Monday, February 28, 2011

Book Review: The Dust of 100 Dogs

Somewhere in the 17-century Caribbean, just as she is about to escape with her true love, feared pirate Emer Morrisey is murdered and mysteriously cursed with the “dust of one hundred dogs.” Three hundred years later, teenager Saffron Adams agonizes over disappointing her overbearing parents with the news that she does not intend to go to college; after all, it would be unreasonable to expect them to understand her desire to seek out buried treasure (much less her desire to torture every typical teenager she encounters). The reader soon learns that Emer is destined to live the lives of one hundred dogs before returning to this world in human form, as Saffron. The Dust of 100 Dogs, by A.S. King, follows the lives of cynical Saffron and (initially) naive Emer in alternating chapters interspersed with anecdotes about what can be learned from living as a dog. The result is a highly original and entertaining YA novel that should appeal to fans of fantasy, historical fiction and more typical young adult “problem” fiction.

In January, 2011, A.S. King was awarded a Printz honor for her most recent novel, Please Ignore Vera Dietz. - Nick (Downtown)

Monday, February 21, 2011

Book Review: Left Neglected

Lisa Genova's novel Left Neglected (also on CD book) tells the story of Sarah Nickerson, a working mother and type-A personality with a maddeningly busy life. She's determined to succeed at her job as a business executive, working 80-hour weeks and competing with coworkers who are mostly divorced men, while doing everything she can to get her three children to school and daycare in the morning and get home in time to tuck them into bed. One morning, trying to get a head start on work by making business calls while driving, she takes her eyes from the road for and instant and has to swerve to avoid a traffic backup, rolling her car at 70 miles per hour.

When Sarah wakes up she discovers that the left side of her world has vanished. The right side of her brain was damaged in the accident, leaving her afflicted with a puzzling disorder known as Left Neglect - she is unaware of the left side of her body, her left visual field is missing, and when told to turn her head to the left, she can't understand what it means. She must begin the agonizing process of rehabilitation, struggling to regain what she lost, anxious to return to work and family and terrified that she will never get her life back.

Genova uses her background in neuroscience to bring her novel to life, examining this fascinating and frustrating disorder and imagining how it might affect a person. She draws us into Sarah's world, overwhelming us with the stress of her schedule and baffling us with her injury, and following Sarah's journey as she gradually heals herself and her life. -Michelle (Sunset)

Monday, February 14, 2011

Book Review: You Had Me At Woof

You Had Me At Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness begins as a seemingly sweet book about a rescued Boston terrier who saves author Julie Klam from her self-centered lifestyle in New York City. As the book progresses, the reader learns about the dedication and volunteer hours needed to save just one pet from heartless and irresponsible owners that populate every community. I had to stop reading due to some graphic details about animal treatment, and being a dog lover, Boston Terriers in particular, this book touched a nerve for me. Klam is a solid writer, but I found some details didn’t flow with the rest of the “feel-good” storyline I had anticipated. The cover alone should capture the curiosity of a few readers, encouraging them to learn more about the unconditional love pets provide and the time it takes to truly care for an animal. - Kathy (Downtown)

Monday, February 7, 2011

Book Review: Cake Boss

Cake Boss will not disappoint loyal fans of the popular bakery show, now shooting its third season on The Learning Channel. Buddy Valastro writes an honest account of how he earned the right to call himself the chief baker and business manager for his family’s 100-year-old Hoboken establishment known as Carlo’s Bake Shop. Full of personal accounts about his four older sisters, his mother, and his father - who taught this master baker literally everything he knows about business, salesmanship, and genuine customer service - add a touch of family drama without being too invasive. The reader feels a special bond with the Valastro family, who worked hard to establish an artisan family business in the early 20th-century, and in turn carries on a lost art and tradition of from-scratch baking. Read Cake Boss for laughs and a few tears, in addition to the many mouth-watering recipes included in the back of the book. Cream puff anyone? -Kathy (Downtown)