Reading for the heck of it

I have a confession.  Sometimes I watch the movie before I read the book.  I know!  That's crazy talk!!  However, in my defense, I don't always realize that there was a book before the movie.  This is one of those times.  In celebration of finishing my Young Adult Literature class, I read Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré. Of course, since I had watched the film I knew the bare bones of the narrative and because of this there should be no surprises.  Right?  WRONG!  This book was so compellingly written, so sprinkled with intrigue and suspicion, that it was impossible not to think of the two stories as separate (but both magnificent).  The story revolves around the British Secret Service and those at the very top of the ladder.  There is a double agent among them.  The entire story is the search for this elusive mole.  If you love mystery and spy stories, this is just the book for you.  I can't wait to get my hands on more of his works!

Sometimes when you walk the aisles of a library or bookstore, a book will jump out at you.  It might be a book that you had heard mentioned and forgot about it or it might be one you had never heard of at all. This next book falls into the former category.  Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen was a much talked about book (and movie which I haven't seen by the way) last year even though it came out in 2006.  I was reminded of it by some of my classmates when we were discussing Twilight (Robert Pattinson strikes again) and they were very enthusiastic about it.  Then I just so happened to have it in my hands when I was shelving a few days later.  I had to check it out.  From what I can tell from the back cover and from what my classmates describe the book is a gripping romantic fiction that is set in a circus that is on its last legs  Romance isn't my favorite genre but I have a fascination with circuses (remember when I read The Night Circus?).  There's something compelling about people who travel around the world performing for different audiences each night and all with masks and makeup to conceal their true identities.  I can't wait to see what mysteries await me within the pages of this book!