Reservation Road by John Burnham Schwartz

audio book

Reservation Road is a story about a family whose son is killed late one night by a hit-and-run driver. It is intertwined with the story of the man who killed him. We hear from the voices of the mother, father and the killer. I thought, all, in all, that it was a well written book, but I felt that the story was something that I've already read many times before. It was fairly predictable throughout the book and the ending was no surprise. It's not a book that I would recommend, but it is not a bad book either.

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

audiobook
I found this book to be very boring and depressing. It was basically about 3 women who hate their lives. They are unhappy in their relationships and are on the brink of suicide. I know there are a lot of people who can identify with the women, but I don't want to read about it.

Versailles by Kathryn Davis

Versailles is about Marie Antoinette's reign as Queen of France. It was a very oddly written book as it was written in first person (Antoinette) and also third person talking about her. There were also portions written as play scenes. I felt that it did not give much background of Marie Antoinette and did not really show her personality. It also left out large parts of the history. I felt that it was easier for me to follow since I just watched a movie about Marie Antoinette not long before I read this book.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

audio book

I am surprised that I have never read this book before as a child. For a young adult book, it has a lot of adult themes. The book is about a society that has taken away choices and uniqueness in order to protect its member. The people do not see color and do not hear music. They must take pills in order to prevent "stirrings." At each age of their lives they hit a new milestone. For example at 8 the kids get a new grown up coat and at nine they get a bike. At 10 they lose their childish haircuts and at 12 they are told what they will do for the rest of their lives. They are named at 1 and given to parents. The adults must apply for a spouse which is chosen for them and kids. When the kids grow up they parents become single again and when they get old they go to a special house where they are taken care of. They are safe and protected, but also do not feel emotions such as love. However, they do feel happiness and sadness, Jonas has been given the job as keeper of memories where he learns about colors and music and love. He learns what it really means to be "released" from the society. He decides that it is better to feel pain and love then to live a life without pain and sadness and without love. The book has a lot of religious and political undertones about choice and if we are better off given to make our own choices. Also, is it better to feel the deepest sadness and loss in order to feel the wonders of love or is it better to go through life without pain, but without love? Also, is it better to all be the same without jealousy and competition or is it better to be unique and celebrate our differences?

Death in Holy Orders by PD James

It's been a long time since I've read a good mystery and this one was very good. The story begins with Commander Adam Dagliesh being called to a seminary after one of the students has died. The story then evolves to the death of the Archbishop. The book had lots of twists and turns and side plots. Everyone was a suspect. I won't ruin the ending by saying who did it.

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

audio book

This was a very sad and touching book. I always enjoy Toni Morrison's writing. It is very poignant. The book is about 3 young black girls particularly one, Piccola. She is a not very attractive girl who ends up getting raped by her father. Her mother doesn't believe her and beats her for it. She is so unhappy and wants to be accepted by others that she thinks if she has blue eyes, like white people, she will be beautiful. She receives her blue eyes, but still isn't happy abut them and is constantly worrying if they are blue enough.

The Alchemist by Paul Cuehlo

This was a short audio book, but I liked it. It was about a boy who is searching for treasure, bbut falls in love and learns some life lessons along the way.

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

audio book

This is one of the worst books I've "read" in a long time. I'm hoping that much of this book is fiction because there's no way there are real people in the world like this. Everyone in this book is so weird and most of the book was so gross it made me cringe. I'm surprised that I finished it.

Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner

It's been a while since I've read some chick-lit and I have to say this one was pretty good. It kept me reading. It was a nice story about Cannie and oversized girl uncomfortable in her body and a good guy who's not really a good buy. It is good for people to see that most people who are overweight are trying to do something about their weight, but just aren't succeeding, which is jsut as hard as being fat. What overweight people don't understand is that skinny people also have body issues and hate other skinny people. I, myself have been blessed with good genes and eat way more than I should. however have always had body issues. When you are little and someone tells you that you are fat, you believe them and always think that you are. I always say that I would rather be 5 pounds overweight and eat what I want, than skinny and not being able to eat.

The book goes through Cannie's trials and tribulations from an absent father to a lesbian mother and an ex-boyfriend that turns out to be a jerk. When she becomes pregnant her world comes crashing down, but she realizes that she has a lot of people who care about her and falls in love again.

Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde

This is the second book in the Thursday Next series. It was a quick, easy read. I enjoy these books because of all the literary references and the book is one big pun. It amuses me that the person named John Smith has an unusual name. The books involve time travel and movement through books. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

'Tis by Frank McCourt

audio book
'Tis is the sequel to Angela's Ashes and McCourt tells of his move to America. McCourt writes so that the reader feels that they are right there with him. He finds a way to find something that the reader can identify with. He describes his mom who comes to visit and isn't happy about anything, the tea, even the lettuce isn't right. He finds a way to get into NYU even though he never went to high school and gets his teaching license. I wish he had gone into why he became a teacher, but we never know. When he describes his students and classroom I feel that he was describing mine. It's nice to know that kids really have not changed that much. The book ends with the death of both of his parents. It seemss kinds of like a crummy way to end the book, it's not like his life ended at that point.

The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan

Amy Tan is one of my favorite authors. I love how she write about mothers and daughters and incorportaes all of the chinese traditions and culture. The Kitchen God's Wife is about a mother and daughter who have kept big secret's from each other and they have eaten away at their relationship. The mother finally tells the daughter the story of her real father and when she was born. The book takes you back to China during WWII and how "Whinnie" had to survive not only the Japanese, but a bad marriage. Her father and Aunts marry her off to Wen Fu who is a horrible person. Whinnie struggles to leave him while also following the Chinese culture for women. She has 3 children by him who all die. She oen day meets a Chinese American, Jimmie Louie and falls in love. She leaves Wen Fu and moves to Americal with Jimmie and lives happily ever after, but tnot before Wen Fu impregnates her with her daughter, Pearl.