The Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate Di Camillo is the story of a very small mouse in love and his adventures. This children's book is a very quick read for an adult, but likely to keep children (I'd say primarily 3rd-5th graders) busy for a few days (definitely less for avid readers). The Tale of Despereaux would also appeal to 1st and 2nd graders as a read-aloud book. This is not to say older children or adults would not enjoy the story (far from it!!) but that they may find it too quick for their tastes. Something like Brian Jacques' Redwall series might have more appeal to middle and high school students.

All that being said, Desperaux and his tale/tail are very cute and it's a very endearing story "for young and old alike." :)

Highly recommended for all children and families - as well as general readers.

Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince

I finally read it! The latest installment in the series by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince is an asset to the series. I found the book to be refreshing in that Harry continues to grow up (and mature) and while sometimes grumpy and melodramatic, has moved beyond being the sullen teen we saw in Order of the Phoenix.

As a reader of the series, I was not disappointed.

Highly recommended for Potter fans. For those unfamiliar with the series, it's best to start at the beginning with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Voodoo Dreams : A Novel of Marie Laveau

This novel by Jewell Parker Rhodes is another excellent snapshot of life in New Orleans. This book takes place before the Civil War and paints a vivid picture of the city at that time. Voodoo Dreams is a coming-of-age story wrapped up in spicy Creole Louisiana, slavery, and - of course - voodoo. It's also a self-awakening story as Marie tries to find out who she is and what her purpose in life is - which is something all of us can relate to.

I cannot stress enough what a gifted storyteller Jewell Parker Rhodes is! There is something for everyone in this book, but the story belongs to Marie. Rhodes draws a part of the soul into this story. Very well-written! I suspect that Voodoo Dreams will appeal more to women than to men, but men with an interest in voodoo, New Orleans history, or who have read Interview With the Vampire will probably enjoy this book also. Readers interested in African American authors, but who are tired of the usual romance/Drama fare will also find this refreshing.

Very highly recommended for all readers! Not overly violent or sexual, but this is not a "gentle" read.

The Joy of Sex

Ok, ok, I know... Everybody's heard about it. I figured I'd read it to see if this book by Alex Comfort was in reality what I expected it to be. If all you expect upon opening this book is a racy book full of exotic photos, you'll be surprised. The Joy of Sex is actually very down-to-earth and not really at all titillating (pardon the pun). It's almost like a Chilton's guide to heterosexual sex. That being said, this book is most likely to be of help to relatively inexperienced couples, but even those of us who have been around the block a time or two will probably find out something previously unknown.

Comfort's direct writing style and factual information will likely irritate those readers who picked up the book thinking it'd be a quick thrill. However, for those readers interested in improving their lives in the bedroom, it's worth at least a skim-through.

Highly recommended for the relatively inexperienced couple. Recommended for all others.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

This classic by Oscar Wilde somewhat defies categorization. It's usually lumped with horror, but isn't quite - in the same way that The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux isn't really horror. That being said, though, the story moves along well and the characters are fairly lively for a book written in the latter part of the 19th Century. I kept imagining scenarios I'd seen in a movie adaptation of "An Ideal Husband" in relation to setting and speech patterns.

For a book that's considered a classic, The Portrait of Dorian Gray is very readable and would be a good book for any high school student to report on. :) I'd even say that if you already know something about the story, the book will still appeal to you!

Highly recommended for general readers. Very highly recommended for high school students who want to report on a "classic" to look good to their English teachers (hey, it's a win-win situation!).

The Witches of Eastwick

This book by John Updike (which was made into a movie in the late 1980's) was a worthwhile read. I found the book much darker and less wrapped-up morally than the movie - though this doesn't surprise me. :) The Witches of Eastwick is a well-written book and Updike embraces the power (not necessarily supernatural) that women have, but also shows the ugly side of women's relationships: jealousy, guilt, & sometimes betrayal.

None of the characters in The Witches of Eastwick are purely good or evil and it's up to the reader to decide how he/she feels about them at the end of the story. I won't spoil this write-up with more comparisons between the movie and the book, but suffice to say, it's worth reading and renting and one will not spoil the other.

Recommended for general audiences who don't mind sexual content. Highly recommended for those with an interest in witches, witchcraft, or witchy stories. :)

The Story of Art

I have a lot of catching up to do - we'll see how far I get tonight. :)

The Story of Art by Ernst Hans Gombrich is a readable overview of the history of world art. As is the case with many introductory art history texts, this book also mostly focuses on art developments in Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and United States. As an introductory text, however - especially for a layperson interested in the topic, this is a very self-explanatory book. Someone with more background in art history probably will be familiar with most of the concepts, but may enjoy it for its readability-factor. Gombrich moves from one artist, period, or technique to the next without jarring breaks or a lot of dry jargon.

I highly recommend The Story of Art especially for lifelong learners interested in rounding out their education and for high school or college students who want an idea of what all this art stuff is about!