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.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by James Ford ****

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

While this was a good book overall (it's about the conflicts with the Japanese-Americans in the WWII, and how it impacted a Chinese boy and his family); I was disappointed in the ending. I thought it all wrapped up a little too neat and tidily. I enjoyed the book throughout because the storyline was plausible; but in my opinion, the ending was a bit too corny and convenient.

Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke ***

Inkheart

I enjoyed it, but it was slow reading for me. I’m not normally a fantasy reader, but this was an interesting storyline, where the characters of a book came to life and took over. I'll definitely read the next book in the series, but I think I'll wait a bit first.

What I did for Love, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips ***

What I Did For Love


I picked up this book by accident, when I mistook it for another one that was recommended. It was the typical romance. Innocent woman, bad boy. They hated each other, then they loved each other. It was OK as an escape, if you’re into that sort of book (which I am occasionally) but it wasn’t spectacular.

Making Rounds with Oscar, by Dr David Dosa *****

Making Rounds With Oscar

This book is about a cat in a dementia ward for seniors, who could sense when the patients were going to die. It's written by a doctor who specializes in geriatrics, and talks about the challenges for both doctors and families when dealing with dementia. And, there's a cat in it too. Good book... I really liked it.

A Reliable Wife, by Robert Goolrick **

A Reliable Wife

This one was not so good. It’s about a mail-order bride who marries a rich man with the intension of murdering him for his money. I think it had potential, but I felt like I was reading a summary or Cole's Notes of the story. It moved so fast, the narration seemed detatched. I couldn't connect with any of the characters.

Ecoholic Home, by Adria Vasil *****

Ecoholic Home: The Greenest, Cleanest and Most Energy-Efficient Information Under One (Canadian) Roof

Written by a Canadian for eco-conscious people who want to be aware of the products they use in their home, where they come from and their impacts on the ecosystem. This is an excellent reference book.

The Other Boleyn Girl, by Phillippa Gregory ***

The Other Boleyn Girl

Loosely based on the life of Mary Boleyn, the sister of Anne Boleyn and mistress of Henry VIII. I read somewhere that this book is claustrophobic, and I think that’s accurate. I just can’t decide if that was intentional (to reflect on the times) or if it was just plain ol’ dry. It wasn’t a bad read, but I probably won’t run out and get any more like it.

Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen ****

Water For Elephants

An excellent story of an aging veterinarian, remembering when he ran away to work with the circus. The story is more about the characters who work for the circus and the crazy things they did.

The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein ****

The Art Of Racing In The Rain

This is a book about a family's struggles, from the point of view of and narrated by (but not really about) a dog. It’ll make you cry.