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.

SCOOP

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

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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.

SCOOP

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 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.

SCOOP

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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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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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.

SCOOP

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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PLOT

Nineteen Minutes is all it took to turn the small New Hampshire town of Sterling upside down. When one of the local high school students, Peter, walks into the school and opens fire, the whole town is forced to take a closer look at themselves as they all search to answer the most important question…Why? Josie, the main character, witnessed the tragedy but cannot remember what happened. Her mother Alex, a local judge, tries to balance her personal and professional life, while trying to understand the world her daughter lives in. Peter’s parents try to understand how their son could have done this. The story is full of complex characters and issues where nothing is black and white but everything is in a shade of gray.

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I encourage everyone to read this book because it does bring up real life issues we should all think about. Reading this book made me feel sad and angry. I felt sad for the victims of the shooting, the main character, the parents and even the shooter himself. And I was angry at all of them, too. One thing I have found with Jodi Picoult is that she has a way of capturing the essence of real life. Unfortunately life is all to often unfair and ugly and it will leave you feeling sad and angry. This is not a light read and unless you are a robot, the story will have you wrestling with your emotions, but it is a good book regardless.

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PLOT

Angels & Demons is actually the prequel to The Da Vinci Code, but you do not need to read it in order to understand The Da Vinci Code. Harvard symbolist Robert Langdon is called in when a well known physicist, Leonard Vetra, is found dead with an ancient symbol branded on his chest. It is the symbol of an ancient, secretive, and once thought extinct, society. Langdon, along with Vetra’s daughter, set out to find this society, and the person who murdered Vetra. The trail leads them to Vatican City, where the election of a new pope is underway, as they attempt to put the pieces together in time to discover what is going on before anyone else is hurt.

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I LOVED THIS BOOK. I think Angels & Demons is better than The Da Vinci Code. I could not put Angels & Demons down; I read it in two days. I had it stashed under my desk at work. I like the plot better and there was more suspense in this book. The twists and turns Dan Brown weaves into the story line will keep you hooked. READ THIS BOOK!!!! I promise you will thank me later.

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Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

I’m currently in the middle of another book on the list and will post updates on my journey to complete this daunting, but exciting task.

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THE PLOT:

The story takes place in Florence, Italy during the Renaissance and the reign of the Medici family. Alessandra, the only daughter of a wealthy family, is every bit a child of the Renaissance who finds her life disrupted when her father employs a struggling artist to paint the chapel ceiling in their home. Alessandra is instantly drawn to this young man, but her family is determined to keep them apart. Alessandra is horrified when she learns she is going to be married to a man who is much older. As Alessandra is forced to leave her painter and her family, the city around her is in turmoil. A fundamentalist monk is working to gain control of the city and suppress the Renaissance movement. As the situation in the city continues to grow worse, Alessandra discovers that her marriage was built upon a secret, and she finds her thoughts continually returning to the painter. Just as the chaos around the city erupts, so does her personal life.

THE SCOOP:

This book is amazing to read. I will admit that I am a bit of an Italian Renaissance junkie so stories set in that time period already have a point in their favor. But there is more to this story than just the time period it was set in. The sexual tension between Alessandra and her painter is intense. I found myself reading as fast as I could just to try to find out whether or not they ever got to be together because I could almost feel their longing myself. The book is beautifully written and the descriptions will have your imagination running rampant with vivid images. This is a must read for everyone. I told one of my friends to read it and she dubbed it a “sexy book.” And what a sexy book it is!!!

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PLOT:

Christopher is a 15 year old autistic boy who gives us a narrative of his adventures when he discovers something curious. The story begins with Christopher finding his neighbor’s dog dead. She comes upon Christopher and her dearly departed dog and, thinking he killed the dog, has him arrested. Christopher decides to uncover the truth about what really happened to the dog. As Christopher searches to learn the truth, he discovers what really happened to his mother. Through his journey, we get to view the world through Christopher’s eyes, a world where logic, the cornerstone of Christopher’s world, is often swept under the rug.

THE SCOOP:

I loved this book and recommend it to everyone. The story is deliciously funny and Christopher is truly a character you can understand and relate to. What makes this story stand out, is the author’s brilliant way of writing from the viewpoint of an autistic boy. I felt as though I had a new appreciation for how a person with autism sees the world, and how hard it can be for them to relate to the way the rest of us act. One of the most fascinating part of his tale is when Christopher describes how he “feels” emotion. I am still amazed by the insight this author has. This book also made me realize how complicated (unnecessarily so) we can make things.

This book is funny and insightful all at the same time. It’s one of those books I just couldn’t put down and hated to see end. As an added incentive (as if you should need one) this book is listed in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. Grab a copy of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and settle in for some fun.

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