Half of a Yellow Sun

By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie...FINALLY finished this book today...I had heard an author discussion on World Book Club through BBC Podcast and felt like it was something I would enjoy...after all I have read the memoir A LONG WAY GONE...and this book, while fiction, may shed some more light on some of the conflicts in Africa, which I know very little about. This is a fictional account of Biafra's struggle to establish an independent republic in Nigeria. The characters are well developed and you find yourself on the roller coaster ride of your life...this is effecting the characters in a variety of ways. They witness horrors and yet go through life in other ways so normally. I especially loved Ugwu the house boy and his struggles being from a village, yet also getting an education that somewhat removes him from his village life. Highly recommend this book! I am anxious to read more by this author.

Goosebumps Welcome to Dead House

By R L Stine...well, I can honestly say I had never read a Goosebumps before last night. I had finished my stats and decided a little light reading was in order. And...I had promised one of the kids at the Library I would read the first book by today. So...I read it. Okay, if I had read it when I was younger I would have thought it creepy...and even now I found it a little creepy...chapters end with slight suspense...some of it ended up being nothing...sometimes it was something horrifying...Josh and his sister move to a big creepy old house...they think it is creepy right away...then they start seeing things and feeling things that don't seem right. And what about those kids who say they have lived in their house? And why is their dog acting so bizarre? Read it and find out!

Eight Grade Bites

Chronicles of Vladmir Tod Book 1 by Heather Brewer...so, many vampire books are coming out in the wake of Twilight's success...and I find myself wanting to read some of them. My measure is still Anne Rice as the queen of all vampire writing...and to be honest you can't go wrong with Bram Stoker's Dracula either. But...these are teen books so I definitely want to try them out. So, I picked this first of a series out the other day and read it in an evening. Vladmir Tod is an eighth grade boy going through typical eighth grade things...but he is also half vampire, half human (is this even possible?). He survives because his guardian, an aunt, is a nurse and takes blood that is about to expire and brings it home for him to eat. She fills sandwiches, etc with blood so he can eat regular food with regular people. His best friend knows he is a vampire (why doesn't he tell everyone?) and keeps his secret. Someone is after Vladmir and killing people to get to him...but Vladmir is concerned about the school dance and a certain girl he is falling for...typical teenage issues packed into a book with vampires on the prowl...I will definitely read the next one...but I can't say I recommend it highly or anything. Sometimes I really enjoy a teen read...this was just okay. But I am sure there are plenty of teens out there who would enjoy this...and since this is from a guy's perspective, I think recommending to tween and teen guys would work just fine!

My Life in France

By Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme...I have been meaning to read this book for a long time, and now, with Julie and Julia coming to the big screen and part of this book being in the movie, I felt I wanted to read this sooner rather than later. I went on vacation and finished a couple of the books I had planned to read while I was gone, so I picked this one up to read on the way home. Ah, I admire Julia Child...I love that she married a man that took her to France to live away from her family...I love that she jumped into cooking with both feet...she admits she wasn't much of a cook before she was married and was inspired by eating a meal in France. From personal experience, I concur! Eating food in France will make you want to become a better cook and will also make you want to lift your nose in the air every time you taste sub par food. Hearing about her experience, learning to cook, trying out new recipes...thinking of writing a book...makes me want to do more with my cooking and baking! This doesn't cover her whole life...it was co-wrote with an author who finished the book after Julia passed away...and while there are snippets of her childhood, this picks up right about the time she is married and then carries the reader until her husband passes away. I highly recommend the book...read Julie and Julia if you haven't...it is also really good and makes you want to run out and buy Mastering the Art of French Cooking and taking a crack at it!

Envy A Luxe Novel

By Anna Godbersen...the third book in a series that I am enjoying immensely. It is Gossip Girls taking place at the turn of the century! The dresses, the proper behavior, and the scandals...it is all very interesting. We continue with characters from the previous two books The Luxe, and Rumors...and there is just as much back stabbing, romance, betrayals, and intrigue...and of course the book ends leaving you wanting more! With excerpts from gossip columns and high society papers...it makes it even more fun!

Jemima J

By Jane Green...what a fun Chick Lit read! So, overweight woman dreams of being with Mr. Perfect and discovers online dating. With some quick photo shop skills she looks INCREDIBLE on the Internet...but then he wants to meet her in person!! What will happen? Also discussed is friendships, being the person you are and not being something you are not, and some cultural themes (Jemima is from England, her love interest is Californian). I had fun reading it and felt that many of her thoughts about food and eating went right along with my struggles!