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.