Notes on a Scandal

Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller
Sheba Hart is the new art teacher. She is married and has two children. She has just taken her first job at St. Georges. She drifts into an affair with one of the students, 15 year old "Conolly.

Loner Barbara Covett has 35 years teaching experience. She lives alone with her cat. She is intrigued by Shelby and slowly cultivates a friendship with the younger woman.

As the book opens, Barbara is secretly writing about Sheba's affair. The world has found out about the affair and Sheba is daily news fodder. She has lost everything--her family, home and job. She and Barbara are living in her brother's house while he is away.

I enjoyed this book until I got to the end. And then it just bombed.

Booking Through Thursday-Playing Editor

Booking Through Thursday

How about a chance to play editor-in-chief? Fill in the blanks:

__________ would have been a much better book if ______________________.


Notes on a Scandal would have been a much better book if it had had an ending.

Naturally, the most recent books came to mind first. I have even posted this one on my blog. When I finished it I jut thought "Is that it?" Everything felt up in the air to me. Which is a shame because I really got into the book and liked it up to the last page.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Tess Derbyfield is the oldest daughter of peasants in a village in England. Her father learns their family is descended from a noble family. Tess' parents decide to send her to "claim kin" with the d'Urbervilles in a nearby town.

Once Tess arrives, she learns the d'Urbervilles bought the name and title and they are not related. However, Alec d'Urberville takes a shine to Tess and gives her a job managing the family's poultry farm. Alec eventually "has his way" with
Tess. She soon returns to her parents home and has a child who dies a week after birth.

Tess eventually winds up working on a dairy farm, where she meets Angel Clare. After persuasion, Tess agrees to marry him. After the wedding, Angel confesses an affair he'd been involved in. So Tess confesses her past. With the double standard of the day, Angel is unable to accept it. They separate while Angel tries to come to terms with her past.

Angel goes to Brazil to find good farm land. Tess tries to fend for herself until Angel sends for her. But life is hard for the rural poor and Tess has hard times to come.

The Search

The Search by Iris Johansen

Sarah Patrick is part of a search and rescue team. She is coerced by billionaire John Logan to help him find one of his employees who has been kidnapped. Logan is running a top secret science lab when the villian, Rudznik, blows it up in revenge for past history.

As far as mysteries go, this one was OK. There wasn't alot of mystery, but it was interesting to see how the story played out. Johansen doles out the secrets of the science lab and Sarah's past slowly to keep you wondering.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Mr. Utterson is concerned with the welfare of his old friend and client Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll has favorably remembered Mr. Hyde in his will in case of death or his disappearance. Mr. Utterson is alarmed and begins to investigate Mr. Hyde who soon turns out to be a most disagreeable character. Mr. Utterson believes that Mr. Hyde has a hold over Dr. Jekyll that is forcing the doctor to follow Mr. Hyde's demands.

It is learned that Dr. Jekyll has become interested in the conflicting natures within men. He has created a potion that allows him to commit acts that he would otherwise not have the courage to do. But as time goes on these acts become more and more savage.

Booking Through Thursday-Hero

Booking through Thursday

You should have seen this one coming … Who is your favorite Male lead character? And why?

I love Gus McCrae. He's one of the funniest characters I've come across. Plus, he's hell-bent to do the heroic thing. He's a tough as nails ex-Texas Ranger who has fought banditos, desperados, and Indians.

And Don Quixote is funny in a sad way. Totally bonkers, but he has the Rocky Horror attitude---don't dream it, be it.

The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hester Prynne lives in colonial New England. In 1642, she has in illegitimate child. Hester refuses to tell who the father is. She had come to America to await her husband. When he does join her, she is standing on the court steps with an "A" emblazoned on her chest as punishment for her crime.

Her husband begins calling himself Roger Chillingworth. He is now practicing medicine and moves in with the sickly Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. He suspects a connection between Dimmesdale and Hester and sets out to discover what it is.