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