Handle with Care

Awhile ago, I started a personal reading marathon.  It was the first one I created for myself, and I decided to begin with books by Jodi Picoult.  I had a few that had been on my shelf for a good while.  I finally finished the last Picoult book I had, which was Handle with Care.

From Goodreads:

Every expectant parent will tell you that they don't want a perfect baby, just a healthy one. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe would have asked for a healthy baby, too, if they'd been given the choice. Instead, their lives are made up of sleepless nights, mounting bills, the pitying stares of "luckier" parents, and maybe worst of all, the what-ifs. What if their child had been born healthy? But it's all worth it because Willow is, well, funny as it seems, perfect. She's smart as a whip, on her way to being as pretty as her mother, kind, brave, and for a five-year-old an unexpectedly deep source of wisdom. Willow is Willow, in sickness and in health." Everything changes, though, after a series of events forces Charlotte and her husband to confront the most serious what-ifs of all. What if Charlotte should have known earlier of Willow's illness? What if things could have been different? What if their beloved Willow had never been born? To do Willow justice, Charlotte must ask herself these questions and one more. What constitutes a valuable life?

Cover: The Handle with Care cover is sweet.  It's different from the types of covers my other Jodi Picoult books have had.  It makes more sense once you've read some of the book.

Characters:  Picoult always does a great job developing her characters.  Willow was my favorite.  She was such a unique character, and there actually wasn't much written from her point of view.  Despite this, her feelings and thoughts were still expressed clearly.  Picoult did this through the interactions Willow had with the other characters. 

Writing:  Picoult always does an excellent job at telling stories.  I always talk about how I enjoy her stories being told from different perspectives.  It's also always clear that she does her research before writing her books.  I really like that about her writing, too. 

Plot:  Picoult's books usually have a major topic that pushes people's buttons.  She approaches these things in a way that makes them less scary, though.  For example, this book raised the question of whether it's better to have a baby knowing he/she will have disabilities or aborting the baby once learning of this.  Like all major issues, there are going to be people who fall on either side.  This particular family was split because of how they felt regarding the issue.  I was also shocked at how the book ended.  The last book I read was My Sister's Keeper, and I was shocked by that ending, too.  Picoult has really mastered the concept of "surprise twist."

Overall: 4/5  I really enjoyed this book.  I love how she makes readers think about things they would normally avoid and question their own choices.  I was also really impressed with the twist at the end.

My Sister's Keeper

I saw the movie for My Sister's Keeper back in January.  After seeing it, I was hesitant to read the book.  I had heard the endings for each were different, so I figured I'd give it a shot.  After finishing the book, I'm SO happy I decided to read it.  I also think it's safe to say I liked the book much better than the movie.

Cover: I love Picoult's simple yet expressive covers. After reading multiple books from her in a row, I definitely see a pattern. What I love most about the cover choices is that the images don't give everything away. There's enough there to convey a message but enough missing to allow the reader to form their own expectations and thoughts.


Characters: The characters in this story were well-developed. Each member of a family has his or her own roles, and these roles can become even more clearly defined when families experience difficulties like chronic illness. Picoult did a wonderful job illustrating how each member of the Fitzgerald clan expected certain behaviors and responses from each other. Sara was expected to be the glue holding everything and everyone together. Brian went through the actions but wasn't as devoted as Sara. Kate was expected to get better, to beat the odds. Anna was expected to give everything she had to make sure her sister lived. Jesse was expected to stay behind the scenes and under the radar. This was how the family operated for years, and when part of their machine started working differently, they found themselves in unfamiliar territory.

Writing: I always enjoy how Picoult writes from the characters' differing perspectives. I think this gives so much more depth to the story. We all see things differently and have different ideas for what leads to certain circumstances. It only seems right that a good story would address these multiple views.

Plot: I've mentioned before how much I enjoy the way Picoult takes a topic that may be difficult to chew and twists it into a story that humanizes it and makes it much more palatable for the general public. Her books make me think. She makes me put myself into the characters' shoes and question my own courses of action. Would I have done the same things as Sara Fitzgerald in trying to save my child, or would I have recognized my child's need to make a decision? Ultimately, I think the story is not about Anna's right to choose what medical procedures she has. I think the story is about Kate's right to choose. She endured so much in her short time and all at the urging of her mother.  Picoult did an amazing job with the genius plot twist at the end of the book.  I definitely was not expecting the book to end that way.

Overall: 5/5  Picoult never disappoints me!  This was one of my favorite books by her.

Second Glance

Second Glance by Jodi Picoult was another book in my personal reading marathon.  I considered it to be a page turner.

Cover:  This cover didn't really convey any feelings in me or inspire any musings. 

Characters:  The characters were fascinating people who all seemed to be missing something.  There were several characters who played significant parts in the story, so I won't take the time to discuss all of them.  Each character was unique in their own way, but they all seemed to need or want something they didn't have.  For most of them, I believe it was love.

Writing:  Picoult always does a fantastic job writing.  She kept me in suspense throughout the entire book.  I especially liked how she used a chunk of the book to tell Lia's story from her perspective.

Plot:  The plot of the story was great.  It was unique but used the "ghost story" angle that catches people's attention.  I love reading ghost stories and trying to learn more about who that ghost used to be and what might have happened to them.  Picoult told a wonderful ghost story.  I also liked how she linked all of the characters together.  I'm starting to see that love and the great lengths we go for love are major themes in Picoult's work.

Overall:  4/5  This was a great story about how far some people will go to protect someone they love or to never have to be away from them.  Some people will even try to cross the fine line between life and death.

Mercy

It's been a few weeks since I finished this book, but I'm just now getting around to posting a review.  As mentioned in an earlier post, I've been reading all of my Jodi Picoult books as a personal reading marathon. 

Mercy by Jodi Picoult is the story of two couples and the power of love.  I know it sounds cheesey, but it's the best way I can think of to describe the story.  Jamie finds himself at the center of a trial after he admits to killing his terminally ill wife.  Allie and Cam find their own familiar love tested when a stranger blows into town.  Love makes people do crazy things, things they might not do in other circumstances.  This book is a great exploration of just that.

Cover:  Yet another simple but powerful Picoult book.  A man and woman embracing each other.  It's not clear which couple from the book is portrayed in this image, but that's what I like.  It could be anyone.

Characters:  The main characters were Cam and Allie MacDonald, Jamie and Maggie MacDonald, and Mia Townsend.  I despised Cam.  I don't want to share any spoilers, so I'll just say his behaviors angered me.  I felt sorry for both Allie and Jamie.  They both loved their spouse with every ounce of their being despite not getting the same love back.  I was also proud of Allie for the transformation she made.  Mia was simply a big mistake. 

Writing:  I thought the writing was wonderful.  The love Jamie felt for Maggie was so easily conveyed.  The same goes for Allie's love for Cam.

Plot:  I really liked the main story about Jamie killing his terminally ill wife out of love.  It raised a lot of questions.  It made me wonder if that was something I could do.  The subplot of Cam and Allie's relationship drew my attention away at times.  I found myself eager to find out what would happen between them.

Overall: 4/5  Another great story that makes me think.  I love that Picoult's books make my brain work.

Teaser Tuesday (6)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by Miz B at Should Be Reading.  It's a great way to share what you're reading or what you're planning on reading.  Here's how it works.  Grab a book, open to a random page, and share two teaser sentences.  Be sure to avoid posting spoilers and include the book's title and author.

This week's Teaser Tuesday is from My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

Zanne shows up the night before we are due to go to the hospital to begin Kate's preparatory transplant regimen.  She lets Jesse help her set up her portable office, takes a phone call from Australia, and then comes into the kitchen so that Brian and I can catch her up on daily routines.-p.227

What's your Teaser Tuesday?

Teaser Tuesday (5)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by MizB over at Should Be Reading. Grab a book and play along!


Open your book up to a random page and share 2 teaser sentences. Be sure to not give anything too juicy away. You don't want to spoil the book for anyone else! Also, remember to share the title and author. You know. In case your teaser is just so good we want to read the book!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from Second Glance by Jodi Picoult.  It's part of my own personal reading marathon. 

I will carry her tight against my chest; I will keep her warm.  On the way to Canada, I will tell her of the sights we pass--the cows marooned in fields, the violet fireweed exploding along the road, the mountains that curve like the line of a woman's body. p. 216

What's your Teaser Tuesday this week?

Keeping Faith

I've had Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult sitting on my bookshelf for awhile.  As I was reading it, I decided to have my own personal reading marathon and read the rest of the Jodi Picoult books I own.  I thought this would be a good way to plow through the books I own but haven't read yet.

Keeping Faith is the story of  Mariah and Faith White.  Mariah's marriage ends after she discovers her husband's affair.  As if coping with this wasn't bad enough, Faith begins exhibiting strange behaviors, like saying God talks to her. 

  Cover: The cover of Keeping Faith was quite beautiful. It was simple, and yet I felt it conveyed a lot of emotion. My edition had an image of a young child wrapped up in someone's arms. Without being able to see the other person's face, it made me wonder who was holding that child. Once I began reading the book, I found more meaning in this cover. Was the child being held by her mother, father, or God?




Characters: The main characters were Mariah White, Faith White, Colin White, Millie Epstein, and Ian Fletcher. Mariah is a weak woman who has been broken by her husband's antics but still seeks out his approval and love. I felt she measured her self-worth through the approval of others and craved routines and perfection. Faith White is a typical child who is suddenly put between her parents and develops a special gift. Throughout it all, though, she maintains the innocence of a child. Colin White is Faith's father and Mariah's husband (ex-husband). He has been the catalyst for problems in Mariah's life, and one might argue, set off the gift that Faith develops. Millie Epstein is Mariah's mother. She's a strong, outspoken woman who cares for her daughter and granddaughter deeply. Ian Fletcher is a teleatheist ( I know, it sounds weird). He makes a living trying to get others to accept that God doesn't exist. He has some sneaky qualities but shows some endearing ones later on.



Writing: I thought Picoult's writing was lovely. She did such an amazing job at conveying Mariah's feelings, whether they were regarding her husband, daughter, or herself. It was easy to imagine what she was going through. I also thought she did a wonderful job expressing what Faith was experiencing, feeling, and thinking. At times, there was some dialogue from Faith that I thought sounded a little old for a 7 year old. But from working with kids, I know it's possible.



Plot: The plot of the story had a general predictability to it. Husband cheats and leaves his wife. Family falls apart. Child has some sort of difficulty. What I liked about this story, though, was that Faith's difficulty was unique. It wasn't the typical behaviors one might see in a child whose parents have divorced. I also liked the way Mariah changed from the beginning of the book. I don't want to give too much away, but her growth was different than what I'd expected. I've always enjoyed that Picoult's books have a main topic that is typically one that causes debates. In this book, it was the existence of God. As an atheist myself, I found it extremely interesting to read about all of the different viewpoints regarding God. There were many characters that believed and many that didn't. I also liked that a simple answer was never given. It's still left up to the reader to have his or her own beliefs.



Overall: 4/5 I really liked this book. It kept me interested all along the way and also caused me to think about things in new ways. The characters were easy to care about, especially little Faith. Once again, another tough topic tackled in a unique and clever way.

Teaser Tuesday (4)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by MizB over at Should Be Reading. Grab a book and play along!

Open your book up to a random page and share 2 teaser sentences.  Be sure to not give anything too juicy away.  You don't want to spoil the book for anyone else!  Also, remember to share the title and author.  You know.  In case your teaser is just so good we want to read the book!

My Teaser Tuesday is from Mercy by Jodi Picoult.


Allie touched her finger to the spot on Maggie's cheek that Jamie was kissing, then touched her own mouth.  Feeling slightly guilty, she pulled the photo from its clip and tucked it into the pocket of her chamois shirt.     p. 138

What's your Teaser Tuesday?