Book List: Food For Thought Edition

It's been forever since I've done a book list post, but I have been reading-- A LOT actually, but I haven't slowed down long enough to blog about them. To be honest, most have not really been blog worthy. They've been enjoyable reads, but nothing to write home about. Anyway, three of my recent reads have stuck out as books I'd recommend to others so here they are. I guess the difference between these and most of the others is that they really made me think a lot about different things and I think that is a good thing.

The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond: I started reading this book when I went to visit my in-laws in Ohio. I hadn't brought a book and was missing reading when I spotted this one sitting on a shelf in the guest bedroom. I picked it up and read the back and then put it back down. The next day I picked it up and read a few pages and put it back down again. To say that I was reluctant to read this book is an understatement. You see I get really into books when I read them. I get totally sucked into the characters and emotions and at times it can be very powerful...and this book is about a child disappearing and I just didn't know if I could handle it. But slowly I started reading a page or two at a time and eventually I got sucked in and went along for the ride. I found this book to be very powerful. It wasn't predictable and had some interesting twists and viewpoints. I would definitely recommend it. My only warning: ever since I read this book, I've been more anxious when out and about with my boys. I'm sure it will pass with time, I hope it will pass with time, but I definitely think about the possibility of child abduction more now.

The Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs: This is a book I read while visiting my parents in Virginia. My mom had bought it after I recommended the author. Most of the Susan Wiggs books I had read were romances, but this is just a good novel. It's about a woman whose husband is an officer in the Navy. As in her other novels, Wiggs does a great job with character development--both of the main characters and the more periphery ones. This one was a very powerful, poignant tale which just seems so relevant in these times of military involvement in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. I know several people whose spouses have been overseas in the military and I just heard of a friend whose little brother was just killed in Afghanistan so this book really hit home right now. I highly recommend it. I hate it when B travels, but at least I know it will only be for a week at most and that he is not actively in danger when he is gone. This book really puts things in perspective.

Lift by Kelly Corrigan: I just picked this one up on a whim from the library. It's a mother writing a letter to her children talking about her role as their mother. It's a quick read (I think I read it in about 2 hours) full of little stories and tidbits, but I found it to be very powerful and relate-able. She says a lot of things that I have thought, but she said it so much more clearly. She talks about how she is telling her children now about herself as she is now because when they are old enough to remember she will have become a different mother already. Anyway, there are lots of little "a ha" thoughts like that. I really loved it. It made me want to write a letter to my boys and tell them about their mom as I am today. It's hard to explanin, but this book really touched me. Must find and read her first book.

Book List: I am Loving Reading Edition

I've just been in reading mode recently and have been reading quite a few books. Here are the latest:

College Girl by Patricia Weitz: This book, unlike the rest in this group, was not a light read. It was about a girl who's in her senior year of college. She's struggling to find her place on campus and in life. Anyone who's had doubts about fitting in somewhere can relate to this novel. However, hopefully your experience was better this one. It ends okay, but there are some depressing moments before the ending. Interesting, but NOT light.

The Little Lady Agency and the Prince by Hester Browne: This was an adorable book with a really fun main character and I could see it making a great movie. I really loved it. It's the third in the "Little Lady Agency" series and I only wish I had read the other two first. After reading this one and knowing the ending, I don't think I would enjoy the first two as much since I know the ending, but I am still considering reading them because this one was so enjoyable.

Lucky Charm by Carly Phillips; Lucky Streak by Carly Phillips: These are two of the books in the Lucky Trilogy. As always for Phillips, they are an enjoyable light read. I liked them both, but really got into Lucky Streak--really liked the characters in that one. If you like the romance novel formula (romance, mystery, sex), then you should check it out. I read the preview of the third novel, but wasn't tempted to read it.

Ready for Love by Debbie Macomber: I know Debbie Macomber from her Blossom Street books so I wasn't sure what to expect. Although a different subject manner, this book had the same kind of easy read. Inspired by the movie Sabrina, this book is actually two mini-novels about two brothers. The first is most closely related to the film and is about the older brother. The second is about the younger brother and it's plot seems less inspired by the film. I enjoyed both as quick, light reads. If you enjoy steamier romances, this is NOT the book for you.

Dockside by Susan Wiggs; Fireside by Susan Wiggs: These two books are both part of "The Lakeshore Chronicles" by Susan Wiggs. I'd never read any of her books before, but J liked the picture on the front of Dockside and picked it out for me. I really enjoyed the writing style and plots in both books, but of the two Dockside was my favorite. I just got totally sucked in. There are quite a few books in the series and I'm tempted to read them all. A minor character in one or two of the books, then becomes the main character in a later book. Very fun. More books of the "less steamy romance" variety.

Full House by Janet Evanovich: I got this book in a neighborhood book exchange a while ago and just slowed down long enough to read it. I guess it was one of her earlier books and it was recently republished. It was a fun light read with some mystery, a developing romance, and a little, just a little, steaminess. A different kind of heroine, a divorced mother of two, but a fun read all the same.

Manhunting by Jennifer Crusie: Jennifer Crusie has become one of my go to authors when I want a light, fun read. This is actually the first novel she ever wrote and it's a cute one. A little steamier than some of the others, but not over the top, it's a fun romance story.

Book List: Wow, It's Been a While Edition

I'm still reading, but I haven't done a Book List in a LONG time. So I'm going to do a quickie version with lots of books. I'm sure I'm leaving out one or two, but this should be most of them. Without further ado...

Addicted to Love by Lori Wilde: This is a classic modern romance novel. There is plenty of good old fashioned lust at first sight and eventually some love. A fun read. The "sexy" parts were humorously worded, in my opinion, at times which actually added to my enjoyment of this book. It is part of a series and I would definitely check out the others if I ran across them at the library.

The Way Through Doors by Jesse Ball: This may quite possibly be one of the weirdest books I've ever read. I found it quite intriguing and interesting--even when it was confusing. A very different book from a very different author. Not my typical read, but definitely worth checking out.

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out by Neta Jackson: A good example of the modern Christian novel, I enjoyed this book. It's message is more subtle than some, but definitely Christian-based. This is part of the Yada Yada Prayer Group series. This was the first one that I had read and I enjoyed the characters and the message. The novel is set around the Christmas season and it gave me a lot of ideas of how to celebrate Advent and how to bring Christ back into Christmas. I need to read it again next fall to get ready for the holidays.

Nine Wives by Dan Elish: This book was really entertaining and I could see it being a great movie. The main character is ready to settle down and get married only he doesn't have anyone to settle down with. So he imagines married life with every woman he meets which leads to some hilarious "dreams." Very funny and interesting male perspective on something I always saw as a female situation. The main character is an actor and writer and I totally pictured him as Joseph Fiennes in Shakespeare in Love the whole time I was reading this novel.

Chocolate Beach by Julie Carobini: A decent read. I enjoyed this book, but it didn't leave a major impression on me.

Santa Baby by Jennifer Crusie (and two other holiday-themed novellas by Lori Foster and Carly Phillips)
The Playboy by Carly Phillips
Tempting by Susan Mallery
These three books are more of the classic modern romances. All fun, flirty and full of love and lust. Tempting was my favorite of the three.

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi: I've been hearing about this book for so long and finally ran across it in the library (in the non-fiction section) and checked it out. It's a very interesting read. I am really bad about not watching the news or reading the newspaper so I'm never very well-informed on the state of various parts of the world. I really had no idea of the history of women and their rights (or lack there of) in Iran and this book was very eye-opening. It is written by a woman who was an English literature professor in Iran and her love and understanding of these novels play an important role in the book. It not only made me feel angry for the way women are treated in Iran, but it also made me want to read the classic novels that Nafisi writes about. They are as much "characters" in this book as the people are. Very interesting and informative book.

Don't Look Down by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer: Although Crusie is known for her romance novels, this book was more action film action than action in bed action. It was a fun and entertaining read.

Book List: Decent Read Edition

Bound South by Susan Rebecca White: This novel tells the story of the modern south, or more specifically the story of an Atlanta family. The opening chapter tells the story of Louise taking her mother-in-law to her housekeeper's funeral. It ends up the beloved Sandy is actually a man and her mother-in-law exclaims something along the lines of "That black man helped me with my corset" and faints in front of the open casket. This beginning full of character development, comments on the modern south and, of course, this surprising twist bode well for the book. And, in part, the novel lived up to these expectations. I was torn between the depth (including Louise's struggle between her Southern expectations and the demands of the modern world) and the surprises which I enjoyed and some of the stereotypes which frustrated me. One plot line involving Louise's housekeeper Faye's daughter really turned me off and turned a good book into just a decent one.

Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot: I have read other books by Meg Cabot and enjoyed them so I was excited when I found this novel at the library. This book is along the lines of the typical light read that I enjoy. Kate, an HR rep, is forced by her evil boss to fire a well-loved employee. Chaos ensues when the employee than sues for wrongful termination. When hot lawyer Mitch enters the scene, things really get interesting. This book follows a somewhat predictable format of girl meets boy. Girl likes boy and lusts after him even though she thinks he is evil and couldn't possibly like her back. Lots of misunderstandings later, all works out :). One twist for this novel is Cabot's use of e-mails, IMs, a diary, notes on receipts and menus, etc., to tell the story. I found this annoying at first, but soon got sucked in. It was very easy to say "I'll just read this quick e-mail and then this menu and then..." and twenty pages later I'm still reading. A bit predictable, but overall a fun little romance.

Dear American Airlines by Jonathon Miles: This is definitely the most "literary" of this group of novels. Bennie Ford, a former poet and current translator, is stuck in the Chicago airport on his way to his estranged daughter's wedding. Frustrated with his life and current situation, Bennie sits down to write a scathing letter to American Airlines demanding a refund and telling his life story in the process. Intermingled with diatribes against American Airlines and airlines in general are eye-opening stories of Bennie's past including the story of his parents, a holocaust survivor and a schizophrenic artist. Also included are excerpts from the Polish novel he is currently translating. This novel has some powerful, beautifully described moments, but overall it was just a decent read for me. I think this is a well-written book, it just wasn't my favorite type of novel.

Theodora's Diary by Penny Cuilliford: A decent read really describes this novel best. It tells the story of Theodora through her diary. Theodora is a thirty-something year-old who is determined to find her calling and help minister to others. She hopes that keeping a diary will help her become more enlightened and deepen her faith. My main complaint about this book is that nothing much happens. I mean, things happen, but there is no big moment. Just lots of little every day moments in the life of a very ordinary person. Think a less exciting version of Bridget Jones' Diary and you've got this book. There is a follow-up book. If I find it, I won't run the other direction, but I'm not sure if I'll try to read it either.

Free Style by Linda Nieves-Powell: Idalis is a thirty-five year old Latina secretary, mother of six year-old Junito, and recently separated from her husband of ten years Manny. She is unhappy with her present, unsure of the future and slightly obsessed with the past. This novel tells the tale of her search for happiness as she deals with life's questions: Will she be stuck as a secretary for the rest of her life? Is Manny the man she's meant to be with? Will she always have to deal with subtle racism everywhere she goes? Will there be a man who will stay true to her forever? A little painful at times in its realistic approach to life and love, but overall a decent read. I like a little fantasy in my reading, otherwise I would call this book great. I read to escape so too much realism turns me off. Sad, but true.

Book List: A Crazy Murder, Too True to Herself, A Funny Ms. Fanny and Heartwrenching Memories of Water

The Crazy School by Cornelia Read: This novel is the second starring Madeline Dare, a twenty-something woman who has recently started teaching at a private boarding school for teenagers in need of psychiatric help. Although her co-workers drive her crazy and she questions the methods the school uses, Madeline cares deeply for her students and, frankly, needs the paycheck the job provides. Madeline questions her dedication to her job when two of her students turn up dead, an apparent suicide that Madeline believes is actually murder. The novel is full of "characters," some better flushed out than others. It's a decent read that moves along at a nice pace complete with a few good plot twists and a few predictable ones too. I found the MANY references to events from the first novel a bit annoying, but the plan may have worked as I'm just curious enough to find out more details to read it.

The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano: At the tender age of six, Melody begs her parents to take her to her favorite Italian restaurant for breakfast. When they arrive, the restaurant is closed, but after much begging from Melody, they decide to walk around back to see if they can find anyone to serve them breakfast. Instead of getting breakfast, they witness a gruesome murder by an important mob boss. Melody's parents end up testifying against the mob boss and the family is put into the Witness Protection program. Unfortunately, Melody has a penchant for telling the truth and twenty years later is on her eighth identity. While in the process of getting relocated yet again, she is approached by Jonathon, someone from her past, who promises to give Melody her life back. I REALLY enjoyed this book...until the last three pages. It was fun, fast-paced, and I enjoyed the way the author filled in the blanks of Melody and Jonathon's pasts. I loved the possibility of romance. I thought the ending was okay, realistic, UNTIL the last three pages. The very end was one of the worst I have ever read. I won't ruin it by telling you, but PLEASE go read this book and then let me know so I can further bitch about this awful ending that only a man would write.

Austenland by Shannon Hale: Thirty-three year-old Jane is single and is contemplating a life alone because of her most shameful secret, she is in love with Jane Austen's fictional character Mr. Darcy (as played by Colin Firth). A cooky great aunt learns of Jane's obsession and provides her niece a chance to live out her dream with a two week vacation to Austenland where everyone dresses and acts as if they are living in the time of Jane Austen's novels. When I first started this novel, I was a little hesitant. I can honestly say that I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice as much as the next gal, but I don't get the people who obsess over Jane Austen's novels. However, despite my lack of total understanding, I really enjoyed this novel. There is just enough humor on both Jane's part and on the author's part that I kept wanting more. I enjoyed the aspects of romance and the various plot twists. All in all, a fun read.

The Memory of Water by Karen White: This novel was a lot more serious than the others in this bunch. It tells the story of Diana and Marnie, two sisters who become estranged after losing their mother in a sailboat accident in the middle of a horrific storm. Ten years later, Marnie has returned home after her sister has survived yet another sailboat sinking in the middle of a storm. This time, Diana's nine year-old son was on board and afterwards he refuses to speak a word. Marnie rushes to the aid of her nephew and slowly they try to help each other begin living again. This book was heartwrenching at times as we learn the effects that mental illness has on a person and her family. The emotions felt real and I enjoyed getting to know the characters as stories of their past and present unfolded. There are parts of the ending that I felt wrapped things up a little too conveniently, but overall a good read.

Book List: Deja Vu Edition

The two books I just finished reading shared a common "formula" that I enjoy quite a bit: Average girl suffers an injustice and then moves away and makes a fabulous new life for herself. While making this fabulous life, average girl (who happens to suffer from self-esteem issues) meets "unattainable" man of her dreams. Average girl gets lots of crazy advice from friends about how to have a happy love life and snag the guy of her dreams. Then she makes a major mistake and may or may not lose him forever. Do they live happily ever after? You'll have to read the novels to find out. Of course, if you know me at all and you know I like these books, then you can probably guess the answer to that question.

The Art of French Kissing by Kristin Harmel: Emma gets dumped by her fiance and then gets fired the next day. While wallowing in self-pity, Emma gets a call from an old friend who invites her to Paris and even offers her a job as a publicist for a crazy, but very sexy French rock star. The novel tells all about Emma and her lovely life in the even lovelier city of Paris. This author is definitely in love with Paris. One fun part of this novel for me is how the author sets up multiple options for Emma's love interest (the sexy rock star, an annoying but good-looking reporter, her ex-fiance and various others) and I spent part of the novel trying to decide who I wanted her to get together with. Anyway, there are some fun plot twists, crazy antics and plenty of feminine angst. I found it to be very entertaining.

Dog Handling by Clare Naylor: In this novel, Liz gets dumped by her fiance (sound familiar?) and is bored by her job as an accountant so she decides to get away from it all by leaving the country (sound familiar?) to stay with a good friend (sound familiar?). Liz, however does not go to Paris, but instead heads to the beaches of Australia where she meets a whole cast of interesting characters including two drag queen business men, a bevy of rich socialites, and a crazed heart-broken lesbian, oh yeah, and the hot guy she had a summer fling with at the age of 18. Again, lots of antics and plot twists and feminine angst. Another fun read.

Another similarity: Sometimes Predictable, BUT Things are NOT always as they seem. Hmm...

Book List: Three that I Couldn't Put Down and One that I Almost Didn't Finish

The Good:
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff: This was a very interesting read. It intermingled two stories: the story of Ann Eliza Young, one of Brigham Young's wives who tried to end polygamy back in the 1800s, and the story of a young man who grew up in a modern polygamous sect. Reading about polygamy is kind of like watching an accident or an episode of Jerry Springer--you want to look away, you can't believe these are real people who do and think this, but you just can't resist learning more. However, even more than the subject, the amount of detail and the varied viewpoints really make this book very interesting. I love the juxtaposition between the Mormons in the 1800s and the modern cult. To me this book made me think a lot about religion in general and the differences between religion and faith. All in all, a good read.

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker: This novel tells the story of Truly. Truly is born weighing over 29 pounds with a medical condition that causes her to grow at a faster than average rate and she lives her life as a "giant" who is much bigger and heavier than everyone she knows. Truly's story is an interesting one and is told beautifully in a way that makes you feel her pain, but not pity her for her battles with the world and all of its beautiful "normal" people. Baker is good at giving you just enough information about what's going to happen to make you want to keep reading until you know all the hows and whys to go with the whats. A lovely story and enjoyable to read.

Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos: This book centers on two main characters: Cornelia, a thirty-ish single woman who loves old movies and dreams of being swept away by love, and Clare, an eleven year-old girl who's dealing with a mother with mental issues. I LOVED the way this book is written. It is narrated alternately by Cornelia and Clare and I especially loved the voice of Cornelia. She was so real and so interesting and I just loved hearing her inside my head. The plot of this book is interesting and both predictable and unexpected at times. I enjoyed the plot, but my favorite part was just the voices of these two females and the likability of their characters.

The Bad:
Love Will Tear Us Apart by Sarah Rainone: Let me just preface this by saying, I don't think I have ever stopped reading a book once I started it. I always finish the book even if I don't like it. On that note, I really almost stopped reading this book about half way through. I just did not enjoy it. In this novel, Dan and Lea are getting married. Their four friends from grade school are in the wedding. The story is told by these four friends who although they all bonded in a grade school gifted program are now royally screwed up adults. All I could think while reading this was "What a bunch of losers." I know that is really mean and awful, but that is what I kept thinking. In the end, the book got a little better as the author moved away from overuse of stream of consciousness and into more storytelling and as the characters stopped obsessing over how they felt inadequate because going to a gifted program made them social outcasts. I did not go to a gifted pullout program in grade school, but I have lots of friends who did. I know they did not turn out to be drugged out losers, but did they feel this bad about themselves in grade school? I don't think so, but I could be wrong. Read this one at your own risk.

Book List: Artsy-Fartsy, Good Faith, Harry's Final Installment and a Little Light Murder Mystery

The Art Thief by Noah Charney: This novel tells the story of several stolen paintings and the attempt to recover them. The tale takes place in several countries and jumps back in forth between the investigators, victims and criminals in each country. The threads of the story continue to cross and intermingle more and more as the novel unfolds with definitely a few interesting twists. For me, this novel is only enjoyable if you have some interest in art history since it is heavy in details about art and its history. The author is part of an art crime think tank and it is pretty obvious that is his first talent, not writing novels. A little like a more academic version of The Thomas Crown Affair. Not bad, but not great either. On a side note, the author's penchant for including phrases and sentences in other languages (often untranslated) was annoying to me.

Healing Waters by Nancy Rue and Stephen Arterburn: Forced to give up things for her younger, more beautiful and talented sister her whole life, Lucia is constantly feeling inferior, especially now that she's put on more weight, and truly believes that God loves some people (her sister) more than others (herself). When her younger sister is tragically injured, Lucia, a nurse, must become immersed in her sister's world as a celebrity televangelist as she becomes her main caretaker. While Lucia is battling with her sister and her own personal demons help comes in the form of Sullivan Crisp, another famous Christian who is also a psychologist with his own personal struggles. This is part of the Sullivan Crisp series, but to me this book was all about Lucia--a character that I loved. When I saw that this book had won a Women of Faith award, I wasn't sure if it would be a favorite... but I REALLY enjoyed this novel. It had an interesting plot (lots more mystery and depth than my description implies) and some really good, deep characters. There was sadness and anger, but also joy. This book, unlike some other Christian lit I've read, had definitely more emphasis on Faith vs. Religion and that felt good. Even if you are not a woman of faith, this is a good read and I recommend it.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling: I have read the whole Harry Potter series and enjoyed them. This one is one of my favorites. My other favorite is the first book in the series. In between, Harry got a little annoying. Anyway, Deathly Hallows was long, but quick moving and enjoyable. It was very intense at times, a little nerve-wracking for me who gets totally sucked into the characters in most books I read. I thought there were some interesting plot twists and good character development. There are a few deaths that I felt were unnecessary (they weren't gratuitous, I just wish they hadn't happened), but overall J. K. Rowling did a good job ending the series with this book. I was satisfied with the ending and the way things were wrapped up. This book was actually better than I expected.

Size 14 Is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot: This was a fun little light read. It's part of the Heather Mills Mystery series. Heather Mills, the main character, is a former pop star who is trying to start her life over by working at a college residence hall after her mom ran away with all her money. For the second time, there is a student murdered in the residence hall and Heather gets sucked into finding the murderer. Not an earth-shattering book, but a fun read. Not quite as good as the last Meg Cabot book I read, but good enough for me to want to read the next book in the series. One of my favorite parts of this novel: the snippets of Heather's songs she writes that appear at the beginning of each chapter. Some are really funny.

Book List: Death, Divorce and Sex Edition

Here are three more more library finds. These three all include death, divorce and sex--not necessarily in that order. Family also played a big role in the first two. These books were all a bit heavier than my usual chick lit. I found them all to be slightly painful to read at times, but overall enjoyed them.

Who By Fire by Diana Spechler: This novel tells the story of the Kellerman family whose lives are torn apart when their daughter and youngest sister Alena disappears at the age of 6. Now young adults, the two older children continue to struggle with the after effects of this family trauma. Bits deals with her pain through promiscuity. Her younger brother Ash who blames himself for the kidnapping tries to find causes to somehow fill the void and erase the pain--his latest is Orthodox Judaism and he has moved to Jerusalem to live accordingly. This novel tells of the families struggle to save each other and save themselves. An interesting read, this novel has some very powerful moments although the sex scenes were disturbing.

Three Mothers by Sonia Lambert: Any woman can relate to this novel as we have all experienced a mother-daughter relationship--that strange mix of loving someone, but not always getting along. For me, it's because my mother and I are so much alike that we are either best friends or butting heads--luckily the best friends always wins out in the end. In this novel, we meet Susie, her mother Vera and her grandmother Helene. Vera has just been diagnosed with advanced cancer and Susie is struggling to accept her mother's imminent death. She asks her mother to record her "story." Vera suggests that she get her grandmother to do the same. The novel alternates between current day narrated by Susie and the past narrated by Vera and Helene. The past stories revolve around love, marriage, pregnancy, motherhood and eventually divorce. I found it a little confusing at first (not helped by a 10 day break when I went on vacation), but quickly got sucked in. I enjoy multiple narrators and layers. Overall, I thought this was a good read. Again, very powerful at times.

Testimony by Anita Shreve: I have read other novels by Anita Shreve and didn't like them all (I hated The Pilot's Wife) so I wasn't sure about checking this one out, but decided to go for it. This novel takes place at a private high school in Vermont. A tape has just been discovered showing three male students (18 and 19 years-old) having sex with a fourteen year-old female student. When I first started reading this novel, I thought this was a different kind of Anita Shreve--it was not focused on a failing marriage or an affair. But as I got further in to the novel, I realized she hadn't strayed as far as I thought. Another novel told by multiple narrators, I enjoyed the way Shreve let the story unfold in a non-traditional manner. I enjoyed the little clues and nuances that emerged slowly to help the pieces of the story fall into place. However, at times, reading this book felt like watching a car accident about to happen and not being able to turn away even though you really want to. Overall, a good read, but definitely painful at times.

Now I'm ready for some good fluff reading. Maybe a little happier ever after. Is that so much for a girl to ask?

Book List: Male Edition

The "theme" this time is male--male authors and male main characters. I usually prefer books written by females or at least books whose main characters are females, but I decided to branch out a little.

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway: This is a novel that has four narrators, all living in war-torn Sarajevo in the 1990s. The first is a cellist who watches 22 of his friends and neighbors die when a shell hits a line of people waiting to buy bread; he then decides to sit in the marketplace and play his cello for 22 days. Two of the narrators are men who are braving the shells and hillside snipers to try to get daily essentials like food and water. The fourth narrator is a female sniper who is trying to defend the city and protect the cellist. The novel gives a pretty in depth view of daily life during a horrific time. It studies the way war changes people and the little ways those people fight back. This book was not the usually "fluff" that I let myself escape into, but I thought it was a good book. It definitely opened my eyes to a situation I knew little about and made me feel grateful for the sheltered life we live.

The Enthusiast by Charlie Haas: Not all happy times, but definitely a much lighter book than The Cellist of Sarajevo, this novel tells the story of Henry Bay, an associate editor who wanders across the country working for different enthusiast magazines (e.g., Spelunk, Ice Climbing, Cozy, The Magazine of Tea). Reading this novel, you get to learn about Henry as he experiences everyone else's passions without ever really finding his own. This book is full of the interesting characters that Henry encounters at these different magazines as well as Henry's family members who are on journeys of their own. There are a lot of little "insight into real life" moments and some good laugh outloud ones too. There are also some good "make you think" moments too. Haas's writing style is fun and flows quickly. Overall, I found the book to be quirky and a little odd, but a decent read.

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks: Another Nicholas Sparks romance novel, this one really sucked me in--possibly because I'm a sucker for a romance and always want to read about the happily ever after. Did I get my wish with this one? I'm not telling. You'll have to read it to find out. Dear John tells the story of John Tyree, a Wilmington, NC native who enlisted in the army at the age of 20 when he decided he needed to do something with his life, and Savannah Lynn Curtis, a college student who grew up in the mountains and wants to help children with autism. The two meet while John is on leave and Savannah is in Wilmington volunteering for Habitat for Humanity for the summer. The two fall and love and try to make a one week romance survive an army enlistment that still has two more years to go. As always, Sparks' book moves at a quick pace. This one is a little less preachy than The Rescue, but still seems to be trying to teach us about how to live as good people. What are you trying to tell me, Nicholas Sparks? Anyway, it was a good read, not overly deep but good, with an interesting ending. If anyone reads it, let me know, I want to chat about the ending. Thanks!

Book List: Knitting Edition

My three most recently read books are all in some way knitting-related so today's Book List has a theme. Kind of fun. I'll have to consider doing another one of these themed lists in the future.

Things I Learned from Knitting...whether I wanted to or not by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee: This is one of those cute little "gift books" that you see in the bookstore and wonder about, but never stop to buy for yourself. Luckily, I was lucky enough to receive it as a gift. (Thank you, Leah!) This book is great. There are so many truisms in this book like "Beginning is easy, continuing is hard" and "Babies grow." I could relate to so much of it and love Stephanie's sense of humor. A fun read and one that I will reread in the future when I need a few laughs. And, if you want some Stephanie Pearl-McPhee humor for free, check out her blog.

Spin a Wicked Web by Cricket McRae: This mystery revolves around Sophie Mae, a young woman who keeps finding herself tangled up in the middle of murder investigations. This time it is a young female artist, a fellow member of the smalltown artist co-op, who turns up dead--strangled to death with Sophie Mae's first skein of handspun yarn . Anyway, it's an interesting read as Sophie Mae gets deeper and deeper into the murder investigation. There are lots of suspects and some drama involving Sophie Mae's boyfriend and his ex.

McRae also describes Sophie Mae's new home crafting love: spinning. As a knitter, I get exposed to spinning a lot via blogs I read and fellow knitting friends who have started spinning. I LOVE the look of handspun yarn, but have never worked with it. So far I've been able to resist the seemingly inevitable move from knitting to spinning, but for some reason this book really made me want to knit something with yarn I spun myself. Spinning is an expensive habit. I think I'll try to resist the urge to try it. Wish me luck.

As an additional side note, this is the third book in Cricket McRae's "Home Crafting Mystery" series all starring Sophie Mae. The first one is about soap making. The second one is about canning. This whole "Home Crafting Mystery" thing cracks me up. Can't wait to see what home craft is used next. Any guesses?

Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber: Debbie Macomber is famous for her Blossom Street books. I have read one before, but don't remember the name of it, but it centered on Lydia who owns a knitting shop on Blossom Street. So when I saw she wrote this one, I grabbed it at the library. Twenty Wishes focuses on Anne Marie, the owner of a book store on Blossom Street. The premise of the novel is that four widows get together for a Valentine's Day celebration and decide to each make a list of twenty wishes. Their goal is to start living their lives again. It sounds a little cheesy, but it made for a wonderful heartfelt novel. I really enjoyed the story lines of the different characters as they strive to find happiness. I love that two of the characters learned how to knit and found joy in it because it has brought much joy into my life. Definitely a feelgood kind of read.

Book List:: A Change of Pace Love Story, a Who Cares? Whodunit, Fuel for Thoughts on Faith, and a Fun Tale of Women and their Secrets

The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks: This novel revolves around Denise, a thirty-something single mom of a five year old boy with delayed language, and Taylor, a contractor and volunteer fireman who is working hard to rescue as many people as he can. The two meet when Denise is in a car accident during a huge storm and her son wanders away in the swamp. Taylor rescues both her and her son. It's a love story that has some touching moments, some insight into parenting a special needs child, and a few parts that made me angry (why did THAT have to happen?). I didn't love it, but thought it had some good moments and I was happy with the ending. Definitely different from the chick lit romances that I tend to favor--more serious, down to earth. Overall, a decent read. Nicholas Sparks also wrote The Notebook which I really loved when I read it years ago.

Cursed by Carol Higgins Clark: This is apparently the 12th Reagan Reilly Mystery by Carol Higgins Clark, but it's the first book of hers that I have read. Growing up, I used to LOVE to read my mom's Mary Higgins Clark books. Carol is her daughter. This was another decent read. A fun mystery with some good twists. Like her mother, Carol writes with multiple narrators and lots of twists and intermingling of storylines. Although this novel was much less sinister (and suspenseful) than I remember her mom's books being. My main complaint about this book is that I never really got sucked in--I didn't care enough about the particular crime/characters. I'd give Carol Higgins Clark another try although this book left me wishing that I had reread one of her mom's books instead.

The Shack by William P. Young: This is a book I heard about a while ago, but wasn't sure if I wanted to read. My sister brought it to me when she came to visit. My aunt loved it and gave it to my mom who read it and gave it to my sister. I guess it's one of those "read it and pass it on" kind of books. My sister didn't think it was all it was cracked up to be, but passed it on all the same. This novel tells the story of Mack, a father who looses his young daughter to a serial killer. He then gets a note, supposedly from God, inviting him back to the scene of the crime for a weekend. Needless to say, this is a religious text. A lot of the book involves Mack's conversations with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. There are lots of interesting things that make you rethink the way you see faith and religion. An interesting read that definitely made me think a lot--sometimes a little too much. I felt I had to read it really slowly to try to take it all in. Life changing? Maybe. Maybe not. But a lot of food for thought. Worth the read.

The Secret's in the Sauce (Potluck Catering Club Book #1) by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson: The first in the Potluck Catering Club series, this novel is preceded by the three Potluck Club books. I have not read that series, but reading this one made me want to--if nothing else to find out the details related to the crazy prior happenings mentioned in this book. This novel is narrated by the six members of a church potluck club who have decided to start their own catering business. Filled with characters, plot twists and funny "only in a small town" relationships, this book tells the story of these wonderful women and their secrets. This was a fun easy read that came complete with some yummy looking recipes. Not a deep read, although there is a little Christian message built in, I enjoyed this book--especially after the intensity of The Shack. I will definitely keep an eye out for the other books in these series.

Book List: The Best Movie Never Made and J. Lo, PI

I've been totally sucked into this round of library books. Here are the latest two.

She Went All The Way by Meg Cabot: This novel tells the story of Lou Calabrese, a screen writer, and Jack Townsend, an actor, who get stuck together in the Alaskan wilderness after a helicopter crash. To make matters worse, the two have a long history of hating each other and their exes just eloped together. Formulaic, maybe? Addictive, yes! This book sucked me in and wouldn't let go. I kept imagining how great of a movie it would make--part Romantic Comedy, part Action flick, some sex scenes thrown in for good measure. If you're looking for a quick read and a little escapism, I highly recommend this one.

Living the Vida Lola by Misa Ramirez: Lola is a young, hot Latina private investigator--a kind of J. Lo who could kick your butt. She's working to find a killer and a boyfriend. Not usually the kind of storyline I go for, but I decided to give it a try since the author "lives near Dallas, Texas" like me. Sometimes frustrated (in my head) with my inability to pronounce (in my head) all of Lola's Spanish expressions, I still enjoyed this fast pace book. It was fun to try to solve the mystery as Lola found more clues related to the disappearance of Emily Diggs. There were a lot of questions (related to characters and subplots) that were left unanswered so I'm pretty sure this is just the first "Lola Cruz mystery." Unfortunately, since it was just published this year, I'll probably forget all those questions by the time the next one comes out. Oh well.

Book List: A New Take on Cinderella, I Do or I Don't and Dallas meets Dukes of Hazzard

More random library finds. I checked out 6 or so this time and I'm really excited about all of them. Here are the first three that I've read:

Godmother by Carolyn Turgeon: I love fairy tale remakes so I was intrigued when I saw this in the library. One of my favorite books of recent times is Wicked by Gregory Maguire (although I hated his remake of the Snow White story Mirror Mirror--possibly the worst book I've ever read.) Godmother is like no other fairy tale remake I've read. This is a totally new take on an often told story, the story of Cinderella. This novel centers on Lil, an elderly woman who works in a small bookstore in Manhattan. But Lil has a big secret: she is Cinderella's fairy Godmother. Something did not go according to plan on the evening of the ball and Lil was banished from the land of fairies. This book slowly reveals Lil's life now, her former life as a fairy godmother and the story of Cinderella. She strives to right the wrongs of her past so she can return to her friends and family in the land of fairies. It's an interesting read. All is not as it seems. Very interesting.

Wedding Season by Darcy Cosper: Joy Silverman is the lucky girl who gets to attend 17 weddings in 6 months including the weddings of her mother (her third), her father (his second), her younger brother and her five closest friends. Unfortunately for Joy, she does not believe in marriage. Fortunately for her, neither does her boyfriend Gabe--at least that's what they both thought. This novel tracks Joy as she experiences and reacts to the many weddings--although numerous, each is very unique and the details add some extra interest to the novel which is full of Joy's rants on the evils of marriage. I enjoyed this book and enjoyed all the different characters although some may have been a little contrived. As the wedding season continues, there is a sense of an impending train wreck and I found myself feeling anxious for Joy as the book progressed. Anyway, anyone who was ever been asked the question "So when are you getting married?" can relate in some way to this book.

Don't Let It Be True by Jo Barrett: I chose this book from the many at the library's "grab and go" fiction shelf because it takes place in Texas. As a "Texan" now, I thought it would be fun to read a novel that takes place in Texas--and it was. Don't Let It Be True is about Kat and Dylan, a couple who are both broke and trying to keep the rest of Houston society from finding out. I grew up watching Dukes of Hazzard and Dallas on Friday nights and felt this book was like those two shows combined (if you can imagine that). I found this novel to be very entertaining. The chapters are short, the characters are interesting and likable, there are some great one-liners, and the plot moves at a decent pace. It's no life-changing novel, but it was an enjoyable read.

Book List: Sad, but Powerful, Self-Help Does Divorce and a Sue Miller Tale of Two Marriages

Three more library books:

Tomato Girl by Jayne Pupek: This is the heart-breaking tale of 11 year-old Ellie who's dealing with a mother with psychological issues and a father who's having an affair with the "Tomato Girl." It is a powerful story that is worth reading despite the sad events.

Daisy Dooley Does Divorce by Anna Pasternak: This novel tells the story of Daisy, a 39 year-old, recently divorced woman who is childless, jobless and living with her mother. Daisy is a self-proclaimed "self help guru" (aka, she's obsessed with self help books) and this makes for some interesting philosophy sprinkled throughout the novel. This book took me a few chapters to get into and I found parts of it totally unbelievable, but it sucked me in in the end. The hope of a happy ending kept me going.

The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller: I was a little weary of this one as I've read several Sue Miller books and found them a bit depressing. She's a good writer, but her marriages don't usually end well. Not sure what she has against happy marriages. Anyway, this one is a bit of the same story, but with some happy twists. The Senator's Wife tells the story of Meri, a 37 year-old newlywed who is newly pregnant, and her neighbor, Delia, the seventy-five year-old wife of a famous former senator. It's an interesting tale that revolves around the nontraditional marriage of Delia and her philandering husband. A bit of a slow read and not my favorite, but an interesting story.

Book List: An (Imaginary?) Love Triangle, A Mermaid Tale and The Three Musketeers

Three more library books read. Here's the details:

Imagine You and Me by Billy Mernit: This is the story of Jordan, a novelist who is trying to get his novel (a romantic comedy) made into a movie. He's recently been left by his wife and is struggling to deal with life without her. He tries to win back his wife by creating a fictitious girlfriend to make her jealous. The plan backfires when the new woman shows up in his life with her own agenda. It's a strange concept, but it was an alright book. I generally like female authors/main characters better and this is no exception to that rule. The book does have some good twists. In my opinion, it's a little overly intellectual at times, but generally a decent read.

Swim To Me by Betsy Carter: This is the tale of Dolores, a teenage girl, who leaves her disappointing home life in New York to go to Florida and be a "mermaid" at Weeki Wachee Springs. This is a story of lives reinvented and dreams fulfilled. It's a fun, quick read although the ending left me wanting a little more closure.

Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger: This novel is by the same author as The Devil Wears Prada. I wasn't sure if I would like it as I didn't like The Devil Wears Prada. But I did like her other novel, Everyone Worth Knowing, so I decided to give this one a try. This is the story of three friends who are about to turn thirty--Adriana, a beautiful rich girl who lives off her trust fund and good looks, Emmy, who wants nothing more than to be a wife and mother, but has just been dumped by her boyfriend of five years, and Leigh, a book editor who has the seemingly perfect life. I had a little trouble getting into the book at first (was tired of hearing how beautiful Adriana was and how she could get any man she wanted), but soon got sucked into the lives of these three women. I liked this book. It was a good example of the type of "chick lit"/"beach read" that I enjoy.

Book List: A Romance with Lots of Southern "Characters," Seven of the Longest Days Of My Life and 4 Sweet and Short Romances

Book list time again. Here are three more random finds from the Fiction display at the library.

The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square by Rosina Lippi: This was a fun read and a nice break after the seriousness of Show of Hands that I had read just before this one. This is a romance set in a small town in South Carolina. It is chockful of interesting Southern "characters" and, although a little too stereotypical at times, they add a lot to the story. Interesting to read about the interplay of different personalities where everyone is a little bit crazy. Overall, a fun book.

A Week of This (a novel in seven days) by Nathan Whitlock: I was sold by the idea of a novel where everything happens in seven days. That seemed interesting. Perhaps I was thinking of seven seasons of 24 rolled into one novel--that couldn't be farther than the reality of this book. A Week of This tells the story of Manda, her husband and various relatives. Every single character in this story had a horrible childhood and is now an unhappy, economically strapped, stressed out adult. Realistic? Maybe. Depressing? Definitely. Had to force myself to finish this one. I was slightly motivated by the idea that maybe something good would happen--it never really did.

Sweet Treats by Wanda E. Brunsetter, Birdie L. Etchison, Pamela Griffin and Tamela Hancock Murray: This is actually four short stories--each written by a different author. All four stories are romances based around an online cooking class called "Sweet Treats." Each story is around 90 pages long and follows a somewhat predictable girl meets boy storyline. One unexpected surprise for me was that all four stories are about Christian characters and include little "lessons" on living a Christian life and trusting in God. I'm a Christian who usually feels my faith is a very private matter so I am sometimes turned off by too much "preaching." However, these did not turn me off and I really enjoyed these simple stories. It was like reading four little mini-novels. Apparently there is a whole series of these four story books. Apparently there is also quite a bit of this Christian fiction out there, but I never ran across it in my library in Ohio. I've read a couple others by accident since I moved to Texas including Stranded in Paradise.

I just grabbed five or so more novels when I went to the library this week. Will keep you posted on how they turn out.

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.

Book List: First Edition

When I'm not Mommying or knitting, I'm often reading. The boys and I head to the library every 2-4 weeks. When we are there, we spend most of our time looking at the children's movies and books. J always has to check out a Clifford book, an Arthur book, a Backyardigans book, and a Sesame Street or Muppet book. He also likes farm animal books and sometimes Dora the Explorer or Bob the Builder. Anyway, we have NEVER made it up to the second floor to the adult fiction section. Luckily for me, our library has a little display shelf of adult fiction near the movies so I just grab four or five of those on my way past. I don't even bother to read the descriptions most days so I end up with an interesting collection of books. Anyway, I thought I'd start sharing the books I read and a brief description/reaction on here. So here's the first edition of my new Book List posts:

Dervishes by Beth Helms: This book had an interesting premise--the wife and daughter of a US diplomat stationed in Turkey in the 1970s. Chapters alternated between the wife telling the story and the daughter telling the story. I like multiple viewpoints, but didn't love this book. Overall, I just found it a little too full of innuendo and intrigue and I finished the book very confused.

Do You Come Here Often? by Alexandra Potter: This is a pretty typical example of chick lit. It's British which used to bother me, but now I've read enough of them that the British lingo no longer bothers me although occasionally they use a term I'm unfamiliar with. I really enjoyed this quick read. It has interesting characters and is well-written. There are a few parts that weren't 100% believable, but I still really enjoyed this one.

Alternatives to Sex by Stephen McCauley: This was an interesting one for me. The main character is a gay male real estate agent. It was a different perspective than I am used to and overall I found the book a bit dark. However, it was well-written and had some good human insight that I found entertaining.

A Secret Word by Jennifer Paddock: This is the story of three girls told from their perspectives. It follows them from teenagers until adulthood. I didn't really enjoy this one. The writing wasn't wonderful and the characters were kind of underdeveloped. Overall, it was kind of a depressing book although there were somewhat happy endings. Maybe a little TOO realistic for my happily-ever-after self.

Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet: This book has a strange premise--a girl grows up and meets her imaginary friend from childhood and they fall in love. It's a fun and quick read--although not sure about the whole imaginary friend thing. A much better book by James Patterson is Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas.

Read any great books recently? I'm always up for suggestions.