Sarah's Key, by Tatiana De Rosnay ****

Sarah's Key: A Novel

Description:

De Rosnay's U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d'Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-old Julia Jarmond, American by birth, moved to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-old daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to cover the 60th anniversary of the Vél' d'Hiv' roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand's family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive—the more she uncovers about Bertrand's family, about France and, finally, herself. Already translated into 15 languages, the novel is De Rosnay's 10th (but her first written in English, her first language). It beautifully conveys Julia's conflicting loyalties, and makes Sarah's trials so riveting, her innocence so absorbing, that the book is hard to put down.

This book is really two stories in one. The first story is about a young Jewish girl (Sarah) in Paris whose family was killed during the WWII. It gives a fictional but very disturbing account of how Sarah and her family are rounded up, left for days to wonder and worry and then separated and shipped off individually to be killed in the gas chambers. This part of the book is horrifying and disturbing. I hated every page of it, because it upset me so much; but that was the author's intension, no doubt; and very well done. (So well done that I had to set the book aside for a few days to take a break, and read something completely different.)

The second storyline in the book is about a journalist who discovers Sarah's story 60 years later, and how she's affected. This part of the book doesn't hit home nearly as much. I could probably have taken or left it; but I suspect that the author used the journalist, her research and her reactions to deliver Sarah's story so that she could break it up and make it easier to take. Otherwise, I think the book would have been too upsetting for most to read.

I'm torn on this one. It was a well written book on a subject about which we should all be more aware. However, I can honestly say that I didn't like it. Not because of the writing style, or character representation: I didn't like it because I don't like to read about others' suffering. I don't know how anybody could not be horribly disturbed while reading this book. Job well done on that front by the author... I just think of books like this as more of an obligation than entertainment.

Free to a Good Home, by Eve Marie Mont ****

Free To A Good Home

Description:

Noelle Ryan works as a veterinary technician at a New England animal shelter, helping pets find homes. If only it were as easy to find one for herself. After discovering she can't have children-and watching her marriage fall apart after a shocking revelation by her husband-she feels as sad and lost as the strays she rescues.

She can't seem to get over her ex, Jay. Unfortunately, all Jay wants from her is a huge favor: serving as caretaker for his elderly mother, who blames Noelle for the breakup. While Jay heads off to Atlanta to live the life of a bachelor, Noelle is left only with her Great Dane, Zeke, to comfort her. But when a carefree musician named Jasper tugs at her heartstrings, giving her a second chance at life- and at love- Noelle comes to realize that home is truly where the heart is.

OK, let's be honest here: This book is fluff with very little substance. I bought it because the photographer who did the cover shot has a blog that I love, and the dog in the picture is hers. (I can't post a link to Erin Vey's blog right now because it's been infected with malware - but you should really Google her or look her up on Facebook.) I wasn't in any sort of hurry to read it until I started reading Sarah's Key, by Tatiana De Rosnay. That book was so heavy and disturbing that I had to take a break and went looking for something a lot lighter... this was the perfect contrast, and I breezed through it in a night.

For some reason this book had the same appeal to me as Twilight did (except for the lack of vampires, condescending hero and twit of a heroine); so if you liked Twilight, I think you'll like this one too. Suffice to say, it's a sweet love story. He treats her well. She's got a brain in her head. They both make mistakes, which they work through; and then they fall in love.

If only it were that easy in real life.

Sworn to Silence, by Linda Castillo *****

Sworn to Silence, by Linda Castillo

Description:

A killer is preying on sacred ground....

In the sleepy rural town of Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence. Kate Burkholder, a young Amish girl, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer but came away from its brutality with the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish.

Now, a wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as Chief of Police. Her Amish roots and big city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. She’s certain she’s come to terms with her past—until the first body is discovered in a snowy field. Kate vows to stop the killer before he strikes again. But to do so, she must betray both her family and her Amish past—and expose a dark secret that could destroy her.

Excellent book with a great story and better characters. I loved it, and stayed up late a few nights because I couldn't put it down. I loved that the characters are so imperfect but still manage to fumble through anyway. The tension from the mystery was high without being gory. I didn't figure out who the killer was until a page or two before the author spelled it out. I thought this was a great book, and am looking forward to reading the follow up.

The Neighbor, by Lisa Gardner ****

The Neighbor, by Lisa Gardner

Description:

A young mother, blond and pretty, vanishes from her South Boston home, leaving behind only one witness—her four-year-old daughter—and one suspect—her handsome, secretive husband.

From the moment Detective Sergeant D. D. Warren arrives at the Joneses’ snug little bungalow, instinct tells her that something is seriously off with the wholesome image the couple has worked so hard to create.

With the clock ticking on the life of a missing woman and a media firestorm building, D.D. must decide whether Jason Jones is hiding his guilt—or just trying to hide. But first she must stand between a potential killer and his next victim—an innocent child who may have seen too much.

I enjoyed this one. It's actually the latest in a series about a female Police Sergeant, but the first that I've read by this author. I didn't know going in what it would be - I thought it might end up being a mystery/romance of sorts - but it very much isn't a romance book.

The main character, the police sergeant, seemed more like a supporting role to me. I thought the suspect was a bigger part in the story, and was well presented. He came off as a bit of a jerk (thus, he was the suspect) but he also had a lot of relate-able characteristics that made me like him. On the flip side, I wasn't a huge fan of the police sergeant; even at the end of the book. This may or may not have been the author's intension. She wasn't poorly written, she just came off as a bit of a bitch to me. Either way, her part was so small that she didn't detract from the story.

The answers to the mystery weren't entirely a surprise, but I didn't think it was too, too predictable (keep in mind that I make little to no effort to figure things out as I read, and even I figured some of it out) but it was a good, entertaining read. I'll definitely pick up others from the series before too long.

But Inside I'm Screaming, by Elizabeth Flock ****

But Inside I'm Screaming, by Elizabeth Flock

Description:

While breaking the news of Princess Diana's death to millions, reporter Isabel Murphy unravels on live television. Coming back down to earth at a psychiatric hospital, Isabel begins the painful process of recovering the life everyone thought she had.

Refusing to co-operate with her doctors, Isabel finds it hard to believe that she belongs at Three Winds with schizophrenic Lark and Peter, the silent little boy. It will take drastic measures to convince Isabel that she can be helped and that she must confront her past, in order to ensure her future.

I liked this book. It's about a woman who, like so many, has tried to present a front of the perfect life to the world. The book starts out as she's breaking down on live television, and quickly jumps to her arrival at the mental facility. It's a little hard to get into in the beginning, but as you learn more about Isabel, you can't help but to care.

Every few chapters flash back to times in Isabel's life that are difficult. You start to get an understanding of what she's been dealing with as her mom criticizes her for being a quitter while taking her to be admitted into the mental hospital. Then there are flashbacks to times that tell about her demanding job, difficult family and abusive husband. The author doesn't really go into detail about the problems she's had, but touches on them enough that you see how they would weigh her down. The more you read about them, the more you emphasize with Isabel and want to see her succeed. I thought it was well done.

Bad Day for Sorry, by Sophie Littlefield ***

Bad Day for Sorry, by Sophie Littlefield

Description:

Stella Hardesty dispatched her abusive husband with a wrench shortly before her fiftieth birthday. A few years later, she’s so busy delivering home-style justice, helping other women deal with their own abusive husbands and boyfriends, that she’s barely got time to run her sewing shop. Since Stella works outside of the law, she’s free to do whatever it takes to be convincing—as long as she keeps her distance from the handsome devil of a local sheriff, Goat Jones.

When young mother Chrissy Shaw asks Stella for help with her no-good, husband Roy Dean, it looks like just another standard job. But then Chrissy’s two-year-old son is taken, and Stella finds herself up against a much more formidable enemy.

This is a mostly humorous, sometimes bittersweet story of a lady who, after killing her own abusive husband, starts to step in and deal with other abusive men in a way that the law can't.

I got the feeling while reading it that it was an imitation of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, only not quite as good. It's not a bad read, but it wasn't that great either. It's a quick, fun read; but I'll probably pass on the follow up book that's just been published.

Smash Cut, by Sandra Brown ****

Smash Cut: A Novel

Description:

When millionaire Paul Wheeler is murdered, his family retains renowned lawyer Derek Mitchell to defend the victim’s nephew Creighton— although the police have not charged the young man with the crime. Wheeler’s mistress, Julie Rutledge, who is also a suspect, believes that Creighton is the killer, despite his rock-solid alibi, and she’ll do almost anything in her quest to prove his guilt—even ruin Derek’s career. But the more Derek learns of Creighton’s darker side, especially his bizarre fascination with movie murders, the more he comes to believe Julie is right. The clock ticks down to a shocking ending as Derek and Julie join forces to find the truth. Has Creighton begun reenacting cinema’s goriest scenes? And who will be his unwilling costars? They won’t know until the final SMASH CUT.

I feel the need to remind you before writing this review that until a year or so ago, I read almost exclusively women's lit like this. Sandra Brown used to be a favorite author of mine, until I started expanding my horizons. Then, when I started to learn how many other great books there are out there, woman's lit lost its appeal. There are many authors whose books I don't even try to read anymore. There are some whose books I've tried to read and failed miserably. Sandra Brown's last few books, in my opinion, have not been nearly as good as some of her earlier works. I wasn't sure if that's because my tastes are changing, or if the quality of her work has diminished, so I was hesitated before reading this one too. I'm really glad that I picked it up.

This book isn't a whodoneit mystery; it's more about how the main characters are going to get out of their current pickle. And of course, because it's women's lit, they swap spit and do the horizontal mambo a few times. For me, though, the appeal of this book was the mystery... what's the bad guy going to do next and how are they going to catch him.

I'm admittedly a mystery writer's dream. I just follow the story and make little to no effort in solving the mystery before the author spells it out for me. As such, I didn't foresee the twist at the end. That's a given; but I think it will be a surprise for most... I don't think it's integral to the story, per say, but it's a surprise.

Overall, I liked the book. I liked that the focus was more on the mystery and the villain than it was on the romance. I think it was a good page turning mystery. And I think it's worth saying that this is the first book I've read that that has ever made me gasp out loud. That almost made it worth reading all on its own. (It happened somewhere in the middle... I won't say where, because I don't want to ruin the surprise.)

Awkward Family Photos **

Awkward Family Photos

Product Description:

Based on the hit website, AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com (“painful, regrettable, horrifyingly awesome snaps of family bonding, you will laugh so hard that people in adjoining offices will ask what’s wrong with you”—Esquire), this full color book features never-before-seen photos and hilarious personal stories covering everything from uncomfortable moments with relatives, teen angst, sibling rivalry, and family vacations from hell. Cringe at the forced poses, bad hair, and matching outfits--all prompting us to look at our own families and celebrate the fact that we're not alone. Nothing says awkward better than an uncomfortable family photograph!

Do picture books count as books? I'm not sure, but I'll include this one. I read it in under an hour while waiting for a Dr's appointment. (He was running very late.) It was entertaining, I suppose, but I think the only reason why I kept at it was because I was stuck waiting with nothing else to do. To me, it was like looking at too many of a friend's vacation pictures. A handful of pictures are fun to see, but after a while your eyes glaze over. This was a bunch of only somewhat humorous photos and commentary, and it seemed to go on for too long. I think that, like the Post Secret books, this is a concept that works much better in blog format.

Debt Free Forever, by Gail Vaz-Oxlade ****

Debt Free Forever: Take Control Of Your Money And Your Life

From the author's website:

Yes, it’s finally here… Gail between covers! While I’ve written a ton about how to get out of debt and how to stay out of debt over the past couple of years on my blog, what’s missing is a cohesive process that takes you from the beginning to the end. Debt-Free Forever fills the gap because everything a body needs is all in one place and in the right order. Reading the book is a little like having me knock on your door, have a quick look around and then get down to brass tacks.

I’ll warn you now, anyone who buys this book with the intent of working through the process of becoming Debt-Free Forever will have to bust his or her cute little patootie to make it happen.

If taking control of your money and your life is really important, there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll find a way to do it. We human beings are remarkably resilient and incredibly stubborn when we set our minds to something. Sometimes we need a little help getting focused. Sometimes we need some help figuring out what the steps should be. If that’s all a body needs, Debt-Free Forever will guide you through the process.

Looking for an easy solution to your money mayhem? Don’t buy this book. You’ll be disappointed. For while the process is simple, there’s nothing easy about it. It’s tough going. And it takes real stamina and determination to get to Debt-Free Forever. Some people just aren’t ready yet. When you are, the book will still be here.

This is a no-nonsense book about how to take control of your finances. It's written by a Canadian; and since our banking and taxes are different, I suspect it would be most beneficial to Canadians. Honestly, it's common sense. It doesn't have any magic pill to help a person climb out of debt, but for me it was a much needed smack upside the head.

I should admit that this was the book I kept in my car to bring into waiting rooms, etc, so it took quite a few months to complete. I found it inspiring, though. I started following her plans in January, and am still (mostly) on track. For me, the most useful information was near that back, where she talked about the various forms of insurance that's available. I didn't realize how little I knew about all that until I read her book.

I'm torn on how to rate this one. I think it was a well written book that could be very useful to somebody who takes the time to read it and follow her plan. However, it's not the kind of book that I consider entertaining by any means. I read it because I thought I should, and I'm glad I did. It's quality, beneficial writing; but it wasn't a whole lot of fun to read.

I also highly recommend her blog.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson ****

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Publisher's Description:

Cases rarely come much colder than the decades-old disappearance of teen heiress Harriet Vanger from her family's remote island retreat north of Stockholm, nor do fiction debuts hotter than this European bestseller by muckraking Swedish journalist Larsson. At once a strikingly original thriller and a vivisection of Sweden's dirty not-so-little secrets (as suggested by its original title, Men Who Hate Women), this first of a trilogy introduces a provocatively odd couple: disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist, freshly sentenced to jail for libeling a shady businessman, and the multipierced and tattooed Lisbeth Salander, a feral but vulnerable superhacker. Hired by octogenarian industrialist Henrik Vanger, who wants to find out what happened to his beloved great-niece before he dies, the duo gradually uncover a festering morass of familial corruption—at the same time, Larsson skillfully bares some of the similar horrors that have left Salander such a marked woman. Larsson died in 2004, shortly after handing in the manuscripts for what will be his legacy. 100,000 first printing. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc

I didn't think I'd like this book, so it sat on my bookshelf for about six months before I picked it up. I was very pleasantly surprised. Overall, I think it was a good book. I enjoyed it, and I will most definitely pick up the second (and probably third) book in the series.

I struggled with some of the Swedish names and locations, and often found myself having to pause to figure out which name a "B" character or "H" location was. However, I think that comment can be taken as both a criticism and a compliment. Criticism, because I'm usually a lazy reader. I don't usually want to have to work too hard to keep everything straight as I read. On the flip side, the story was more than good enough too make up for the vocabulary. Reading was very slow going for me, but there were multiple times when I picked it up that an hour would fly by without my notice as I read. I think that says a lot.

I think that it's worth saying that I was on page 250 before the story was past the setup stage and (to me) really kicked in. Again, though, for an 850 page book, I don't think that's unreasonable... especially since I hear that the next two books continue with the story so smoothly, that they could almost have been published as one big (huge) book instead of three.

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett *****

My timing isn't very good for starting this reading blog. Summer is my time for gardening and being outside, so I don't read nearly as much. However, right now I'm working on The Help.

The Help

Publisher's Description:

Be prepared to meet three unforgettable women:

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

I'm not even half way through, but so far it's a really good book. I don't normally like books that are narrated by multiple characters (I find myself getting confused about whose point of view I'm following) but in this case it's working out pretty well. It's easy to become engaged with each of the main characters, as they tell the story of what it's like to be an African-American in the early 1960's, or one of the few Caucasians who recognizes them as individuals with needs, wants and feelings of their own.

I probably shouldn't rate this book until I finish it, but so far I'd say that it's a really good read.

July 9th update:
I finally finished this book, and it was one of the best books I've ever read. I found the story to be touching, disturbing and funny all at once; and I loved the characters. I ended up staying up too late for a few nights, because I had trouble putting it down.

Definitely at 5 star book.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, by Stephanie Meyer ***

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I read this, but I figure I better keep this reading list real. It wasn't bad. If you liked the Twilight series, you'll probably like it; although it's a completely separate storyline from the first four books. It's not about the Cullens. It has some of the same elements (no romance or angst-y female), mostly different characters. It's a quick easy read.

Sh*t My Dad Says, by Justin Halpern *****

Sh T My Dad Says

Read this book. It's hilarious.
(As indicated by the title, there may be a few verbal impurities within.)

PS I Love You, by Cecelia Ahern ***

Ps I Love You


I didn't like this book in the beginning, because it was so different from the movie. I kept at it, though, and it got better and better as it went on. It actually turned into a pretty good read, once I gave up on the idea of matching the story I was reading to the movie. (Note to self: read the book before you see the movie.)

Little Bee, by Chris Cleave ****

Little Bee

The publisher of this book is asking people not to tell others what happens in this story, so I won't say here. I'll just say that it's so good that the Zadge told her readers to drop what we're doing and to read it right away. I'm glad I did, because it was an excellent book.

A is for Alibi by, Sue Grafton ***

A is for Alibi

I picked this one up because I've been craving a mystery for a while. It wasn't very deep but it wasn't bad. It's a quick, easy read... I don't feel compelled to run out and get the next book in this series immediately, but I probably will eventually.

Confessions of a Contractor, by Richard Murphy ****

Confessions Of A Contractor

This book was really funny. With my addiction to renovating and changing my house so much, the story may have hit home more for me than it did for others, but I thought it was a good book. (Even though I'd probably be one of his clients from hell.)

Kit's Law, by Donna Morressy ***

Kit's Law


This story is about a girl in small town Newfoundland whose grandmother dies and leaves her to care for her mentally challenged mother. It started slowly, but I thought it turned into a pretty good book.

Family Affair, by Caprice Crane ***

Family Affair: A Novel


This book was OK, but not great. It's a comedy about a couple who separate. The wife has a better relationship with her in laws than she does with her husband. She wants to keep them, but ditch the husband. Humorous, I guess but wasn't laugh out loud funny.