Review:
Wow, I had no idea what I was in for when I started Wuthering Heights! I knew it was a classic of Gothic romanticism, but I was expecting a florid love story of the kind I don’t usually enjoy. Instead I got a pile-on of selfish people behaving very, very badly and I loved every minute of it.

What i liked was that they were all so despicable, except for Ellen Dean, who was powerless to affect any kind of moral change. She would occasionally get fed up and scold the lot of them, but they never listened. It was awfully poignant when she said she just wanted to buy a cottage and have Cathy Linton come live with her. Secondarily, I loved the transformation of poor Hareton Earnshaw from a cussin’ kid to a gallant gentle giant.

I listened to the audio version (mostly) narrated by Janet McTeer and she wrung every last drop of satire and humor from the proceedings, without sacrificing emotion and heart. Her voice is simply beautiful to listen to and that really enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

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While I was captivated by Graham Greene’s remarkable prose prowess in The Comedians, I wasn’t as enthralled by the story as I wanted to be. My interest never dipped below the purely intellectual into the realm of emotion. There was something much too male about the story’s tone and construction for my tastes, if that makes sense. I admired the layers on layers of the narrative strands, and the complexities of the characterizations, but my admiration never transformed into love.

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I was expecting Karma For Beginners to be light and frothy and comic, but the story actually delves into some really dark psychological territory. Tessa’s free-spirited mom has been following her bliss and dragging Tessa along for the ride as long as Tessa can remember, but the ashram ends up being the place where Tessa finds her own true identity. She falls in love with the unreligious 20-year-old caretaker, but he’s not the lifesaver she’s looking for, just like the guru doesn’t have all the answers for her mother. The story really sucked me in and I won’t soon forget it.

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The appeal of Commencement is in its depiction of Smith College, caught between poles of conservative femininity and radical lesbianism. Each of the four protagonists deals with life issues that have something to do with the plight of the modern women. Their struggles are portrayed with nuance and pathos, but I wondered if the story would have resonated had it been set in a less idiosyncratic place. Only one of the characters–April–really differentiated herself from the other three, who, apart from their differing circumstances, didn’t seem to be all that different. I enjoyed the read but it didn’t blow me away.

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The Water’s Lovely is one of Ruth Rendell’s quieter books, with a fineness to it despite the emotional (and sometimes physical) violence that lurks in most of the relationships. While most of the characters have deep emotional flaws, some of them are appealingly good, even brave and admirable, and that’s what kept me really engaged in this book. It would be a good introduction to Ruth Rendell, one of Britain’s finest living writers.

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I listened to The Alchemist’s Code on audiobook, and wasn’t aware that it was a sequel until looking up the publication date to craft this post. It definitely stands alone as a mystery novel–no backstory needed for enjoyment–but I am now curious about what I missed in the first book.

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Against my better judgment, I decided to give The Van Alen Legacy, book four in the Blue Bloods series, a try. I wasn’t wild about the first three books, but they had an appealing energy so I thought I’d give the series one more chance. I just couldn’t get into it. I couldn’t find any other reasons to care about these beautiful, rich, entitled vampires–not even Schuyler, branded a killer and on the run from her own kind. I like a good trashy soapy read as much as the next person, but this series doesn’t have enough drama and dish. It’s trying too hard to be popular. That said, I’ll call it a matter of taste, and won’t argue with anyone who says they really love the series.

Many thanks to Hyperion for the review copy.

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Review:
His Eyes is a sweet little story. It has some flaws in the plotting, with one particular character who becomes unrealistically monstrous, but its heart is in the right place. The love story had a lot of warmth to it, and the family dynamics were intriguing all around.

Many thanks to Reneé Carter for the review copy.

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A Little Help From My Friends was more plot-lite than the previous installments, which I kind of liked. Nothing super dramatic happened, and instead the drama focused on Zoe’s burgeoning independence. The writing is breezy and accessible, as usual, though God played a much smaller role than in previous books. At one point, Ana tells popular girl Ashley not to call her “God Girl,” because it’s mean. I found myself wishing she’d stood up for her faith instead. Looking forward to what senior year will bring for the Miracle Girls!

Many thanks to Hachette Book Group for the review copy.

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Review:
I had already read some of NurtureShock, since several of the chapters began as articles in “New York” magazine. It’s pretty fun to watch the authors pick apart some current sacred cows, like the purported virtues of educational baby DVDs, or the merits of testing kindergarteners to track them into gifted programs, or the benefits of teaching thankfulness. As a parent myself, I was really gratified to see that I’m not the only one who gets paralyzed by all the mixed messages. The book affirmed that you have to treat your kids like individuals, not generalizations.

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