The Last Suppers by Diane Mott Davidson

audio book
rating 3/5
I didn't feel that this was one of the best Goldy books. There wasn't much culinary action going on and it was a weird premise for murder. At the start of the book, Goldy's fiance calls minutes before the wedding saying that the priest was murdered. He then turns up missing. While looking for her fiance, Goldy does do some catering, not what a distraught fiance would do. She also refers to him by his full name throughout the book. Very annoying

The Thistle and the Rose by Jean Plaidy

Rating 3/5

The Thistle and the Rose is about Margaret Tudor and her marriage to James IV of Scotland. Jean Plaidy's writing was very simplistic and her characters did not have much depth. I found Margaret to be very annoying. She seemed like she wanted to be a strong woman and fight for custody of her sons and the right to do what she wanted, but she made very poor decisions which prevented her from achieving her goal. She married men of low status that had no political gain, but wanted to be part of politics. She tried to stand up for herself by not putting up with their infidelity, but then went back to them. It was sad, really. She just wanted to be loved. I'm not sure if I will read any more of Plaidy's work. I think they are designed for young adults.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Rating 4/5

The Bell Jar is a semiautobiographical novel by Sylvia Plath. She tells the story of Ester Greenwood, a young, intelligent girl, who sprials into mental illness. She, like Plath, is an aspiring writer. Ester is checked into the mental hospital after attempted suicide while in college. She undergoes therapy and electroshock therapy. There, she runs into Joan, a fellow collegemate, who eventually commits suicide. Ester turns to her friends for support because she does not get the support from her mother. The book ends with the happy anticipation of Ester being released from the hospital. I can't remember when Plath finished the book, if she finished it when she was on an emotional high because I know her life ended differently. The Bell Jar tells of the misconceptions of mental illness in the 50s and 60s. I'm glad to know that so much more is being done today.

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

Rating 4/5

For a long book, this one read pretty quickly. It was a good book, although I found the characters to be a bit odd. The Cleary boys never marry and the women all have emotional issues. They are tied to Drogheda, the farm by a bond that I don't understand. The Thorn birds is about the Cleary family who moves from New Zealand to Australia to take over a family farm. Through the inheritance of Paddy Cleary's Aunt, they go from poverty to riches. The book starts with Paddy and Fee and their children. They have many boys, but only one girl who is the main character of the novel. Although there are more male characters, the book is really about the women, their relationships and actions. When the Cleary Family moves to Australia they meet Father Ralph de Brissacarat who immediatly takes to Meggie, the youngest and only girl of the Cleary clan. Meggie soon falls in love with him. McCullough tells of their love which spans over 50 years. It is a moving
novel filled with much heartache and sadness.

Eleven On Top by Janet Evanovich

Rating 3/5

There's never much to say about the Stephaniie plum books. They are all the same, bu still entertaining. Stephanie blows things up or sets them on fire. her family's antics are always amusing and there is always Ranger and Morelli.

Goodnight Nobody

audio book

Rating 3/5

This book was a little bit different from Weiner's other books and I don't thing she pulled it off. She tried to combine a mystery with chick lit and it wasn't quite right. She tells the story of Kate Klein a reporter turned housewife who just moved to suburbia and doesn't quite fit in with the rich socialites. She discovers the body of one of the women who was murdered and tries to track down the killer to get some spice in her life. Somehow, Kitty, the murered woman, is connected with Kate's college crush Evan. that whole part was unrealistic considering her and Evan never actually dated. It seemed like Weiner threw it in just to add some romance to make it more like her other books. I really liked Weiner's other novels, Good in Bed and In Her Shoes, but Goodnight Nobody just didn't cut it for me.