Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

Geraldine Brooks, a Pulitzer-Prize winning author has carved out quite a name for herself in the realm of historical fiction. With Caleb's Crossing, she solidifies her reputation for bringing historical events to vivid life.

Caleb Cheeshahteaumauck, the first Native American to graduate from Harvard (in 1665,) grew up on the island of Martha's Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts. That is the fact that Brooks bases her story on, imagining the world in great detail during the 1660's Puritanical era. The story is narrated by Bethia, a lively and smart young woman who resides with her father, brother and baby sister following the deaths of her mother and twin brother.

Bethia, enjoying her brief moments of freedom while she can first encounters Caleb in the woods at the age of 12. They form a tentative if forbidden friendship, sharing the same inquisitive nature and love of learning. Eventually, Caleb comes to fall under the tutelage of Bethia's minister father, where he excels in preparation for his admission to Harvard.

Brooks does a masterful job of creating the world of the Puritans in the 1660's, and unfolds a rich and intelligent story of friendship, culture clash and honor. The research done for this book is self-evident, as Brooks even utilizes vocabulary of the day to lend an air of authenticity. As with most stories involving natives and their interactions with their white brethren, the book has a heartbreaking ending...but one worth the reading nonetheless.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

As the novel opens we find Flavia De Luce locked inside a closet by her two older sisters, but once Flavia puts her plan for revenge in motion she stumbles upon a mystery which begs to be solved. From the discovery of a dead Jack Snipe with a stamp impaled on his beak to the argument Flavia overhears in her father's room with the man she sees take his last breath in their cucumber patch the next morning, Flavia is on the case.

With the help of her trusty bike Gladys, Flavia must figure out how all of these events are connected in order to prove her father innocent of murder. It is easy to forget that Flavia is only eleven years old as she rides around town conducting her own investigation one step ahead of the inspector on the case.

I'm not sure if it was the British setting, the mystery, or the loveable character of Flavia,who is a self trained chemist and amateur detective, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan on reading the rest of this series to see what other trouble Flavia gets herself into while trying to solve crimes.

The Dewey Decimal System of Love by Josephine Carr

Ally Sheffield is the head of the reference department at the Philadelphia Public Library, and has recently fallen in love with a man she had never met. Aleksi Kullio is the new conductor of the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra and not only does he not even know that Ally exists, but he is married as well.

After watching Aleksi lead the orchestra one night, Ally decides that she is in love with this man and in order to encourage this relationship which she believes will soon come to fruition she begins to volunteer at the Philharmonic. Once Ally begins an email correspondence with Aleksi she convinces herself that he feels the same way.

The plot also features some senseless vandalism of both the library and the Philharmonic building, a mystery surrounding a possible murder for hire, missing musical scores and librarians that don't seem to ever work.

When I first saw the title of this book I really wanted to like it. It seemed that it might combine my love of romance with my love of all things library. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. None of the characters seemed particularly likeable and once the plot started to get interesting it was rushed right along to the end. Overall, I think the general idea of this book was a good one, it just wasn't put together very well.

March Book Clubs!

Three Rivers Book Club

Meets Wednesday, March 7th, at 7 p.m. at the Arrowhead Community Center in Channahon. We will be discussing the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Join us - no registraton is required.

Bookies Book Club

Meets Saturday, March 10th, at 10 a.m. at the Minooka Village Hall. We will be discussing the book Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden and each member will be reading a biography of their own choosing and providing the group with a recap.

Come join us for a lively discussion! No registration is required.

Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts

Cal, Fox and Gage are childhood friends who share the same birthday. To commemorate their 10th birthdays, the boys sneak off to the woods, where they swear a blood oath to one another, unwittingly releasing a centuries-old demon. Every seven years for one week, all hell breaks loose on their small town, resulting in a horrific crime wave. Now, 21 years later, the demon's strength is growing and the 3 men know this might be their final chance to end the reign of terror.

Quinn Black is an author who specializes in the macabre, and has come to town to research her book on the phenomena that take place in Hawkins Hollow. She and Cal not only share an instant attraction to one another, but also the ability to experience things that happened in the past. When Layla inexplicable finds herself drawn to Hawkins Hollow, Quinn recognizes a connection to the demonic events, and summons her friend Cybil to complete the group.

This is the first book in the "Sign of Seven" trilogy, and focuses mostly on Cal and Quinn. While it is traditional Nora Roberts fare, it is an entertaining and quick read. Fans of paranormal romance will enjoy this book, and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

We all have heard stories about Ernest Hemingway, one of the finest writers of the twentieth century, but how much do we know about the man behind the myth? Although this is a work of fiction, author McLain has researched Hemingway for years and feels quite "proprietary" towards him as a subject and it shows in this book.

The story begins with Hadley and Ernest's first meeting at a party in Chicago. Hadley is a 28 year old quiet and respectable woman to Ernest's 20 year old lively self. The two become infatuated with one another, even as Hadley returns home to St. Louis, the two continue to correspond by mail. When Ernest proposes marriage and a move out of the country, Hadley accepts.

The Hemingways life in Paris was a whirlwind - befriending other creative types such as Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein, the "anything goes" lifestyle of Paris in the 1920's is a big adjustment for the young couple. Although very much in love with one another, Ernest's larger-than-life yet extremely needy personality and prevalence of a willing partner, leads Ernest to betray Hadley with one of her closest friends.

The Paris Wife is first and foremost a love story between Ernest Hemningway and the woman he continued to love for the rest of his life. It is poignantly and sympathetically told, bringing the characters to life as well as Paris and the lifestyle favored by the "in" crowd. If you are looking for a gripping story of love and betrayal, look no further!