Top Ten Books I Read in 2010

I have read 68 books in 2010!
Mostly a delightful experience, some weeks it was a drag. But the bad ones just make you appreciate the really good books.

It was hard to pick just my top ten, but here goes:
(They are in no real order)

TOP BOOKS OF 2010:

Still Alice by: Lisa Genova
Woman 50 diagnosed with early on set Alzheimer’s. She is a brilliant Harvard professor. Book told from Her, Alice’s, perspective. It’s about husband relationships, family, hardships. It is a fabulous book with a great look inside this awful disease. Beautifully written.
What I learned: you can be strong even in the heart of a terrible circumstance.


The Art of Racing in the Rain by: Garth Stein
Good, moral person in very heavy circumstances, loves his dog; book told from dog perspective
What I learned: keep your standards high even if other around you don't!

Girl in Translation by: Jean Kwok
Well written, Chinese girl & mother come to US with help from aunt. Hard life; how they live; school, learn, work. Difference from Chinese culture and ours. Very good.
What I learned: keep pressing forward, you can get to the other side, keep moving

Every Last One by: Anna Quindlen
There are some difficult parts to the book, BUT I loved it! It is a REAL think piece! It is how my brain works, thinks; this book deals with death, how everyone reacts to it. Book about a mother with 3 children; their different needs and how she sees and deals with them.
What I learned: listen to your instincts, be strong, choose wisely, press forward

The Happiness Project by: Gretchen Rubin
Non-fiction - Highly recommend! I will read again. I recommend this book to everybody. It is a delightful read, very thought provoking.
What I learned: Keep improving!

Eat Pray Love by: Elizabeth Gilbert
If you saw the movie, this is NOT the movie! Movie = yuck, Book = great!
Sad, sad divorce; she goes to Italy-eat/food, India-an ashram; Bali–-balance/love Non-fiction. Very insightful.
What I learned: so glad to understand and know why I am on this earth; what the purpose of it all is, without that knowledge you could drown. If you want to know more, go to: mormon.org


Unwind by: Neal Shusterman
Sci/fi no more abortion, but at 13 yrs old parents can consent to have their child unwound. All would be better if the child used its parts on others than be whole…that is the premise. 3 kids run away; story is about their life. Choices, forgiveness, going too far in any direction. I really liked it! YA Fiction
What I Learned: glad I am loved

The Maze Runner by: James Dashner
Sci fi YA – I really enjoyed this book! Future; boy wakes up and finds himself in an odd community of teens. They live in an area, just outside the gates is a huge maze that they have to figure out. They do not know why they are they, but are trying to understand and figure out how to get out. This is in the same vein as The Hunger Games. The second book is The Scorch Trials. Out Oct 2010
What I learned: sometimes it is nice to read Young Adult Fiction

Heir to Sevenwaters by: Juliet Marillier
Read the other 3 earlier books. Clodagh’s baby brother gets kidnapped, she meets Aidan & Cathal; she must find her brother & falls in love
What I learned: it is so nice to go back to a series that you love and find out that the next book is just as good.

Heart’s Blood by: Juliet Marillier
Fairies; humans; girl in bad situation, runs away, finds job in castle; kind like re-telling of beauty & Beast
What I learned: nothing, really; just enjoyed the story; oh and romance in books is really romantic and ugly beasts in books can really be handsome.

These next 2 books were so good, they had to be mentioned:

Pictures of Hollis Woods by: Patricia Reilly Giff
Really YA book. Very short. LOVED. Many years ago, little girl from ages 6 – 10 going through the foster care system. How she copes, what happens to her, people she meets. I loved it. Very short. Please read.
I just fell upon this book; I felt lucky.

Crank by: Ellen Hopkins
Daughter visits missing father; while there meets boy who shows her meth amphetamine…the monster, insight into teenage mind and choices, drugs, lieing, quick read; recommend to mothers. I do not think it is appropriate for teenagers. Teenagers are very impressionable. I think it great for mothers to read the books and and great discussions with their children.


Non-Fiction Honorable Mentions. I really loved these books!
Born to Run by: Christopher McDougall
Enjoyed 9! Full of info running information. I really enjoyed it.Guy, runner, finds hidden people in Mexico, wants to race

Not Without Hope by: Nick Schuyler
2 pro nfl & 2 others got together; fishing; stuck anchor; capsized boat; storm one survived

Easy/enjoyable….I know will not appeal to the masses:
The Second Short life of Bree Tanner by: Stephenie Meyers
I know, I know; but I really liked this book and it got me to re-read her whole series again. I really liked that too.

OTHER TOP BOOKS IN 2010:
The Enemy by: Lee Childs Don’t know 9 really enjoyed
Gone Tomorrow by: Lee Childs Jan 10 9 really enjoyed
The Killing Floor by: Lee Childs Jan 10 9 really enjoyed
Worth Dieing For by: Lee Childs Dec 10 really enjoyed
One Amazing Thing by: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni Mar 10 Liked 8-9
The School of Essential Ingredients by: Erica Bauermeister april 10 Enjoyed 9
Secrets of Eden by: Chris Bohjalian may 10 Enjoyed 8 well written
A Plague of Secrets by: John Lescroart July 10 9 Enjoyed!
Glass by: Ellen Hopkins July 10 LIKED 9 sequal to Crank
Stolen by: Lucy Christopher August 10 9 REALLY LIKED!
City of Tranquil Light by: Bo Caldwell Oct 10 Liked a Lot 9
The Housekeeper and the Professor by: Yoko Ogawa Oct 10 Like a Lot 9
Lost by: Alice Lichtenstein Oct 10 Liked 8
Mockingjay by: Suzanne Collins Oct 10 Liked a lot! 9-10


YUCK! DO NOT READ:
Listen by: Rene Gutteridge feb 10
Mini shopaholic by: Sophie Kinsella Nov 10 DNF 1
Fall of Giants by: Ken Follett Nov 10 ok…6-7
Listen by: Rene Gutteridge feb 10 Yuck 2; slow, could have been good
Dexter by: ?mar 10 sorry 3
Perfection by: Julie Metz June 10 awful 3 NF
Before You Know Kindness by: Chris Bohjalian June 10 a drag 3 can’t even remember
Thirteen Reasons Why by: Jay Asher June 10 3 whinny
Burned by: Ellen Hopkins
Dr. Stranger by: Meg Mullins
Peony in Love by: Lisa See
Why I Became a Famous Novelist by: Steve Heley Sept 10
Last Night in Montreal by: Emily St. John Mandel sept 10 dark 3
McNally’s Alibi by: Lawrence Sanders

Books from August to December

SORRY!

I didn't realize I had not put books up in 4 months!!

Here's my catch-up:

(Oh, and I have HIGHLIGHTED the really good books!)

Dr. Stranger
by: Meg Mullins
Read: August 10
Rating: 4 or 5
I really liked her first book, the Rug Merchant. I did not like this one so much. I think I liked 75 pages in the middle. It is about a family that was going to adopt a baby. The father died the day before. They got the baby. They mother couldn’t cope, so she sent it off to another house. The little boy for the original family couldn’t emotionally let the baby go. He looked his whole life to find that baby. He finally finds him when the baby was 21 years old. It was not so satisfying.

Pictures of Hollis Woods
by: Patricia Reilly Giff
Read: August 10
Rating: LOVED 10
Really YA book. Very short. LOVED. Many years ago, little girl from ages 6 – 10 going through the foster care system. How she copes, what happens to her, people she meets. I loved it. Very short.

Peony in Love
by: Lisa See
Read: Sept 10
Rating: DNF 3 (Did Not finish)
Very Chinese culture filled with this opera “Peony in Love”. Wanted to like it, just didn’t.

Why I Became a Famous Novelist
Author: Steve Heley
Read: Sept 10
Rating: DNF 4

Read that this was a very funny book. It just plodded for me. It was ok, but I was not excited to read it so I quit!

The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Read: Sept 10
Rated: Really LIKED! 9
Sci fi YA – I really enjoyed this book! Future; boy wakes up and finds himself in an odd community of teens. They live in an area, just outside the gates is a huge maze that they have to figure out. They do not know why they are they, but are trying to understand and figure out how to get out. This is in the same vein as The Hunger Games. The second book is The Scorch Trials. Out Oct 2010

Lilly’s Crossing
Author: Patricia Reilly Giff
Read: Sept 10
Rating: ok 4
Wasn’t so good. I read it because I saw on many of her other books how great this one was. WW2. little girl; no friends until she finds Albert. Father off to war, grandmother watching her; mother dead. Ugh.

Last Night in Montreal
Author: Emily St. John Mandel
read: sept 10
Rating: dark 3
Too dark for me; wanted to like it and for it to be better. Woman was raised by her father that took her away from her dangerous mother so she spent her life running. As an adult, she realized that she did not know how to “stay”. She felt compelled to run and leave without notice. She made a big impact on the people she stayed with; kind of haunted them; left them grieving. The story hinges around the last man she lived with; when she left how he tried to find her; what he went through.

McNally’s Alibi
Author: Lawrence Sanders
Read: Sept 10
Rating: boring 3
Ugh; another book not so good! I have enjoyed Sander’s other books, this one just didn’t do it for me. I did enjoy the first 20 pages. Same protagonist; he is funny and somewhat enjoyable but really I don’t agree with nor like his lifestyle. He lives with his parents; he is probably in his 30’s, he has a girlfriend that he does not want to marry; doesn’t want the responsibility but sure wants the perks. Really, that is gross to me. GROW UP! I really hope to like my next book!!

Lost
Author: Alice Lichtenstein
Read: Oct 10
Rating: Liked 8
Marriage; man has dementia; he was brilliant architect; now very difficult; wife trying to care for him alone. He leaves the house and gets lost. There is a search. Also side story of one of the rescue people; about his life. It is a sad story, but I liked how the author ended it; tied it up.

Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Read: Oct 10
Rating: Liked a lot! 9-10
3rd in series the Hunger Games. Really liked this series. About war, relationships, hardships; power, control. Deep in the future; girl must be the face of a rebellion.

Still Alice
Author: Lisa Genova
Read: Oct 10
Rating: LOVED! 10
Woman 50 diagnosed with early on set Alzheimer’s. She is a brilliant Harvard professor. Book told from Her, Alice’s, perspective. It’s about husband relationships, family, hardships. It is a fabulous book with a great look inside this awful disease. Beautifully written.

Crossfire
Author: Dick Francis
Read: Oct 10
Rating: fine 7
Usual Dick Francis. Guy in Afghanistan is wounded; loses his foot; comes home to hard, awful mother and step father. They are in financial trouble…blackmailed…the mother is a horse trainer. The son (guy, Thomas Forsyth) tries to help and solve all problems.

City of Tranquil Light
Author: Bo Caldwell
Read: Oct 10
Rating: Liked a Lot 9
I loved this author’s firs book The Distant Land of my Father. This book was VERY hard to get into until around page 75…then it turned good. I was glad I persevered. It is about Mennonite missionaries from America traveling and living in China. The span of time is 1909 forward. I loved the lessons learned. The story is so similar to Ammon in the book of Mormon. I recommend reading this book. Just hold on for the first little bit; it is worth it.

The Housekeeper and the Professor
Author: Yoko Ogawa
Read: Oct 10
Rating: Like a Lot 9
You never know their real names. Japan; told by the housekeeper. She is sent by her agency to watch and care for a many with only an 80 minute memory. He was a brilliant mathematician many years ago before a terrible accident that took is memory. He only remembered things from 1976(?). It’s a story of love and caring, helping, forgiving. It’s short and I liked it.

Fall of Giants
Author: Ken Follett
Read: Nov 10
Rating: ok…6-7
WAY too long – it’s a 985 page book! Really! The story would have been fine to good in a 350 page book. It was like reading a history book! Ok, Ken, I know you researched and you like WW1. I finished the book because I usually really like Ken Follett (Pillars of the Earth; one of my favorites). I thought it would get better. I hated to quite just before it “caught on”. Really, if you like the first 200 pages, then you will like the book. It is a HUGE story of WAY too many characters. The writing is fine, but not luscious. I didn’t slurp up his sentences. I didn’t find myself reading parts allowed to Kerry. I did find myself skipping all the long and boring conversations between people talking about how the war was moving on; and war strategies. That helped me finish the book. There are TWO more books like this coming. What a drag.

Mini Shopaholic
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Read: Nov 10
Rating: DNF 1
So saddened by this book. I have LOVED all of Sophie’s books. This one I just could not stomach even though it was the same character. She now has a daughter that is terribly spoiled; a husband that does not seem to connect. He only seems to connect with his business. She seems like an idiot mother, unaware and raising a daughter that will be a menace to society. Then there was the language. I just can’t read that. Can’t even think of parents speaking that way to each other in a most casual way. Really, disgusting. I stopped reading it. I did skip huge hunks to get a gist of the story; that was only ok. It wasn’t even a nice try.

Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak

Read: Nov 10
Rating: hmm 7 Very Good
WW2; Germany. It’s hard, war is hard, war is bad, there are bad people, they do bad things, it is all hard on the kids. The writing was excellent! I just couldn’t give it a bigger number because by the end of the book, it was a sad drag. I really enjoyed the beginning. I thought it would be a faster read than it was. The book is written from the point of view of “death”. Interesting. There is a little girl; loves her mother and brother, her mother is forced to leave the girl with another German home. The mother, I think was communist and was taken “away”. The brother died. The girl is sad. Her foster mother is a hard woman, the foster father is kind and gentle and teaches her how to read. He has amazing patience. She takes a fallen book, then steals another book….the book thief. It is the story of that girl, her foster family, her friends, the war and death. I would recommend. Please read it and tell me what you think.


The Passage


Author: Justin Cronin
Read: Dec 10


half way through...enjoying...very long

The Young Adult Section!

**I figured out the whole picture thing. I can put up pictures of the books, but it is far more complicated to do than is worth it. So, if you want to see a picture of the book, just google it, and there you go!

Lately, I seem to have been reading quite a few books from the Young Adult section at the library! I have really enjoyed them.

Unwind
by: Neal Shusterman
read in: August 2010 REALLY LIKED 9
Sci/fi. The book takes place way in the future when there is no more abortion, but at 13 yrs old parents can consent to have their child "unwound"! All would be better if the child used its parts on others than be whole…that is the premise. 3 kids run away; story is about their life. Choices, forgiveness, going too far in any direction. I really liked it! YA Fiction



Specials
by: Scott Westerfeld
read: August 2010 ok – 4-5ish
Sci/fi series…The series starts with #1 uglies, #2 pretties then #3 specials. I really liked the 1st two. This one, not so much. I tried to get into it, it never really got good. By the end I was very bothered by the fact that in this “time” families are of no consequence; they don’t exist. YA fiction

In The Name of Honor
by: Richard North Patterson
read: August 2010
I give it a 9 – till the end; then it gets a little creepy
I would recommend it. I liked 9/10ths of it! Just know that the twist at the end was a bit objectionable to me.
Drama, murder, Iraq war, courtroom, family drama. I really liked it, GREAT writing. Man goes to war, comes home, shoots brother in law, court martial. Great lawyer, sister involved. What bugged me: sex meant nothing, just a shake of the hand – that doesn’t really make people happy! The end was creepy where there was quite a twist. I think I would recommend it. Sometimes we read books and are very grateful for our own morals and values. We see the value in having higher standards.

Stolen
by: Lucy Christopher
read: August 2010 9 REALLY LIKED!
Cant’ give it a 10 because the book made me want to want an attraction where I shouldn’t. I wanted the person kidnapped to be with her kidnapper. He seemed so nice and caring, in real life that is NOT how it is, but I did really like the book. Enjoyed how it was written. Girl was kidnapped to Australia from a Bangkok airport. Fascinating story! It is written like a letter to her kidnapper. It's a fast read, so READ IT!!
YA fiction

A Run of Mostly OK books, some BAD; Some I Really ENJOYED!

SADLY, I cannot seem to add pictures to this blog post!! As you can see, I have added pictures quite a lot. I KNOW it is better to see the book, then you can decide if you want to read it! What's the deal with BLOGGER??

Anyway, here are the books I've read. No pictures. Just google for the pictures...so sad:

Gardens of Water
by: Alan Drew
Finished: June 2010
fine-ish 6
Muslim family in turkey deals with terrible earthquake in 1999…have dealings with an American family living there…problems with their religion. Interesting only to learn about the Muslim religion.

Things That Keep Us Here
by: Carla Buckley
Finished: June 2010
fine 6-7
Family living in Ohio deals with a terrible flu outbreak. There is quarantine; people are crazy, no law. Set a few years in the future. Before breakout, husband wants a divorce. Difficult times. By the end, husband & wife reunite.

Perfection
by: Julie Metz
Finished: June 2010
awful 3 NF
Husband dies; wife eventually fines out he is a habitual cheater; she is angry, wants to know all. The book is filled with awful, hatred, upset. Who wants to read that? Did not/could not finish

Before You Know Kindness
by: Chris Bohjalian
Finished: June 2010
a drag 3 can’t even remember
After half, skimmed…2 books later, can’t even remember what it was about
One week later, I remember: a animals rights guy is accidentally shot by his daughter. Family drama…strong mother, daughter married to animal rights guy, son married to a woman. Cousins get together for weeks in the summer.

Crank
by: Ellen Hopkins
Finished: June 2010
LOVED 9 different; interesting
Daughter visits missing father; while there meets boy who shows her meth amphetamine…the monster, insight into teenage mind and choices, drugs, lieing, quick read; recommend to mothers.

Thirteen Reasons Why
by: Jay Asher
finished June 2010 3 whinny
Girl commits suicide; sends tapes to 12 people that did her wrong. Girl was whinny and self centered and a little loose. Not enjoyable.

The Narrows
by: Michael Connelly
finished: June 2010 7 pretty good
Mystery; guy tries to solve a murder; FBI girl tries to solve a murder. Serial killer; Ex-FBI agent. I gave it a 7 because there is a small section of writing that didn’t need to be there and it has bugged me. Other than that I really enjoyed the book.

61 Hours
by: Lee Child
finished: June 2010
8 Liked
Didn’t understand the constant countdown. Nice try. Good, “jack reacher” novel

A Plague of Secrets
by: John Lescroart
finished: July 2010
9 Enjoyed!
Good Dismas Hardy book. Nice story. I really like this author. Lawyer; detective.

Treasure Hunt
by: John Lescroart
Finished: July 2010
8 fine
Wyatt hunt story…ok….mickey dade private detective story..just ok, hardly remember

Glass
by: Ellen Hopkins
finished: July 2010
LIKED 9 different interesting
2nd in series of Crank…continued story….very good…sad

Burned
by: Ellen Hopkins
Finished: July 2010
No frustrating -1
@mormon girl, abused by father, bad family although religious; hated the premise and the telling. Quit reading, just skimmed; a big yuck.

The Second Short life of Bree Tanner
by: Stephenie Meyers
Finished: July 2010
REALLY LIKED 9
Very short story about one of the “new” vampires from the Eclipse book which will make me re-read Eclipse and the last Breaking Dawn. I enjoyed the re-reads too.

Committed
by: Elizabeth Gilbert
Finished: July 2010
Liked 8-9
2nd next to Eat, Pray, Love. She marries…her thoughts. Some stuff too boring; skimmed, other parts I enjoyed and really read.

Peeps
by: Scott Westerfeld
Finished: August 2010
Ok, 5
O picked up this book because I really enjoyed another series of his....Uglies, Pretties (I have Specials to read...upcoming!) This one was Sci fi; vampires; cats, rats, virus, wished it was better.

Heart of the Matter
by: Emily Giffin
Finished: August2010
5 or 9
Sad/frustrating story of 7 yr. marriage that falls apart…affair. He is a doctor, he wants to help and rescue a little burned boy & his mother. He lets himself fall for her. They both know it is wrong. In the end there is a sweet forgiveness, a true sense of doing wrong and wanting to make things right.

5 Fabulous Books!

Every Last One
by Anna Quindlen

So well written! I loved this. It is somewhat along the lines of Mom's favorite "One True Thing". It is the story of a mother of 3 teenage children. All different, with different personalities and needs. This is how the mother (who is married) deals this motherhood and all her responsibilities.

It is a REAL thinker! It does deal with death. I did enjoy all her thoughts. I slurped this one up. If you read it, let me know!!





Girl in Translation
by: Jean Kwok

First time author. EXCELLENT book!
A Chinese mother and her 11 year old daughter come to America with the help of the mother's sister. She sets them up in an awful apartment; in her sweatshop of a job with awful conditions; but they learn how to survive and do well. It is a story of determination, courage, getting through. Really great.

Now go sign up in the library for it!!


Whiter Than Snow
by: Sandra Dallas

I liked this. It is not as good as the others. The story is set in the 1920's, a mining, small town. Everybody has secrets and parts of their lives they don't share. There is an avalanche and it is interesting to see how you can let a devastating experience control how you react. What would you do?

I liked getting to know the people in this town.


Secrets of Eden
by: Chris Bohjalian

I have read several of his books. They are always well written; if not a little odd.
This story is about a man who becomes a priest; works in a town; tries to help the people.

There is one woman who is being beaten by her husband. No one really knows. He tries to help.

The story is told from 3 different perspectives: The Priest, The Attorney that will prosecute and The daughter of the woman who is beaten.

It's a bit of a dark story, but I like how he writes.


The Art of Racing In The Rain
by: Garth Stein

I loved this book and I hardly like dogs.

This book is told from the perspective of the dog! The man loves the dog, the man gets married, they have a baby. The man wants to be a race car driver; it's hard and does not always work out.

As in real life, things do not always go the way we plan, things happen, difficult things and it is impressive how the man deals with adversity.

It's a good book. Hang on. Keep your box of tissues by your side.

5 More Books

The Happiness Project

by: Gretchen Rubin

Non-fiction! I LOVED this book. Hope to read it again. Loved her ideas, loved how she writes! VERY good. I did keep a dictionary by me as I read to really get the definition of her words. Loved it!

The Postmistress

by: Sarah Blake

Could have been better! Good idea; story was just ok, hardly captivating; almost forgot I read it....IF I remember, it is a story of WW2 - the postmistress kept a letter...there was a man and wife; the man decided to go and fight/help the war effort...really, I wished it was better.

Eat, Pray, Love

by: Elizabeth Gilbert

Really!! I LOVED this book! I read parts aloud to my mother. This woman goes through a terrible divorce. She is a writer. She writes about her recovery. She goes to Italy...eats...then to India to an ashram (?) to pray. I believe she lives there for 4 months. She encounters many interesting people. Then she goes to Bali. I really liked this book. If you read it, PLEASE talk to me about it!!!

The School of Essential Ingredients

by: Erica Bauermeister

I enjoyed this book too! What a nice run of good books for me. This is about a girl that has a hard mother. A mother that was not emotionally there; she was physically there, but not really. The girl tried to reach her mother through cooking. She grows up to have a restaurant and then gives cooking classes. The book talks a lot about the people she teaches in her class; what they are going through. I enjoyed it! Please read it!!

Born to Run

by: Christopher McDougall

I read this book by assignment from my sister; was a bit sceptical of it, but I really enjoyed it...and it's a non-fiction. Very fascinating! Great story of one man's journey of running. There are some long boring parts...just skip thoughs. But really not too many. I recommend!! After I read this book I ran a mile barefoot. It was great!

Not Without Hope

Not Without Hope
by: Nick Schuyler

True story: last year in February, 4 friends, two of them being professional NFL players, went out deep sea fishing 70 miles off the Florida coast. The anchor of the boat got stuck, they capsized the boat, a ferocious storm came, only one survived.

An amazing story. You really wish by the end it would have a different ending, but it is what it is. I liked it. Can't say I enjoyed it, but it was interesting; sad. I can't enjoy hearing the demise of real people. I DO recommend reading the book. It gives you a real appreciation of the ocean and boat and water safety! Really, read it!

One Amazing Thing

One amazing Thing

by: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Interesting story of nine people in the Indian Consulate, trapped by an earthquake. While they wait to be rescued, one person suggests that they each tell their "one amazing thing". Every one has one in their life.

It is an interesting way to hear people's stories. Interesting what we are willing to tell strangers.

I liked it.

It was a quick read.

The First Rule

The First Rule

by: Robert Crais

Has the usual protagonist Joe Pike.

A friend from his past is murdered along with his family.

Joe wants to solve this mystery.

Russian Mob; kidnapped baby; ruthless people; usual Joe Pike novel.

I liked it. Escape. Easy read.

Hawaii Reads!

The books that I read in Hawaii....since that's all I did, I did get to read a few books; here are my thoughts:

Heart's Blood
by: Juliet Marillier

Such a good story; kind of a re-telling of Beauty & the Beast.
Girl runs away from a bad situation, up a mountain to the castle. She is hired for the summer to do some reading and writing.

It is a very good story; nicely told. I got into it right away. I highly recommend! Get it and read it!

Little Bee
by: Chris Cleave

This story is told from 2 different perspectives. One from an African girl, the other from a 30 year old NY woman. These two people cross paths and their lives are never the same. It is a great story. I REALLY liked the perspective (and writing of the NY woman).

Read this!

The Covenant
by: Beverly Lewis

This one is just ok. I ended up liking it, but I had to read it in a very unconventional way. The author was taking too long to get anywhere; driving me crazy. I had read maybe the first 100 - 150 pages of the book; then I skipped to the end! I did. I started reading from the last page. I liked that, so I read the next to the last page, then the next, I did that for quite some time, then I went back to where I originally left off and met myself. I liked it better that way. I really wanted to like it because it is a series. I don't know if I will read anymore. I guess my probability is 65%.

The story: Amish family. Girls getting ready for marriage age; time to be baptised in the church; what boys do they like; they don't like the ones their father picked out.


Listen
by: Rene Gutteridge

I have read several of her other books. They were fine. Boo, I really liked. This one has a great idea for a story, I just didn't like her telling. In fact I didn't finish it. The story is about a religious town that gets caught up in gossip. Doing it, spreading it, listening to it. It could have been so good. It wasn't. Read it at your own risk.

Nothing To Lose

Nothing To Lose

by: Lee Child

All his books are with the protagonist Jack Reacher.

This is my 5th one to read. Maybe I am on JR overload.

I do very much recommend his books. I enjoy them...just not all at one.

This time Jack wanders into 2 towns in Colorado; Despair and Hope. They throw him out of Despair, he goes to Hope, finds a lovely woman cop who helps him find out with the deal is with Despair and why they don't like strangers.

Lots of stuff happens. I DO really like all the things Jack Reacher notices; he is very literal. Go ahead, pick this book up and read it!

21 Books Read Since OCT(!) 2009

The Hunger Games & Catching Fire
by: Suzanne Collins



finished: Sept & Dec 2009 VERY good 9

Future; like the lottery, kids have to survive to the last to live.













Keys to the Kingdom
by: Cronin
Finished: oct 09 didn’t finish, too flat-line

Mom loved this; it went no where for me, priest’s life

31 hours

by: Masha Hamilton

Finished: oct 09 Interesting 7-8 ½
Mother has a sense her son (21) is in trouble; needs help; boy is with & helping terrorist; book has no real ending…you decide!

June Bug

by: Chris Fabry

Finished: oct 09

A re-telling of Les Miserables! It is an interesting story, good read. Author did a good job. It makes you think. I recommend!

An echo In The bone

by: Diana Gabaldon

Finished: oct 09

I LOVE this series. This particular book was a little hard to get into, but once I did, I had a hard time putting it down. THEN, I had to go back and re-read the whole series. It was VERY enjoyable. Really good. If you haven't read these books, start with the first....Outlander.

Outlander Diana Gabaldon oct 09
Dragonfly in Amber Diana Gabaldon nov 09
Voyager Diana Gabaldon nov 09
Drums of autumn Diana Gabaldon dec 09
The Fiery Cross Diana Gabaldon dec 09
A breathe of Snow & Ashes Gabaldon Feb 10

Rainwater

by: Sandra Brown

Finished: Dec 09 Liked! 8-9
1940’s? woman runs boarding house, autistic child, love, quick read

Fearful Symmetry

by: Audrey Niffenegger

Finished: Dec 09 can’t tell..4-8

Beginning ok, middle hard, end fantastic. Death, spirits, love, OCD, graveyard, twins

Sundays at Tiffany’s

by: James Patterson

finished: Dec 09 fine 6-7

Quick read..24 hrs…imaginary friend, sad girl, frustrated woman, she sees her old imaginary friend; falls in love

Band of Brothers

by: Stephen E. Ambrose

Started: Jan 2010

Christopher recommenced this. He loved it. I thought it interesting, in a text book kind of way. I liked what I read, but I was in the middle of the Outlander series and I just couldn't make myself read this instead. It is still on my nightstand. I will read some more of it. WW2. Makes you appreciate what those men and women in the armed services do for us!

True Colors

by: Kristen Hannah

finished: Jan 10 too typical romance..4-5

Read to @ pg. 150. skipped ahead, ranch, sisters, love, bad love, trials, happy ending

The Enemy

by: Lee Childs

finished: can't remember 9 really enjoyed

Jack Reacher; france, mother dies, brother, murder on base, N. Carolina

Gone Tomorrow

by: Lee Childs

finished: Jan 10 9

really enjoyed; fast read
Jack reacher; NY, subway suicide, al queda, bad people

The Killing Floor

by: Lee Childs

finished: Jan 10 9 really enjoyed; fast read

Jack reacher; wanderer, stops in GA, arrested for murder, didn’t commit, helped solve; corrupt town

Die Trying

by: Lee Childs

finished: Jan 10

Fine, not as great as the others. Need a Jack Reacher break

This one was set in Montana with a bunch of wack-o-politicals that wanted to have their own country. Kerry enjoyed it.

Heir To SevenWaters

by Juliet Marillier

So Good! 4th in the Series. First is Daughter of the Forest.

Can't really describe it.

A tale of long ago. Family lives in the forest; there are fair folk, strong family bonds, love, long heritage. Fantasy. Great story.