Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Kitchen Daughter/Jael McHenry/272 pages

Ginny and Amanda are sisters who aren't much alike. Amanda is married with two young daughters of her own. Ginny is older but has always lived with their parents. When their parents are killed, the two sisters must decide what is going to become of the family home and Ginny. At first I thought this was going to be an increasingly typical Asperger's story, but I was pleasantly surprised.

The Scorch Trials/ james Dashner/ 361 pages



I'm not sure why I listened to this cd after doing the Maze Runner. It is just more violent and twisted incidents that happen to the small group of teenagers. Tom is the main character and I like him less and less over time. He actually kills someone in the book. I didn't think that was supposed to happen in a YA novel. It was graphic even though it was a self defense killing of a crazed man. The end of the book, of course, sets up for the third book in the trilogy and you have to read it to find out what happened on the earth since the sun flares.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Black Rose/Nora Roberts/370 pgs





This is the second title of the "In the Garden" trilogy and is Roz 's story. Roz is the owner of "In the Garden" and is the Harper who lives in Harper House. She has been a widow and divorced and is not looking for love. But that changes when she hires Dr. Mitchell Carnegie to try to find out who the Harper Bride ghost is. While they are trying to decide where their relationship is going, the ghost is starting to make things difficult for them.

Divergent / Veronica Roth / 487 pages

Beatrice Potter lives in dystopian Chicago.  Society has been divided into 5 factions and the Factionless.  The Factionless are failures and receive no benefits in the new society.  Most children follow in their parents' factions, but may switch factions if they possess the aptitude.  Beatrice is divergent.  "Divergence is extremely dangerous..."  She displays aptitude for Abnegation (selfless), Dauntless (brave/ruthless), and Erudite (studious).  Her Choosing Ceremony is inconclusive.  Two factions were ruled out - Amity and Candor.  She can choose any of the 3 factions that she possesses aptitude for, but if she fails to choose Abnegation, she must forsake her family.

"Ordinay acts of bravery, ... the courage that drives one person to stand up for another."
"Valuing knowledge above all else results in lust for power and that leads men into dark and empty places."

Delirium / Lauren Oliver / 307 pages

Amor Deliria Nervosa - love - is considered to be a disease for which a procedure is prescribed at age 18.  The procedure is mandatory.  "In the old days, love drove people to madness".  Lena looks forward to receiving the government mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love, and lead to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until 90 days before her 18th birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love with Alex, and discovers that almost all of her life has been lies.

This book was a bit slow in the middle, but hard-to-put-down near the end.  Is there a sequel on the horizon? 

The Dervish House / Ian McDonald / 359 pages

This futuristic story is set in Istanbul in the mid twentieth century.  The story opens with a suicide bombing.  A woman touches a jeweled broach at her neck - an explosive, decapitating herself, killing others, and destroying the train.  The city is beset by a 5 day long heat wave.  Action centering on the whirling dervish house of Adam Dede, includes "corporate wheeling and dealing, Islamic mysticism, political and economic intrigue, ancient Ottoman mysteries, a terrifying new terrorist threat, and a nanotechnology with the potential to transform every human on the planet".  This work of science fiction was a difficult read for me.

RUSA 2011

Life's a Beach / Claire Cook / 203 pages

Virginia - Ginger - lives above her Mom & Dad's garage.  She is 41, has an artist boyfriend, and a cat named Boyfriend.  Her Mom wants to sell the house and move into an over 55 community.  She buries a statue of St. Joseph, but someone digs it up.  Ginger plants a statue of St. Christopher to replace it, but when she attempts to dig it back up to accompany her and Riley on their trip to Hollywood, he, too, is gone.
Great beach read, features a shark, an eccentric, but lovable family, and several laughs.

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead/Sara Gran/273 pgs.

Claire DeWitt is a fictional private investigator unlike any I have ever encountered. In a nutshell, she is complex, sarcastic, and brilliant. She is hired to find out what happened to a New Orleans District Attorney. This takes place in the post Hurricane Katrina era, and paints a very realistic picture of the devastation that occurred. There is not your typical mystery--I found it riveting! I'm glad it's the start of a new series.

Al Capone Shines My Shoes / Gennifer Choldenko / 272 pages

Moose Flanagan lives on Alcatraz Island in 1935 with 273 of the world's worst criminals and 24 civilians.  He had asked Al Capone to help his sister, Natalie, to get accepted into a special school.  Natalie was accepted and Moose lives in fear that his request will be discovered.  The convicts do the laundry and Moose's laundry was mistakenly delivered to another family.  There's a note in the pocket telling Mose that it is his turn.  He finds another note in his bed - requesting that yellow roses be delivered to Capone's wife, May.  He gets hives from his bedclothes - or nerves.  Moose and Natalie thwart an escape attempt and rescue Piper's newborn baby brother.

"Have you ever done the wrong thing for the right reasons?"

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A Thousand Rooms of Dream and Fear/ Atiq Rahimi/ 155 pages

This is a book that would fit in fantastically in my World Lit Class in college. As such, I would need a professor (or just to do my own research) to fully understand and appreciate this book. It reads quickly, but I ended it wanting to know more about what was really going on in Kabul & Pakistan in 1979, but I don't really have the time to find out. The storyline surrounds the beating of a Kabul citizen by military police, simply because he was out after curfew. Not really recommended unless you already know more about that time and place in history.

If Wishes Were Horses / Robert Barclay / 386 pages

Debut author Barclay writes a romance set on a horse ranch in Boca Raton, Florida. Wyatt is struggling to overcome grief and guilt following the death of his wife and son in a tragic accident 5 years ago. Gabby Powers, the wife of the drunk who killed Wyatt's family, has a troubled son. Wyatt resumes an equine therapy program to honor his wife's memory. Well, you put two and two together and you get happy ever after. The added information about equine therapy programs is interesting. Wyatt's father is struggling with the onset of Alzheimers Disease and you get some good insights into what that is like for the victim. A nice story.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Blue Dahlia/Nora Roberts/367 pgs



This is the first title in the "In the Garden" trilogy. It is Stella's story. After her husband dies, she moves back to her hometown and goes to work at "In the Garden" and lives at Harper House. While there she is haunted by the ghost of Harper Bride and meets Logan, the landscape designer, who she is both frustrated by and attracted to.

Nowhere Near Respectable/Mary Jo Putney/390pgs.

Typical, entertaining Regency mystery/romance. This is part of the Lost Lords series in which Lady Kiri Lawford and Damian Mackenzie team up to spoil a plot that endangers England's crown. The characters are amusing, and the story is fast paced.

Smokin' Seventeen/Janet Evanovich/308 pgs




I love the Stephanie Plum series and this one did not disappoint. This time Stephanie has someone who is trying to kill her and is leaving her presents - dead bodies. Meanwhile she is trying to bring in a senior citizen who thinks he is a vampire, she is trying to locate a missing bear and she needs to make a decision on which guy she really wants - Ranger or Joe (Go Joe!!!) As always it is a very quick read and very funny - I can't believe some of the things she gets herself into. I can't wait for the next one - due in November - "Explosive Eighteen".

Saturday, June 25, 2011

The Perilous Road / William O. Steele / 191 pages

 Chris Brabson is full of hate.  He hates the Yankee soldiers who are camping in his beloved Tennessee woods.  He hates that they've taken his family's food to feed their own troops.  He hates that his own brother, Jethro, has joined the Union side of the war when to Chris it is clear the Confederacy is the side to fight for.  His father believes that the Union must be preserved.  Chris decides to be a spy for the Confederacy, but realizes that his could cause his brother's death.

"Hate was like a big knife, cutting folks apart."
"War is the worse thing there is.  It makes both side do things they shouldn't."

Newbery Award Honor Book
Jane Adams Children's Book Award

Stupid History: Tales of Stupidity, Strangeness, and... / Leland Gregory / 368 pages

Although the e-version of this book is filled with typographical errors and some factual mistakes, it is an interesting and humorous read.  Debunking many myths pertaining to history, the author relates numerous "lessons" with tongue-in-cheek humor.

Winter Danger / William O. Steele / 131 pages

Caje's dad, Jacob, is a "woodsy" - a hunter, a scavenger, a wild man who sleeps in caves and hollow trees, and doesn't like other people. He's raised Caje, who lost his mother to the fever, to be like him. Caje's dad can see the signs that this is going to be the coldest winter ever. After an encounter with Indians, Caje and his father backtrack to the home of his mother's people. Jacob leaves Caje there and, without telling him, goes off to the wilderness by himself. Caje is uncomfortable with the new family life and decides to strike out on his own so that he will not eat the starving family's food. He is able to shoot a bear, provide food for the family, and learn that people must sometimes be receivers of generosity.

Lewis Carroll Shelf Award Winner

Tracking the Man-Beasts/ Joe Nickell/ 229 pages

I was excited when I saw this book. I was still excited when I started reading it. Then I noticed a trend. There is no sasquatch. No Abominable snowman. No chupacabra. No vampires (ok, that's a relief). I checked the author. Joe Nickell.

Who is Joe Nickell? He is the ultimate spoilsport. He is, I believe, the founder of the Skeptical Society and makes his living debunking anything and everything. He wouldn't believe in aliens if he were abducted by them. He would just say he was in a trance-induced state.

This book is ok if you want some background history on werewolves or zombies, but other than that, check stuff out yourself. As Mulder & Scully would say, "The truth is out there."

A Heart for Home/ Lauraine Snelling/ 356 pages



This is the last (or at least the latest) in a very long set of series. It is like reading Laura Ingalls Wilder for adults. The series begins in the second half of the 1800's with Norwegian pioneers and this current book is set in 1905. Astrid is a new doctor and needs to balance medicine with relationships. This book is the third in the trilogy about her. These are also Christian books and anyone who likes pioneer history would love them. "Uff da" is the closest expletive used in the books. I have found myself saying it after having read so many of these books.

They are very satisfying books to read; good story, good characters, good historical view. I really liked all of them. Uff da! I wish she would write another.

Faith/Jennifer Haigh/319 pages

Faith is the story of one devout family in Boston in 2002. It is set near the beginning of the sex scandal that has plagued the Roman Catholic Church. The oldest son of Mary McGann, Father Arthur Breen, is a popular parish priest and the apple of her eye. When he is removed from his parish, her other two children, Art's half-sister and brother, must decide for themselves if he is guilty of the accusations made against him.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Before I Fall / Lauren Oliver / 279 pages

Samantha Kingston is in a terrible car accident and the reader fears that she and her friends are seriously injured, perhaos even dead. Instead Sam relives the day over and over changing her actions and reactions to avoid the accident. She developes insights into the kind of person she has become and the impact she makes on others. This book is for mature audiences.

"Guys are like pets. Feed 'em,pet 'em,and put them to bed."
"If you cross a line and nothing happens, the line loses meaning."
"There's no continuity in people at all. Something ruptures when you hit 12,or 13, or whatever the age is when you're no longer a kid, but a "young adult," and after that you're a totally different person. Maybe even a less happy person. Maybe even a worse one"

Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Jane Austen Handbook / Margaret Sullivan / 224 Pages

  I found this book to be an entertaining look at life in Regency England around the time that Jane Austen wrote her famous novels.  It gives you all the information you need to know to dress properly, behave at balls, and generally how to live like you were Elizabeth Bennet or Mr. Darcy.  It also gives a brief overview of Jane Austen's life, as well as a short review of all of her books and the videos that they have been adapted into.

Heaven is for Real/Todd Burpo/163 pgs.

This is the true story of Colton Burpo's out of body experience during an emergency appendectomy surgery. Shortly after his recovery, almost 4 year-old Colton begins relating his experience to his parents--description of heaven, deceased relatives he had never met--even the baby his mom had miscarried. It's a hopeful story--thought provoking.

A Tale Dark and Grimm / Adam Gidwitz / 256 pages

Do you remember reading the real tales (not the cleansed or Disneyfied versions) from the Brothers Grimm? Adam Gidwitz has taken the Grimm elements and even two Grimm characters (Hansel & Gretel) and created his own tale..dark and grimm. It's grisly; it's bloody, it's violent...all in a fairy tale way. For children who like the Series of Unfortunate events, this book would be right up their alley. The narrator adds warnings and humorous comments along the way. As in all fairy tales, there are child heroes, evil and good, and all's well that ends well. Parents may be worried about warping their children, and children will be lapping it up and saying give me more. Probably best for grades 4 & up.

The Weird Sisters / Eleanor Brown / 318 Pages

Three sisters, each different and each trying to find her own place in the family & world, all come back home located in a small college town for different reasons. Their father is a distinguished Shakespearean professor and communicates through quoting the Bard. The girls, all named after Shakespearean characters, grew up immersed in the plays and sonnets and can recite lines at will. The entire family is constantly immersed in reading all types of books. In the end, they each find who they are and their path in life. This is a very thoughtful book. As readers, it makes you think about why you are reading so much! As parents, it makes you think deeply about your continuing impact on your children. If you are a sibling, it makes you think about your place in the family. I think this would be an excellent Book Club Discussion title. A well-written book that's meaty with themes.

The Help/Kathryn Stockett/451p.

This is a fabulous audio book choice. The varied voices and dialects of Jackson, Mississippi, filled the air while I listened to the stories of women and children living in a society with carefully prescribed roles for white middle class wives and their black housekeepers. Set in the early 1960s, The Help has been a popular choice of reading groups for several years. The skilled use of language engaged me from the first, bringing characters alive, and reminding me of how some things have changed in the past 50 years. After a long wait on reserve lists, I broke down and downloaded this title. It made me look forward to getting back into my car.

Happy Ever After/Nora Roberts/355 pgs




This is the final title in the "Bride's Quartet". This time it is Parker Brown's turn to fall in love. She is the wedding planner of Vows and has no time for romance. But that changes when she meets Malcolm Kavanaugh, a mechanic who was once a stuntman in Hollywood. He loves finding out how things work and has decided he wants to know what makes Parker tick. It was an enjoyable end to the series and I will kind of miss not knowing what happens to them all.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The Winds of Khalakova / Bradley P. Beaulieu / 492 pages

Among inhospitable and unforgiving seas stands Khalakovo, a mountainous archipelago of seven islands, its prominent eyrie stretching a thousand feel into the sky.  Serviced by windships bearing goods and visiting dignitaries, it is inhabited by soustonel-wearing Landed, peasant poorLandless, and mystics who float under water and inhabit ravens to communicate over distances.  Prince Nikandr has been informed of his arranged marriage to Princess Atiana.  Neither favors the match but the marriage will unite the kingdoms and bring needed benefits to each.  Spirits are at work, however, and when the Grand Duke is murdered,chaos ensues.  This book is a bit hard to read because of all of the made up words and fantasy elements.

Plague, a Gone novel / Michael Grant / 492 pages

Book four of the Gone series follows more misadventures of the young people caught in the FAYZ - Fallout Alley Youth Zone.  Beset by plague, dog-sized flying insects that inhabit the body and chew their way out, the Gaiaphage - the world eater, the Drake/Brittney monster, Orc run amok, and, of course, too little food, running out of water...and Little Pete.  Plague is a page-turning dystopian novel sure to please YA.  The best Gone novel remains the first in the series, although all are great reads dealing with complex social and psychological issues and mature situations.  There is a great deal of violence.

YA

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty/ G. Neri/ 95 pages

So, somehow I ended up with 2 gang themed books in a row. This is based on a true story of "Yummy" from a Chicago Southside gang. He was 11 years old when the police were hunting him down for the murder of a 14-year-old girl. This is fairly depressing, and appalling to hear about how & why gangs gets such young children involved to do their dirty work.

Perfect Chemistry/ Simone Elkeles/ 357 pages

This story is told in alternating view points. Brittney is the captain of the pom squad trying desperately to keep up her image of perfection. Alex is a gang member trying to keep up his tough images. The two cross paths their senior year of high school and sparks fly. I'm not big on romances, but this was a good story, and a little more interesting learning about some of the thoughts that gang members might have when they join. It's a romance I would recommend--and that's pretty high praise from me for a romance.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks/ Rebecca Skloot/ 369 pp

Henrietta Lacks died of cervical cancer in 1951. This is a story about Henrietta, her family, how her cells were used without her permission and how those cells were used to create many medical breakthroughs. The author does a wonderful job of intertwining all those stories to create a facinating look at medical research.

I listened to the audio version and was captivated by the narrator. Although it is a nonfiction book, it reads like fiction. Anyone who enjoys family drama, science or history will find parts of this story to love.

Lessons Learned/Nora Roberts/381 pgs





This is the second title in the "Table for Two" series. It is the story of Carlo Franconi, a chef and Juliet Trent, the publicist who is organizing his US book tour. They are attached to each other but Juliet is a woman who does not believe in love or romance and just wants to own her own firm one day - her life is all scheduled out and a man is not part of it right now. Carlo is a womanizer who is shocked by his feelings for Juliet. The end is predictable but the story was still enjoyable.

Good Things/Mia King/319 pages

Deidre McIntosh is a local Martha Stewart. She has her own show, Live Simple, based in Seattle and she's loving her life. But when her show is unceremoniously dumped by her station in reaction from a glitzy new competitor in the same time slot, her life is anything but simple. She must find out what's next for her. In the end, it all works out.

The Iron Duke/ Meljean Brook / 378p

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaern has built a merchange empire on the power-and fear-of his name. When a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Dectective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

This book, set in a world where Europe is a vast forest of zombies and most of the richest British citizens fled England to the safety of the United States, was a great mix of steampunk, mystery, romance and horror. I am definitely checking out the author's other titles and hoping that she will write more about the fascinating characters in future books.

This was an honorable mention title for the Fantasy category of the RUSA Reading List.

Monday, June 20, 2011

If You Ask Me/Betty White/258 pgs




This was a great book. It is full of her memories plus some of her perspectives of many different things - especially on her love of animals. It is a very quick read - there are also plenty of pictures - some from her personal collection. She tells about the crush she has on Robert Redford and meeting Koko the gorilla plus about her feeling on her current popularity. I highly recommend this book.

Gone with a handsomer man/Michael Lee West/342 pgs




After coming home and finding her fiance playing naked badminton with 2 other women int he backyard, Teeny Templeton is arrested for assault - she threw peaches at them. Her fiance then puts out a restraining order against her and when he ends up dead a few days later, she is the main suspect. She ends up with her first love as her attorney and together they have to figure out who is setting her up. It was a very predictable story line - I had pretty much figured out who did it from the start - but it was still an enjoyable and quick read .

Buried Prey (Large Print)/John Sandford/529 pgs




I have always enjoyed the Prey series by John Sandford and this one did not disappoint. The bodies of 2 missing girls are found when a home is being demolished and it reopens the first homicide case that Lucas Davenport had worked on. The police had thought they had their man but Lucas had his doubts about that but couldn't say much - he was just a patrolman who was on loan to Homicide. He vows that this time he will find the real killer. The story was a fast read - you want to keep going to find out what is going to happen next - and contains all the usual characters.

Summer Desserts/Nora Roberts/383 pgs




This title is an audio book that is part of the "Table for Two". It is the story of Summer Lyndon, who is a well known chef - especially for her desserts. She has vowed to never fall in love - due to her many times married parents, but this is before she meets her new boss, Blake Cocharan, the CEO of Cocharan Hotels. He has hired Summer to redo his restaurant in the Philadelphia hotel. It was an enjoyable read.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Love You More/Lisa Gardner/356 pgs.

This is one of the best books in the D.D. Warren series. Tessa Leoni, a state police trooper, is accused of killing her husband and child. It is up to D. D. Warren and Bobby Dodge to get to the bottom of the killings. There are so many plot twists and turns that the reader is kept in suspense almost to the very end. A very fast and intense read!

Across the Universe/Beth Revis/398 pgs.

Debut author Revis creates a sci-fi YA novel that's a real page turner! Amy and her parents are cryogenically frozen, believing they will wake on a new planet, Centauri-Earth, 300 years in the future. Amy is mysteriously awakened 50 years before the scheduled landing. You'll have to read the rest of the book, which is the first in a trilogy. I have never been much of a sci-fi reader, but I found this book riveting. A special thanks to my daughter, Christine, for bringing this book to my attention. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Abby Carnelia's One and Only Magic Power / David Pogue / 277 pages

Abby Carnelia discovers while helping prepare dinner one evening that she has an unusual power.  When she tugs on both earlobes and looks at an egg, she can make it spin.  Her parents send her to the brand new sleep-over Camp Kadabra.  She wants to learn the source of her power and find other kids like herself.  Ferd, a counselor at the camp, recommends that she transfer to a super camp with people with powers like herself.  The camps were built by Calabra, a drug company,  Abby and Ben discover.  The camp had planned hypnosis, surgeries, and tissue samples for the campers.  How will Phil - who sounds like Kermit the Frog, react to their confrontation?

"Is there something waiting to be discovered inside every kid on earth?"

Friday, June 17, 2011

Storm Runners / Roland Smith / 143 pages

Chase Master's father was struck by lightning.  He had his wedding ring melted down and made into a lightning bolt earring.  He becomes a storm chaser.  Chase's Mom and sister were killed in a car accident.  Chase travels with his dad to the sites of various storms.  Misjudging where a hurricane will come ashore, Chase's dad arrives just in time to rescue Chase and his friends.  This is the first book in a trilogy and has a cliffhanger ending.

"You can't separate your fate from those you're with."
"Paranoia is just another word for heightened awareness."

Disappearing Act / Sid Fleischman / 133 pages

Kevin and Holly Kidd's mom is missing.  She was an archaeologist and disappeared when an earthquake occurred when she was on a dig.  Holly and Kevin move from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Venice Beach, California because they are being stalked.  The stalker follows them to California, holds them at gunpoint, and demands their mother's map to the ancient lost cities.  Great view of Boardwalk entertainers of Venice Beach.

Where She Went / Gayle Forman / 264 pages

Sequel to N.Y. Times bestseller If I Stay

Told from Adam's point of view, Where She Went is written in "the spare, powerful prose that defined If I Stay.  Adam has become a rock star but is alienated from his band because the press has centered on him as writer, guitarist, and lead singer.  His relationship with Bryn is lacking as he still feels Mia's loss.  Adam has begun to smoking and taking anti-anxiety drugs to deal with his new situation.   His life is forever changed after attending Mia's concert at Carnegie Hall.  This book "explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance. I enjoyed this book much more than it predecessor.

YA

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Captain Nobody / Dean Pitchford / 195 pgs.







This Mark Twain Nominee is a really imaginative book. I didn't think I would like it because it was a "guy" book, but it was quite interesting. Newt is a 10 year old boy who's brother is in a coma from a football injury. With the help of his two politically correct friends (a Black boy and a hispanic girl), he dresses like his alter-ego, Captain Nobody. He performs four acts of heroism, each more improbable than the last, but the story is so engaging that the improbability of it is easy to overlook.


More disturbing is the fact that his parents really have no time for their children as they are so wrapped up in their careers. I hope it is not really that bad in America. His name; Captain Nobody really describes who Newt felt like. Luckily, the book has a really happy ending.


I think kids will like the book.

Buried Prey / John Sandford / 390 pages

John Sandford writes another winning suspense novel featuring Lucas Davenport and his best buds in getting the bad guys, Del, Shrake & Jenkins. This time Lucas is haunted by an old case being dug up (literally). When the bodies of the two Jones girls are found, Lucas must go back to relive the resolution of his first case as an investigator and find the true killer. About half the book is the story of the disappearance of the Jones girls and how the case was mishandled. Lucas was never satisfied by how the case was closed and now must live with the anguish of how his letting the case go cost other lives. Sandford does an excellent job of building the case and describing how the real killer is "put down." In all of the Prey books we see inside the head of Lucas and live the case with him. Still a favorite series of mine; Sandford is still top notch.

Manning Up: How the Rise of Women Has Turned Men into Boys/Kay S. Hymowitz/187 pages

Have you noticed how many "guys" there are these days? Not boys or men, but "guys." Hymowitz has, and she has an explanation about why that is. Julie Klausner, a comedian and author, describes guys as ones who "talk about Star Wars like it's not a movie made for people half their age; a guy's idea of a perfect night is to hang around the PlayStation with his bandmates, or a trip to Vegas with his college friends."

Hymonwitz spends a lot of time talking about girls and women in a book about boys and men, but she does a good job of explaining why she thinks the "child-man" is becoming the norm.

An interesting, if sometimes dry, read. Some funny passages as well. Be careful or you might find yourself thinking "oh, that's what's wrong with that kid...."

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

A Boy and His Bot / Daniel W. Wilson / 180 pages

Code Lightfall is on his end-of-the-year 6th grade field trip to the Mounds in Oklahoma.  His grandfather, John Lightfall, disappeared on these very mounds just one year ago.  When Code attempts to escape the taunting of one of his classmates, he notices that a crack in a tree seems bigger than it should.  He investigates, finds robotic creatures and his grandfather being controlled by Immortalus (sp?).  His grandfather is king and his kingdom is heading toward disassembly.  Code searches for a way to free his grandfather and end the Great Disassemby with the assistance of Gary, his self-designed Slaughterbot.

Under Heaven, a Novel / Guy Gavriel Kay / 573 pages

Shen Tai has spent 2 years at Kuala Nor mourning the death of his general father.  He is living the life of a hermit burying the dead of a great battle between the Kitans - allied to the imperial throne and the Tagurans.  He buries bodies from both sides to set the ghosts to rest and is honored and provided for by both sides.  A friend from the court city comes bearing bad news and is slain by the Kanlin assassin who accompanied him.  The assassin is attacked by a mighty wind and 2 Taguran soldiers.  Tai, with his gift of 250 Heavenly Horses - a gift from a princess for burying the dead, reenters society to avenge his friend's death, discover the bad news and right it, and to revisit his Spring Rain.  Tai is an honorable man in an epic story combining history and fantasy. 

RUSA 2011

Don't Die, My Love / Lurlene McDaniel 250 p.

Julie laughs when Luke proposes when he is 12. By 14, they are going steady. And their love grows. Then Luke gets cancer. She follows him through the many treatments and re-treatments. Love Story for the teens.

The Social Animal/David Brooks/424 pgs



A book that covers a lot of ground: from how we make decisions, form relationships, what determines our social status, how our character is shaped, to what makes us fulfilled and many things in between. Part of it is presented in story form, following a fictional couple (Harold and Erica) from their childhoods to the end of life, although I would not call them a typical, average pair. Contains interesting tidbits, such as the best 4-letter word to use in hangman. Anyone interested in sociology or human nature would like this.

Something Borrowed/Emily Giffin/322 pgs




Emily, who has always been the "Good Girl", has a little too much to drink on the evening before her 30th birthday. She ends up in bed with her best friend, Rachel's fiance. She is determined to make sure it doesn't happen again, but finds out that life doesn't always happen the way you want it to. She find herself in love with Dex and is not sure how to handle it. The story is enjoyable and I will now have to see the movie of the same title.

Moonwalking with Einstein/Joshua Foer/271 pgs



This book describes the journalist/author's discovery of, and subsequent participation in, the U.S. Memory Championship, despite having what he describes as an "average" memory. A person with an "average" memory, come to find out, can be trained to remember significant amounts of data (numbers, faces, poetry) using memory techniques employed by scholars and historians who used them to remember information passed on orally before printed books became common. These techniques are quite effective even if today we would find them cumbersome. Turns out Americans traditionally don't rank with the elite mental athletes at the World Memory Championships and the author guesses it's because Americans have a future orientation rather than the ability to focus on the past. That, or we're easily distracted. Hey, something shiny!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

10th Anniversary/James Patterson/395 pgs


The Women's Murder Club is one of my favorites and this one does not disappoint. Lindsay and Joe are finally getting married but they are barely back from the honeymoon when work interferes. Lindsay is put in charge of the investigation of a missing baby and she is also looking into another case that in which Yuki maybe trying the wrong person. Some of the previous titles have been a little more graphic than some may like but this one is not. It was a very quick read - I am almost sorry I finished so quickly and now have to wait for the next one - especially after the surprise ending - well kind of surprise you pretty much know what is going to happen in the last couple of chapters.

Love you more / Lisa Gardner / 356 p.

Tessa Leoni is arrested for murdering her husband Brian.  The police find her with bruises and a cracked skull.  Tessa claims Brian was attacking her and she shot him in self defense, but veteran detective D.D. Warren is not so sure this case is what it seems. 

The book moves at a pretty fast pace with the detectives uncovering bits and pieces about Tessa life to string the reader on.  I liked that the author created two very strong, independent women (Tessa and Detective Warren) who both have jobs in the police force; but the author does not use cliches or the tired "superwoman" cop character.  The two women have their strengths and vulnerabilities like REAL women do. 

If you can suspend belief and just go with the plot that Tessa is able to break out of jail, due to careful preplanning; then you will enjoy the second half of the book which is full of chases, shooting, explosions, etc.

Before I Go to Sleep / S.J. Watson / 360 Pages

This is the ARC book that I won last month.  It's coming out this month sometime.  If anyone else would like to read it, let me know and I will pass it on.

Every morning when Christine wakes up, she can't remember who she is, where she is, or sometimes even how old she is.  She has a rare type of memory loss.  She can remember what she has done years ago, but nothing from the last few days, weeks, months, and years.  She can make new memories of that day, but once she goes to sleep she forgets everything she has learned.  A doctor is writing a paper and wants to try to help her.  He tells her to keep a journal of the day's events.  Each morning, he calls her and tells her where it is so she can read it.  Slowly, she begins to remember some things on her own, and the writing seems to be helping.  But then some things aren't adding up.  Her memories don't match what her husband says has been going on, and soon she gets suspicious.  But how can someone who can't even remember who they are when they get out of bed be sure of anything they remember?

I really liked the story line of this book.  It was very engrossing and kept my attention.  There is a LOT of very foul language, though, which is very disappointing to me.  If the story had been less interesting I probably would have stopped reading it because of that.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Devil's Food Cake Murder/Joanne Fluke/322 pages

Hannah Swensen, owner and baker of the Cookie Jar in Lake Eden, Minnesota, thinks her life is going pretty well. Her business is thriving, and she has two men in her life. Her biggest problem is trying to decide once and for all between the two. She almost had her mind made up at the end of the last novel, but a pretty new dentist in town has the eye of both Norman and Mike.

A visitor from the past comes back to town to rekindle old friendships and help out a newlywed couple. But is he who he says he is? Grandma Knudson isn't so sure. When the visitor is found murdered, by Hannah (who else?), there are more questions than answers.

The murder doesn't occur until about halfway through the book. I was beginning to wonder if it was ever going to happen, but overall, it is a pretty decent mystery. Best of all, Fluke includes lots of recipes, as usual. My family (and coworkers) will be my guinea pigs!

The Dead Path / Stephen M. Irwin / 374 pages

Jack o' the Green is "the timeless man who dies each year and is reborn.  Who symbolizes triumph over winter and death."  Why is this man carved into the ceiling of a church in Australia?  "This is not hypothetical evil...not the evil of lust, nor the evil of hate.  This is the fundamental evil, as old as the world itself.  This is the Devil's handiwork."  Nicholas Close, a man who lost his best childhood friend, his father, his wife, and witnessed the suicide of his best friend's brother, determines to end the pattern of childhood abductions/murders, in spite  of his fears, spiders among them, and his tendency to see ghosts. 
This debut novel is spine-tingling with excellent suspense, descriptive passages and challenging vocabulary.  unfortunately, some bad language is included.  Well worth the read!!

"Ghosts are...spirits of people who are killed, or take their own lives, before their time."

RUSA 2011

Heaven Is For Real/Todd Burpo/163 pgs



I listened to this title as an audiobook and did enjoy it. It is the story of a boy who almost dies (his parents were never told that he died) during surgery and he goes to heaven. The story was written by his father, who is a small town preacher and is told pretty matter of fact like a four year boy would tell you about what he saw. It is not preachy and will give you something to think about.

Everywhere That Mary Went/Lisa Scottoline/359 pgs



Mary DiNunzio is trying to make partner in her law firm but is receiving crank phone calls and mysterious notes. Her husband had been killed a year before and when her secretary is run down by a hit and run driver, she is wondering if they are linked and if someone has something out for her. The story has drama, thrills and a little romance. Was a little slow at first but did pick up and I will have to read the next one in the series now.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Chasing Fire/Nora Roberts/472 pgs.

This is pretty standard Nora Roberts fare. The story centers around Missoula smoke jumpers, and in particular, Rowan Tripp. Not only do the smoke jumpers fight fires, they also are trying to find out who the killer is in their midst. There are red herrings, suspense, and romance--like I said: standard Nora Roberts. It's an entertaining read, and gives an insight into the life of a smoke jumper.

10th Anniversary / James Patterson & Maxine Paetro / 395 pages

Latest entry in the Women's Murder Club series. Lindsay, Yuki, Claire and Cindy band together again to solve murders, find missing babies, and stop a serial rapist. This installment has a wedding, an engagement, a new boyfriend, and a baby announcement. Honestly, you have to wonder how they come up with some of these scenarios which are all nicely and happily tied up at the end. Best line of the book...it's like walking a tightrope when you have diarrhea.

Cold Wind / C. J. Box / 388 pages

Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett is investigating a murder.  The accused is his mother-in-law.  There is no love lost between the two of them, but Joe agrees to try to find evidence to exonerate her.  He investigates the wind power industry, as his murdered father-in-law - Missy's fifth husband - was chained to the blades of one of his own million dollar windmills.  Joe's friend, Nate Romanowski, is still being hunted by The Five and others.  Their paths cross. 

Great read!   Surprise ending!

Three Willows / Ann Brashares / 318 pages

Three children become friends when their parents fail to pick them up after school one day in the third grade.  It is the day that all third graders received willow cuttings to plant.  Tired of waiting, the three girls leave on their own and plant their 3 saplings side by side.  As the trees grow so do the friendship of Alma, Jo, and Polly.  As the friends begin the summer before high school, each goes her separate way and face challenges to herself, her family, and their friendship.  Notable quotes relative to the willow, to life, and to friendship, along with coming of age story, make this an interesting book to read/listen to.

YA

A Matter of Class / Mary Balogh / 191 pages

Reginald has run up staggering debts and his father believes that he must be wed to tame him down.  Annabelle has run off with Till and when they are discovered, he jumps ship.  Annabelle's reputation is ruined and her father believes that no one will have her for a wife.  Reginald's father has made his fortune in coal and is looked down upon by the members of high society, including Annabelle's family.  The fathers strike a bargain to wed their children.  Alternating between past and present, Ms. Balogh tell the tale of hidden, developing romance.  Great surprise ending.  Graphic love scene.

Romance
RUSA 2011

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Touching Stars/ Emilie Richards/ 521 p

Gayle Fortman has worked hard to have the perfect divorce since her marriage failed. When her ex-husband, a charismatic investigative journalist, returns home after being held hostage in the Middle East, Gayle offers to let him stay with her and their three sons to recover. Eric has been an absent father so this may be his last chance to reconnect with his sons. But is it also a second chance for their marriage?

Less of a romance and more of a family drama, this book is about forgiveness, acceptance and second chances. Great for readers who enjoy gentle romance and women's fiction.

Silent Mercy/ Linda Fairstein/ 387 p

In this latest installment of the Alexandra Cooper series, the themes of religious intolerance and the role of women in the church are explored. A headless body of a young woman is found behind the fences of a church in New York city. Alexandra, a New York district attorney, and Mike Chapman, a NY cop, wonder if the placement of the body is a "message." A second female, this time with her tongue cut out, is found at another church and soon they are looking for a religious fanatic who wants to silence women. Fairstein's knowledge of NYC history is apparent as Mike and Alexander play off one another to figure out what is motivating this vicious killer.

This is the first book I've read in this series. I enjoyed the historical info. The main characters were like Sherlock Holmes in the way they connected the dots to figure out who and why. Sometimes I felt like the author had an agenda. The characters who held opposing views were protrayed as malicious and evil. There was no gray areas explored which would have added depth. But for the most part I enjoyed this book and will read the earlier books in the series.

Friday, June 10, 2011

A Bone to Pick / Charlaine Harris / 262 Pages

Aurora Teagarden inherits a house and a large amount of money from a friend that she wasn't particularly close to.  It all seems too good to be true, until she finds out that the inheritance comes with a surprise... In the house, she finds the skull of a murder victim.  Was her friend the murderer?  Or was it someone else who lives in the neighborhood?

I found this book to be very easy to read, but also kind of slow in the action area.  But I'm used to reading books with a bit more excitement in them.  It seemed to end quickly, like there should have been more before the ending to help you along to solve the case. Although the ending wasn't a surprise, I didn't think that what happened was going to happen the way it did.  But on the whole, it was a good mystery and enjoyable.

Savor the Moment/Nora Roberts/339 pgs



This is book number 3 of the Brides Quarter and this is Laurel's story. She is the baker at Vows and has been in love with Delaney Brown forever. But she feels that she is not worthy of him but after one wedding they share a kiss (done in anger) and that changes everything. Story is very enjoyable and very predictable. Only one more left - Parker's story - "Happy Ever After".

My New American Life / Francine Prose / 306 pages

"It could happen anywhere, the nasty twist of fate that turns time into your enemy, implacable, mean, and patient, dragging its feet to torment you."

Lula is an Albanian immigrant who came to the states on a tourist visa to "visit her aunt in Detroit"  She settles in New Jersey, works in a bar, and fears deportation until she lands a job as nanny to  17 year old, Zeke Stanley.  Mr. Stanley is good friends with an attorney who gets Lula a work card.  Zeke's Mom abandoned the family on Christmas Eve.  She is mentally ill and roaming.  Her Christmas Eve return bodes ill for Lula and her Albanian boyfriend, Alvo.  This book is a bit racy, has bad language and questionable morals, but references to modern and Albanian lifestyles and cultures make it worth the read.

The Nearest Exit / Olen Steinhauer / 404 pages

"It's a good thing for humans to know the full measure of their actions."  CIA operative Milo Weaver agrees with German agent Erika Schwartz that this is true, although both agree that often in their business it not possible.  Milo has been reinstated in "the Tourism Department" with a new boss and is given several assignments to prove that he is trustworthy.  He is to kidnap and kill a young lady, but cannot kill the girl.  Instead, he asks his problematic father to hold and hide her so that his superior believes he has completed his mission.  Filled with international intrigue and pre and post 9/11 events, The Nearest Exit is "the best spy novel" Stephen King has ever read "that wasn't written by John le Carre.  I usually agree with Mr. King, but I must admit I found this to be a slow read.

RUSA 2011

Night Star / Alyson Noel / 302 pages

Ever's friend, Haven, is out to destroy both Ever and Jude.  Ever had convinced Roman to give her the antidote that will enable she and Damon to be together.  Unfortunately, Jude kills Roman, thinking that he is trying to hurt Ever and the antidote is spilled on Roman's shirt.  Ever must battle haven and her minions while she searches for the shirt, sorts her feelings for Damon and Jude, and ponders the dark, mysterious facet of Summerland.

YA

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Case Histories / Kate Atkinson / 310 pages

I haven't read any Jackson Brodie books and naturally felt compelled to start out with the first title. Jackson is a private detective in Cambridge England who is called upon to solve three cold cases. Each case involves seriously eccentric and sometimes pycho characters. Jackson himself is a dark character struggling with his own losses (reminded me of Harry Bosch). Somehow the author manages to resolve the cases and weave together the cases & characters in a satisfying conclusion. This is not action driven plot...but pyschological studies of the characters. The book was actually sort of depressing. Well-written but not sure when I'll try another.

The Maze Runner/ James Dashner/ 375 pg.



I listened to this book on cd. It is fairly engaging and enough keeps happening so that I have to keep driving to finish an exciting bit. It is also a Truman nominee. It contains fake swear words like "shuck" which makes them all sound like they're from some areas of Chicago where every sentence includes such vocabulary. It reminded me of the Hunger Games in that many would die, they teens have no control over their environment, but will ultimately succeed only to have to return in the second book. For me, I need more than one girl character. It is a guy book with the bio-machine monsters and weapons and swearing. It was ok. The ending is intriguing enough that I'll try the second book.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Dirty Secret/ Jessie Sholl/ 318 pgs.




Oh, yes! another book on Hoarding. This time, the book is written by a daughter of a hoarder. Her mother didn't actually start hoarding until after her daughter had been grown up for quite a few years. However, there was plenty of dysfunction to go around in her childhood and hints of the hoarding to come.




It is well-written and fascinating account about living and surviving in the midst of all this continual trauma and drama. So, that being said, the hoarding may be the theme, but almost just becomes the icing on the cake in this book. She has also done her research and is very knowledgeable so it is interesting to see just how difficult it still is for her on a personal level.




An extensive bibliography is included as well as discussion questions should anyone like this for a book club or therapy group.




Stolen Innocence/ Elissa Wall/ 428 pg.





This is the true story of Elissa Wall, a member of the FLDS (Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints). Her story could have been one of the books that The Chosen One was based on. She doesn't hold back as she goes into the details of life in FLDS. Women are expected to "Keep Sweet" which means to never express how they really feel about being basically second class citizens who never are to question male authority. Unfortunately, Elissa had a mind of her own. she was forced to marry a cousin when she was 14 and she definitely did not "grow to love him as her priest head". The FLDS also had strange additions to biology like if a wife was removed from her husband and given to another man, her children's genetic makeup magically changed to match that of the "new" father. hmm. Very interesting. Anyway, it is a satisfying book as it ends in the trial of Warren Jeffs, the "prophet" of the FLDS. Remember the news in Texas in 2008 when the FBI broke up that cult? This is the same group. Quite interesting.


I don't know what I would do had I been born into that group. I am so thankful I wasn't.

What the Night Knows/Dean Koontz/442 pgs



This was a very good book - was not sure that I would like it - it was the most supernatural and scary of the Dean Koontz books that I have read so far. But I did enjoy it - it is the story of a cop who as a child kills the serial killer who had killed his parents and sisters. Now a husband and father, he is afraid that his own family is in danger from a evil presence that may be the serial killer. Was very scary at times but was still a quick read and liked the way that the story had ended.

Bed of Roses/Nora Roberts/358 pgs





This title is the second book in the Brides Quartet - the story of Emma and Jack.


Emma is the florist of Vows, the wedding planning company and Jack is an architect and family friend. They discover that they have feeling for each other after sharing a kiss. Emma discovers that she loves Jack but Jack is afraid of the commitment. Of course everything works out and now 2 of the 4 friends are engaged. Book three is the story of Laurel and Del. Can't wait to finish it. All are very predictable but are good, fast reads.

Water for Elephants/Sara Gruen/335 pgs



The circus has come to town and Jacob Jankowski is remembering his past. During his final year in vet school, his parents die unexpectedly and he leaves school and joins the circus. While there he meets the love of his life. Marlena and a very special elephant, Rosie. The story takes place both in his memories of the circus and in the present - his loneliness of living alone in the nursing home, waiting for his family to come and take him to the circus. The book is great and I cannot wait to see the movie now.



The Pioneer Woman/Ree Drummond/341 pgs


The title of this book said it all - "The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - a love story". Ree has spent many years in California and is needing a change. She moves home to Oklahoma while planning a move to Chicago - but instead she ends up meeting her own cowboy - her "Marlboro Man". The story is about their dating and the first year of their marriage and was a very good read.

The Maze Runner/James Dashner/375 pgs



Thomas wakes up in an elevator and has no idea how he got there and who he is. When the doors open he finds himself in another world - the Glade - where there are only teenage boys. The boys all have their own jobs - some work in the farm and others get to leave every day and run the maze - trying to find a way out without being killed by the mysterious animals in the maze. Thomas feels he should be a maze runner but things take a turn when the next day, a girl shows up in the elevator.

Between a Rock and a Hot Place/Tracey Jackson/287 pgs



This title is about how 50 is not the new 30 mainly from a woman's point of view. At times it is very funny but the author has a very serious point to make. While we may not be aging the same as our parents, those of us that are 50+ are still aging and cannot deny it but we need to face it head on and make the best of our "golden" years. There is a lot of good ideas in this book but she does get a little preachy about some things.

Miracles Happen: the Brooke Ellison story/Brooke and Jean Ellison/261 pgs



This is the story of Brooke Ellison who is struck by a car on the first day of 7th grade and paralyzed from the neck down. With the help of her mom, Jean, she graduates from Harvard 10 years later. The book is about what they both went thru to get to that point. This book was made into a A&E movie that as directed by Christopher Reeve.

Odd Hours/Dean Koontz/352 pgs




This is the fourth title in the "Odd Thomas" series. I did enjoy this one though this one is probably more of the supernatural then any of the prior titles. Odd is haunted by strange dreams and even stranger people. It was a quick read.

Until Tuesday/Luis Carlos Montalvan/252 pgs




The full title of this book is "Until Tuesday: a wounded warrior and the golden retriever who saved him". I did enjoy the story though it wasn't what I expected it to be. It is does tell the story about how Luis and Tuesday get together but the majority of the book does take place before that time. It tells about his time in the service and about what happens after he returns home. It also tells about Tuesday and the training that the service dogs go through.

Night Road/Kristin Hannah/385 pages

Jude Farraday is the ultimate helicopter mom. Her twins, Zach and Mia, are on a perfect path to their (and her) dreams. Zach is the popular good looking guy at school. Mia, on the other hand, is shy and out of step with her classmates. That all changes for Mia when Lexi, the new girl, asks to sit down next to her at lunch. Mia and Lexi become best friends. Lexi's background is completely different. She's lived in foster homes most of her life. Her mother was a drug addict who was in and out of jail. When she dies, an aunt Lexi didn't know she had takes her in. Eventually, Lexi and Zach start dating and the three of them become inseparable. Their senior year is filled with parties and drinking. A series of bad choices results in heartbreak and tragedy.

Kristin Hannah's books are always emotional and tear jerking. They are a good summer read.

Homeless Bird/ Gloria Whelan/ 186 pages

This was a sad story about an arranged marriage in India. Koly is 12 years old when her marriage is arranged. Despite the good intentions of her parents, she does not have a good match. Her husband is very ill and when he passes she is left to live with her bitter mother-in-law. That is only the beginning of her challenges.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Pardonable Lies / Jacqueline Winspear / 340 pages

This is the first Maisie Dobbs mystery I've read. The series was recommended by my sister. Clearly her tastes are not as bloody and violent as mine. This is a nice historical fiction mystery set in post WWI England. Maisie is a very honorable character who is a private investigator that solves cases and acts in the best interests of her clients all the while dealing with her own demons resulting from bloody encounters on French battlefields. Somehow I started with the 3rd book in the series which was fine. When I get the chance I might go back and read the 1st in the series to find out a little more about Maisie. One thing is for sure, while the world was much different in the early 20th century, people are pretty much the same.

Dark Flame / Alyson Noel / 320 pages

Ever has turned her best friend, Haven, into an immortal in order to save her life.  She fears that Haven will hate her for doing it.  Haven, however, is delighted.  She believes she has realized her dream of being a vampire without all the messy blood-letting.  Ever discovers that Jude is not immortal as she had previously assumed.  He is, however, attracted to her and is a staunch ally.  Ever's spell to tie Roman to her to get him to give her the antidote backfires and she instead is drawn to him.  Her dark flame kindles whenever he is near.

The Last Little Blue Envelope / Maureen Johnson / 282 pages

Ginny surprisingly receives an e-mail from a stranger in London telling her that he has her 13 letters written by her dead aunt.  The letters were stolen in Greece as Ginny was following the directions contained within the notes.  Oliver, the finder, wants Ginny to meet him in London so that he can return the letters.  Ginny discovers, however, that the final letter contains directions to yet another of her Aunt's works of art and that Oliver will not give her the final letter unless she agrees to give one half of the proceeds from the sale of the artwork.  Ginny agrees to his terms and is thrilled that her "boyfriend" from her previous London trip insists on accompanying them.  Unfortunately, he brings along his new girlfriend.

"That's how you win at life.  You have to imagine your way through.  Never say something can't be done.  There's always a solution, even if it's weird."

"Returning was a weird thing.  You can never visit the same place twice.  Each time it's a different story.  By the very act of coming back, you wipe out what came before."

Eona / Alison Goodman / 637 pages

"Eona, with its pulse-pounding drama, thrilling fight scenes, sizzling tension - and many surprises -" is an exciting, not-to-be-missed epic story.  Eona has shed her make disguise and is determined to rescue the power-hungry Lord Ido so that he can teach her to use her Dragon Eye powers to save the emperor and the empire. She is drawn to Ido, and must choose between love and honor or power.

Great adventure story.  Even though it is somewhat lengthy, it is a captivating read.

"Too many doubts grow in the cracks of silence and separation."

"Pragmatism is like water against the rock of principle.  If not channeled, it will eventually wear its own path through the spirit."

Solomon's Oak / Jo-Ann Mapson / 374 pages

Glory is devastated by the death of her young carpenter husband, Dan to pneumonia. To make ends meet she takes a job at Target and turns his handmade chapel into a wedding chapel and meets Joe Vigil, an ex-cop on disability. The first hosted wedding - a pirate wedding, also sees Glory accept yet another foster child, Juniper. Despite the odds, the three become a family and prove that "for every mistake a human makes, one hundred good things happen." This book is filled with thought provoking quotes, situations, and relationships.

"Books are always worth the splurge."

"If you want to know the meaning of something, you need more than reference books. You need imagination and you have to be willing to experiment and take risks."

RUSA 2011

Monday, June 6, 2011

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer / John Grisham / 263 Pages

Theodore Boone is not your average 13-year-old.  He wants to be a lawyer when he's an adult.  His parents and other family members are lawyers, and his classmates come to him for advice when they are having problems.  After Theodore finds out he has privileged information regarding the biggest murder trial the town has seen in years, what will he do?  Protect his friends, or rely on his parents for help with something too big to handle?

I found this book to be entertaining enough to keep my attention, and I think it's great how aspects of the law and how trials are conducted are explained so that children can understand it.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Escape/Carolyn Jessop/426 pgs.

Carolyn Jessop was born into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS)--broken away from, and renounced by the Mormon Church. This is her story about her life in, and escape from, the FLDS. It is an arresting story, and a tribute to Carolyn Jessop's indomitable spirit.

Crunch Time/Diane Mott Davidson/446 pages

This is number 16 in the series starring Goldy Schultz "caterer and sleuth extraordinaire." I'm not sure if Goldy is that great of a detective. Generally, she just seems very nosy and intent in justifying her intrusive nature. Am I tiring of this series? Probably. In any case, Goldy is trying to find the connection between two murders, arson, nine beagle puppies, Cuban exiles, illegal drugs, lost family jewels, all while drinking exorbitant amounts of caffeine. Davidson seems to throw in everything except the kitchen sink on this one. Maybe she's tiring of it all as well.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Eon / Alison Goodman / 531 pages

Women have no place in the world of dragon magic. "It is said they bring corruption to the art and do not have the physical strength or depth of character needed...It is also thought that the female eye, too practiced in gazing at itself, cannot see the truth..."
Twelve year old Eon has been training for years in the study of dragon magic, based on East Asian astrology. He has disadvantages. He is crippled and he is a sixteen year old girl. Her master rescued her from the salt mines and groomed her in her masquerade to become a dragon eye apprentice. Ido has altered the trials to favor his candidate. The Mirror Dragon, gone for 500 years, appears and claims Eona as her dragon eye. This book has, of course, powerful and incredibly believable dragons, suspense, and excellent thought-provoking themes

Best Books YA 2010

Friday, June 3, 2011

The House / Kim Dallmeier / 290 pages

Nathan has recently rented a house and his landlord, Mr. Rogers, has reiterated that absolutely no renovations/changes are to be made. When scratching noises are heard under the floorboards of the kitchen sink, Mr. Rogers lays rat traps and reminds Nathan and Mike, Nathan's brother who has just moved in, that they are to let him handle the situation. Nathan and Mike experience odd dreams and ghostly visitations. What is Mr. Rogers trying to conceal? Flashbacks to the 60's, the peace movement, and the VietNam War make this novel set in Great Britain a unique read.

real live boyfriends* / E. Lockhart / 224p.

*yes, boyfriends, plural.  if my life weren't complicated - I wouldn't be Ruby Oliver.

    Real Live Boyfriends!
    Definition:
    A real live boyfriend does not contribute to your angst.     
    You do not wonder if he will call.
    You do not wonder whether he will kiss you.
    And he does not look at his phone while you are talking, to see if anyone has texted him.
                              Of course calls.  He's your boyfriend!
                              And of course he listens.  He's your real live boyfriend!

The opening, quoted above, starts with Ruby's standard list making.  Ruby is finally in love and excited to have a Real Live Boyfriend!  But, of course, the happy does not last and Ruby's other standard, self-questioning neurotic behavior, comes out when her boyfriend, Noel, visits New York to stay with his brother and stops acting like a real live boyfriend.
Just like the first three in this series, Ruby is self-involved and self-loathing all at the same time but continues to be amazingly witty and likeable throughout.  I love this character.  I love this book series.  And I, especially, love this author.  Give to those who want a lighter version of a Sarah Dessen book. Or to fans of Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle, and John Green.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Making Waves / Lorna Seilstad / 280 pages

This was my second ebook!  This book was set in 1895 Iowa.  Marguerite is being courted by boring Rodger.  He mother encourages the match to the wealthy well-born man to the point she refuses to listen to her daughter's objections.  Her father believes that the decision should be Marguerite's.  The family spends the summer at Lake Manawa, where Marguerite meets Trip Andrews and truly realizes what love, honesty, family, and integrity mean.  Although the characters and events are fiction, Lake Mawawa is now a state park and was all the rage with the well-to-do in the late 1800's, and the author's grandfather lived in one of the boat house converted into a home.

Great Christian romance!

JUNE is HERE!!!!

Hey All!  Check out the Bonus Points page, I have just posted a new challenge.  Also, just a friendly reminder you have until December 2011 to finish any of the other challenges.  Hint: if you play your cards right you could win the top monthly prize if you try to get the most bonus points.  (You can get "2" points for reading all of the MO Building Block Nominees and "13" total points for reading all of the MO Show Me Readers.  These are picture books and easy readers!)  

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The Chosen One/ Carol Lynch Williams/ 213 pgs.

Gateway Book Nominee


This book is a fictional account of a girl living inside a FLDS (Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints) compound. Many of the details are based on true events and will really shock the reader such as actually "waterboarding" a baby so that it will not cry. Life inside the church is not easy and disobedience is not tolerated. This book really sets up the problems and has a dramatic conclusion. That the girl in the book is brave enough to challenge the system will keep the reader turning the pages. (Now, I am reading a book on the actual group whose leader was prosecuted in 2008 or 2009 for child abuse and child sexual abuse due to wildly underage marriages to older men.) Two thumbs up.

The Passage / Justin Cronin / 784 pages

"Read this book and the ordinary world disappears."  So says Stephen King about this fantastic novel reminiscent of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Life as we know it has been forever altered by an army experiment gone wrong.  Using a virus to create super soldiers, they have instead created vampire-like monsters who kill or turn humans at night.  A small community of survivors and some unlikely heroes risk all to bring hope back to the world.  Great adventure tale, great characterization, and suspense make this first book in a trilogy a compelling read.

Fly Away Home/ Jennifer Weiner/ 397 pages

Sylvie has devoted her life to her husband, giving up her career to be a Senator's wife. Now her husband has cheated on her. What will she do? Does she still love him? And to add to the drama, they have 2 grown daughters with problems of their own. I always love Jennifer Weiner's books. Despite their flaws, you root for these characters.