Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS

By Stephanie Perkins

Published by Dutton Books, a member of Penguin group, in 2010

Format: Hardcover (372 pages)

How I heard about this book: Several friends on twitter/blogs

How I got a copy: From the library

Why I wanted to read it: I’m trying to read more YA books, and several people whose opinion I trust raved about how fantastic it was.

Rating: 4-1/2 stars (I’m buying my copy this week!)

Intended Audience: Young Adults

Genre: YA/chicklit

Themes: romance, infatuation, doubt, discovery, friends

Parental Warnings: Sex is mentioned a few times, but it isn't part of the story. There are several instances of drunken behavior. One very strong curse word is used several times near the end of the book.

First Line: Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amélie and Moulin Rouge.

I can’t remember the last time I stayed up all night to finish a book, but I couldn’t put this one down. I finally closed the covers just after 5:30 am and managed to get about three hours of sleep.

The author does a fantastic job of capturing the voice of Anna, a senior in High School sent to boarding school in France for her final year. You hear her tone and cadence. You feel her uncertainty and doubt. She does not want to be in Paris. She left behind her brother, her best friend, her great job at the multiplex, and the cute boy at the multiplex…all because her Dad wants to impress the people in Hollywood (he’s a big time writer whose books have been turned into movies). She’s alone and scared and living in a city where she doesn’t speak the language.

But she makes friends quickly. The second person she meets is the wonderfully handsome and eternally likeable Etienne St. Clair. She falls head over heels for him, but he has serious girlfriend. How will she juggle her feelings and their friendship? And what about the boy back home? Anna isn’t perfect, but who is, especially at seventeen.

The Latin quarter of the city and her life at school are breezily laid out. At times, her inner monologue is melodramatic as she analyzes every possible meaning of something that was said or done. (I totally remember being that way). The dialogue is flirty and funny and effortlessly cool. I laughed out loud so many times, and I lost count of how many favorite passages I had. Although the story is predicable, it doesn’t detract at all from the storytelling. This was such a fun, easy read. I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I really enjoyed it. The YA/chick lit/lite romance isn't my typical genre at all, but I would recommend this to any girl out there.

Do you want another point of view? This review and others can be found at goodreads.com.

My thoughts on the cover: It's all right, but Etienne is too tall. And although the Eiffel Tower is THE landmark for Paris, it's only mentioned once in the book. Notre Dame would have been better, even if it's less recognizable.

CHALLENGES

1. 2011 YA Reading Challenge from Jamie's Bookshelf

2. The TwentyEleven Challenge from Bart's Bookshelf (To YA or not to YA)

   

Book Review: Packing For Mars

PACKING FOR MARS: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

By: Mary Roach

Published By: W.W. Norton & Co in August 2010

Format: Hardcover (318 pages, excluding Acknowledgements & Bibliography)

How I heard about this book: On twitter (I think)

How I got a copy: From the library

Why I wanted to read it: I love science, especially space

Intended Audience: Adults, Science Geeks

Genre: Non-fiction, Science

Rating: 3.75 stars (out of 5)

Summary: Descriptions of how astronauts prepare for outer space and what it would be like to live there. 

First Impressions: I was confused when I first started reading for two reasons. First, there wasn't a real introduction to what the book was really about. Yes, it's inside the front sleeve of the book jacket, but I consider that a summary, not an introduction, which I felt this book needed. Why? Because of the second reason: it wasn't what was expecting. What was I expecting? Based on the title, information on what it would be like travel in outerspace (which the author covers fantastically and with much detail), the dangers and obstacles of travelling to Mars (it's a long way away and takes a long time to get there and come back), and the preparations needed to make such a voyage safe and successful (both of which were only touched on very briefly).

Final Impressions: Once I stopped tripping over my expectations, I really enjoyed the book for what it is. I'm a science nerd (especially when it comes to space and astronomy), and I appreciate all of the research that went into writing such a detailed book. It covers how NASA prepares it's astronauts for space, including a lot of testing and studies to understand the impact space will have on the human body and how to cope and survive. It discusses hygiene, weightlessness, motion sickness, eating, bone loss, and more. It has first hand accounts from astronauts about some of the pleasures and difficulties. It definitely strips away the glamor of being an astronaut, but it still left me in awe.

This past Thursday (2/24), the space shuttle Discovery was launched on her final mission. She docks with the ISS today and will be there for a week. There are two other flights planned (Atlantis & Endeavor) and then NASA's shuttle fleet will be retired. The focus will then shift to building a craft that can fly beyond the moon, possibly to Mars.

A favorite quote from the book: "According to more than one astronaut memoir, one of the most beautiful sights in space is that of a sun-illuminated flurry of flash-frozen waste-water droplets. Space doesn't just encompass the sublime and the ridiculous. It erases the line between. (pg. 19)"

Do I recommend this book? Yes, especially to people who enjoy science and space.

Would I read another book by this author? Yes.

Do you want another point of view? This review and others can be found at goodreads.com

BOOK CHALLENGES

2011 Non-Fiction Challenge by The Broke and The Bookish (Category: Science/Nature)

Book Review: The Athena Project

THE ATHENA PROJECT by Brad Thor
Originally published by Atria (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) in November 2010.
Format: hardbound
How I got it: from the library



Audience: Adults
Genre: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi lite
Rating: 2-1/2 out of 5 stars


Summary
An elite military group of four women are assigned on multiple tasks to help find a weapon that could have catastrophic consequences for the rest of the world.


First Line: The sound of suppressed gunfire in the narrow fuselage was drowned out by the roar of the slipstream coupled with the plane's engines.


Review
This is definitely a plot driven book, not a character driven one. Character development was left more to stereotypes. I never really got a feel for who each of the members of the Athena team were. Yes, the author stated their strengths when he introduced them, but each character was almost interchangeable. I just referred to them as the team in my head. I did enjoy their friendly, joking banter with each other, even if the time wasn't always appropriate.

It was easy read. Because you don't have to invest a lot into the characters, you can just go where the story takes you. At the beginning, though, I was confused by all the characters and stories put into play. It took a while to sort them out, and eventually I saw how they all intertwined at the end, but some of them just weren't needed.  I'm still a bit lost about the need for the Denver International Airport in the story line.  There was one twist (pg. 309) I did not see coming. A lot more could have been done with this; it ended too suddenly.

Overall, the book was well paced, although a few more resting spots would have been nice. I know the Athena girls were exhausted after all that non-stop action. The main plot device of the book takes it into a sci-fi lite category, which made it seem out of place with the rest of book.

The writing was good, but it was descriptive in places it didn't need to be. For example, I don't need to know the make/model of the the wire cutters and to know they were up to the task of cutting the fence. On the flip side, my favorite descriptive line in the whole book is on page 305: The women moved like demons in some medieval nightmare scaling down a castle wall -- that provided a very visual image with only a few words.

Overall, the book was just okay. Would I recommend it to others? I'm more apt to say I wouldn't not recommend it...which makes it a 2-1/2 out of 5 star book for me.


Do you want another opinion? You can read this review and many others at goodreads.com

Book Review: Rebecca

REBECCA by Daphne du Maurier
Originally published by Victor Gollancz in 1938
My copy was published by Doubleday & Company in 1961
Format: bound novel & audiobook



Intended Audience: Adult
Genre: Gothic romance with a dash of mystery thrown in
Themes: self-doubt, self-discovery, jealousy, loyalty, love, hate
Rating: 3-1/2 out of 5 stars

Summary
Our unnamed narrator marries Maxim de Winter, a widower. Though she loves him, she feels he will never truly love her because she cannot measure up to his former wife and true love, Rebecca. She constantly lives in Rebecca's shadow.

First Line: Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.


Review
I was a good way into the book before I felt invested in the story and characters. The pacing at the beginning is very slow, although it does use the time well by establishing the setting and our narrator's character. She's full of self-doubt before she marries Maxim, a man many years her senior and in a much higher station in life. Entering his world only magnifies her feelings of inferiority and unworthiness, although to be fair to her, she doesn't have a support system. She is almost entirely alone.

As soon as she moves into Manderley (his estate), she knows she'll never be the real mistress of the house because it is still Rebecca's. The servants loved Rebecca and were devoted to her, especially Mrs. Danvers, who takes it upon herself to feed the new Mrs. de Winter's insecurities.

I felt I really knew who Mrs. de Winter and Mrs. Danvers were. I understood their motivations and thoughts, even if they both got on my nerves in their own ways. I would've liked Maxim's character to have been developed more fully in the beginning since he's rarely seen in the middle section, although I suppose it was necessary in order for the ending to be revealed. But I wanted to experience them fall in love, and I feel robbed that I didn't. I understand why his new bride felt he didn't love her.

Once the plot finally picks up, it takes a hold of you and doesn't let you know until the end. About the ending...WOW. I did not see that coming. This is definitely a different book the second time you read it. Your perspective is completely different. While I understand the end, I would not have made some of the same choices.

Do I recommend this book? Yes. Will I read it again? Yes, maybe once or twice in a few years. Why only 3-1/2 stars? Because the beginning was so slow (an odd complaint from someone whose favorite book is Pride & Prejudice). I kept stopping and starting. I finally switched to an audio version so I couldn't stop reading by putting the book down.

Do you want another opinion? You can read this review and many others at goodreads.com.

Book Challenges
The TwentyEleven Challenge from Bart's Bookshelf (Category: Way Back When)

Book Review: How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon, by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, translated from the Old Norse by Cressida Cowell

#1 in a series
Published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hatchett Book Group , in February 2000

Format: audiobook (abridged: 3-1/2 hours)

Intended Audience: Middle Grades

Themes: Friendship, Kindness, Courage
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: “A note from the author: there were dragons when I was boy. …You’ll have to take my word for it, for the dragons are disappearing so fast, they may soon become extinct.”

Summary: Toothless, Hiccup's dragon, is whiny and self-centered and refuses to be trained. Hiccup is a failure at everything, but if he doesn't train his dragon in four months, he won't become a Viking and will be kicked out of his tribe.

REVIEW
I originally chose to read this book because I really enjoyed the movie. (Note: This book is nothing like the movie.) While I usually never read an abridged book, I chose to listen to this version because David Tennant is the narrator, and I LOVE David Tennant and his wonderful Scottish accent. He does an absolutely fabulous job. I can imagine him sitting around a camp fire surrounded by a bunch of entranced kids as he tells this story.

I'm not sure how it was shortened, (the unabridged version is an hour longer), but I really liked this book. I was confused at first because it didn't follow the movie's story line, but I quickly let go of my expectations and appreciated it for the adventure it is.

While this is a middle grades read, it isn't a dumbed down story. The characters and setting are well-developed. This is a great read. It's funny and entertaining. You feel sorry for Hiccup because his situation is so hopeless. But it has a fantastic, feel-good ending. This book may be targeted to boys, but I think girls will like it to. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go buy this book. I have nephews to read to.

Do you want another point of view? Check out reviews of this book at goodreads.com

Book Challenge

2011 Audiobook Challenge by Teresa's Reading Corner

Book Review: How I Killed Pluto & Why It Had It Coming

HOW I KILLED PLUTO AND WHY IT HAD IT COMING by Mike Brown

Published by Spiegel & Grau, a division of Random House, in Dec. 2010

Formats: traditional (256 pages), audiobook (7hrs 48min)

Genre: non-fiction, science

Themes: astronomy, family

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Brief Summary: The story of how Mike Brown's search for "planets" beyond Pluto led to Pluto's demotion from planet to dwarf planet (which isn't really a planet at all).

Language: no curse words

REVIEW

Mike Brown does a fantastic job of interweaving the story of his search for large astronomical bodies beyond Pluto with his family life. There's suspense (bad guys trying to steal planets), humor (Mike graphing his newborn daughter's eating and sleeping habits), science (explained so a person of average intelligence can understand it), and controversy (Pluto was kicked out of the planetary fraternity with more than a little discussion). I found it fascinating to discover that the number of accepted planets has fluctuated many times.

The only complaints I've seen about the book focus on the fact that it's not just about Pluto, Eris' discovery, and science. Go into your reading of this book with your eyes open. It's also about several large planetoids he's found, which, for me, helps put things in perspective. It includes a little bit of his childhood. He talks about his wife and child. This isn't really Pluto's story. It's Mike Brown's story and how his discoveries and the question "what is a planet?" resulted in Pluto's demotion.

This was an incredibly fun & informative read and listen. After I borrowed the book from the library, I not only bought a hardbound copy, I purchased an audiobook version too. The narrator did a great job. I recommend this book to everyone.

Do you want another point of view? Check out reviews of this book on goodreads.com

Book Challenges

2011 Audiobook Challenge by Teresa's Reading Corner

2011 Non-Fiction Challenge by The Broke and The Bookish (Category: Science/Nature)

 

IF I STAY

Book: IF I STAY by Gayle Forman

Format: Soft Cover (238 pages)

Series: #1 in a series

Genre: Young Adult

Language: Strong curse words used sparingly

Sex: One sex scene, mildly descriptive, not explicit

Violence: none

Themes: family, loss, death, making difficult decisions

Point of View: 1st Person, Mia

Summary: Mia and her family are driving when they're in an accident. Everyone except Mia is killed, who must make a choice between living and dying.

Told from the perspective of a disembodied Mia, I enjoyed how new characters were introduced and relationships developed through flash backs interwoven into her current timeline the hospital. The themese opens up a lot of questions, allowing for good discussion...Is there a heaven? (where did her family go?)...What would I decide if I had to chose between dying or living in these circumstances?...Would the possibility that I might have to cope with physical or mental handicaps because of the accident affect my decision?...Would I have guilt that I survived?...Could I recover from the emotional turmoil of losing those who are the most dear to me all at once?  There's also the non-existential question of would I chose to give up a dream for a boy I loved?

The author did a good job of making the characters real even though they were stereotypical. There's also a sex scene that's really cheesy.  These flaws aside, I fell in love with this family, and I could feel Mia's loss because I grew attached to them and could picture them in my mind. I didn't feel emotionally manipulated or hit over the head with "FEEL SAD HERE" experiences. It wasn't written with a heavy hand. It was very easy to read, a compliment to Ms. Foreman given the many directions this type of book could taken.

I recommend this book. It's worth reading at least once, and I will probably read it again 1-2 more times in the next few years. If I choose to buy it, it will be in paperback, but I'll most likely just check it out from the library when I want to read it again. I'd happily lend this book for others to read.

Originally Published: April 2009

Read: October 2010

You can find this and other reviews for If I Stay at goodreads.com