The Host
by Stephenie Meyer
As a Stephenie Meyer addict, I set out to read this book the week it came out. It didn't blow me away, but I was enthralled, nonetheless. It is a science-fiction-y romance that does bring up some interesting issues such as: is it possible to have peace without taking away agency?, what is the line between helping and hurting?, is love really blind?, and other themes related to forgiveness and the sanctity of life. Meyer does tackle a big subject here with the introduction of alien "hosts" into human bodies. The plot of this story comes about when one human won't let go of her consciousness when her alien host takes over. She becomes a back-seat driver in her own body and the two of them work through some complicated issues together. The result is harmonious, not to anyone's surprise. Meyer is yet incapable of writing against her audience's desires, so Twilight fans, brace yourself, or not, because the end is going to be exactly what you want I'm sure. She definitely writes to please, so if you are in a need of a good, not mind-numblingly-sweet romance, the Host is worth the read.
Squashed
by Joan Bauer
I love a good YA-fiction story. Squashed is exactly what I wanted last week in the midst of school and work and I'm so glad I picked it up. It's a simple story: a teenage girl feels unattractive and unwanted even though she is really a very cool girl under the surface. She is a dedicated grower of oversized pumpkins and channels her efforts into winning the annual contest in her town with her giant pumpkin named Max. She babies and coddles him while failing at school and meanwhile trying to catch the eye of a new boy who has a lot in common with her (he grows corn). The ending is sweet and satisfying and not annoying, but the bad guy does get his just deserts, as usual. I enjoy Bauer's crisp writing and her solid character descriptions. I identified a lot with her main character, Ellie, and I am a pumpkin-lover as well, so I guess I was sold from the get-go.
Everyday Sacred
by Sue Bender
This is a lovely book to read sitting cross-legged on the grass, which is exactly how I started reading it. I enjoy the genre-it's an enlightened kind of self-help book that doesn't come across too preachy, but still asks you to make positive changes in your life. Bender is a refreshing writer, but can be a little self-deprecating at times. I enjoy her metaphors and I find myself recalling them even after I am done reading the book. I felt that it was "spiritual" in the sense that I felt like it helped me understand some good things about life that I was able to connect to my own beliefs. It's a very universal look at simplifying certain aspects of life, seeing possibilities, and being satisfied with what we have been given.
The Golden Compass
by Philip Pullman
I have a thing about reading books before I see the movie, so I read the Golden Compass before I watched the movie and I'm glad I did. I know it's been around forever and there are plenty of people saying it's anti-god, and while it is true, Pullman's an atheist, to me that didn't seem like the focus of the novel anyway. Maybe I need to read the next two books to become more aware, but regardless, I enjoyed it. I thought that Pullman should have had a better editor, though. He used a lot of metaphors that didn't make sense and his word choice was off in places. Sometimes the dialogue felt a little ragged. The plot was interesting enough, but I just didn't feel that satisfied with the ending. It kind of fizzled out. In short, I liked it, but I didn't love it.
Red Bird
by Mary Oliver
This is a delicious book of poetry by one of my old favorites. I am so glad that she keeps coming out with books. This one is her largest collection of poems to date, over sixty in one volume! I read through them voraciously, pausing at moments to wipe a tear away or chuckle a little to myself. Her current perspective, after the fairly recent loss of her partner, is focused quite a bit on the cycle of life, of love and death, and the time we spend waiting for things. Her love poems softened a bit after the last ones she wrote for Thirst, which were very grief-stricken. I also love her poems about Percy, who seems to me to be a lot like my late-dog Britty. Her perspective on life through Percy's eyes is very invigorating and makes me want to run down the beach with a stick in my mouth. Okay, maybe not. But I love this book. Don't wait for it to come out in paperback, get it now!
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