"Big Girl Small"

Well, this certainly was different. Before I review this book I'd like to share a little secret about my methodology for discovering new books. I've been doing this since I was 10 or 11 years old. I go to the Fiction section of the Public Library. Then I start with the "A" authors and examine several books. I check out the cover art, read the jacket, and sometimes sample a sentence or two. Then I check out five books at a time. I give each book 50 pages. If it doesn't grab me I move on to the next book. I do this until I finish the "Z" authors. Then I start back at the beginning. And I have to admit, I've happened across some amazing books. I've also been saddled with a lot of stinkers as well. Anyway, on to my review...

Big Girl Small is an interesting read. It's told through the eyes of Judy, a 17-year old little person. I.E. what we used to refer to as a dwarf or midget. She's from a normal family and has two brothers. The story takes place in Ann Arbor and since I've spent a fair amount of time there, it made for a fun read. She's'just starting in a new high school, which is an arts school, for highly creative kids. The begins with her holed up in a seedy motel, hiding out for reasons that will become clear later in the book. It then jumps back in time a few months. She's a Junior and has a crush on a handsome Senior.  One day he offers her a ride home and the end up back at his house. Neither of his parents are home, and one thing leads to another. Things get steamy, but does he really like her or is he just taking advantage of her. 

Things unravel at this point and we learn why she's hiding out in the motel. The narrator is very intelligent, sensitive, and insightful. She's someone you'd like to have as a friend. I really enjoy books that are told from a perspective I'm not familiar with. And after reading this book, I'll be looking for more books by this talented author. 

"The Dream Daughter"

One of my favorite books of all time is "Time and Again" by Jack Finney. It's a marvelous time travel book where an advertising art director travels back and forth to 1880's New York City. Well, this book is a virtual tie with it. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started it. It's about a woman who lives with her sister and brother-in-law in the Outer Banks in 1970. She recently lost her husband in Viet Nam and is bearing his child. Late in her pregnancy, it's discovered her child has a heart defect which will kill her soon after being born. To her astonishment, her B-I-L reveals that he's actually travelled back in time and has the ability to send her to the future where, through medical advances, can have surgery to save her unborn daughter. 

The story doesn't delve into the science of time travel, and I wouldn't really classify it as science fiction, but more of a love story. And boy did this book grab me. By the time I got about half way through it, I absolutely couldn't put it down. I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon racing through it, it was that good. And not only was it a brilliant story, it was extremely well written. I can definitely see this turned into a movie.

"A Star is Bored"

 

What a wonderful book. Very entertaining. The author mentions in the preface that it's a work of fiction and any resemblance to real people and events is coincidental. That said, it's about a young man who is unsure of himself and is at a crossroads in his life He applies for and gets a job as a personal assistant to an actress that strongly resembles Carrie Fisher. Who's kidding who here? It's really about Ms Fisher because you simply can't make stuff up this rich and entertaining. The dialogue and action had me hooked from page one and it turned out to be one of those rare books I couldn't put down. While most of the book is full of zany antics, the Carrie Fisher-like boss ultimately becomes sort of a surrogate mother to the author. And in the end, she helps him grow and evolve into the person he was meant to be. It's ultimately a sweet character study I highly recommend. 

"The Gallery of Lost Species"

An absolutely beautiful book. It's the story of two sisters. One is totally driven by a stage mom who will do anything for her to win beauty contests. The other one, our narrator, who is sensitive, bookish, and is largely ignored by her parents. The story is about them growing up and how different they both turn out. The writing is gorgeous and the story is captivating, and painful. I haven't read a book this moving in a long time. 

"Things that Happened Before the Earthquake"

I really enjoyed this one. It's sort of a crazy, delightful ride told through the eyes of a high school girl, whose family moves to L.A. from Italy. In the opening scene, the family is on a beach naked, along with their grandma, who is also topless. They end up getting a ticket. This kind of set  the tone for this entertaining, adventurous novel. The family has decided to move here so the dad can pursue a career in filmmaking. We tag along as the young protagonist encounters the expected rites of passage including drugs, sexual adventures, identity crises, and more. It's a fun, wild ride where you have no idea where you're going, but enjoy every stop on the journey! 

"spill simmer falter wither"

What a brilliant debut novel. It's not only beautifully written, it's a subtly woven story that takes its time to unfold. There's very little action and plot development, just a quiet story about a middle age man who adopts a misfit dog. The narrator's father has died and left his house to him. When his one-eyed dog bites a young boy, the two of them flee in his car. As they adventure around the country (presumably Ireland), he tells us about the long dead mother he never knew, and stories about his abusive father. About 3/4ths of the way through, the book takes a dark and unexpected turn. While I wasn't wild about the ending, I thoroughly enjoyed Ms Baume's wonderful prose. 

"Two Across"

Just a darn good read. I was looking for something a little bit different, and this was it. It's a story about two high school brains who meet at a spelling bee. The two of them end up tying, for the first time in the contest's history. It follows them in their lives, both together, and on their own. Vera, a mathematical genius decides to pursue an education while Stanley decides a life of deception is the right way to go for him. I thought the book was very well written and was refreshingly unpredictable. The only qualms I have about the book is the ending.While satisfactory, I found it to be a bit rushed. As if the author decided, enough is enough, time to wrap things up! Still, a very enjoyable read.