Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell

8/10 - I really enjoyed this light read. It was like getting the inside scoop about some story that's flying around the tabloids. Even with it's Hollywood setting and some off the wall characters, I found it believeable. It even had a nice little moral thrown in there about judging other people. This would be a perfect vacation book.

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

8/10 - Fascinating premise for this story, following an ancient book through it's travels through Jewish history. I liked how many of the people who handled and cared for the book were not Jewish. It reminded me a little of The Historian. You got to travel to many different times and places in the world. It's a book meant to savor and not rip through, but on that same note it can move a little slow. The narrator is adequate, but strikes me as someone who belongs better is a CSI lab.

Lottery by Patricia Wood

9/10 - I really enjoyed this Forest Gumpesque novel about a "cognitively challenged" man who wins the Washington States Lottery. The bad characters were a little overly bad, but the good characters were spot on I thought. You can't help but like the main character Perry who is wise beyond his IQ score of 76. The ending was very satisfying for me in that wrap it all together kind of way.

~To Be Read~

Here's my "to be read" list, in no particular order. I will update as I read them, or add on. I have reduced the list to include only books that I currently have on my shelves. If you'd like to see books I'm "wishing" for you can consult my library on librarything.com, see "Links".

Triangle by Katharine Weber
Cherry by Mary Karr
What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg
The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
Notes on a Scandal (What Was She Thinking?) by Zoe Heller
The Tall Pine Polka by Lorna Landvik
Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy
Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
Light on Snow by Anita Shreve
Arthur and George by Julian Barnes
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver
Singing Songs by Meg Tilly
The Sunday List of Dreams by Kris Radish
Mother of Pearl by Melinda Haynes
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
The Tie That Binds by Kent Haruf
The Problem with Murmur Lee by Connie May Fowler
The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard
The Breakdown Lane by Jaquelyn Mitchard
The Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
After This by Alice McDermott
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A Widow for One Year by John Irving
Some Things That Stay by Sarah Willis
Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings by Christopher Moore
Paint It Black by Janet Fitch
Silent in the Grave by Deanne Raybourn
The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
Everything Changes by Jonathon Tropper
Lamb by Christopher Moore
Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore
The Surrogate by Judith Henry Wall
You're Not You by Michelle Wildgen
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
Bliss by O.Z. Livanelli
Any Bitter Thing by Monica Wood
The Girls by Lori Lansens
The Last Witchfinder by James Morrow
Traveler by Ron McLarty
The Mummy by Anne Rice
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran
Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
The Ha-Ha by David King
The Reader by Bernard Schlink
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos
How to Talk to a Widower by Jonathon Tropper
Last Seen Leaving by Kelly Braffet
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
Rush Home Road by Lori Lansens
The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler
The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney
A Piece of Normal by Sandi Kahn Shelton
Thank You for All Things by Sandra Kring
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Mean Girls by Hayley Dimarco
Bufflehead Sisters by Patricia Delois
By Bread Alone by Sarah-Kate Lynch
Marley and Me by John Grogan
Self Storage by Gayle Brandeis
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
The Terror by Dan Simmons
Thank You for All Things by Sandra Kring
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen
The Department of Lost and Found by Allison Winn Scotch
Oxygen by Carol Cassella
Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
How to Be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward

Children of God Go Bowling by Shannon Olson

7/10 - Fairly entertaining, would be more so if I had spent more time single. Singleness and therapy are the main topics here. Olson sprinkles in enough funnies to keep you entertained, and you can glean a little wisdom through her therapy too. Nothing spectacular.

Love in the Present Tense by Catherine Ryan Hyde

9/10 - This book would definitely fit into my warm fuzzy stories category. Okay, it can cross the touchy feely line occasionally, but not to the point where it's over the top. It's not Lorna Landvik (whom I love anyway). I really loved Pearl, because I've seen her before. I'm an L&D nurse and I've met this rough, scared little girl. Great a typical characters, and the story has a really good flow. Besides, who wouldn't love Leonard.

Hot Six by Janet Evanovich

8/10 - Boy Evanovich really knows how to string you along. Just when things really start to heat up, boom, game over. So I'm forced to wait until the next book. I'm really liking these, although I definitely couldn't read them back to back.

Her Daughter's Eyes by Jessica Barksdale Inclan

7/10 - A story about two teenage sisters who are essentially abandoned by their father after their mother dies of breast cancer. The older sister gives birth at home with the younger delivering the baby in secret. Sounded like it would be right up my alley, but I had a hard time really feeling for the characters although I think they are written very well and accurately. Gritty and somewhat reminiscent of Girls in Trouble.

The New A to Z Challenge

Yes, I'm going to do it again. All new to me authors, for every letter A to Z.

A - The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani
B - Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
C - The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
D - The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue
E - The Greatest White Trash Love Story Ever Told by Rhett Ellis
F - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
G - The Other Mother by Gwendolyn Gross
H - Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
I - Her Daughter's Eyes by Jessica Barksdale Inclan
J - The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
K - Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen
L - Speak Softly, She Can Hear by Pam Lewis
M - Gracelin O'Malley by Ann Moore
N -
O - B-mother by Maureen O'Brien
P - The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett
Q -
R - Empire Falls by Richard Russo
S - The Myth of You and Me by Leah Stewart
T - Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani
U - The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall
V -
W - Night by Elie Weisel
X -
Y - Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
Z -

The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue

5/10 - I hate to say it, but this one became a chore to read. When you only have 25 pages left, and you still have to drag yourself back to it, that's not a good sign. My biggest gripe was the whole premise on which the story was based. Unfortunate children are stolen by hobgoblins or changelings who then turn the child into a changeling and take their place in the human world. Then the cycle repeats itself once it becomes the stolen child's turn to reenter the human world and take another child's place. Why? What's the point? It's just a useless cycle. The whole thing was just a bizarre drawn out tennis match.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

8/10 - I liked this much better than I was anticipating I would. From the description, I was expecting something like Water For Elephants, which I didn't think lived up to the hype. I really enjoyed how the story unfurled, sort of like stream of consciousness. I also liked how you could never tell if Esme was really crazy, or if she was just a typical teenager who was bucking her oppressive high society upbringing. I wished the author had filled out the ending a little more. I'm not one who likes to just "imagine" what happened. I'm also not sure what she was trying to add to the story with the relationship of Alex and Iris. I would have liked more closure on that.

A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore

9/10 - You just have to love Christopher Moore. I've never read a more funny, witty, totally out there author. Charlie Asher is a classic Moore character who has unwillingly been charged with stopping the powers of darkness, along with his sidekick a 7ft tall black record store owner named Minty Fresh. Things got a little, WTF, at the end, but overall hilarious and fun to read.

What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman

6/10 - Again, mysteries aren't really my genre. I thought this would be a good read for October, but there was nothing creepy or scary. I felt like the author was trying to hard to make then ending hard to predict instead of making it a good story. I also felt it was confusing with all the jumping from people, places, and times. Usually I do pretty well with that, but the character in this book had so many aliases, I didn't have any clue who the narrator was half the time. I don't predict I'll be reading any more by this author.

The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall

10/10 - I really loved this book. I would compare it to She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb. The way the main character's life sort of ebbs and flows with happiness and despair. Udall does a fantastic job with all the characters too. Not a cliche' in the bunch as far as I'm concerned. I'll be looking for more of his work.

Gracelin O'Malley by Ann Moore

9/10 - I love all things Irish (besides the food!), and this book really puts you there, albeit during one of the bleakest times of the country's history. I loved all the characters in the book, and my only complaint is that I didn't get to find out how all of their stories ended. It can be a bit of a downer read just because of the suffering, but really a wonderful book I think. I'm going now to look for more books of Ireland by this author.

Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani

7/10 - I really liked the characters, but just didn't care for Trigiani's writing. It was one of those books that I could pick up or leave with equal ease. I haven't decided if I'll get the next in the series. I enjoyed it, but I'm not excited about it. I think I'll leave it for now.

Sleep Toward Heaven by Amanda Eyre Ward

9/10 - I've been putting this one off because of the depressing subject matter, but I'm so glad I finally picked it up. Ward's writing is so good, and the way these three women's lives are interwoven is so interesting. The bond the death row inmates have was fascinating, and makes me wonder if that really happens. I would recommend this one to anyone.

The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

10/10 - One of my favorite reads of the year so far. It had just the right amount of romance, history, and action. I never lost interest. The author gave enough detail that you didn't feel like you missed anything, but no too much so you wished she'd move on already. I really enjoyed the love story, and the backdrop of Niagara Falls was perfect.

High Five by Janet Evanovich

10/10 - Damn you Janet Evanovich! You sucked me right in didn't you. This is my favorite of the Stephanie Plum series so far. Now I'm all hot for Morelli and Ranger. Grandma Mazur is hilarious! Etc, etc... the stuff everyone else will tell you if they've read these.

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

8/10 - I really enjoyed the first book in this series and have already ordered the second. It's like a cross between the Sookie Stackhouse series and the Stephanie Plum series. I really liked Harry, and his little quips. Sometimes the explanations of how the magic works is a bit lame. Lots of talk about energy, but whatever. It's an entertaining read, lets not overthink it.

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

2/10 - Holy cow! I hate these people. And I mean all of them. What a bunch of self-centered, stuck up, holier than thou jerk-offs. I can't believe I even finished this whole book, I cared so little for what happened to them. I actually started wishing someone would die to liven the thing up a bit. Not a single action in this book was motivated by anything other than self absorption. I'm so glad it's done.

Perfect Life by Jessica Shattuck

6/10 - I thought it was an okay book. I didn't really care for any of the characters, or what happened to them really. They all seemed so shallow and material. I did like the common gene/DNA thread that ran through the book, and the story line was enough to keep me interested. However, it wasn't a book that I got excited about.

Some People, Some Other Place by J. California Cooper

5/10 - A friend lent me this book, and she loved it and was very excited about it. I wish I could say the same. At first, I didn't think it was even going to make it past the 100 page rule, but then I kinda got into the story. I really didn't like the writing style at all, and her preachy pauses were making me insane. I liked some of the characters, but there were way too many! I'd much rather get really into a few characters than read a little about 20 some different ones. The author's main point was that love was more important than money, but then at the end of the story the main character uses money to buy love for her friend. WTF! I gave it a 5 because I thought the story was okay, but I won't be reading anything else by this author.

The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue

8/10 - More of a love story than a ghost story. I loved Razi's character, I would totally like to hang out with her. The interwoven story of Amy and Scott really added to the story also, I just wish there had been a little more follow up. I wanted to check up with them, see how things were going.

The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett

8/10 - Hard to discribe my feelings about this book. It really puts you in the main character, Sabine's, head, so that it became hard for me to separate myself from her. That's what made it so engrossing. The plot alone would not have held my interest. At any rate, it did inspire me to investigate some of Patchett's other books.

The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani

10/10 - Best book I've read this year! Excellent mix of cultural history and story telling. I'm just fascinated by the middle east, and I loved the learning about the art of rug making. I found it interesting that I never realized that the author never told you the main characters name until I was looking over an interview in the back of the book. If you liked Beneath a Marble Sky, then I think you would really like this one.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

7/10 - I know my knowledge of the classics is lacking, but this book made it even more obvious. Still, the managed to be fast moving and entertaining, if not extremely bizarre. I'm sure if you were a big Dickens and Bronte fan you would be head over heels in love with it. I'm just not sure if it's my kind of thing. I do feel more compelled to read Jane Eyre now.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

7/10 - About half way through this book, I was ready to shoot myself. It was so ungodly depressing, and although the ending is so satisfying that its worth dragging yourself back from the brink of suicide, I find it hard to give the book the rave reviews everyone else did. I was not a pleasure to read, it was agony. It is however extremely well written, and the voice of the narrator, Enzo the dog, is very unique. Just make sure there are no firearms, sharp poiny things, or potent medicinals about when you read it.

Looking For Alaska by John Green

8/10 - At the risk of sounding pompous, I'd say this is a very realistic portrayal of teenage relationships. The pompous part coming from the fact that I do realize I am no longer a teenager. Honestly, it doesn't feel like it was that long ago. Great characters, and it doesn't overdo the teenage angst part, which many other have a tendency to do.

B-mother by Maureen O'Brien

9/10 - A really well-written book about adoption. This is a topic I'm always interested in, because I'm a labor and delivery nurse. I really thought she did a wonderful job of character development which is important to me. My only gripe was the relatively anticlimatic ending. Overall, a really good read that I finished in two days. I was always looking forward to reading more.

Lost on Planet China by J. Maarten Troost

9/10 - Troost has just a great sense of humor. This is the second book I've read by him, and I find myself laughing out loud and trying to find someone to read a passage. Lost on Planet China is a travelogue sort of book, but unlike most travelogues, it's not going to make you want to travel to China. While his assessment is not entirely negative, it's not going to inspire you to visit. So if you have a soft spot for China, or are a travel snob, this is not the book for you. But I love his totally un-PC approach.

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

9/10 - Really good. I was liking it, and then I got to the last 70 pages and I was loving it. I was really surprised by the ending. I thought she was headed in one direction and I was going to be okay with that, but then she went in a totally different direction which I thought was so much better and different. I wish I could elaborate, but don't want to spoil it for those who want to read this book.

The Greatest White Trash Love Story Ever Told by Rhett Ellis

3/10 - Unfortunately, the best part of this book is the title. With a title like that, I'm expecting something witty, humorous. This is actually not a novel, but really a collection of 3 short stories, which in my opinion reads like it was written by a high schooler of modest talent. If you're interested it's only 105 pages long and takes no time to read, but I don't know if you'd want to waste the money.

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

7/10 - I don't get Margaret Atwood. I always finish her books feeling like she's trying to impart some pearl of wisdom to me, but I'm too dense to understand it. I like her writing well enough, I just don't get it. I know this will sorely dissappoint Denise, as she is an avid Atwood fan.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

7/10 - A female friendship book along the lines of Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, although I liked that one better. I felt like this one lacked depth, and I didn't really care for the ending. It was an okay book, and I liked the romantic relationships that were sprinkled through out the book. I just didn't feel like the writer really fleshed out the relationships within the club.

Home to Harmony by Phillip Gulley

8/10 - Wholesome, heartwarming with a sense of humor you wouldn't expect from a Quaker minister. It was just what I needed after the last book. It's a simple quick read. Gulley's writing style is very easy to like, as is his personality which shines through it.

Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum

8/10 - Well, this book was really not what I thought it would be. I mean, I didn't expect it to be uplifting, but I didn't expect it to be so disturbing either. Of course the events of World War II are disturbing, but this was more than that. It became very personal somehow and I wished the author hadn't felt the need to go into such great detail. It actually got to the point that I had a hard time sleeping after reading it. I was so hoping for a different resolution, not a happy ending exactly, but something more satisfying. Boy, do I need something light now.

The Monsters of Templeton by Laura Groff

8/10 - I liked Groff's writing style and the overall plot was good. I like my books a little dark and gothic, and this one definitely fit the bill. The only part I wasn't overly crazy about was the genealogical portions. I realize that it was used to join all the different characters together, but I wish we didn't have to go through quite so many ancestors. The fake letters and journal, along with the pictures really added to the story. I would recommend it.

Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich

8/10 - I always keep a Stephanie Plum novel in the bathroom, and I'm convinced that I will finish the whole series in this way. They are perfect for this purpose because I can read them in small snippets without feeling like I'm missing out on something. Plus by now, I'm very familiar with the main characters, so I don't get them mixed up. In this book, I finally fell in love with Morelli and now I want Stephanie to get with him.

Blessed are the Cheesemakers by Sarah-Kate Lynch

10/10 - Boy I really loved this book. It was sooooo different, which I'm sure you could guess by the name. Pregnant vegetarian milk maids, blond supermodels, Sulivan Islanders, Irish Cheesemakers, and cats named Jesus, Mary, and All the Saints. How's that for a cast of characters? This was definitely a "I couldn't put it down!" kind of book. I loved Lynch's writing style too. Can't wait to read another by her.

Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway

10/10 - This book really inspired me and reminded me why I became an L&D nurse in the first place. I think this should be a mandatory read for every L&D nurse who feels they are becoming jaded. I just fell in love with Monique, her caring, passion, and sense of humor. I was so touched by her story that I donated money to the clinic in her honor, Cabinet de Soins Monique. I will be passing this book around to my co-workers. And to Monique... Allah ka dayoro sumaya... May God cool your resting place.

Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen

9/10 - I'm not usually a mystery fan, but I really enjoyed this one. The O'Malley sisters were just such great characters, and Kagen does very well writing from a child's perspective. I did figure out who the killer was, but there were plenty of other suspects in the book, so I was often reconsidering my choice.

The Other Mother by Gwendolyn Gross

9/10 - This book really challenged my thinking. I thought it would be more about working mother versus stay at home mother, but the issues it really brought up was how as mothers we judge anyone who parents differently than we do, and how that arises from our own self-consciousness as mothers. It also talked a lot about how people balance being needed and needing. I really liked it. I'll be thinking about it for a while. At first, I didn't think I liked it, because I didn't really like either of the main characters, but now I think that was essential to the points.

The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

10/10 - It's been a long time since I read a book that I literally couldn't put down. Of course it had to be another YA vampire fiction book, but at this point I have to tell you I'm really not caring. Thanks Gwen for lending this one to me. This story is narrated by 13 year old Ariella, and doesn't have any of Twilight's sexiness. That would be creepy right? This was more a vampire murder mystery. I really liked it, give it a chance.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

7/10 - Cute, quirky beginning to the Southern Vampire series. I had a hard time because I was constantly comparing it to True Blood, which seemed more thorough. Not really fair since they devoted one whole season to the first book in the series. I put the next one on my wishlist, so maybe I can be a little more unbiased since they haven't turned that one into a TV show.

Sarah's Quilt by Nancy E. Turner

7/10 - Well, I'm a little bummed. The book previous to this, These Is My Words, featuring Sarah Agnes Prine is probably in my top ten of all time. So I had high expectations for this book which was to continue Sarah's story. I still love Sarah and think she is a wonderful character, but the storyline of this book just didn't do it for me. I felt like all of the dramatic moments seemed so disjointed. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, so I'll say there were some points that flowed, but others just seemed to be thrown in there to break up the monotony. It moved much slower than TIMW, and I was hoping to see a little more to come of two love interests. Those could have been some really great additions, but little came of either. Now I'm debating about reading the third book The Star Garden. Can anyone give me their opinion of it?

Speak Softly, She Can Hear by Pam Lewis

8/10 - My friend Gwen lent me this book and prefaced by saying, "During the first two chapters, I wanted to throw it away, but it gets better." Needless to say, this made me very skeptical, and she was right, I thought the book was trash in those first two chapters. Now I'm glad I got through it, because the rest of the book was pretty good, great characters that are well fleshed out. I don't have a clue what the hell is with the title. It makes it sound like some ghost story, and it's really nothing like that. A mild psychological thriller.

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain

9/10 - Good all around story that was very well written. It was one of those books were all the pieces are strong, the characters, plot line, writing. Kept me interested through out, however I didn't give it the full 10 because I didn't feel really emotionally involved. I didn't feel like I was in the story or personally knew the characters like I get with some books.

The Myth of You and Me by Leah Stewart

8/10 - A good book about close female friendships. Left me wishing there was a little more elaboration at the end of the story. I think she still makes her point, but the close felt very abrupt. Nonetheless, I liked it and would read another by this author.

Night by Elie Weisel

I won't be giving a rating for this book. Did I enjoy it? No. How can you enjoy the recount of someone's life in the concentration camps? This book plumbs the depths of human cruelty. Reading it, is merely to bare witness to this man's suffering.

Empire Falls by Richard Russo

8/10 - I really loved all of the characters in this book. They were a very believable bunch, Max was so Max! I'm not sure what to make of the story. The ending surely took me by suprise. It was like the rest of the book lulled me into this sort of expectation that nothing much happens in Empire Falls. Even though all the signs were there, I didn't read them. I liked it.

The Top Ten of 2008

One Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Kindness of Strangers by Katrina Kittle
Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
The Birth House by Ami McKay
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
Girls in Trouble by Caroline Leavitt
The Kind of Love That Saves You by Amy Yurk