The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

I'm going to be honest here and admit that I had no idea how to even begin to review this book. Toni Morrison is already noted and celebrated as an amazing and important author of our time. This is her first novel and also my first time reading anything by her. I can't even begin to fathom what her other books might be like and how amazing they must be.
In The Bluest Eye, we are introduced to Claudia (our narrator) and her sister Frieda. From the beginning the reader also knows that while Claudia is narrating this isn't her story and unfortunately that this isn't going to be a happy story. Once I wrapped my mind around that fact I was ready to begin this novel.
The story is centered around Pecola Breedlove and her family known throughout town as the ugliest family. Throughout the novel there are times where we see past events from Pecola's mother and father's lives. Sadly, it is thru these events that shape the unfortunate events that are soon about to take place.
This isn't an easy read by any means but it is an amazing book. I can't say much else. Morrison is a gifted writer who through this novel is able to comment on society's obsession with beauty, race, and families. I think that some of the points she makes might have flown right over my head and this book would definitely warrant a rereading in the future. Just to give you a taste of Morrison's writing:

"Beauty was not simply something to behold; it was something one could do."

Morrison's writing is both stark and beautiful. Sorry, I would have shared more with you but I've already taken the book back to the library. While this wasn't a happy novel by any means it was such a great novel that I can't help but recommend it to anyone and everyone. Be advised that there are graphic parts that are cringeworthy and a bit painful to read. It is only painful because as the reader you become invested in the characters. I wanted a happy ending even if I knew that I wasn't going to get it. All in all, a book that will probably be considered a classic in the future. I am definitely going to read more of Morrison in the future!

My rating: 5 out of 5
Challenges: TBR Challenge, New Author Challenge, Support Library Challenge, Winter Reading Challenge, A-Z Challenge ("M" Author), and Book Awards Challenge II (Pulitzer Winner), Year of Reading Dangerously, 100+ Challenge

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

This is my second alternate for the TBR challenge (seems that I'm liking my alternate list more than my original list) and I've been wanting to read this for some time. It started off slow for me...I couldn't quite warm up to the story that the author was creating and kept wondering where it was going. But I'm SO glad that I continued on with it because I ended up really enjoying this book. The Thirteenth Tale is two stories: the story of Margaret Lea, an amauteur biographer who is battling her own past, and of Vida Winter, a famous writer who has kept her past hidden from anyone and everyone, until now. Because now she has employed Margaret to write her biography ensnaring her by promising to finally tell the "truth" about her past. These two stories will merge together and allow the truth of both of these women's pasts to come out once and for all. Most definitely a worthwhile read!!

Challenges: TBR Challenge, A-Z Challenge ("S" Author)

My Rating: 4 out of 5

True Believer by Nicholas Sparks

True Believer is about Jeremy Marsh, a journalist, who is on the brink of making it big. He writes stories that "debunk" the supernatural which is his reason to traveling to Boone Creek, North Carolina. In this quiet, small town there are mysterious lights that show up at an old cemetery only on foggy nights. There is talk that these lights are caused by ghosts but Jeremy is there to find the scientific explanation. Along the way he meets Lexie, the town librarian, and falls for her. But how can anything work out between the two of them when Jeremy is a big city guy that lives in New York and Lexie is just a small town girl with no intentions of moving away?
I read this as an alternate for the TBR challenge. I like Nicholas Sparks (he wrote The Notebook which is one of my ALL-TIME favorites!) but this one was just okay for me. I guess I was expecting more out of this book than what I got. Not that this was a bad book mind you just it was kinda....hmmm...now what am I trying to say here? Suffice it to say that I know he has written better. Oh well. They can't all be as AMAZING as The Notebook. :)
Challenges: TBR Challenge (alternate), A-Z Challenge ("T" title)
My Rating: 3 out of 5

TBR Challenge 2008

This is the last challenge that I'm going to sign up for...I promise :) Okay...so maybe not but who cares. It's fun! And I really do want to read all of these books so what can it hurt. Here's my list..fun fun:

• Prozac Nation: Young and Depressed in America by Elizabeth Wurtzel
• Set This House In Order by Matt Ruff
• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
• I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb
• Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond
• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathon Safron Foer
• The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
• Wild Swans by Jung Chang
• Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
• Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
• The Girls by Lori Lansens
• Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

Alternates/Extras:

• The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
• Lucky by Alice Sebold
• Season of the Witch by Natasha Mosert
• True Believer by Nicholas Sparks
• The Killing Floor by Lee Child
• The Fuck-up by Arthur Nersesian
• Midnight In Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
• Dating Big Bird by Laura Zigman
• Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
• Brick Lane by Monica Ali
• Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
• The Rock Orchard by Paula Wall