Water For Elephants: Mystery and Mayhem at the Circus

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

PLOT

The circus comes to town right next door to 93 year old Jacob Jankowski’s nursing home setting off a string of memories.  When Jacob was 21 his parents were killed in a car accident and he ended up running off and joining the circus.  Jacob’s memories give the readers a behind-the-scenes peek at the greatest show on earth.  Like any workplace the circus Jacob works for is full of politics, a pecking order, backstabbing and fighting.  When Jacob falls in love with his boss’s wife, he learns that the circus he joins has dark secrets.

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This is the first book I’ve ever read that involves the circus.  It is not the circus I remember going to.  Gruen does a great job researching the circuses that travelled the country on trains back in the 1920’s and 1930’s.  This story has great twists and turns and chracters to root for.  Guren does a great job describing the acts, I was able to picture the acts in my mind easily.  Although the story has some dark parts, it is a fun book to read.

Water for Elephants

The Book of Eleanor: History Class was Never so Interesting

The Book of Eleanor by Pamela Kaufman

PLOT

Eleanor’s father dies and making her the Duchess of Aquitaine. She is quickly forced into a marriage with the prince of France, Louis VII rather than her childhood love, Baron Rancon. Louis is a religious fanatic who attempts to keep Eleanor under lock and key, but the harder he tries to hold her down, the more she rebels. She finally convinces the Church, the Pope and Louis to give her an annulment so that she may be with her true love, Baron Rancon.

Instead, Eleanor finds herself thrust again into a political marriage to Henry II of England. Henry is much stronger and cunning than Louis was and proves a match for Eleanor. When she backs her sons in a rebellion for the throne, Henry has Eleanor thrown into prison for seventeen long years.

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If you visit this site often you will find that I read a lot of historical fiction. I can’t help it, I love it. And this book has a lot to love. Eleanor is portrayed as a strong, intelligent and independent woman who is trapped by the political plays of the men around her. I couldn’t help but admire her courage and refusal to back down. In addition to a strong character, this book has a love story, politics and power plays and treachery all wrapped into one. This is a delicious book you won’t want to put down.

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The Ultimate Reading Quest and The Spy Who Came in From the Cold

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John Le Carre

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold is one of the books listed in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. It is not a book I would have ever picked up on my own but now I can cross it off my list and continue on with my quest.

PLOT

The main character, Alec Leamas is an agent for the British version of the CIA. In the book they refer to it as the Circus. He was in charge of agents in East Berlin spying on the Praesidium during the cold war. It is now the early 1960s and Leamas’ entire team has been killed by the enemy. After years of service he is tired of the job and ready to call it quits, when he is offered one last job. It’s a job he cannot refuse and so he sets out to accomplish what, for him, will be his crowning achievement without blowing his cover.

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I like suspense, but I’ve never really been into spy novels. The writing in this is kind of dry, but the plot is superb. It has everything I would expect from a spy novel, and keeps you guessing until the very end. It also seems very real life; I could almost believe I was reading a true account and not fiction. I highly recommend this book.

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Good In Bed:Fun and Witty

Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner

PLOT

The story begins when self-described plus size woman, Cannie Shapiro discovers her ex-boyfriend (they are on a break) has gotten a job writing the column “Good In Bed” in a woman’s magazine. His first article is entitled “Loving a Larger Woman” where he describes his relationship with Cannie. This article sends Cannie on a journey that will bring her some of the best, and worst, experiences. With humor and wit, Cannie reflects on her past and present to find herself and try to find happiness.

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Cannie is a smart and funny character which makes this really fun to read. The story really is about self-acceptance. Cannie is such a real character that you can relate to what she is going through. I often felt like I was seeing myself in Cannie. I was completely engrossed in the story and had to force myself to put the book down and do other things. This is a light easy read and will have you laughing out loud in spots and reaching for the Kleenex in others. Snuggle up in a comfy chair and enjoy the ride with Cannie.

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Seize the Night: You Won’t Want to Put it Down

Seize the Night by Dean Koontz

PLOT

In a small California town children have begun to disappear in the night. Christopher Snow begins to investigate the disappearances when the son of his childhood sweetheart goes missing. Christopher has a rare genetic disorder which makes him sensitive to light so he is in his element in the darkness. He heads to a nearby military base, Fort Wyvern, which he believes is the cause of not only the disappearances, but of other strange events that have begun to occur around town. Christopher is familiar with Fort Wyvern and aware it houses deep secrets due to the research conducted there. As he sets out to find the children he discovers that saving them is not enough; he has to save the town as well.

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This was the first ever Dean Koontz book I read and I have been hooked on him ever since. Seize the Night is a major page turner; I could barely put the book down. The plot is so unique and takes twists I never saw coming. I would not recommend reading it late at night for two reasons: First it’s scary. Not in that classic horror movie way but in that the minute you close your eyes you will start to wonder… and then your imagination will take over. Second, you won’t want to put it down and go to sleep, which can be a problem for some. Just make sure that when you start reading it you carve out plenty of time because you won’t want to put it down.

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