Good Reads

In today's post I thought I'd share, quickly, the books that I've read recently that made it up to snuff.  None of these I did particular back flips over, but each of them was a good, solid read that I would recommend.

First of all, Sharp Objects.

This was Gillian Flynn's first novel and it's the last one I've read.  You can definitely tell this was her freshman novel if you've read the other two.  However, it was still pretty creepy and I "enjoyed" it as much as you can say that you enjoy a thriller like this.  I definitely want to read whatever else Gillian Flynn writes in the future, she's quickly become a book club favorite...at least in our little book club.

Another Agatha Christie is next, Murder at the Vicarage.

This was another good, solid Agatha Christie mystery.  It wasn't my favorite of her books thus far, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit.  And yes, I do still get that old lady feeling when I pick up one of her books.

And lastly for this post, Beautiful Ruins.

While I don't participate in my church's monthly book club, I did notice that this book was their selection a few months back.  When I read up on the blurb about it, I was intrigued. 

The premise of this novel is that in present day an old Italian man, Pasquale, shows up at an old school movie producer's lot looking for an actress that stayed in his hotel back in the 1960s when the movie, Cleopatra, was being filmed.  It is Pasquale's understanding that this actress had cancer and he wants to know whatever became of her.  This novel then follows Pasquale, the film director, his assistant, a young man trying to pitch a movie...and the actress from long ago.  This is a book where most everyone has a major flaw in their character, but the dynamic and how things unfold is extremely interesting.  I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend!

Classic Catch-Up

So, I've been doing relatively well with keeping up on my fiction, non-fiction, classic rotation...except for the non-fiction part.  But, we won't focus on that in this post... 

The three books I'll review for you today are all classics...one being quite old, one a little older than me, and the third being a modern classic.

First, Madame Bovary.  The quite old classic.

Ugh...I cannot even tell you how much I disliked this woman!  I know that you weren't supposed to and that you're supposed to focus on the writing style on this one...but, I just couldn't get over it.  I, literally, wanted to throttle Madame Bovary multiple times throughout this book.  I kept calling her a twit, which is an understatement.  And to top it all off, this book has a horribly sad ending.  Two stars from me...sorry, the writing style just didn't make up for the storyline.

Next, a modern day classic, The Historian.  This book is on every to-read list concocted within the past ten years.  So, I thought I'd give it a go.  It's only been sitting in my book club borrowed pile for about a year.

My sentiment?  Eh.  Do you remember my review about The Swan Thieves?  I kinda felt the same way about The Historian that I did about it.  In other words, it's OK...but, when I'm going to read a huuuge book like this, I want to LOVE it at the end.  And that didn't happen.  It was good, just not fantastic and worthy of all the hoopla.

Lastly, a Judy Blume classic from the 1970s...Blubber.  This one is also a favorite on the most controversial and banned books lists.

I'll be honest and say that I haven't read a lot of Judy Blume.  This might be only my second or third.  And when Becky and I went to Kansas City to meet Maggie Steifvater, this was one of the books we listened to on the way.  Wow...have you seen the movie Mean Girls?  This is like that, only grade school.  Those girls were mean, including the narrator!  This is not a feel good YA by any stretch.  Becky and I discussed it and both of us agreed that the bullies didn't even really feel bad about what they did in the end...no real closure. 

When the book was done, thankfully, there was a commentary with the author at the end.  And Blume explained why she wrote this book.  Back in 1974 when this book was originally published, bullying wasn't the headline news story on the evening news like it can be today.  So, her point with this book was to open the door for conversations about bullying.  I'm glad I learned this before rating the book, because I was fully prepared to give it somewhere between one and two stars...but, knowing that, I went ahead and gave it three.  Because this book would be an excellent way to kick-start that conversation with your kid(s).

So...what classics have you read lately?

Someone Cry For the Children

Prior to reading this book, I might be one of the few people that lives in Oklahoma that was not aware of this story.  Someone Cry For the Children is the true story about the investigation and trial of the suspect involving the brutal rape and murder of three Girl Scouts at a camp in northeastern Oklahoma in 1977.  The book, written by OSBI agents involved in the investigation, is gritty...most definitely not a book to read before you go to bed. 

I was horrified by the murder scene (and a detailed rape scene later on)...I'm telling you that this book is like reading an episode of either CSI or Criminal Minds.  Or both combined.  Only more detailed.  There were parts that, literally, turned my stomach.

This book is a solid piece of literature, detailing the ins and outs of this investigation and trial.  I felt like there was no stone left unturned, no detail left unsaid.  With that being said, are you interested in my opinion regarding the fact that this case has been left unsolved?  For, literally, longer than I've been alive... 

I don't know. 

You leave this book still unsure about whether or not Gene Leroy Hart is guilty.  There were points where you think he's most definitely guilty...other parts where you think he most definitely had to be innocent.  And after finishing the book...I don't know.  The friend who recommended this book to me, Becky AKA the other Becky, said she felt the same way.

I'll tell you what really affected me about this book though.  I remember going to Girl Scout camp as a young girl in the mid-1980s.  And I remember bunking up in a wooden-structured, screen-surrounded type of building...not the tents the girls in this book used.  And I remember the camp counselors vehemently ordering the girls in each structure to lock the door, which only locked from the inside, each night and refusing to open it for anyone (even another counselor) until the next morning when we were to come outside for breakfast.  After reading this book, I realized that this case had to be why this strict rule was enforced.  Scary stuff.

It's not often that you read a book detailing events that took place and affected events in your life.  And to not have been aware of this story at the time (my mother wasn't aware either because she lived in Dallas at the time of the murders), but to know now 20+ years later.  Freaky!

This book is extremely rare...Becky had to pay a pretty penny for it.  But, if you can find it, I highly recommend reading it.  Most especially if you're an Okie resident...and even more so if you're a northeastern Okie resident like me.

Light and Fun Reads

OK, so back to playing catch-up.  I thought I'd try to catch up a little on the reads I have finished recently.  Here are just a few, all grouped into this same blog post because they are all (did you read the post title?) light and fun.

The Last Original Wife



This book is a fun, summery read.  Leslie Anne Greene Carter is the last original wife of her husband's middle-aged, upper class, golf-playing, country-club livin' co-worker and friends group.  This story tackles some serious issues and includes a douse of humor along the way.  It was a good, solid chick lit that would be ideal for a vacation read.

Summerland

I'm not sure I'd truly classify this book as light and fun...simply because there's a car wreck, a fair amount of death and infidelity in this book.  However, this wasn't really a book that bogged me down at the same time, which is why I'm including it in this grouping.  This book explores the reality of what a tight-knit community can be, especially during a tragedy.  It was well written and I enjoyed it all the way up until the end.  The girl that dies in this book I could never really understand or connect with...therefore, I only gave it two stars...sorry Elin!

The Secret Life of Bees

Yes, I've read the book and seen the movie now (though, not in that order).  This was another book that was in the massive pile from my great-great aunt's house.  I'm glad I read it because it truly is a wonderful story.  I won't explore this book any more because, unless you've lived under a rock, you're aware of the story.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette

This book is in rotation in my book club.  A very whimsical, cute read that, again, tackles some serious topics (miscarriages, mental health, infidelity, etc.).  I really enjoyed this one, though about three-quarters of the way through it, I wasn't sure where the author was taking the story...  No worries, it ended up well (even if I was rather perturbed with the father by the end).  Give this one a go!

Classic and Contemporary Mysteries

As you regular readers know, I'm not much of a mystery fan.  However, I've been on a tiny bit of a kick lately and want to share a couple with you that I think are absolutely fabulous. 

Let's start with classic mystery...this is another Agatha Christie.  Don't even try to pretend to be shocked.  Now, prior to reading this one Death on the Nile was my favorite Agatha Christie.  After this...I'm not so sure...they're pretty tied for first place.

 

To tell you the truth, the main reason why I absolutely loved Murder on the Orient Express was the ending.  And the endings are what make Agatha Christie so special.  I haven't read an even remotely similar ending in all of her books that I've picked up.  And because I don't want to spoil it (because I DO want you to read this one) I'm NOT going to tell you what's so magical about this book.  Pick it up.  Soon, you won't regret it!
 

Like half of the western world, I read Gone Girl earlier this year.  And my book club has since become obsessed with reading all of Flynn's previous works.  This is the first one I've picked up because...honestly?...I was way too hyped up about Gone Girl.  It was a really good book and fantastically twisted, but because I knew it was supposed to be fantastic going in...it's just easy to get let down.  Now, when I picked Dark Places up only the girls in my book club had reviewed it and they all said positive things.  About the book/plot...not what actually happens in the book.  Because this is another sick and twisted Gillian Flynn.  And I have to say, it's fantastic as well.  Verrrry twisted (that's the last time I'll use twisted as an adjective, promise) so be prepared.  Two thumbs up.

So, in case you were dropping by my blog looking for a new book to read...there ya go!

Reading Lately...Meh?

I've picked a few books lately that just didn't measure up to my expectations.  None of these books were bad...but, none of them were anything I'd probably recommend?  In fact, all except this first I gave a mere two stars out of five.

The Light in the Ruins
(Three stars)

I've seen this book everywhere...bookstores, recommended reading lists, etc., etc.  It's a murder mystery connected to a point in time in the not-so-distant past.  It was just OK for me.

Sisterland
(Two stars)

I'll be honest and say that this book is extremely well written and that I was fully engaged...all the way up until the last quarter.  The main character did something at this point in the plot that I just could not get over and, therefore, the book soured for me quickly.  And because of her distasteful choice, I also found the ending unrealistic.

Kiss Me First
(Two stars)

The premise of this book is very dark; it's another assisted suicide novel.  However, this book is much more disturbing than the beautifully written Me Before You (click here for my review of it).  Plus, the further I got towards the end of this book, the more I just felt sorry for the main character.  She's hopelessly socially inept and she's horribly taken advantage of because of it.  This is not a feel-good book and though I know it's not supposed to be, I still didn't quite appreciate it.

Freud's Sister
(Two stars)

I really thought this book had potential!  This is a historical fiction novel that is based on a true story; it narrates the story of Adolphina, Sigmund Freud's favorite sister.  When the Nazi's were closing in on Vienna, Sigmund was given an exit visa and could take anyone with him that he chose.  He took with him his wife, doctor, maids, wife's sister and even his dog...but, not one of his four sisters.  Sadly, this book was very dry, though there were a few interesting tidbits throughout that are probably true facts.  I think I might have been expecting too much on this one...I might like it more the longer it's been since I've read it.

Nicholas and Alexandra

It took me a solid 1.5 months to slog through this behemoth of a book.  With that being said, Nicholas and Alexandra is not a boring or slow book, by any means.  However, when you're reading non-fiction and there's a super dense amount of information packed away in the pages...it's just a lot to take in.  And this wasn't a book I was going to rush myself to finish quickly.  This subject has always fascinated me. 

I suppose it all started when, in school, we went to view the Faberge eggs that were on tour (visiting Kansas City) back when I was in...ummm, I think it was middle school?  Regardless, they were/are gorgeous and the story of the Romanovs is enthralling...and tragic, of course.

Another thing that sparked this interest was this movie.  Anyone else remember it?

I think I actually owned this movie (and maybe the soundtrack too?) at some point.  I'm sure it was on VHS and who knows where that might be. 

Of course, after reading this book I've discovered that virtually everything in this movie was/is false.  Anastasia couldn't have survived.  And by the way, Rasputin died before all the Romanovs.  So, why was he lurking around as the bad guy in this movie?  Weirdo.

But, back to the book...sorry, got a little off topic there for a second...this is truly the story of the last generation of the Romanovs.  Nicholas and Alexandra just happened to be at the forefront and they were the ones that affected the majority of the Romanovs' fate at that time, hence the title. 

I didn't know who, what, when, when, where and how the fall of the Romanov dynasty played out until reading this book.  The fact that the tsarevich, the heir apparent, had hemophilia had a major role in the course of events.  Massie makes it clear that if Alexis, Nicholas and Alexandra's only son, hadn't had hemophilia, then they wouldn't have met the manipulative Rasputin.  And therefore, with no Rasputin there would have been no Lenin. 

One of the main excerpts from this book that really got me was when Rasputin was finally murdered.  It took numerous attempts, in different ways, all in one sitting, to kill this man.  He, literally, WOULD NOT DIE.  The whole scene was totally creeptacular. 

There were good, fantastic really, parts of this book too.  Nicholas and Alexandra were madly in love.  This was apparent, through onlookers and their correspondence, that the two truly adored each other and rarely squabbled.  In fact, in the beginning you learn that the two were fond of each other from a very young age.

I really enjoyed learning about the Romanov family, their history and, sadly, their last days.  If you're interested at all in this subject, I would highly recommend this book.  However, I know that 500+ page, non-fiction, about a dead dynasty doesn't intrigue everyone.  Therefore, I wouldn't recommend this book for just anyone.  However, for me this was a solid four star (out of five) read.

The Hathaway Series

OK, I promise after this post it'll be a while before another Lisa Kleypas (or any other smutty "literature") makes it's way onto this blog.  I was reading yet another intense, non-fiction behemoth (review coming tomorrow) and needed something light to spice things up and the Hathaway series fit the bill perfectly.

As many of Lisa Kleypas' books, these are all part of a familial series.  This particular grouping is an historical fiction set that focuses on the five sibling family of the Hathaways, set in 19th century England.  I loved each of the siblings and their love interests, particularly the gyspy factor that was going on in the first couple books.  Though, I will say the titles and covers of these books kinda cracked me up.  But, those are truly my only negative comments regarding these books.  Thanks Lindsay, for bringing these to book club!

If you've read either the Travis family series or the wallflower series by Kleypas (and liked/loved them) then you'd definitely like this set.  If you're not into "this kind of reading," that's OK too; just pass these right on by.  I won't judge either way!

However, and I know I've shared this before, but after reading any "romance" novel I always come back to reality in this way.

Me Before You

Me Before You appears to be the "it" book of the summer this year.  I've seen it everywhere.  On Barnes and Noble emails and stands, at my local used book store, on others' to-read lists on Goodreads, recommended via other authors...it's everywhere!  So, I took this at book club, and being only the third person to have read it, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I had high hopes.

Some might call this book a love story.  And others might call it a beautiful story about self-discovery and learning your true limits.  I can see that, but I tend to think it's more of a political statement about self euthanasia.  Let me give you a little background about the book to explain to why I think this...

Lou Clark is one of the main characters in this book.  In fact, I'd venture to say she's THE main character.  At the beginning of the novel she's rather unassuming, having relegated herself to being the "lesser" child in her family.  She's the eldest, but her sister is smarter, prettier...better at everything.  And both sisters, in their mid-twenties, live at home with their parents and ailing grandfather.  Lou isn't highly skilled or educated, but she enjoys working at the local coffee/pastry shop.  And in her spare time she likes to be with her exercise-obsessed boyfriend...whom she's not quite sure she truly loves. 

Rather early on, Lou loses her job because the shop closes.  When she goes down to the job center, she quickly realizes that the economy and her limited skill set are going to make finding a new job rather tricky.  After a couple of trial runs, things are not looking good.  Then, all of a sudden, an opening for care-giver becomes available.  Lou doesn't think this is the job for her and explains to the job adviser about her ailing grandfather at home and how she couldn't possibly do the things her mothers does to assist him.  Reluctantly, Lou goes on the interview and gets the job after interviewing with the mother of the "invalid." 

Young and gorgeous Will Traynor has done it all and been everywhere.  Made his way to the top of his company?  Check.  Vacations that include skiing, bungee-jumping and other death-defying acts?  Check, check and check.  So, one rainy day when Will was run over by a motorcycle and left a quadriplegic, he thought his world had come to an end.  He was sure of it.  And he makes sure to let everyone around him know how unhappy he is in his current state.  Yelling, grumbling, and rather making a spectacle of himself, Will is effectively shutting everyone out of his life. 

Lou's job is simply to take care of Will's basic (emotional) needs.  A special care nurse comes in regularly, so she doesn't need to take care of most bodily needs.  Rather, Will's mother hopes that Lou will provide him with companionship and tone down his vehement hatred of what is now his life.

The rest of this book involves the relationship that Lou and Will harbor and develop.  It's beautiful and sweet and a joy to read.  But, the book also tackles the touchy subject of self euthanasia, which obviously is brought up by Will throughout the book. 

I loved this book and thought it was extremely well written.  All the hype measures up for this one.  However, I will say that if this is a subject you're not sure about...depending upon which side of the fence you're on...you might be careful in deciding whether or not to pick this one up.  Regardless, I highly recommend this book...and I also recommend having a box of tissues nearby while you're reading it. 

War and Peace

We had book club on Friday and I have to say, most of the time that's my favorite day of the month.  Seriously.  You could not meet a better group of girls. 

And we're girls who are serious about books!  I've heard a lot of book clubs gather simply so that the group can talk and eat/drink for one night per month.  No husbands or babies allowed (though we do allow babies in ours from time to time, heehee!).

We do plenty of that too, but when it's time to talk books...we're serious and listen to each and every person go through their bag of books. (I've mentioned before that we don't all read the same book every month, rather each person gets to talk about every book they read and offer to rotate it through the club if there's any interest.)

Well, about halfway through book club this time, my friend Kelsie took a pic of some of our rotation.  We're definitely an eclectic bunch!

Today I wanted to talk about the book in this pile that's mine, the third from the top.  War and Peace.  You remember how I mentioned last week that I had a super intense book that required some fluffy, palate-cleansing side reading?  Yea, this one was it.

War and Peace is one of those books that works it's way into everyday conversation simply because eeeeveryone has heard of it.  In fact, David and I were watching an old Seinfeld rerun the other day and Elaine was talking about it (War, what's it good for?).

In case you're unaware and curious as to the plot, War and Peace is the story of five interconnected families in Russia spanning the French invasion of Russian as well as the Napoleonic era and the peaceful times surrounding those.  It's extremely intense and long...in fact, War and Peace is almost unanimously certified as the longest novel ever written.

I really enjoyed the story, but I will say that I was super glad to finish it simply because of the length.  I actually listened to it via audiobook (through my library app) and kept the character log open at all times.  And if you want to try this, I would definitely recommend having a fantastic character log.  My particular copy (the one pictured) had a wonderfully detailed one and I don't know what I would have done without it.  Plus, having to check this book out with the library, I only had two weeks with it.  That pushed me to finish it quickly, unlike when I read on Anna Karenina for approximately six months.  This was a much better experience.

Needless to say, War and Peace is fantastic and I highly recommend it.  But, you do need to be prepared to dedicate a certain amount of time to reading it and also on being an active reader (constantly checking the character log throughout).  There's no "zoning out" on this one.  Let me know if you decide to give this one a go!

Friday Harbor Series

I know you must be thinking, "Man, this girl really likes Lisa Kleypas!"  Well, you'd be right...along with about half of my book club.  We've actually started using a term to describe her books, a "Kleypas cleanser."  I've referred to this many times about how I need a palate cleanser between reading serious or intense literature (...regarding my most recent intense book that sparked the reading of this series, I'll give you a review of it later this week).  With Kleypas, you always know what's going to happen: the couple is going to get together in the end.  But, it's almost always an enjoyable experience to read your way through, hence a nice palate-cleansing read. 

This series, Friday Harbor, is Kleypas' most recent and her second contemporary series.  It also throws in a smidge of witch craft and ghosts (only in books 2-4).  While this series is still worth the read, I didn't think it was quite up to Kleypas' usual standards.  There's supposed to be a fifth book coming out soon, and I'll definitely read it too.  But, if I were to give Lisa Kleypas some advice, I'd tell her to stay with her historical fiction niche.  That's her forte and where I really enjoy her writing style.

Silver Screen Chick Lit

A certain percentage of the huge stack o' books that I got from my great-great aunt's house were those that had been converted from chick lit into chick flicks.  Recently, I've plowed through a few of them...all of them being quick and easy reads.  Each of these was like reconnecting with an old friend that you haven't talked to in a long, long time. 

First up, Where the Heart Is.  I love this movie...and I think it might have been Natalie Portman's first big movie.  I might hold it in a little extra regard simply because the vast majority of it takes place in Oklahoma too.  This one is excellently adapted from book to movie, with the book having a few extra details throughout.  No major parts were altered, so if you enjoyed the movie, then you'd also enjoy the book.

Next, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. This is actually the middle book in a trilogy and I went ahead and read the first (Little Altars Everywhere) and the last (Ya-Ya's in Bloom) books as well.  The verdict?  Just read Divine Secrets...the other two don't give you any extra backing for the story and I didn't particularly enjoy them.  There are a few major points that are different in Divine Secrets the book, but the main basis/theme of the story is the same in movie and book.

Third...The Notebook.  How, oh how, have I never read this?  I'm not sure.  But, this book is truly a joy to read.  I know that Nicholas Sparks is a supremely sappy author and you always feel manipulated into tears by the end.  However, I knew that going in...I've seen the movie many times...and it was a real joy to read this one.  There are certain scenes in the book that aren't as gritty as they are in the movie, which I appreciated.  A while back I also read The Wedding, which is a semi-sequel to this one...for my review of that book too, click here.

One Thousand White Women

One Thousand White Women is a historical fiction novel that's made it's way around my book club.  The premise is actually quite interesting because it takes an extremely obscure piece of history and plays that old game of "what if?" 

Supposedly, in the late 1800s, a Cheyenne chief approached the president requesting one thousand white women to assimilate into their tribes.  This chief knew the importance of the Indians adjusting their communities to work well with white men.  So, he came up with this fantastic idea.  And the president essentially laughed in his face, in real life. 

This book explores the "what if" of one thousand white women going to live with the Indians and helping them learn and adjust to the white man's ways.  The book is written like a journal by one of the women who would have taken this journey, May Dodd. 

This was a well written story, but I just never really connected with the main character.  Sometimes I find it hard to connect with a female lead character that is written by a man.  There were some instances in this book that I thought May Dodd's reactions to were a bit...unrealistic.  However, I still enjoyed the book and gave it three out of five stars.  Now, would I recommend this one?  I'm on the fence about that...it's OK, but I'm not going to be running out and singing it's praises.

Happy Friday

On this beautiful Friday I thought I'd share a few of my thoughts on this and that (including a couple book review updates).

First off, I saw this picture of the "Infinity of Knowledge," located in the Prague Municipal Library, on Pinterest this morning and...oh-em-gee, love!

Speaking of Prague.  I recently finished this book, which happens to center around a teenage girl from Prague.

Days of Blood and Starlight is the second book from the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, with the third book coming out sometime in 2014.  If you'd like to read my review of the first book, you can click here.  I feel about the same way for this book that I did the first...a little hyped up, but still good.  I'm glad that Karou finally discovers what her role in the war between angels and chimaera is.  This is not shaping up to be my favorite trilogy, but it's still worth the time to read and enjoy.  Just don't expect it to wow you like Twilight, Hunger Games, etc.

Speaking of mystical fictional YA reading, I finally read Beautiful Creatures as well.

This is another one that's been built up and up and up...and I thought it was just OK.  I will definitely continue reading this series, in fact I'm wait-listed on my library app for the second book.  However, this is another series that I would suggest not going into with high expectations.  It's good, but not the best.

Another another note, I also watched the movie.  I was forewarned that the movie is verrrry different from the book.  And I'm glad I was told that going in...because it is.  I'm not sure what their reasoning was in changing things up so much, but I'm hoping to be enlightened with the second book, perhaps?  I remember that the Swedish version of the Millennium series (aka the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series) had some things occur in the first movie that were actually from the second book.  Luckily, I'd read them all the way through when watching those movies, so it didn't bother me. 

Random subject change: who wants to buy me this t-shirt?  Because it's soooo me!

Seriously though, I'll probably be adding this to my cart here pretty soon.  I don't care if summer is already over half over.

In other news, our tomato plants have been stinking it up this year.  I mean, we've gotten one lousy tomato and the two plants are ginormous with tons of blooms.  Thoughts?  Suggestions?  But, that one tomato really wasn't lousy...in fact, it was delicious and red alllll the way though.  I enjoyed it so, so, very much.

Also, Molly totally face planted in her bed last night.  It always cracks us up when she does that.  What's even funnier is when she's lying like this and her right ear is sticking straight up because of the way she's lying on it.  Ahhh, pets.  They're more than just companionship, they're also comedic relief.

Happy Friday all, and I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Lone Survivor

I received a very exciting text message from one of my favorite people, Nicole, this morning.  My absolute favorite auto-biography has been made into a movie and will be coming out in January!

If you've ever looked at my favorite books tab, you've seen Lone Survivor listed under my favorite non-fiction books...for, like, a long time.

Oddly enough, this book actually came to me from my husband, David, who is a pacifist.  Marcus Luttrell came to give a talk at David's previous employer and gave each employee a copy of his book.  David came home that night, after watching this guy speak, and said, "You've got to read this.  This guy's story is amazing." 

Amazing doesn't even begin to describe it.

I loved this book and, literally, cannot wait to see this grace the silver screen.  Though, I know I'll be balling like a baby in the end.  I cried for the last 50-100 pages and if you intend to read it (or watch it in January), be sure to grab some tissue.  I'll just say this once, there's a reason why the title is lone survivor.

Moloka'i

You know how some books touch your soul a little bit?  Well, this book is one of those.  Moloka'i essentially follows the history of a small section of the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i becoming a leprous colony.  Alan Brennert weaves this historical fiction narrative through the life of Rachel Kalama.  In the beginning of the book, Rachel is a seven-year-old girl whose dreams and future are stolen away by a small rose-colored mark on the back of her leg.  Rachel is separated from her family and carted off to Moloka'i to live with other lepers forever.  This is, basically, a death sentence. 

I loved this book from beginning until end.  I loved Rachel and her resiliency, but her situation broke my heart at times.  I would highly, highly, highly recommend this one.  In fact, I had to run out and buy a copy just so that I could own it and reread it again at my leisure.

I may have mentioned before that David and I went to Hawaii on our honeymoon.  One of the things we did was snorkling near Lana'i, which is a hop, skip and a jump from Moloka'i.  And David reminded me how, at the time, the leaders of our cruise expedition mentioned that it was an old leprous colony.  It's crazy to think that I saw this island and didn't think much of it then.  Now...all I can think is: wow. 

Murder at the Manor

I know this is going to be shocking, but I'm going to review some more Agatha Christie books.  Can you read the sarcasm in that last sentence?  I know you must be thinking, "How many more Agatha Christie books is this girl gonna read?  Sheesh!"  Well, at least a few more.  And if I continue to enjoy them as much as I have been, I'll probably even buy some more copies than what I already managed to snag from my great-great aunt's book collection.

Murder at the Manor is a compilation of three Agatha Christie novels.  And get this, they all take place in a manor house.  Hmmm...wonder where they came up with the title?

First up, Crooked House.  A young man, Charles Hayword, has come back from war and wants to marry a young woman whom he pre-proposed to (he told her if he came back alive that he'd want to marry her), Sophia Leonides.  Sophia and all her family live in the same house (which she refers to as a little, crooked house) and one morning, Sophia's grandfather and lord of the manor, is discovered dead.  Sophia tells Charles they can't marry until the murderer is found and brought to justice...as long as the right person murdered her grandfather.  What an odd thing to say, am I right?  Well, Charles' father happens to be in the police force and the two men share different aspects of the case and end up solving the murder.  I will say that, of all the Agatha Christie novels I've read thus far, this one had the most twisted ending.

Next up, Ordeal by Innocence.  At the manor of Sunny Point a Rachel Argyle has been murdered and her son, Jacko, has been convicted and sent off the prison.  Not long after being locked up, Jacko dies in custody.  Jacko had always declared his innocence, but his alibi could never be proven.  Two years after the murder, a Dr. Arthur Calgary shows up and informs the family that he can, definitively, back up Jacko's alibi and that he's sorry it's taken so long to come around.  Dr. Calgary suffered from a particular incident where he was hospitalized and suffered some amnesia.  Therefore, he did not know about the murder or trial that followed, at least at the time.  Like Crooked House, the entire family lives under one roof...so, now the entire family must figure out who was the one that killed Rachel Argyle two years prior.  In classic fashion, I couldn't guess who the murderer was until the bitter end and, like always, it was a complete surprise.

And lastly, The Seven Dials Mystery.  I'll start off by saying that this one was my favorite of these three short novels.  In this book, a young group of the peerage is visiting an estate for a fun get-away.  In the group, there is a young man who likes to sleep in much, much, much later than everyone else.  The rest of the group decide to play a practical joke on this person, by setting up alarm clocks in his room and having each go off in succession at 6am.  Of course, being an Agatha Christie novel, he doesn't get upset or even wake up because he is murdered in the night.  Shortly after his murder, another member of the party is discovered on a country road, dying.  One thing the two men have in common is that they have either written or said something about "the seven dials" prior to their death.  I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it...and if you have yet to read an Agatha Christie, this would be an excellent one to start with!

Heads in Beds

I'd been eyeballing Heads in Beds on my library app for a while.  This audiobook always had a super long wait-list and then, all of a sudden, it wasn't available for checkout anymore.  I kept it on my "wish list" for a while...then, randomly, it was available again.  I quickly checked it out before a long wait-list could be generated yet again.

I remember when this book first came out and Jacob Tomsky made the rounds of Good Morning America, the Today Show, etc., etc.  And the subtitle pretty well describes it: a reckless memoir of hotels, hustles, and so-called hospitality.  I was really expecting more of a "do this, not that" book about how to act in a hotel so that staff don't do the equivalent of a waiter spitting in your food.  But, in all actuality this book is really just a memoir.  Tomsky does give an index in the very back, telling you some "do's and don'ts" that are quite helpful.  But, that's about the extent of it.

The first thing that I would say about this book before recommending it is this: cursing.  Wow...Jacob Tomsky really does like the "f" word.  If you listen to this in audio, don't have children present.  And if you're reading it and reading-age children are around, don't leave it open and available for them to see.  Because there's a lot of cursing in this book...like, seriously, a TON.  If you can get past that, this is a pretty fun and interesting book.  Tomsky has an easy-to-read writing style and most all of his stories are either funny or entertaining.  This wasn't the best memoir I've ever read, but it most definitely wasn't the worst.  I give this book a solid three out of five stars and would recommend it to just about anyone...just be aware of the uncouth vocabulary.

The Wednesday Letters

I hope everyone is currently having a splendid beginning to their week.  This past Friday was my book club's monthly gathering and we had a fantastic meeting.  One of the books I discussed and passed along on Friday was this one, The Wednesday Letters.  I had remembered my friend, Becky, reading this a while back and thinking it was really good.  Then, at one of the local library's book sales up here in Tulsa I picked up a copy for a steal.  Love it when that happens.

The premise of The Wednesday Letters is that there is an elderly couple, who owns a bed and breakfast, that happen to die on the same night while in their bedroom.  Once they are discovered two of the children come immediately and also proceed to contact the last sibling, a brother who has been estranged for the past few years.  There's an interesting reason for his estrangement that plays well into this plot... 

Before the three can come to terms with their parents' deaths they find a vast store of letters.  Letters and letters and letters everywhere in boxes after boxes.  What the three come to find out is that starting on their wedding night, the husband/father had written to his wife/their mother every single Wednesday for the duration of their marriage.  Some of the letters were sweet, some without much to report, some just scribbled on a napkin.

What the three children don't expect is that there is a huge family secret hidden within these letters.  And the revelation torments the three, but especially one particular sibling.  The rest of the book tidies up the loose ends nicely and even fixes that pesky estrangement problem for the lost brother. 

This one is a fast and easy read, making you feel good while not generally taxing your brain.  An excellent summer read and even a palate cleanser, if you will. 

Elizabeth and Hazel

Every once in a while I run across a non-fiction book that is so interesting and so well written that I kinda want to shout it's glory from the rooftops.  Well, perhaps not literally.  But, figuratively?  You betcha!

Elizabeth and Hazel is the biography of the two young women pictured in the most famous photograph of desegregation following the ruling of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka.

David Margolick does a superb job of researching each and every aspect of this story, from the girls' families to their favorite school subjects to the effects of this day (and every other day for the rest of that school year) on both girls.  Elizabeth suffers long after this photo is taken and is later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.  At the same time, Hazel tries her hardest to repent and overcome the negative persona of her youth forever ingrained in everyone's minds from this photo.

One things that's interesting is that the two women became friends later in life.  Sadly, however, the stresses from friends and family on both sides put an enormous hardship on the friendship between the two women.  And today they have yet to re-establish that friendship again. 

I would highly, highly, highly recommend this book, though at times it can be pretty depressing.  There are certain aspects of the United States' past that are far from pretty, but still need telling.  And this story, gritty though it may be, is wonderfully written.  In fact, I read this book in less than two days because I was so entranced by it.  Five out of 5 stars from me!  Pick this one up!