Lisa Tucker's "The Song Reader" made me a fan. so when I spotted "Once Upon A Day" on the shelves, it was a no-brainer to add it to my pile.

Good move.

Tucker's tale of how a St. Louis cab driver struggling to move forward following the deaths of his wife and daughter manages to help a family unable to move forward decades after a violent encounter is captivating.

Reading OUAD is a bit like watching an M. Night Shyamalan film. 

Information is revealed piece by piece, keeping you turning the pages even as you are guessing how all those pieces will eventually fit together.

At the heart of this novel are questions about protecting your loved ones. Can you go too far in the name of love? Is it worse to stifle in the name of protection or to risk losing it all in the name of freedom? 

Stephen and Dorothea come from opposite ends of the spectrum, and it is up to the reader to decide who has suffered more from those choices.

Tucker's tale is a thriller in the true sense of the word. 

Check out the discussion questions here.

- Tricia Ambrose

Odds and Book Ends features activities and events in the area related to libraries, books and authors. Submit your events at www.News-Herald.com/Calendar, and check back to The Book Club every week for upcoming events and activities at your local library.

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This week

A Starbucks coffee tasting will be 6:30 p.m. Feb. 1 at Eastlake Library, 36706 Lake Shore Blvd. Starbucks Manager Mike Schwer will teach about the aroma, body and flavor of various Starbucks coffees paired with their accompanying pastry. Registration is required at 440-942-7780.


"Journey to Freedom: The authentic story of the Underground Railroad in Lake County" will be presented at 7 p.m. Feb. 1 at Morley Library Meeting Rooms. Kathie Purmal, executive director of the Lake County Historical Society, will present the program.


The Perry Public Library, 3753 Main St. will host a Love Letters program at 7 p.m. Feb. 1. Members of the Reminiscence Theater in Chardon will share their own sentimental, touching and humorous love letters. Amy Bennett, also with Rabbit Run Theater in Madison, is the group’s coordinator. Valentine refreshments will be served. The free program is open to the public, and registration is suggested. For more information and to register, call 440-259-3300 or visit perrypubliclibrary.org.


Registration is open for Meet the President, an event with President James A. Garfield and First Lady Lucrectia Garfield (as performed by the We Made History living historians). The president and first lady will come to Mentor Public Library, 8215 Mentor Ave., from 7 to 8 p.m. Feb. 1. Listen to a presidential story, then join in the fun and ask questions. Details: 440-255-8811, ext. 220, or www.mentorpl.org.


Mentor Public Library will open later Feb. 2, at 1 p.m. Library staff will be engaged in strategic planning, building the future of the library.


Friends of the Burton Public Library will celebrate the Chinese New Year on Feb. 3 by hosting a silent auction of vintage books and original artwork. The auction will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in the library’s meeting room.
For years, the Friends of the Burton Public Library purchased one work of art from the annual Burton Art Show. These items were part of a circulating collection that is no longer in use and will be offered to the highest bidder. The vintage books have all been donated to the library and are not ex-library books. Cash or checks will be accepted as payment. The public is invited to attend and refreshments will be served. Burton Public Library is located at 14588 W. Park St. For details, call 440-834-4466.


Learn how to load items onto your MP3 device using Windows Media Player at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at Willoughby Public Library, 30 Public Square. Registration is required at 440-942-3200.


The Friends of the Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library will hold a large book/AV sale at the Eastlake Public Library from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 4 and 5, and from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 6. The Friends will raffle baskets filled with books and gifts, and tickets for the raffle are 50 cents each and can be purchased during library hours. The library is at 36706 Lake Shore Blvd. Call 440-942-7880 for more information.


"Download Books Free With Your Library Card" will be at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 4 and 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at Chardon Library on Chardon Square. Patrons who have received or purchased an e-reader will learn how to download free e-books from the Overdrive’s Ohio e-book project, accessible from the Geauga County Public Library’s website. If patrons bring their own laptops and e-readers, they can get hands-on assistance in downloading their own e-books. For additional information, contact Lou Jerkich, assistant manager of Chardon Library, at 440-285-7601.


Friends of the Kirtland Public Library will host a book sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 5. Donations of library materials are welcome and may be left at the library during regular operating hours. Kirtland Public Library is at 9267 Chillicothe Road.


Join the "Willoughby Otaku" as members of the anime/manga club meet from 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 5 at Willoughby Library, 30 Public Square, to watch, discuss and comment on anime and manga. Refreshments will be served, and registration is required at 440-942-3200.


"Dance with the Flower Fairies" will be 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 5 at Perry Public Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road. Children ages 5 to 9 are invited to come dance with the Faerie Queen and her attendants. Enjoy an afternoon of fairy tale imagining with dancers from the Rabbit Run Community Arts Association. Attendees are encouraged to dress in their favorite fairy land dancing clothes to attend this one of a kind celebration. There will be stories, music, dancing, crafts, games, and fairy sized finger foods. Parents and caregivers will be invited into the room at the end of the program for picture taking. Registration is required as space is limited. Call 440-259-3300 or visit www.perrypubliclibrary.org to register.


Join Willoughby Fine Arts Association cast members at 2 p.m. Feb. 6 as they preview their production of "Aladdin Jr." Songs and scenes from the play and a ticket giveaway will be part of the program at Willowick Library, 263 E. 305th St. Registration is required at 440-943-4151.


The Friends of the Burton Public Library Chess Tournaments will be every Saturday in February at the library. This annual event has been drawing chess players from all over the area. Prior tournament competition is not necessary. Players need to bring a standard chess set, a sack lunch and beverage. Tournaments
for different age groups are scheduled as follows:

• Kindergarten through fifth grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 5 (expected to finish by 2 p.m.)
• Sixth through eighth grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 12
• Ninth through 12th grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 19 (expected to finish by 5 p.m.)
• Adults: 10 a.m. Feb. 26

All tournaments will be Swiss-type, providing each player at least four games regardless of his or her win-loss record. Medals will be awarded to the top places in each category. Prior registration is required for all tournaments. To register, call the Burton Public Library at 440-834-4466. For further information about the tournaments, call Jim Wohlken at 440-834-4283. Visit the library online at www.burton.lib.oh.us.

Coming up

Mentor Library's Monday Night Book Discussion takes place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. the first Monday of each month from October through June, with the next meeting being Feb. 7. For this month's selection, contact librarian Barb Hauer at 440-255-8811, ext. 210. The library provides books, and refreshments are courtesy of the Friends of the Library.


Literature Out Loud will be at 4 p.m. Feb. 7 at Willoughby Library, 30 Public Square. Great American stories will be read aloud through dramatic readings by a professional actor. Stories from the American frontier, patriotic poems and excerpts from American novels and short stories of adventure, comedy, romance and history will be featured. Registration is required at 440-942-3200.


The East Cuyahoga County Genealogical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Ross C. DeJohn Community Center, 6306 Marsol Road, Mayfield Heights. Diana Crisman Smith will present a program on how to add color to your family history by providing sources you may not have thought about using. Guests are welcome to attend for a $3 visitor fee that may be applied to membership. For more information, contact Stacie at 216-379-0749 (evenings or weekends) or Mac at mksauer4@roadrunner.com. Smith is a genealogical writer, speaker, editor and teacher. She is treasurer of both the International Society of Family History Writers and the Genealogical Speakers Guild, and lay librarian at the Family History Center in Westlake as well as an online instructor through Family Tree University and has a column in the Association of Professional Genealogists’ Quarterly.


Nintendo DS Game Night will be 7 to 8 p.m. Feb. 7 at Willoughby Library, 30 Public Square. Bring a Nintendo DS and any linkable games to the library for the opportunity to play with other children. Participants must have a DS, but games are not required. Registration is required at 440-942-3200.


Jump Start Your Job Search will be 9:45 to 11 a.m. Feb. 8 at Eastlake Public Library, 36706 Lake Shore Blvd., Learn about free workshops and job search assistance available through Lake1Stop. The 90-minute session is a pre-requisite for attending the workshops, to find out about available training funds, or for receiving one-on-one job search assistance. To register for the program, call Debra Laurin at 440-350-2493 or 440-918-2493.


Job Searching Online will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 10 at Eastlake Public Library, 36706 Lake Shore Blvd. Registration is required at 440-942-7780.


Meet author Chris Bohjalian at 2 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Beachwood Branch of the Cuyahoga County Library, 25501 Shake Blvd. (at the corner of Richmond and Shaker). Bohjalian is the author of 13 books, many of which are New York Times bestsellers and/or Publishers Weekly best books. His book "Midwives" was an Oprah Book Discussion Selection. Registration is required: 216-831-6868.


Crafy Kids will be 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 12 at Willoughby Library, 30 Public Square. Children in grades one through six will make crafts. Registration is required at 440-942-3200.


Teen Anime Afternoons will be 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 12 at Willowick Library, 263 E. 305th St. Youths in grades six through 12 can join others to watch anime movies and draw. Snack will be provided, and registration is required at 440-943-4151.


Valentine Chocolate Candy Making will be 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 12 at Eastlake Library, 36706 Lake Shore Blvd. Youths ages 11 through 18 can make chocolate suckers to take home to their valentines. Registration is required at 440-942-7780.


Friends of Morley Library will host a book sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 12 in the lower level of Morley Library in Painesville.


Computer Basics I, designed for a person with no computer experience, will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 12 at Willowick Library, 263 E. 305th St. Learn about hardware and software. Time will be provided for hands-on practice with the keyboard and mouse. The program is limited to 10 participants, and registration is required at 440-943-4151.


The Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin Office of College, Counseling and Support Services is sponsoring a college application process program for NDCL juniors and their parents. The event will be 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 13 in the NDCL Library. Information will be presented, and questions answered, by an expert panel on college admission, including representatives from Case Western Reserve University, The College of Wooster and Bowling Green State University. Registration in advance is not required. Contact NDCL at 440-286-6226 if there are any questions. Those interested also can visit NDCL anytime at www.ndcl.org.


Join Cathi Weber, local author of "Haunted Willoughby, Ohio" at 7 p.m. Feb. 14 at Willoughby Library, 30 Public Square, to hear the stories that inspired her to investigate the spooky heritage and true stories that are a part of Willoughby's history. Limited to 60 participants. Registration is required at 440-942-3200.


Reel Talk-Book and Movie Discussion Group meets at 2:45 p.m. the second Monday of every month in Morley Library's meeting Room B, with the next meeting taking place Feb. 14. Books and DVDs are available at the check-out desk on the main floor. The library is located at 184 Phelps St. in Painesville. Details: 440-352-3383 or www.morleylibrary.org.

Ongoing events

The art exhibit "His, Hers, and the Truth: Paintings of Human Realism" by Judy Takacs is on display at Notre Dame College’s Clara Fritzche Library through Feb. 18. The free exhibit is open to the public during library hours, which are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 10 p.m. Sundays. Notre Dame College is at 4545 College Road, South Euclid. For details, call 216-373-5267 or e-mail kzoller@ndc.edu.


If you are 60 years old or older and a middle- or low-income taxpayer, you can get free tax assistance with an AARP tax aide volunteers. Call the Mentor Library at 440-255-8811, ext. 215, to make your appointment. Volunteers will be at the Main Library, 8215 Mentor Ave., from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through April 12. Bring your completed tax forms from last year and valid I.D. to your appointment. AARP help is by appointment only.


--Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com
@nhcheryl

This post is part of a LitSoup, a new regular monthly feature on The Book Club compiled of contributions from the newsroom. Send an e-mail or tweet with your suggestions for future LitSoup topics.

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You might have a great idea for a bestseller, but do you have a great title for it? Enter the Lulu Titlescorer to find out.

The Lulu Titlescorer has been developed exclusively for Lulu by statisticians who studied the titles of 50 years' worth of top bestsellers and identified which title attributes separated the bestsellers from the rest.
We commissioned a research team to analyse the title of every novel to have topped the hardback fiction section of the New York Times Bestseller List during the half-century from 1955 to 2004 and then compare them with the titles of a control group of less successful novels by the same authors.

Does the title scorer carry any significance or is it just for fun? I tested it with this week's list of hardcover fiction bestsellers from The New York Times.

• "The Inner Circle" by Brad Meltzer, which is at No. 1 in its first week on the list, has a 41.4% chance of being a bestselling title
• "The Sentry" by Robert Crais, at No. 2 in its first week on the list, has a 35.9% chance of being a bestselling title
• "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Steig Larsson, at No. 3 in its 34th week on the list, has a 35.9% chance of being a bestselling title
• "Dead or Alive" by Tom Clancy, at No. 4 in its sixth week on the list, has a 10.2% chance of being a bestselling title 
• "What the Night Knows" by Dean Koontz, at No. 5 this week in its third week on the list, has a 59.3% chance of being a bestselling title
• "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett, at No. 6 this week in its 94th week on the list, has a 35.9% chance of being a bestselling title
• "The Confession" by John Grisham, at No. 7 in its 12th week on the list, has a 35.9% chance of being a bestselling title
• "Three Seconds" by Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom, at No. 8 in its second week on the list, has a 41.4% chance of being a bestselling title
• "Cross Fire" by James Patterson, at No. 9 in its ninth week on the list, has a 69% chance of being a bestselling title
• "Freedom" by Jonathan Franzen, at No. 10 in its 17th week on the list, has a 31.7% chance of being a bestselling title
• "Room" by Emma Donoghue, at No. 11 in its 10th week on the list, has a 63.7% chance of being a bestselling title
• "The Outlaws" by W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV, at No. 12 in its third week on the list, has a 35.9% chance of being a bestselling title
• "Secrets to the Grave" by Tami Hoag, at No. 13 in its third week on the list, has a 22.9% chance of being a bestselling title
• "Damage" by John Lescroart, at No. 14 in its second week on the list, has a 59.3% chance of being a bestselling title
• "Hell's Corner" by David Baldacci, at No. 15 in its 10th week on the list, has a 72.5% chance of being a bestselling title.
  

Tom Clancy is the outlier of the group, but he's so popular that he could name a book "Poop" and make the bestseller list. I entered several fake titles and got low results, so I would say the rest of the titles on this list have pretty good odds. Maybe there is something to this.

I sampled the newsroom to see how the books by News-Herald employees would fare.

Tricia Ambrose:

My book title One Flight Down has a 26.3 percent chance of becoming a bestseller. The real question is, are those odds better or worse than the chances that I will actually write said novel!

Brandon Baker:

The title The Bakery has a 26.3% chance of being a bestselling title.

John Bertosa:

My title “Rebellion of the Damned” (37.0%) has a better chance of being a bestseller than “The Bible” (35.9%) and “The Cat in the Hat” (26.3%). In fact, the site predicts “The Cat in the Hat” is just as likely to be a best seller as “Hitler is great” (26.3%).

Danielle Capriato:

All the Things I Might Have Done
34.8%
Not too shabby, I suppose!

Jeff Frischkorn

The title My Life as a Birddog (owner) has a 44.2% chance of being a bestselling title.

Mark Meszoros:

The title After the Sky Fell has a 26.3% chance of being a bestselling title.

Robin Palmer:

The title Postcards from Goosetav and Gigi: The World Through the Eyes of Two Canada Geese has a 10.2% chance of being a bestselling title.

Cheryl Sadler:

The title Drowning Slowly has a 79.6% chance of being a bestselling title.
I'll be honest: This was not my first attempt. I hadn't given much thought to the titles of any of the novels I've been working on in my head, and my first few dozen tries at the title scorer netted me with 8.6% chances of becoming a bestseller. I also wanted to use the titles The Graduate or An Education, but figured that regardless of how well those titles scored that the books would not actually do so well because of the shared names with acclaimed films. Maybe I should stick to writing headlines instead of book titles.

Will your novel be a bestseller?

--Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com
@nhcheryl

It's impossible to not be affected by Liz Seccuro's story.
In 1984 while a student at the University of Virginia she reported to campus authorities that she had been raped at a fraternity party and identified her attacker by name. She was led to believe that there was nothing the university or she could do when that student left the university for other reasons.
She struggled to move forward.
And she was as successful as she could be. Married. A child. Work she enjoyed.
Then, in 2005, he wrote her a letter.
That's where she begins "Crash into Me."
The letter sends her back to 1984 and brings all those questions she has worked so hard to bury right to the surface.
She embarks on a quest to learn the truth.
I was pulled in by her candor and somewhat surprising lack of bitterness.
As she writes of the alma mater that was, shall we say, less than helpful to her:
"Even now, every autumn, no matter where I am, I remember the beauty and the thrill of Virginia in the fall - the gorgeous Grounds and the impossibly crisp air. To stand in the shadow of the Rotunda under the golden trees of the Lawn was a near-perfect feeling. The Lawn in autumn is perhaps the most hopeful place int he world, and it is what I choose to think about when I remember the university."
I couldn't help but be impressed at her ability to forgive. And I'll admit her story gave me pause when I think about my daughter and her friends soon to be headed off to college.
How do we warn our children about all these potential dangers without making them fearful of the very new acquaintances and opportunities that are part of the college experience we want them to have?
I'd like to think that the college environment of 2011 is different than that of 1984, but I fear it is not.
Much attention has been given just this year to an incident involving a Notre Dame football player and a student from neighboring St. Mary's College. You can read about it here.
Crimes are still crimes even when committed on the grounds of a university.
I hope Seccuro's courage in sharing her story helps raises awareness among all of us -- university officials, law enforcement, parents and partygoers alike.
- Tricia Ambrose

Dennis Lehane is a rare author in my book.

His novels are entertaining and well-written. Yes, he delivers page-turning thrillers ("Mystic River," "Shutter Island," "Gone, Baby, Gone") but his works is more than pure escapism (not that there's anything wrong with that).

What makes his works stand out even more so is that I've enjoyed the film adaptations as much as the novels themselves.

So this weekend not only did I spend some quality time with Leonardo DiCaprio in "Shutter Island," I also curled up with "Moonlight Mile."

Neither was a disappointment.

"Moonlight Mile" continues the tale of "Gone, Baby, Gone." And perhaps the only downside to enjoying those film adaptations so much is that the characters are cast in my head. When I read about Patrick Kenzie, I am picturing Ben Affleck (not that there's anything wrong with that!) (Take away my ability to uses parentheses, please.)

In GBG, Patrick did the right thing, but was it the right thing to do?

Years later he's still haunted by that question. And MM presents him with the chance - sort of - to do things differently.

Once again Amanda McCready has disappeared and Kenzie is asked to find her. He's not the man he was 12 years earlier though. Now he's married to Angie Gennaro and they have a daughter. Will this change how he proceeds? Does it change how he sees his actions of 12 years earlier?

This is the sixth time Lehane has visited Kenzie and Gennaro. Will it be the last?

Click here for discussion questions on the book.

Listen to the author discuss his work.

- Tricia Ambrose

To Cheryl, I look forward to reading your thoughts on "Her Fearful Symmetry." Here's what I thought.

I recently moved into a new place with a new person, which means one important thing: an opportunity to reorganize my books!

Nonfiction

Fiction

Organizing books is a pretty exciting task for me [pushes nerd glasses up nose], especially after taking organization and cataloging classes while getting my master's in library and information science. So nearly two months into my new place, I think I'm finally happy with a bookshelf of fiction and a bookshelf of nonfiction. Fiction is sorted alphabetically by author (then alphabetically by title for each author). It is bothering me a bit that John Irving and Jodi Picoult aren't all on the same shelf, but I suppose that's just the way it has to be with the space constraints. Nonfiction is sorted by size (some are too tall to stand), topic (music, movies, memoir, humor, history, psychology, biology, business, money, library science, writing and journalism) and author.

This is not all of the books in my collection; I have children's books (picture books and novels) on a shelf in my room because I ran out of space in the living room. And the BF has some still packed away (that will probably stay that way for now). I'm already antsy about where we'll put any future additions to the collection.

So now the big question: Where do I start reading? I haven't read most of the books in the collection, and I'd eventually like to re-read all that I haven't (I own them for a reason). Do I go alphabetically by title? Alphabetically by author? Chronologically by publish date? Reverse chronologically?

I like taking on fiction and nonfiction at the same time, so I can switch between reading something for learning and something for pleasure. Right now I'm in the middle of "Her Fearful Symmetry" by Audrey Niffenegger (which I've been working on for the past year or so, thanks to grad school) and "Sticks and Stones: How Digital Reputations are Created Over Time and Lost in a Click" by Larry Weber. But after these are finished, what should I pick up next?

How is your bookshelf organized? How do you decide which books deserve your attention?


-- Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com

Odds and Book Ends features activities and events in the area related to libraries, books and authors. Submit your events at www.News-Herald.com/Calendar, and check back to The Book Club every week for upcoming events and activities at your local library.


Teen Game Day at Morley Library in Painesville will be 2:30 to 4 p.m. Jan. 24. The event will include Dance Dance Revolution and classic board games, and attendees can enter a Connect Four tournament and Rock, Paper, Scissors throwdown.


Medications vs. Alternative Health Solutions will be 6:45 to 8 p.m. Jan. 24 at Mentor Public Library, 8215 Mentor Ave. The free seminar will be presented by Renee Bolz, a preventative wellness practitioner for Total Body Image, and chiropractic physician Dr. Jay Riedel, who will discuss preventative health care solutions without taking prescription medications.


“It’s Snow Much Fun at the Library” for kids ages 4 through 9 will be 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at Madison Public Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road, Madison. This is an outdoor event if weather permits, so bring hats, scarves, gloves and boots. Be ready for the possibility of a snowball fight. Warm up will be inside with some snowy stories and a wintertime craft. Details: 440-428-2189.


The Geauga County National Alliance on Mental Illness Family Support Group meeting will be at 7 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of every month at Middlefield Public Library. NAMI provides mutual support for persons diagnosed with serious mental illness and their families. Registration is not necessary and the program is free. For details, call the Mental Health Association at 440-285-3945.


Children with special needs and their families are invited to a snowman-themed story time from 7 to 7:45 p.m. Jan. 25 at Mentor Public Library, 8215 Mentor Ave. The story time will feature stories, songs and a craft where children can make their own snow. Details: 440-255-8811, ext 220, or www.mentorpl.org.


Northeastern Ohio Rose Society will meet at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at Madison Public Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road. The program will be presented by Dalia Armonas, president of "ARS Miniature Roses." Mini-Flora roses are a new classification adopted by the American Rose Society in 1999 to recognize another step in the evolution of the rose, intermediate bloom size and foliage falling between miniatures and floribundas. This classification has become very popular because of its versatility in placement for edgings in flower beds, rockeries and containers. Armonas asks that everyone bring a list of their miniature roses for discussion to determine the pros and cons of certain species. For details, call 440-997-9403.


Notre Dame College’s Clara Fritzche Library will host a joint book signing and art exhibit opening reception 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 27 that can be called a family affair. Notre Dame College Professor Dalma Takacs will sign her latest book "The condo: Or ... Life, a Sequel" while her daughter Judy Takacs will open her exhibit "His, Hers, and the Truth: Paintings of Human Realism." The book signing and reception will be in the library. The exhibit is free and open to the public, and will be open through Feb. 18, during library hours, which are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 10 p.m. Sundays. Notre Dame College is at 4545 College Road, South Euclid. For details, call 216-373-5267 or e-mail kzoller@ndc.edu.


The Heights-Hillcrest-Lyndhurst Branch of the American Association of University Women will host a meeting at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 29, at the Cleveland Heights Main Library, Meeting Room A, 2345 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. The subject will be "Human Trafficking -- A Form of Modern Day Slavery” by Sr. Anne Victory, HM, education coordinator for the Collaborative Initiative to End Human Trafficking, who will speak about the crime of human trafficking, its prevalence as an international and very local issue, and what citizens can do about it. The meeting is free and open to the public. For details, contact Vivian Harris, AAUW Heights-Hillcrest-Lyndhurst Branch at aauwh@adelphia.net


Silly Bandz and Fuse Beads -- an activity for the whole family -- will be 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 29 at Madison Public Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road, Madison. Come and trade your Silly Bandz, make some rubber band bracelets and design a fuse bead craft. For details, call 440-428-2189.


Mothers and daughters ages 11 to 15 are invited to Mother/Daughter Makeovers from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 29 at Morley Library in Painesville. The afternoon will include skincare and make-up tips presented by a local beauty consultant. Registration is required for the free program at 440-352-3383.


Registration is open for Meet the President, an event with President James A. Garfield and First Lady Lucrectia Garfield (as performed by the We Made History living historians). The president and first lady will come to Mentor Public Library, 8215 Mentor Ave., from 7 to 8 p.m. Feb. 1. Listen to a presidential story, then join in the fun and ask questions. Details: 440-255-8811, ext. 220, or www.mentorpl.org.


A Starbucks coffee tasting will be 6:30 p.m. Feb. 1 at Eastlake Library, 36706 Lake Shore Blvd. Starbucks Manager Mike Schwer will teach about the aroma, body and flavor of various Starbucks coffees paired with their accompanying pastry. Registration is required at 440-942-7780.


Learn how to load items onto your MP3 device using Windows Media Player at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at Willoughby Public Library, 30 Public Square. Registration is required at 440-942-3200.


The Friends of the Burton Public Library Chess Tournaments will be every Saturday in February at the library. This annual event has been drawing chess players from all over the area. Prior tournament competition is not necessary. Players need to bring a standard chess set, a sack lunch and beverage. Tournaments
for different age groups are scheduled as follows:

• Kindergarten through fifth grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 5 (expected to finish by 2 p.m.)
• Sixth through eighth grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 12
• Ninth through 12th grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 19 (expected to finish by 5 p.m.)
• Adults: 10 a.m. Feb. 26

All tournaments will be Swiss-type, providing each player at least four games regardless of his or her win-loss record. Medals will be awarded to the top places in each category. Prior registration is required for all tournaments. To register, call the Burton Public Library at 440-834-4466. For further information about the tournaments, call Jim Wohlken at 440-834-4283. Visit the library online at www.burton.lib.oh.us.


Mentor Library's Monday Night Book Discussion takes place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. the first Monday of each month from October through June, with the next meeting being Feb. 7. For this month's selection, contact librarian Barb Hauer at 440-255-8811, ext. 210. The library provides books, and refreshments are courtesy of the Friends of the Library.


Jump Start Your Job Search will be 9:45 to 11 a.m. Feb. 8 at Eastlake Public Library, 36706 Lake Shore Blvd., Learn about free workshops and job search assistance available through Lake1Stop. The 90-minute session is a pre-requisite for attending the workshops, to find out about available training funds, or for receiving one-on-one job search assistance. To register for the program, call Debra Laurin at 440-350-2493 or 440-918-2493.


Computer Basics I, designed for a person with no computer experience, will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 12 at Willowick Library, 263 E. 305th St. Learn about hardware and software. Time will be provided for hands-on practice with the keyboard and mouse. The program is limited to 10 participants, and registration is required at 440-943-4151.


The Mentor Public Library will be collecting canned goods through January as it holds its third annual Restock the Shelves. All branches will be accepting donations of canned and dry goods. Food will be distributed to the Lake County area food pantries to restock their shelves. Also, donations may be placed in the designated boxes at all locations.


The Burton Public Library will present “Act It Out,” a five-week acting workshop for ages 6 through 10. The workshop will meet from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. on Feb. 15 and 22 and March 1 and 8, concluding with a performance of “Python’s Party” at 4 p.m. March 15. The acting workshop will be taught by Chardon resident Amy Bennett, who has an academic and professional background in children’s arts.
“Act It Out” is free of charge and has limited enrollment. Registration is a commitment to attend all five sessions. To register, call the Burton Public Library at 440-834-4466.


--Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com

It's been a bad week for all things housework. Already slacking on the laundry, dinner-making front. Then there's the matter of the still-decorated Christmas tree in my living room.

Tough to compete with the run of gripping books I've been bringing home from Euclid Public Library.

Could not stop turning the pages of "The Rest of Her Life" by Laura Moriarity.I was intrigued by the title and the book jacket and sold by the cover blurb of praise from Jodi Picoult, one of my favorite authors.

I am a sucker for a novel that makes me examine my own possible reactions to a situation, gives me greater understanding of how someone might react, and, bonus!, does so in beautiful prose.

Moriarity's tale is framed around one of those events that divides everything into before and after.

Driver and high school senior Kara hits and kills a pedestrian. The victim is a girl from her high school, a former student of her mother's.

Events unfold from the perspective of Kara's mother Leigh. 

The two have an already strained relationship. The kind many moms and daughters can relate to. This is not the stuff of shouting matches, physical abuse and running away; this is a relationship of missed connections, of growing apart, of feeling misunderstood.

"Once they left, she and Kara would be alone, and she would be able to say something right and useful, to show Kara that though she ached for Bethany and her mother, she would stand with her and love her through it all. The words would come to her. She would say them in the right way. She would just say what she felt.

"But as soon as they heard Gary's car leave the garage, Kara stood up and said she was going to bed. Leigh hadn't gotten even a word out."

That about captures the feeling of many a mom I know, trying to say the right thing to a daughter who seems increasingly out of reach.

All of these roiling emotions have Leigh thinking back on her relationship with her own mother. In her desire to not repeat her mom's mistakes, has she gone too far the other way?

Kara's accident may be the story's catalyst, but Leigh is its heart.

A bit of advice, don't pick this book up if you only have a few minutes. Once you start reading, that laundry will be waiting until you're done.

Click here for some discussion questions to consider.

Chance to meet an author

Author Natalie Palmer of Westlake will be at caribou Coffee, 15111 Detroit Ave., Cleveland from 1 to 3 p.m. jan. 29. She'll be signing copies of her romance novel, "Second Kiss."

- Tricia Ambrose

There are many things about getting old that I'm not particularly looking forward to. (Though all of them beat the alternative as they say!)
Among them is losing my mind. I know how frustrating it can be when that word is on the tip of my tongue and I just can't seem to find it. I can only imagine how terrifying it would be to have such moments over and over again each day.
Walter Mosley captures that struggle beautifully in "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey."
His prose manages to chronicle Grey's confusion, that jumble of events from across his 91 years, without completely losing the reader. No mean feat, that.
"Too many names were moving around  Ptolemy's mind. Hilly sounded familiar; and June, too, had a place behind the door that kept many of his memories alive but mostly unavailable.
That's how Ptolemy imagined the disposition of his memories, his thoughts: they were still his, still in the range of his thinking, but they were, many and most of them, locked on the other side of a close door that he'd lost the key for. So his memory became like secrets held away from his own mind. But those secrets were noisy things; they babbled and muttered behind the door, and so if he listened closely he might catch a snatch of something he once knew well."
All Ptolemy wants is enough clarity to tie up the loose ends of his life.
Enter Robyn, a young girl who looks past the clutter of his home and sees the man he is.
Their unlikely relationship gives him the strength to move forward.
To what lengths would you go to keep your mind sharp?

- Tricia Ambrose

Two women, suitcases packed, leaving their marriages, collide on a foggy road. The survivor develops a relationship with the family the woman who did not left behind.
Intrigued? I know I was.

Such is the opening to "Pictures of You" by Caroline Leavitt. And before anyone dismiss this as just "chick lit," Leavitt digs deep.

This is not simply the tale of unhappily married women in search of greener pastures. (Not that there's anything wrong with reading that tale.)
This book leaves you thinking about how well you really know your spouse, about what we do in the name of love and about all those roads not taken.

Young Sam loved his mom. She took care of him, and the two enjoyed lots of adventures. The two would invent new identities for themselves and then set off "in character." Fun, no doubt for a young boy, but what does that say about his mom's state of mind. Was her love stifling? Were their adventures really healthy? Leavitt goes below the surface.
And she does so in language the both evokes and provokes.

"Charlie had been driving two hours when he began to feel like a shadow behind the wheel. His stomach was hot and tenses and his hands were clammy. There were a thousand things he could be doing today other than this fool's mission - working, doing laundry, cleaning. Everything inside him told him to turn back and head home, but he kept going,as if the car were propelling him forward, as if he had no control. When he got to the turnoff road, he was sweating, and when he made the turn, he felt as if someone had stapled his heart. He pulled over to the shoulder and parked, waiting a minute for his pulse to slow down. He took deep, long gulps of air.
He got out of the car. It was just an ordinary road, black top, yellow lines slashing the center. It had been almost four months now. The white chalk lines were long gone, the stars of blood. The road was clear and empty. You wouldn't know anything terrible had happened here. You wouldn't know that this was where his wife had died."

Aren't you standing there with him? Heart stapled, stars of blood, shadow behind the wheel. Beautifully crafted images.

Just published this month, the book has been getting lots of buzz and was picked as the January read by Costco, BJ's Wholsesale Club and The Nervous Breakdown Book Club. (who knew!)

She's written eight other novels, and I'm adding them to my list. Has anyone read any of her previous works to recommend? I'd be interested to hear from anyone else who's read this novel, too, about what they thought of the choices the various characters make ...

-Tricia Ambrose

I like to think of myself as a woman of my word, someone who says what she means and means what she says, a rule follower, a ..., well, you get the idea.
But could I have done what Gertruda Bablinska did? I'm not so sure.
Gertruda was nanny to Michael. Their story is told in "Gertruda's Oath: A Child, A Promise and A Heroic Escape During World War II" by Ram Oren.
Gertruda was a young Catholic woman who left her small Polish town and found work as a nanny in Warsaw. She cared for Michael Stolowitzky, only son of a very wealthy Jewish couple.When the Nazis invade Poland, Michael's family loses everything. His father leaves the country on business before its borders are closed; fearing for their lives Michael, his mother and Gertruda flee Warsaw as well. His mother suffers a stroke and as she lay dying, Gertruda promises she will look after Michael as her own and see him safely to Palestine.
At no small risk to herself, she does just that.
In one particularly memorable scene, Gertruda and Michael are walking down the street when they are confronted by SS soldiers. The soldiers demand at gunpoint that she pull down Michael's pants to prove he is not Jewish. Gertruda stands her ground, and the two get a reprieve from a surprising corner. Karl Rink, an SS soldier, steps forward and says, of course the boy is her son.
The event is recounted by Michael himself in this trailer for the book.
That's just one of the many moments when Gertruda puts her own safety aside for the sake of her son. Could you have done the same?
There are others who take risks to protect their neighbors and perfect strangers from the Nazis. There's the SS solider Karl Rink, the Catholic priest who provides Gertruda with papers certifying that Michael is her son, the Jewish doctor who helps how he can.
So wonderful that their stories are shared.It would be a real loss if the stories of people like these are not recounted for future generations
Gertruda died in 1995 and in a mix-up that seems so fitting was buried twice, once in a Jewish grave and once in a Christian one.


Read an excerpt here.

-Tricia Ambrose

Odds and Book Ends features activities and events in the area related to libraries, books and authors. Submit your events at www.News-Herald.com/Calendar, and check back to The Book Club every week for upcoming events and activities at your local library.


Linda Bliss, RN, will discuss common reasons for family conflicts, challenges faced by siblings, and how to share responsibilities when a family member has Alzheimer's disease from 1 to 2 p.m. Jan. 18 at Mentor Public Library, 8215 Mentor Ave. The program will be in the Garfield Room in the lower level of the library. Call 440-255-8811 to register, or contact Grace Sims for more details at grace.sims@mentorpl.org.


Eagle Investors Business Daily Group of Painesville will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 18 in Meeting Room B of Morley Library in Painesville. Eagle Investors Business Daily Group of Painesville meetings will follow a regular agenda with adjustments made as membership dictates. The agenda includes, but is not limited to: General market conditions, CAN SLIM Review and Trading Basics. Eagle Investors Business Daily Group of Painesville is an organization dedicated to expanding your knowledge of the market and providing the opportunity for like-minded people to share ideas and strategies. We use the CAN SLIM investing model as our foundation. Anyone who would like to begin taking control of their financial future and learn the basics of investing, while having a lot of fun in the process is invited to attend. The meeting will be hosted by Peter M. Lee, MSEd., director of education,
Eagle Trading Company LLC. To register for the meeting, call 216-402-0358 or visit www.meetup.com/Eagle-IBD-of-painesville. There is no fee for attending. Details: www.eagletradingco.org.


The Lake County League of Women Voters will host a forum on Criminal Justice and the Death Penalty in Ohio from 10 a.m. to 12:30p.m. Jan. 22 at the Wickliffe Public Library, 1713 Lincoln Road. Featured speakers will be Carrie Davis, ACLU staff attorney and board member of Ohioans to Stop Executions, and Adrian Griffin, Northern Ohio organizer for Ohioans to Stop Executions. All are welcome to attend this free forum. Call Ellen Chamberlin, League president, for further information at 440-256-1598.


Registration begins Jan. 18 for Meet the President, an event with President James A. Garfield and First Lady Lucrectia Garfield (as performed by the We Made History living historians). The president and first lady will come to Mentor Public Library, 8215 Mentor Ave., from 7 to 8 p.m. Feb. 1. Listen to a presidential story, then join in the fun and ask questions. Details: 440-255-8811, ext. 220, or www.mentorpl.org.


The Friends of the Burton Public Library Chess Tournaments will be every Saturday in February at the library. This annual event has been drawing chess players from all over the area. Prior tournament competition is not necessary. Players need to bring a standard chess set, a sack lunch and beverage. Tournaments
for different age groups are scheduled as follows:

• Kindergarten through fifth grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 5 (expected to finish by 2 p.m.)
• Sixth through eighth grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 12
• Ninth through 12th grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 19 (expected to finish by 5 p.m.)
• Adults: 10 a.m. Feb. 26

All tournaments will be Swiss-type, providing each player at least four games regardless of his or her win-loss record. Medals will be awarded to the top places in each category. Prior registration is required for all tournaments. To register, call the Burton Public Library at 440-834-4466. For further information about the tournaments, call Jim Wohlken at 440-834-4283. Visit the library online at www.burton.lib.oh.us.


The Mentor Public Library will be collecting canned goods through January as it holds its third annual Restock the Shelves. All branches will be accepting donations of canned and dry goods. Food will be distributed to the Lake County area food pantries to restock their shelves. Also, donations may be placed in the designated boxes at all locations.


--Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com

"Calling all authors, 'zine makers, comic-book writers, diarists, poets and storytellers: Our library needs your words!"

Shane Zucker (left) and Steven Peterman
(right) of Art House Co-op.

So says the Art House Co-op, an organization that started three years ago with the goal of bringing art to the masses. Since then, they have interacted with tens of thousands of artists from around the world, all brought together with the common goal of creating art and sharing it with each other. They host several collaborative art projects each year. A popular project is The Sketchbook Project, in which the Art House sends sketchbooks out into the world to be filled and later displayed.

Now they are hosting The Fiction Project. For a $25 fee, anyone can receive a notebook to fill as they wish. Each artist is sent a journal and must adhere to only two rules: the journal must be used in some way -- as opposed to filling a completely different book -- and the book must stay within its original dimensions.

Each journal also will be assigned a theme, either at random or an artist may pick from a list during sign up for the project. Some themes include"in flight," "facing forward," "it will be fun, I swear" and "a day in the life." Themes are open for interpretation, and are meant to be more of a guide than a strict rule for the work. Art House also says they suggest journals be filled with at least 51% writing.

In the spirit of collaboration, Art House also says you can share one journal with a friend--or group of friends!--to fill it's pages. Once it is returned, it will be part of a mobile display that will visit galleries and museums across the country. Each book will receive a special barcode to allow for tracking, so you can follow where your book is and how many people see it. Plus, for an extra $20, Art House will make a digital copy of your work to be archived with the Brooklyn Art Library.

So all you aspiring novelists out there, here's your chance to be a part of a global fiction project. I'm thinking of doing this myself. Anybody want to join?

--Danielle Capriato
DCapriato@News-Herald.com

More than 50 years ago, the naked and badly bruised body of a young boy was found in a cardboard box in a wooded area north of Philadelphia.

Since that day, not only has no one been charged in connection with his death, but he has never been identified.

And not for lack of trying.

David Stout chronicles the lengths to which a dedicated band of law enforcement professionals have worked to give the child an identity in "The Box in the Box: The Unsolved Case of America's Unknown Child."

The 1950s America that exists in my mind was not an era of child abuse or child cruelty. 

The reality of that time as Stout recounts was far different:

Desperate parents struggling to feed too many children
Depraved individuals doing the unspeakable
Unwed teens terrified to acknowledge a birth

In short, not all that different from today, just perhaps not as openly discussed in society.

None of which makes the tale of the boy in the box any less heart-wrenching.

How could no one have claimed him? Are the folks who've come forward in the decades since telling the truth? Have we as a society learned any lessons from this and other similar cases?

Stout weaves other cases into his narrative from the development of aged facial reconstruction that led to the arrest of John Emil List more than 15 years after he killed his family to Northeast Ohio's own Baby Grace, Riley Sawyers, found in the waters off Galveston and recognized by a grandmother here. Positive advances all, but not enough to give this child an identity.
Stout, a veteran journalist, delivers a riveting account not only of a case that haunts those who've investigated it but one that captured the hearts of a nation.
A site has been created by one of those folks touched by the boy's fate. It features updates on the case and elements including the original poster, shown above, that was distributed to law enforcement in 1957.
- Tricia Ambrose

By now you've heard about a new edition of Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" being published without a certain offensive word. The book is out of copyright, so anyone can do anything they want to it, and some think it's a good idea to reissue the classic without words some wouldn't want to use in the presence of others. The RedBlueAmerica columnists weighed in on Monday's editorial page, with differing opinions: that it should be available only in college or that it should be taught early and often.

I read "Huck Finn" in my 11th grade honors English class and loved it. There was plenty of discussion in my class about whether it was appropriate to read despite the language used. I felt the same then as I do now: The book is more than appropriate to teach to high-schoolers. I even wrote a paper on it (titled "To all baselessly intolerant of fine literature: Huck you") about how it was a great book despite the repeated use of a word I can't stand.

As many people much smarter than I have already stated, Twain's work is a well-written classic that depicts the state of the country at the time he wrote it. High school classes should teach more than readin', writin' and 'rithmetic. It's so important for young minds to learn about history and society, and how things have changed (for better or for worse). I understand that some parents might not feel it's appropriate for their children to read that kind of language, but that doesn't give them the right to censor the material for other people's children. Actually, having a version of the book without the offending word is probably a great way for high schools to teach Mark Twain to the students, who could have the option of reading it however their parents feel it's appropriate.

It's great when books are out of copyright and can be modified in creative ways (like "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"), and I think this should be looked at as an opportunity for "Huckleberry Finn" to reach more people who otherwise would not have picked up the great American novel.


-- Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com

Odds and Book Ends features activities and events in the area related to libraries, books and authors. Submit your events at www.News-Herald.com/Calendar, and check back to The Book Club every week for upcoming events and activities at your local library.


Reel Talk-Book and Movie Discussion Group meets at 2:45 p.m. the second Monday of every month in Morley Library's meeting Room B, with the next meeting taking place Jan. 10. Books and DVDs are available at the check-out desk on the main floor. The library is located at 184 Phelps St. in Painesville. Details: 440-352-3383 or www.morleylibrary.org.


Cub Scouts can earn their Marble belt loop or academic pin from 7 to 8 p.m. Jan. 11 at Mentor Public Library, 8215 Mentor Ave. Presenter Walt Iliff will provide insight into the world of marbles. Registration is required: www.mentorpl.org or 440-255-8811, ext. 220.


Friends of the Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library will hold a large book/AV sale at the Willowick Library from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 14 and 15, and 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 16. Willowick Public Library is located at 263 E. 305th St. Details: 440-943-4151 or www.welibrary.info.


Registration begins Jan. 10 for Paws to Read, set for 7 p.m. Jan. 19 at Mentor Public Library, 8215 Mentor Ave. Kids who are able to read independently are invited to sign up for a 30-minute session. We'll pair you with a gentle dog who is licensed and trained to be a good listener. Details: www.mentorpl.org or 440-255-8811, ext. 220.


The Friends of the Burton Public Library Chess Tournaments will be every Saturday in February at the library. This annual event has been drawing chess players from all over the area. Prior tournament competition is not necessary. Players need to bring a standard chess set, a sack lunch and beverage. Tournaments
for different age groups are scheduled as follows:

• Kindergarten through fifth grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 5 (expected to finish by 2 p.m.)
• Sixth through eighth grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 12
• Ninth through 12th grade: 10 a.m. Feb. 19 (expected to finish by 5 p.m.)
• Adults: 10 a.m. Feb. 26

All tournaments will be Swiss-type, providing each player at least four games regardless of his or her win-loss record. Medals will be awarded to the top places in each category. Prior registration is required for all tournaments. To register, call the Burton Public Library at 440-834-4466. For further information about the tournaments, call Jim Wohlken at 440-834-4283. Visit the library online at www.burton.lib.oh.us.


--Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com

I'm a sucker for this season of resolution making.
I love the idea of taking stock and deciding to make changes for the better.
Notice I said I love the idea of it. While I usually make upwards of 10 resolutions each January, not too many of them stick. I've yet to successfully stay on top of the laundry, watch the 100 greatest films of all time or grow the kind of fingernails appropriate for an adult woman. But seemingly each January I resolve anew to try to do just that.
I think my family may most be rooting for me to stick to my goal of cooking dinner at least twice a week. On second thought, since they've actually eaten my cooking, perhaps they're rooting for that one to fall by the wayside first.
So I flew though Jim Moret's "The Last Day of My Life."
Moret, a journalist who had spent years with CNN, found himself on the wrong end of the housing bubble, feeling his family would be better off financially without him. In a Jimmy-Stewart-"It's-a-Wonderful-Life" sort of moment he wonders what he would do with the last day of his life.
Moret takes stock of those things in his life he truly values, constantly questioning his past actions, but still looking forward.
I confess I wasn't that drawn to his personal story. I was however intrigued by the questions those events raised.
After recounting issues surrounding his relationship with his mother, he writes: "In thinking about my mom's struggle to survive, I began to examine those things in my life that were worth fighting for. Then I began to wonder what I could accomplish if I continued to fight instead of just giving up?
How would your life be different if you replaced the words, "I can't" with an attitude of doggedness and determination?"
How different, indeed.
These were the reflections that I took to heart on everything from love to forgiveness to family.
Perhaps I can't relate to Moret's Beverly Hills lifestyle, but I did understand his quest to discover what truly mattered to him.
Ask yourself, If today was your last day, how would you spend it?
-Tricia Ambrose

If you thought the Sweet Valley series couldn't get any more [insert your adjective of choice here], then you haven't read any of the Sweet Valley Saga.

I just finished "Sweet Valley Saga: The Wakefield Legacy: The Untold Story", which details Elizabeth and Jessica's ancestry on their father's side. And just like the stories following the girls' own lives, this book is drama drama drama.

There is a lot going on in this book (it follows five generations of Wakefields), so I'm not sure I can summarize it all. Instead, I'll post some of my favorite [read: cheesy] passages.


Page 31:

Theodore's chin sank to his chest. He fought back the tears of defeat and the desire to give up, to return home to England. No, he decided at last. He couldn't go back. Because no matter how vast this country was, Alice was there, somewhere, somewhere in the wild, lonely West.
Theodore checked the list of fares. He had just enough money to get himself to Cleveland, Ohio. That wasn't very far west, but it was a start. "One ticket to Cleveland," he requested, laying the money on the counter, his hand shaking slightly. It was all the money he had in the world. Theodore twisted the ring on his finger; he thought of the rose he had carved for Alive. "Somehow I will find her," he vowed, oblivious to the ticket seller's curious stare. "If I die searching, someday I will find her."

Page 53:

For the first time, Theo realized how blind he had been. How could he not have noticed how much he cared for Dancing Wind? As he held her in his arms, not knowing whether she would live or die, Theo knew that he'd never forgive himself if he lost her now. Dancing Wind had given him so much in the past few months; she'd taught him to laugh and share again. She'd taught him how to look ahead to the future, encouraged him to forget the past. And he'd given her nothing in return. How could I not have seen? he asked himself. We are so much alike. Dancing Wind is alone, without family; we are both exiles, far from our roots. Destiny brought us together and now it might separate us.

Page 114:
(this passage occurs after an earthquake that buries Sarah and Edward)

"There's no way out. Edward, this cramped, airless space will be our tomb." Sarah began to cry quietly. "I wanted only one thing, to become your wife. And now ..."
Edward smoothed a hand over her hair. "I love you as much as if you were my wife."
"But I'm not."
"Then let's marry right now! We don't need a justice of the peace in order to vow our eternal love for each other." Gazing deep into Sarah's eyes, Edward said, "Sarah Wakefield, I promise to love and cherish you always, until death do us part."
Overcome with emotion, for a few seconds Sarah could not speak. Then she managed to swallow her tears. "I promise to love and cherish you, Edward Brooke," she whispered. "Until death do us part."
"Here, I'll make it official." Edward fumbled in his pocked and pulled out a small piece of paper. In the murky light. Sarah could see that it was the receipt the desk clerk had written up for them when they checked into the hotel. Now Edward turned it over. With a pencil, also from his pocket, he wrote a few quick words.
He handed the paper to Sarah, and she read aloud what he had written. " 'On this day, we were married.' " Edward had signed and dated the statement; now she did the same.
"My wife," Edward said.
"My husband."
Their lips met in the most tender, meaningful kiss they had ever shared. Edward pulled Sarah closer, crushing her body against his own. As the kiss deepened, all the passion they'd been harboring during the months of their courtship rushed over them like a powerful wave. "Shall we stop?" Edward murmured in her hair.
"No," Sarah breathed. She wanted to be swept away; she wanted to go as far as their love would take her.

(Is this what "Twilight" reads like? Because that's what I imagine.)

Page 127:

Sarah's cheeks flushed hot with anger. "Father, there was nothing to know. Nothing happened between us until we went to San Francisco. We may not have been married on paper, but we were married in spirit."

(Another thing I'd imagine them to say in "Twilight.")

Page 167:

Sometimes Ted couldn't believe his good fortune. Harry's sister Samantha was as much fun as Harry had promised. While visiting the Watsons that past December, Ted had enjoyed dancing up a storm with her and talking to her about Fitzgerald's novels and motion picture stars like Charlie Chaplin and Clara Bow.

(In the words of Chandler Bing, could the author BE trying any harder to make this passage seem timely?)

Page 181: FACTUAL ERROR ALERT:

Ted flipped through the brittle, yellowed pages of Dancing Wind's diary, wondering about the woman who had filled the volume with the tiny, slanted script.

*Puts on nerd glasses*
Dancing Wind's diary would not be brittle and yellowed. Theo met her around 1880, when she was already with the circus and keeping a diary of her life. Paper produced before 1880 did not contain the chemicals and materials that make it turn dry, brittle and yellow with age. Her diary, in fact, would have been in pretty good condition, assuming it had been kept just sitting in a relatively dry environment.
*Pushed nerd glasses up nose*
[And that is what six semesters and $20,000 of graduate school gives you, folks: The ability to point out technical errors in a terribly cheesy book.]

Page 205:

Julia couldn't tell whether Ted had agreed to her proposal because he had nothing better to do or because he was as interested in her as she was in him. It didn't really matter, she decided. After cracking her first big story, she felt confident that her future would be marked by success. She planned to put all her energy into this next assignment: Ted Wakefield's heart.

Page 213:

"Now you look at me, Ted. I'm pretty, I'm smart, I like hard work and adventure. Most of all, I love you. With my whole heart and soul. Are you going to hold that against me?"
Ted touched her face. "No. No, of course not."
"I'd make you a perfect wife and you know it."

Page 215:

"Hmm," Tedd said, considering. "Just right for a study."
"Just right for a nursery, I think," said Julia.
"Well yes, someday. But for now --" He broke off and stared at her. Julia, standing by the window, smiled at him. "Julia, you're not ...?"
She nodded. "I am. We are!"
"Julia!" Ted crossed to her side in two long strides. "I'm -- I'm -- we're -- oh, hurrah!"
Picking her up, he lifted her high in the air. Julia squealed with laughter. "How's that for a scoop?" she asked him. "Extra, extra, read all about it!"
He set her back on her feet. Before he folded her in his arms, she saw that his eyes were sparkling with happy tears. "We make quite a team, Julia. And I think this is going to be our best story yet."

(I've never had to tell anyone I was pregnant, but I've got to imagine this is the absolute most cheesy way to do it that I've ever seen. Are you kidding me???)


I didn't expect anything better from this book. It's Sweet Valley, after all, and with Sweet Valley comes cheesy romance and intense drama. I wasn't exactly interested in the twins' paternal lineage, and now wonder if I should try tracking down the Sweet Valley Saga that follows their maternal lineage. As I found out when reading the Wakefields' untold story (and in the final page), members Alice (Robinson) Wakefield's family came in contact with the Wakefields in just about every generation until Ned and Alice themselves got together. That actually might be the most interesting part of the whole saga series -- a fictional account of what a small world we live in.




-- Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com