Tamora Pierce: The Will of the Empress

One Word Summary: Escapism
The back cover reads: Long-awaited... Highly anticipated... The Circle Reforged. Four Mages. One Destiny. No Turning back.
More Words: ummmm, the book was very interesting while I was reading it. Only I forgot about it almost as soon as closed the back cover. In fact I don't really care about The Circle of Magic Series. Although I do like some of the other series, like Trickster's Choice and Terrier. Now those I really liked. Anyhow this is the third time I've checked this book from the library (thinking it's something else?), so I finally just hunkered down and read it. And yeah, the book is just fine if you need a break from all responsibilty but still need to actually be a little responsible. Oh, it's possible to understand without having read the other books.

Donna Jo Napoli: The Smile

One Word Summary: BitterSweet
More Words: I think I need to learn a little more European History, like I should read a book dedicated to it instead of gleaning facts from fiction. Now, DJN is a very prolific writer. All the novels I'ver read of her's are bittersweet. It's weird how she can make settling almost satisfying. It's especially weird that keep coming back for more, since I prefer the more traditional happy ever after.
Plot Summary: The story is set in Florence just after the death of Lorenzo the Magnificent. A young noble girl is preparing for her come out, only a series of unfortunate events delay the actual party and ultimately her betrothal. Meanwhile there's political turmoil and she meets Leonard Da Vinci and falls in love with Giuliano the youngest Medici boy- who names her Monna Lisa.
Dedicatication: For Headley, my newest joy
Quote:

I give a small laugh. Only city folk could say such a thing. And only a
childless man.

Suzanne Harper: The Juliet Club

One Word Summary: Besotted Grin

More words: I can't honestly say this book was spectacular, because it was over the top ridiculous. But, instead of cringing I found myself grinning like a love struck fool. None of the characters were the least bit boring -something you don't find in nature. Each one had their unique voice and idiosyncrasies, my favourite had to be Sylvia followed closely by Grandma. While the story was completely unrealistic it also felt genuine. I even learned something about Shakespear's writing, and something about Juliet. The author did wonderful research and clever thinking. I liked this book. It would be a pleasure to read more of Harper's work.

Plot Summary: Disenchanted with Romance Girl Next Door travels to Italy for a summer Shakespear seminar and falls in love, despite her seriousness and stiffness. In fact all the lead characters fall in love.

Quote:

"You're thinking of magnets," she corrected him. "Not people."

Ted Dekker: Blink of an Eye

One Word Summary: Precognition proves existence of God

More Words: I'm not having very much luck just pulling books off the shelf in the library. The only reason I finished this story was because I wondered where Dekker was going with his precognition thing. Anyhow here's the plot. Super Genius Suffer Dude foils an attempt to overthrow the Saudi Arabian government, maintains the status quo, and finds true love. Yep that's it. I bet the movie was better.

Quote:

The collective mind of America was headed down the toilet. At some point during the last twenty years, someone decided that intelligence wasn't such a hot commodity after all, and the rest of the country licked up that nonsense as though it were a melting vanilla cone on a hot day.

Chaim Potok: The Chosen

One Word Summary: Tzaddik
More Words: This is a work of genius. I even pulled out my pen and sticky notes to study it as I read, although I didn't commit anything to memory. I loved reading every word, and following significant words as they appeared through the story. I love how Potok used sight and sound to define his two main characters. I love how everyone blinks, but it means different things. I like Davey Cantor, whose only purpose is to show up with bad news. I love how the title is open to so many interpretations. I love how beautiful Potok's images are and I love the complete lack of superfluity in his style.

Study Questions:

• Is the Master of the Universe as silent Danny's father or as effusive Reuven's father?
• Is the World Cockeyed? How do different character define the world?
• How does having a soul counter cruelty? How is Reb Saunders both cruel and compassionate?
• Warfare and fighting language figure throughout the novel. What are Danny and Reuven fighting against?
• In the beginning Reuven's father is angry and lectures him on the importance of listening. At the end Reuven's father is angry again for the same reason. How does Reuven change and remain the same?
• Why does Danny want to study psychology?

Quote:

My father looked at me. " What did I never tell you?"

Charlotte Bronte: Jane Eyre

One Word Summary: My Master
More Words: This novel is a masterpiece. Books that are good enough to study should have study questions. So I've come up with a few questions to spend time thinking about.

Study Questions

• Why can't Jane live with Mr. Rochester as his mistress? And the parallel question, why does she offer to accompany Mr. Rivers to India as his secretary but not as his wife?
• How is Jane's love for Helen similar to her love for Mr. Rochester? What does she feel for Mr. Rivers?
• What makes Jane Eyre so different from Pride and Prejudice?
• How does Charlotte Bronte define good or bad in her characters?
• Is Jane really an elf/faerie? Who is she?
• What words were threaded throughout the text?
• Was the finale satisfying?
• Which do you think better, love in this world or glory in the world to come? Must a person give up one to achieve the other?

Quotes:

He made me love him without looking at me. p203

Alas the readers of our era are less favoured. But courage? I will not pause either to accuse or repine. I know poetry is not dead, nor genius lost; nor has Mammon gained power over either, to bind or slay; they will both assert their existence, their presence, their liberty and strength again on day. Powerful angels, safe in heaven! they smile when sordid souls triumph, and feeble ones weep over their destruction. Poetry destroyed! Genius banished! No! Mediocrity, no: do not let envy prompt you to the though. No; they not only live, but reign and redeem: and without their divine influence spread everywhere, you would be in hell - the hell of your own meaness. p427

This was very pleasant; there is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow-creatures, and feeling that your presence is an addition to their comfort. p284

Hush, Jane! you think to much of the love of human beings; you are too impulsive, to vehement: the sovereign Hand that created your frame, and put life into it, has provided you with other resources than your feeble self, or than other creatures feeble as you. Besides this earth, and besides the reace of men, there is an invisible world and a kingdom of spirits: that world is round us, for it is everywhere; and those spirits watch us, for they are commissioned to guard us, and if we were dying in pain and shame, if scorn smote us on all sides, and hatred crushed us, angles see our tortures, recognise our innocence (...) and God waits only the separation of spirit from flesh to crown us with a full reward. Why then, should we ever sink overwhelmed with destress, when life is so soon over, and death is so certain an entrance to happiness - to glory. p45

Glen Ebisch: Grave Justice

One Word Summary: that insipid nasal sound

More Words: Murder Mysteries are like olives, you have to try them now and again just to see if you still don't like them. I think I need to sample a better olive, before I give up on them entirely. For this story my biggest complaint is the dialogue. It felt too convenient. One character makes a statement, another person replies, a few remarks are shared, and the author sets you up nicely with some vital information, and everyone is satisfied. Sort of like in a sitcom. Conversations are never so straight forward. They're supposed to be messy. There was also some romance, which made me feel really embarrassed- again just because of the way the would be lovers were talking. It was weird, and maybe even unhealthy. However to be fair I did like the criminal mastermind ploting.

I did read a similar novel earlier in the year by Catherine Coulter: Double Take. I liked it fine. But I'm not addicted in the least to this genre.