Gone Girl

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

Let's start with what I didn't like:

The ending. Well, I liked the ending, then I also didn't.  I love messy endings. This one is messy, but perhaps a bit too much? I like when books leave it up to the readers imagination to figure some things out. But, this one goes too far for even me. It's an unexpected ending and not in a good way.

Another thing the book has going against it is the crudeness. This book is rated R for language and sexuality. For those reasons alone, I can't say I'd recommend this book to anyone. It's too much and too crude. And very dark and disturbing. I'll say this: if you really enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, you will enjoy this book. Similar dark themes and depravity. But with more bad language. A lot more.

No redemption. I can handle some rated R things if there is redemption at the end. I can't think of anything redemptive in this book.

Here's what I did like:

If it weren't for the crudeness, I'd like the book as a whole. The story itself is good. Perhaps too dark and sinister especially towards the end, but good.

It's not too predictable. A little predictable, but there are definitely twists and turns you would never have suspected.

Flynn writes it well and the narration is interesting. I enjoy books with more than one narrator and this one in that sense didn't disappoint. The writing itself is good, despite its darkness and depravity.

The Phantom of Pemberley

The Phantom of Pemberley by Regina Jeffers is a very interesting book. I'm not sure if I liked it or not. In general, I think it's a bad idea to move a book forward after it's ended, unless it's a sequal by the original author. And even then, sometimes it's just best to leave it be. "Anne of Green Gables" (the movie) is a good example. "The Sequel" was fantastic. However, it ends with loose ends. You don't get to see the end of Anne and Gilbert's story. Because of that (or more likely money) another movie was made, "The Continuing Story". It's bad. Just bad. I bought it and watched it thinking "I can't get enough of these characters, surely I want to see more of the end of their story." Mistake. Sometimes a story should just end with loose ties. Let the readers imaginations take over and finish the ending.

This is kind of how I felt with The Phantom of Pemberley. It was a great story - a murder mystery. However, perhaps Jeffers should have just written her own original characters and left Darcy and Elizabeth out of it. But maybe not. I'm just not sure with this book. Most books I have strong opinions about - I either like them or I don't. This one really could go either way.

Here's what I do know: I liked that the culture of Pride and Prejudice was there, without the difficulty of reading an Austen novel. It was easy to read, which with four kids and a husband with the flu, I appreciated. I liked the twist that comes towards the end. It was unexpected and an interesting way to bring up a certain subject which must remain unmentioned here due to spoiler issues. But, it would certainly be an interesting book to debate in a book club due to this issue. (Piqued your interest?!)

Here's something I don't know: I'm not convinced the book is believable. And unless the genre is clearly not supposed to be believable, I don't like books that I can't believe would or at least COULD have happened.

This has turned out to be a little longer of a review than I anticipated and even though I have more to write, I'll end this with loose ends just like perhaps this book should have...

Tigers in Red Weather

Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussman got rave reviews. So of course, I started reading it. The story sounds interesting, the writing was fine, the characters were intriguing. I stopped reading. Why would I put down an interesting story, written fine (at least as far as I got), with interesting characters?! The language. I can handle many things in a book but I refuse to tolerate taking the Lord's name in vein. Sadly, this book just had too much of it - 2 on the very first page. So, I put it down which is just a shame since I think it would have been a good one.

Here's my message to anyone who will listen - you don't need raunchy to sell books (or anything for that matter). An interesting book will remain interesting without too much. Too much language. Too much sex. Too much violence. Good writing does not include raunchy.

Crossed

Crossed is the second in the Matched series, by Ally Condie. While Matched was definitely better, this one was okay. I read it quickly and considering I have 4 kids and a sick husband, that means it was good enough.

The story moved a little slower than I would have liked. There didn't seem to be as much description that was needed to set up scenes. When a main-ish character dies off halfway through the book, I didn't really care. SPOILER ALERT...when the main characters get separated at the end of the book, I didn't care.

I just don't really care about Ky or Cassie in Crossed. While Matched made me care and love the characters, Crossed did not. I feel like the writing got worse. The story stalled. And the emotional connection that was obtained in Matched was lost.

In all the other dystopian trilogies I've read, the second one in the series is the best. I'm hoping this is the worst and the last in the series Reached brings be back to loving the series.

On another note - this series so far has been great to let my 8 year-old read. There's no language, no sex, little violence. Although, I'm in trouble if the last book is inappropriate. I'll have to invest in some post it notes and censor the parts I don't want her to read.

Look Again

"What would you do if the face in a missing child photo was your son?"

This is the sentence on the cover of the New York Times Best Seller Look Again by Lisa Scottoline. It grabbed my attention.

I can't tell you much about this book because it's the kind of book you don't want to know much about. All I will say is this: it's unpredictable. Although perhaps I'm not the most reliable person on predictability. I get so immersed in books that I don't really think about what's coming next; I just enjoy the book. That said, from my perspective, there are things in the book I definitely didn't expect.

I highly recommend this book. I think it's on par with The Kitchen House, Memory Keeper's Daughter, and Room. If you liked those, I think you'll like this one. Good writing, great story, and a quick read.

Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs

I am a sucker for a good memoir/auto-biography. I heard about this one on either tv or npr and knew immediately that I wanted to read it. The Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) has been in the news the past several years, but I've been so busy birthing babies and homeschooling, I haven't had time to research it. Enter this book and my renewed sadness for oppressed women. Elissa Wall was a girl in the FLDS and was married off at the age of 14, against her will. She was then abused by her husband for almost 3 years, before she decided to break out of the polygamous sect, FLDS.

 This book has it all - sex, religion, politics, suspense, drama, joy, and sadness. It opened my eyes to the sadness that takes place in our wonderful and free country. I was shocked that there is still such oppression on such a basic level. The lack of education, the forced marriages, and the disregard for women. I would definitely recommend Stolen Innocence.

Matched

Whew. I think this will be the last dystopian trilogy I'll start for a while. I've read a lot. And this one is just as good. Matched, by Ally Condie, is the first in the trilogy and is about a government who controls everything. From the food people eat (it's delivered via ports and is nutritionally engineered for individuals) to the things people do in their spare time to the people they marry. Hence the name, Matched.

Here's a teaser: every person carries with them 3 pills. A green one, a blue one, and a red one. The blue one is life sustaining for a few days in case there is no food or water around. The green one is basically an anti-anxiety pill and can be taken up to once a week without the government caring. The red one is a mystery. No one knows what it does (until they are told to take it close to the end of the book!).

This book is well worth the read and I think almost on par with Divergent. And here's a cool thing that I've just found: many books have trailers on youtube. I didn't know that. So if you're a visual person, go to youtube and see if there's a book trailer (there's one for Matched). And then go get the book from the library and read it.

Legend

This book (the first of a trilogy) is worth reading. Legend by Marie Lu is a well written captivating story. It's futuristic America where the flooded West Coast is in a war against the East Coast. One of the protagonists is a brilliant rich girl who is in the government and is tracking a brilliant poor boy who killed her brother.

This book is fantastic. It is full of subtle foreshadowing. Full of conspiracy. Full of suspense. And full of beauty. I can't wait to read the next in the trilogy, Prodigy, which comes out the end of January 2013.

This series is set up to be better than The Hunger Games, just as good as Delirium, but not quite as good as Divergent. It's worth the read if you have enjoyed any of the above.

Before I Fall

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver is a book I wouldn't recommend. Unless you're a secular teenage girl. I really liked Oliver's other books, Delirium and Pandemonium so I thought I'd give this one a try. Mistake. It's basically about a teenage girl who is a popular bitch. I don't think any of my friends will ever read this book, but just because I said I would give warning - here's a spoiler alert.

So, the teenager ends up dying in a car accident and has to relive her last day over and over and over again. For 6 or 7 days. Until she figures out how to fix what she needs to fix.

Basically, it's a dumb book. Written okay, but certainly not worth reading.

Under the Never Sky

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi is yet another dystopian, futuristic novel. It's a little different from what I've been reading in the sense that it's more Sci-Fi. Very similar in style to The Matrix in that it's virtual reality. But dystopian as well because the government engineers the realities including genetic make-up of the people.

This book is the first in a yup. You guessed it - a trilogy. I'm not exactly sure why trilogies are the hot thing. The Hunger Games. Divergent. Delirium. Legend. And the film industry is even turning the movie The Hobbit into a trilogy. Sheesh.

Anyway, back from my tangent. This movie was good enough to read if you're into this genre. There's good and bad. Love. Death. A crazy kid. And cannibals.  Sounds lovely, right? I think I've just discovered why I like this genre of book: redemption. I love stories that seem impossibly hopeless, but are redemptive in the end. And while Under the Never Sky is just the first installment, I'm guessing all will end well in the end. Otherwise, no one will make a movie out of it and the author doesn't become as rich.

This book is good enough to read if you like Sci-Fi, but if not, probably don't read it.

Delirium and Pandemonium

I am apparently on a dysopian/futuristic book kick; I've read the first two books in yet another trilogy that is dystopian. The Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver, which is along the same lines as The Hunger Games trilogy and the Divergent trilogy, has occupied my life the past week.

Delirium is about a society in which the government has declared love as a sickness. There's a cure for it, but that procedure can only be done when people turn 18. So, they separate boys and girls until then. And of course, there are some who do not want to be "cured". Enter the Resistance. And book 2 in the series, Pandemonium.

This book follows the lives of the Resistance and by the end of the book, the reader can sense the beginning of a revolution.

That's all I can say without giving away too much.

Here's what I think about this series:
* I'd recommend them, especially if you liked The Hunger Games.
* Out of the other dystopian trilogies (The Hunger Games, Divergent), this one is the weakest in the story line and the writing.
* These books start off a little more juvenile and soft, but end up better. So, if you start the book and don't love it, keep reading. It gets better. Especially by the end of book two.
* The last book in the trilogy, Requiem comes out in March 2013 and I. Can't. Wait.

Divergent and Insurgent

Easily my favorite book of the year and it made it on my list of favorite books. Divergent by Veronica Roth is a dystopian, futuristic novel that is similar in nature to (and better than) The Hunger Games. There is more political depth in Divergent than in The Hunger Games, which I appreciate. It gives me more to think about as I read.

I got this book from the library, read it over 2 days, and had to order the 2nd in the trilogy from Amazon.com because I'm not patient enough to wait to come up in the queue at the library for Insurgent. The 3rd book is not out yet (have to wait for Oct 2013. Oh dear.), so I'll have to be patient for that one at least.

Next in the trilogy is Insurgent.

Just when I thought the story line of Divergent can't get better, it does. Insurgent is better than the first book in so many ways. Revolution is beginning, couples in love get in fights that may break them up, prominent characters from the first book die, and government conspiracies are coming out. Roth sets up her last book in the trilogy, which is unnamed, very well.

What I love about the heroine in these books is that she's real. Unlike Katniss in The Hunger Games, she doesn't always know what to do. She has moments of pure immobility which would have killed her, were it not for another who saves her. She's a real person who is struggling to keep up with the image of bad ass. I like that about her. Katniss was always a bad ass. Tris needs to learn how to be and it makes her likable.

If you enjoyed The Hunger Games, read these. Promise you will love it. There's also a movie in the making, which will be FANTASTIC.

Bloom

My background is psychology and child/family studies. So, I love books about how families relate to one another, especially in the midst of a diagnosis such as Down Syndrome. Kelle Hampton's book Bloom is an amazing insight into the mind and actions of a family who gets a surprising diagnosis when her little girl was born. Down Syndrome. She tells her story beautifully. She is open, real, and honest as she writes about her daughter's first several months of life and how their family adjusts to having a child with Down Syndrome.

If you enjoy reading memoirs about families, this is a good one.

Love Anthony

I have a favorite author - Lisa Genova. She's newish to the fiction novel scene; she just released her third book, Love Anthony. What I love about her is that she's actually a scientist. She has a lot of letters behind her name, which makes her very qualified to write about the subjects she writes about: Early Onset Alzheimer's, Left Neglect, and now Autism.

Love Anthony is about a mother with a child with Autism. And another mother who's husband is having an affair. And how their lives intersect. I loved it up until the end. It then became a little too spiritual hokey. I won't go into details because I don't want to spoil it for others. I'll just say this: being a Christian changes the way I read things. If I don't believe in something, it's hard to love the book because it's lost some authenticity for me.

That being said: I recommend the book. Lisa Genova is a fantastic writer. If you've never read any of her novels, find Left Neglected or Still Alice and read one both. And Love Anthony was just as well written. The way she gets into the head of a child with Autism is astonishing. It gives the child a voice and whether it's accurate or not, it touches your heart.

All-in-all, I enjoyed it enough. I love how Genova intertwines the lives of the women together. And most of all, I love the redemption throughout it.

The Pilot's Wife

The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve was one of my beach reads this year. When will I learn. It's an Oprah book club book. I need to stop reading those. Like the other ones I've read, this one was not great.

It's about, you guessed it. A pilot's wife. The pilot dies, leaving his wife with lots of questions. It was good enough to finish (I am not shy about putting down a book), but not good enough to recommend.

Year of Wonders

I loved this book. It had romance. It had tragedy (I mean, it's a fictional account of the Plague...just about everyone dies). It had witches. It had religious controversy. Geraldine Brooks may have struck out on People of the Book, but hit a home run with both March and this one.

I devoured this book. I couldn't put it down. Here's the story line:

All the people in a country village decide to take a pledge to stay in town when the plague strikes, so as not to spread it more.

It's an amazing book that I think I'll recommend for book club next year...mainly because I want to discuss the ending with people. I'm not sure if I liked it.

The more I read, the more I realize that the ending of a book is the hardest part. 

I'm pretty sure this book ended the only way it could have, but it was just so strange that I'm not sure if I liked it. In any case, it's a great book. And where it not for the odd ending, would have made my list of favorites.

Cage's Bend and Mudbound

I tried to read it. I got halfway through. Then I realized I didn't care about the characters enough to finish the book. So, I put it down. I don't recommend this one.

I've seen this book everywhere so I decided to read it. A good friend of mine said that she has been reading it on and off for a year. A YEAR. She said it's not interesting enough to keep her reading, but interesting enough to pick it back up occasionally. So, I tried to read it and guess what....she's right. While not a terrible book, it didn't capture me at all. The first page is written in a way that I thought to myself: "Wow! This is going to be a great book!" Well, it wasn't. I put it down after a few chapters. There are too many good books out there to read mediocre ones.

The Kitchen House

I cannot say enough good things about the historical fiction book The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. It made it on my list of favorite books. In fact, I can only think of one negative thing to say. I was a little disappointed in the lack of authenticity in the accent of the slaves. While most of the language is still believable, I would have liked there to have been more of a Southern slave accent. Grissom answers this criticism herself by saying she started out with a thick accent, but it made the book too hard to read. I get where she is coming from. In my opinion though, that is the one thing that is separating this novel from being on par with the likes of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.

It's hard to believe this is her debut novel. This is set in Virginia in 1700-1800s. The author sheds interesting light onto white indentured slaves and the interesting relationship between a particular little white indentured girl and the black slaves on a plantation.

I fell in love with the endearing characters. I was opened to the plight of the big house mistress who may not have always agreed with her husband on how he ran his plantation, but could do little about it. I devoured this book, staying up later than wise to finish it. And when I did, I was sad. Not because there seems to be sad things on every page, but because I did not want it to end.

If you are in a book club, you must read this book. It's one of those books that gets better as you talk about it and process it with others. If you are not in a book club - buy the book, read it, pass it to friends, then talk about it.

Slammed and Point of Retreat

 
I am not a trend setter. Never have been; never will be. This is not only true with fashion, but with books. I'm usually not the one to read a book first and then recommend it to my friends. I have a few friends who are big readers (CV, JV, AM) who I usually get my book recs from. Well, I sought  to change that by these books. I decided to look on the New York Best Seller's list and pick a book to read that no one had recommended to me. So, I chose...

Slammed by Colleen Hoover and Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover. The later being the sequel to the former. I'm not even sure how to review these books. Juvenile is the first word that comes to mind. Just okay are the next.

Slammed got good reviews on amazon.com so I thought I'd give it a go. I don't regret the time spent reading it, but it wasn't what I would call a good book. The story was good. The writing was, well. Juvenile. Not good literature. Corny. Predictable.

I'm about to say something that might be divisive. Forgive me if you take offense. These books reminded me a great deal of Nicolas Sparks. I've read only one of his novels (I realize judging an author by one of her books is not fair, but I do think that it's fair in the case of Nicolas Sparks). But Colleen Hoover's books seems to be on par with the easy, somewhat trashy romantic novels.

So, if you like Nicolas Sparks, you'll like these books.

March

                                        

March by Geraldine Brooks. A must-read if you read and liked Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I was hesitant to read this book, afraid that the March family name would be defamed. And it was, a little - which turned out to be a very interesting and good thing. For anyone who has read Little Women or seen the movie, Mrs. March is made out to be motherhood perfected. March brings her back down from her sainthood status to just one of us - a person with faults.

If you decide to read this book, I'd actually recommend reading the afterward first. It will help to set up the book because you learn here about where (and who) Brooks got the inspiration for the character of Mr. March (since he missing for the most part of Little Women).

The author writes perfectly for the period (Civil War) and gives a great voice to the slaves in the book. The way she paints the picture of slavery makes it seem like you are there and are fighting the cause.

One of the things I love most about the book is that it's unpredictable. Just when you think you know what's going to happen with a character, Brooks surprises you. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to those who like Civil War books, the topic of slavery, Little Women, or just good stories.

What Alice Forgot

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. Amazing book. Well written. Easy to read and follow. It's a captivating story about a woman who falls down and hits her head. She wakes up thinking she is 10 years younger - when she is pregnant with her first child. She wakes up and doesn't remember her children. It's a fluff book that would be great for the beach!

Cutting For Stone

I just finished Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese. It's one of the books for book club this year. Had it not have been, I would have probably put it down. Too. Much. Detail. I have very low tolerance for extraneous detail. Sometimes all the details are necessary. I felt like it wasn't in this book. The actual story was good. Just too much detail. Geography that didn't really matter. Politics that didn't further the story. Details about medicine that was just too much.

In the end, I'm glad I read it. I just didn't connect much with the characters. The narrator (the main character) was a male...which I find difficult to connect with anyway. I grew up with 3 sisters. I have 4 daughters. I am female. I get female. Male? They are like aliens to me. So some of my disconnect to Marion is because he's a he and not a she. In general though, I didn't find that there were too many characters in Cutting for Stone that were very likable. Some, but not many.

But that is kind of what makes it an interesting book. You don't really like some of these people because of the poor choices they make. And by the end, they redeem themselves somewhat (well, some of them) but you still don't love them. I can appreciate that they made a great choice in the end...but what about the choices in the middle? They count, too. It's not like you can live a self-centered life and then redeem your bad choices by making one good choice at the end.

Anyway, I'd recommend this book for literature lovers, medicine lovers, lovers of different countries and cultures, and book clubs. Because even though I didn't love it, it gives a lot to talk about.

Finding Alice

Finding Alice, by Melody Carlson - read in 2012. I got this book from a friend and thought it sounded really interesting. It's about a woman in college who gets Schizophrenia. Intriguing, right? It started out great. Then got better and better. Then it crashed. I didn't realize it was Christian fiction until too late to stop reading. I wanted to see how it ended.

Please don't hate. No emailing me nasty trash talk. I have nothing against Christian fiction. Well, that's not true. I don't like it. At all. I have yet to find a Christian book that it well written and not hokey.

So, while I was taken aback by the genre of this book and while I did think it was a little hokey at times, it was written well-ish. So, if you're looking for a slightly hokey, not great but not awfully written, Christian Fiction book - this one's a good one.

The Sugar Queen

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen - read in 2012. Interesting book. Weird book. Not sure if I liked it or not. Some parts were hokey and reminded me a little too much of juvenile fiction. I don't think I'd recommend it to just anyone. And it's not one of those books I can say much more about since it's the kind of book you don't want to know anything about until you read it. 

Left to Tell

Left to Tell by  Immaculee Ilibagiza - read in 2012. This book is one of those that I kind of wished I didn't read. But it's important to not forget, so I read it. It's about the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s. Such atrocities against humankind. And a precious story of one woman's internal battle of forgiveness and bitterness. If you don't mind the details of torture and murder, read this book. If Immaculee could forgive those who hunted her, I can certainly forgive those who hurt my feelings. 

Barnheart

Barnheart: The Incurable Longing for a Farm of One's Own by Jenna Woginrich - read in 2012. This was a book recommended to me by a sweet friend who knows my desire to own a farm. She came across this book and let me know about it. It's a memoir about a girl who has a dream to own and operate a farm. It hit home for me. I want my own farm. I don't want to breed rabbits or be a shepherd like this author. But I do want chickens, maybe a turkey. Goats. Barn cats. A farm dog. And most of all, a horse. Friends: one day (Lord willing!) I WILL have my own farm. I'll have a cat to chase away mice. I'll sell eggs to pay for my chickens. I'll learn to make goat cheese. And when I do, I'll remember this book.

The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - read in 2012. I've read this one before, but years ago. We're reading it for book club, so I thought it best to re-read it. And I remember why it's my all time favorite book. It's the best book ever written (other than the bible). If you haven't read it - do it. Regardless of what kind of books you like, I think just about everyone will like (if not love) this book. (But don't read his other stuff..not good).

Gladys Alyward

Gladys Alyward: The Adventure of a Lifetime by Janet and Geoff Benge -read in 2012. This is a must read for everyone. It's about an English woman who decides to be a missionary in China during the Japanese invasion. She was an amazing woman. At one point, she had over 200 children that she "adopted". She unbound little girls feet. She stopped prison riots. She watched over 200 college students get beheaded for their belief in Jesus. What a way to live the life that was bought at a price.

Vinegar Hill

Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay - read in 2012. I saw this book cheap somewhere and picked it up. It's an Opera Book Club book, so I was suspicious. Nothing against Oprah, but I don't really care for her book selections. We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates was the last Oprah Book Club book I've read and I didn't care for it. So, I was a bit dubious about Vinegar Hill. But, I bought it anyway and read it. It was a quick read (2 days, which is really quick when you have 4 kids and a household to run), so it was good in that sense. I enjoyed the story well enough, although it was pretty sad (just how I like my books). It was well written. But there was just something about it I didn't like. The characters weren't developed enough, which I can get past in a book with a good story. I think it was the underlying message...which I'm still not sure what it was, but just doesn't sit well in my soul. Strange, I know.


In any case, I would recommend this book to those who like a lot of family dysfunction and who like to really think after you read a book. If you like your dysfunction to be redeemed, don't pick up this book. 

Peony in Love

Peony in Love by Lisa See - read in 2012. Oh how I wanted to love this book. I love two of her other books, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Shanghai Girls. A lot. So when I saw this book, Peony in Love, I decided to read it. Sort of. It was my 1st book on disc experience. And while I liked having someone read to me (ah! So this is what it's like for my girls!), I couldn't get into the book. The first quarter was fantastic. It is  about a girl from China who falls in love with a man even though she is betrothed to someone since birth. 


SPOILER ALERT!!!!! She ends up dieing from love sickness because she has to marry her betrothed and not the man she loves (they actually end up being the same man, but doesn't find out until right before she dies). That part of the story was wonderful. I loved it. Chinese Romeo and Juliet. Then the rest of the book happened. It was all about how Peony's 3 spirits were in 3 different places and how they end up coming together and her spirit ends up together with the man she loves. Weird, right? I thought so too, which is why I didn't finish the book and why I won't recommend it. It's always so sad when a book has such potential, but turns out to be bad.  

The Invisible Wall

The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein - read in 2012. Love, love, love this book. It's a memoir about a street in London. There was a Jewish side and a Christian side. And you guessed it, an invisible wall between the sides. The author wrote his 1st book (this one) when he was in his 90s. Amazing. I loved the book. I highly recommend it.

It has been especially pertinent to me now, with the Constitutional Amendment vote (May 8th 2012 in North Carolina). This is the marriage amendment. There is one side. And the other. Different from the book though, the wall between the two is quite visible. Yard signs stolen. Property damaged. Harsh words spoken. Human nature, my friends. That's human nature. It's not been pretty. And it's been both sides doing the damage. It has been sad to see people who I've thought were loving and caring be so mean to someone else just because they have a different opinion and vote on an issue. 

When reading this book, I expected to read about the wall between the two religions. After all, it was Europe near the time of WW1 and WW2. However, things haven't changed much have they. People are still disrespecting the other side. On both sides of the issue. Here's my soap box. I have my reasons to vote the way I will. And the opposite side has their reasons for voting the way they do. While I don't agree with their stance, I certainly respect their opinion and their right to it. And I expect the same. Just like you don't have to explain to my why you are choosing to vote the way you do, I don't need to explain to you.

I've heard this a lot: You're not a real Christian if you vote for this amendment. Yikes. I've also heard this: If you really know Jesus, you would vote against this amendment. Another yikes. This vote is not a litmus test for faith. People of all faiths are voting both for and against.

Thousands of Americans have given their lives so that we all can have our own opinion while in the voting booth. This is America. Respect one another's opinions. Vote your conscious. And I'll vote mine. I'm off the soap box now.

Back to the book. It's a great book and as you can tell from the above paragraphs, pertinent to today as well as back then.

Chinese Cinderella

Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah - sounds intriguing, doesn't it! That's what I thought, too when I accidentally ran across the title while searching for Disney's Cinderella movie to borrow from the library. I finished this book in one day (in 2011)...about 4 hours of reading. It's the author's memoir actually written for teens. I didn't realize until the end of the book that she also published her memoir for adults, Falling Leaves (which became an international bestseller) I tried to read this one as well, but there was just too much history that took away from the story. In any case, I would highly recommend this book. It's the story of an unwanted girl from China. She narrates her memoir as a child and it is just as well written as it is sad. And a great look into Chinese culture during the mid-1900s.

Women of the Silk and The Language of Threads

Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukitama - I love novels about the Chinese culture. This book was recommended to me by a dear friend, who also shares a love of Chinese culture. I could not put this book down! It was an easy read and I was eager to see what happened. It was the author's first novel...and very well written. When I finished the book (which I read in 2011), I admit I was left disappointed. I didn't care for how the book ended...until I realized there was a sequel -The Language of Threads. It picks up where Women of the Silk left off and completed the story beautifully. This one I read in 2 days (and payed for it in lack of sleep). I highly recommend these books!

I Capture the Castle

 I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. A friend of mine recommended this book in 2011 and so I read it. I'd give it a 7-8 out of 10. The story is great and if you like Jane Austen/Charlotte Bronte' type novels, you'll love this one. It didn't rate higher for me because of all the detail that was given. I love detail if it's succinct. This was not. And whatever you do, do NOT watch the movie. Badly done.

Little Bee

Little Bee by Chris Cleave. Read it for book club in 2011 and I highly recommend it. Everyone says it's best to read it without knowing much about it...and I agree. Just pick it up and read it (and not the reviews!)

A Prayer for Owen Meany

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. I have mixed reviews on this one. It was long. The parts about politics and religion were tedious and easily skipped over. I didn't connect much with the characters. It's a good thing Irving left several unanswered questions throughout the novel...otherwise I would have put it down. But because I wanted to know the answers, I kept reading...and I'm glad I did. The end was worth the read. 

Room

Room by Emma Donoghue. Amazing. Best read of 2011. I love books that have an interesting narrator...and this story is told by a 5 year old boy who has lived the whole of his short life in a small room. Well written, captivating, great story. Read it!!

Shanghai Girls

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. Here's what I've realized about myself: I don't pay much attention to the authors of a book. Just the title. Ask me the author of almost any book and I can't tell you. Sure, my absolute all time favorite books I can tell you. Memory Keepers Daughter - Kim Edwards. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak. Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Hurston. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See. The only author I have read multiple works of is Jhumpa Lahiri. Not even sure if I spelled that correctly. 


So I read another work by Lisa See. Shanghai Girls was wonderful. Similar to Snow Flower in the sense that it's set in the time of the Japanese invasion of China and is the story about the love (and frustrations) of two sisters. If you like Asian novels, this is a must read.

Still Alice

Still Alice by Lisa Genova. Mary K. recommended this book for our book club to read in 2011. And boy am I glad she did. It's now one of my new favorite books. It's an interesting look into a young woman with Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. It's funny. It's sad. It's clever. It's maddening. It's a wonderful story...and I learned some things about EOAD along the way.

Making the Terrible Twos Terrific

Making the Terrible Twos Terrific by John Roseman. I have a two-year-old (2011), in the biggest sense of the word. And that is enough explanation as to why I read this book. I love Roseman's traditional approach to raising kids. I love his firm yet loving take on discipline. And even though my two-year-old is my 3rd child, she has more "two-ness" in her than my first two combined. So, Kennedy my love...watch out. Your days of going through the "terrible twos" are numbered.  

Left Neglected

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova. Read this book in 2011. Amazing. Wonderful. Perfect. One of the only books I'd recommend to everyone. Regardless of what kind of books you like. I went into this book knowing nothing about what it's about...which I highly recommend. If I had known the plot, it would have lessened the effect (but not the greatness) of the book. Read it!!

Unbroken

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. I don't even know what to say about this book. Such sadness. Such capacity for evil in the heart of man. Yet such redemption. I love WW2 stories. I've read a ton of fiction about Nazi Germany...but not much about Japan and certainly no non-fiction. This is one of the books for our book club in 2011 and I'm so glad it was chosen. 

Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name

Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name by Vindela Vida - Somewhere between a recommend and highly recommend. It's PG13, so take that into account when you pick it up. And it's very heavy. Do not read it when you want an easy novel - you will be disappointed. But, if you're in the mood for some family disfunction (which if you know me, is one of my favorite types of books), this is the book for you. I read it in 2010 and it's one of those books that I'd like to read again.

Waiting for Snow in Havana

Waiting for Snow in Havana by Carlos Eire - I read this in 2010 and wouldn't recommend. Although I have a dear friend who liked it and apparently Amazon.com reviewers liked it, too. I thought his story had so much potential, but failed in his delivery of it. 

The Help

The Help by Kathryn Stockett - LOVED it. HIGHLY recommend it. One of my favorites of 2010. It's well worth all the rave it's gotten.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon - Loved it (read in 2010) and would recommend it to anyone. It's very well written, has a great storyline and characters, and is very believable.

Sarah's Key

 Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay - Sad. Tragic. Haunting. Endearing. Highly recommend, especially if you like Nazi Germany stories. I read this in 2010 and watched the movie in 2012. I highly recommend doing both (book first, of course!). 

Running With Scissors

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs - Read in 2010 and rated R for explicit homosexual rape, sex, and language. But it's well written, funny at times, and a terrifying look into abuse and mental illness. It's a good book - but only because it's true. Overall, I'd recommend it to those who have had severe abuse in their past (because they can relate and it wouldn't be as shocking) and for those who can stomach lots of language and sex. And I mean explicit. I literally almost threw up at one of the sexual abuse scenes...it's that disturbing. Can't say I'd recommend it to the masses though.

The Hours

The Hours by Michael Cunningham - Loved it. Read this one in 2010 and it's one of my favorite books. Cunningham is pretty much brilliant, which I'm guessing is why he won the Pulitzer Prize. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves good literature. Almost all his sentences were beautifully crafted. The plot was engaging. The characters fascinating and deep. 

Love Walked In

Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos. Good read (read in 2010), but not my favorite. Quirky book even if it is overall forgettable. I'd recommend it though

Welcome!

Welcome to my book blog! I know, I know. There are lots of book review blogs. Lots of sites like goodreads that I could track my books. I guess I just like to make more work for myself. 

For now, this blog is for me. To track my books, write snippets for me to remember them by, and to have a list of my favorite books that is easily accessible. If you happen to run across this blog and enjoy it, great! Thanks for reading! Leave me a comment and we can talk books! 

It will take me a while to get the blog how I want it. I have 4 children, ages 1 -7. I homeschool. I'm a busy gal. So, I'll work on the blog when I get a chance.