Salem Falls

I'm starting my first post with a confession...
I like reading Jodi Picoult.
Like, a lot.
Yesterday, I went to the library and picked up all these great books, and the first one I grabbed, over the historical novel and the selected short stories, was Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult.
And I read it already.

I think I like reading her so much because she's a good, solid, easy read. Her writing flows nicely, and she creates wonderful word pictures. Plus she tackles some really interesting subjects in her novels--school shootings, infidelity, teen pregnancy, kidnapping--and she weaves characters skillfully. There's no black & white, no complete protagonist, which I find refreshing.

Salem Falls centers on a man who has been convicted of sex with an underage girl, his student, in fact. He plea-bargained his way into an 8-month sentence and the novel begins with him leaving the prison and trying to begin again in the small town of Salem Falls. He begins work as a dishwasher in a small diner and finds a true friend in the owner of the diner. Unfortunately, his good looks also spark the teenage passion of one of the town's most lovely--and troubled--girls.

It's a fascinating read, and it's obvious that Picoult does her research. Except in her Spanish phrases, which are grammatically incorrect. Sorry, but that just bugs me. (And I find it somewhat fitting that I initially misspelled the word "grammatically")

So, on to more challenging reads. Until I find a Picoult novel I haven't yet read. :)

Pope Joan : a novel

There was a 9th-century Pope who ruled for 2 years who was not a man, but a woman...but the facts have been changed and hidden for over 1000 years. Could this be true, or is it only legend??? It's this intriguing idea that author Donna Woolfolk Cross turns into an excellent historical novel centered on Joan, an unforgettable woman. Pope Joan tells of a young girl who has an insatiable desire for learning. After her brother dies in a Viking attack, she assumes his identity and enters a Benedictine monastery. Joan becomes Brother John Anglicus--scholar and healer. As a Benedictine, with its rules that foster privacy and solitude, her secret is safe, and she is free to read and learn to her heart's content. Except that she isn't exactly content. Joan/John keeps looking for ways to make people's lives better-- often going against tradition. Joan/John makes her way to Rome and finds herself in the middle of politics...and passion. I found the ending sequence a bit abrupt and a bit too inconceivable, but nonetheless, it was a page turner. Thanks to Kim for sending this my direction. Anyone else want to read it?

More info: http://www.popejoan.com/author.htm

Mozart's Sister...

(This is an actual photo of Mozart and his sister, Nannerl, at the piano.)

I loved this book!

She (Rita Charbonnier), beautifully portrays the masterpieces created by Mozart: the crescendos and decrescendos of not only their personal sibling relationship, but of the scores of music itself. From the two musician's compositions, (Mozart and his sister) to their performances, their ultimate falling out and Wolfgang's tragic death, it was a story I couldn't put down.

If no one else wants this book, I'm keeping it!!

Really just wanted to post this in order to say thank you to whoever gave me this one... Kim? Kari? Either way, thanks, I thought is was wonderfully crafted and stayed true to the musician's style of writing.

xo

feedjit...

Anyone know what this feedjit is?

The Friday Night Knitting Club

"Once a week, an eclectic group of women comes together at a New York City yarn shop to work on their latest projects - and share the stories of their lives...

At the center of Walker and Daughter is the shop's owner, Georgia, who is overwhelmed with juggling the store and single-handedly raising her teenage daughter. Happy to escape the demands of her life, she looks forward to her Friday Night Knitting Club, where she and her friends - Anita, Peri, Darwin, Lucie, and K.C. - exchange knitting tips, jokes, and their deepest secrets. But when the man who once broke Georgia's heart suddenly shows up, demanding a role in their daughter's life, her world is shattered.

Luckily, Georgia's friends are there for encouragement, sharing their own tales of intimacy, heartbreak, and miracle making. And when the unthinkable happens, these women will discover that what they've created isn't just a knitting club: it's a sisterhood."

It sounds almost picture-esque and not so fraught with emotion when you read the above info from the back of the book, when in actuality it is a much deeper and emotional book than they make it out to be. Knitting is optional. If you are clueless about knitting it's okay because it doesn't get caught up in many technicalities or descriptions of knitting. It's more about the knitting group...just meeting to hang out; it could easily be a book club, a sewing group, quilters, scrapbookers, any group that shares a craft. And be prepared for heart-wrenching twists towards the end...I cried!

This will be PaperBackSwapped...so look for a copy at Half-Price Books if you are interested. :-)