Book List: Ugly Duckling Meets Cinderella, Haunting and Would I Do It?

Another book list for you. Here are three more random books I checked out from the library in recent weeks. I'm still using the grab-and-go method of choosing books.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini--I grabbed this because I'd heard the title mentioned a lot in the past, but had never read it. This novel is narrated by a man who grew up in Afghanistan in the 1970s. It follows his life from childhood to adulthood as he tries to right certain wrongs. It is as much a portrait of Afghanistan as it is a portrait of the main character. One of the reviews on the cover called this book "haunting" and that is the best word I could use to describe it. I found some scenes to be very disturbing. A well-written (in my opinion), but "haunting" book.

The Go-To Girl by Louise Bagshawe--This is typical example of the chick lit that I love. A modern mix between the Ugly Duckling and Cinderella set in the film industry in London, this book is a bit predictable, but I really enjoyed it all the same. A perfect light read after reading The Kite Runner.

Show of Hands by Anthony McCarten--Apparently there's an Anglophile working at my library as this is another book set in London. I grabbed this one because it was so new. A brand new paperback with shiny unbent cover and crisp pages--I couldn't resist. This one is the story of a group of people participating in a contest to win a car. It's one of those contests we've all heard about where you have to keep your hand on the car the longest to win it. I found the book a little slow at parts, but interesting in the way it shows why different people participated in such a crazy contest. In today's economic times, it probably seems a lot less crazy than it used to seem. Would I do it? Probably not. A little preachy in an underhanded way, not my favorite book, but not bad either.

As always, if you read a good book, please pass it on. I am always open to suggestions.