Reveille Readers February

Reveille Reader:  Hannah Wurzel

Reveille Camper in: 2008

Hannah's Pick: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz'

Hannah's Review: I first fell in love with the author, Junot Diaz' in high school when I read his short stories collection - Drown. He's just so unique. Dominican American guy who writes complicated characters that are sooooo real and interesting. His writing is all over the place with very "real" ghetto language and then super refined and beautiful "author" writing. It is a more "edgy" book and contains some scandalous language and characters.

Book Description: The novel's main character, Oscar de Léon, is an overweight "ghetto nerd" from a family of Dominican Republic immigrants now living in New Jersey. Oscar's dream is to be successful and to find love, but because of the fukú—a curse that has haunted Oscar’s family for generations his dreams become harder to achieve. 

Reveille Reader: Joan Lunden

Joan's Pick: Mystic River by Dennis Lehane

Joan's Review: I just finished reading Mystic River by Dennis Lehane and loved it. A co-worker recommended this book as "the best book she ever read". Thankfully I picked it right up and was not disappointed. Amazing murder mystery with rich characters and suspenseful plot twists. I seriously couldn't put it down. I'm sad it ended. I'm going to look for another book by this author. He is amazing! I highly recommend this read!

Book Description: A murder mystery novel about childhood friends Jimmy, Sean and Dave who unexpectedly reunite during the investigation of Jimmy's oldest daughter, Katie's murder. Sean's a police detective on the case, gathering difficult and disturbing evidence; he is also tasked with handling Jimmy's (an ex-convict) rage and need for retribution.

Recommendations from my Twitter-sphere...

Reader: Nicole R. Trevino 

Nicole's Pick: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 

Nicole's Review:  The book was made into a movie and is scheduled to hit theaters this June. You will not want the book to end. 

Book Description: The story is narrated by Hazel, a sixteen-year-old cancer patient who is forced by her parents to attend a support group where she meets and falls in love with Augustus Waters. Augustus is a sixteen year old ex-basketball player amputee.

Reader: Steven Sherwood 

Steven's Pick: The Chosen by Chaim Potak

Steven's Review: I enjoyed reading this novel because it was about something completely foreign to me. It takes place during the 1940s in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY and is set against the backdrop of historical events: the death of President Roosevelt, the end of World War II, the revelation of the Holocaust in Europe, and the struggle for the creation of the state of Israel. It allows you to see how different worlds exist within just a few blocks of each other. It is one of my favorites.

Book Description: The Chosen is a novel that follows main characters Reuven Malter and his friend Daniel Saunders as they grow up in Brooklyn, NY. Reuven and Danny meet for the first time as rivals in a baseball game between their school teams.The two become best friends over time despite the vast difference in their upbringings.