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| Author S.J. Watson |
Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
is the follow up to Shanghai Girls where sisters May and Pearl had fled from a war-torn China to find refuge in America. Together they raised a daughter, Joy. By the end of the novel Joy was a young university student. Here she learned about the communist movement beginning in China and the great changes it promised for its citizens. She became a political advocate and supporter of communism despite her parent's warnings. One day, Joy, over heard a conversation that exposed her family's dark secrets. Devastated by this revelation of lies about her own past she ran away to Shanghai to find her her biological father. begins. Pearl empties her life savings to chase after her daughter. Even though being back in Shanghai after so many years brings back painful memories, Pearl presses on to find her daughter. She is able to find Joy rather quickly, however, Joy has no desire to go back to America. She has visited the country side and fell in love with a young peasant. She wishes to live her life here, where she feels most comfortable; although it is a vastly different lifestyle than she is used to back home. She must work hard to aid in the communist movement she so deeply believes in. has a largely political focus while still continuing See's themes of familial bond, tragedy, and love. I found this story had a slow start but it was fascinating to learn about Mao's communist regime in China and the ridiculous promises he had made. Then, once the communist theories begin to break down in practice, the story becomes completely engrossing as Joy and her family fight for their lives. The love that a mother has for her child and the things she'll do to protect them are beautifully portrayed in See's characters. Fans of Lisa See's novels like Shanghai Girls, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, and Peony in Love, will not be disappointed with Dreams of Joy. I give this book a Thumbs Up. And I truly hope that See continues writing these enchanting, thought provoking, and tragic stories.
Breaking Dawn 
is Stephanie Meyer's final book in the Twilight series. Bella must finally make the tough decisions about her future. Will she remain human or turn into the living dead? Will she choose the suave and charming vampire Edward? Or the down-to-earth and warm werewolf Jacob? Once she chooses, though, her problems do not come to an end. The Volturi visit the quiet town of Forks and puts everyone's (werewolves, vampires, and humans) lives in danger.
, byJames Patterson, Katherine Dunne takes her three children on a boating trip as a desperate attempt to bring peace to her family. After her husband passed away, the family dynamic took a turn for the worst. The children were hit the hardest and are having a difficult time coping with the death of their father. Katherine is having an even harder time trying to make her children happy. Her daughter is threatening to commit suicide, her eldest son is experimenting with drugs, and her 10-year old boy is deeply depressed. The trip is destined to be horrible. But the Dunne family couldn't begin to imagine just how horrifying their vacation could be. In an unlikely turn of events Katherine and her children are forced into a dangerous path that both threatens their lives and brings them closer together after all.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
is set in a time where a prosperous North America has vanished and left behind a poor and cruel nation known as Panem. Panem is separated by 12 districts surrounding the wealthy and powerful Capitol. Once a year the Capitol forces each district to sacrifice one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to fight to the death. The entire grotesque event is broadcasted on live television as a spectator's sports. When Katniss Everdeen is sent to participate in the Hunger Games she is fearful for her family's survival without her. At first she thinks her life is over but she courageously decides to take her fate into her own hands and challenge the Gamemakers. is a teen novel but is also enjoyable for adults. It reads like a science fiction novel; reminiscent of classics like Lord of the Flies
and The Chrysalids
. It was an excellent read and I recommend it to anyone thinking about picking it up. I give this book a Thumbs Up! may also like the new Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth. Click Here
for more details.
In Unbearable Lightness Portia de Rossi chronicles her struggles along her way to stardom. Born and raised in Australia as Amanda Rogers, she started her career as a child model. This is where her obsession with weight begins. Portia believes, from a young age, that the only way she can be famous is to be as thin as possible and therefore beautiful. She moves to America to become an actress and shortly after her dieting reaches a new extreme. Over the years she suffers from anorexia, bulimia, food binging, excessive exercise and the fatal effects they have on her body and health. Portia faces her body image challenges alone as she is far away from family and unable to be in a relationship. She is terrified that the media would discover she is gay and it would ruin her career and her hard work. reminds us that celebrities and actors, at the end of the day, are just like us (aside from the mansions, cool parties, and millions of dollars). Portia shows us that acting is hard work. Maintaining a celebrity status in the media is no easy task and there is a lot of pressure especially about body image and weight. While body image is a main theme, she also reveals her struggles with health, divorce, family relationships and being gay. Unbearable Lightness is really about the insurmountable challenges of becoming a perfect celebrity with a perfect body and the fatal consequences it can have.
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
is a fictional novel about a controversial Canadian painter, Elaine Risley. Elaine reluctantly returns to her home town for a restrospective of her life's work. While visiting Toronto, she is inevitably forced to "come to terms with her own identity as a daughter, a lover, an artist, and a woman". Before she can achieve this important step in self-fulfillment she must first reflect on the troublesome events of her childhood. Elaine has always struggled with her identity from religion to relationships and this art exhibit is her opportunity to face herself once and for all. read like the memoirs of a troubled woman haunted by her past and conflicted with her sense of self. This novel explores Elaine's entire life as she attempts to discover her true self and come to terms with her past. From visions of the Virgin Mary to bullies at school Elaine Risley had endured many challenges growing up in the 1940's.
is the first novel in the the Strain Trilogy created by Pan's Labyrinth's director, Guillermo Del Toro and award-winning author, Chuck Hogan. leaves you on the edge of your seat for all 624 pages. Each chapter builds suspense and is packed with action, mystery, and fear. Horror fans will love this book. The vampires are portrayed as primal monsters who's only desire is to kill and feed. Can Dr. Goodweather save the world? Or is it all ready too late?
The White Tiger
is a fictional novel about Balram Halwai. Born in the slums of India, Balram was destined to be a common servant. That was until he caught his lucky break. He became the driver for a wealthy landlord (a driver is similar to a servant but with a more desirable paycheck) and, against all odds, he later became a successful entrepreneur. But Balram is not just a businessman, he is also a murderer. Sitting beneath his chandelier, Balram unravels an astonishing tale in the form of a letter to the premier of China.
Pandora in the Congo
is the follow-up to Pinol's Cold Skin. In 1914, London, Tommy is given the task of interviewing a prisoner convicted of murder. Garvey stumbled out of the jungle alone months after a large mining expedition had begun. The entire crew and his masters were missing and Garvey had two large diamonds in his possession. Tommy is a young writer that had been given the task of transforming Garvey's incredible case into a novel. was an amazing story about love, greed, power, and primal instincts. Loaded with action, suspense, and mystery, this novel was an extraordinary read. Pinol is a master of the bizarre. If you liked Cold Skin you must read this book!
Nicholas Sparks is a well-known romance writer. Many of his novels have become movies: The Notebook
, The Last Song, A Walk to Remember, Nights in Rodanthe, and Dear John. His books are not the Harlequin-type novels you might think. They are serious, tragic, and passionate but always tasteful. Sparks books focus on true-love, and true-romance, not just passion and sex. The Notebook tells the story of Noah and Allie whom have an unlikely summer romance. They both come from very different worlds. Allie's parents are not impressed by Noah and expect their daughter to marry into an upper-class family like themselves. While their summer love is more than a fling, they are pushed apart. Years later they reunite when Allie is engaged but cannot hide her feelings for Noah any longer. is not the type of book I would normally read. I am not really into that mushy romance stuff. But I enjoyed the book and I liked the movie. It was a very sad story and I have heard that a lot of Nicholas Spark books are like that. I give this book a Thumbs Up.
