Books Read in 2008

I saw on another blog that she had a handy little list of books that she'd read in 2008. I like that. I'm going to do that as well. It might be more for my own benefit but so is this blog!

January:

1. Four to Score by Janet Evanovich
2. Wife for Hire by Janet Evanovich
3. A Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
4. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

February:

5. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
6. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
7. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (re-read)
8. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

March:

9. Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella
10. Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
11. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

April:

12. 3rd Degree by James Patterson
13. Naughty Neighbor by Janet Evanovich
14. Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis
15. The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory

May:

16. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffen
17. The Hollow by Nora Roberts
18. 1st to Die by James Patterson

June:

19. High Noon by Nora Roberts

July:

20. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
21. Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot
22. Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson
23. Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster
24. Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster
25. Candy Girl by Diablo Cody

August:

26. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
27. On Writing by Stephen King
28. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audry Niffinegger

September:

29. Sisterchicks Go Brit by Robin Jones Gunn
30. The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
31. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
32. High Five by Janet Evanovich

October:

33. Something Blue by Emily Giffen
34. When Lightening Strikes by Meg Cabot
35. 2nd Chance by James Patterson
36. Bright Lights Big Ass by Jen Lancaster
37. The Shack by William P. Young
38. Maximum Ride The Final Warning by James Patterson

November:

39. Back to the Bedroom by Janet Evanovich
40. The Lord of the Rings the Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
41. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
42. Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich
43. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortinson and David Oliver Relin
44. Manhunt by Janet Evanovich
45. Love overboard by Janet Evanovich

December:

46. The Pagan Stone by Nora Roberts
47. Smitten by Janet Evanovich
48. The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer
49. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
50. The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore

The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore

Well, The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore is quite a ride. I remember way back when I read Fluke I made the comment "that was the oddest book I've ever read." Well, it might now be tied with The Stupidest Angel. It was a good book and a lot of fun. It's Christmasy in a kind of messed up kind of way.

The story begins with introductions to all the various characters. We meet Lena, a divorced realtor with a very stressed relationship with her ex, and we meet the ex, Dale, a not-very-well-liked drunk. We are introduced to Tucker and his pet fruit bat Roberto, Theo the constable with a marijuana habit, and Molly a former "B" movie star who slips into her character "Kendra the Warrior Woman" when she's off her meds.

I don't want to give the plot away but let me just mention that it involves an accidentally dead "Santa", a boy who has a Christmas wish, an angel who wants to grant that wish (and eat marshmallows), a crazy woman, and a bunch of brain eating zombies who crash a Christmas party. Yet it's still heartwarming. Go figure!

The only complaint I have is the "bonus chapter". The version of the book I picked up was the 2.0 version and there was an extra chapter in the back involving a serial killer. It wasn't necessary at all.

I enjoyed the book, it just made me shake my head a bit. It also made me laugh, which is what counts. I knew it would be funny and it was. I'm guessing that if I were to pick up another Christopher Moore book I would again make the comment "that was the oddest book I've ever read."

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

I've been reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard before bed. Nothing like a fairy tale to get you ready to sleep right? Well that was true about most of the stories. I'm a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I admit it, I can even be a tad obsessive about it.

I was pretty excited about the Tales of Beedle the Bard and even pre-ordered it from Amazon. I was a bit surprised that there wasn't a lot of commotion about this book. Maybe I just missed it.

The book itself is short, just 107 pages. There are five stories in the book and they are quite short. Each story is followed by commentary by Albus Dumbledore. That is by far the best part. Dumbledore was quite snarky and it made me laugh. The first story is "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot". This is a cute story about the importance of helping others. The second story is "The Fountain of Fair Fortune" and this was my favorite. It is a lovely little story about finding what you really want.

The third story was my least favorite. "The Warlock's Hairy Heart" was terribly disturbing. Not unlike some of the original fairy tales, this one was a bit bloody. If you are reading the stories to children, you might want to skip that one.

The fourth story was "Babbity Babbity and her Cackling Stump". It reminded me a bit of the story "The Emperor's New Clothes. But only at the beginning. The fifth story is "The Tale of the Three Brothers" which is the one that should be familiar to all who've read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. This tells the story of the Hollows, the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak.

Overall, I'm happy with the book. It's a little extra for Harry Potter fans. It will go on the shelf next to the books. The only disappointment I have is that it's just a quick little read. I'm waiting for J.K. to take on her next real novel. I look forward to what she has in store for us next.

The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer

The Cinderella Pact, by Sarah Strohmeyer is a cute book. From the cover, to the title, to the love story, it appeared to be basic chick lit. I don't say that in any derogatory way. I love chick lit. I read it, I write it, I enjoy it. It's take the place of the good old fashioned bodice rippers and I have to say that for the most part it's a huge step in the right direction.

As for The Cinderella Pact, something was different. The normal formula was followed with a twist. Nola, the main character, was overweight. So were her friends. After the three friends were discriminated on because of their weight, the ladies decided to form the Cinderella Pact, which was to lose weight.

Each lady approached it differently. The book hit on topics such as gastric bypass, counting points at Weight Watchers, personal trainers, and falling off the wagon. I hadn't read a book, a novel at least, like this one before. You don't see overweight main characters too often. Even by the end of the book, she wasn't skinny, but she was healthier and that's the point.

There were a few different sub-plots going around. The Cinderella Pact itself was only one part of the story. Nola found herself in a situation at work that was her own fault really. Her attempts to get herself out of it were cute. She also fell for a mystery man named "Chip" who turned out to be the last person she expected.

Anyone who's tried to lose weight will relate to a good part of this book. Because of that I found it hard to read at times. Sometimes the things Nola was going through hit a little close to home. I think that's one of the reasons it took me so long to finish. Ms. Strohmeyer gave me a few nudges to make some changes in my own life.

The Pagan Stone by Nora Roberts

I actually want to take a minute to go back over the other two books in this trilogy. I wish I had taken the time to re-read them before reading this one as I had forgotten a few things. Fortunately I was able to figure it all out.

On Dec. 23, 2007, I finished Blood Brothers, the first of the trilogy. As that was before this blog, I was only making a brief journal entry at the time. I said "Great. Another good start to a new trilogy. Scary, sweet and a little weird but I enjoyed it."

May 13, 2008 I finished The Hollow, the second book. I said "Wow! Intense book - I had dreams about it. Another good addition to the trilogy. Can't wait for the third."

So that brings me to Dec. 6, 2008 (yesterday) when I finished The Pagan Stone. In my journal (which I still keep) I wrote "Scary! Good end to the trilogy. I didn't relate to Gage or Cybil but I liked the series. Glad it's done though!"

That pretty much sums it up. I'm glad this series is done. Not because I didn't like it, I loved it, but because it was scary. It made me uncomfortable and I didn't like the subject matter. Here's a quick synopsis -don't worry, no spoilers.

Three boys who are not biological brothers are born on the same day. They are best friends, beyond friendship, more like true brothers. On their tenth birthday they camp out at a place in the woods called the Pagan Stone. They slice their wrists and become blood brothers. What they didn't realize was that by doing a blood ritual in that spot they would unleash a demon that had been imprisoned there for a few hundred years. The demon possessed the town for a week before going dormant for seven years. Every seven years it comes back for seven days and the boys -now men - fight it as best they can.

In the months leading up to their 31st birthday, three women come to town. One comes for work, another because she's led there, and the third is pulled in by the first woman. The three men, now joined by three women (convenient) know that this is the year the demon must be stopped.

The first book was Cal and Quinn's story. I related to them the best. Cal was the hometown boy. He was on the town councils, ran the bowling alley, and had ties to the town from the very beginning. Quinn was the paranormal writer who came to town to investigate and research what went on every seven years.

The second book was Fox and Layla's story. Fox was the boy raised by free love hippies who rebelled and became a lawyer. He stayed in the town as well and made a home and law practice in the Hollow. Layla was brought there almost in a dream. She quickly teamed up with Quinn and the men, knowing that somehow she was a part of it all.

The third book was Gage and Cybil's story. Gage was abused by his alcoholic father growing up and had very little use for the town. He passed through now and then but he never set up a home anywhere, choosing to travel where his poker games took him. It was only the coming "seven" and his brothers that brought him back. Cybil was Quinn's best friend and a master at research. She was brought into help and quickly found herself a vital member of the six person team.

My only problem with these books was the subject matter of the demon. I don't like it. I try not to read books or watch movies where there is an ultimate evil force like a demon. They scare me. It's that simple. I couldn't read these books at bedtime, but I couldn't put them down at the same time. The characters saved this trilogy for me. It's one of Nora's best gifts, creating wonderful, likeable characters.

Do I recommend them? Yes, for those who don't mind a little bit of horror mixed in with their romance. I'm sure there are scarier books out there, I just don't choose to pick those up. I'll hang on to them, maybe read them again, and maybe share them with a few friends.

Smitten by Janet Evanovich

I promised I would finish two books this weekend and I did. I went on a short business trip that left me lots of time to sit around the airport and read. Unfortunately I was accompanied by a cold and didn't feel all that great. My last layover pretty much consisted of me trying to conserve the few tissues I had and staring into space waiting for the flight to board. I hate being sick.

The first book to review is Smitten by Janet Evanovich. Cute! Ok, I think I use that word for all of her little romances but they really are. I enjoyed this one because there was a bit of a realistic situation.

A single mom buys a "fixer upper" and decides to try her hand at construction in order to learn how to fix her own home. She gets a job mostly out of pity and just her luck her boss is single, handsome, charming and drives a motorcycle! Lizabeth (I'm not sure what happened to her "E") fights her attraction to Matt because she is trying to make it on her own. She's also concerned what kind of an influenced the tattooed Harley rider might be on her boys.

Add Elsie (her goofy great aunt), a food obsessed dog, a neighborhood flasher, and a prissy ex-husband to the mix and you've got a fun story. Again, not a prize winner but all in all, a good way to pass the time.

Love Overboard

I sped through another quickie by Janet Evanovich. She'd better start writing those again, because I've only got a few left to read. Love Overboard was a fun one. It follows the same formula, but it had a good plot.

Stephanie is a former cop who takes on the roll of cook for a week long cruise on a sailing ship. She's just there for the week and she meets Ivan, the captain. He's everything a romance novel man should be, good looking, charming, funny, helpful, etc. . . I'm sure there were bulging biceps as well.

Ivan falls in love quite quickly and is determined to keep Stephanie in his life long after she leaves the ship. It's got a little bit of a ghost story, some wacky friends, and a sweet romance. Again, if you need a quick read, pick up any of the Janet Evanovich romances. Lots of fun.

Manhunt by Janet Evanovich

Ok, the title alone makes me giggle. Manhunt. Not a terribly subtle title, but a terribly cute book. Of these quickie romances, this one is my favorite so far. I love the pace of these books, which is fast. They are barely over 200 pages. That's nice after reading some big long books this year.

Manhunt is about a woman who trades her New Jersey condo for a cabin and hardware store in Alaska. She thought she got the raw end of the deal as her cabin didn't even have plumbing or electricity. Help comes in the form of a super hunky (and rich!) neighbor. Instant attraction and denial keeps the book moving along. She's looking for a husband, he's not looking for a wife.

It's a comedy at heart. There are no surprising twists or turns, but it will make you smile. You know just what's going to happen in the end but that's ok. It's fun to read how they get there.

Next up for me is another of these quickies. I'm biding time before the new Nora Roberts book The Pagan Stone comes out on Tuesday. It's the third in a trilogy, and I'm itching to get my hands on it.

Three Cups of Tea

I finished Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortinson and David Oliver Relin today, on the way home from Disneyland. What a contrast of worlds. I was riding north on these crazy busy freeways surrounded by cars. Once I hit Ventura, I was able to look out and see the Pacific Ocean out the left window, and huge buildings out the right. Between Ventura and Santa Barbara I noticed how green things were even though we'd had little rain. There are houses right on the beach with palm trees and sunshine. It was a really lovely day for a drive.

After closing the pages of Three Cups of Tea, I was a bit humbled by what I have. I have an education, clean clothes, lots of food, telephones, satellite TV, computers, a car and countless other things that I feel are necessary. They aren't. They are necessary to me and millions of other people but could I live without it? Sure, all but the food. I'd survive. I'd keep breathing.

Greg Mortinson is an American hero. Really and truly. You should all read this book. Three Cups of Tea is about Greg Mortinson and his attempt to change the world. After a failed try at climbing K2, he found himself lost in a village in Pakistan. He was humbled by the kindness of the town and shocked at what he saw. The children only had a teacher a few days a week and yet would still go to "school" which wasn't even a building, just a clearing. Greg promised that he would be back to build a school.

He only needed a little over $12,000. Not that much when you think about how much a school would cost in the United States. He had nothing. He was barely getting by, sleeping in his car and trying desperately to raise the money for the school. Through a series of fortunate events, he went back to Pakistan and started his journey. Eventually he helped co-found the Central Asia Institute and has currently built over 78 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

I had no interest in reading this book because I thought it was about Middle Eastern politics and I'm not a political person. My beliefs fall directly toward the middle of the conservative and liberal spectrum. I was also worried that it was a religous book that would conflict with my Christian faith. It wasn't. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book was more about the people, and that's what I wanted to read about. I've been touched and moved by this book. I recommend it highly and urge you to look around you, be blessed by what you have and say a prayer, to whatever God you pray to, that people like Greg Mortinson be allowed to continue their missions.

For more info on the book or the Central Asia Institute, click on the picture of the book.

Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich

I finished Thanksgiving last night. I'm digging these quick Janet Evanovich books as bedtime books. They are light and fluffy and don't make my head spin when I'm trying to sleep. I'm glad I have several more to read. I'm also sharing them with my mother who is enjoying the quick reads as well. She's a much faster reader than I am so I have to stay a few ahead of her!

Thanksgiving is a cute book. It's one of the 9 fluffy romances that are being re-released. Thanks to a wayward rabbit, Megan Murphy, an artist, meets Patrick Hunter, a pediatrician. Sparks fly of course. When a young single mother leaves her baby boy with Patrick and who she thinks is "Mrs. Hunter", Meg and Pat are forced to work together to take care of the baby with their competing schedules.

The book takes place around Thanksgiving which is only a catalyst to get both families together to start planning the wedding. The only problem is Patrick isn't sure he's ready to get married and Megan doesn't want to get married. Ever.

It's not going to go on any "best of" lists but if you are looking for a book to read on the long drive to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving dinner, this is a good one. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving a few weeks early!

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

I decided to re-read The Tale of Despereaux since it had been several years since I first read it and the movie is coming out in December. When I was teaching fourth grade, I regularly bought books for the classroom. Occasionally I would preview the book before putting it on the shelves. I still don't know why I ordered The Tale of Despereaux but it never made the shelves at school after I read it. I've treasured it ever since.

It's a very sweet story about a mouse, a princess, a rat and a servant girl. It's a children's book and yet I highly recommend it to everyone. Despereaux is a very small mouse with large ears who lives in the walls of a castle. He doesn't quite fit in with his mouse family and is a disappointment to everyone. One day he meets the Princess Pea who's mother had died after an unfortunate encounter with a rat. Through the different "books" we are introduced to Roscuro the rat, Gregory the jailer, and Miggery Sow, a servant girl who has had a very unfortunate life.

Mig wants to be a princess, Despereaux wants to be a knight, Roscuro wants revenge, and the Princess Pea wants a bowl of soup. I won't tell you if they get what they want. You'll have to read and find out.

I enjoyed this book as much the second time around as I did the first. If there's any problem with it, it's the slight distraction when the reader is addressed. There are several times when you the reader is asked questions about what a word means or if you remember parts of the story. It's not a horrible thing, just a little distracting at times. Don't let that stop you. You'll enjoy this little book, you really will.

The Lord of the Rings; The Return of the King, By JRR Tolkien

I have officially finished Lord of the Rings; The Return of the King! Officially! ** I can't believe it's over. I'm kind of sad. Well, not really. I'm quite happy to be moving on to other things.

JRR Tolkien was a literary genius in how he created his world. He didn't just place characters in a fantasy land, he came up with time lines, family trees, Middle-Earth history, and a whole language. It boggles the mind. I am a struggling writer -struggling to get the words out -and I have no idea how someone can do what he did. I find myself lost in thought, plotting my own characters, but they live in the real world. I wonder how Mr. Tolkien spent his day. I'm sure there's info out there on his life, I just haven't pursued it.

A few posts back I mentioned how reading the trilogy was torture for me but at the end of every book, I loved it. That continued to be true. I was sad that it was over. I wanted to continue with life in the Shire. I want to know more about Merry, Pippin and dear Sam. I didn't quite cry, but I came close.

Let me gush over Sam. For one thing, he was masterfully played by Sean Astin in the film. Genius casting there. The last half of this book was Sam's story. It had started out as Frodo's. Frodo had the ring, it was his job to destroy it, and everyone else was supporting. By the third book, Frodo was lost. The ring had taken him away and he was but a shell. The story was told through Sam's eyes and it was beautiful. Sam was the one who kept them going. His devotion to his Master Frodo is as lovely as any tale of friendship there is.

After three years, I've completed the trilogy and met a goal. It feels good. The books can sit on my "Favorites" shelf and truly be favorites. On to the next book!

**Not including the freakishly long appendix. Not reading that. Nope.

Back to the Bedroom by Janet Evanovich

First, let me get this out of the way. . . 13 more pages! I am almost done with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I couldn't be happier about that. I have full anticipation of finishing it tonight.

Ok, now for Back to the Bedroom. This was my bedtime book. I only read it at night if I had fulfilled my LOTR chapter requirement. It was my law. I didn't read every night either so it took me a while to read even though it was a relatively short book and a very fast read.

Janet Evanovich wrote nine short romances pre-Plum. She explains this at the front of all the re-released books that have been coming out at regular intervals. I think she realizes they aren't brilliant but that they are a fun quick read.

I've read at least two, possibly three of the nine and I have several waiting on the "To Be Read" shelves. I think I might read Thanksgiving next. It seems to be the time for that.

Back to the Bedroom is about a very busy woman, Kate, who has no time for anything beyond work and chores. Her neighbor, Dave is the exact opposite. He's got nothing but time and he's all about having fun. Obviously they are attracted to each other. When her house sustains damage in a freak incident, Kate and Dave get closer as he tries to help her out by hiring construction workers, and allowing her to stay with him.

Through a series of events, which are at best disjointed, the couple grow close, fall apart, grow close, fall apart, and eventually get their happy ending. It's not a great book. The plot is weak and the characters are cliche. That being said, if you are a fan of Evanovich, it's worth reading if you have the extra time. It was cute.

High Five by Janet Evanovich

I'm finally getting a chance to review the books I read on vacation. Yeah!

In reviewing High Five, I should address the rest of the Stephanie Plum series because I don't think I've ever reviewed any of them on this blog. I read the first book last summer on my Alaska cruise. I bought it for my mom as a Christmas gift because I thought she might like to start a new series and I wanted to read it too. My mom read it and really didn't care for it too much. I think her view jaded me a bit so I decided that I didn't really care for it either.

Until I left the book on the ship and couldn't stop thinking about it.

I started thinking that it was actually a pretty funny book. Morelli was just plain hot and really Stephanie is quite a character. Maybe I really did like the book! Yeah! I did like the book! I went out and bought Two for the Dough and Three to get Deadly. After reading book two, I really liked the series and requested the rest for Christmas. Now I'm picking my way through them, alternating between other books because I don't want to run out of Stephanie Plum books. That would be horrible. It's nice to have so many books in a series to look forward to.

High Five starts out with Stephanie trying to catch a little person who failed to appear at his hearing. This man happens to be quite irritated with her and it doesn't go well. She's also looking for her uncle who has disappeared. All the favorite characters are there. Grandma Mazur is always fun. She's one of the best characters in the series. Morelli is still hot, Ranger is still hot and I'm really anxious for Stephanie to pick her man. Lulu is the faithful friend as always. Stephanie manages to get one car blown up and another one stolen, so she's back with her Buick.

All in all, it's a fun read. There are many laugh out loud moments. Janet Evanovich has a way with her characters and since there are so many books to read, I look forward to reading them. Good book. Good series.

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning, by James Patterson

I just finished the fourth book in the Maximum Ride series. The Final Warning is a quick -nearly pointless read. That being said, I suppose I'm glad I read it. I'm a romantic at heart so I'm all about Fang and Max getting together. These books are written for young adults though so I'm just going to have to settle for a few kisses. I picked up the first Maximum Ride book a few years back -all by accident. Really.

A friend was pouring through James Patterson's Alex Cross books. I wasn't terribly interested in them (still aren't) so I didn't give it much attention. She got my attention when she mentioned a book about kids with wings. She talked a bit about the book and it peaked my interest. I'm not sure how much time went by but I decided to get the book. The book I was looking for was When the Wind Blows but I found Maximum Ride instead. It wasn't a bad thing at all because it was a fun, action packed read. So was the second book.

The third book was when I started to lose interest. I don't know what happened but it seemed to get pretty tedious. Bird kids get captured. Bird kids escape. Bird kids get captured again. Throw in a talking dog and now a normal malamute for a little comic relief. Yeah, I love Total. Nothing wrong with a snarky dog.

*SPOILER ALERT*

This fourth book was pretty weak in my opinion. There is a message -and it's an important one - about global warming but the message doesn't come across very clearly. In the middle of an expedition to Antarctica, instead of learning of the work the scientists are actually doing there, the focus is on Max's jealousy, Angel's desire for a penguin, Total's crush on Akila, and then the whole capture thing. Thank goodness for that hurricane or the Uber-Director would have won.

I'm all for saving the world. I've made changes in my own life to try to be a good steward of this planet we live on. I think that bringing the problems of climate change, renewable energy, and alternate fuel sources to the young adult audience is a great thing, but I don't think this book did much other than making people aware of the words being thrown around. It was a page turner like always but it wasn't like I didn't expect them to escape in some way. I was bored. What kind of title is Uber-Director anyway?

The Shack by William P. Young

I finished The Shack last night and I have to say it was one of the more unique books I've read this year. I enjoyed it to a point. I'm going to warn you in advance that there may be a few spoilers ahead but they won't give away the whole story.

The Shack starts with a man enjoying a camping trip with his three youngest children. This part of the book was the most "novel" like. What I mean by that is that this is where there plot and storyline really take center stage. We are introduced to Mack and get a sense of who he is as a man and as a father. His role as a father is a key point in this book. He's a good one. His role as a son is where he struggles. He struggled with his earthly father and he struggles with his Heavenly Father.

During the camping trip, tragedy strikes when his youngest daughter, 6 year old Missy, is abducted and thought to be dead. Through his struggle to recover from his loss, and what a loss it is, he begins a period of his life he calls The Great Sadness. One day he receives a note in his mailbox inviting him to the shack where they found Missy's bloody dress. The note comes from Papa, which is the name Mack's wife has for God.

Mack goes to the shack and there has the most incredible experience of his life. He meets God in the form of the Trinity. God the Father appears to him as a "big black woman with a questionable sense of humor." Jesus appears as a Middle Eastern working man -a carpenter of course. The Holy Spirit, well, she's something else. She's a very insightful "Asian looking" woman who Mack can not fully focus on. Through their time together, they discuss the state of the world, the meaning of the Trinity, forgiveness, judgement, relationship, and any number of deep thoughts.

This was a book that I couldn't read for long without having to close it and think. The majority of the book was conversations between Mack and the various persons of God. There wasn't much plot toward the end of the book and it became more teaching tool than novel. The author made some good points. He took a fairly liberal view of Christianity and I appreciated that. I have found over the years that my own relationship with God has changed and I think more and more that God isn't as judgemental as common Christian thought lets on. I can't see Him abandoning any of His children just because they mess up.

This book may not be a favorite of mine, it grew tedious at the end, but it made me think. I can't fault it for that. For that alone it was worth reading.

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

I finally finished The Lace Reader. Whew! What a ride that book was. First off I want to say that I did enjoy it very much. That being said, there are a few comments I'd like to make. First of all I picked up this book because I had read good reviews. I don't know anyone personally who has read it. I'm glad I did pick it up because now I get to share it with some friends.

This book takes place in Salem, MA. Most of us have heard the stories of the famous "witch" trials that took place. I've never been to that part of the country but I will be visiting Boston next week, which isn't far from Salem. It's about a woman, Towner, who is in her early 30's but for some reason I kept wanting to age her. I felt that she had to be older than me. In reading the author's notes I see that the time frame for this book was about 1996. This would make sense as it would make Towner older than me now. I know that doesn't make a lot of sense but it does in my head!

Towner comes home for the first time in many years because her great-aunt (the relationship is still not entirely clear) is missing. She has to face her mother, her aunt, and the memories of her twin sister for the first time. Towner is haunted by her past, including an abusive uncle who is now an extreme religious fanatic, starting his own witch hunts. Her old boyfriend is still around causing minor trouble for her burgeoning relationship with the town detective.

The twists and turns in this story were what kept it moving. Just when I'd figure something out, I'd be shown the opposite was true. Of all the characters, I enjoyed Rafferty the most. He was the detective, hopelessly infatuated with Towner even though he knew the truth of her past. He knew more than I as the reader did. I couldn't relate too much to Towner as I've never been in such emotional turmoil for such a long period of time.

This novel is full of clever writing and a very vivid setting. I really have quite the image in my head of Yellow Dog Island and surrounding areas. I have a few questions though! Wouldn't it be great to sit down with the author sometime? I'd post my questions but I don't want to give anything away. I'd love to hear what you think!

The Last Summer (Of You and Me) by Ann Brashares

I really loved this book. I wasn't so sure in the middle if I even liked it anymore but I kept going and ended up enjoying it. Ann Brashares is the author of the Traveling Pants books of which I am a fan. This is her first "adult" book. The only difference is that the characters were a bit older and the love scenes are a bit more graphic than you'd find in a typical young adult novel. They were quite tame compared to some of the bodice rippers I used to read.

The story takes place on Fire Island, New York. I don't know much about the island but it seems idyllic to spend the summer there. It revolves around two sisters who are both adults and are spending their summer at their family home on the island. Their parents come for weekends, but they stay during the week. Alice babysits and works at the yacht club, while Riley works as a lifeguard.

The third character that is central to the story is Paul. His family home is next door and he grew up with the girls. His relationship with Riley was of best friend. With Alice it was different. This is the crux of the book. He loves Alice and Alice loves him but they both love Riley. It is difficult for Alice and Paul to be together because neither wants to hurt Riley.

Things happen and circumstances change, tearing Paul and Alice apart very abruptly. This is where I got mad. I was mad at Alice for abandoning Paul, I was mad at Paul for not fighting, and I was mad at Riley for being stubborn. By the end I forgave them all and wasn't ready for the story to end.

It's a fairly quick story, it didn't take me long and I couldn't put it down when I got started. I'd love to know what you think!

Sisterchicks Go Brit by Robin Jones Gunn

I picked up the first Sisterchick book (Sisterchicks on the Loose) a few years back, I think it had just come out. I had started reading Robin's books when I discovered the Glenbrooke series. I'm a Christian but I don't read a lot of Christian fiction. I'll be honest, I find a lot of it terribly cheesy and not all that interesting. I mean no offense to the sincere authors who write Christian fiction, some of it is quite good! There are authors who craft beautiful stories that touch hearts. My main issue with a good chunk of the genre is the idea that everything is good all the time. Even with God in my life, things are not good all the time, things can be dark and scary, painful and lonely. I want real characters and real situations. That said, let me tell you why I like the Sisterchicks books.

The first thing you should know is that they are about travel. With the exception of Sisterchicks Down Under they are about women -usually two friends -traveling together. I only say that book is an exception because it involved relocation for one woman who made a friend in her new temporary home. If you have ever traveled with a very close friend you'll know that it's not always easy. Even for the best of friends to spend that much time together can be tricky. I have traveled with my best friend and it's a lot of fun. There is usually one point where we are tired and cranky but we respect each other to know that we can let it pass and move on.

In the Sisterchick books the women generally have a plan but rarely get to follow it. Isn't that usually the way it is with traveling plans? There's always something to mess things up but these women embrace it, enjoy it and have fun. There's a great scene in Sisterchicks Go Brit where one of the characters splits her pants right before taking off in a hot air balloon. With some creative use of duct tape, she manages to get through the flight. After coming down to earth she sits down in some grass and not realizing that some of the sticky tape might be coming through she stands up to have "daisies" on her pants. It's cute and you know what? It could totally happen to all of us.

I have been to the UK and I can really relate to those moments of seeing some of the great treasures for the first time. The first time you see the Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the Crown Jewels is quite amazing. The main character also has a great love for English literature. I'm getting there but I do understand where she is coming from.

It's a light, fluffy read, perfect for an airplane or vacation read. It takes you away and you can't help but enjoy it. If you are a woman who loves to travel or just wants to travel I say pick these books up. The books do bring up Bible passages and the women usually have some sort of growth in their relationship with God but the books aren't overly preachy. Even if you aren't a Christian, you could easily read them for the adventures. Enjoy!

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audry Niffenegger

I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife and I loved it. It was funny, sweet, romantic, and heartbreaking all at the same time. It started off a little rough. I found myself going back to the chapter or section titles to check the ages. It was a bit confusing at times, but the puzzle was a lot of fun to figure out.

I like the idea of knowing my future. I don't believe in fortune tellers but if I were to see it for myself, it would be easy to believe. Clare knows who she's going to marry from the time she is a little girl. She doesn't have to worry about finding "the one". She knows it will happen, she just isn't certain when it will happen.

This book is a love story between Clare and Henry. Henry is a time traveler. He can't control where he goes, when he goes or how long he's gone so he's often caught in awkward situations. Clare meets an adult Henry when she is six. In real time, Henry is only fourteen but the older Henry who is already married to Clare, visits her. I know it doesn't make sense, but if you read it you will.

I don't know that I would have finished this book if I didn't fall in love with the characters. Henry and Clare show such an intense love for each other that you can't help but go along for the ride. They are quirky, intelligent, fun people who try to live a normal life under extraordinary situations.

I highly recommend this book. It's a wonderful love story.