JOY SCHOOL- by elizabeth berg

I think I've read at least one other book by this author, but I don't remember enough about it to compare. I also realized (more than halfway through) that this was a continuation of sorts from "Durable Goods," a fact which, had I known earlier, would have caused me to put this off until I'd read the first one. Regardless, it stood on its own pretty well, with only hints at previous incidents.
The book's told in almost 13yr old Katie's voice, and is therefore simpler than what I'm used to reading. This made it a super quick read, and while fairly easy, still held my interest. Katie has just moved to a small town in Missouri from Texas. An older sister makes an appearance or two, but has moved to Mexico and married her boyfriend. Their mother died (one of the pieces from the first book, I gather) and Katie's left with their emotionally absent colonel father. She's slightly awkward, and has a hard time making friends, but forms fragile friendships with both Cynthia (an overprotected odd duck), and Taylor (attractive and popular, yet a bad influence). Katie also relies on Jimmy (a 23yr old mechanic she meets accidentally and then falls in love with) and Ginger (the woman who helps out at their house) for advice and companionship. We follow along as Katie learns about both herself and life in general through these friends and experiences, and are left off at a satisfying end.
Netflix rating? 3/5 stars.

ORIGIN- by diana abu-jaber

Since Andrea finished this first and therefore beat me to the review, I'll omit the plot outline and cut straight to my opinion.
I too, haven't read a mystery in ages, but tend to stick to the more mainstream "bookclub books" like Water for Elephants, A Million Little Pieces, etc. So this was a welcome change of pace which I read quickly, but in two shots- the first half in the three days after I borrowed it from the library, and the last half a few days before our meeting. The characters and story line were entertaining and held my interest, but at times I was annoyed with how obvious something was to the reader, yet wasn't "discovered" by the character until much later on. I was also a little concerned at the beginning when it seemed like there might be some questionable background with Lena (you'll understand if you read it), and was happy that there was a slightly reasonable explanation in the end.
All in all, it was an entertaining read, but not quite as puzzling as I'd have liked it.
Netflix rating? 3/5 stars.

Origin

Maybe it's the approaching holidays, but reading Origin by Diana Abu-Jaber really made me think of my family. My mom is an avid mystery reader and has sometimes been found reading a good book on the couch in the middle of the night. It's been awhile since I've read a mystery-- I loved the Nancy Drew books growing up, but never got into another series as an adult. So this book club book reminded me of the joys of reading a mystery. I kept turning the pages even though it was getting late, past midnight on a work night.
Lena is a fingerprint technician in a crime lab and is investigating a series of suspicious baby deaths, labeled as SIDS, but quite possibly something more sinister. At some point the investigation leads to questions about her own birth and upbringing. Lena grew up with foster parents who never were able to answer her questions about her biological parents. Interestingly, A Gesture Life concerned the flipside-- the father's perspective on being an adoptive parent and his reasons.
Ms. Abu-Jaber portrays Lena as frequently moving through life in an otherworldly existence. She describes Lena as feeling drowsy, her limbs heavy, her mind elsewhere. It's clear that her desire to uncover the truth about her past is all-encompassing, carrying her from clue to clue. Likewise the other characters, Keller, Charlie, her co-workers, are equally well described and unique, so you can envision how each one acts and behaves.
A good mystery keeps you guessing and if by the end I haven't figured it out, I consider it a successful read. I'l give this 4/5 netflix stars. And now back to the Proust...decidely not mysterious at all, just long descriptions about eating cookies.