The Great Gatsby

 

I read this book for the first time as a junior in high school. Reading books for a grade is always a different experience than reading them just because you want to. I decided to reread this book because of Leonardo DiCaprio's new movie coming out May 10, 2013 (See the trailor here). I love watching books that I've read be made into movies (and one starring Leo is an added plus.) As I started seeing previews, I realized I really didn't remember what the old classic was about. I remembered Gatsby's parties, a yellow/cream car, and a lady named Daisy; but to be honest that was about it. I didn't want to go into the movie and have to be reminded of the story thought the movie... because let's face it, we know that Hollywood is going to mess it up somewhere.

I read the book over spring break.Just as before I was blown away by the story. Fitzgerald has an ability to use only 4-6 sentences to describe what some others take up pages for. I feel that if this book would have been written today it would not have gotten as much hype, though. Still a great book. I loved it just as much the second time, if not more.

I now have over 3000 hits on my blog!! While I'm happy to know this, I don't have enough followers. If you read my blog, please follow me! I you read it and like what I've written, please make comments at the bottom. I'm not sure if I am going to keep it going if no one is reading it! After the next few blog posts, I may strictly post my reads and reviews of books on goodreads.com.

The Dinner

 

This book takes place over the course of one meal; a dinner between two brothers and their wives. The narrator, Paul Lohman, tells the story from his dark point of view. His brother, Serge Lohman, asks his brother Paul and his wife Claire to join them for dinner to discuss something their 15 year old sons had done; a horrific crime that they have committed.

Initially, Paul appears so normal. He is a loving father and doting husband. He describes his family with affection. He does, however, describe his dislike for his politician brother. He describes him as egotistical; putting a bad taste in the reader's mouth... a ploy I soon discover. 

When the evening begins, the reader believes Claire and Paul have a loving marriage. The verbal conversation of Serge and his wife, Babette, is interpreted via eye contact and nonverbal messages between Claire and Paul. They sense discord and difficulties in their marriage and discuss it through looks, smiles, and smirks. As the course of the evening continues, the reader learns about Paul and Claire's back story; their marriage, their home life, their son's behavior, Paul's illness, and Claire's long term hospital stay.

Paul describes how he and Claire discovered what their son and nephew had done. The climax of the story comes to a head when they, as parents, decide what they are going to do about it.

I tore through this book in 2-3 sittings. I love stories full of dialogue, suspense, and psychology. This book is marketed as "A European Gone Girl" and now having finished it, I can see why. I gave this book 4/5 stars for readability, plot, and suspense. I read a few poor reviews of this book stating that none of the characters were likeable. I don't think that a book has to have likeable characters to have interesting characters. This is a book that will have many people talking. Definitely a great book club pick. Once you finish it you will immediately want to talk about it!

Enjoy!

Where'd You Go Bernadette

 

(BACK OF THE BOOK SUMMARY)

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle--and people in general--has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.

To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, secret correspondence--creating a compulsively readable and touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's role in an absurd world.

MY REVIEW:

"Misplaced genius." I really like that description about Bernadette because that's what the whole story is about. Bernadette is one of those mothers that most teenage girls would be embarrassed to claim as their own. She doesn't cook, clean, or up keep their huge house. Bee doesn't care about any the image of her mother at all... it's the rest of the word that does. Her neighbors think she's crazy and her husband thinks she's lost her mind and needs psychiatric help.

 Much of the book is written through emails and faxes from mothers of the pretentious school district Bee attends, emails to and from Bernadette's assistant Manjula, doctor's reports, and parts are narrated by Bee.  The format was different that most books I've read recently. I listened to this one on audiobook, so it took me a disk or two to really get the flow of the book. This is probably a book that it better read than listened to. Once I got into it though, I loved it. 

Parts of this book literally made me laugh out loud. The emails to and from some of the mothers were just hilarious. Other parts were heartbreaking. Bee is only 15 years old, but she has been subjected to a lot of sadness. I enjoyed how the author described what had happened to her and how she comes to terms with it all. 

Bernadette's character was my favorite. The author did a great job of developing her story and describing how she got to her breakdown. She, too, had been through a lot of sadness which ultimately made her "go crazy" as everyone was saying.  She was heartbroken over many miscarriages and also over her broken career. Her husband never really understands what she's going through; however, I believe that he is the one who truly had a midlife crisis. I found myself wanting to shake him for how he spoke to both Bee and Bernadette and for how he reacted to a lot of the things that went on in the story.

Where's You Go Bernadette was a great read. I give it 4/5 stars for plot and character development. The format is different than a lot of novels which made it fun and readable. The book made me realize how important it is to make time to do the things that make you happy in life.

The Invisible Bridge

 

This book is for the serious reader only. I listened to it on audio and it was 22 disks. When I looked it up on Amazon, it said it was over 600 pages. Normally I would not attempt a book like this during the school year, but I think I can tackle any book on audio. It took me a good month and a half to listen to it. Now that's over, I find myself missing the characters before and after work. I spent a total 28 hours with them!

The story starts off in 1937 when Andras Levi, a young Jewish man from Hungary, sets off for architecture school in Paris. Prior to his departure he is asked to carry a letter to a woman named C. Morganstern, but is not allowed to mention it to anyone. Soon after meeting C. Morganstern (Clara) he falls in love with her and learns about her mysterious past. She is living in Paris under an alias and Andras is determined to find out why. They have a whirl wind romance in the midst of Andras's first two years of school.

As the years go on, Andras and Clara's relationship continues. As 1939 and war approach, Andras learns that he must return to Hungary to renew his Visa. Clara has to decide whether or not to return with him... a very difficult decision considering her past (I'll leave the rest of this up to mystery).

Once Andras returns to Hungary, the war is almost in full force. He is sent to a labor camp with many other Jewish men. He is worked almost to death, given very little food, and is infested with lice. War devastates Andras's family and the rest of Hungary. The author did a fantastic job of developing the characters of the entire Levi family as well as the supporting characters throughout the story. I felt like I knew every one of them. I learned about being a Jew in Hungary during WWII... and how Hungary was an ally of Germany. I enjoy historical fiction based on WWII, so this book definitely held my interest and taught me many things I did not know about Hungary.

For those who enjoys historical fiction, beautiful and thorough character development, and a thick plot, this book is for you. I give this book 4.5/5 stars. My only complaint is that I wish there was more dialogue about some of the most interesting and heightened plot points. The author talked about many of the events in the past... I enjoy reading about events as they actually happen.

The Girl Who Fell From The Sky

 

I picked this book up as part of a buy 2 get 1 free deal going on at Barnes and Noble. I'd never heard of the author or the book, but it looked decent enough.  This is a story of a young girl who survived a terrible tragedy. Both of her parents were damaged people; alcoholics both suffering from depression. Rachel's mother was a white woman from Denmark and her father a black army man. After the accident, Rachel goes to live with her paternal grandmother. While living with her, Rachel grows up and has to face the demons of her past and also the racial prejudices of being a biracial girl.

I gave this story 3 stars because of the writing. The plot could have been developed so much further. I am not a fan of books that keep the reader hoping for more. This is a quick read, but definitely not a must read

Me Before You

 

 I finished this book up over a week ago. Before I posted about it I had to emotionally get over it. By the time I had finished it I wanted to throw it in the fire. I have NEVER cried so hard from a book. Most of the time when I am reading a sad book I will shed a silent tear or two.... NOT in this one. I was bawling my eyes out like my dog had just died.

Will Troyer, a very handsome, successful 30 something lived a full life. He made a lot of money, had a glamorous girlfriend, and took adventurous vacations all around the world. One day as he leaves for work and was hit by a car and is left a quadriplegic. He is forced to move in with his parents needing round the clock care for all of his needs.

His parents become worried for his emotional well being and decide that they want to hire someone to raise his spirits. Enter Lou, a 26 year old eccentric dresser still living with her parents. She was laid off at her job at the bakery and is forced to quickly find a new one to help her parents with the mortgage. Lou has never left her little town for travel, college or anything.

Lou begins to work for the Will's family and their relationship is the essence of the story.  This story caused me to think how circumstance dictates our lives. Will and Lou never would have met if it weren't for his accident or her never leaving her hometown. It also made me think about how women truly see confidence as the sexiest trait in a man. Emotional love can mean more than physical love.

I won't tell you the reason why this story caused such an emotional reaction in me. I think it may have changed how strongly I felt about what happened in the book. I will say that you WILL feel strongly about it. It left me thinking about how important it is for a person to feel like they are able to make their own choices about their life even if they are not physically able to get up and go where they want to go. 

I really struggled whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. I decided on 3 stars because of the character development and the characters in general. Most of them did not have as much depth as I typically like. I almost gave it 4 stars because the plot and climax of the story caused such a deep reaction in me. I urge those who choose to read this book to make a personal opinion about it. This is definitely unforgettable to say the least.

Lisa Genova

 

 When I was in graduate school, I took a course called Cognitive Communication Disorders. In this class I learned all about right hemisphere brain damage and its related disorders. One of the most interesting disorders was called hemispatial neglect or more commonly, "left neglect." I'll never forget how interested I was in it. Left neglect is caused by some sort of trauma to the right hemisphere of the brain be it a stroke or traumatic brain injury. The right hemisphere controls the left side of the body. That is why it is called "left neglect." A person suffering from left neglect has little to no awareness that there is a left at all. People on their left sides are not in their field of vision, food on the left side of the plate might as well not be there, and the left leg is basically nonexistent because the person cannot knowingly control it. Patients with this condition must be retrained to know that there is a left side of the world. I took this course as part of my adult speech-language pathology courses. I have decided to pursue my career to be a pediatric speech-language pathologist... my only experience with adult patients is 1-2 hours a week (sometimes not even that much). My professor would be so disappointed to know that my only experience with left neglect is through a novel.

Sarah and Bob have a wonderful life. Two fast paced rigorous careers, a fantastic house in the suburbs, a vacation house near the slopes in Vermont, plenty of money, and 3 thriving children. Sarah works 80 hours a week and is lucky to see her kids off to school and put them to bed; her only complaint in  life. One day on her way to work she is in a terrible car crash and is lucky to leave with her life. When she wakes up in the hospital over a week later she learns she has suffered a right hemisphere traumatic brain injury resulting in left neglect. She enters an inpatient rehabilitation center and received therapies to help her regain her independence... both occupational and physical therapies. I was very disappointed that there was no mention of a speech-language pathologist. The book talks about her journey back to life... a very different life. 

The novel was entertaining. I enjoyed listening to it on the way to and from work in the car. My only complaint is that it became cheesy towards the end with how it delivered its message; Don't let work take over your life.

Personally, I enjoyed her other novel better. I read this one a few years ago:

 

Alice, similar to Sarah in Left Neglected, is at the height of her career. She is a professor of neurology at Harvard. Her students love her and she loves her job. At age 50, Alice develops early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. Knowing full well about the disease, Alice narrates her mental decline as she and her husband are hit head on with the side effects of the illness. What starts off as simply forgetting her keys quickly turns into Alice not remembering the 5 minute drive to work. This story was keenly told from Alice's first person point of view. The author wants the reader to get an inside view of how the mind changes as the disease progresses. 

If you choose to read only one of these books, I would recommend Still Alice although both are worth the read. For anyone who is interested in neurology, these books should be on your list! 

The Fault in our Stars

 

 If you haven't read a book in a while, this is a MUST READ. Absolutely one of the best books of 2012. It is up there with Tell the Wolves I'm Home. The author writes with honesty, wit, humor, and sorrow which kept me intrigued throughout the entire story.... One of those books you become obsessed with and can't think about anything else. I listened to this book on audio. The narrator did an excellent job. I would recommend this on audio to everyone. 

Hazel Lancaster is a young teenager living with terminal cancer. She has outlived her life expectancy due to an experimental medication. The story begins with Hazel's mother trying to lift her from a depression; forcing her to go to cancer support group. She would much rather lay around all day watching America's Next Top Model and Top Chef on DVR. To appease her mother, she begins to go. She meets witty, smart, and sarcastic Augustus Waters and her life is changed. He is in remission from cancer; which he traded in a leg for. Immediately upon laying eyes on Hazel, he is smitten.

The two are drawn to each other. They have much in common having known cancer so intimately. They bond over books, poetry, and how they want to be remembered after they die. They relationship is so raw; they talk of death freely as it is a part of life for them. I enjoyed how the two of them spoke to one another; here is an excerpt from their first meeting:

“He shook his head, just looking at me.
- "What?" I asked.
- "Nothing" he said.
- "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Augustus half smiled. "Because you`re beautiful. I enjoy looking at beautiful people, and I decided a while ago not to deny myself the simpler pleasures of existence." A brief awkward silence ensued. Augustus plowed through: "I mean, particularly given that, as you so deliciously pointed out, all of this will end in oblivion and everything."
I kind of scoffed or sighed or exhaled in a way that was vaguely coughy and then said, "I`m not beau-"
- "You are like a millennial Natalie Portman. Like V for Vendetta Natalie Portman."
- "Never seen it."
- "Really?" he asked. "Pixie-haired gorgeous girl dislikes authority and can`t help but fall for a boy she knows is trouble. It`s your autobiography, so far as I can tell."
His every syllable flirted. Honestly, he kind of turned me on. I didn`t even know that guys could turn me on - not, like, in real life.”
― John Green

The Fault in Our Stars is a heartbreaking love story fit for both teens and adults. It left me thinking about how I would want to be remembered when I die. This book will stay with me for a long time to come. Do yourself a favor and read it! You won't regret it. I give this book 5/5 stars.

Mudbound

 

My latest read is Mudbound by Hillary Jordan. You might recognize this author from my previous post about the book When She Woke.  These two books could not be more different in their themes or setting.

Mudbound takes us to 1940s rural Mississippi. Henry and Laura McAllen move to Mississippi from Tennessee in order to fulfill Henry's dream of being a farm owner. Along with them comes their two young daughters and Henry's father, who is nothing but mean and nasty to everyone. Laura is less than thrilled to be leaving her fancy city life in Tennessee to a farm house in Mississippi without indoor plumbing or any of the common luxuries she took for granted. 

After the war, Henry's younger brother Jamie returns from the war and goes to live on the farm. Once he enters the scene, the plot thickens. Jamie becomes friends with another ex-solider, Ronsel Jackson, a tenant on Henry's farm. Ronsel's parents are sharecroppers and his mother is Laura's housekeeper. Ronsel was one of the first black men to serve on the front lines in the Army. When he returns to Mississippi, he soon realizes that racial prejudices have not changed. He isn't allowed to use the front door of public buildings, ride in the front seat of the car with a white person, or be friends with white people. Ronsel and Jamie bond about the war and the difficulties of being back in Mississippi. They break all of the rules and Jamie's father, Pappy, is less than thrilled about it. He threatens Ronsel and forbids their friendship. One day, Pappy finds evidence that Ronsel has been with a white woman and violence ensues. 

Laura, alone and unhappy, begins to fall in love with her husband's brother, Jamie. She lusts after him and her husband may or may not notice. She sticks up for Jamie's recklessness  and drinking problem that developed as part of PTSD from the war. He begins to notice Laura's unhappiness with living on the farm...

This book was a very quick read. I enjoyed the story and recommend it to everyone who enjoys this genre. The only thing that I would have liked better was more character development. That is also something that I was missing in Jordan's other book. There are many things that I was left wondering about the characters... I was left craving more descriptions about their thoughts and personalities. I give it 4/5 stars for plot. It was a very entertaining book and a must read. 

One for the Money

 

Ok, you guys have heard me say this before. I HATE books with the author's name printed ginormously on the front cover of books. I typically don't even like mystery series. I really just wanted to know what these were about.... plus I like chick flicks based on books. Great for netflixing right? Plus, I like Katherin Heigl.

Stephanie Plum, divorced Jersey girl, recently lost her job in the lingerie business. As she contemplates having to move in with her parents, she begs her cousin Vinny for a job. She convinces him to take her on as a "recovery agent" AKA Bounty Hunter. Her target is an old booty call from high school, Joe Morelli. Stephanie attempts to take in her old flame, a cop accused of murder who skipped bail. Can Stephanie get Morelli in so she can collect her bounty money? Is Joe Morelli really a bad guy?

A little mystery, a little sex, a little humor. Quick and easy listen on audiobook. Now, I am putting the movie on my netflix cue, but I will probably not read up to Notorious Nineteen by Evanovich (most likely not even the 2nd one).

Has anyone read these books? What are your thoughts??

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

 

I am the worst blogger. You want to know why? Well, it's for a few reasons. 1) Because I have an addiction to other people's blogs and Teachers Pay Teachers. I can't stop looking at speech therapy blogs and browsing materials online. 2) I can't stop laminating 3) I got engaged YAY! and 4) the book that I have been reading is really bad.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has been on my night stand for OVER A MONTH. I finally came to the realization that yes I am really busy, but if this book were that good then I would have finished it by now. I just picked it up to read it again and I decided it wasn't worth it. I will just check out the movie. I am over the whole "I will read a book until it's finished" thing. 

This book is about a young boy named Oskar who lost his father on 9/11. He finds a key that belonged to his father and he sets out to find out what it unlocks. I thought the plot sounded intensely emotional and I wanted to hear how a child narrator would explain how 9/11 affected him and his family.

The reason that the book isn't that great is the writing. I think the plot is fantastic. I actually wish that I had enough patience to read the whole thing, but I just can't follow it. The story has parts narrated by Oskar (who may or may not be on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum). His part didn't bother me. There are other sections of the book that are written by Oskar's grandmother. his grandfather, and his father; however, you as the reader are never told that. You just have to figure out who is telling the story. Also, the dialogue is not written with quotation marks! You just have to figure out who is talking to who.

Basically, I am just over this book. If I would have read it start to finish in a more timely manner I am sure that I would have enjoyed it more. The reason I am not that into it is probably my own fault. I am definitely going to watch the movie. Maybe that will spark me into picking it up and finishing it.

I think that where I currently am with my life that I need a very fast paced book.... I think I am going to go pick up a Gillian Flynn book.

Where We Belong by Emily Giffin

 

Sometimes I just like a good girlie novel. Emily Giffin is a great author for this kind of thing. I have read every one of her books which include: Something Borrowed (which is now a movie starring Ginnifer Goodwin and Kate Hudson), Something Blue, Heart of the Matter, Love the One You're With, and Baby Proof. I can hardly remember what any of the books are about, but when I was reading them I loved them. She has nice writing style and her stories are plot driven. They are all easy to read page turners

Where We Belong is about 36 year old Manhattan TV producer Marion; and Kirby, an 18 year old high school senior living in St. Louis. Back in 1995 Marion and her high school boyfriend got pregnant, only he didn't know it. She hid the entire pregnancy from everyone except her mother. Marion had Kirby and gave her up for adoption. When Kirby becomes 18, she shows up at Marion's front door. This is where the novel begins. The story takes us through their new relationship and all the twists and turns that comes along with meeting birth parents. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the themes in this story. It was all around a worthwhile read! :)

Goodreads gives us 3.88 stars on average. 

Here is the author's website.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

I am one of those psycho Harry Potter fans. I read all of the books, some more than once, and have seen all of the movies a million times. I can't wait to have kids so I can read the series to them. It might be the only reason I would want to have kids. HA. The Harry Potter books may be my favorite books that I have read EVER. Seriously, if you haven't read them I don't know what's wrong with you. I honestly don't know if I can be friends with people who haven't read Harry Potter. They are THAT good.  So, when J.K. Rowling announced that she was going to write a book for adults, I couldn't wait to read it. I pre-ordered it so I wouldn't have to wait in line at the bookstore or be disappointed if  they ran out of copies. I anticipated The Casual Vacancy along with everyone else who is a J.K. Rowling fan.


J.K. Rowling has sold 450 million copies of her books. So, of course people will compare her new book to her Harry Potter series. I was determined not to read any reviews before I read it myself. I made the mistakes of seeing how many stars people were giving it on goodreads. It told me that people were judging it pretty hard. I closed the site and didn't look at anything else until I finished the book.



The Casual Vacancy begins when Barry Fairbrother, a Parish Counselor (a member of their small town government), dies of a brain aneurism. After his death, the town has a "casual vacancy" within the counsel. Sounds pretty boring, but I gave Rowling a chance. The book was difficult to get into initially. I found myself almost blacking out; turning pages but not remembering what they were about. There were so many characters and I couldn't keep them straight!! About a quarter way in, things started to fall into place. I was right to trust the author; the book started to get good.

Rowling has the ability to create characters in a way that the reader can actually understand what they are thinking, see their facial expressions, and interpret their emotions. Very reminiscent of Peyton Place (the New York Times also saw the resemblance), The Casual Vacancy depicts the lives of the inhabitants of a seemingly average small town and examines real life issues; martial woes, teen bullying, rape, heroin abuse, child neglect, socioeconomic status clashing, self-entitlement, mental heath issues, teenage lust, self-mutilation, and domestic violence.

The underlying theme was to examine people on the outside and then discover how different they are when you get inside their heads and know their thoughts. The characters were all twisted; mothers dreaming about underage boys, parents disliking their children, children trying to ruin their parents lives, and teens trying to get pregnant in order to get out of the projects. The story builds up to a final climax which will finally change all of the characters.

Overall, I was slightly let down. I did not enjoy the political side of the story. I did enjoy the way the characters all intertwined with one another and how all of their stories came full circle at the end of the book. It's not memorable based on the plot alone. It was a good; but it is not memorable. I can see myself forgetting the plot all together in a few years. I give the book 3/5 stars for plot and 4/5 stars for character development and theme.

If you are going to read this book, don't compare it to Harry Potter. It is NOTHING like Harry Potter. There is no magic or adventure. Read it with an open mind and without expectations.

City of Thieves

So the first quarter of the new school year is over at my new job. I am loving my new district and my kids. This job is much more demanding than my last job, so I am sleeping less and working more. My part time job is keeping me busy, too. I get home at 7pm 4 days a week and am literally falling asleep on the couch by 9:30. So lame, I know. So I am getting through books I am actually reading pretty slowly, but I'm still listening to audiobooks quickly because I am in the car so much. This next book actually helped me to get in the car earlier each day before work because I couldn't wait to hear what was going to happen next.

Based during the siege of Leningrad, David Benioff, the author, takes us on a week long adventure with two unforgettable characters. Lev, the story's 17 year old insecure and virginal narrator, comes across a dead German body in his hometown of Leningrad. The army catches him looting the dead German's belongings and arrests him. While in jail he meets Kolya, a 20 year old deserter of the Russian army. Kolya is a romantic, mysterious, and confident womanizer. The unlikely pair form a bond as they are forced to find a dozen eggs for a Russian general in time for his daughter's wedding in exchange for their lives. 

Throughout the mission, Lev and Kolya discover the devastation that the war has brought to Leningrad. They find rooms draped with human body parts, homes inhabited by Russian girls living as German sex slaves, and they endure brutal cold and intense hunger. I literally wanted to close my eyes during the brutal and gruesome descriptions of what the Russian girls lived through. I gasped out loud as I learned what these German soldiers were capable of.

On the surface this story appeared to be a serious novel, however, it was one of the funniest books I have read in a while. Kolya's accounts of his past sexual encounters left me laughing out loud. Lev's reactions to Kolya's endless stories were hilarious. Because he was a horny virgin, Lev was furious with Kolya. He was jealous of Kolya's vast experience. The relationship between Lev and Kolya was what made the book the most memorable for me. Now that the book is over, I find myself missing Kolya.

For those of you you enjoy historical fiction, sexual humor, and adventure this is a book for you. Men and women alike will be sucked into this fast paced story.

Lone Wolf

 

A few years ago I swore off Jodi Picoult. I loved My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, and Plain Truth. After those I started to think they were all the same. Her writing was always the same. But, somehow I was in the library and picked this up on audiobook. I thought I would give her another chance to wow me. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, I was let down. I finished the book thinking SO WHAT?? This book is based upon the controversial topic of whether or not to take loved ones off of life support if there is little to no chance of life without machines. Basically, take that topic and put it into every other Picoult book.Not to say this topic is not interesting, but her books are just not the page turners they once were for me. I'm obviously not the best person to review a Picoult book because I have a bias, so here's her synopsis from her website if you are a Picoult fan:

Edward Warren, 23, has been living in Thailand for five years, a prodigal son who left his family after an irreparable fight with his father, Luke. But he gets a frantic phone call: His dad lies comatose in a NH hospital, gravely injured in the same accident that has also injured his younger sister Cara.

Cara, 17, still holds a grudge against her brother, since his departure led to her parents’ divorce. In the aftermath, she’s lived with her father – an animal conservationist who became famous after living with a wild wolf pack in the Canadian wild. It is impossible for her to reconcile the still, broken man in the hospital bed with her vibrant, dynamic father.

With Luke’s chances for recovery dwindling, Cara wants to wait for a miracle. But Edward wants to terminate life support and donate his father’s organs. Is he motivated by altruism, or revenge? And to what lengths will his sister go to stop him from making an irrevocable decision?

LONE WOLF looks at the intersection between medical science and moral choices. If we can keep people who have no hope for recovery alive artificially, should they also be allowed to die artificially? Does the potential to save someone else’s life with a donated organ balance the act of hastening another’s death? And finally, when a father’s life hangs in the balance, which sibling should get to decide his fate? 

http://jodipicoult.com/lone-wolf.html

-Jacqueline

 Are you on Goodreads yet? Check out more books I've read at this awesome site!! :)

Gone Girl

 

If you are a reader and haven't heard of this book, you have been living under a rock. It's currently #5 on the New York Times bestseller list. I bet it would be higher if it weren't for Fifty Shades. I'd never heard of Gillian Flynn prior to hearing about this book, but after reading this one I think I am going to check out her other books.

 This is not your typical husband allegedly slaughters wife mystery. It's a fast paced psychological thriller with haunting characters. I still find myself cursing the culprit..and being grateful for my normal life. Amy and Nick Dunne are seemingly normal on the surface, but underneath they are both complete psychopaths which is what makes the book different from other mysteries. 

I recommend not reading many reviews before checking this book out. You don't want to know anything before you pick it up. It makes it much more fun. All you need to know is that this book is exciting, full of plot, and will not disappoint you.

Bed

 

Malcom, or Mal, is over half a ton. He is the fattest man in England. He went to bed on his 25th birthday, never to arise again. This is the novel equivalent of the TLC special "The Half Ton Teen" or "Half Ton Man." 

Mal grew up as a fairly popular boy and teen. Girls liked him, his brother envied him, but he was eccentric. He began taking his clothes off in public, walking around naked never providing a reason  why. Mal's mother is a woman who only knows how to care for others. She is the type that cannot function if she is not doting on another person, doing everything for them. She enabled Mal to become the size of a whale. Mal's father, distant and full of regret, hides away in the attic working on various projects trying to overcome his demons. Mal's brother, the narrator of the story, falls in love with Mal's girlfriend and is often forgotten about. Even as I am writing this I cannot think of his name off the top of my head.

A dysfunctional family saga, "Bed" chronicles Mal's and his brother's childhood leading up to the day the family home must be opened with a crane to finally remove Mal after 20 years. 

David Whitehouse attempts to write with humor; however, I did not find this to be a comical story. I found it depressing, yet real. The family dynamic is one that is often seen throughout America; the Black Sheep, the enabling parent, the distant non involved parent, and the forgotten about "decent" child. 

 I was often horrified by this book just as I am when I watch Hoarders on TV. How can someone feed their son to be over 1,000 pounds? How can two other family members allow it to go on for over 20 years? How can this happen in real life?? This book is a complete train wreck, and I am still not completely sure about my thoughts of it. I recommend it because it is so different, but also do not recommend it because it left me feeling sickened.

Read at your own risk.

The Litigators by John Grisham

 

The school year is officially underway. So far, I have not stopped reading. I hope that I can keep it this way. I have a few books that have been on my list because they were on my grandmother's kindle when she passed away. If I read a book that she read close to her death, I somehow feel closer to her. Her favorite author was John Grisham and this was on her kindle. I knew I wouldn't be able to get to it my huge "to-read" list anytime soon, so I decided to pick it up at the library on an audiobook.

The story was entertaining, but not memorizing like past John Grisham novels have been for me. Every other Grisham book has kept me up all hours of the night. The plot was fairly "ho hum." The storyline is about two sleazy lawyers (Findley and Figg) and their small practice. They chase after ambulances to try and get clients and advertise on bingo chips. A big firm lawyer, David Zink, leaves his old demanding job behind to work at the small firm of Findley and Figg. Wally Figg chooses to go after a big drug company because one of its cholesterol drugs supposedly causes heart problems. This case is the premise of the story. The book is marketed as a legal thriller, however, I didn't find anything thrilling about it. Never once was I on the edge of my seat to find out what was going to happen next. I would simply call this a predictable novel based on a boring law suit. Not John Grisham's best. I look forward to "legal thrillers" for big court room scenes. There was a courtroom scene in this one, but it was only a fraction of the story and I knew the outcome before I even heard the verdict.

Maybe I didn't LOVE it because I was not really interested in what the case was about....A cholesterol drug case didn't really do it for me. There was a side case that David Zink pursued about a little boy living with permanent brain damage due to lead poisoning. In my opinion, there could have been an entire book written on that story. I kept wanting to hear more about how David was going to get money out of the toy company for the family. 

For anyone wanting to read a good legal thriller, this is not the book for you.

Girls in White Dresses

 

While perusing Barnes and Noble one day, I read the back of this book. The synopsis reads as follows: "Wickedly funny and utterly recognizable, Girls in White Dresses tells the story of three women grappling with heartbreak and career change, family pressure and new love--all while suffering through an endless round of weddings and bridal showers." So I thought, hmm, this sounds like a book I could relate to. 

Erin picked it for our book club. It was on her "to-read" list also. I was excited to have a "girly" book for a change. I hadn't read many of those this summer. I just have to say it. This book was MISERABLE. I wouldn't even call it a book. It was a collection of short stories about, supposedly, three main characters named Isabella, Mary, and Lauren. I didn't know that these girls were supposed to be the main characters because each chapter talked about another "character." The author chose to not develop characters, a setting, or a plot. I think she literally just wrote random stories and put girls' names on them. There was NO story line in my opinion. There was NO beginning, climax, or resolution. NO story grammar elements whatsoever.  I don't even classify myself as someone who only reads "excellent writing." If you read my blog, you know I read some books with poor writing, but this book can only be described as BAD WRITING.

The book was actually a quick read. I somehow was able get through it in about 3 sittings. Maybe this was because I wanted it to be over. I would not recommend this book unless you are a fan of poor character development and invisible plot lines. I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't. 

Has anyone else read it? I hope not. 

Right now I am listening to The Litigators by John Grisham. I am loving audiobooks right now. I also have two highly rated books in line for my next posts. Don't worry. They are supposed to be good.

Gold by Chris Cleave

Gold by Chris Cleave

As a fan of Chris Cleave's previous two novels, and a strong follower of the Olympics, I eagerly awaited his newest novel, Gold. With the thirtieth Olympiad drawing near, I chose to read this book as the games began in London.

Three track cyclists, all three bound together by the most tedious of circumstances, train for the Olympic games. Zoe, damaged and selfish, takes her aggression and sadness out on the bike rather than facing her demons head on. Kate, her best friend who always seems to take second place in the duo, is so kind that she has been taken advantage of more times than she can count in her life. She has lost more than one gold metal picking up after Zoe's fallen pieces. And Jack, the man whose decisions shape these women's lives forever, seems to not believe how he got into his position in life. Not only is this story about these three cyclists, but the true soul of the story is based upon Jack and Kate's StarWars loving 8 year old girl, Sophie, who fights for her life from Leukemia's tight grasp.

The first half of the story was disappointing to me. I was used to Cleave's novels and their striking themes straight from the get go. This one took some warm up time to get the plot spinning on its wheels (pun intended). Once I read to the halfway point, I couldn't put the book down. I thought the book was going to turn out one way, but Cleave surprised me so much that my hand came to my mouth as I gasped out loud at my surprise.

Gold had me cheering, crying, screaming, cringing, and sighing with relief. I loved and hated the 3 main characters as they made choices which complicated their personal and athletic lives. Sophie's spunk reminded me of the resiliency of the human spirit. Fans of Cleave will experience an Olympiad of emotions in this captivating read.