Marie's Books

The Audacity of Hope by Barak Obama

2008-09-08T17:47:00.000-07:00

Everyone who is planning on voting in the election should read this book. I'm interested in how it compares to McCain's book. Obama explains everything from his policies on education, welfare, etc to his childhood and his family life. His description of his relationship between him and Michelle could describe any married couple. The book really humanized Obama and made him seem like a real person instead of just a politician.

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt

2008-07-28T17:43:00.000-07:00

audiobook

This is a book that all teachers should read. It shows that students really haven't changed much over time. McCourt writes in a way that you feel as if you are there with him in the classroom. He really has had an amazing life. His descriptions of his family life and trying to teach and raise a family are dead on. The part where he brings the bag of grading home and keeps finding things to do with his daughter instead of grading was hilarious.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

2008-07-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

Rating 4/5

Persuasion is, of course a story of romance, love lost and unrequited love. Anne Elliot comes from an aristocratic family and was at one time engaged to Frederick Wen tworth. However, her friend, Lady Russell persuaded her to break off the engagement because she didn't feel that he was wealthy enough for Miss Elliot. Eight and a half years later he returns and has money. During this time, he woos Luisa Mussgrove and Anne is courted by her cousing, Mr. Elliot. Anne is again persuaded by another friend to not pursue him because he is only after her money.

As much as I love Jane Austen's writing, this was not one of my favorite books. Only because I think she could have put more about the interaction between Anne and Wentworth and she didn't play up their feelings for each other very much. For a women's author, Austen usually has weak women protagonists. Anne was described at the beginning of the book as a person who no one really noticed and wasn't much use. She was just there. She seemed to be a sweet, caring girl, but couldn't think on her own. It was only at the end when she finally decided to be with Wentworth that she didn't care what her friend Lady Russell thought about it.

The Life and Times of the Thunderboldt Kid by Bill Bryson

2008-07-10T03:39:00.000-07:00

Rating 4/5

Rich and I listened to this book on our way down to North Carolina. It isn't one that I would normally pick for myself, but I really enjoyed it. I laughed out loud many times, when I wasn't nodding off to sleep. Bryson tells of his childhood in the 50's with a sense of humor. He describes the food, the toys and the traditions of the 50s. His description of his friend Milton Milton and his family was the funniest part of the book. Bryson describes each situation as someone looking back on their childhood, but from the eyes of a kid.

The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck

2008-06-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

Rating 3/5

John Steinbeck is one of my favorite authors, however, I didn't like this book as much as the others that I read. It apparently is his debut novel, but is so much different from his other books. The style of The Moon is Down mimicked that of Hemingway, I believe. It was vague and the dialogue repetitive. I also am not a fan of war books. The novel takes place in Europe during a war. A small town is taken over by soldiers and slowly they begin to rebel

Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

2008-06-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

Rating 3/5

Everyone says that Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books is like an addiction. You want to stop, but you can't. I think it gets to the point where you can only write so much before all of the books start becoming the same. This is happening with the Plum series. However, that being said, this was one of the better books. It had more action and bounty hunter business and less about Stephanie's life. Although, it is her life that makes the books amusing.

In Twelve Sharp, Stephanie is looking for a man who is posing as Ranger and has kidnapped his daughter. I think what made this book better than some of the others is that it was personal to Stephanie. And, just when you think she has the Ranger/Morelli situation figured out, she still can't make a decision.

The Summons by John Grisham

2008-06-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

Rating 3/5

So, John Grisham is supposed to be the master of suspense, but this book just did not do it for me. I haven't read any of his other books, but I do know that they make great movies. I'm sure his other books are good. The problem with this one was that nothing happened. He spent a big chunk of the first part describing the relationship between Judge Atlee and his sons, Ray and Forrest and how the judge died. The next part was Ray finding a huge sum of money in the judge's house and moving it around. He got attacked and followed to give it some action, but really, nothing happened.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

2008-06-27T17:58:00.000-07:00

Rating 3/5

audio book
This book was just so so for me. It wasn't bad, but really didn't catch my attention very well. It was very slow moving and the characters were hard to get into. They weren't very deep. I think Jacobs needed to have less main characters and go deeper into them. I did like how it was about strong women who can survive without men on their own and that they an succeed at what they want. I also liked how knitting was the theme of the novel. I really need to get out my knitting and finish some projects. However, there was much in the book that was unrealistic and didn't sit right with me. I also felt that the ending was too contrived. Everything worked out perfectly except for Georgia, who Jacobs killed, almost as if she didn't know what else to do.

There was much that was unbelievable. First, Lucie having a baby on her own without telling the father that it was his. Second, Darwin's husband coming back to her just because she sends him a sweater after she cheated on him. Georgia takes James back after he deserted her and Dakota. Fourth, none of the women went to the doctor.

I'm not sure if I will give this author another chance. She showed potential in her debut novel, but we'll see.

A Place of Hiding by Elizabeth George

2008-06-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

Rating 4/5

Elizabeth George is one of the master's of suspense. I find that a lot of mystery/suspense novels are written very simply and a fast read such as Dan Brown and James Patterson. George is the opposite. Her writing styles is much more involved.

A Place of Hiding is part of the Detective Lynley series, but he is a minor player this time. The sleuths are Simon and Deborah St. James who usually just assist. It takes place on a small island where Guy Brouard is killed. Deborah's friend China River is arrested for the murder. Deborah and Simon team up to find the answer to the murder. China claims she's innocent only having arrived on the island from California and never meeting Brouard before. There are other people with motives for wanting him dead.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

2008-06-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

Rating 1/6

audio book

I'm really surprised that I actually finished this book. It was pretty bad. It had the makings of a good mystery, but Fluke was very heavy-handed on the description. She described every minute detail about each character and their lives and explained things as if the reader was an idiot. She put so much access information into the book, that the reader forgot what the plot was. She tried to build up the suspense by eliminating all suspects, but that didn't work either. I may try another book by her, but not sure.

King and Goddess by Judith Tarr

2008-06-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

Rating 3/5

This book was actually better than I expected. I've discovered that I like Egyptian stories. The story told of Hatshepsut (who I have never heard of) who was queen to Thutmose II. When he died, she became Queen Regeant to their son Thutmose III. She, however, was not satisfied with this and eventually made herself King and ruler over the two lands of Egypt.

The story itself was a good story. Sometimes historical fiction authors pick a random person from history and try to make a story out of nothing just to be unique. The writing was simple and to the point. I think she could have been a little bit more descriptive or flowery with her language. Overall, it was a good book, but it didn't make me want to go out and buy everything that Tarr has written.

Soapsuds by Finola Hughes and Digby Diehl

2008-06-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

Rating 3/5
audio book

This book had promise, but it never quite made it. It starred Kate McPhee, a budding soap opera actress and told the story of her soap character and her real life. Because Hughes alternated between the two stories, nothing really happened in either one. You kept waiting for the climax and it never came. Personally, I thought the story line of the soap was overdone. Kate played a gay detective who dealt with vampires. I've never seen that on daytime tv. Then Kate falls in love and he leaves without warning. She is immediately over it. Then she meets a guy who is married to one of her friends. She gets over that pretty easily, too.

The Last Suppers by Diane Mott Davidson

2008-05-25T03:33:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-24T03:49:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-24T03:39:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-24T03:27:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-11T05:27:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-04T03:26:00.000-07:00

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.

Love in The Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

2008-04-28T04:53:00.000-07:00

Rating 3/5

I found this book to be good at the beginning, slow in the middle and then picked back up at the end. It was about the undying love of Florentino Ariza for Fermina Daza. I found the character of Florentino Ariza to be a little annoying. Who really pines for someone for their entire life. It was pretty creepy how he basically stalked her since the day he met her. He never really knew her, they never spent any real time together, so did he really love her? I think she realized this when she finally saw him and had the opportunity to be with him.

Four Letters of Love by Niall Williams

2008-04-03T04:29:00.000-07:00

Rating 3/5

First Line: When I was twelve years old God spoke to my father for the first time.

Originally I was going to give this book a 4/5, but I didn't like the ending. It started out really good, but then it got weird and the ending seemed rushed. The book starts our telling the separate stories of Nicholas and Isabel. Nicholas's father quits his job to become a painter. This leads to the mental demise of both him and Nicholas's mother. Eventually both of his parents kill themselves.

Isabel is sent off to school when her brother becomes ill and is an invalid. She is reckless and breaks all the rules. There, she meets a boy named Peader and begins a relationship with him.

The story tell of how both Nicholas and Isabel's mothers thought they were in love with their husbands and how love is disguised by attention. Isabel feels the same about Peader and agrees to marry him although she and her family know that she doesn't really love him.

The day after her wedding, Nicholas shows up. Now,this is where the story gets unbelievable. Just after meeting Sean, he begins to get better, miraculously, all at once. After meeting Isabel, Nicholas becomes ill with love, almost to the point of dying. Isabel's mother keeps seeing the ghost of Nicholas's father. The ending was too magical and didn't fit with the rest of the book.

Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich

2008-03-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

audiobook
Rating 4/5

Stephanie Plum always makes me laugh and this time it's no exception. And there's always the love triangle between Ranger and Morelli. I wonder who she will pick in the end.

Plum Lovin by Janet Evanovich

2008-03-29T05:50:00.000-07:00

Rating 3/5

I'm not sure if it is because I read this book instead of listening to it like I usually do of if it is because it is a between the numbers novel, but I did not find this Stephanie Plum book to be as good as the others. It had the usual parts, Grandma Mazur, Joe and Ranger, and some silly antics on the part of Stephanie and her family, but her just wasn't much meat to the book. It focused more on the matchmaking she had to do for a client, then her bounty hunter duties. However, it was still an entertaining book.

While Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penmen

2008-03-29T05:43:00.000-07:00

Rating 3/5

I didn't find this book to be as good as Penman's Sunne in Splendor. It was certainly as long, though. It may be because it took me so long to read it, that I lost interest. WCASS is about the battle for the throne between Stephen and Maude. Maude is the rightful heir, but Stephen steals the crown from her before she can claim it. After that, many bloody battles ensue between the two of them. Once Maude realizes that she will never rule, she continues to fight to get he crown for her son. Once Henry and Eleanor of Aquitaine, soon to be Henry II comes into the book, it starts to get interesting. However, that is 3/4 of the way through.

Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke

2008-03-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

audiobook
Rating 3/5

This was a cozy little mystery, like the Diane Mott Davidson books. It is about a caterer, Hannah Swenson, who solves murder mysteries. When a high powered caterer dies in Hannah's kitchen eating her blueberry muffins, Hannah takes it upon herself to solve the mystery. It was a nice easy relaxing read.

Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs

2008-02-17T10:11:00.000-08:00

audio book

Rating 4/5

As usual, I enjoyed Kathy Reichs newest mystery featuring doctor Temperence Brennan. The show Bones is loosely based off her character, but if you will be disappointed if you think the books are like the television show. I think they are better. I've always liked Reichs writing because she doesn't dumb down a lot of what she writes about. She uses technical jargon, but explains it in a way that is not insulting to an intelligent reader.

I did not find this book as good as her other novels, but it could be because I listened to it instead of read it. There wasn't as much action in this book as the others. It started with Brennan describing her childhood friend Evangeline who disappeared when she was 12 years old. Brennan never stopped wondering what happened to her friend even almost 30 years later. When a girl turns up dead in the river Brennan tries to find the girl's identity. She finds that there are a number of missing teenage girls and some who have turned up dead. It of course ties into the story of her missing friend. As Tempe solves the murder of what happened to the girls she also solves the mystery of Evangeline.

A Traitor to Memory by Elizabeth George

2008-02-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

Rating 4/5

First Line "Fat Girls can do. Fat girls can do. Fat girls can do and do and do."

Elizabeth George is one of my favorite mystery writers. She knows how to keep the suspense going. The reason why I gave the book only a 4 out of 5 was because I found the subject matter a little bit too creepy. The book's premise was that a woman was intentionally killed by a hit and run driver. The woman, Eugenie, had a small child that was killed by her nanny and coincidentally the nanny was released from prison the same time as the hit and run. Detective Lynley and Constable Barbara Havers are on the case. Throughout the book, Eugenie's prodigal son lost his ability to play the violin and is seeking therapy to find out why. The therapist believes that his loss of music is somehow tied to his mother. As Gideon tries to get his talent back, he discovers that the memory of the murder of his sister has been repressed for decades, but cannot get anyone, particularly his father, to fill in the gaps for him. George weaves an intricate web of deceit and lies that leaves the reader wondering until the last page.

To the Nines by Janet Evanovich

2008-02-10T14:29:00.001-08:00

audiobook

Rating: 3/5

Another Stephanie Plum book. I thought it was not as funny as the others, probably because Stephanie's family did not play a big role in the book, particularly Grandma Mazur. It mostly concentrated on Stephanie's case, but the parts including her very pregnant sister, Albert Claughn and Grandma Mazur were very funny. Stephanie also continued her relationship with Joe Morelli and let Ranger know that he was just a "friend." In this book, Stephanie and Lula have to travel to Las Vegas to find their guy. Lula decides she wants to look like a supermodel and goes on an all meat diet, but takes it to the extreme. Stephanie finds herself as a pawn in a sick person's killing game and must find out who it is before she and her friends are the next victim. As usual, Evanovich mixes humor with intrigue for a nice, easy, relaxing read.

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

2008-02-10T14:29:00.000-08:00

audio book

Rating 2/5

I don't know why I keep reading Jodi Picoult. I really don't like her writing and somehow I guess if I keep reading I will see what all of the hype is about. Plain Truth was better than some of the other books of hers I've read, but I really just don't get it. All of her books involve a trial where the person on trial always gets off somehow. So, you know how the book is going to turn out before you start reading it. She also has large gaps in logic and inconsistencies in her writing. She leaves out information to add suspense and to keep the reader guessing, but in reality, it adds to the predictability of the story.

Plain Truth is about an Amish girl, Katie, who is on trial for murdering her baby. Right off the bat, you know she didn't do it. However, throughout the first part of the novel, Katie denies ever being pregnant. As the reader, you know she gave birth, so this denial seems ludicrous. I think it is there to make you think that maybe she wasn't pregnant. Picoult also puts some inconstancies in the book. One is that the baby was born at 32 weeks. A baby that premature would have lung development issues and need immediate medical attention. This was barely discussed. Also, she has an Amish family using an electrical machine to milk cows. I'm pretty sure this goes against the Amish belief system. Third (don't read this if you plan on reading the book), at the end we find out that it was Sarah, Katie's mother who killed the baby to save Katie from being cast out by her father for being pregnant and unmarried. Throughout the trial, she never speaks up even though Katie could be put in prison for life. So, a mother kills her child's baby, causing pain for her child for losing a bay and almost has her sent to prison for the rest of her life in order to hide the fact that she was pregnant from her father. If this was her reasoning, she didn't do a very good job of hiding the baby from anyone.

Again, I really need to stop reading books by Jodi Picoult, they just end up disappointing me.

They Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue

2008-01-28T07:07:00.000-08:00

audio book

Rating 4/5

This book has gotten mixed reviews from my online bookclub, but I really enjoyed it. I found it light, but also very touching. It is about a young girl from the 20's who dies, but stays on earth as a ghost. She "moves" in with a young couple in the 90's and watches over them as they move through many hard parts in their marriage. Through Amy, the young girl, she discovers that she has ties to Razi's (the ghost's) past and can help her answer the questions of what happened to her lover, Andrew. She also helps Amy confront the ghosts of her past with losing her boyfriend and how that impacts her marriage to Scott.

The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George

2008-01-25T02:28:00.000-08:00

rating: 5/5

First line: Yesterday some fool asked me what my first memory was, expecting me to lapse happily into sentimental childhood reminiscences, as dotty old men are supposed to ejoy doing. He was most surprised when I ordered him out of the room.

Margaret George is becoming one of my favorite authors. However, she writes such large books that it takes forever to read them. Henry VIII is one of the most intriguing people in history to me. I can't fathom a person who could be so selfish and cold to kill two of his wives and marry 6 women. George writes from Henry's point-of-view. She takes Henry and makes him a real person and addresses many of the reasons why Henry seemed so despicable. For example, the execution of Anne Boleyn was not because she couldn't bear him a son, but because he realized that she was poisoning the people around him and possibly him. In the book, he seemed to not be as cold-hearted as other books portrayed him. She showed how Henry slowly lost his mind throughout the years of his reign and that he actually cared about his daughters and others around him. He just couldn't hold onto a wife.

Dead Watch by John Sanford

2008-01-21T05:46:00.000-08:00

Rating 3/5

audiobook

This was a political thriller about a politician who is found dead. There are many speculations surrounding his death and who killed him for political gain. Throughout the book many surprising facts come out about the dead senator, Lincoln Bowe and how and why he died. I won't say much to not give it away.

This is the first John Sanford book that I have read (listened to) and I found it pretty good. I would definitely read more by him.

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende

2008-01-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

Rating: 4/5

First Line: Everyone is born with some special talent, and Eliza Sommers discovered early on tha she had two: a good sense of smell and a good memory.

This is the first Isabel Allende novel that I have read. I have heard mixed reviews on her writing and I think it depends on the book you read. I really enjoyed this book. It takes a lot for me to give a book a rating of 5, but this one was pretty good. It followed the life of Eliza Sommers, an orphan to an English family in Chile during the 1800s. She is raised by Rose, a spinster by choice, and her two brothers. She falls in love and gets pregnant by a Chilean man who leaves her to go to America during the Gold Rush of 1849. She follows him to America, almost dying, to find him posing as a young boy. Allende tells Eliza's story, but also describes what America was going through during the Gold Rush. It was a chaotic mess and many people ended up poorer than when they started. She also explores the role of women during that time and how they were treated. Eliza, in some ways benefited by posing as a boy in that she could not be taken advantage of or sold for prostitution, but she had trouble being a male cook. It seems like this was the age where women started to try to be their own person.

The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve

2008-01-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

Rating: 3/5

First Line: She heard a knocking, and then a dog barking. Her dream left her, skittering behind a closing door. It had been a good dream, warm and close, and she minded. She fought waking. It was dark in the small bedroom, with no lights yet, behind the shades. She reached for a lamp, fumbled her way up the brass, and she was thinking, What? What?

The Pilot's wife was another quick read. It only took me a few hours. It was a good story that kept you reading, but is no literary masterpiece. The story begins with a woman who gets a knock on her door in the middle of the night telling her that her pilot husband has been killed in a plan crash. Although she knows in her heart that this day is inevitable, it still comes as a shock to her. Throughout the investigation of the plane crash, Kathryn discovers that her husband has another wife and family in London England. She also discovers that through his other wife he is a courier for the IRA and it is the bomb he is carrying that causes the plane crash.

The book kept you on edge, knowing that Kathryn was going to discover something horrible about her husband, but it was over halfway through the book that it is finally revealed to the reader. I felt hat she spent too much time describing Kathryn's dealings with her husband's death, that the details of his second life was rushed and could have been elaborated on more, particularly since it was what the book was about. It also didn't describe Kathryn's reaction to it as much as I would have liked. She seemed to rely only on what she learned from his second wife.

The Pilot's Wife is a short entertaining read, but I gave it a 3/5 based on it;s lack of depth in the story and character development.

Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella

2008-01-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

Rating 3/5

First line: Ok, don't panic. Everything's going to be fine. Of course it is.

This was my first read on 2008. It was nice and relaxing read; also very funny. I think I finished it in about 2 hrs. It kept me laughing and wondering what kind of trouble Becky Bloomwood was going to get herself into next. It starts in the middle of Becky's pregnancy and follows her through her entire pregnancy to the birth of her baby. She of course needs to buy EVERYTHING and everything must be top notch. She even needs to most fashionable doctor, which backfires when she finds out that the doctor is her husband Luke's ex-girlfriend.

Shopaholic and Baby was much better than the previous book, Shopaholic and sister and more like the other books in the Becky Bloomwood series. If you are looking for something light and funny, I recommend this book.

I, Elizabeth by Rosalind Miles

2007-12-31T14:41:00.000-08:00

I love English History, particularly the Tudor era. I have read historical fiction from Richard III through Henry VIII and Mary I, mostly from Phillipa Gregory and Sharon Kay Penmen (Richard III). This was the first book I have read solely about Elizabeth I. Overall, I enjoyed the book. My one complaint is Miles should have included Dates in her writing to get a persepective of when things were happening. I had to use the deaths of the characters in the family tree to figure out when things were happening. As far as the events, I think Miles was pretty true to history, but I'm not sure how true to Elizabeth's character she was. Elizabeth was a true Queen in her actions. She fought for her throne and wanted to do what was best for her country. She was unlike her father and sister who put themselves first and their country second. She tried to regain peace that her sister destroyed. She rejected her true love, Robert Dudley for the sake of her country. Although she had many loves (lovers?) she did what she thought was best for England. The book was unclear about how intimate she was with her men. Overall, I thought this was a good read.

The Coffin Dancer by Jeffrey Deaver

2007-12-28T14:32:00.000-08:00

audio book

This was an entertaining book for a long car trip. It was much better than I expected. Inspector Lincoln Rhymes and his assistant Amelia Sachs try to catch a killer who Rhymes has been chasing for years. The killer, called the Coffin Dancer based on a tattoo on his arm, is hired to kill people. The detectives must not only catch the killer, but the person who hired him.

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

2007-12-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

This is the third book in Gabaldon's Outlander series. Claire finds that Jamie is still alive in 18th Century Scotland, so she leaves her daughter to travel back in time to find Jamie. They rekindle their passionate love along with some crazy adventures. The book takes them across the sea to Jamaica to find Jamie's nephew Ian that has been kidnapped by pirates. The book has a ton of adventure and love scenes. It concentrates more on the events around Jamie and Claire than on the history of the time. I can't wait to start the next book in the series, Drums of Autumn.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Kahled Houssini

2007-12-23T11:15:00.000-08:00

audio book

This was a great book that I think everyone should read. It tells the story of two Afghan women, Miriam and Laila and the hardships they endure. It is difficult to read at times and it makes you angry. The reader must remember that this book takes place during modern times. It amazes me how poorly women are thought of and treated all in the name of religion. I don't understand the reasoning behind women being considered less than a man. The things these two women had to endure are so much more than what we have had. The abuse that is deemed acceptable makes you want to scream. The book talks about the events of 911 from Miriam and Laila's point of view and it is important to know that these select few people who destroyed our world do not represent the feelings of the country and are responsible for the oppression of the people. This book made me appreciate more the freedoms and opportunities that I have and that I can stand up and fight for my rights.

Tough Cookie by Diane Mott Davidson

2007-12-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

audio book

another murder mystery featuring Goldy the caterer.

1916 by Morgan Llewellyn

2007-12-23T11:06:00.000-08:00

This was a great book particularly if you are a fan of historical fiction. It is a story about the Irish rebellion through the eyes of Ned Halloran. It mixes fictional characters with real characters. The book grips the reader instantly and has them fall in love with Ned during the first few pages. Him and his parents board the Titanic to go to America to go to his sister's wedding. As we all know, the Titanic sinks, but Ned survives. His parents unfortunately do not. After he returns to Ireland he attends a boys school run by Padriac Pearse, a key player in the Rising. the book follows Ned through his part in the Rising and the aftermath. I look forward to reading the sequel, 1921.

Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe

2007-12-23T10:59:00.000-08:00

audio book

I tried to listen to this on audio and didn't get very far. I have the book to read and may give it another try. I usually love classics, but couldn't get into this one. The story is about a young orphan girl who rises above and follows her through her five marriages. I felt that it was a slow moving story and not much happened. I couldn't get attached to the main character.

The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett

2007-12-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

I had heard raving reviews of Dunnett's writing and how wonderful it is, so I was really looking forward to reading this book. However, I couldn't finish it. I read until the last hundred pages and then gave up. I rarely stop reading a book, too. They book had promise, but I could only read a few lines at a time without having to put it down. I got bogged down with the large amount of songs in a foreign language. The book takes place in Scotland in 1547 with the return of Francis Crawford of Lymond who is charged with treason. He leads a group of men against England to fight for Scotland. I have heard that the Niccolo series is much better and may give it a try.

Hard Eight by Janet Evonavich

2007-10-14T13:41:00.002-07:00

audio book

As usual Stephanie Plum is up to her usual amusing hijinks. My husband listened briefly to the tape and found it hilarious. In this book, Stephanie is looking for missing persons, Evelyn and her daughter Annie instead of brining in a criminal. However, there is someone who does not want them to be found. Along with looking for Evelyn and Annie, there is Stephanie's perfect sister, Valerie, who has a nervous breakdown. a nerdy lawyer, Albert Cloughn, and Grandma Mazur. Morelli is not a big player in this book, but Ranger certainly is. Stephanie starts to realize that maybe she does want to marry Morelli, but hot Ranger keeps getting in the way.

Chopping Spree by Diane Mott Davidson

2007-10-14T13:41:00.001-07:00

Another book with Goldy as the heroine that combines cooking and murder. You would think that people would notice that everywhere Goldy goes there is a murder and stop having her cater their events. In this book, Goldy is catering an event at the mall where the mall manager ends up dead. Goldy's young assistant Julian is named as the prime suspect. Goldy tries to clear Julian's name while keeping herself alive. The main suspects live in a material world where things and their name are worth killing for.

Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors

2007-09-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

Set in 17th century India, this is a beautiful love story about the building of the Taj Mahal. I haven't researched how accurate the story is. The ruler of India loses his wife in childbirth and asks Isa to build a mausoleum in her memory. While he is doing so, the daughter, Jahanara falls in love with him. She is already married to a horrible man. The book follows the secret affair between Jahanara and Isa and the birth of their daughter. There is also a political aspect to the book as well. The sons, Dara and Aurangzeb, are vying for the throne. Dara is the rightful heir. Aurangzeb is a horrible, greedy person and plots against his daughter and sister. It is a wonderful book about about love and politics and a woman who refuses to give in.

The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid

2007-09-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

audiobook

This was a nice easy listen. I needed a good mystery. It took a little bit to get into, but i really enjoyed it. Jane Gresham is a English professor interested in Wordsworth. When a body turns up in her hometown centuries old, she believes that it is Fletcher Christian, a mutious soldier who Wordsworth wrote an unpublished manuscript. The identifying tattoo of Christian had been removed. It was thought that a member of the community had the manuscript. As Jane searched for the manuscript, those believed to have it started dying. I thought the book would be more about identifying Christian, but it centered around the search for the lost manuscript.

Seven Up by Janet Evonavich

2007-08-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

Stephanie Plum strikes again! This book was a nice relaxing listen. The love triangle between Stephani, Morelli, and Ranger heats up. I, myself am a Morelli fan.

The Lighthouse by P.D. James

2007-08-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

audiobook

I didn't think that this was one of her better books. There wasn't very much action and Adam Dagliesh was sick through most of it. All in all, I felt that not much happened.

The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy

2007-08-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

I started this book back in July before I went on my Harry Potter marathon. I found it to be touching and tragic. It traced the Wingo family through Tom Wingo's birth to adulthood. Although he is the narrator, the book focuses on his mentally ill sister and abusive father.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

2007-07-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

This was the last and long awaited book in the Harry Potter series. It was good, but not the best of the seven books. It had a lot of action and tied up a lot of loose ends. She definitely did not leave it open to more books.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

2007-07-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

In this book, love abounds. The hint of a possible romance between Ron and Hermione starts to form, but Ron can be seen making out with Lavender just to make her jealous. Also Harry and Ginny hook up, but he pulls the spider man at the end and says that he can't be with her because he won't get hurt. Harry also discovers a potion book that helps him leap to the head of the class in potions class which turns out to belong to Snape. He also starts having lessons with Dumbledore which delves into Voldemort's past. Draco Malfoy has bee summoned by Voldemort to kill Dumbledore and Snape promises his mother he will help him. Which side is Snape on??? Dumbledore and Harry go in search of Voldemort's horcrux (part of his soul) When they come back Malfoy confronts Dumbledore, but can't kill him. Instead Snape finishes him off. Now they are talking about closing Hogwarts. What will happen in the next book! I can't wait!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix by J.K. Rowling

2007-07-25T07:41:00.000-07:00

The fifth book of the series starts to get really exciting. I found it dragging a little bit, but it my be because I just saw the movie. The three wizards are growing up and becoming teenages. The book introduces Loony Luna Lovegood who turns out to be a big help. Harry realizes that he and Voldemort have a connection and can see into his mind. He rescues Arthur Weasley this way. Profesor Snape is supposed to help Harry block Voldemort from entering Harry's brain. Voldemort figures out this connection and lures Harry to him through Sirius. He is trying to get the prophecy which states that only one of them may live. Harry and his friends fight Voldemort and the death eaters, but Sirius is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange. I felt that the movie did not do this book justice.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

2007-07-24T05:56:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite Harry Potter book. In this book, Harry learns more about his parents and Voldamort. He also becomes one of the champions in the triwizord tournament. Here, Harry is faced with all sorts of challenges and proves himself to be a good person. Although, in tis book Harry starts to become some what of a jerk. It is also here that Harry gets his first taste of romance with Cho Chang. The death of Cedric Diggory in the tournament becomes a tragic part of Harry's life. Harry also fights Vodlemort again and wins.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

2007-07-24T05:51:00.000-07:00

This is the book where things start to turn darker and more grown up for
Harry Potter. This book is more of a leading book, setting things up for the rest of the series. It introduces Harry's godfather Sirius Black, who is an escaped prisoner from Azkaban, the prison. It is also where Voldamort really begins to gain power.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

2007-07-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second installment of the Harry Potter Series. Harry is in his second year and Voldemort is becoming stronger. In this book, he is trying to open the Chamber of Secrets which is used to get rid of all wizards of "muggle" descent. Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister makes an appearance and Voldemort shows his original self as Tom Riddle when he was at Hogwarts through his diary.

Harry Potter and the Sorcere's Stone by J.K. Rowling

2007-07-17T09:24:00.000-07:00

The marathon has begun. I have started rereading the Harry Potter series in preparation for the new movie and book. I'm not going to say much about these books in general.

The first book introduces Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and ROne Weasley along with Hogwarts and the wizarding world. Harry has been living with his mean Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin for 10 years after his parents were killed by the evil Lord Voldemort. He finds out that he is really a wizard and is sent off to Hogwarts school. At Hogwarts he is met with a lot of fame and attention. He learns how to play the sport Quidditch and has to outwith Voldmort to save him from finding the Sorcere's Stone..the key to long life.

The Other Woman by Jane Green

2007-07-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

audio book

This was a nice listen for my car ride down to NC. It was a funny novel about a woman's dealings with her mother-in-law. However, I felt that no matter how pushy Linda, the mother in law was, Ellie didn't giver her a chance about a lot of things. When Ellie first met her husband Dan's family, she instantly fell in love with them. However, when Linda began taking over their wedding, things started taking a turn for the worse. Then, Ellie and Dan have a baby boy, Tom. Linda does everything against Ellie's wishes and again pushes herself in. I think, though if Ellie had let go, just a little bit things wouldn't have been so bad. For Example, when Linda gives Ellie gifts for the baby, although it was before she was ready to start decorating and stuff, Ellie gets mad. I am taking whatever gifts I get, whenever I get them. One day, things turn from bad to worse. Linda drops Tom while vacationing in France and Ellie finds out that her best friend Lisa is having an affair with her father-in-law and her and Dan decide to separate.

All in all, I found this to be an enjoyable listen. It was something nice and relaxing for the summer.

Trace by Patricia Cornwell

2007-07-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

audio book

I enjoyed this audiobook. It was nice and entertaining for the car ride down. It seems like Cornwell alternates between Scarpetta talking in first person and third person. One thing that has bothered me about Cornwell is that she introduces the killer in the beginning of the book which does tend to take away some of the suspense.

Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan

2007-07-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

I usually love Amy Tan's books, but this one just didn't do it for me. It was Ok, but not as good as her others. Usually her books are more about the Chinese culture and family relationships. In the book, the main character was chinese, but it was only important because the group of Americans took a trip to China and Burma. Bibi, plans a trip with 11 of her friends, but she dies right before the trip. The friends decide to go anyway and Bibi goes in spirit and narrates the story. The friends have one disaster after another and then disappear. I felt that they were generally stupid, ignorant Americans and much of the problems could have been avoided with some common sense. I guess there would have been no book then. IT turned out that the group was captured by a Burmese trip because they thought one of the boys was their saviour. In the end, they were all rescued and everyone lived happily ever after. A little bit too tidy of an ending for me.

Hot Six by Janet Evanovich

2007-07-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

audio book

as usual, you can never go wrong with Stephanie Plum. Even the
reader, Debi Mazur, is starting to grow on me. In this book, Stephanie's romance with Morelli grows. Ranger is on the loose, so that romance is on hold. Her grandmother moves in and she gets a dog left with her. Normal Stephanie antics.

The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde

2007-06-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

I didn't like this book as much as I liked the others in the Thursday Next series. It seemed to be too quirky and too many puns. It also seemed to have too much about the "book world" and not enough action. I did like the tie-in to his new Jack Spratt series and how the change in spellings from British to American came about because there were not enough u's. It was a cute book, but I'm hoping the next one is better.

Restoration by Rose Tremain

2007-06-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

Restoration is set in the 17th century during the reign of Charles II, but that is where the history ends. I expected this book to be about Charles II or to reflect more of the history. I was disappointed. The main character, Robert Merivel, is not a likable protagonist. I found him to be quite irritating. He is a womanizer and is self-centered. The king takes him into his court as the physician. During his stay, the dog Minette becomes ill. Instead of curing the dog, he decides to have sex. Then the king has him wed his mistress Celia. His one instruction is to not fall in love with her, so what does he do? You guessed it. After Merivel is kicked out of court, he goes to stay with his Quaker friend John Pearce. While he is there, he takes care of some mentally ill patients. Just when you think that he is turning around, he can't control himself and sleeps with Katherine, a mental patient, and gets her pregnant. After John dies, he and Katherine leave to go live with her mother. In the end, Merivel does change his ways, but not until the very end.

From Potters Field by Patricia Cornwell

2007-06-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

another Kay Scarpetta mystery. I liked this one better than the last aCornwell book I just read. Not much to say about it; a fast-paced murder mystery. Some good fluff in between books.

Vanity Fairby William Makepeace Thackery

2007-06-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

I started Vanity Fair once before and couldn't really get into it. However, the second time around was a lot different. I really enjoyed it. Of course there were some spots were it got really dry, but for the most part it was interesting. There was always some kind of twist and turn. The book was about Becky Sharpe's rise to fortune and then her fall and then rise again. It showed how some people can be so cruel and conniving. Amelia was born into wealth and all she wanted was to get married to George Osborne. Her family loses everything and the Osbornes's cast her aside. They won't have anything to do with her until the end of the book. George marries her anyway, but they dies leaving her with a young son. While this is going on, Becky is living it up and not spending any money. However, her husband leaves her and she becomes destitutes until the end when Amelia's brother leaves her money. The story ends will because Amelia marries Captain Dobbin who has loved her from the beginning and has lots of money.

Next by Michael Crichton

2007-06-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

audiobook

Next is typical Michael Crichton. It explores the world of biotechnology and what happens when you start to mess with nature. It was better than the last book of his I read, but still not great. It seemed a little too far fetched, particularly the transgenic monkey that was passed off as a boy, but didn't quite work. I did like the transgenic parrot that did math. That was pretty cool.

High Five by Janet Evonavich

2007-06-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

audio book

As always I enjoy the adventures of Stephanie Plum. I just can't understand why she changed readers. I really don't like Debi Mazur. Plus, her readings are always abridged. High Five was normal Stephanie Plum, getting in to trouble, romance with Morelli. Now, there's a new twist, Ranger. I will be interested in the next book to see who she picked.

All That Remains by Patricia Cornwall

2007-06-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

This was a nice fluff book that I read in between two doorstops. It was fast paced and an easy read. It starred Dr. Kay Scarpetta and was about a killer that killed only couples.
It touches a little on her romance with Mark, and on again, off again relationship, and her friend Abby who is writing a book about the story and may be betraying her trust. I have another Cornwall book waiting for me after I finish Vanity Fair.

The God of Small Things by by Adunhrati Roy

2007-06-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

audio book

At first I did not like this book, but by the end. it began to grow on me. It is about to Indian twins Rahel and Esta and the death of their English cousin Sophie Mol. However, the story didn't get to that part until over halfway through. It seemed to be a bunch of side stories about each character, but tied together int he end. It was an interesting book that gave a lot of information about the Indian caste system and how it worked. I did not like how the story jumped around from flashbacks to flashforwards.

The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye

2007-06-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

I read The Far Pavilions for my historical fictions book group. I would rate it about 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it, but found it kind of slow moving. It takes place in India in the 19th century. The book consists of three stories. The first part introduces Ashton Pelham-Martyn an English boy whose parents die and is raised by Sita, their Indian maid as Ashok, and Indian child. Ash and Sita live in Gulkote with the prince Lalji. Ash is his servant, his reward for saving his life. Here he meets Lali's half-sister Anjuli. I found this section of the book very interesting. It contained a lot of Indian culture of how people were treated with respect to royalty, the role of women, and how the royal family worked. One custom that was introduced was suttee, which although outlawed was still practiced in many small towns. Suttee is where a widow throws herself on her husnands pyre and burns herself along with him.

The next part of the book is where Ashok escapes from Gulkote and returns to England and joins the English military, The Guides. Here he meets and falls in love with Belinda. This is where the story slows down again.

Fast forward a few years and Ash is sent on a mission to escort a wedding party to Bhithor where a two women are to marry the Raj. He finds out that one is his beloved Anjuli and the other his her sister Shushila. Shushila is the head bride, Anjuli is just along for the ride. Here Ash and Juli confess their love for each other and he asks her to run away with him, but she says that she must stay with her sister. So, he goies back to his army work. Later, he finds out that the Raj is on his death bed and both sisters are expected to take part in suttee. So, Ash goes to rescue Juli. Needless to say, he is successful and they marry, which was a big deal because of him being English and her Indian, which complicates the Indian caste system.

Here is where I thought the book should end, but it continues on into the Ash's role in the Anglo-Afghan war. There is little mention of Juli and their relationship. In fact,at one point he says he was gong to do what he wanted regardless of her. Why bother going through all the trouble of rescuing her. I don't know if it was because I wanted to be through with the book, but I did not like this part. I have attached a link to the war which gives information about this part of the book.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Game

Reservation Road by John Burnham Schwartz

2007-05-30T15:47:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-20T12:52:00.001-07:00

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

2007-05-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

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.

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire

2007-04-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

audio book

I enjoyed this book much more than Wicked. It was a play off Cinderella and followed the story pretty closely. I liked how it showed that Iris, the Ugly Stepsister was not a mean stepsister and that Clara, Cinderella, was just as imprisoned by her beauty as Iris was by her ugliness. In the book, Clara chose to become Cinderella and actually preferred cleaning in the kitchen than going outside so that she could hide from her beauty.

Katherine by Anya Seyton

2007-04-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

This book was about the life of Katherine Swynford who married John of Gaunt. Her line eventually gave Henry VII. The disclaimer by teh author said that the book is fairly accurate, but it seemed to me that the author gave a lot of her interpretation in order to make a good book. I enjoyed the beginning and the end, but got a bored in the middle. Katherine starts by marrying Hugh Swynford who is ugly and not very nice. She doesn't love him, but loves the Duke, John Lancester instead. She bears 3 children by Hugh. After Hugh dies and Johns wife Blanche dies they start a romance. However, he is married to the Queen of Castille. Katherine bears him many bastard children who are later legitimized when John and Katherine married. The part I didn't like was when there is an uprising against John and his mistress, so she cuts off the relationship. Her eldest daughter Blanchette runs away, so Katherine decides that God hates her and she must pay a penance. In general it was a good book, but not one of the best I have read.

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

2007-04-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

audio book

This was an extremely long audio book. It took me forever to listen to, however, I really enjoyed it. It is second in the Outlander Series and continues with Claire's time in 18th century Scotland. It beings 20 years after her return to present day. Her husband has just died and she returns to Scotland with her daughter by Jamie to tell her about her real father. Of course her daughter doesn't believe her. The story this time focuses more on the politics of the time and the Jacobite rising with some romance between Claire and Jamie thrown in. The book ends with Claire returning to present day and Jamie going off to fight the battle of Culloden. Claire finds out that one of the women she met in Scotland is in present day Scotland and is getting ready to travel to the past. this is a part that confused me because it means she traveled from Claire's future to the same part in the past. I am interested in reading the next installment in the series.

The Sunne in Splendor by Sharon Kaye Penman

2007-04-09T14:16:00.000-07:00

I read this book for a book group and absolutely loved every 930 pages of it. It took me forever to read, but I loved every minute of it. My favorite part of history is English history and have mostly read about Henry VIII. The Sunne in Splendor is about the Plantagenent line, mostly Richard III. It begins with The War of the Roses where Richard's brother Edward wins the crown from Henry VI. The book followed all of Edward's and Richard's reign ending with the battle in which Henry VII wins the crown from Richard. The book was filled with action, romance, plotting and scheming. I felt as if I was right there with them. The book also painted Richard in a different light than most other historical novels I have read with calls Richard the Usurper and favors Henry taking the throne. The book also filled in some pieces from other historical novels that I have read. I am currently reading Katherine about Katherine Swynford, John of Gaunt's wife who is Henry VI Great-Grandmother. I have a habit of reading things backwards.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

2007-03-31T11:49:00.000-07:00

I loved this audiobook. I just wished I hadn't listened to the abridged version. It is about a woman who goes back in time to the 18th century Scotland. She gets married to Jamie Frasier in order to protect herself and falls in love. She decides to stay in the 18th century instead of returning to Frank, her current husband. The series is a love story about her and Jamie and also historical fiction about the restoration and the Jacobites trying to restore the Stuarts to the throne. I am currently reading the sequel and am also enjoying it (the unabridged version, this time.)

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

2007-03-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

audio book
I believe that this book is a young adult book, but I am not sure. Either way, it was a nice light listen and I really enjoyed it. It told the story of two young girls from a poor familywho meets a rich American family and the richest brother, Simon, falls in love with the older sister, Rose. Although she is not in love with him, she agrees to marry him. Her sister, Cassandra, falls in love with Simon, but his brother Steven is in love with her. To make the love triangle more complicated, the other brother Neil is in love with Rose. The story ends happily with Rose calling off the engagement and marrying Neil.

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan

2007-03-19T17:30:00.000-07:00

As always, I really enjoy Amy Tan's writing. It slowly brings me out of the rut I have been in. The Bonesetter's Daughter is about a Chinese mother and daughter and their relationship. I always enjoy how Tan incorporates the Chinese culture into her books. The story also shows what it is like to move to America from China and what it is like being a Chinese-American citizen. I look forward to my next Amy Tan book, The Kitchen God's Wife.

Casanova in Bolzano by Sandor Marai

2007-03-18T05:11:00.000-07:00

This is an audiobook that I picked up on a whim. It was okay. I had expected more action, but it was a lot of dialog and not much happened.

The House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dumas

2007-03-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

I was extremely disappointed by this book. It was extremely depressing and unrealistic. The book started with this poor woman who is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic whose husband leaves her and then becomes evicted from her house due to a mistake by the county. The officer who comes to evict her is having marital problems and of course immediately falls in love with the woman, Kathy. A downward spiral to get her house back begins. It just doesn't make sense. How can you meet someone and then put your entire job and livelyhood in jeopardy and throw away years of marriage. Of course the Iranian Family that buys the house refuses to give it up. I then leads to the man holding them hostage and eventually the son getting killed. THen, as if the author didn't know what else to do, has the husband kill his wife and himslef and ry to kill Kathy. Kathy and the officer end up going to jail for kidnapping and no one lives happily ever after.

Four to Score by Janet Evonavich

2007-03-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

This audio book had a different reader and I did not like her. As always I enjoy the Stephanie Plum stories, but this reader made it difficult. She lisped and didn't do different voices and was just really flat. Number 5 is read by her too. yuck!

Heat

2007-03-09T12:54:00.000-08:00

Yummy! I really enjoyed this audio book. It was the story of a cook who worked in Mario Batali's kitchen and his experiences. I really enjoyed it. It told of how a kitchen rally works, his trips to Italy, and described how to make many dishes. I want to go out and cook pasta!

The Book of Saladin by Tariq Ali

2007-03-04T06:26:00.000-08:00

This book is about Saladin's conquest over Jerusalem told by his scribe. I'm not sure how I felt about this book. The first part of it I was pretty distracted, so I don't hink I got the full affect. I was expecting more of an account of Saladin's life, but the book digressed to Ibn Yakub's (the scribe) life. I did not like how the titles of the chapters told about what was going to happen. I'm rally hoping I can beak out of my book rut soon.

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

2007-03-03T04:49:00.000-08:00

audio book
This book is about a young man's struggle to overcome drug and alcohol addiction. In general, I liked the book. I felt that it gave a good portrayal of what it is like to overcome these problems, however, I did not like Frey. He was so angry all the time, which is, I guess, why he had these problems to begin with, but I felt that he did not respect the people who were trying to help him. He also put down the AA 12 steps, which many people use and it works for them. Ok, if you don't agree with it, but don't put down what helps other people. Even at the end of the book I did not like him. I know there has been some scandal with the book that it is not 100% true. That doesn't bother me because i feel that he gets the point across well enough. I have to look up what he embellished and what is true.

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

2007-02-28T16:28:00.000-08:00

I actually finished reading this about a week ago, but am just now getting to writing it down. This book has been in my TBR pile for quite a while. I thought it was an excellent book. It was hard to read in that it was a true story, but I liked the way hew wrote as if he was the age in the book. I am looking forward to the sequel, 'Tis.

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

2007-02-25T10:42:00.000-08:00

audio book
THis book was not great, but not bad either. I often found myself drifting off, but in general it was a good book. It was about a Bangladeshi family that moved to England and their twin sons and an English man with a Jamaican wife and their daughter. I liked how the author went into detail about each character and their struggles however i didn't think she was a good reader. Her accents were annoying. The book also explored cloning, religious issues, and racial issues. I would give it about a 3 out of 5.

Memiors of Cleopatra by Margaret George

2007-02-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

What a doorstop! This book was huge. It was a fiction account of Cleopatra told by herself. I really enjoyed this book and now I want to watch Rome! I still have questions of whether she was more politically or romantically driven in her relationships with Caesar and Marc Antony.

Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evonavich

2007-02-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

audiobook-As always I enjoy Janet Evonavich and the Stephanie Plum series. CJ Critt does an excellent job reading. I'm kind of nervous about not listening to the books, if I would enjoy them as much. I liked this book better than the other two, but I think its because Stephanie's character is starting to develop. I look forward to the next one.

She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

2007-02-03T11:27:00.000-08:00

This is the second novel that I have read by Wally Lamb. At first I liked it better than I Know This Much is True, but by the end, I'm not sure. Overall, I liked the book, but I thought some parts were a little bit outrageous. She's Come Undone is about Dolores Price who is raped by a family friend when she is a little girl. As a result, she eats herself to over 250 pounds. She also distances herself from her family in the process. Dolores's life is spattered with tragedy. She goes off to college, but of course does not fit in. In the process she has a love affair with the dorm mother and stalks her roommates boyfriend. She eventually tries to kill herself and is committed to a mental hospital. This is where the book gets weird. Her therapy is odd, where the psychiatrist becomes her mother (who is dead) and then she leaves, finds Dante, her college roommate's boyfriend and marries him. Dolores keeps getting hit by tragedy after tragedy. Her marriage inevitably fails, and he Grandmother dies, her last living relative who she loves. Throughout the oddness of the book, I found Dolores a likable character although I think she had a little bit too much strife in her life. The book does take an upturn at the end where Dolores finally falls in love and lives happily ever after. All in all, i liked the book.

A Confederacy of Dunces JK Toole

2007-01-31T17:32:00.000-08:00

audiobook-very silly