#12: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

I found this book at my school's book fair this week and bought it, wondering what a book told by a gorilla in the first person would be like.  Well...much like Charlotte's Web, an all-time favorite of mine where talking animals are the main characters, The One and Only Ivan was amazing!  

Ivan is a silverback gorilla who is the main attraction at The Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.  He's not the only animal there--there is a talking parrot, Stella the elephant, and Bob, a dog who is a stray but who loves Ivan and sleeps with him at night while making himself scarce during the day.  In a desperate attempt to bring more people to the mall, a baby elephant named Ruby appears and Stella, an older female, is so excited to have a baby to care for.  But when Stella dies and Ruby is left alone, Ivan is faced with a problem: how does he make his promise to Stella for Ruby to have a better life a reality?  Ivan is no ordinary silverback and he quickly hatches a plan, a plan that you will have to read the book in order to find out. I will ruin nothing here because it's quite spectacular.

There are a few humans in this novel:  Mack, who runs the mall, George, who cleans the mall, Julia, George's daughter, and Maya, who we meet towards the end of the book.  But they are all secondary characters to the animals.

This book is truly a gift and if you've ever read Charlotte's Web and loved it, The One and Only Ivan should be on your list of must-reads.  This book makes me wish I was still teaching full-time so I could add it to my read-aloud rotation.

Happy reading, everyone!
:)Dodie

#11: A Girl's Guide to Moving on by Debbie Macomber

Despite what the title implies, this is not a self-help book.  It is a cleverly written novel by one of my favorite authors that describes the healing process of two women, Nichole and Leanne, after their divorces.  What makes this duo particularly unique is that Leanne is Nichole's mother in law.  The two became such great friends during Nichole's marriage to Jake, Leanne's son, that they have now turned to each other for unconditional support as they work to build their lives once again.

Anyone who has ever read Macomber's books knows that they are filled with great, believable characters--characters you wished you knew in real life.  A Girl's Guide is no different.  We meet Rocco and Nikolai and Shawntelle, and we are reacquainted with Nichole's sister and family from a previous novel.  I love how Macomber brings back beloved characters for a quick glimpse into their lives as she writes new stories.  It's like getting all the benefits of a sequel without the story actually being a sequel.

I will admit that I cried at the end of this book.  Well...for the last 50 pages or so.  This story had a plot twist that I didn't see coming and one that tugged at my heart strings.  Leanne's relationship with her ex-husband is a complicated one, as you'd expect when a divorce occurs after 35 years of a marriage, but Macomber creates a situation for them that makes their relationship even more complicated.  One that left me crying and praying for a love like theirs, complications and all.

I used to think that one day, after reading all that Debbie Macomber has written, that I would get bored with her stories or her characters.  Turns out, as I read each one of her latest novels, I am reminded of why I fell in love with her stories 10 years ago and still run to the bookstore today when a new one is released.  It will be a sad day for me, indeed, when she stops writing books.  I suppose I will just have to start re-reading them all, one by one.

Happy reading!
-Dodie

#10: The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

After re-reading this book because I could not recall reading it, I still don't remember reading it but I can't imagine how I could forget reading this book; it was so moving and touching.  It has been a long time since I have sobbed when reading a Nicholas Sparks book, but this one had me sobbing.  I will NOT go to the movie theatre to see this movie, either, because if I was sobbing at home, I'll be sobbing in the movie theatre and quite honestly I'd rather cry at home in front of people who love me versus people who will just think that I am crazy.

The Choice details the love story of Travis and Gabby from their first meeting to the day when Travis is faced with a choice that no none should ever have to make.  I was surprised by his choice at first, and am completely positive my husband would choose in the opposite direction, but after reading the end, I'm not so surprised anymore.  You'll have to read the book to discover his choice and why he was faced with the decision in the first place, but when you love like Travis, it's no wonder that he made the choice he made.  Travis and Gabby make me believe in true love.  Real true love.

Read this one.  But with tissues.
-Dodie

#9: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Every West End parent should receive this book when they register their babies for Kindergarten.  And in some extreme cases, pre-school.  I am fairly certain there are other regions of the US and even the world where the parents of small children could benefit from reading this book, too.  And, sadly, it's not a book about small children.  It's a book about teenagers, but it serves as a warning for parents and could, if parents read this soon enough, save lives of teenagers and young adults.  Teenagers and Young Adults who have not been able to live their own lives, who are not able to pursue their own passions, but are instead forced to live out the unrealized dreams of their parents.

Everything I Never Told You is the story of Lydia Lee and her family.  Lydia is a sophomore who goes missing on page one.  The rest of the story functions to explain her disappearance.  The book, in effect, becomes what she never told anyone.  Of course, it also becomes what her entire family never told anyone, as they all have lethal secrets.

Themes abound in this small, well-written, fully developed book: Asian vs. American, Man vs. Woman, Girl vs. Boy, Smart vs. Stupid, Mom vs. Daughter, Dad vs. Son, Gay vs. Straight, Dead vs. Alive.

This book terrified me from page one.  And I spent the rest of the book second guessing my role as parent.  Does Abigail real want to teach or has this been forced upon her because everyone says she's so good with children?  Does Emily really want to take Latin or does she feel compelled because if she does pre-law in college (3 years away), she will have to? What presents have I given them over the years that are things I wanted myself and not really things they wanted at all?  And, the biggest question of all--is what I see/hear from my girls the truth?  Or the truth they want me to see?

See.  This book is scary.

But, if you are a parent, I think this is a must-read.  It will make you think about your kids and how you parent them, for sure.

In the end, when we learn what really happens to Lydia, my heart ached for her and for her family.  Every disaster is preventable.  You just have to be alert and aware.

And for God's sake, please teach your children how to swim.  Please.

Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie

#8: Orphan by Kim van Alkemade

Orphan #8 is a novel based on real events from the author's extended family.  While at times this book is just flat out frightening (because who ever thought that doctors would do experiments on orphaned children) it is a uniquely moving story.

Rachel Rabinowitz is four years old when she and her brother become orphans and move to live in a Jewish orphanage in NYC.  During her time in the Hebrew Infant Home, Dr. Mildred Solomon uses Rachel, and other children, for a series of medical experiments.  The effects of these experiments, mostly done with x-rays, change Rachel's life forever.  Through alternating chapters, past then present, we learn Rachel's story and how she has now come to be the hospice nurse for Dr. Solomon.  The tables have turned and Rachel has to decide if she will forgive Dr. Solomon, or if she will do some experimenting of her own.

I could not put this book down.  It was hard to read at times, due to the themes explored in the text,  but, what I left this book feeling was a sense of hope regarding the ultimate nature of man/woman.  If ever there was a girl who could be mad and angry and who would want to give up on life, it was Rachel.  Yet she refuses to do this.  She is a strong woman and her story is a worth-while read.

Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie

#7: The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

The Last Anniversary is a wonderfully original, feel-good novel that made me smile big smiles at the end, and that I couldn't put down once I started.  Liane Moriarty never fails to please.

And just so you know, this novel is not about the last anniversary of a marriage, or a relationship, but of a murder-mystery.  See--totally original.  And, yes, still a feel-good kind of book.  You're going to have to read it to understand, but it will be worth it, I promise.

Enjoy!
:)Dodie

#6: The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

I absolutely could not read The Thorn Birds fast enough, yet at the same time I also did not want the story to finish.  I have heard of this book since the 80's when it was a mini-series, and I have also heard my husband wasn't allowed to even be in the room when it was on because it was so scandalous, but never read it. I then heard it mentioned on a TV show recently so I took it as a sign that I needed to read it so I ordered it.  I am reading random books in between Outlander volumes so I picked this one and couldn't put it down.  It is quite brilliant and I totally understand why it was turned into a mini-series, which I have purchased and plan to start watching today.

The story is long and spans roughly 75-100 years (it is just shy of 700 pages long) as it follows the life of the Cleary family who live first in New Zealand and then move to Australia.  The details are rich and, as a result,  you get to know these characters intimately.  The book is divided into sections, named for the main characters, but within the sections you get to meet the entire Clearly clan along with friends and neighbors.  Their saga is dramatic, scandalous, and is the perfect story to center a college level course around.  The themes and parallels amongst family members from one generation to the next abound.  This is the sort of book that sticks with you and that you will want to talk about with other people.  It is a perfect book club book.  Really.

I understand the scandal now.  If you are bothered by the notion that a Catholic priest might slip and might not be as pure as he should be, you should not read this book. It will be too much for you.  But, if you want to read a story that explores money, feminism, religion, and love, this is the book for you.  It's truly amazing.  One friend of mine said it was the first "grown up romance " novel she read and that it changed her life.  I suspect that had I read this 20 years ago, I could say the same.  I also suspect that had I read it 20 years ago, I might not be where I am now as it certainly makes one think about gender roles and expectations of and for women.  Where was this book in my Feminism in Literature Class??

Read this.  You won't be disappointed. I promise.

Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie