Books We've Read

One Good, One LOVED Book

2011-09-05T10:33:00.001-07:00

Minding Ben
by: Victoria Brown
Finished: Sept 2011
rating: 8/9 Language

I really liked this book. Kind of reminded me of The Help. I don’t give it a full 9 because the author used language in parts that I did not like. It is a story of a young girl, 16, that leaves Trinidad to be a nanny in New York City. Her experiences are amazing. She worked for 2 different families, but the book mostly tells of her life with the 2nd family. I really liked her writing. You could hear and see what she was telling about. I would recommend it.

Left Neglected
by: Lisa Genova
Finished: Sept 2011
rating: 10 LOVED

This is the 2nd novel of the author. She writes so well. She writes about parenting in a funny way and if you are a parent, you can relate to. She is funny, and light, yet with a great story, great meaning great lessons. This book is about a woman how is a Harvard MBA, works 70 hours a week, has 3 children including a 9 month old. A husband that she loves who also works like crazy. They have a high moving, high cost lifestyle. While driving to work one rainy morning and trying to make a phone call, she gets in an awful car accident and has a brain injury. When she wakes up a week later in the hospital, she feels fine, mostly. What she does not realize is that she can no longer recognize her left side, or the left side of anything. It is a syndrome called Left Neglect. This is one of my TOP books I’ve read this year. All read it!!

37 Books Since January....my Last Blog!

2011-08-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, I will publish, but I am coming back later to edit, and put it all in the correct format!
August 28, 2011

Caught
Author: Harlan Coben
Finished: Jan 11
Rating: 6-7
It ended up getting my attention. The beginning was not that good. Regular murder/mystery. I like Lee Child’s books better. A guy is set up to look like a child molester; a TV journalist was duped into believing he was a bad guy; she eventually helps to find out the real truth. I don’t think I will read any more of his books.

The Dressmaker
Posie Graeme-Evans
Jan 11
8 Liked
I did enjoy this book. It has a different style, vibe, rhythm. It reminded me of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Hard life, moving forward, good and bad things happen; strong people. This book was set in the same time; England. This girl has a happy family. One day things go terribly wrong; father dies, they are poor, try to get a long. The mother is a fabulous seamstress. Teaches the daughter. She grows up to be a great seamstress herself. She marries at 15 to a bad guy; has a baby. I did enjoy the story and I would recommend it.

One Day
David Nicholls
Jan 11
5-6
Frustrating because it could have been SO good. I find that I have less and less patience with reading books with twenty-somethings living their lives with low or no moral value. Then they wonder why they are sad, depressed and going no where! This book starts with a couple meeting the day after graduation. The girl really likes the boy, the boy is a complete philanderer and neither think that’s wrong. I read some and skipped some. The book is set up that every chapter is the anniversary of when they met, but another year or more has passed. The boy continues to lead the same traveling, no commitment life, the girl takes terrible jobs. They continue to write and are friendly. I don’t like books that “wind you up” emotionally then drop you off a cliff, so I did skip to the end, the middle, back to where I really was, back to the end. SPOILER: they get married 20 years later, the girl dies 8 months later, he is devastated. Hmm, who really wants to read that? I don’t get it.

The Scorch Trials
James Dashner
Jan 11
By the same author as The Maze Runner. I read that in Sept 10. This is the 2nd installment. Really enjoyed the continuation of the story. The kids got out of the maze, now they must make it 100 miles through the “scorch”. There must be another book coming. The story really didn’t end, but I did enjoy it!

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight
by Brad Barkley
Feb 11
5-6
Fine, teenagers unhappy with their odd parents; a boy and a girl; they find love; work out their troubles. Entertaining. Would be embarrassed to recommend.

Infidel
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Feb 11
9
N/F Girl born in Somalia, moved to Saudi Arabia and Kenya in her youth. Muslim. Very interesting. Enjoyed learning about that life that exists right at this time! She was born around 1972, something like that! I really enjoyed this book.

The Typist
Michael Knight
Feb 11
6-7
Ok, short book. WW2, guy in the army, can type well, goes to Japan and works as a typist. Mostly interesting; sometimes dull. It was short. The guy was 18 when he went to the army, got married just before he was shipped out. It’s a little weird.

Gonzalez & Daughter Trucking Co
by Maria Amparo Escandon
Feb 11
6
library group reading book. Was fine. Woman is in jail and through the story telling we find that her parents were truckers; mother killed in accident when she was very young, father continued on as trucker; never had a house, only lived in truck; father schooled her; got in an awful accident; was sent to jail. It was fine but not great.

The Nobodies Album
by Carolyn Parkhurst
Mar 11
9 really liked!
Octavia Frost is a best selling author. She had a husband and daughter, they died. She still has a son, famous singer, Milo. They are estranged. He is arrested for killings his girlfriend/fiancé. Mother tries to reconcile with son; tries to help him. Very good story. It is all interwoven with her current novel. Her own life is woven in the words of her novels. Very interestingly written!

The Sentry
by Robert Crais
Mar 11
8 enjoyed
Regular “Joe Pike” book. Joe sees someone who needs help; he helps them. As it turned out those people were not as they presented themselves. Lots of bad people looking for money in the book. Elvis Coles come to help Joe. For me, it ended oddly but the book did keep my attention the whole way through. There are some language issues in the book. Beware.

Middlesex
Mar 11
DNF! -3
Too yucky; it goes on and on about a brother and sister that get married. Really! Gross. Could not keep reading. Why all the “great” reviews??

In The Woods
Tana French
March 11
5 fine/ok
A dark, mystery. It did compel me to keep reading it, it was a hard read, so dark, people so mentally tortured. There were some language issues that bugged me. She does have another mystery, but I will not read it now, not sure if ever. This story is about 3 children that went into the woods; 2 were never seen again, one was found, but was never the same. Does not remember anything from before he was found. He becomes a murder detective; can never really connect with another person; not sure if he is really happy. They get a murder case that takes place in the same woods. Brings things up for this detective. I cannot recommend.

Damage
John Lescroart
April
ok
For some reason, the Lescroart dragged for me a bit. It was a fine story. A really bad guy gets out of jail on a technicality and then begins killing and threatening all the people that sent him to jail. The family is rich and owns a big newspaper. They have a lot of pull. I hope his next book is better.

The Memory Palace
Mira Bartok
April 11
8/9
2 sisters have a mother that has schizophrenia. N/F about their life. Sisters find mother dangerous and have to hide from her. The mother lives until she is about 80 years old. At the last few weeks of her life, the sisters find the mother, help her end her life with dignity. Very interesting; sad; to be grateful for your own life. I do recommend this book.

Confections of a closet master baker
gesine Bullock-Prado
May 11
8/9
Author is Sandra Bullock’s sister! Interesting N/F talks a little about the film business which she did not like; loves to back; opened a bakery in Vermont. Hard work. Stories from her childhood and running the bakery. Very easy and good read.

The Solitude of Prime Numbers
Paolo Giordano
May 11
6/7
I really can’t remember what this book was about! I have read another 2 books after this one, but just a minute while I look it up…..Oh yes, another dark book. Mattia has a sister; the sister is mentally handicapped. Mattia has to take care of his sister; he leaves her at a park instead of taking her to a party. When he returns she is gone. He suffers with this his whole life. Then there is Alice. She was forced to take skiing lessons, she hated them, she fell and badly broke her leg. She was haunted by this her whole life. Mattia (a boy) and Alice met; become friends, but are really too broken to have a relationship. Friends during teens; they move on with their lives; he moving to the U.S. Then many years later Alice thinks she sees Mattia’s sister, she calls Mattia, Mattia comes to Alice. Alice never tells Mattia about the possible seeing of his sister. Odd, dark book. I enjoyed the beginning, but really, it was dark.

Still Missing
Chevy Stevens
May 11
9*
There are language issues….I started this book; just couldn’t get passed the girls attitude and some language. I stopped and ready other books. I looked into this book again, it seemed that I would like it and so I started it again and just started reading from where I last left off. I really enjoyed it the second time. Really liked it! The language was awful, but it seemed to fit her circumstances so it didn’t bother me that much. 32 yr. old woman, real estate agent. Has an open house, a man there kidnaps her, takes her up to a cabin on a mountain and keeps her for 1 year!! She has a baby, the baby dies mysteriously. We don’t know if her kidnapper killed it or the baby died from being sick. Very sad. A couple of weeks later, she has an opportunity to kill her kidnapper and she does and escapes. The book is written from the perspective of her talking to her therapist. Each chapter is another session. That is how we find out her story. She is a strong, hard woman. I enjoyed the book, but feel not quite right in recommending it because of the language.

A visit from the Goon squad
Jennifer Egan
May 11
DNF
Just too odd. Different people, all have difficulties; drugs, etc. Too dark, lost interest. Moved on.

Sixkill
Robert B. Parker
May 11
usual 8
Sat comfortably in the Robert B. Parker style of books. There is a murder of a young woman. Accused is a movie star that is obnoxious, fat, mean, and arrogant. But did he do it? Spencer must find out and he comes across lots of bad guys that want to kill him.

Peace from Broken Pieces
Iyanla Vanzant
June 11
NF 8/9
At first I loved it, thought all should read it. Really, it is the story of this woman’s life, hard life, hard choices, hard growing up. She is the type of woman that knows what works in life, but just has a hard time doing it. Her story was interesting, shocking. Her life would be so much better if she lived the gospel. If she knew and was taught about morals, vaules, self-worth. She had it all, she lost it all. I recommend to all; then please let’s talk!!

In Every Heartbeat
Kim Vogel Sawyer
June 11
7/8
I think this is a Christian writer. Easy read. 3 friends from an orphanage. All those friends were there by different circumstances. Each had to come to terms with their life and decide how to move on from there. The story starts when they are all 18 and just beginning college. One girl; 2 boys. The girl wants to be a writer, one boy; his leg was cut off in a trolly accident, he wants to be a preacher, the other boy is not sure. He wants to be liked and fed. Good, easy story.

The Miracle Stealer
Neil Connelly
June 11
2/3
A girl is frustrated that the town believes her little brother is a being that can make miracles for others. They pray to him ask him to pray, expect him to perform that miracle. She makes a plan to make them stop believing that he is that type of boy. We, the reader, do not know if he really does do these things. I don’t think the writer likes religion.

Breathless
Dean Koontz
June 11
3
Hardly remember reading this book. Weird. Mythical animals. Twin kills other twin. Too weird for me.

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand
Helen Simonson
June 11
7
Set in England. An older man’s brother dies just as the book opens. He meets a shop owner that day. She is (her ethnicity) Pakistan. She has lived in England her whole life. The book addresses prejudice. The major likes the shop owner. He is part of a stuffy golf club. There are issued with his brother’s rifle. There are issues with his son. It is an easy move along book, sometimes boring, but I could really picture where it all took place and the people. Maybe you’ll like it.

My Korean Deli
Ben Ryder Howe
July 11
N/F 10 LOVED
I really enjoyed this book! Ben marries a Korean woman and is drawn into her culture. It is fascinating! It takes place in New York City. Ben is an editor with a literary magazine. The wife, Gab, is a lawyer. The wife gets the idea that she needs to repay her mother for all her sacrifice by buying her mother a deli! It is an interesting time, what they go through. Ben and Gab move in with the mother, Kay. They do buy a deli. It is quite an experience. I loved the drama and that it was real! Highly recommend. You will learn interesting things about the Korean Culture.

A State of Wonder
Ann Patchett
July 11
10 LOVED
Best book so far this year. I really enjoyed it. Dr. Marina Singh works in a lab. Her partner in the lab is sent to find information in the Amazon forest. They are informed months later that he is dead. Dr. Singh is then asked to go to the Amazon and find out information on her partner, on the work that is going on in the lab. It is all fascinating. Ann Patchett is a great story teller. I read through it fast. I really liked it.

A Paper Life
Tatum O’Neal
July 11
NF
9 Really LIKED

The Magician’s Assistant
Ann Patchett
July 11
8 Liked
I really did enjoy this book…until the end when the author thought she would see if the main character wanted to try to like girls….what a bug! BUT, the main book was interesting. She was the magician’s assistant. Loved him, the magician, but he was gay. The magician was very loving and kind to the assistant. When he died suddenly, they discovered things about his past that they did not know; shocking. I like learning about all the characters. I enjoyed all the info on the illusions.

Evermore
Alyson Noel
July 11
6-7 fine
Girl has a bad car accident; she is made an “immortal” by a boy that has loved her for 600 years. It is just like Twilght; not original. I did like it; it has some compelling parts, but it reads like a teen book (which it is). I also read the 2nd book…Blue Moon.

Blue Moon
Alyson Noel
August 11
6-7
Continuation of Evermore. Liked just fine. Stopped reading it, but came back to finish. I MIGHT read the next one.

Shadowland
Alyson Noel
August 11
6-7
3rd in series…ok…so teenager

The Peach Keeper
August 11
9 LIKED
Like this one, easy. Old town secrets; people are not always who or what they say they are. Message: give people a change, they may just surprise you. I really liked it!

Dreams of Joy
Lisa See
HFIC
August 11
10
A continuation of The Shanghai Girls. Really liked it. Such a different life. The daughter grows up and wants different things; thinks she knows better, decides to go BACK to China and help “the cause”. She certainly does and gets her fill. It is a great story of mother love, choices. Big recommend!

The Year We Were Famous
Carole Estby Dagg
August 11
5-6
Interesting story; just a little boring; I did skim….based a on a true story, 1800’s, family going to lose the farm; need money. The mother comes up with a scheme to walk from Washington State across the United States to New York. A publisher says she will pay them $10,000 if they do it! The story is about their adventures. The story is based on the actual happenings of the authors great grandmother!

Never Knowing
Chevy Stevens
August 11
7/8
This book did get too violent. I stopped reading them started reading from the back; that was easier. I eventually started up again from my “real” spot and finished it. A woman is adopted but is always wondering who her “real” parents are. She does eventually find out, but the results are not what she hoped for. Scary, frustrating, kidnapping, violence.

The Forgotten Garden
Kate Morton
August 11
9
Mostly, really liked this one! It got a little creapy at the end, so I couldn’t give it a whole “10”. BUT, I will read her earlier book, The House at Riverton. I really like this author’s style. Kind of Mark Twain-ish. A little girl is found alone on the docks after a big ship has docked, no one is there to pick her up. The dock master must decide what to do. He takes her home. No one looks for her, so the Dock Master and his wife keep her, love her. The little girl never knows any of this until the father tells her on her 21st birthday. The news breaks her heart and almost her spirit. She is on a quest for the rest of her life to find out her true story. The woman, Nell, and her granddaughter work to solve the mystery. VERY GOOD!

First Book of 2011! Ape House

2011-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Ape House
by: Sara Gruen
Finished: Jan 2011
rating: 6+
I wanted it to be better! At first it was good, then it got a little slapstick. The writing was good, the initial story was good. Water for Elephants and Riding Lessons were WAY better.

A woman, Isabelle, works with Bonobo apes. People protest, there is a bomb, the apes are sold. Isabelle is injured and devastated about the loss (they didn't die, they were sold) of the apes. The story is about their and her recovery. There is also a journalist, John, who is married and his wife, who is an author. It seemed like a serious book, then she put in the silly slapstick stuff. It was like she was trying to make her serious book to be more silly. Didn’t work for me.

The Passage
by: Justin Cronin
finished: Dec 2010
rating: 6 thru 9

Honestly, I can't decide my feelings about this book! I have complained that it is way too long...800 pages! I would have liked this book way better if the author had made this one book into two. I have read several reviews and that has helped me understand better what I read. Here is a synopsis:

In the future at least in the 2014. Colorado got infected with bad virus that turns people into something like vampires…strong, they infect others by biting, hard to kill. They are called Virals. The virals finish off most of the human race. Just a few people left. They try to save what they have. It was good. Interesting story. Interesting people. It was just too long.

It was like telling the story of Noah and the Ark, but starting with Adam and Eve. What the inside cover tells of the book finally happens around page 500. Then at the end, it ends badly. You have hope; things will be ok, then that last sentence you read you find out that probably everybody that you care about dies. About an 800 page book.

Now, I have found out that this book is a TRILOGY! It must have been an intriguing book because I keep thinking about it! In the Twilight books, the vampires are handsome, kind, and desirable. Here the vampires are as they should be, scary, dangerous, deadly. After I have let the book marinate in my head for awhile, I think I like the book better. There is a good chance I will read the next installment.

If you see Tatia, tell her to read this book...we can discuss!

Books from August to December

2010-12-14T20:35:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-08-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

**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!

2010-08-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-06-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-29T10:53:00.001-07:00

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

2010-03-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-08T21:32:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-03-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-19T20:11:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-14T16:47:00.000-08:00

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.

The Shack

2009-10-10T20:40:00.001-07:00

The Shack

by: William P. Young

Even Money

2009-10-10T20:28:00.001-07:00

Even Money

by: Dick Francis

If this is really by Dick Francis....oh, I don't believe it! He may have written the title, but the insides are just not like his real "Dick Francis" books.

This book deals with bookkeeping. A lot of book keeping, like bookies and betting. There is a long lost father and death and mystery.

It was readable, but barely.

Good in Bed

2009-10-10T20:24:00.000-07:00

Good in Bed

by: Jennifer Weiner

I have never read this author before. I don't know if I will again.

The book is not necessarily what the title professes. It does start out funny; a woman who is curvaceous and has some extra weight on her breaks up with her boyfriend who then writes about personal life in a magazine. She is horrified and embarrassed. It makes her look at her life, her weight, her self image and decide what she wants to do about it.

It was ok. I really enjoyed the beginning. It was funny. Then it began to drag. I did finish it, I will say that. I don't know that I recommend it though.

Twenties Girl

2009-10-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

Twenties Girl
by: Sophie Kinsella

This is not the usual Kinsella book. It was ok; readable.

It starts at a funeral of a great aunt that is VERY old; like 102.
That aunt comes back as a ghost and haunts and helps the main girl in the book.

The characters are sometimes not likable, but I read through it. I give it a 6-7 out of 10.

Molokai

2009-10-10T19:51:00.001-07:00

Molokai
by: Alan Brennert

I enjoyed learning about something I had never heard of, other than that, the book was ok. It was not as riveting as my last book....The Distant Land of my Father. I still enjoyed it though.

It is the true story of Leprosy in Hawaii! I knew nothing about this. The actual book is fiction, but the historical facts are true.

When people were found to have leprosy in Hawaii, they were taken to this island, no matter their age. It was an interesting tale.

The Distant Land of my Father

2009-10-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

The Distant Land of my Father

by: Bo Caldwell

One of my top 10 book ever.

It is an amazing story of a man that is raised by American parents in Hong Kong. He gets married and brings his American wife to live in Hong Kong. They have a daughter. That is all just the beginning. The book is really about the relationship between the daughter and the father.

It is powerful, thought provoking. It's about how we live our lives, who we need to forgive, do we need to ask forgiveness; falling in love, choosing to marry, divorce.

It's very good.

Fatally flaky

2009-10-10T19:43:00.000-07:00

Fatally Flaky

by: Diane Mott Davidson

Ok - your average, usual detective story. The twist here is the person doing the detecting is a caterer and she includes a lot of her recipes. She makes all the cooking seem so easy and effortless. It's not, really.

I liked it fine; not great.

The caterer deals with a difficult bride. People die. She finds out why.

The Help

2009-10-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

The Help

by: Kathryn Stockett

I thought about this book long after I read it. It was VERY good, very thought provoking.

This one I highly recommend!

It is set in 1962, in Mississippi. Everyone had a maid and they were treated just like "the help". The time period is the beginning of the Civil Rights movement.

It has great insights into the lives of The Help, the people that hired the Help; their families, their children.

I really liked it!

Read it, then comment! Let's talk.

Shanghai Girls

2009-10-10T19:34:00.001-07:00

Shanghai Girls
by: Lisa See

I REALLY liked this book. I also really liked the book this author wrote before...Snowflower and the Secret Fan. Excellent!

Shanghai Girls is set in Shanghai, 1937. These 2 rich girl's lives get torn apart when they discover that things were not as they seemed. Their father did not have the money they thought.

They are thrown into arranged marriages. I hate to give anything away. This is a very interesting book, lots of insights into the lives of girls living in China and in the U.S. at that time.

What do we become when hard times and trouble come our way?

This is a good one!

Perfect Fifths

2009-10-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

Perfect Fifths
by: Megan McCafferty

This book looked SO promising. I thought I would really enjoy it.

The language was VERY bad. It was embarrassing! I had to stop reading the book and hide it until I could get it back to the library!

I wrote the author and told her I wished she would write without that language!

She wrote back and pretty much said that that is how she thinks people in real life talk. Huh?? Not me and not my friends.

Really, let's all try to raise the bar; not see how far we can sink. It will make the world a better place.

Dead Lucky

2009-10-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

Dead Lucky

by: Lincoln Hall

I have a fascination with Mount Everest.

I don't want to climb it.

I really like to read about it!

This book takes place in 2006, mount Everest.

Lincoln Hall had an amazing, scary, death defying trip on that Mountain.

I CAN recommend this book. Really interesting.

4 Books!

2009-06-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

The Piano Teacher

by Janice Y. K. Lee

Hong Kong, WW2 time period, what happens to people before, during after the war. Affairs, mean. I wished it was better.

The Reliable Wife

by: Robert Goolrick

Wished this was better too! Great story idea. WAY too sordid for me. Man writes an add for a reliable wife, she is a con woman who answers; eventually they fall in love.

Ultra Violet

by: Nancy Bush

This is like a Janet Evanovich book. Woman detective, a husband with 3 ex-wives is killed, she solves the mystery. It was ok.

Holly's Inbox

by: Holly Denham

This is written all like e-mails. It is a VERY thick book, but a fast read. I wished it was better.

It has some adult themes.

I was bugged. I really wanted to really like this book. I didn't.

Crazy for the Storm

2009-05-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

Crazy for the Storm
by: Norman Ollestad

Ok, this book I got for FREE in the mail! Very exciting. I signed up for a book give away, and apparently I was selected. I had to read it and give my opinion, which I did happily.

It's a memoir, which I think means, this is how Norman remembers these things, not all certain fact. Norman is 11. His father has taught him how to play hockey, ski, surf. His father was a big force in his life to over come your fears, push through, keep trying. Sometimes to the frustration to Norman, well a lot of times his frustration. His parents divorced when he was 3; but his father was always there, always loved him. Norman won a skiing competition in Big Bear. The trophies would be given out the next day. They drove home (Topanga Canyon) only to fly back the next day for the trophy ceremony. The dad chartered a small plane. There was the dad, his girlfriend, Norman and the pilot. They flew right into the mountain, killed his father and pilot on impact. The girlfriend died later on the mountain. Obviously Norman makes it down the mountain; he wrote the book.

I enjoyed reading about his life. He is only a few years younger than me; lived within 100 miles of me, yet he lived a totally different life than I did. His father loved him and showed it, but was also hard on him.

I would recommend it. I would also tell the author to take out the few swear words he chose to put in the book. I do think that is how he spoke, but it is not ok.

AustenLand

2009-05-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

Austenland

by: Shannon Hale

Apparently, Shanon Hale is great friends with "Miss Twilight" Stephenie Meyer. So, I thought I would give her a try.

It was fine...here is the premise:

The woman (age 32?) was given a trip in the will of her aunt to Austenland. That is a place in England. People there act as if they are in a Jane Austen novel; Regency period. They dress and act like them. There are people there who are paying for the vacation, and there are actors there to help move the story along. You stay for 3 weeks.

Ok, the thought is interesting; different vacation, BUT the people come here to fall in love, like Jane and Mr. Darcy! I don't get it. Why try to fall in love for pretend? The people you would fall in love with are actors. Makes no sense. The author presented the case that rich people come here to just have an affair for 3 weeks, then go on with their regular life. Really, how gross.

I'm on the fence if I should recommend or not. I would read another one of her books, maybe this was not her best work.

5 Books; To Read or Not to Read?

2009-05-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

This is a "catch-up" of the books I have read, but NOT blogged about...

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
By: David Wroblewski

I really enjoyed the beginning. The middle was fine. By the end I was just quickly reading to find out what happened as long as I had invested so much time in the story! It is a LONG book.

Parents have a son. He should be able to talk, but he can't. He and his parents learn sign language. The family raises and trains dogs. It is set in (from memory now!) 1930's.

It IS an interesting story. I enjoyed learning about the dog business, the deaf son was an interesting part too. I just think the story was TOO long. There is mystery and intrigue.

If you usually like Oprah's book picks, you will like it. I have learned I don't usually like her book picks. I have tried many.

Ricochet
By: Sandra Brown

I really can't recommend reading this book. I have tried this author a couple of times, but I just don't care for her writing. Her stories are fine, but she has way too much R++ goings on in her books. It makes me feel like I need to read with one eye shut.

HER story is interesting. I enjoyed that, just that other was WAY too much.

A judges wife is accused of murdering a burglar in her home. She is married to a judge. The judge just let a murderer off in his court room. That made the detective mad. There is the mystery.

Rough Weather

by: Robert B. Parker

Robert Parker, at his best, is an easy read; does not tax the mind. It is not bad, but you can't eat cotton candy all day.

This one is worse that usual. I liked the book because the pages are thick, you can really tell when you turn a page. There are not too many words on the page. It is a fast read. Especially coming off that Sawtelle book (like reading the Bible), it was nice to feel like I was moving through the book. That is the best I can say for this one.

Go and read a different Parker book. He has way better ones out there.

If you want to know, Spencer (Parker's character) is asked to be a body guard at a wedding of a very wealthy woman. It is the woman's daughter that is getting married. At the wedding, the daughter is kidnapped, her very new husband was murdered, several guards were murdered. Things don't seem right to Spencer. He finds out why.

The Middle Place

by: Kelly Corrigan

Non-fiction! I really enjoy the Non-fiction variety. This one I liked, but the subject matter may throw some people off...Cancer.

She discovers she has a lump in her breast, it is cancer. The book shows how she deals with it, her marriage, her relationship with her brothers, parents. I enjoyed it, especially after I read the ending just to ease my mind.

Shockingly, her dad (I loved him!) ends up getting cancer too!

People can go through very traumatizing situations and come out the other end a better human being.

I am not really sure why it was called The Middle Place. I think she felt like she was in the middle of feeling like a mother and a daughter at the same time, and then feeling like she needed to parent her parents a bit.

I liked it.

The Last Town on Earth

by: Thomas Mullen

This book review should be written by my dad! He told me about this book, he REALLY enjoyed it. I did too. It was about something I really knew very little about. The flu of 1918; the end of WWI, unions and strikers. This book has all this as its background. True events, fictional people/town.

The town, Commonwealth, is set about 15 miles away from any other town in the state of Washington. The people wanted to have a different kind of town. They are loggers. No need to lock your house, very little crime. It was a good town. The flu started

spreading through the United States, through all the neighboring towns. Commonwealth was not affected, yet. They wanted to keep it that way. They decided to quarantine the town, no one in, no one out. They made a sign at the road to the town to let all people know.

What happens when the guards see a soldier coming to enter the town anyway. They tell him to go back. They hear him cough. What do the guards do?

It is an interesting study on human nature. Good book.

The Lace Reader

2009-03-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

The Lace Reader
by: Brunonia Barry

I am sure I got this book because I saw it on some list that it was good. Well, the author of that list and I apparently have two different ideas of good. It is really good if you like a headache! Ugh!

I am just glad it is over. Do not read. But just so you know, it is about a woman who grew up in Salem, abusive father, crazy mother, had Aunt raise her as her own. In the last 3 pages of the book we find out that she is a bit crazy. We have been reading about her twin sister who killed herself as a senior in high school. Apparently that twin sister was born dead. Whatever.

I got very frustrated with all the domestic abuse. You don't really read about it, but it is there and annoyingly frustrating. As Oprah says, "if he hit you once, he will hit you again".

In the end, the woman is seeing 3 different psychiatrists. Let's hope she gets better.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

2009-03-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hotel on the corner of Bitter and Sweet

by: Jamie Ford

Very Interesting!

This book is set during WWII - it is about a Chinese boy that meets a Japanese girl just before all the Japanese people were taken and put in Relocation Camps. They are 12 and 13 years old. They learn so much about life and fairness, cultures.

This book jumps back and forth between 1942 and 1986 - you see what happened and what is currently happening in the current time of the book.

The setting is in Seattle Washington and the Japanese are relocated to Idaho.

The book is fiction, but is very much about real events. I really enjoyed learning about this event. I believe my mother lived right across the street from a Japanese relocation camp! Please tell us more stories!

What a hard time in US history. We do you do, stand by, watch, be active, stand against? Questions we all need to have ready.

The Sweet Potato Queens First Big-A** Novel

2009-03-06T07:23:00.000-08:00

The Sweet Potato Queens First Big-Ass Novel
by Jill Conner Browne

I can't believe I haven't posted a book since October!!!

Okay. This book is NOT for the weak-of-heart. There is some pretty forthcoming language. But it is HILARIOUS!! I found it in the library because the author's name is Browne and this book was right next to Sandra Brown (a favorite of mine) on the shelf.

Five misfits meet up in High School and decide to go ahead and live their lives and make great memories even though they are NOT in the popular crowd. The book covers two decades or so of their lives. "Are Queens born or are they made?" the narrator asks. And then proceeds to show how they are born AND made.

This is the first fiction book written by Miss Browne, but apparently she has like 5 nonfiction books out there. I have already requested a couple from the library. She has quite a huge following of Queens and Wannabes and Spud Studs all over the country.

The Associate

2009-02-17T19:27:00.001-08:00

The Associate
by: John Grisham

This does read somewhat like The Firm; which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I liked The Firm.

There is a guy, at the end of law school. He gets blackmailed to spy. The usual Grisham stuff ensues.

The very beginning was good; the story got too tense; I didn't like the subject matter; didn't know if I could keep on, so I read the end!
Yes, i did, and I am glad. It helped me to feel better, understand, I kept reading and really enjoyed the book. Kerry is so against reading the end of books (at the beginning of your reading), but I really don't like the tension. I like to fast forward in the tense part of movies.

If you are a Grisham fan, you will like this book.

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal

2009-02-17T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal
by: Sarah Strohmeyer

I didn't enjoy this book as much as my last Sarah Strohmeyer.
This one was readable, ok.

This 36 year old woman has had the same boyfriend for 4 years. Desperately wants to marry him. He proposes on National TV! But the proposal is for someone else. He has been cheating on her.

She chooses to pretend to everyone that she really is engaged. It drives her ex crazy. It is a funny (kind of) premise.

The Cinderella Pact

2009-02-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

The Cinderella Pact
by: Sarah Strohmeyer

I found this book to be funny and refreshing. I knew nothing about this author, so I was pleasantly surprised.

It is about 3 girl friends, all over weight. They all decide to really lose the weight and they all do it in a different way. It is written with a lot of humor and reality. The main character is also a writer for a magazine and feels discriminated against until she "applies" for a job as someone else and gets that job also. She ends up being her own editor of her made up job applicant.

Easy, light, entertaining read.

Band of Brothers

2009-02-01T21:46:00.000-08:00

I had to read this book for a technology leadership class. I had to pick 2 out of a list of 10 or so, and this looked interesting. HBO also has a series of about 7 episodes that I have heard are very good of this movie.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. It gave me a good appreciation for what soldiers went through in World War II to keep the world safe, and I got the feeling that the author worked really hard to get all the details as accurate as possible. It comes highly recommended.

My suggestion is to read the first couple pages or so. If you don't like it, then you probably won't like the rest of the book. His style of writing stays pretty same through the whole thing.

The Summer Guest

2009-01-28T08:49:00.000-08:00

The Summer Guest
by: Justin Cronin

I really enjoyed this book.
Easy read.
Each chapter is from a different character's perspective. I really liked that.

At the end of WW2 a family buys this huge "camp". It stays in the family. People frequent this camp year after year. It does not make tons of money, but barely enough. Now the Vietnam war is an issue, the son has been drafted, but because his father is very powerful and begs the boy not to go, his father sends him to Canada.

There are many interesting stories in this book. I would recommend it.

It does end too abruptly for me, though. Be ready.

The Christmas Sweater

2009-01-14T13:24:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Sweater

by: Glenn Beck

Yes, THE Glenn Beck, interesting, huh?

It was good. Very much like Richard Paul Evans.

This is based on a true story of Glenn getting a knitted sweater one year for Christmas. The story jumps off from there. It has interesting insights; some good lessons.

I really liked at the end where he explains what was real and not and why.

If you know of a troubled teen in your life. Read this book, it could help you to understand their moodiness.

The Outcast

2009-01-14T13:18:00.000-08:00

The Outcast

by: Sadie Jones

It had such potential!

It was so full of sadness, wickedness, more sadness, yuck!

I finally skipped about to find out what happens in the story.

I wish at the back of books there would be a simple plot line! If you liked the book, it wouldn't hurt. If you didn't like the book, it would help you hurry through it.

Sadly, for Sadie, don't read it.

Ok, a little plot: a boy loves his mother; father is just coming home for WW2, boy doesn't remember the father, the family has a hard time getting along, life gets worse, the mother drowns, the boy gets more frustrated and depressed, the father remarries, things get worse, the boy goes to jail, things get worse, eventually the boys goes to some form of "the army", and another sad girl goes away to boarding school.

Hmm, why did I pick up this book?

Friday Night Knitting Club

2009-01-05T08:06:00.000-08:00

The Friday Night Knitting Club

by: Kate Jacobs

I thought my review would have been great.....but sadly, it is a disappointment.

I have learned how to knit in this last year, I heard lots of whisperings about this book, so I got it. The first 50 pages were a bit blah, it took a while for me to find interest in these characters - but then I did and I really enjoyed what I was reading. I also enjoyed the knitting aspects.

The problem came with the end, which was like being slammed into a cement wall that you don't see coming. Why, why would the author do this? It just yanks on your emotions for a thrill for the author. Makes me mad! Then come to find out that there really is a walker and daughter place in Manhattan, there is a web page. Then you wonder, oh, my, do these people really exist?? I am now thinking NO! The author just wanted to write a book with a shocking, movie ending (think steel magnolias). Then make sure there is a website to get more people involved in the fictional life. Really, it would have been much better to have a different ending, to be able to expand the story in subsequent books.

Just so you know: it is about a young girl, finds she is pregnant, the father runs away, she is left to figure it all out. She loves knitting, does projects for people, opens up a shop, things go better. She is a hard working woman. She meets other women in her yarn shop - we get to know all those women. The story continues.....until it yanks your head back.

There is a sequel.

But don't worry. Julia Roberts has bought the rights to this movie, and I believe it is supposed to be out 2010. I don't think I will watch it, or I will, I'll just leave early. I don't enjoy crying at movies.

Betrayal

2009-01-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

Betrayal

by: John Lescroart

I have read all of his books. They are usually very good. The front half of this one - HARD - but by the back half, all the front half was helpful in the understanding of the plot.

This was a hard book. the first 2/3's are all about the War in Iraq; the soldiers, the people who are over there trying to rebuild, getting contracts to do so. It was not a nice look at any of it. There was some information that I didn't want. I would like to know if it is true. Obviously, the author was VERY against the war and what has happened after. But, how much of what he wrote is true, and how much is just his opinion? That was a bug.

Then the last 1/3 of the book, we finally get to his usual characters. There is a crime, a lawyer. Will it all be soved correctly?

I enjoyed that last part of the book, but because of the hard first part, I can't reccommend it. Who wants to read about people doing bad things, taking advantage, wasting our money. It was sick.

Rush Home Road

2009-01-05T07:59:00.000-08:00

Rush Home Road
by Lori Lansens

I really enjoyed this book. It takes you to another world and place.

You get to hear the story of an old, black woman who lives in a trailer park. She has a neighbor, a little girl, whose mother really doesn't want her. The two are put together and a sweet love and friendship begin. I really enjoyed reading this story.

It is about choices we make, what love can overcome, choose the right, choose to be kind. It is never too late to reach out and be there for someone else.

The Outlander

2008-12-01T21:37:00.000-08:00

The Outlander

by: Gil Adamson

Very good - great writing; reminds me of Cold Mountain.

Set in 1903, a woman, Mary Boulton, murders her husband and runs from her brothers-in-law who are out to capture her.

The story unfolds in a great way. Mary is very young and naive at 19 when she gets married. Life is not what she thought it would be.

P.S. I have started to read 2 other books. I was so put off by the awful nature of the books, some scenes too explicit (get my meaning) for me and others just plain awful. It really made me realize what a VERY good book this one, The Outlander, was. Great writing, great interesting story. This book is a step above.

Baby Shark's High Plains Redemption

2008-11-23T19:19:00.000-08:00

Baby Shark's High Plains Redemption
by: Robert Fate

I saw this book reviewed - the reviewer said she was laughing; so enjoying this book; so I got it. It is NOT funny. It is better than ok, but not great. I probably think it was not great because I was expecting a funny book.

It is a detective mystery set in the 1957. If you are looking for that, this is very good. The main character is a VERY strong woman, which is nice. This is apparently the 3rd book in the series. I wasn't thrown off. I was just always looking for the laughter, never found it.

For a detective mystery, I like Robert Crais better, but this was fine in a pinch.

Baby shark - that is a nick name for the main character. She is a "pool shark" and a detective. she works with a man; Otis.

The Watchman

2008-11-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

The Watchman

by: Robert Crais

I have read this author before. I like his books. He has a series of "Joe Pike" novels. This is one. I enjoyed it.

Joe Pike is a no nonsense guy for the right. He is hired to protect a girl that is a bit wild. He protects her at all costs. He is well trained, and if find myself in trouble with the mob he would be the guy I would like watching me.

This author also does Elvis Cole novels. They are good also.

The Sugar Queen

2008-11-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

The Sugar Queen
by: Sarah Addison Allen

I judged this book by it's cover....and I was NOT disappointed! I quite enjoyed this book. Very sweet, engaging, interesting, a fun read.

It starts out with the woman who lives with her mean mother. The woman, Josey is in her early 30's, I think. She is somewhat unhappy, just trying to make her mother happy. She finds a stranger in her closet (!) that helps her change her life. The stranger helps steer her to a better path.

Then there is another character, Chloe, who is in love with her boyfriend, but feels she must break up with her boyfriend. She is "dogged" by books. Very interesting, yes, I know, it is a bit science fiction, but just let your imagination roam free!

This is the author's second book. I now have her first book on my dresser, Garden Spells. I will read it as soon as I am done with my Robert Crais book, which I am also really enjoying.

Swallows of Kabul

2008-10-31T18:42:00.000-07:00

Swallows of Kabul
by: Yasmina Khadra

I found this book in the library in the "New" section. I judged the book by it's cover, thought it looked interesting, so I got it.

I enjoyed it. It was not a happy, go lucky book. It was a bit intense, but what a look inside of Afghanistan! It is a good look, only if the author was authentic and who would know that! This about life in Afghanistan with the Taliban ruling. It was not a pleasant place, nor are they teaching anything to brag about. I enjoyed the learning and by that the thankfulness that I feel waking up in my bed in America with all those rights and freedoms that we have. Let's not waste them.

Read this book for the learning experience. It is a quick read. It is mainly about 2 families and how they are dealing with their difficult lives. You learn about the men and you learn about their wives. You learn of their ideas of love, marriage, sacrifice, religion. I found it interesting.

Can't Wait to Get to Heaven

2008-10-31T17:37:00.000-07:00

Can't Wait to Get to Heaven
By Fannie Flagg

Do you remember Fannie Flagg? Mark remembers her from "Candid Camera" in the late '60s. I remember her from "Match Game" in the late '70s. I was completely surprised to find out that she is a writer. And that she wrote "Fried Green Tomatoes" (which I read on the cruise). So when I was wandering through the library I made sure to pick up a Fannie Flagg book.

Great Book!! Ms. Flagg does such an excellent job of telling the story of old southern ladies!. And my favorite part - the protagonist's name is Elner Shimfissle. Elner is a woman. She doesn't really know how old she is, because her younger sister abscounded with the family Bible where her birthday was recorded and Elner just doesn't know what year she was born!

Elner dies at the beginning of the book and goes to heaven. All of her friends are devastated. Elner is such a force for good in her town. The story is told in a wonderfully light manner--you get to see the stories of all the people around Elner--her niece and nephew, her neighbors in town and out in the country, the Sunset Club (who gather on Elner's front porch every evening to watch the sunset). I truly love books that have lots of characters and lots of good development.

The one thing that really bothered me were the scenes in Heaven where Elner meets "her Maker". Ms. Flagg has a decidedly Unitarian view point--God, Buddah, Mohammed--it doesn't matter. All roads lead to heaven and god. That particular world view really annoys me. But other than that I think this was a great book and really worth the read.

John 3:16

2008-10-31T17:26:00.001-07:00

John 3:16
by Nancy Moser

I picked this book up on the fly at the library. I figured that it was written by a Christian author (with a title like that) and I was looking for something uplifting. It turned out to be very good. I will find more books by this author.

The story brings together multiple story lines--people who are about to be affected by a John 3:16 sign at a football game. Again, this story is told from multiple points of view and I am finding that I really like that approach. A woman going through the anguish of infertility, a father whose life is completely wrapped around his son's football abilities, the son whose life has been deeply affected by God and a woman who gave up a baby for adoption twenty years ago. Really well written--although it does get slightly preachy every now and again. The story lines are nicely intertwined with one or two very unexpected surprises. Has a very realistic ending--rather than the "happily ever after" thing that you may be expecting.

The Alibi

2008-10-31T17:11:00.000-07:00

The Alibi
By Sandra Brown

Sandra Brown is one of my favorite authors. She started out writing historical romance novels, but grew into contemporary mystery/romance. She does a great job of building suspense and creating interesting plot twists. Of course, there is still the romance part. I'd say the plot is about 80% mystery and about 20% romance.

This story is told from multiple points of view, which was slightly confusing at first, but I really enjoyed it by the end. Assistant DA (County Solicitor in South Carolina) Hammond Cross finds himself deeply involved in the murder of a local bigwig. His personal and professional integrity is stretched to the breaking point. The woman is a psychiatrist, and the main suspect in the murder. There are three or four different subplots going on, lots of characterization which I love. The author does a fantastic job of capturing the culture of South.

There are several passages of graphic "romance novel" sex. I tend to just skip over those parts, but be forewarned. I really enjoyed this book.

Undiscovered Country

2008-10-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Undiscovered Country

by: Lin Enger

I just found this book, no recommendation. Then I read the back: "Unaware that his life is about to change in ways he can't imagine, seventeen-year-old Jesse Matson ventures into the northern Minnesota woods with his father on a cold November afternoon....a muffled crack of a gunshot rings out...he races through the trees to find his dad dead of a rifle wound, apparently self-inflicted."

That really intrigued me! Why? It is kind of dark and mysterious, but I figured I would try it. And....I REALLY enjoyed it. The writing was great; a different style. The author never used quotation marks! It is written in first person, from Jesse's perspective. It seems like it would be a dark and sad tale, but to me it was an intriguing mystery. I enjoyed being inside that 17 year old's head.

It was a good mystery, written well. The author tells a good story, interesting characters.

The Heartbreak Pill

2008-10-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

The Heartbreak Pill

by: Anjanette Delgado

Here is the story on this book: I like to go to the mall to the big book store and see all their very exciting and tantalizing books. I always have paper and pen and I write all the books down that I would like to buy. Then I go to the library and look for those books. THIS book looked very funny and interesting. The "blurb" on the back is something like, "wouldn't it be nice to take a pill to get over your heartache instead of going through it? Erica has made this pill!" It seemed funny. Sadly, I couldn't find the book at my library! I decided to ask the library to get it. I asked and a few weeks later the library called and said they would buy it!

Happily, I got the book. My expectations were too high. I thought it was good, but the story was different than I thought. It was a bit more crass than I thought.

I thought the story would be about her taking the pill, feeling better, dating, etc. It was about her horrible divorce, her horrible sadness, her deciding to do something about it - she is a scientist at a medical lab that makes a migraine medication. The author is a Latina and she speaks a LOT of Spanish. I felt like I really needed to finish the story because I requested the library buy the book. I hope others at the library like it better than I did. Read the book below this instead, So Brave, Young and Handsome. It was way better.

I am still grateful that the library got it for me. That was very nice.

So Brave, Young, and Handsome

2008-10-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

So Brave, Young, and Handsome

by: Leif Enger

This book is by the same author as Peace Like a River.

I REALLY enjoyed this book. I loved how it was written, such great words. I enjoyed the story. It is NOT an action packed book, it is more about how the author writes that I enjoyed.

This book takes place around the turn of the century, I think. There is a little family in Minnesota, husband, wife and little boy. The husband wrote a fabulous book that sold well. He tries to write another book and just can't. He feels frustrated. They meet a man who is living down the way from them and this man takes them all on quite an adventure.

It is about love, respect, forgiveness, choices, and being true to yourself.

Please someone read it, I really want to talk about the title!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

2008-10-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by: Mary Ann Shaffer and
Annie Barrows

I loved this book! It is charming and written the the form of letters being sent to many different people. You see the story unfold as you read these letters.

There is an Island, in the Channel Islands by England that is called Guernsey. This Island was occupied by the German troops for 5 years. This was an interesting part of history to learn about. The people on the island were cut off from all news of the war. The book takes place after the war is over, and one person, Juliet is contacted by someone on the island asking about a book. That starts many, many inquisitive letters.

Here is a quote from the end of the book from one of the authors:
from Mary Ann Shaffer
"I hope that my book will illuminate my belief that love of art - be it poetry, storytelling, painting, sculpture, or music - enables people to transcend any barrier man has yet devised."

Read it. It is worth it. It will make you want to be a letter writer!

Silks

2008-09-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

Silks

by: Dick Francis

Not his best effort. Was readable, filled the void, VERY Dick Francis.

It was a fine story of a lawyer, sees things he shouldn't, people beat him up, should he now cower, or do what is right.

Very Dick Francis, right?

If you are a Dick Francis fan, you should read this, but don't buy it!

Belong To Me

2008-09-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

Belong To Me
by: Marisa de los Santos

I quite enjoyed the beginning, some of the middle and the end. I did not enjoy the real middle of the book. It goes down such a sad path! Who wants to read a sad book. Ok, a woman dies of cancer. It is sad. I don't want to read about it for 100 pages!

This is a story of a neighborhood in (possibly) PA. Very suburb, folksy neighborhood. The story goes into every body's life, how they think and react to each other. Corniliea and her husband Teo just moved there. She is not working. They just moved from New York, he is an oncologist. They are very much in love. Piper is the neighbor Queen Bee. She acts her part very well. Elizabeth has cancer, a bit unhappy in her marriage. Lake is a single mother, hard worker, smart, a waitress.

I loved the writing of this book. The words were great. I usually do NOT like description, but this author did it amazingly. You want to read parts aloud. How the women interact seems very real. The author is a woman, she gets it right.

The story ebbs and flows. I did not enjoy reading about Elizabeth dieing. But I did enjoy see the lesson play out, "don't judge a book by it's cover". Another lesson, a person may act a certain way, but give them a chance and you may see the real person (better) buried deep inside.

Ok, there is the good and the bad, you decide if you want to read this book.

Dumping Billy

2008-09-09T08:49:00.000-07:00

Dumping Billy

by: Olivia Goldsmith

Not so good, just fill dirt. I needed something to read, I was hoping this was good, it was so predictable.

Woman has several failed relationships. Meets a great looking guy, they don't like each other; she more than him. 2/3 through she starts dating him, finds he is great, they have a fight, break-up. The last page, oh, he asks to marry her, she says yes.

There, I saved you.

Chasing Darkness

2008-09-07T22:07:00.000-07:00

Chasing Darkness

by: Robert Crais

This is a good author. He has several different characters he writes about. This book is about Elvis Cole (? I think, I suddenly can't remember!) He is a detective.

I like his writing. Good story. Not too violent or scary. I like the main character. Good read.

I need another book by this author!

Hey, did you know there is another/new Dick Francis out there! Kerry is reading it, when he is done, I will read it!

Love The One You're With

2008-08-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

Love The One You're With
by: Emily Giffin

I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the protagonist. She was so well written, I could hear her in my head! I feel like Emily writes just like a girl thinks, it cracks me up.

This is a story of a young, happily married woman. Lovely husband, living in NYC. Her mother died when she was 13, she has a tumultuous relationship with a boyfriend that she is not sure she ever got over. Those two facts seem to color so much of her life and how she handles herself. It is funny and tender. At parts you want to yell at her to go another path, but that is how we all are, we don't travel in a straight line, neither does she.

It was a good book, I think the best of Emily Giffin so far. You should read it!

Happy Birthday, Tanner!!

2008-08-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

To my dearly beloved Tanner man,

If you were the greatest man of Siam

Or if you were a Samuri of Japan

Or if you were the toughest in an Irish Clan

I would still be your greatest fan!

Now you live so far away from me,

We cannot plan to visit and have some tea.

You cannot dust my stairs or swat a bee,

Or pull some weeds for a big phat fee!

But I still love my Mr. T!

Now it's your birthday, I cannot celebrate,

You already did that, and sushi you ate!

You started school yesterday, I hope you weren't late,

You are now ten and the master of your fate.

Please always remember there is one little thing

I've said it before and it is comforting -

Wherever you go

And

Whatever you do -

You're never alone

For my HEART follows you!

Love, Nana

Tanner was born on a Wednesday - He was 4lbs, 13 ozs - - 18 and 1/2" long.

Girls' Poker Night

2008-08-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

Girls' Poker Night
by: Jill A. Davis

This is my 2nd Jill A. Davis book. I enjoyed it, mostly, but by the end, I so wish that the characters of this book had a higher standard of morals. I would almost like to write the author and ask her to raise it all up a notch.

The main character is a writer for a newspaper. It is blurbs written about her life and friends. She sees a therapist, we learn about her life, why she has a hard time committing. It is funny and I enjoy her style. By the end, I just want to tell her about the Church. She would be happier.

Where the River Ends

2008-08-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Where the River Ends

by: Charles Martin

Don't read -- sad, sad, book. Only if you have far too much happiness, need to come down a bit, miss the feelings of loss and sadnes should you read this book.

What was the author thinking? Why would he want to delve into this every day.

Husband and wife, married 14 years, happy, her father does not like the husband. She gets cancer, she does not recover. It goes downhill from there!! No up side! Well, ok, at the end, the husband and father finally see the good in each other and like each other, this is at least a year after the wife has died.

I did NOT read this book fully. I was sick of the sadness. I skipped to see the happy ending, found non, started reading it backward (last page, then next to the last, etc.). Finally I understood the story was just sad! That was it for me.

Holly has read this author. Quite liked him. I will try him one more time. Every one of his book cannot be that sad!

Broken Leg Books

2008-08-05T13:01:00.001-07:00

While me leg is healing, I am forced to read 3 books at one time....not my forte. But I can't bring a book with me from here to there with my crutches. So:

Breaking Dawn #4 in the Twilight series. I am really enjoying it. A bit too much teenage angst for me, but it is a quick, easy read. That book is at my bed. I will be done soon.

I FINISHED! It was good. If you like the twilight series you will like this book. The author ties up all loose ends. It is a big, long book, but an easy read.

What kind of name is Renesme??

P.S. While watching "The People's Court" the other day, one of the complainers was named ESME!!

At the Couch: The Last Lecture. I have only read a little of this, but I really am enjoying it. Recommend to all!

FINISHED: I really enjoyed this book. Great ideas. Great to think about. He knew how to make life a joy, have fun in the face of sad circumstances.

Read this.

In the bathroom: My Soul To Keep
I just saw this at the library (before the break), I was desperate, thought I'd try it. It is a Christian book, I think. A big movie star gets caught up in drinking and drugs, ends up in jail for 5 years, gets out, acts in local, city things, trying to do what's right in life. Interesting, but compared to "Breaking Dawn", it is a bit slow.

FINISHED! I really enjoyed this book! I enjoyed the Christian take on life. It was a nice change. The book puts 2 projects up against each other. One, regular Hollywood, the other being done by a new Christian group. They begin their meetings with prayer, sometimes a devotional! They pray for each other, care about each other, are willing to forgive and help. If only all the world would begin and end the things they do in prayer, how great that would be! It was also a tiny look into the movie-making world. I enjoyed that too. I would read this author again. Interesting note, the other day, while at the doctor to get my cast on, a woman began a conversation with me about my leg. She asked all about it. At the end, she told, I will pray for you. In light of this book, where they have many prayer circles, I appreciated her comments. It was a way better thing to say than, oh, you are a dork.

Skeletons at the Feast

2008-07-29T00:02:00.000-07:00

Skeletons at the Feast
by: Chris Bohjalian

Fabulous book!

It is set during the end of WW2, in Germany. It starts out with a German family, sending off their father and brother to help with the war effort. You see the war from their perspective. As the story moves on you see the war from other perspectives: Jewish man, Jewish women in a concentration camp, English POW. It is very good, interesting to see from all those perspectives. It is about National Pride, turning a blind eye, seeing what is really going on.

I really enjoyed how the author brought all those stories together; weaved them into each other. I highly recommend this book. Please note, there are some sexual parts to this book - read those as you like, or don't like.

The Choice

2008-07-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

The Choice

by: Nicholas Sparks

Too predictable. Too sappy. Not his best effort, in fact, hardly any effort.

Girl neighbor, boy neighbor, they meet, amazing weekend of parasailing (?!), motorcycle riding, so they fall in love. But, she is already "in love" with her boyfriend of many years. What to do, she must make a choice. Barf. Ok, she chooses the neighbor.

Years later, married, 2 kids, they go to a concert 2 1/2 hours away. Raining on the way home, he drives too fast, car crash, she ends up in a coma. Years ago she told him that after 12 weeks if she was ever in a coma, to please "pull the plug". Now, he has a choice to make.

Oh, this bugs me on my many levels. Do you want to know what happens? If yes, read on, I am happy to spoil it for you.

He opts NOT to pull the plug. She goes to a nursing home for care. Nine weeks later, she suddenly wakes up and asks for her husband. They live happily ever after. They never discuss how he didn't pull the plug like she wanted. Whatever.

My take away from this book is: don't drive a total of 5 hours to go to a concert if you have to be back the next morning at 8:00 for work, duh! Don't drive too fast in the rain, duh! Your life is more important than being on time. Oh my. Ok, I learned 3 things. I am happy.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

2008-07-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

by: Kim Edwards

Very hard beginning. I complained to Candice and Tatia about the sad, horrid start. I kept reading and really liked all the conflict that the author put out there.

A doctor's wife, suddenly goes into labor, terrible storm. The doctor has to deliver the baby himself with the help of his nurse. One baby born, boy, fine. Suddenly, another baby is coming - a girl. The girl has Downs Syndrome. What to do? The year is 1964. The doctor had a sister with Downs Syndrome. She died at 12 breaking his mother's heart. He wanted to save his wife, so while she slept off the effects of the gas, he had his nurse take the baby to a place that kept children like that.

Heart wrenching! What happens? Does the wife remember or know? How does the family survive? How do they all deal with their loss? Ok, I'll tell you - the husband tells the wife that the baby dies! She is so sad. They try to live on. She gives her husband a camera that is called a "Memory Keeper". He loves the new camera and the hobby. He never tells his wife about the baby. The nurse never gave the baby to that home. She couldn't. She took the baby away, moved and raised the baby on her own. The lies in the doctor's family were devastating to them all.

It was an interesting book...the decisions we make...how they affect so many people.

I liked it! I would read this author again.

If you read this book, comment, let's talk!!

Uglies

2008-07-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

Uglies

by Scott Westerfeld

This is teen fiction. I don't know where I heard about this. Easy read. Interesting premise.

This book takes place many 100's of years in the future. Everyone is ugly until they are 16, then they have surgery to make them pretty.

Is that ok? Everyone is even. What really happens in the surgery? Are people the same after? I liked it. I am still looking for the 2nd book. It has been stolen out of every library!

In the Time of Butterflies

2008-07-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

In the Time of Butterflies

by: Julia Alvarez

I don't know where I heard about/read about this book, but I did, it was on my list, it was in the library, so I read it....barely.

It held my interest because it was about a subject I knew nothing about. It is a fiction book, but it is based on the revolution in the Dominican (Republic). It was a dictatorship. There were 4 sisters, 3 very active in the revolution. The 3 sisters are killed. It is their story.

It seemed long and arduous, as I assume the revolution was, but I didn't really enjoy living through it. I am glad I finished. I can't really recommend it. But I do recommend reading books about subjects that you can learn about. Just find a more interesting book.

How to have that difficult conversation you've been avoiding

2008-06-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

How to have that difficult conversation you've been avoiding

by: Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

This book intrigued me too! Some conversations are hard, this book gives real nuts and bolts and examples of how to have conversations.

I did not read every word of this book either. Some sections were boring and did not pertain to me. Read the parts that interest you. I thought the book was good and quite insightful.

Raising Musical Kids

2008-06-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

Raising Musical Kids

by: Robert A. Cutietta

I got this book because the title intrigued me.

I did not read every page, it was a skim effort. I read every word of the parts that interested me. I liked the book, very encouraging to keep working at having those musical kids.

The author gave great ideas on how to practice. That was my favorite part. The author has taught school music for many years.

Host

2008-06-17T21:36:00.001-07:00

Host

by Stephenie Meyer

I really enjoyed this book.

I am NOT a science fiction fan. The first 50 pages of this book were really hard to me. I just kept reading because Tatia said she liked it and because I have enjoyed Stephanie's other books.

By around page 51, it got really good, I couldn't put it down.

The story is about aliens invading our world. The alien's can only live if they invade a human body. Tatia, smartly, pointed out that the book really is about good and evil. Freedom of choice, or forcing every one to be good and kind. If everyone is made to be good, the world is a much better place, everyone happy, healthy, no money worries.

Hmm, that plan sounds familiar.

I thought the book really showed all our human emotions and how they affect us. Really it is an interesting book. Read it.

Stolen Innocence

2008-06-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

Stolen Innocence

by Ellisa Wall

This is the story of one of Warren's Jeff's people. She was assigned, (very unwillingly) at 14 to marry her cousin, who she did not like, he was 19.

To think that this was all going on in the last 20 years and currently! As you Utah people know, these people are all over Utah, many different sects.

Warren's people were raised in fear and guilty. It is very sad to me. I enjoyed the book, glad that this girl got herself out and is trying to live in the real world. I would love to talk to her about what her knowledge is of the LDS church.

Something Blue

2008-06-03T13:11:00.000-07:00

Something Blue

by: Emily Giffin

Her books have an interesting twist, in that the titles are not always what you think the book will be about.

Should you read this book; I am not sure. In the end, it has been interesting to me, something to think about.

In the beginning, Darcy, the main character, is selfish and beautiful, which makes for a yucky person. How could you write about someone so selfish, lacking morals? To be with that person day in and day out. She ends up losing it all. And at that point begins to turn her life around. She connects again with a friend, boy, that really puts her straight. I liked that part. I re-read it. That he had the words and the courage to tell her like it was and Darcy listened. It helped her. This was the redeeming part of the whole book for me.

One of the shocking parts was where Darcy finally realized that it was a good thing and right thing to marry someone because you loved them. Not just for their money or position or because you looked good together. That was shocking to me. It made me realize that people out there have different morals, thoughts, reasons for doing what they do. To just go out and date people (meaning have sex) is just fine, it means nothing; it is just what people do. Sex without love, marriage, commitment is not good, healthy or fulfilling. It is lacking (I presume). But to be with the one person that you love and loves you, that you are both committed to is a delightful thing.

I do think the author at some points is a bit too graphic, sometimes her language is not good either. I would like to take a black sharpie and mark a few words out.

So there.

The Double Bind

2008-05-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

The Double Bind
by: Chris Bohjalian

Ok, this book was written by the same author as Midwives. A few books down - Body Surfing- that author wrote The Pilot's Wife. I wrote in the Body Surfing review that that author wrote Midwives...mistake.

The end of the review: It was a GREAT book. Quite an ending. I HAD to come and do some research about the book when I had finished. It was amazing, shocking.

The hard part about this book is about the first 100 pages. I liked the very beginning. Then it got confusing, hard to remember about the characters, like the characters. In fact, I was so frustrated and the work in reading that I picked up Baby Proof, during the reading of this book. When I finished Baby Proof, I felt a bit bad about this book, and tried again. I read another night and that was all it took, I was VERY hooked. I got it. If you don't mind a hard start, read this book, then, please, Let's Talk!!

This is a psychological mystery.

Baby Proof

2008-05-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

Baby Proof

by: Emily Giffin

I got this book because I thought it was going to be about a couple who has a baby, then sees that it has some difficulty about it. Thought it would be funny, easy.

It is NOT about that AT ALL! Shocking to me. It is about a happy couple that does NOT want children! I enjoyed them. Then, one of them starts to kind of want a baby. The book is all about what happens when you start a marriage with one set of rules, then the rules change. Very interesting. I quite enjoyed this book, where it went, where it finished.

It was somewhat like the Shopaholic books.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

2008-05-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

I tried to find a picture, but it's been so long that I forgot how to save it and retrieve it - sorry. Anyway, I'm in the middle (or beginning more like it) of reading this book and I like it so far. It's about twins that are born and the one is a down syndrome child. The father tells the mother that that baby died and so the nurse takes her to raise her herself. Sorry it that doesn't make sense. I'm in the Vegas airport waiting to get back to Salt Lake and I'm tired. Anyway, it's an easy read book and it still has my attention so that's good. I'll let you know the final opinion once I get there. Maybe next year!

Body Surfing

2008-05-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

Body Surfing

by: Anita Shreve

I got this book because I have read another book by her, Midwives, which I thought was interesting.

I liked this book. It's tempo was different, the writing was different. It is written from the perspective of a 29 year old woman who ends up being a tutor for a rich 18 year old girl that seems a bit slow. She is to help her to pass her SAT's. The woman has been married twice - divorced once and widowed once.

My library categorized this book as a romance. I guess it is, but I think the Twilight series is WAY more romancie, (yes, I made that word up, but who reads this blog anyway.)

Go ahead, read it!

Nights in Rodanthe

2008-05-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

Nights in Rodanthe
by: Nicholas Sparks

Because my last book was SUCH a loser, I had to quickly come up with another book.

It was fine, a usual Nicholas Sparks book. Romantic, sadish, just flows along. It is not challenging, but it does fill the void.

It is about a woman who falls in love 14 years ago, how, when it all happened....romance happens!

Rodanthe is a city in North Carolina? Georgia? Something like that.

Plain Truth

2008-05-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

Book: Plain Truth

by: Jodi Picoult

I was VERY excited to read this book. It is about the Amish people. I knew that someone had a baby and that the book was a mystery. I thought it would be about an Amish girl who got pregnant, but would not tell how the father was, mystery ensues.

It was not that at all. It was AWFUL!!

The Amish girl has a baby right off the bat, says she never had the baby. The baby is found, dead in a trash can after being alive. Who killed the baby? It was awful. There was NO thought for that baby. I could not read it, I skimmed through to find out what happened. In the end, it was the Amish girl's mother that killed that baby!!! Oh my! It made me angry. The end of the book was just a sad pat on the back for the poor Amish mother. Gross. The answer to problems is NOT murder! Do NOT read this book. Do NOT read this awful author. I can't imagine sitting down at the computer and writing such a horrible story line. How she came up with it, thought about it, wrote about it, then thought it a great idea to publish it. Gross. Gross. I hope one million people read my review.

Lost and Found

2008-05-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

Lost and Found
by: Carolyn Parkhurst

I really enjoyed this book!

The premise is there is a reality show on TV called Lost and Found. It is like the Amazing Race, but with a scavenger hunt included. Each chapter is from a different contestant's perspective.

It was written so well, it was like watching this show on TV. I really enjoyed it

Finally, a book I really enjoyed!

Sarah's Key

2008-04-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

Sarah's Key

By: Tatiana DeRosnay

This story is about the holocaust, BUT it takes place in France! I had never heard of this trouble there. Apparently, after Hitler took over France, he had the French people gather up their Jewish people, sort them out, keep them, then sent them off to Auschwitz. This little girl (10) hid her brother in a hidden cupboard, locked up, expecting to return in a few hours. It was a place that those children played. As it turned out, the girl did not come back in a few hours...so the book ensues.

It is an interesting story. I was not happy how the story ended, I would like to discuss it!

It was interesting to find out about these facts that really happened, but the subject matter is not easy, or happy.

I am hoping my next book is happy, funny, easy, uplifting, intriguing!

Lady's Maid

2008-04-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

Lady's Maid

by: Margaret Forster

This book was recommended to me by Bonnie Card. Sorry, Bonnie, it was NOT a good book. It did have some interesting parts, information, but after 546 pages, it was a downer!

It is about Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her maid, her courship with her husband, their life together, but mainly about Elizabeth and her maid. It is mostly true - the author says.

It was just shocking to me that the Lady is pretty much treated like a two year old, helped to get dressed, undressed, hair fixed, etc. The maid, for her services, gets paid 16 somethings a year. There was a true caste system in the way they all lived. I found the book sad for those living it, happy for me that I do NOT have to live that way! If you are feeling a little too giddy with yourself, and need to be brought down a tad, read this book about a hard, sad life, a passive-aggressive employer, sickness, death.

Now, I have got to ask Bonnie why she liked it!

Peace Like a River

2008-04-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

Peace Like a River
by: Leif Enger

Beautiful writing. I am not sure why it is called Peace Like a River. It is not a fast paced book. It is from the perspective of an 11 year of boy. His mother ran away years ago, his father is an interesting man. He loves his father, brother, sister. Very loving and strong family. It is set in 1962 in Minnesota.

It is about family, love, faith, right, wrong, choices. I would recommend it. I thought the writer really got into each character's voice.

The Next Thing on my List

2008-04-12T22:47:00.000-07:00

The Next Thing on my List

by: Jill Smolinski

This book was light, fluffy, a bit dorky, not the highest reading level. I got it from the library, so I just read it! It was fast and easy. Sometimes those are nice books to read.

It is about a girl who means another girl, sadly, the one girl dies and the other girls finds her "List of Things to do Before I am 25". She decides to complete the list for her. The fiction ensues.

It made me wonder what would be on my list....

This is How it Happened

2008-04-12T22:44:00.000-07:00

This is How it Happened

by: Jo Barrett

I quite enjoyed this book. Funny. It is present tense, then flashbacks, then present.

It is about a bad break-up, how it happened, why.

It WILL make you want to find the perfect, yummy brownie recipe and eat them.

The Rug Merchant

2008-04-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

The Rug Merchant

by: Meg Mullins

I enjoyed this book because it was about a totally different world than I know. The man is from Iran, his wife still lives there. He is saving money to bring her and his ailing mother over to America. He lives in New York City. His wife is back in Iran taking care of HIS sick mother and sending him rugs so he can sell them in New York.

Very interesting. Some sexual content, so beware....just read those parts with one eye open...they aren't THAT bad....hmm, maybe they are.

I enjoyed all the relationships with all the different types of people.

Ask Again Later

2008-04-12T22:34:00.000-07:00

Ask Again Later

by: Jill A. Davis

Interesting in that it is an odd book. Odd "chapters - meaning no chapters really, just segments, thoughts. So the pace is different.

It is about her relationship with her parents, good and bad, making better, dealing with crisis. I would recommend it, but be ready to enjoy a different way of writing.

This is a question for Julie . . .

2008-04-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

When do you read? Have you stopped watching TV at night? Do you sleep less? How are you reading all these books. And when is it quiet enough in your house for you to enjoy a book????? Aren't you tired at the end of the day? I am impressed with your repertoire.

Sensational Sasaffras Springs

2008-04-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

THIS IS KYLIE!

This sensational book was my school's booktalk book

The book is about a kid who is 10 or 12. At first he reads this book about a person who explores the world looking for special things. The boy thinks there is nothing special about Sasaffras Springs, so his dad challenges him that if he can find 7 wonders of Sasaffras Springs by the end of the week then the boy will get a train ticket to visit his aunt in another state.

It is a great adventure for the boy.

I really liked this book. I reccomend this book to everybody! It would be good for Candice to read aloud to her class too.

The Appeal

2008-03-03T12:18:00.001-08:00

The Appeal

by: John Grisham

Kerry and I both read this book, neither one of us loved it. It was ok. You can have a great discussion in the end, when you are done - is this stuff really true???

It was one of his worst books. No real peaks.

He tells an interesting tale of State Supreme Court judges that get voted in, as opposed to appointed. What that means to the state, laws, appeals.

I wish the book was better. You should read it, it is interesting information, the end of the book gets better. Just know that it is not a great Grisham book.

Remember Me?

2008-03-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

Remember Me

by: Sophie Kinsella

This is not part of the Shopaholic series.

The Shopaholic books are light and funny, easy. This book was much heavier, kind of frustrating and a downer. In the end, it redeemed itself, but it was frustrating to me....I just would have solved the problems in a different way, hmm.

I liked this book fine too, didn't love it.

The premise is interesting....a woman wakes up in a hospital, it is 2007, she has forgotten about the years from 2004 to 2007. She is a totally differnt person in 2007 and it takes some time for her to figure herself out. She had a car accident and hit her head causing her amnesia.

I think I will look for Dawney's book, The Bread givers at the library now.

Ask Again Later

2008-03-03T12:07:00.000-08:00

Ask Again Later

by: Jill A. Davis

She was a writer for the David Letterman show. This is not her first book.

It is a different syle of writing, no chapters....she writes her story with subject heading. It took some time for me to get used to, but in the end I liked the book, didn't love it.

The girl has a bad relationship with her mother and father and it is about repairing those relationships all the while trying to get her life/self in order and to find her own happiness.

The Bread Givers

2008-02-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

by Anna Yerzierska

Another book from Timothy's shelf (when we don't make it to the library on the weekend, I plunder Tim's bookshelf).

This is an incredibly good book, detailing the life of a young Polish immigrant and her family. The writing style is completely different from anything I have ever been exposed to. You can read the first chapter of the book (I found it online!)

Sara was the youngest of four daughters, living in the tenements of New York. She talks about her sisters looking for work in the sweat shops, living in poverty. The four of them are responsible for bringing in all the money the family has. Their Father is a rabbi, a man of God, who does not believe that it is for him to work, but his children, who will honor him and his God by bringing their wages straight home to him.

Excellent story of how Sara declares her independence from the old traditions and works to go to college and become a teacherin. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

A Boy Named Shel

2008-02-09T11:19:00.000-08:00

Do you remember Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book? This boook, A Boy Named Shel, is a biography of Shel Silverstein. Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!

Did you know that Uncle Shelby started his career doing cartoons for Stars & Stripes--the army newspaper? And he got famous after becoming part of Playboy Magazine! He also wrote songs--A Boy Named Sue, Cover of the Rolling Stones, Freakin at the Freakers Ball and Sylivia's Mother. Really, he is credited with over 800 songs and there are apparently thousands out there that he never bothered to register. He was playwright as well, writing one act plays that were produced off-Broadway.

My favorite line from the book: Shel's attention span went from nonexistent to nil.

Organic Church

2008-02-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

Subtitled "Growing Faith Where Life Happens" by Neil Cole

This is a book that was recommended to Timothy by one of his friends and I was intrigued by it. It details a movement within the church where people are seeking a more organic sense of what their spirituality means to them. This book is specifically about starting churches (and no, Mom, that doesn't mean we want to start a church).

I really enjoyed the point of view that spirituality is less about the rules that are required by man and more about your relationship with God. Neil Cole uses Life Transformation Groups--groups of 2 or 3 people, of the same gender, who meet regularly and hold each other accountable for how they are growing their relationship with God.

Books I Haven't Read YET

2008-01-29T21:23:00.000-08:00

I spent some time at Borders Book store today. They have such a great layout for their books. It makes you want to buy way too many. I wrote down several books that look interesting. I checked and I can get them ALL at my library! Yeah! As I read them, I will post about them - if they are yucky, I will post that too. Have any of you read any of them?? Here is my list:

Ask Again later
Jill a. davis

This is how it happened
Jo barrett

The appeal
Grisham

The echo maker
Richard powers

The rug merchant
Meg mullins

Lost & found
Carolyn parkhurst

People of the book
Geraldine brooks

Bernice bobs her hair
f. scott fitzgerald

Outrageous Fortune
Tim Scott

Gentlemen of the Road
Michael Chabon

The Wicked
L.A. Banks (vampire?)

Atonement – Ian McEwan

The Gatecrasher

2008-01-20T21:11:00.000-08:00

The Gatecrasher

by: Madeleine Wickham
aka Sophia Kinsella

Sadly, this book was AWFUL!! The main character was SO unsympathetic. She was an awful person and the author let her just stay that way. I really don't get the book, nor why the author wanted to spend her days making this awful stuff up. Sad for me, I was hoping to enjoy this "new" author. YUCKSVILLE.

It is about a woman who crashes memorial service to meet the rich, grieving widow, date him for awhile, blah, blah blah. I won't ruin it for you, if you choose to read this disastrous book.

If I could find a way to write the author and tell her how disappointed and awful her book was, I would.

I will add the picture later, the blog will not let me do it now. I have tried about 10 times.

Queen of Swords

2008-01-15T20:31:00.000-08:00

Queen of Swords

by Sara Donati

Ok, so as soon as I finished Fire Along the Sky, I thought I would look up the author and find out when here "new" book would be out! Shocked to find that "Fire" was 2 years old or more and that the next book was out! I raced to the library and grabbed it up.

I quite enjoyed this book. It is set during the time of the War of 1812. I really knew nothing about this war, but I know a bit more now. I have also looked it up on Wikipedia.

The stories about the characters continue. I really liked this book. In fact, I may pick it up tonight and read it again. My current book (just started) I am not enjoying so much.

Fire Along the Sky

2008-01-15T20:25:00.000-08:00

Fire Along the Sky

by Sara Donati

This is #4 of the Into the Wilderness series. I was nervous to start this book because it didn't look very interesting, but I knew that I really liked the other books in this series, so I started. I did not care for the first 40 pages or so. I couldn't remember the people, nor did I really care for them. But oh my, after the first part I loved it all. I quite enjoyed the story. She writes so the story just plays along in my head so well I hate to stop reading. I almost drove my people here crazy with always having a book in my face. It was very good. For those who haven't read this series, it is kind of a romance/wilderness book.

Books We've Read

One Good, One LOVED Book

37 Books Since January....my Last Blog!

First Book of 2011! Ape House

Top Ten Books I Read in 2010

Books from August to December

The Young Adult Section!

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

5 Fabulous Books!

5 More Books

Not Without Hope

One Amazing Thing

The First Rule

Hawaii Reads!

Nothing To Lose

21 Books Read Since OCT(!) 2009

The Shack

Even Money

Good in Bed

Twenties Girl

Molokai

The Distant Land of my Father

Fatally flaky

The Help

Shanghai Girls

Perfect Fifths

Dead Lucky

4 Books!

Crazy for the Storm

AustenLand

5 Books; To Read or Not to Read?

The Lace Reader

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

The Sweet Potato Queens First Big-A** Novel

The Associate

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal

The Cinderella Pact

Band of Brothers

The Summer Guest

The Christmas Sweater

The Outcast

Friday Night Knitting Club

Betrayal

Rush Home Road

The Outlander

Baby Shark's High Plains Redemption

The Watchman

The Sugar Queen

Swallows of Kabul

Can't Wait to Get to Heaven

John 3:16

The Alibi

Undiscovered Country

The Heartbreak Pill

So Brave, Young, and Handsome

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Silks

Belong To Me

Dumping Billy

Chasing Darkness

Love The One You're With

Happy Birthday, Tanner!!

Girls' Poker Night

Where the River Ends

Broken Leg Books

Skeletons at the Feast

The Choice

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Uglies

In the Time of Butterflies

How to have that difficult conversation you've been avoiding

Raising Musical Kids

Host

Stolen Innocence

Something Blue

The Double Bind

Baby Proof

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Body Surfing

Nights in Rodanthe