Such a Pretty Face

By Cathy Lamb...after a slow start...I started reading this in September...I finished it last night, from page 163 to the end...in one sitting.  Yes, it was that good...and I just HAD to know what happened.  Not for the weak of heart...this is a family drama, with a lot of skeletons, a lot of bad things...but good endings none the less!  Addresses issues of overeating, undereating, bullying and much more.  The story goes back and forth between present day and the main character Stevie's past.  I loved it, I teared up at the end!  I am asking myself why didn't I finish this sooner?

Water for Elephants

By Sara Gruen...after anticipating this novel...I have finally finished.  Again, with school, reading wasn't an option, so I listened to the book.  We chose the book for book club at the Library.  This book has had both people who LOVED it and people who were disturbed by it.  Of course I was intrigued.  It has taken me awhile to finish...but what a ride.  Learning about the circus, the hierarchy, the animals, the people and of course a love story.  Surrounded by odds that seem insurmountable, this story speaks of hope and perseverance.  Right before finishing I discovered that there will be a movie made of this book.  I am definitely interested in seeing how they do....but for now...I loved the book and would recommend it with a caution that there are things in the story that are disturbing.

Holy Smokes (Aisling Grey #4: Guardian)

By Kate MacAlister...while assisting a library patron in downloading the audio version of this book, we discussed the book, its characters and her fascination with the way in which the book was written.  I decided that I wanted to try it out.  I was sucked in immediately.  The writing was witty and humorous, though I wasn't too keen on the supernatural and fantasy...I loved the characters.  I haven't read any of the other books in the series.  I am interested in reading more.  Dragons, demons, prince of hell....all in a humorous setting and all with a wedding and a pregnancy.  It was fun!  The story itself was okay...but the dialogue and characters really helped keep me reading.

Gone Tomorrow (a Jack Reacher Novel)

By Lee Child...I listened to a podcast where Stephen King mentions loving Lee Child...and I decided to check it out.  The book was another listen...on CD.  Suspense, intrigue, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing right up to the very end.  Starts with a lady on a subway that is wired with a bomb...she shoots herself in front of Jack Reacher...and the rest of the novel is finding out who she was, why she did it, and it reminded me a lot of a Bourne novel with all of the different possibilities.  Kept me wishing I could be in the car more often for sure!

Playing Catch Up - Girl in Hyacinth Blue

By Susan Vreeland....I listened to this end of October to the beginning of November.  What a great story.  Starts in a more modern day...and traces the story of a painting.  This book was recommended to me this summer by a library patron.  I picked it up to read...and never got into it.  I noticed we had it on CD and started listening to it.  I was sucked in immediately!  Each part of the story has a different voice.  You meet people from all walks of life and with all sorts of stories.  It is amazing the lives that are touched by this painting.  I highly recommend!

Reading will continue...

I am nearly done with my school quarter.  I have been doing a lot of reading...but it just hasn't been books. I have spent a lot of time on Google Books and the Google News Archive.  Want to read some old newspapers?  Old magazines?  I was reading a Good Housekeeping from 1886, some Spokane Daily Chronicle from 1902 to 1919 and some old Spokesman Review from 1902 to 1924.  It is very fascinating the things you find on Google.  I am doing research on the Campbell House in Spokane for a project.  It has lead me to some neat things online!  If you are interested, let me know, I can show you how to get there.  Did you know there are tons of free books online?  Anyway, I am nearly done listening to Water for Elephants...and I plan to finish reading another book I started earlier in the quarter...and I plan to read A LOT over the Christmas break!  Let's see if I can average 3 books a week!  I have quite the stack I want to get through.  In the meantime...let me know what you are reading.  Any recommendations?

Weedflower

By Cynthia Kadohata...what a great read!  I actually listened to this book.  The subject matter was about a period in American History that is not taught about as much as it should.  Now, it seems we are thinking about something like this time again...which saddens me.  We get to see how a pre-teen, teen growing up just after World War 2 starts...she is Japanese.  Her parents have died and she is being raised by her aunt and uncle on their flower farm.  But...Pearl Harbor happens...and Sumiko and her family is moved...first to an assembly center at a racetrack, and then to an internment camp in Arizona.  I highly recommend this book to any reader!  Lots of great information and the story is catching.

Deciding what to read...

In my job, I am asked about what to read.  Here are a few of the ways I pick something to read...I have to say that over the years I have changed my methodology.  I used to just read what I liked.  How did I know that?  Well I would take about 20 books home, read the first couple chapters...if it didn't grab me, I would put it down and try another one.  I used to pick only a couple different genres...mystery, suspense, romance, westerns, science fiction, horror...I went through several phases.  Now, this is how I decide...

1. Does it look interesting?
2. Does the story grab me?
3. Did someone recommend it?
4. What is the subject matter?
5. Have I read about it somewhere?
6. Is it a genre I enjoy?

I have also expanded what I will read.  I read things that are out of my comfort zone...and have been pleasantly surprised!  So, try something new and different, you never know what gems you will find!

Native Seattle

Histories from the Crossing-Over Place by Coll Thrush...this was something I had to read for school.  I am taking a course called Hometown History.  Most of what I have read for this class I have enjoyed and this book wasn't any different.  I was impressed by the intertwining of Native American History and Seattle's History.  I loved the way the author intertwined stories from Seattle's past and present.  Many issues about how the city was formed, how the indigenous people where treated, and how the land was altered to form the city that is there today.  After reading this book I wanted to return to Seattle to check out some of the places mentioned.  I think someone from Seattle, someone who has lived in Seattle or someone who visits Seattle a lot would enjoy this book.  That being said...this is a history book.  It isn't dry...in fact it is interesting!  I recommend!

Frankenstein: Lost Souls

By Dean Koontz...ah, he has done it again...brought to life the Frankenstein that is more modern, more twisted, and more maniacal than ever!  Our favorite characters are back, Carson and Michael and Deucalion...Erica 5...and Victor.  In a book that could be read by itself...or as the fourth book in his Frankenstein series.  This is not for the easily scared or spooked.  This is definitely horror and suspense...and I LOVED it.  Can't wait for the next one coming allegedly in Spring 2011.  There is definitely some possible overlap with Crichton's Prey...but the rest is new and horrifying. 

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk

A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris.  My husband and I went to see him at the Fox in Spokane May 8th.  During this performance he read a couple of the stories from this book.  We thought they were hilarious.  Now, finally, I get to read them all!  They were all so funny, thought provoking and definitely pointing out some of the oddities we deal with on a daily basis.  As only David Sedaris can do...I loved it.  Also, just for fun, illustrator of Olivia, does some illustrations for this book!  I recommend for adults with a slightly twisted sense of humor.  This isn't for the prude...although I think you would find something of value contained within the covers of this book.  For David Sedaris fans...this does not disappoint!

Kira Kira

By Cynthia Kadohata...what an incredible book!  I recommend for families...for girls ages 8-12...although anyone would enjoy it.  The book is about a Japanese family and their struggle to survive in a culture who doesn't accept them, with a sick child, and their way of finding something positive through it all.  Told from the point of view of the middle child, Katie.  It starts when she is in Kindergarten and they move from Iowa to Georgia in the 1950s.  I really enjoyed listening to it.  I am currently listening to another book by the author, Weedflower.  This book brings up racism, labor unions, family relationships, and much more. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

By J K Rowling...I have read all seven of these books and thoroughly enjoyed them.  Several years ago when the series first started I let my boyfriend (now my husband) borrow book one on a business trip.  He finished it and couldn't wait to get home to start book two, so he bought a copy at a book store.  Ever since then he and I have read each one as they came out.  The year book 7 came out he was in France and couldn't wait to come home to read my copy...so he bought the british version there.  We have also listened to the books.  Jim Dale is an incredible reader and does voices and everything.  I decided in preparation for the movie's release in November to listen to book 7.  I was immediately swept up in the story.  The audio book is 17 discs long and took me over a month to listen.  I am not in the car that much!  Anyway, now that it is over, I see myself starting with book one again.  The other part of this is that kids who enjoy this book often ask me for books that are similar to this series.  I am stumped as a Librarian...as there are no series that measure up to Harry Potter.  There are books that are released to be similar...but I have found that none has sucked me in like Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione.

Reading for History Class

I have returned to school.  Because of that return, I am reading books about history.  One of my classes is about local history or hometown history, and the other talks about historical theory.  I have been reading books for class over the last three weeks and therefore my fiction count is down a little.

Telling the Truth about History by Appleby, Jacob and Hunt is an account of history and how it has been written and passed along through time.  Once linear, now less so...it is kind of a book that helps history make sense to those who enjoy reading it.  This was written with several readers in mind...so if you love history and want to see how history has come about, this is three authors' take on that.

A Crooked Line by Eley is about one historian and his struggle with history.  Eley wants to find his way and this is written with the academic in mind.  Some thought it was easier to read, others thought it was harder to read but it was interesting in its own way.

Spokane & the Inland Empire edited by Stratton was by far my favorite so far.  This book takes the area in and around Spokane and puts it into perspective, bringing in farming, women, Native Americans, railroad, mining, architecture, and the world expo.  The first essay answers the questions where are you from? and each of the essays after address a portion of that essay.  If you are from the area and dabble in history this may be a great read for you!

The Big Burn

Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan...it took me awhile to read this book.  Partially because I was reading several other things at the same time and partially because there were parts of this book that didn't interest me as much as others.  However the story of the fire that burned Montana, Idaho, and Washington kept me VERY interested.  The book follows several key characters that were around for the fire and follows what happened to them as a result.  The book also has a lot of politics.  Relationships between Teddy Roosevelt and William H Taft...and conservationists, and such.  It was interesting, but it didn't hold me as much as the account of the fire.

An Eagle Named Freedom

By Jeff Guidry...this book was chosen by our local book club.  We have one that meets at the Liberty Lake Municipal Library on the second Monday of the month at 1:30pm.  We had one of our members bring in a list of interesting books and this was one of them.  I wasn't sure what I would think of it.  I have loved some animal books I have read.  Marley and Me, Wesley the Owl, just to name a couple...so I looked forward to this one.  The book was good...but for those of you with a heightened sensitivity to animal stories...take your kleenex with you when you read!  I was on a plane when I was reading this and my husband kept asking me, what is wrong...as I sobbed into the book.  Maybe it wasn't that emotional, but it hit me just the same!

A Reliable Wife

By Robert Goolrick...on the back cover "He placed a notice in a Chicago paper, an advertisement for 'a reliable wife'.  She responded that she was a 'simple, honest woman'. "  This is the line that interested me in the book...and as I read the book I wondered what would happen.  It seemed to go one way, and then it went the other...and with more twists of plot, kept me reading until the very end.  Descriptive, like a novel written in another time...a romance, revenge, hatred, and redemption.  Many qualities I look for in a book.  I enjoyed the historical fiction aspect of it as well.  I recommend.

Books Books and More Books

I have been systematically going through my book collection.  It is really hard.  I have books that I salvaged when I worked at the Emerson R Miller Branch of the Newark Public Library in Newark, Ohio...ones that were withdrawn and I saved.  I have books that I have purchased through book sales, yard sales, flea markets, and stores.  I have books given to me by friends, family and my husband.  I have books my father purchased for me at auctions when I was young.  I have books whose authors I have tried to collect everything they have ever written.  I know that for some, this weeding process is easy.  Whatever you haven't touched or read recently...toss, give away, etc.  For me it is like getting rid of members of my family.  Many of them have memories attached to them.  And...what complicates things is that I am a Librarian...so getting rid of books is painful.  I realize carrying them around is silly.  So I have started going through them and deciding which ones will stay and which ones will go.  Unfortunately some of them are also getting thrown away...the books are too damaged or torn to keep.  What is funny is that some of these books have been with me since the 80s...people would often not help me move because over 50% of my possessions were books...and now, I am saying goodbye to some of them.  It is sad, yet freeing in a way.  Also, most of my books will go to a good cause.  I am giving the best ones to the Friends of the Liberty Lake Municipal Library for their book sale in October.  Some will get added to the collection at the Library and others will be sold and that money will go towards programming, materials and items the Library may need.

Let's Take the Long Way Home

A Memoir of Friendship...by Gail Caldwell.  I loved the idea of this book...talking about a friendship.  For women friendship is a mixed bag...we are fortunate if we can sustain a friendship because so many other things take up our time and energy.  Apparently author Gail found a friend in Caroline.  I don't think this will spoil the review...as this is what is said in the cover...but Caroline dies of cancer....Gail is left to pick up the pieces and mourn the loss of a friend.  She does this by recapping how they met, what they did together and how it all ends.  You almost feel like you are intruding into their relationship.  I wasn't especially sucked into the story or the content...but what I did take away from it was how precious friendship is and can be.  It made me think of my friendships both current and past...and for that I enjoyed the book.

Star Island

By Carl Hiaasen...can I just say this?  I LOVE this author.  I love his crazy characters...I love to hate his villains...I love what bizarre things happen to the cast of characters as the story unfolds.  This book was just as funny and unpredictable as his others.  There are several plots that eventually overlap and intertwine...which makes for fun reading.  This story talks about a rising star who is too into drugs and alcohol and sex...the obsessed paparazzi that follow her and those lives that get caught in the mix.  One of his reoccurring characters makes an appearance in the book as well.  Fun read!

Ramona and her Father

By Beverly Cleary...I am enjoying my trip down memory lane...re-reading the Ramona books.  It is a fun and light way to fall asleep!  I simply can't wait to read more.  I had forgotten that Ramona's dad lost his job and how the family tries to adjust.  The whole smoking issue...that was interesting as well.  Recommend as a read aloud for a family or for your child who is reading chapter books.  Fun and funny!

The Killing Room

By John Manning...okay, I was SUCKED in...and totally horrified.  As the pages turned I was wondering what was going to happen next...and who was behind it all.  This definitely reminded me of some of the great scary horror books of my youth...however a good friend told me that the book got hokey...and she wasn't kidding.  I was with it until the plot took a shocking twist and then it was just dumb...which was very disappointing.  I was interested that this book was made into a movie...maybe I will watch it.  It will probably give me nightmares!

Mockingjay

By Suzanne Collins...this was MUCH anticipated.  Book 2 left me hanging and I had a little less than a month before I could read this book!  Well, I wasn't disappointed.  This was the first book where I found myself wanting more action...but the story unfolded in a great way...and if had read faster I would have finished faster.  Loved the characters, the development of the plot and the eventual end.  Highly recommend...and if you haven't read any of this series...what are you waiting for?

Summer Reading Program Recap 2010

So, I started reading on June 19th and stopped logging at August 21st.  This is the deadline I set for everyone.  In this time I read 25 books...not bad!  I will say there were a few times when I wasn't reading as heavily as I normally do...and I did do some re-reading during this time!  Anyway, I loved tracking...I am always curious how much I read.  I tried to read a little of everything...and I think I managed to hit most genres and age groups!  Now I can get back to reading for fun...at least until Sept 22..I return to school and will not be able to read anything but audio until I go on break in December.  All of my reading will need to be school related!

Happy Reading!

Pretty Little Liars Book 1

By Sara Shepard...I had heard good things about the new TV series...and then girls starting asking for the books.  I haven't read beyond book one of the A-List...I haven't read any of the Clique...but adore the Gossip Girls series (a guilty pleasure).  So, I was anxious to see how this series would be.  I was amazed at how young the girls start out...and then the story flashes forward to their teenage years...it is all about friends, enemies, popularity, trying to figure out who you are, etc.  I enjoyed the book...and there is a bit of a mystery involved...I do plan to read more of the series but I have to say I loved Gossip Girls more!  Who knows...maybe book 2 will hook me!

A Crooked Kind of Perfect

By Linda Urban...what a fun listen.  Yes, I listened to this one.  Just three CDs long...it didn't take long for me to get swept up in the story of a girl who dreams of playing Carnegie Hall.  Instead her father buys her an organ...and she begins a new dream...her mother works, her father has issues with being in public...so he does things from home.  Then there is Wheeler...and her old friend who has kind of left her behind.  It was a cute and fun story!  I highly recommend!

Someone Like You

By Sarah Dessen...my third book by this author.  So far my favorite is Dreamland...but this one was all about friendship and being there for your friend during a difficult time in her life.  It was good...but not my absolute favorite...it was funny, bittersweet, and in parts really hard to read!  But...if you want to relive the test of friendship and what that means to a teen...this is the book for you!

All the Pretty Dead Girls

By John Manning...creepy.  I went through a phase when I was in my teens reading John Saul, Stephen King, and Dean R Koontz.  I loved being terrorized by the monsters in a very love/hate thing...and while some nights I couldn't sleep...I still opened the book and kept reading.  It has been awhile since I have been creeped out by a book.  I loved Koontz's take on Frankenstein...but forgot about those old horror novels of my youth.  This one brought me back.  If you want to be kept up at night, or sleep with the lights on...if you want to know that evil is in the world.  This book will take you there!

Ramona the Brave

By Beverly Cleary...yet another fond return to books of my childhood!  What a fun story...I will continue to make my way through the Ramona series...it is something light and definitely fun.  I forgot how fun it was!

Neverwhere

By Neil Gaiman...I have read other books by Neil Gaiman...some with great anticipation.  This was not one of them.  Recommended by a teen...and my husband who LOVES this author, I read it to kill time on an airplane until the 10,000 feet mark so I could read by Kindle.  It turns out that while I wasn't totally hooked on the book I could not put it down.  I simply had to know what was happening next.  Richard has recently moved to London.  Richard is a normal guy, recently engaged and lives a very normal life.  One evening he gets into a disagreement with his fiancee and sees a girl who is dressed bizarrely and helps her.  Because of this help he is no longer visible to those who knew him...and he ends up in the world under London.  Much adventure begins.  I liked the book, but admit it isn't for everyone!

Pillars of the Earth

By Ken Follett...it is 12th century England, we meet several characters, Phillip the Prior, Tom Builder, and Elaine of the forest.  Their lives and the lives of those they touch intertwine in this novel about building churches in the middle ages.  I read this book because Starz was coming out with a mini series...and I wanted to watch.  As I told people I was reading this book I found that many people view this as one of their favorites.  This intrigued me.  The story has a lot of history about building gothic cathedrals, fighting in England, family dynamics, evil men, and war.  I was definitely hooked and enjoyed the read!  I look forward to trying some of Ken Follett's other novels.

Dreamland

By Sarah Dessen...this author is recommended more to me by my teens than any other author in our collection.  I have read only one of hers and was told this was the one to read.  I was pleasantly surprised by this book.  I started it as an audio and decided I couldn't wait to see what happened next.  It is Caitlin's birthday and her older sister Cass has disappeared.  Her sister Cass was everything to everyone and Caitlin feels the pressure to be more like her.  She ends up in a relationship with a boy, Rogerson...and things start to go downhill.  Who can she turn to?  What will she do?  This is an emotional ride.  I highly recommend!

The Madonnas of Leningrad

By Debra Dean...came recommended by several library patrons and several local book clubs have taken on this book.  It is a short read full of history, though this book is historical fiction.  You bounce back and forth in time from the present to the world of Russia WW2.  Our main character is dealing with confusion and her family doesn't realize how bad it is getting.  She does remember packing the paintings from the Hermitage and learning what was hanging where so she could give tours through the museum.  It was a good read!

Ramona The Pest

By Beverly Cleary...the second in the Ramona series.  What a walk down memory lane.  I giggled as I remembered Ramona going to kindergarten...meeting the girl with the BOOIINNNGGG curls and being engaged with earthworm to Henry Huggins...it was all so fun to re-read.  Moms, if you are looking for something to read with your new readers...this is it.  Or if you just want to start reading a chapter book at night...this is fun and there is lots to experience.  I highly recommend.

Beezus and Ramona

By Beverly Cleary...I decided to take a trip down memory lane and re-read some of the Ramona books.  A movie was released today based on some of the books and I wanted to read and see if they were as great as I remembered them as a kid.  They were.  I was laughing out loud at much of the book and I remember feeling like Beezus a lot!  Read them to your kids, read them with your kids, have your kids read them...they are so timeless and still really funny!

Skeletons at the Feast

By Chris Bohjalian...I am a HUGE fan of WW2 novels.  This one sucked me right in.  I was listening to it on audio when finally I just couldn't take it anymore...I needed to find out how it ended...I got the book and read the last two chapters!  I loved this book.  I loved the characters, I loved the descriptions, I loved everything about the book.  Warning to those who are queasy...there are some parts that aren't pretty.  But, I think it followed with the theme and direction of the book.  I cared for the characters...felt cold as we trudged through the Winter...and I cried.  Highly recommend!

Hard Laughter

By Anne Lamott...I have read her essays.  I read this book for book club.  I have to say I wasn't immediately drawn in, nor can I walk away and say I loved it or enjoyed it.  There were funny parts.  I loved the 10 year old character in the novel...but I left the book thinking what is all of the fuss?  She is a good author...and I have heard good things about her books and essays.  But, I just wasn't hooked into the story and therefore...maybe not as enthralled as I might have been.  The book club felt this book was great and they can't wait to read more by her.  Maybe I will have to try her again sometime!

I Am The Messenger

By Markus Zusak...recommended to me by a local teen that frequents the Library.  I decided to take this book on vacation with me and read it before the place reaches 10,000 feet so I could read my Kindle.  Well, the plot and characters sucked me in enough that I kind of forgot that I was reading anything on my Kindle.  Ed Kennedy is 19 (but has lied to get a job as a taxi driver and said he is 20).  He lives in a shack with a big smelly dog.  He plays cards with his friends and he is in love with one of his friends...but after a bank robbery he starts receiving cards in the mail with cryptic instructions...who is sending these cards?  Why are they sending them?  And...some of these tasks aren't so easy.  What does it all mean?  That is all I will say!  I would recommend for adults and older teens...there is some questionable materials...though that is not the focus of the story!

Still Alice

By Lisa Genova...I have had about 5 library patrons ask me to read this book.  I finally checked it out and realized I had inadvertently skipped someone on the wait list...so I returned it.  I ended up loading it on my Kindle and read it.  WOW, what a book.  This book addresses Alzheimer's disease.  Alice Howland is a Harvard Professor.  She is 50 years old and at the top of her game.  She starts to forget things...and finds out she is the early stage of Alzheimer's.  This book is from the point of view of Alice...but reactions from family members are there as well.  Many people have told me it is a depressing book...but the last person who recommended it to me said she saw it as inspiring...I would have to agree with her.  You will definitely need your tissue box in places...but overall I believe the message is a positive one and coming from a fiction novel...that is so refreshing! 

Catching Fire (The Second book of the Hunger Games)

By Suzanne Collins...I want to review this book...but I fear I will give away something as I do it.  This book I waited to read because I didn't want too much time to pass between this book and the release in August of the final book of the series.  I could not put this book down and I am awaiting the third book with great anticipation.  I love the characters, I love the moral dilemma, I love the excitement.  She writes in a way that gets you involved and thinking what would you do?  This book is more about sacrifice than survival (which is the word I would give the first book).  I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

By Stieg Larsson...I was anxious to start this last book...I wasn't sure what I would find at the other end.  I was worried that I would be left hanging as this book was supposed to be part of a 10 book series.  I also didn't want the series to end.  I also wondered after all of my anxiety over what will happen next if this third book could keep up the momentum.  It does.  It can.  It was suspense, drama, a little romance, mystery, and intrigue all rolled into a package that I could not put down.  I will say of the series book two was the one I had the hardest time walking away from...but this one did not disappoint either!  HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

David Sedaris

I have re-listened to two of his books over the last couple of weeks.  I chose ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY (because my sister had never heard him before and I thought this would be the way to introduce him to her) and DRESS YOUR FAMILY IN CORDUROY AND DENIM because of the story about his brother (which first time hearing it caused me to drive off the road).  I have been fortunate to see him THREE times live.  I highly recommend!  The latest was here in Spokane!  I have read and listened to all of his books at least once...and I find myself recommending his books to people.  He is dark...he has a dark sense of humor and often people may find it disturbing.  I LOVE it!  He also has a way of telling stories about his family and relationships that makes you think he could be talking about someone you know.   I am waiting anxiously for the release of his new book in October of this year...although he said it may not be him reading the audio...and he is the reason that often you find yourself avoiding the edge of the road while laughing so hard you are crying.  It was asked in one of the more recent concerts I attended if any of his material is suitable for children...IT IS NOT!  He writes for adults.  And for those adults who have child's ears...this isn't for you either!  For the rest of you dark and twisted souls...this is an author you need to pick up and LISTEN to...it is his delivery that makes you laugh!  Although reading his stuff yourself is also funny!

Hunger Games

By Suzanne Collins...I read this in November 2008...but decided I should re-read it because the third book of the trilogy comes out in August.  I haven't read the second book yet...but I wanted to refresh my memory.  What a delightful re-read.  I loved it even more the second time around...finished it in an evening and loved reliving the excitement of a book that pits teens against each other TO THE DEATH in a world of the future.  Not so futuristic that you will roll your eyes, in fact, it is really rather realistic.  Now on to the second book in the series CATCHING FIRE.  I can't wait to read what happens next.  If you haven't read this book, I would recommend for adults of all ages...and teens of course!  Lots of action and suspense with some survivalist stuff as well!

The Carrie Diaries

By Candace Bushnell...wasn't sure what I would think of this book.  I have read (or struggled to read) some of her other books without much success...this I finished just a few moments ago and LOVED it!  I have been a huge fan of the TV series (I own it on DVD) and have seen one of the two movies...and am anxious to see the other.  I LOVED meeting Carrie in high school.  Her friends, her loves, her family and her trials as a teen.  This talks about her love for writing and how she gets into that...her choice to head to New York City, and this is a book to laugh and cry over (okay, maybe not cry, but feel sorry for).  I recommend!

Sundays at Tiffany's

By James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet...I had been curious about this book though I am not a huge fan of Patterson.  I bought the book to take with me to read while a plane took off and landed (can't use my Kindle during that part of the flight).  The story was sweet, slow moving and romantic.  Not usually my cup of tea..but an interesting premise.  We meet Jane as a young girl with an imaginary friend and then Jane grows up...and she meets a man that looks a lot like her imaginary friend.  Is he real?  As I said, it was sweet, not something I would normally recommend or even read myself, but I finished it!  If you love the light fiction, light romance, a little supernatural, this is the book for you!

Henry's Sisters

By Cathy Lamb...I finished this book awhile ago (so I can't count this as my summer reading book).  I had been recommended Julia's Chocolates by the same author and loved it.  So, I decided to try this one as well.  The story is happy, sad, tragic, vivid, and about family.  There are so many facets to the story.  The story focuses on a man named Henry who is disabled...and the one thing that unites the family.  His sisters come back home to care for him and their grandmother while their mother goes in for surgery.  This is a story about the bond of sisters, friendship, love of a community, forgiveness, and trust.  I would recommend, though I would warn there are a couple parts that are pretty graphic in the story, though that is not the focus of the book.

The Lady of the Lake

By Mavis Admundson...a quick read.  I picked this little paperback up while on a trip to the Olympic Peninsula.  We had just stayed in a cabin on Lake Crescent and while nosing around the gift shop I came across this gem.  A body of a woman was found by a couple fishermen in Lake Crescent in 1942.  Due to the temperature of the lake and how it had been tied, the body was well preserved...which led to the capture and conviction of her killer.  It was an interesting read and historical as well!  This was nonfiction and I recommend to anyone.

Shiver

By Maggie Stiefvater...I was asked to read this book by SEVERAL people...and finally broke down and read it.  What a good read!  Star crossed lovers Sam and Grace enter the world of werewolves and humans in this very touching, very romantic story.  Who is watching Grace from the woods?  What happened to Jack, her classmate?  Why is Olivia acting so strange?  Some of the twists and turns you don't see coming...and it is fun.  I recommend to teens who are done with Twilight and adults who enjoy reading YA fiction!

Summer Reading Program

This year the theme of Summer Reading is Make a Splash, Make Waves, or Water Your Mind depending on your age.  I have decided that I will keep track of all of the books I read between June 19 and August 21.  I am curious how many books I can read and what sorts of books I can get my hands on.  The summer reading program at the Liberty Lake Municipal Library is for ages 4-104 and I would encourage anyone to participate.  At the very least you can get a reading log and earn a free book!

Happy Reading!

The Girl Who Chased the Moon

By Sarah Addison Allen...another great story from this author.  I loved every minute of it.  The ties of magic, mystery, drama, and light romance make for a great, fun read!  Highly recommend if you need something to keep your interest while sunning by the pool or catching rays on a boat!  I have to say that many thought this was the best she had written...my fave by this author was Sugar Queen.

Fahrenheit 451

By Ray Bradbury...I had never read this book.  I guess it slipped through my school years somehow.  I heard a teen in the library say they had to read the book and they thought it was awful...and it peaked my interest.  I immediately checked out the audio book and on a trip to Seattle read it.  I have to say I was immediately hooked.  A fireman who burns things?  Interesting!  The more I listened, the more I got hooked.  The characters, the plot, and the answers to why anyone would burn a book...EEK as a Librarian that makes me cringe.  I decided to listen to the interview at the end of the disc.  I wondered about when this was written, what was going on in the world.  This was written right before the McCarthy era...and fear in the U.S. was running high...interesting to know what an author will guess may happen based on this fear.  Have I hooked you yet?

Hush Hush

By Becca Fitzpatrick...recommended by a teen, I resisted reading this book for a long time...but finally gave in.  I am kind of done with the supernatural...I think TWILIGHT has beat it out of me...then Patterson and his Maximum Ride...I wasn't sure I wanted to read it...but I did.  It was a great book!  I was hooked within the first couple of chapters.  Nora Grey is in high school...she plans to go to college, she has a best friend and her new lab partner, Patch.  There is something about him...she can't quite put her finger on it.  He is a fallen angel who desperately wants to become human.  What will he do to make that happen?  What will others do to stop him?  And...is Nora caught in something that may end with her dead?  I recommend!

The Art of Mending

By Elizabeth Berg...An annual trip home turns Laura's life upside down.  Her sister drops a bombshell on her about their childhood, her brother doesn't believe it, and her father dies suddenly.  This book talks about families and the relationship they have...or don't have.  You can choose your friends but you can't choose your family.  Laura is 50, a quilter, married and with two children...she has left her family behind and now her sister brings up things that happened in the past, Laura is left to decide what to do about the bombshell.  I found this book very interesting and it brought up thoughts about family, loyalty, and how to face the past.  I recommend to anyone!

Julia's Chocolates

By Cathy Lamb...Julia has been hit one too many times...so she leaves the day before her wedding and goes to her aunt's house where she spent some of her childhood.  Her life changes in big ways...job, purpose, friends, but her past still looms over her.  This book was recommended to me by a library patron and I finished it in less than two days...the characters were involved, the plot interesting and the message of self discovery and starting over...I loved it.  Also, she can make good chocolate!  I am excited to read other books by this author. Recommend for female readers...

Bold Spirit

Helga Estby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America by Linda Hunt...I read this book for book club.  What an incredible story...and how maddening.  I can't really go into why I say that...you will have to read it and find out.  But, this woman's journey was incredible.  She walked from Spokane, WA to New York City from May to December...wearing the clothes of the time...with her eldest daughter...they fought off tramps and highwaymen...they met tons of people and to my delight they passed through Atlantic, IA...a place I am VERY familiar with.  If you like stories about women with tenacity and spirit...if you like history, if you like history but can't read it because it is too dry...try this book...it was incredible...and it gets you thinking about how a woman like that would be received in today's world!  I highly recommend.  A side note...written by a local author!

Committed

A Skeptic makes Peace with Marriage...By Elizabeth Gilbert...I read Eat, Pray, Love twice...once with the book and once with audio...I loved it and wanted all of my girlfriends to read it.  Now, I want to replace that book with this one.  I wasn't sure about this book.  I believe in marriage...the commitment of two people for life.  I realize that sometimes that doesn't work for everyone...but in my heart of hearts I wished it worked for everyone.  This book was EXACTLY what I needed to hear.  Elizabeth makes peace with marriage...and in doing so, brings out a lot of history and assumptions about marriage.  It made me think about my marriage and thoughts that I had before I got married.  I recommend this to EVERYONE!  Be warned...some of the thoughts Elizabeth has may not agree with what you believe...but I think she has a handle on what people should think about BEFORE marriage!  Enjoy the book..and if you are a friend of mine reading this blog.  READ IT!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

By Steig Larsson...I have seen the books, I have even been told there is a Swedish film...so of course I felt the need to check it out.  Turns out that this mystery, suspense, thriller kept me guessing right up until the very end.  Loved the characters...but want to warn readers the content is not for the weak of stomach.  There are parts that are vividly described!  It is obvious from the beginning the author has it out for those who abuse, misuse, and murder women...but you aren't sure what direction the book will take!  I can't wait to read the next one!

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

By Jamie Ford...This book was recommended to me by a patron.  I mentioned reading Shanghai Girls and a couple others and she thought I would enjoy this book.  And...I did!  A mixture of history, romance, and family drama all set in Seattle, WA.  A chapter of history that includes internment camps and racism.  The story grabbed me...and kept me interested until the very end.  I recommend to both men and women readers!

Garden Spells

By Sarah Addison Allen...what a fun read!  I just finished The Sugar Queen and thought I would give this one a try.  It will make you hungry looking at the recipes and treats made by the main character.  A little mystery, a little romance, a little magic all equaled a good read!  Highly recommend to someone looking for something light and fun!  Two sisters dropped off at their grandmother's when they were young, one stayed, the other ran away but finds herself returning, on the run from something...high school loves, one who has sworn off love, and one very persistent tree...yep I said a tree!  Read it and find out!

Objection

By Nancy Grace...this definitely deviates from my normal every day reading. I can't say that I liked it nor can I say I didn't like it. It was interesting, different and much like how she does her show. Lots of information about the legal system and how it is FLAWED...so if you have visions of justice, truth and all of that...this isn't the book for you. Can't say much else about this as I am discussing this in book club Monday at 1:30pm! Come by for the discussion if you like!

Sugar Queen

By Sarah Addison Allen...my first exposure to this author. I LOVED it! I can't wait to read her others. The story takes place in a small ski town. The main character finds a woman in her closet and agrees to hide her, like she hides her passion for sugar. She is an only child and has decided her lot in life is to care for her mother, who hates her. She is secretly in love with the mailman. But nothing ever happens...and she will never leave this town...but then things start happening, one thing after the other. Mysteries will be revealed, people have certain things that happen to them. A little magic, human drama, and humor are all part of this novel. I listened to it and definitely didn't fall asleep!

House Rules

By Jodi Picoult...I became a fan of this author picking up Nineteen Minutes. Many of her books are the type that once you pick them up you cannot put them down. This story is told from different points of view...one of the characters has Asperger's. A town experiences a murder, a mother juggles her life between her son with Asperger's and her son that is normal...and the plot takes off. Now, I should mention that Picoult is not for the person who wants a happy escape from reality. Her books are strong, raw, highly emotional and definitely there should be Kleenex nearby. Also, you don't really know all of the pieces until it is the end. I haven't liked her two most recent books, but this one...LOVED IT!

London Bridges

By James Patterson...a thriller, an Alex Cross mystery, need I say more? Do you need to read the Alex Cross books in order? No, while there are story lines that cross books, the mystery is pretty much solved within the book. Now, if you have read Pop Goes the Weasel, you are ready to read this book. If you haven't read it yet, then you need to read that one first, then read this one as there is more of a plot crossover. You don't find out who done it until the end...lots of suspense and drama. Recommended if you are a Patterson fan...if you aren't and are looking for something suspenseful...I recommend this to you!

Garlic and Sapphires

By Ruth Reichl...Once a New York Times food critic...Ruth takes us on a journey. She tells us how she became the food critic of the New York Times and how she adjusted to her life in New York. She also talks about food in a way that will make your mouth water. Her chapter on steak made me want steak so bad I told my husband the next meal had to be steak prepared as she described in her article. She mixes personal story with her experiences and eating and then just manages to add recipes in for good measure. Funny, descriptive, and lots of fun reading...if you are a foodie...this is a MUST READ!

Small Island

By Andrea Levy...I heard a book discussion on the BBC World Book Club and it made me want to read the book. I recommend the BBC World Book Club to anyone who is looking to read international authors. I have found quite a few books this way. However, know that if you listen to the book club you will hear about the whole book...although I would argue it isn't the same as reading it yourself! http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/wbc/ Here is a link if you are interested!

But, I found that this book was very interesting. Gilbert is from Jamaica and has come to England to fight in World War 2...Queenie is an Englishwoman who is renting her rooms to get by after the war...and Hortense is Gilbert's wife who comes to live in England with her husband. There is much in this book, racism, relationships, war, and colonialism. The characters and well developed and you empathize with them as they make their way through a post war England.

Gone

By Jonathan Kellerman...I have read a few of the Alex Delaware novels...and this is one that I enjoyed. I didn't find out "who done it" until late in the book. However I should mention for those who are weak of stomach...this could have some disturbing parts in it. The mystery, the investigation and the final moments make this book a great mystery, suspense! I would recommend to anyone who loves a good mystery with a little something extra. If you want another good mystery/suspense try MONSTER by the same author!

Fancy Nancy Tea Parties

By Jane O'Connor...for parents of girls who love Fancy Nancy, here is a guide to throwing a tea party Fancy Nancy style! I loved this book...the illustrations, the simplicity of the party planning and I am a lover of all things tea...so this was perfect for me! I am a little girl at heart and there is NOTHING like serving tea to a few of your friends.

Shanghai Girls

By Lisa See...May and Pearl are sisters growing up in Shanghai in the 1930s. Their lives seem easy but their father has plans for them and they are married off to help pay a debt. They are sent to America. Their lives become even more complicated as they struggle to return to the way they lived before. This is not only a story about sisters and the complications that come with a family relationship but a story of two Chinese women making their way in America. The story is riddled with historical truths about the time. I guess this is one of the reasons I love Lisa See's novels. The story is good, but so is the history! I highly recommend. Also, as a side note, the book was left with the possibility of another book...at least I think so. Hopefully I won't be disappointed!

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

By Mohsin Hamid...I was turned on to this book listening to one of my favorite podcasts, the World Book Club by BBC. I have been trying to read more international authors...and this is definitely one of my favorites. Written as a narrative, it takes place from about 4pm to evening and we meet Changez from Pakistan...educated at Princeton, lived in America, returned and telling a stranger (an America) his life. It has the run of emotions as the reader wonders what is going on or what will happen next. Love, loss, triumph and failure are all in Changez's story. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, didn't want to put it down. This is a short read, but powerful.

A Cup of Tea

By Amy Ephron...a love story from 1917. This fictional novel (although it is more like a novella, it is so short) is about a love triangle. Rosemary meets a cold and hungry Eleanor one evening and invites her home for tea...Rosemary is engaged to Phillip, who is friends with Jane who is also friends with Rosemary. Once Eleanor leaves Rosemary's house Jane tells Eleanor where she can find a job...and the rest is history. Phillip comes to where Eleanor works and falls in love. Out of duty he marries Rosemary...and the plot thickens. I won't say anymore...but it is tragic. Want to curl up on the couch with a tissue and just get sucked away to 1917, this is the book for you. I don't highly recommend it...but it was an okay read...and short!

Living Dead Girl

By Elizabeth Scott...I was drawn to this book because someone said "I kept thinking the book would end well and it didn't". The story is haunting...Alice has been living with Ray since she was 10 years old...she can't eat much, she has to be home at a certain time and she is home schooled. But Ray isn't her father and Alice is 15 now...who was she before? Now Ray is making her do something she wants to do...but will she be free? I really can't say much else...it would give it away. But, what an incredible book...and what a sad story!

Cape Refuge

By Terri Blackstock...just finished listening to this mystery in the car. I knew that Terri Blackstock was a Christian fiction author...sometimes that means different things. I will say that in places the book is a little preachy...and there are characters who struggle with their faith. The mystery portion I found to be great. I had NO IDEA who had committed the murders until the last minute...which I LOVE in a mystery. If you love a good mystery but prefer not to blush when reading...this is the series for you! This is the first of five I believe! As for me...I may continue reading the series, I may not...I like to shake things up a bit and try a book that I wouldn't normally choose. I have to say it was a pleasant surprise! And...one of the main characters is a Librarian...what's not to like about that?

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. What fond memories...I think I read this book for the first time in 3rd or 4th grade and then read it several times making this reading either my 6th or 7th! I loved the book when I was younger, a little shocked when I finally saw the Disney version (as most of the characters were not as I had imagined) but I did love them just the same...and the FLOWERS...my favorite part next to the Cheshire Cat! But, it was fun to re-read...seemed a little simpler running through them again. Also got a kick out of the ramblings of Alice when she tries to make a decision...sounds so familiar to me! Anyway, I highly recommend these books and...the movie comes out tomorrow...I am excited to see the Tim Burton version!

Splendor

A Luxe Novel by Anna Godberson...the long awaited 4th book in this series that takes place at the turn of the century...love the dresses, love the scandal and love the characters. This book didn't take as many twists and turns as some of the other books but the characters you love to hate were there, Penelope tries to hook up with a prince, the former maid Carolina Broad is getting ready to marry into wealth, and our favorite characters Elizabeth and Diana have things to deal with of their own. It is all very twisted and scandalous...and still makes me what more!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

By Jeff Kinney....if you have a child in grades 2nd to 7th, they may have read this book...or all four books in the series. Especially boys...they LOVE this series. The book is written as a journal of a middle school boy...and he draws as well as writes in his journal. The movie based on the book comes out March 19th (pushed back from its original date of April 2nd due to the release of CLASH OF THE TITANS!) Well, I wanted to know what all of the fuss was about. So I read it. What a hilarious book! No wonder so many kids love it. I have two copies of each of the books at the library and I am lucky if one is ever in! I was fortunate enough to snag this one a couple days ago...and read it in about 45 minutes! I recommend. The family is fun! Mom, Dad, older brother, and younger brother support Greg. He has a best friend and of course wants to find a girlfriend...and keep away from the bullies! First in a series of four (so far)...I recommend as a family read or for a child ages 8 to 11...

Carrion Comfort

By Dan Simmons...a book that was recommended by my best friend of several years! She wanted us to read and discuss...I wasn't too excited about reading ANOTHER vampire book...the world seems saturated with them right now. But, I read that Stephen King endorsed it, it has won some awards and was written in 1989...so it seemed like there could be some promise. I was hooked from the first moment I started reading. My friend said she couldn't get into it...I was having difficulty doing anything I was supposed to do. Delightfully creepy and definitely a new take on being a vampire...not the bloodsucking variety at all! Ties to the Holocaust and Hollywood...and several twists and turns along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed it. THIS is a vampire book I can recommend along with my favorite, the queen of vampires, Anne Rice!

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

By Alexander McCall Smith...speared on by watching the HBO series...I decided to listen to the first book in the series. I was not disappointed. Of course there were differences between the series and the book. I loved both. Some of the book was altered for the series. I loved the characters, the plot, the mysteries and the exposure to life in Botswana. The main character Ma Precious Ramotswe...is awesome. She has life and she is not afraid of anything...well if she is she gets over it quickly! Her relationships with others, her inquiring mind, and her love of bush tea are some of the things I loved about the book. This is a series...and I look forward to reading more! (or listening as the case may be)

Push

By Sapphire...meet Precious Jones, she is an illiterate 16 year old who has been abused by her father and mother. She is pregnant with her second child and gets kicked out of school. She is sent to a different school where she meets a teacher who is determined to give Precious some hope. This is a powerful book, with a powerful message. I will also warn that it is very graphic and may not be suitable for all audiences...though I would argue that this is something everyone should read. This book has been made into a movie PRECIOUS. After reading the book I am anxious to see the movie.

The Patron Saint of Liars

By Ann Patchett...a few years ago I picked up a book called Bel Canto by this author and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. It was unlike anything I had ever read before and I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I am not sure what genre it would fall in...perhaps just well written fiction with a plot that really sucks you in. I was hesitant to read another book by this author because that one was so good. This is also one of her earlier books...so sometimes authors aren't as polished. Well I picked up the book Monday and finished it two days later. What an incredible story.

I will just quote the back cover of the book

St Elizabeth's is a home for unwed mothers in the 1960s. Life there is not unpleasant, and for most it is temporary. Not so for Rose, a beautiful, mysterious woman who comes to the home pregnant but not unwed. She plans to give up her baby because she knows she cannot be the mother it needs. But St Elizabeth's is near a healing spring, when Rose's time draws near she cannot go through with her plans, not all of them. And she cannot remain forever untouched by what she has left behind...and who she has become in the leaving.

I recommend!

Things Fall Apart

By Chinua Achebe...What a book! My first exposure to this book was listening to the BBC's World Book Club and listening to a discussion about the book. I guess some people would think this would ruin the book for them. Turns out that this book was not exactly what I expected. I also noticed that a lot of schools have this book on their recommended reading list. So..I got it and listened to it on audio. If you are looking for a happy story, this isn't it. We follow the rise and fall of a man named Okonkwo. We learn about tribal life in Nigeria. We learn about how colonialism effects this tribe in particular and how it effects this man. We rise and fall with Okonkwo...his triumphs, his failures, his struggles...and while I didn't connect with the character, I did see things through the eyes of the tribe and their customs. It was educational and interesting...

Shutter Island

By Dennis Lehane...this author has written some great books that have been made into some great movies (Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone)...this book is made into a movie as well...but after reading the book, I am not sure I want to see the movie. Now, the book was so good, so suspenseful, so unpredictable...but now that I have read the book, I think that the movie won't have the same suspense factor. Although...the book keeps you guessing, right up until the very end. Two US Marshalls are called to an island to investigate the disappearance of a mental patient...from the moment they arrive things are weird...the staff seem unhelpful, protocol hasn't been followed...what is going on? Things from one of the marshall's past comes to the surface and things take a totally different twist...it definitely kept me guessing and page turning all the way to the end! Incredible especially if you love suspense and like to be kept guessing!

Knit the Season

A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel by Kate Jacobs..ah another book in the Friday Night Knitting Club series...and doesn't disappoint. More about all of your favorite characters Dakota, James, Catherine, Anita and Gran from Scotland. This takes place during the holiday season...there are wedding bells in the future, plans to be made about school, the shop and new relationships. What a great fun read!

Different Drummers

By Don Caron and Lyle Hatcher...what an INCREDIBLE book. I would recommend this book to all ages! I think that families could read this one together. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who knows someone with ADHD...or something similar. This is about two boys and their friendship. This was a quick read for me, less than two days...but what a powerful message and it did give me a lot to think about. There is really something in this book for everyone...school, parents, relationships, friendships...just incredible. You will laugh, cry and roll your eyes with the characters in the book. Also...for all of you locals here...this author is from Spokane...so local talent!

The authors will be at the Liberty Lake Municipal Library on Wednesday February 3rd at 6:30pm to do a reading and discussion. They will also have copies of the book you may buy and get signed! Should be an awesome event. Thanks to Jean at Barnes and Noble for setting this up! Hope you see you there!

Sarah's Key

By Tatiana De Rosnay...someone I know had just finished this book and recommended it to me. I was eager to read it as I enjoy books about the Holocaust...whether fiction or nonfiction. The story sounded appealing...a little girl is taken with her family during an event that happened in France during WW2...she locks her brother in a cabinet and takes the key with her promising to return. She and her family are taken to a camp, boarded on a train and taken to Auschwitz. So what about the boy?? The girl is frantic. What ruins the story is a modern day story about a reporter trying to find out about this event from the French...that part is okay, but her relationships and drama I found unnecessary for the story...and once the little girl's story is done...I was done.

The Road

By Cormac McCarthy...a Post Apocalyptic world...with one man and his son...trekking down THE ROAD to find...what? They encounter all manner of humans along the way...many have succumbed to the world and are no longer human...others are on the brink of starvation and death. What an incredibly depressing read...but I loved it. It was short (took me two days, less than 4 hours to read)...and made me think. Curious to read this book before seeing the movie...I am not sure I want to see the movie now. I am positive that the movie couldn't do the book justice. I felt hungry...alone...hopeless...thirsty...love...and fear. I recommend...but not for the weak in stomach!

1776

By David McCullough...I got this book to listen to in the car. I wasn't sure how it would work. Often books of history can be boring...or maybe just the reading of it could put one to sleep. This wasn't the case for this book. I enjoyed hearing about the British Army and the American Army...as they tried to outwit, outsmart, and outlast (stealing from Survivor) the other side. We get to look at the conditions of war, the homemade armies, the rules of war in that time and the excitement of being a bystander while some of the great battles were being waged on our soil. There are excerpts from diaries, letters and journals...there are personal accounts and there is strategy. Often I was in suspense when listening to the battle and how it would unfold...in spite of the fact that I do know who won in the end. Definitely nonfiction...maybe not for everyone! But most books by David McCullough don't disappoint...and this one was definitely worth the time!

The Help

By Kathryn Stockett...Skeeter is just home from college...the year, 1962. She lives in Jackson, Mississippi. Her dream is to become a writer...and the advice given is to write about something that bothers you. Skeeter takes on a task that will prove to test her friendships, her relationships, and her knowledge of what she thinks life is like in the South. She begins to record stories from the black women who take care of the houses and the children for white women and families. This was an incredible read! I got sucked in immediately...and after some laughter and some tears...I finished the book thinking that it was an incredible story. The author mentions TELLING MEMORIES AMONG SOUTHERN WOMEN by Susan Tucker...and I may have to find and read that book. I was also moved by the fact that the author grew up in the south and shares some of her memories at the end of the book as well. I think I went through so many emotions while reading...and I was impressed that the author was able to make me feel...so many times I feel like I am observing a book...not experiencing it! I highly recommend this book!

Stones Into Schools

Promoting Peace with Books not Bombs in Afghanistan and Pakistan...by Greg Mortenson. Well, I am a HUGE fan of the first book THREE CUPS OF TEA...and I have read that first book about 3 times! This was not a disappointment at all. It picks up where Three Cups of Tea left off...but it isn't more of the same (which was my concern) This books talks more about relationships, people, disasters, and how help can both help and not really help. I guess as I read this book the tragedy in Haiti was fresh and thinking about how a country can help another country made me realize that sometimes it just isn't that simple. Sometimes what we think is helpful, isn't. And...that made me think. I was also impressed with the number of people in the armed forces who have read THREE CUPS OF TEA...I often think that many of our soldiers aren't thinking in terms of other humans, but in terms of orders. That is something I need to work on! This book also enforced ideas of community, helping, and giving of your time. I definitely need to work on that as well. I am always so concerned about where my time is going...I don't always think about how I can give my time to help others. Definitely lots of great discussion items, things to make you think...and again, a message of hope in an area where things aren't always so hopeful! I highly recommend this book!

Unaccustomed Earth

By Jhumpa Lahiri...Had heard some different opinions about this book. It is a collection of short stories...and I had thoroughly enjoyed THE NAMESAKE by the same author...so I got the audio version and I have been listening to it for the past month! I especially liked the first story about a woman who is living in Seattle with her husband and young son, with a baby on the way, and her aging father comes to visit...

Most of the stories involve 1st and 2nd generation Indian immigrants...the relationships with their families, their spouses, their siblings, and their parents. My fascination with other cultures, family lives, and places kept me listening to this book to its end. I would recommend this book to someone who may not like reading a WHOLE book...these stories are shorter or longer...you can pick what you like.

The Tipping Point

By Malcolm Gladwell...this is the second time reading this book. I wanted to review it before my book discussion on Wednesday with the local Kiwanis group. The second time reading reminded me why I liked it the first time. Lots of great ideas...and motivation to find out what sort of sparks you can get started. It definitely gives us hope that maybe we can one day start a trend...it is so hard to say exactly what will get it started...and it makes me aspire to be on my game at all times because you never know when you can start something! Of course Mr Gladwell gives us some guidelines and tips...but it really comes down to chance!

Under the Dome

By Stephen King...I have renewed faith in Stephen King's ability to put together an epic novel! The perfect combination of horror, sci fi, gore and contemporary issues...I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this particularly long novel! I also broke my record for how long it takes me to read Stephen King. I managed to stretch it out from December 1st to December 29th...which wasn't slowly enough for a couple of my friends who asked me to read it...but in my defense...Stephen King is meant to be consumed quickly! There was so much going on and so many questions I wanted answers to...it kept me engaged right up to the very end! The last Stephen King novel I read was FROM A BUICK 8, and that was a while ago...if you haven't tried Stephen King...I recommend him...he is a good writer. However, most of his work is not for the weak of stomach...or if you want to sleep at night! If you want to read a Stephen King novel without the horror...read HEARTS IN ATLANTIS...some of the other Stephen King novels I have enjoyed include:

• Cujo
• Carrie
• Salem's Lot
• It
• The Stand
• The Shining
• Christine
• Different Seasons (novellas)
• The Dead Zone
• Firestarter
• Pet Sematary
• Skeleton Crew (short stories)
• Misery
• The Dark Half
• Needful Things
• Four Past Midnight (short stories)
• Gerald's Game
• Nightmares and Dreamscapes
• Insomnia
• Green Mile
• Bag of Bones
• On Writing
• Dreamcatcher
• Desperation

There are more...some I have read, some I haven't...but these are the ones I would recommend to others. Want a little fright...or spook yourself a little? Try Stephen King!