Books: January 2009

Of the books I read in January, none were stellar, but all were entertaining enough. Here are some brief reviews.

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson
Clio is forced to give up her dream summer job (complete with cute co-worker) to accompany her estranged father on a mysterious archaeological expedition in Italy. Lots of hijinks, locked doors, misunderstandings and, of course, unexpected romance. A bit over-the-top and very predictable in parts, but Clio is mostly likable and it reads fast. A good summer beach read.

Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath
Eleven-year-old Primrose Squarp becomes an orphan when both her parents are lost at sea. She holds out hope for her parents’ return while continuing her life in small Coal Harbour amid a collection of quirky townsfolk. The story has humor and heart, without being too cloying. Plus, each chapter ends with a delicious-sounding recipe that Primrose collects. Great for the 9-12 set.

Size 14 Is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot
The second of Meg Cabot’s Heather Wells mysteries, the action centers on the murder of a popular cheerleader who lives in Heather’s dorm (excuse me, “residence hall”). Despite her promises not to get involved, Heather finds herself once again leading her own investigation and getting caught up with a fraternity drug ring. On top of all this, she has to deal with her just-released-from-prison Dad, her about-to-get-married ex-boyfriend, and the major crush she has on her roommate. It’s all a little over the top and gets resolved too nicely, but still an entertaining read.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Meg Murry, her younger brother Charles Wallace, and schoolmate Calvin O’Keefe are whisked away on a journey through time and space to save Meg’s father from an evil shadow threatening the universe. They encounter fantastical creatures and bizarre places, while struggling against internal and external forces. I read this as a kid and remember loving it, but wasn’t as taken with the story this time around. The ending seemed simplistic and I disliked the overt religious talk. I would still recommend it for kids and adults looking for sci-fi.

Madapple by Christina Meldrum (audio)
Sixteen-year-old Aslaug has grown up cut off from the rest of the world. She lives with her mother in a house with no electricity, heavily curtained windows and no mirrors. With her mother’s death, Aslaug suddenly has the real world thrust at her. With some suspicion at her involvement in her mother’s death, she searches out a familiar place from her few ventures into town and comes upon her Aunt and cousins. She slowly learns more about her mother’s past and becomes entrenched with the lives of her newfound family. The narrative alternates between a transcript of the court proceedings of Aslaug’s murder trial for her mother and others, and Aslaug’s own recollection of events leading up to the trial. This is a complex story that delves into religion, trust, teen pregnancy, rape, and the reliability of one’s own memories. I really disliked all of the characters, but that seemed to be purposeful. The story itself was compelling and provided enough mysteries to make me keep listening. Definitely for an advanced reader.

February 10th, 2009  ♥  Books, Reviews  ♥  2 Comments »