The Spellman Files by, Lisa Lutz

This is a fun book. Thanks for the recommendation Alisha!

The book jacket compares it to Harriet the Spy, and Nancy Drew for grown-ups. I think its a fair comparison. The story is about a family of P.I.s. It's written from Izzy's 20-something perspective. She has case files, transcripts, and charming lists.

I enjoyed the style of the book, the spunky characters, and it has a couple of good mysteries too. The Spellmans are good mix of dysfunction and love. The details had me cracking up. For example, the tennis uniforms, paying the little sister, the tattoos. Good cover too.

I recommend this book! (Just a warning, there are a handful of f-words.)

Griffin and Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence by, Nick Bantock

This is a pretty little book. The story is told through postcards, and letters that you actually pull out of an envelope to read. Not all the artwork is pretty, but I love the idea of the book. The story is intriguing, but the entire book felt more like a chapter. SO I quickly put requests in for the other 5 books of the series. Hopefully they'll come in quick.

The basic summary is that an artist, Griffin, receives a postcard from a woman who lives on a tiny island. As they correspond, she explains that she can see his artwork as he creates it. Their letters draw you in, and I'm really excited to see where the story will go.

**As a side note, my anesthesiologist when I was in labor with Laney told me about these books. We were having a discussion about the names of my children. I was impressed that he had a literary reference for each of their names that I was unfamiliar with. Of course I don't remember what Delaney and Nolan were. I think they were authors. Its nice the conversation was good, because the epidural wasn't. It only took on one side, and someone had to come fix it, give me another shot of it, which resulted in cement leg on the left side for many hours. But I digress.....

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by, Muriel Barbery

Loved it. Absolutely. Thank you Graham for finding this gem. And thank you Wendy for reading it right before me and putting up with me talking about it so much on our trip. This book is French. It has been translated. Both of the main characters are endearing. I loved them, hence loved the book.

Paloma and Renee each have "the elegance of the hedgehog: on the outside, she's covered in quills, a real fortress, but my gut feeling is that on the inside, she has the same simple refinement as the hedgehog: a deceptively indolent little creature, fiercely solitary--and terribly elegant."
I took a lot of notes, I'll spare you most of them, but really I'd love to write them all up.
Here are a few that I really liked:

Madame Michel writes about her husband's last days, and going to a movie, "he had placed his trust in what we had said to each other without any need for words."
I love that, not just the point she is making, but the lovely way it is written.

Or, Paloma while visiting her grandma in a rest home, says, "I was ripe for despair. Then suddenly I remembered that I had decided to build and not destroy. I looked all around me for something positive," I love the dramatics of Paloma's emotions, because that's how we are as teenagers. Lots of things she said cracked me up.

"If you think about it carefully, there is nothing uglier than an open door." Renee is explaining why the Japanese sliding doors are so much better. And still talking about Japanese design, "Maybe we're all sick with this too much of everything."

I'll admit that there are times when Renee's philosophical musings begin to lose me. But enough of what she says is really good stuff, that I like her.

One more Paloma quote, "So when they sing a canon I look down at the ground because it's just too much emotion at once: it's too beautiful, and everyone singing together, this marvelous sharing."

That is one of the themes running in this book, noticing those pure moments of beauty.

I will state that the ending is not what I really wanted or expected. I won't say anymore. But it's still a great book.

I hope more of you will read it because this is totally in my top 10.

The Prophet of Yonwood

This is book #3 of the series. It is a prequel to City of Ember. It shows one small town 50 years before people went to live in the City of Ember. Nickie is 11, and she grows up to be the one that wrote the diary that Doon and Lina find on their way out.

I was a little concerned that this book was heading toward making fun of religion, you know false prophets, false hope, etc. But I think it is a good story to match the first two. It has a pretty happy ending too.

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

We read this book for bookclub this month, and I really liked it! It has a similiar feel to Little House on the Prairie, and These is My Words. But it takes place later, during World War I. The author, Kirby Larson, is from Kenmore! It won a Newberry Honor award, and is written for young adults, maybe even older elementary kids.

The author heard stories of her Great-grandma homesteading in Montana, and started researching. I think it is well-written, and has lots of interesting historical information, without sounding like a history book.

The characters were well developed. I loved the family of friends that Hattie found in Montana. Just a warning, this book made me cry. It could have been worse, but there are some SAD parts. I liked the character of Hattie, and her swift sincere prayers. There are some sweet magical moments.

I hope you'll read and enjoy this book.

PS. There are two recipes in the back. Aminda made Perilee's Wartime Spice Cake, and MMMMM it was good!

People of Sparks

This is the sequel to City of Ember, and I liked it just as much. I think it has some thought-provoking ideas about what leads to war, and choosing the right thing even if it is hard. But keep in mind that it is a children's book, so you've probably thought the thoughts before. I'm an adult and I still really enjoyed it. I do think you should read the books in order to thoroughly appreciate them.

When the two civilizations come together, it is interesting what is of value to each. What they have and what they need. A little bit of brain versus brawn, but it's more complicated than that.

I liked the symbolism of the weather. The season's changing, the wind bring change.

Doon and Lina emerge the heroes again. There are some interesting new characters. Over all I just think its a great book. Probably for 9 and up.

Some quotes:

"Being good is hard, much harder than being bad."

"You don't want to, but you do it anyway."

"He hadn't really imagined what fighting would be like."
(Again I really liked Doon's father's simple wisdom.)

"She had hoped that someone else might to do, so she wouldn't have to, but nobody did."

The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau

Yes. I recommend this book.

I was loaned this book from Griffin, and at first I thought it would be just like The Giver. However, after I got through the first couple of chapters where the kids get their work assignments, I didn't have that thought again.

The City of Ember is a little dark, but there are many kind people. The main characters are in sad circumstances, but there was enough hope and small happiness that it didn't get me down.

I loved some of the details of the story. The way the characters save every little thing because it might be useful. I loved the scene when Lina bought her pencils, and then the one after when she and her sister drew with them.

Although I hated the thought of this horrible dark underground city, I enjoyed the adventure of the story. I liked the sweet main characters, Lina and Doon. I think Doon's insight from his father about anger was very insighful, unexpected consequences.

Just a warning, there are two more books in the series, and although certain situations are resolved, it is a bit of a cliff hanger! Griffin has the second book requested from his school library, so lets hope the students get it turned in soon!

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

This is a sweet story that takes place in London in the 1930's. It was first published in 1937, but I hadn't heard of it until Betsy mentioned it.

I enjoyed reading it. It is about three orphaned sisters who start at a ballet school. I liked the nice flowy writing style. The characters are cute, if stereotypes. It is a little bit like a fairy tale.

I would think elementary school girls would especially like it.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Just when I think I've read every sweet young-adult-coming-of-age novel out there, my young hip friends (you know who you are) recommend one I've never even heard of.

I loved it, no surprise.

I liked that it was written from the perspective of a teenage boy. I loved that he was probably more realistic than many characters. Although I did feel myself pulling for him to just man-up, I think that's the point.

Stargirl, herself, is a cool character. The author managed to make her unique, and she didn't quite fit in to any normal highschool stereotype--like hippie, outcast, or cheerleader. You of course like her and kind of wish you were her. I especially like her genuine kindness.

Just a little side note. Stargirl, the character, reminded me of who so many people at my highschool were trying to be. Unlike most highschools in books or movies, it was all the rage to be original or outrageous at our school. Way cutting-edge, I know. But even the jocks and cheerleaders were piercing their noses, making their own jewelry, and writing poetry. Which leads to an entirely different idea of being unique.

I think the character of Wayne Parr was a lot more interesting than Hillari Kimble. I loved the line, "Wayne Parr did not much care. Neither did we."

I also liked the description of the mud frogs. I don't want to ruin it by trying to paraphrase, its just good.

And the part that I could totally feel, and made me feel nostalgic is when Leo is at Stargirl's and thinks, "I didn't want to leave. I wished I could curl up right there on the driveway and go to sleep."

I did get a little distracted with some of the philosophising of Archie. I think it almost distracted from the purity of the story. But what is a coming of age novel without a wise mentor?

I think this book has a honest ending. Not entirely predictable.

The Phantom of the Opera

I am finally getting to reviewing this book that I REALLY liked. I think it was a great book club pick--thanks Cheryl--especially for October. It is spooky and creepy without being gorey or graphic. A couple of times I braced myself to be horrified or to skip over something, but I didn't need to. Especially IN the ghost's house.

The translation I read was by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, and was the "Borders Classics" version from Borders books.

I read it fast in a couple of days with hopes to finish before book club, but failed. So I didn't take notes like I usually do. Also, I saw a production of Phantom of the Opera when I was in highschool, and listened to the soundtrack hundreds of times in the early 90's. That being said, I only vaguely remembered much of the story.

When I saw the musical, I remember thinking Christine had wronged the Phantom. In the book, I was very into the character of Raoul. I LOVED the back story of he and Christine. I was grateful a lot of the back story of the Ghost was skimmed over. I didn't want to know any more about the rosy hours of Mazenderan.

I loved the phrasing of things like that. "rosy hours." I really enjoyed the writing style throughout. I'm flipping through for more examples, "The famous baritione had hardly finished..." "He kissed her hands and went away, cursing Erik and resolving to be patient." Without knowing a better way to say it, I loved the wording and the voice throughout.

I recommend this book! I think it is an interesting story. I've got to read up more about the Paris Opera House because it fascinated me to find out that so many of the insane things described about it in the book really existed!

I'd love to hear what you think if you read this!!