"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

I love reading about women who were erased by time. The magnitude of Henrietta Lacks--her life, her death, her cells--has impacted almost every facet of genetic science since the 1950's. She has opened the doors for a crop of new cures, allowed new and exciting research to be done, and caused a generation of people to question the ethical practices in modern medicine. Perhaps most impressive, Henrietta Lacks did all this after she died--and without her knowledge or permission.

Henrietta suffered through a rare and extremely volatile case of cervical cancer. While being treated, doctors collected samples of her tissue for medical tests. They never asked permission; they never informed her family. Little did they know her cells were capable of reproducing indefinitely, becoming the first "immortal" cell. These "HeLa" cells (taken from the first two letters of Henrietta's first and last names) were soon distributed world-wide for use by scientists. Skloot not only unearths the lost story of Henrietta's life--for years, scientists believed the source of their cells was a "Helen Lane"--she also delves deeply into the impoverished, superstitious, and often-jilted Lacks family. A heartfelt story of a family's struggle to understand their mother and her impressive legacy is woven into Skloot's impeccable journalism and scientific descriptions.

Beth gives this book five out of five carrots!

Click here to purchase your copy of "Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"A Dangerous Woman: The Life, Loves, and Scandals of Adah Isaacs Menken" by Michael and Barbara Foster

A young reporter named Sam Clemens, ready to print a snarky review of a play and its famous actress, sat amidst a massive crowd in a tiny theatre. As the curtain was drawn, he--and everyone else--was instantly mesmerized by the beautiful creature on stage wearing her signature pink, flesh-colored tights (and little else). Although Sam Clemens rarely let anyone escape without a scathing review, even he was blown away by young Adah Isaacs Menken.

Walt Whitman likened his friend Adah to a meteor: a flash light that could brighten up even the darkest skies. He had no way of knowing that Adah's life faded just as quickly as a meteor, when she died inexplicably, impoverished, and virtually alone. She was the most notorious woman in the world. She scandalized the elite of London and the prudish Victorians of New York. She had five husbands and never bothered with divorce. When an unknown illness claimed her life one hot summer day, she was just thirty-three.

Reading about figures from the past who have all but disappeared has always fascinated me. Adah Isaacs Menken captured the world's attention and virtually created the persona of a dangerous celebrity femme fatale--a persona that would be emulated by Clara Bow, Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrichs and many other fabulous women from history. Even in a modern context, Adah's daring is astounding. She was part black (although "passed" as white, as did many men and women in the nineteenth century), bisexual, dressed frequently in men's clothes, and wore very little during her stage performances. A short review could never do Adah justice--her life is fascinating enough to fill volumes of books. The Fosters capture her life, succinctly and expertly weeding through the tall tales Adah often told to hide her past, in this biography.

Beth gives it four out of five carrots!

Click here to buy your copy of A Dangerous Woman at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival" by John Vaillant

A tiger crouches in the stillness of the Siberian taiga. His breaths are ragged from effort. He's spent days stalking around the cabin, his eyes trained on the man's every motion. There's a saying in the taiga--a tiger sees you one hundred times before you see it once. The man, with his sawed-off shotgun and sloppily homemade bullets, doesn't stand a chance against this four-hundred pound monster.

Vaillant uncovers this attack (and the ones that followed) piece by piece, only to discover that the tiger seemingly had a plan. Tigers are vengeful creatures--they don't hunt indiscriminately, but rather stalk and murder in premeditated attacks which sometimes last days. There are some books that take you far, far beyond any experience you've ever had in your life--The Tiger is one of those stories. Vaillant does a great job describing the poverty-struck village where townspeople are all but forced to poach for food or money. The tiger, of course, is worth an exorbitant amount of money--if he doesn't get you first. Thus, the Soviet government appointed a team of men to enforce strict anti-poaching laws. The team leader, Yuri Trush, becomes wrapped up in the mystery of the tiger and is determined to stop its reign of terror.

While telling the story, Vaillant goes on many tangents--all of which are informative, relevant, and interesting. He weaves in scientific studies about tigers as well as humans, how their behaviors have changed and evolved, and historical accounts of tigers.

This book is, quite frankly, all that is man--I can't imagine any father, brother, boyfriend, etc., not being completely wrapped up in this hunter vs. hunted tale. However, Vaillant's impeccable writing and research makes this a great read for anyone interested in nature, conservation, history, behavioral psychology, and, of course, survival.

Beth gives it five out of five carrots!

Click here to buy The Tiger at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"In the Woods" by Tana French

This debut novel by Tana French will capture you from the first page, and shake you until you're dizzy. One summer day in Ireland, three children disappeared into the vast, wild woods near their suburban home. All that the police found was one of the children, terrified and clutching a tree, covered in blood. This boy had no memory of what happened or how he'd escaped his friends' fate.

Years later, the bodies of the other children never found, that little boy has evolved into Detective Rob Ryan. He and his charismatic partner Cassie Maddox are called back to the woods to solve a murder--and to put together the pieces of Ryan's own mystery.

I'm not really a mystery fan--nor am I particularly interested in reading about police officers. Yet French has such a unique, vibrant voice that she could write literally anything, and it would be impossible to put down. The characters (especially Ryan, who narrates the story, and his best friend Cassie) are impeccably drawn and dynamic. The haunting, original mystery has such strong psychological threads that I was tempted to skip ahead, something that I never, ever do. But the real compelling part of this story is its setting: Dublin, Ireland. Who can resist the Irish flare to French's writing?

I must warn that the conclusion itself didn't satisfy me; but the journey to the conclusion was so innovative and compelling that I am eager to read more of French's work.

Beth gives it four out of five carrots!
Click here to order your copy at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"Murder at the Vicarage" by Agatha Christie

Challenged by an article I read in the New Yorker Magazine, in which the author states that it is almost impossible to guess who the murderer is in Agatha Christie's famous mysteries, I decided to try out my detective skills and see if I could solve the mystery before the last page. My conclusion is...I'm not quite cut out to be a sleuth, but I'm more than happy to continue reading Christie's novels.

"Murder at the Vicarage" is the first of the Miss Marple mysteries. When Colonel Protheroe, a rather disliked man in the small town of St. Mary Mead, is murdered in the Vicar's study, gossip abounds. The book is narrated by the Vicar, who along with Miss Marple, the town's most accomplished amateur detective and snoop, attempts to uncover the truth. After many twists, Miss Marple finally cracks the case...but is the murderer who you thought it was going to be?

Click here to order "Murder at the Vicarage" from The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

Kerry gives it five out of five carrots!

"Diamond Ruby" by Joseph Wallace

I couldn't tell you what an inning or a fly ball is to save my life, but there's something I found absolutely enchanting about Diamond Ruby, a story of baseball, family, and the tumultuous time that was the 1920's. The Spanish Influenza Epidemic struck when Ruby herself was still just a child, and she was left to take care of her two young nieces. She used her freakishly long arms to throw rocks at squirrels, just so her family could eat. But when her alcoholic older brother loses yet another job, she needed to find a source of income for her family: being a sideshow at a circus, where men would pay money to try and throw a baseball faster than her.

But no man could. And thus, Diamond Ruby went on to become the first woman pitcher in a baseball league.

Ruby is a remarkable character; her strong will resonates throughout the book in every action she takes. Her life is anything but charmed: she is constantly surrounded by shady characters who have no respect for women, let alone a "freak" who can pitch 90 mph. Yet as Ruby meets real historical figures like Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey, Diamond Ruby becomes an interesting journey through the 1920's, complete with rumrunning, the Great Bambino and more.

This would be a fabulous book to discuss in a reading group or book club!

Beth gives it four out of five carrots!

Click here to buy this book at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"The Thieves of Manhattan" by Adam Langer

If you've been following any of my earlier posts, you may notice a trend in the genres I generally read: dystopia and teen fiction. Well, I'm switching it up a bit with this new release from Adam Langer, author of Crossing California and The Washington Story. The Thieves of Manhattan is a literary thriller with a new twist and turn on every page!

The story follows an aspiring writer trying to make ends meet with a minimum-wage coffee shop job while also attempting to write something worth publishing. Enraged by another writer's best-selling fake memoir and his girlfriend’s seemingly instantaneous literary success, Ian becomes entangled in a painstakingly intricate scheme to pass off a false memoir of his own and expose the publishing industry's corruptness to the world. He very quickly realizes that things get dangerous when fact and fiction begin to unexpectedly intertwine!

My favorite review of this book comes from Carl Hiaasen (author of Hoot): "The Thieves of Manhattan is a sly and cutting riff on the book-publishing world that is quite funny unless you happen to be an author, in which case the novel will make you consider a more sensible profession—like being a rodeo clown, for example, or a crab-fisherman in the Bering Sea."

With a winning combination of exciting characters, mind-blowing plot twists, and a satisfyingly snarky commentary, this fast-paced novel pokes and prods at the publishing world making the reader think twice about the books they pull off the shelf!

Grace gives it five out of five carrots!

Click here to order The Thieves of Manhattan from The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!
(Available in July)

"My Name is Memory" by Ann Brashares

Although nothing less could be expected, Ann Brashares again delivers an imaginative and inspired novel about a love that truly withstands the test of time. Daniel has the ability to remember all of his previous lives and recognize the souls he met during them, including his soul mate, Sophia. This is both a gift and a curse, because for all the times he and Sophia have managed to connect throughout the centuries, they’ve also been wrenched apart by fate. Readers are transported through time as they follow these two souls and their journeys to find one another.

I especially appreciated how Brashares would intertwine both Daniel's and Sophia's past lives and the present day. It really kept the reader captivated and the plot flowing. I also have to grudgingly admit that as much as I was upset by the ending of the novel (don't worry, I won't spoil it), it was the best fit for the story. As a fan of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books I was very pleased with Brashares' latest novel and apparently so were other readers because it's featured as a June Indie Next List Pick!

Grace gives it four and a half out of five carrots!

Click here to order My Name is Memory at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"Ella Minnow Pea" by Mark Dunn

Every now and then, there is a book written specifically and unequivocally for book lovers--for those who relish in language, who love the twists and turns that words can create. Ella Minnow Pea is the quintessential example of this. From its delightful title right down to its last page, you'll be awestruck and enamored with how Dunn masterfully plays with language. Ella Minnow Pea lives in the country of Nollop, a tiny island off of South Carolina that was the birthplace of the first pangram: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. The townspeople of Nollop revere this sentence more than anything and even have a sculpture in town honoring this sentence, which uses every letter of the alphabet. However, trouble strikes with the letters begin falling off the sculpture, and the tyrannical City Council declares that once a letter falls, it can no longer be used. It can't be spoken. It can't be written. Nothing--and the punishment for using a fallen grapheme is banishment. The story is told in letters between the townspeople, and as the novel progresses, the people of Nollop must use increasingly inventive language to avoid the forbidden letters. A crazy, linguistically brilliant completely original love letter to the English language, Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable is delightful beyond words. Read with a dictionary in hand!

Click here to buy Ella Minnow Pea at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

Beth gives it five out of five carrots!

"Shades of Grey" by Jasper Fforde

For those who were enthralled by Lois Lowry's The Giver, Jasper Fforde has produced a new dystopia novel sure to get you thinking! This Indie Next List book from the author of Thursday Next kept me hooked to the very last page.
Welcome to Chromotacia, where society is ruled by a Colortocracy and you are what you can see. Eddie Russett has no real ambition to be anything other than a loyal drone of the Collective. His above-average red perception would allow him to marry well, inherit the string works, maybe even make prefect. Eddie's life looks colorful until he moves with his father to East Carmince. There, he falls for a Grey named Jane who reveals the painful truth about his seemingly perfect society. Curiosity grabs hold of Eddie, who begins to question the Collective. Black-and-white certainties are reduced to shades of grey as Eddie, along with Jane, begins to dig up answers. Dystopia junkies (myself included) will most definitely enjoy this thought-provoking novel to the very last page!
Keep on the lookout for the second book in this series coming in April 2010!

Grace gives this book five out of five carrots!

Click here to buy this book at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop and Guest House!

"The Best Ever Casserole Cookbook" by Beatrice Ojakangas

I was once a foolish novice chef who thought casseroles were campy concoctions that grandmas and soccer moms whipped up using the staple ingredients: cream of mushroom soup, chicken breasts, etc. Nothing against those recipes--I love the convenience of canned soup as much as the next person--but Beatrice Ojakanga's Best Casserole Cookbook Ever blows them right out of the water. Who would have ever thought that a succulent Havarti-Stuffed Chicken Breast, breaded and doused in white wine, would be in a casserole cookbook? Or Beer-Baked Irish Beef? Or Hot Ricotta Dip with Garlic and Herbs? Granted, Beatrice includes the classics--even helpful hints and quick recipes to make your own cream of mushroom soup. The difference is that this cookbook contains innovative, almost gourmet-quality new ideas that, for the most part, can be assembled ahead of time and popped into the oven. It's great for entertaining and contains everything from appetizers to brunch to dinner to dessert--each recipe more delicious than the last. Quite honestly, this is the most delicious, best, and most unique cookbook I own. Don't let the relative lack of pictures fool you; each of the 500+ dishes turns out beautifully. What can I say but buy this cookbook--your family and your stomach will both thank you.

Beth gives this five out of five carrots!
Click here to buy this cookbook at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"Have a Little Faith: A True Story" by Mitch Albom

Mitch Albom's latest is an inspiring true story of the power of faith. Nearly every paragraph has pearls of wisdom and different ideas to think about, making it a great book for reading groups or for people to discuss. I could read this profound, meaningful book again and again--it really touched my heart.

Marie gives this book five out of five carrots!
Click here to buy this book at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop and Guest House!

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie Apocalypse by Max Brooks

Zombies may not be as in vogue as the ever-so-popular vampires are at the moment, but that doesn't make this book any less awesome. Fans of horror will be intrigued by this unique way of describing a crisis--through hundreds of brief, vastly unique oral interviews. Dallas Morning News compared this novel to Orson Welle's War of the Worlds--and rightly so! It's unique to see how people in all walks of life--from the politicians dealing with the zombie outbreak, to the families of newly infected, to farmers living in the remote jungles of South America--cope with the looming apocalypse. This book never fails to be interesting and thrilling, with just the right amount of gore that horror fans just eat up (bad zombie pun intended). If you're a zombie extremist, you can try Brooks' other book, The Zombie Survival Guide, or the abundance of other undead-related tomes this author has concocted in recent years. But World War Z is a compelling, if not improbable, account that is enjoyable through and through. It would also be a great book for any guy who seemingly prefers his Xbox 360 over reading, because Brooks' nonintimidating, yet sometimes horrifying, writing style is just about as "awesome!!!" as your son's zombie shooting game.
Beth gives it four out of five carrots!
Click here to order this book at the velveteenrabbitbookshop.com!

"Made In America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States" by Bill Bryson

This is my first Bill Bryson book, and I'm as excited and giddy as a little girl discovering ice cream for the first time. His writing style is a series of wonderful contradictions: light and funny while still thought-provoking, intelligent while still completely comprehendable, irrevelant but yet...so not. I picked up Made in America because of my interest in linguistics, and found a fascinating history of America drastically different (and much, much more interesting!) than any history textbook. Those interested in language will be in complete heaven as they read through the origins of some words, as well as the rejects (among my favorites: hot-dogatorium and bounceberries, the original name for cranberries). Those who love history will be delighted to see a different side of it as Bryson debunks some common myths. Anyone who loves a good writer will become obsessed with Bryson's voice. It's hard to think of anyone who won't love this trivia-filled, anecdotal history of the United States--but maybe that's because I enjoyed it so thoroughly.

By the way--this would make an excellent gift!

Beth gives it five out of five carrots!

Click here to buy this book at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown

I have some sympathy for New York Times bestselling authors. After all, when your books are international bestsellers and some of the most widely read novels of all time, it must be tough brainstorming and putting together a new tome. And Dan Brown, unfortunately, has missed the mark with his latest thriller.

The Lost Symbol has the same suspenseful, jumpy narration that characterizes all of Brown's novels--enough twists and turns to interest the reader. But what you're all undoubtedly wondering is, what conspiracy theory did he delve into this time? The answer lies not in Europe like his past novels, but in our nation's capital: Washington D.C.. Brown explores our forefathers' Mason heritage and thus explains some of the architecture and symbols hidden in Washington. Drawing a kind of stretched parallel, Brown also delves into Noetic Science--a real, ancient science that suggests our thoughts can change physical matter in the world.

So we have all the classic Dan Brown elements: Robert Langdon, conspiracy theory, attractive woman sidekick. What's missing? Besides the fact that the link between Noetic Science and Masonry is stretched a little too thin, the story just lacks in comparison to his other bestsellers. The thrill factor of learning more about Washington and the secrets of Masonry hidden in the city is enough to keep the reader interested and mildly entertained, but if you're looking for an action-packed thrill ride, you'll find The Lost Symbol falls a little flat. I suggest Dan Brown's other novels (Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, or even the awesome The Deception Point if you're not too much of a Robert Langdon fan) or Steve Berry's The Romanov Prophecy for a thriller that really gets your heart racing.

Beth gives it two out of five carrots!

Click here to get your copy of The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown!

Hardcover, 29.99

"Twenties Girl" by Sophie Kinsella

*NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK! Click here!*
This book was 435 pages of pure, undiluted joyful reading. Kinsella has created her most loveable characters yet in Lara, a twenty-something klutzy, modern girl in London coping with a recent breakup, and Sadie, the ghost of her great-aunt, circa 1922. Lara didn't ASK to be haunted by the hilariously annoying Sadie, and she certainly didn't ask for a friendship--but that's what she got. Sadie has two goals for her ghostly time on earth: one, to find her beloved dragonfly necklace, and two, to live vicariously through Lara. The former lets us dive into an intriguing mystery with a beautiful finish, and the latter lets us see Lara dressed anachronistically in full 1920's costume, falling in love. You'll fall in love with every unique and skillfully drawn character, especially Sadie. A comedy, a romance, and a mystery wrapped up all in one, this is one book that will leave you wanting more!

Beth gives it five out of five carrots!

Click here to order your copy of "Twenties Girl" at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"The Maxwell Daily Reader" by John C. Maxwell

Featuring timeless wisdom from fourteen of John C. Maxwell's leadership books, The Maxwell Daily Reader is an excellent resource for group inspiration. I recently attended a showchoir camp and was introduced to the book by my choreographer, Stephen Todd. He would read the daily message to us every afternoon when we were starting to feel tired and lethargic. It would rejuvenate and motivate us faster than anything else ever did. Each entry delivers a powerful leadership principle, ready for real-world practice. Anyone in need of inspiration or motivation is sure to find The Maxwell Daily Reader a perfect fit!

Grace gives it four out of five carrots!

Hardcover, 19.99

Click here to buy this book at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"The Strain" by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Put together an aged Holocaust survivor (who is also the world's foremost expert on vampires) and a down-on-his-luck epidemiologist, throw in a violent vampire uprising and you get a horror story you can really sink your fangs into. Guillermo del Toro is perhaps best known for his films, like the uber-violent "Pan's Labyrinth" or the dark comedy "Hellboy". He and co-author Chuck Hogan spin a dark tale of an impeding apocalypse in this intriguing, novel first book in a trilogy that's sure to be just as compelling. Vampires in this book are not of your average Transylvanian, Count Chocula variety--they are inflicted with an incurable virus (which sounds increasingly realistic and probable through many in-book medical descriptions) that causes them to drink blood. Not through fangs, but through "stingers". Dwell on that horrifying image for a moment. I won't spoil the other imaginative changes to the "classic vampire" that del Toro dreamed up, but he has essentially invented a whole new monster. This book is 100% horror, through-and-through. You'll find yourself being jerked from story to story as del Toro and Hogan explore a wide variety of characters. Watch out for my favorite, an exterminator named Vas. As strange as it sounds, all of the research the authors poured into rat behavior (and how they are tell-tale signs for world crises) makes Vas the most interesting subplot.

Beth gives it four out of five carrots!

Hardcover, 26.99
Click here to buy this book at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"Amazing Gracie" by Dan Dye

Fans of Marley and Me by John Grogan will love the tale of Gracie Dane, a partially blind albino "underdog" saved by thirty-something slacker Dan Dye. Gracie had been cast off by her littermates, her mother, and her breeder, and Dan discovered her the day before she was scheduled to be put down. From there emerges a love story between man and dog: Gracie, always awkward with a big heart (and not only because she's a Great Dane) and Dan, who had recently suffered the loss of the dog he'd been grown up with. Gracie is not an easy puppy--she goes to great lengths to have romantic rendevouzes with the uptight neighbor's Boston Terrier, and she refuses to eat anything but Dan's homemade dog cookies. She terrorizes the house on her first night home (causing the police to be called, because she was mistaken for a burglar). Her hijinks are endearing and familiar to anyone who's ever owned a dog. But truly, this is a story of Gracie's legacy--how she shaped Dan's life (and even his career). Any dog lover will laugh and cry, and read it over and over.

Beth gives it three out of five carrots!

Paperback, 10.95
Click here to buy this book at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

"Alive" by Piers Paul Read

Some of you may remember the tragedy of the Fairchild plane crash in the 1970's. My father sure did, and when he told me that he remembered loving this book in his youth, I had to see what my usually book-averse father "devoured". What I found was a surprisingly atypical survivor story: yes, it did have drama, yes, it did fulfill that morbid curiosity about what surviving in the worst conditions entails. The plane crashed in the middle of the Andes Mountains, harsh and nearly unsurvivable conditions. Aboard was a Rugby team from Uruguay, rich, spoiled kids who suddenly have to fend for themselves. Probably the best part of this book was how surprisingly well-written it was--not at all like those somewhat guilty pleasure reads about horrifying events, Read is a very talented writer who uses his gift to tell the story in an empathetic, yet truthful, way.

Beth gives it four out of five carrots!

Paperback, 7.99

Click here to buy this book at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!