipated!  I'll let you know tomorrow how it all turns out.

We'll be discussing this book later on this month for our final book club selection before our summer break. I have plans to make caramel cake (which is a must-do for obvious reasons!), but have no idea how! Anyone know a good recipe?

Kathryn Stockett's website (where it's mentioned that this book will be a movie!)

Other Reviews:
(there are so many reviews out there, so I'm picking just a few of the more recent ones)

A Book a Week
Semicolon
BookNAround
Word Lily
Rebecca Reads

Bookword Game: New Word and Suggestions Needed

The winner of our latest bookword (with 86% of the vote) is:

Title Block: what we call a book where you can remember its plot, but not the title, suggested by Melissa from One Librarian's Book Reviews. Congratulations!


On to the next word! What should we call a book that seems to take on a personality of its own and call out to you to "please read me NOW" and is very persistent about it and won't leave you alone until you've read it. Or, in shorter words, what should we call a book that begs to be read immediately?

Suggestions in comments! Poll next week at An Adventure in Reading! And come on guys, we can do better than just TWO suggestions this week, right? Of course right! :)

Review: Lady of the Forest by Jennifer Roberson

Book: Lady of the Forest by Jennifer Roberson
Genre: Historical Fiction/Folklore
Rating: A
For: Once Upon a Time Challenge (folklore)
From: Paper Back Swap

Okay, I know. You're all getting sick of the Robin Hood thing, but guess what... I'm not! :)

This book is yet another take on how Robin Hood got started. There's lots of history in it and political intrigue, which makes me want to put it in the historical fiction genre, yet as it's about a legendary figure, it's not truly history either.

Most of the book is getting to know the different gang members, Robin's problems and challenges, Marian's difficulties, the sheriff and his insane ideas, etc. In fact, it's not until page 650 or so (100 pages from the end) that we see Robin Hood in action, pulling off his first robbery.

Now, since my ideal Robin Hood interpretation is now the BBC series, I'm inclined to do a little compare and contrast between that, and this book. I'll try to avoid spoilers, but they may slip in.

Things that are DIFFERENT:
- Robin Hood has long blond hair and is big.
- Much is a little kid.
- Little John has red hair.
- Robin has a dad, a very obnoxious unlikeable one.
- Will Scarlet is quite scary.
- The sheriff wants Marian
- Robin and Marian get together (and when I say together, I mean together!) very quickly
- Guy of Gisbourne is quite on the wimpy side. Ah poor Guy.


Things that are THE SAME:
- the sheriff's mannerisms and ruthless are spot on
- Marian's spunk
- Prince John's interpretation is quite the same.
- Robin is meant to inherit Locksley and it's manor
- Guy of Gisbourne wants Marian
- Robin's archery skills... smokin' hot
- Robin has nightmares about the Crusade

Bottom line: I loved the differences. I loved the similarities. I loved the book!

Jennifer Roberson's official website.

Other Reviews:

That's All She Read
All Booked Up

(My cover looked like the one above, but I just thought I'd post this cover too. Whoa Robin!)

Listful Monday: Book Pet Peeves

Today's list task, as suggested by Julie at A Small Accomplishment, is to list:

Book Pet Peeves

1. I hate it when I get a book from the library that has crusted food on it! Ewww.
2. I cringe when I see a book, open and laying face down on it's pages.
3. I'm bugged when I see someone, while reading a paperback book, folding it's front and wrapping it around to the back.
4. Dog ears... very very bad.
5. Do not throw books!!!
6. Or step on them!
7. Or read them with sticky fingers.
8. I really really hate blurbs that give away a main plot point.
9. And if you plan on taking the dust jacket off, please please put it in a safe place somewhere. I hate it when books and dust jackets lose each other.
10. ... and for all my other pet peeves you can read Julie's list, because I pretty much agree with everything she said.

What are YOUR book pet peeves?

Review: Fang by James Patterson

Book: Fang by James Patterson

Genre: YA SF
Rating: A-
For: Fun
From: the library

Yes, so I'm addicted to Max and her flock and especially Fang. If you've read these books, then you'll know that Fang is the resident dark and brooding boy of this flock of bird kids. He's the quiet, sullen, mysterious one. And he's only 14 (wait, 15 now! They gave themselves a birthday party!) years old!

Max is their fearless leader. They've all been genetically altered to have wings and they've all grown to deal with it. Each book (this is the 6th) brings a different crazy adventure where they are fighting for their lives and learning to handle the world around them.

In this particular book, we get a sense that something might happen to Fang. This whole scenario is completely and utterly unacceptable to Max and she must find a way to make sure this does not happen. Meanwhile, the flock itself is being tested because of the changes Max is going through and we are left wondering if things will go on as before.

And Fang? Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out what's going down with him, crazy boy.

I find these books complete and utter fluff. I love them because of that. The kids are endearing with amazing characterization and we get to know them so well, that somehow, they've become quite real. And I love the books because of that too. I have a feeling this series will go on and on and at this point, I'll be there to read them.

James Patterson's website.
The flock has their own blog here.
There's supposed to be a movie some day, but it appears nothing is for sure yet.

Other reviews:

Katie's Bookshelf
My Overstuffed Bookshelves
Eating YA Books

The Sunday Salon: Blank Blogging Brain

I think I must have used up all my blogging brain power the last week or so, because my mind is blank with regard to what to blog about. Yet, I have time. I'm sitting here, with the computer in front of me, so I might as well try. When my mind is like this, it always seems to work to throw out one of those good old random posts. Then we'll see how much I REALLY have to talk about!

* we watched Avatar last night at our house on DVD... and I still liked it. It really is an amazing movie even not in 3D.

* I wanted to spend the whole of my reading time today on Twenty Years After, and still I'm avoiding it and just thinking about it gives me a headache!

* GO COWBOYS on Amazing Race tonight! I think they have been my all time favorite Amazing Race team ever! Hey, and the other day I looked up their bios and Jet (the dark haired one) is a reader. He says there's not a day go by that he doesn't read, and that it's his favorite hobby. That goes against the stereotypical cowboy type idea, does it not? I love it.

* speaking of TV, how about Heroes vs. Villains on Survivor? Sheesh, they've been fun to watch this season. I'm not really rooting for anyone though, but it's been fun to see the craziness going on.

* I'm not really looking forward to this month, sad to say. The last month of school is just too busy. And this month we can add a high school graduation at the end of it. My number 2 kid graduating! This is just not right! I hate it that they are growing up. Can we just stop time please?

* I put on a bunch of CDs to listen to while I blog, and have them on shuffle play. They are Jason Castro, Kris Allen, Chris Botti, Joshua Bell and Henry Mancini. It's perfect mix for calm Sunday listening. Love it.

* Hey did you see I added a LinkedWithin widget? Everyone suddenly seemed to have it, so I thought I'd try it and see what happens.

* we went the school's big Renaissance Faire yesterday and the kids won two goldfish. They named them Robin and Marian! :)

Well, my brain is still pretty blank, so I'll give up blogging for this day and go on to reading.... or maybe even a nap, which is sounding really really wonderful about now.

April Books Read

This month went by way too fast. I want a do over.

Here's what I read:

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner: Gen is rescued from prison by the king's advisor to go on a quest in search of a magical relic.

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness: Todd and Viola are captured and separated in New Prentiss Town and each must deal with the situation in their own way.

Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel: A struggling author helps a reclusive taxidermist write a play about a donkey and a monkey.

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn: A princess is awakened from her 300 year sleep by a modern day teenager.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett: Three different ladies tell their stories about black women working as maids for white women during the 1960s.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles: Alex, a Mexican gang member, and Brittany, a "shallow" cheerleader, hook up and learn the truth about each other.

Fang by James Patterson: Max and her flock must deal with yet another threat that promises to split them apart for good.

Lady of the Forest by Jennifer Roberson: The story of how Robin Hood got his start as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest, and how his Lady Marian played a big part in the whole process.

Three of these books were for the Once Upon a Time Challenge! Just one more to go and I did it! :)
Favorites of the month: The Thief, The Help and Lady of the Forest.

Plans for next month:

• try very hard to read Twenty Years After for the Classics Circuit
• renew the next two books in the Queen's Thief series and read them before they are due again
• The Passage!!!
• a mythology book for Once Upon a Time
• Lisa Mangum's next book, The Golden Spiral, due to come out this week

How did your month go? What big plans do you have for next month's reading?