Sting by Sandra Brown

Sandra Brown did it again! This might be my new favorite Brown novel.  It was full of suspense and tension, and I had no clue how it was going to end because each chapter threw a new wrench into my well-laid out plan.

I really liked the characters in this book. Shaw is a perfect criminal gone good guy, and Jordie is a pretty good damsel in distress who can actually fend for herself if we let her. All along I was waiting for the moment when Brown would let me know that yes, they will end up together. I had a thousand different ways in my head that Shaw and Jordie would end up together, but when Brown hit me with it, it was one avenue I hadn't pursued. Total twister! but, after reading that revelation, I realized, of course. There could be no other way that would bring them together.

I almost didn't like the final twist of the book, because I wanted to like Josh. From the beginning, I wanted there to be a way for Jordie and Josh to reconnect; I thought Jordie was a great sister that could take care of Josh, but Brown let me know I was way off course with that. I was disappointed, but it was a great turn of events, and the book wouldn't have been as good had it ended any other way. Maybe what I didn't like about that ending was that Brown played me so well. I fell for the trap she put out, and I was convinced I was right in my guessing, so when I found out how wrong I'd been, I was kind of upset (in a good way, obviously). Nice job on the ending, Brown.

This is a small thing, too, but I really appreciate all the inter-play with the cops throughout the book. We get a really good back/home story of the main cop, which I really appreciate, and then we get these fun little relationships between all the cops as they come together. This is where I understood how much I like Shaw. When all the other cops find out the truth, they're kinda mad, and I find the future interactions with them entertaining.

All in all, a really great read, with lovable characters and new twists each chapter. Definitely will read again.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivery

I read this book in mid-June, which was nice because it helped me cool off on the really humid days. 

It was slow going for the first few chapters: until I met the snow child, but that's to be expected, I think, because the snow child is the main character here. 

Once the girl came in, it was a heartbreaking story, with just enough magic to make me see it as a novel, but enough reality to not make it too sappy or unrealistic. 

Ivey also brings up a lot of questions that I still don't have answers to. Where exactly did she come from? Is she real? Where did she go? and so on. But this is a good quality in a book because then I'm still thinking about it weeks later. Kudos to Ivey for making it stick with me. 

If you're stuck on the first part, keep going. It gets better, and you won't regret making it through that slow beginning. It picks up speed, and it might make you cry a bit (I think my eyes got a little watery).

Do I Make Myself Clear? by Harold Evans

I was told to read this book at my job, so I did. I was impressed with certain parts. I enjoyed how Evans told us something, and then provided examples of that thing he was trying to teach.

I was, however, unpleasantly surprised by the amount of politics in the book. Most of the examples (I'd say 75-80%) were political. I found myself skimming over those because I wouldn't understand them as an example and I just don't enjoy politics much.

I did gain a nice long list of words I need to use in the future from Evans, as well as a few quotes that I know I'll be keeping in the forefront of my mind from here on out.

This is a good read for writers and editors alike. Evans gives helpful advice for both. I also think it would be appropriate for college students to be reading this book, as it provides a lot of general guides on how to write well, even in simple terms.

Politics aside, it was a good read.

The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra

My English Prof recommended this book to me. I was on a Russian literature kick and had just finished reading Anna Karenina. He told me the book was a collection of short stories that seemed completely separate until the end. When I read through the first two stories, I didn't believe him at all. But as I kept reading, I was shocked by the connections. Marra did an excellent job weaving all of his events and characters together to create this intricately woven tale of love, techno, war, censorship, art...

I really enjoyed the settings in the story. The descriptions are subtle (which I've always liked because it enabled me to envision my own settings to a certain extent) but Marra gives you enough to start picturing the world he writes.

It did take me a while to really get into the story, and I think the only reason I kept going was because my prof gave me a copy and wanted me to let him know what I thought of it, so I had to keep going. I'm so glad I did.

I gained many quotes for my quote book, too, which is always a great indicator for me. When I have to grab a notebook and write something down, I know it's a winner, and I know I will be picking this book of my shelf again someday.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

This was a very difficult book to get through. I was often slogged down by scenes that seemed unimportant to the plot but went on for pages and pages (for example, the part where Levin mows his lawn). However, I'm so happy I finally finished the book, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good classic to read. 

I've been a fan of Russian Literature ever since I read Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. I absolutely loved that novel, but the biggest mistake you can make (which I'll admit, I made) is grouping all of Russian Literature into one category (that goes further than just the region they were written) and assume the content will be the same. I was surprised by how different Anna Karenina is from Crime and Punishment. Crime and Punishment is such a psychological read. It is all mental and just messes with your mind the whole time. Anna Karenina is much more external, focusing on the actions of the many characters and how society and others are impacted. Yes, there is some psychology involved, but a majority of the story is about the surrounding society and the effect Anna has on them. The worlds of these two novels seem like completely different universes. The focus is on different classes in each. Crime and Punishment is about a much lower class than the people in Anna Karenina, which does change the world of the story.

I appreciate this work also because of the attitudes evoked by the characters. I usually hate reading books about characters that I don't like, and lemme tell you, I do not like Anna even one little bit. She is completely despicable. Maybe it makes me cold-hearted, but I couldn't bring myself to pity her or feel sorry for her at all. She made the choices that brought her to where she was. She chased what she thought she wanted, and when reality struck back in, she couldn't handle the consequences. And, when it comes to her son, she didn't even try to fight for him. She wanted what she wanted, and no one could get in her way. Maybe that trait is admirable to some people, but in this instance, and for me, I couldn't admire Anna. However, I appreciate that Tolstoy is able to draw such strong feelings out of me. Yes, these feelings are negative, but any feelings, any reaction that I'm able to get from a book is a good thing. I want to feel something when I read, and in Anna Karenina, I certainly felt a lot. 

Disliking Anna allowed me to focus on characters I did like, like Levin. He rambles much too frequently, and sometimes he is just a little pitiful man, but I enjoyed his person. Especially the ending Tolstoy gave him. His discovering what's important in life sets a good tone for the end of the book. 

The Language of Flowers: Vanessa Diffenbaugh

The story was absolutely heart-breaking and yet completely heart-warming. I went through such an emotional roller coaster while I read, and I love when a book can do that for me. The characters were so real and it was easy to feel everything they were feeling. I hurt when they hurt, I laughed when they laughed, and I cried when they cried. The characters were very well created. I though the aspect of communicating through flowers was new and fresh. However, I got very distracted by the bouncing back and forth in tenses. Although each chapter changed and the changes were consistent throughout the novel, I kept getting lost in the switches. Maybe just a header on each chapter reminding me of the change would have helped me keep track of where I was in time.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

It's been a while since I've read a book I liked as much as I liked this one. From the very first page, I was captivated, holding on, dying to find out what would happen next. The whole time I couldn't reach a decision on whether or not Jacob did it. Then, the trial ended, and I felt so good about what happened until that vacation. Then I got so angry! How could he do that after all he just went through? 

And the very end? Holy crap. I almost couldn't handle it. It was too much. My heart stopped, and I cried. Which is weird because I don't cry in books (even more points for Landay). I felt bad for Jacob especially with that final dialogue, but mostly, my heart was just breaking for Andy. He had done so much, gone through so much for what? Nothing, it seems. 

I also really liked the writing style of the book. There were always three different things going on. The trial in the present, the trial in the past, and the narration throughout. This always kept me on my toes and entertained, and I thought it was a really good way to make sure every piece of information was included. 

When I finished it, I tried to start a new book (because I have a never-ending list of books I need to read) but I couldn't. I gave this new book 20 minutes, but my mind was just swamped with Andy and Jacob and all those emotional ups and downs throughout the book. I had to sleep the book-hangover off and start again the next day. Bravo, Landay!

It is definitely well-worth the read, and I will be telling everyone I see for the next week to make sure they read this.