The Books We Read » Love Story

Water for Elephants A Novel by Sara Gruen

Cindi — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 04:59:05 +0000

I really enjoyed this book and I gave it four stars on goodreads, but I think I would have preferred 3.5. I have read a few books in a row that really didn’t do it for me so Water for Elephants was a welcome change by comparison. Water for Elephants opens the door to the world of travelling train circuses in depression era America. What a rich subject to base a historical fiction novel on, so four stars at least for the premise. Broken down to it’s essential parts this book is basically a romance, but don’t let that deter you from reading it. The novel pulled me in and I read it in one sitting.

I felt the protagonist Jacob was well written and well rounded, but not all the characters received the same careful attention. I was disappointed in the love interest Marlena, and was slightly annoyed at her lack of dimension. Jacob is instantly and completely in love with her, but her descriptions go no deeper than ‘beautiful’ and ‘good with animals’. As my husband so eloquently asked me after watching Twilight for the first time, ‘why are these guys so in love with her’? I don’t quite have the answer to that question, but as the story unfolds it is a great ride with the perfect twist at the climax.

The story is told alternately by Jacob as an old man in an old folks home, and Jacob in the first person as the events unfold. I think this idea has been done before and I’m not really a fan of it, but I liked the way the author portrays his life and thoughts as an older man. I especially liked the ending and thought ‘why the heck not?’ As much as I don’t think the ending is likely, I read books for fun and would have been disappointed by a more realistic ending. This book has some language, a moderate amount of sex, and some violence. Also violence towards animals.

Jellicoe Road by, Melina Marchetta

Jilliane — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 03:22:52 +0000

Another fantastic novel from an Aussie!

Jellicoe Road…where the tops of the trees reach across the street to form a canopy that the light shines through…Taylor Markham describes her almost home. Just 11 years old when she was abandoned by her mother at the Jellicoe Road boarding school, Taylor is now a senior and a reluctant leader of her dorm.

Marchetta creates vivid characters and a story that wraps you up and keeps you reading. Teens will definitely relate to Taylor who has many struggles including, authoritarian and untrustworthy adults, first love, annoying peers, and abandonment. Haunted by dreams that and hint of her past, Taylor determines to discover her roots. She sets out on a journey to find her mother and finds much more.

Marchetta tells this story through viewpoints of the past, present and future. While this tactic is interesting, builds suspense and lends itself to mystery, there were some small gaps in the story that made it difficult to follow.

It is a dense read and I would not recommend it to younger teens or reluctant readers. Overall, the story was interesting and I stayed up until 2am because I simply could not go to bed without finishing it…I especially enjoyed the Australian colloquialisms.

Rilla of Ingleside by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Clarissa — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:14:26 +0000

I was thinking of my favorite love stories and I remembered this one. So I picked it up and read it again. And I still love it. It is still so good. This is the last book in the Anne of Green Gables series. The whole series is worth reading, but I just love this one. Rilla of Ingleside is set during World War I. It was published in 1921. I kept thinking that the author must have gone through her war journals to write it. The war is like another main character in this novel, it’s more than a setting or a back drop. I learned a lot. She was able to keep the story interesting and personal as well. This is a novel about the women who “kept the faith” at home, for their men on the front. This is a beautiful coming of age story featuring Rilla, a young, naive beauty. Rilla’s parents are Anne and Gilbert. Anne is still a part of the story, but really, this one is about Rilla. Honestly, you could easily read this one without reading the others, but they are all worth reading.

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Cindi — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 23:29:15 +0000

Ok, I must confess, I read the whole trilogy in four days. I would say that is a great testament to the author’s pacing. Oh, and the fact that every book ends in a cliffhanger. Eclipse was no exception. I thought the tension and the love triangle was staged and brought to climax almost perfectly. I must note some slight irritation with Bella, I think she could be slightly less needy and a little more independent. That being said, this book still easily earns a recommendation. I look forward to the next book, Breaking Dawn, and also the release of Twilight the movie in December of 2008. Also, you can check out the first chapter of Midnight Sun at Stephenie Meyer’s website. This will be a companion book to Twilight written from Edward’s point of view.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Cindi — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 23:28:26 +0000

Stephenie Meyer delivers with a great sequel to Twilight. Sometimes the only thing more intense than love is loss. I loved the transition after Edward left with blank pages marking the months. Very creative and effective by the author. New characters and more back story flesh out the novel, and a mostly terrific finish.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Cindi — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 23:27:54 +0000

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was not expecting to like a book classified with words like ‘young adult’ and ‘romance’. The writing was great, the characters were well developed, and the plot lines were believable. An exciting combination of danger and forbidden love keeps the tension high. This book will not change the world or bring your life deeper meaning, but I recommend it for excellent pacing, pg-13 romance that actually lights your fire, and sheer entertainment value.