Old Dogs Are the Best Dogs, by Gene Weingarten and Michael S. Williamson *****

This book is not a novel. It's a cross between a picture book and a collection of (very) short stories. I ordered it a few weeks ago, while feeling sentimental and kind of sad that my own pup is becoming an old man.

Each page has a black and white shot of an old dog, opposite of a description, tidbit, antic or memory from when they were younger.  Some make you laugh, others make you cry.

After my basement flooded last night, it was exactly what I needed. I was too stressed to sleep, so I whipped through it in the night. It's an easy - if emotional - read that any dog lover will want to read over and over. Loved it. Friends be forewarned: I will be giving it as gifts.

Mocking Jay, by Suzanne Collins *****

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

This is the last book in the Hunger Games series, which I read back to back. I loved it. Admittedly, there were a few brief chapters near the beginning that were a little slower than the rest of the series. Just when I started to think that maybe the third book wouldn't measure up to the others, the story kicked in and it was great.

I'm a little surprised that a YA book contained so much death, but it wasn't overly detailed about the violence. I would suppose that most kids are exposed to more violence and gore by watching TV or playing video games.

Excellent, well written book, and I've told a tonne or people to read the whole series.

Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins *****

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.
Suzanne Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen in this second novel of the phenomenal Hunger Games trilogy.

Loved this book, and am about to start the next one. I highly recommend this series... it keeps getting better and better as it goes on.

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins *****

Honestly, I think this is a book that you should read, not knowing anything about it. Having read a few descriptions, I started it with preconceived notions and it took a few chapters before I could set them aside and simply enjoy the story. So, if you trust me, don't bother reading the rest of this review until after you're done the first book. Just pick it up and read. I haven't heard anybody say anything bad about it, so I feel confident is suggesting this.

If you're the kind of person who needs a bit of an idea about what they're getting into, carry on.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the-death on live TV.

One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The winner brings riches and favor to his or her district. But that is nothing compared to what the Capitol wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rule. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her impoverished district in the Games.

But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Acclaimed writer Suzanne Collins, author of the New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles, delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this stunning novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present.

This is not my usual genre of books. I read it because my 11 year old nephew demanded that I do so. We don't usually have the same reading interests, but since I've been pressuring him (and and getting my way) to read the Harry Potter series, I was leaning towards reading his suggestion. When a friend who does generally read the same sorts of books that I do said she'd read and loved the series, I thought I'd give it a chance.

I really liked it, which surprised me. It's along the lines of but not really just about everything that I dislike in stories. It's futuristic, but the author doesn't make wild assumptions or predictions about society or the technology. It's fantasy, but not weird. It's a story about a girl who is put into an arena and forced to fight to the death, but it's not gory or horrendous. It was a good story about a girl who struggles to survive before and after she's forced into the arena. It's full of suspense - a few times, I was tempted to put it down because I was so disturbed about the potential of what could happen next. But then I remembered it was a young adult (children's) book, so the events that I imagined and dreaded were highly unlikely to happen. Just the fact that I had to remind myself that, though, goes to show you how well the book was written.

Loved this one. Loved the twists and turns.
The next book that I pick up will be the next book in this series.

Pray for Silence, by Linda Castillo *****

One family. One horrific murder. An entire town under suspicion…

The Planks moved from Lancaster County Pennsylvania to the small Amish community of Painters Mill, hoping to resume the comforts of the Plain Life in Ohio. Less than one year later, the family of seven is found dead—slaughtered on their own farm.

Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her small force have few clues, no motive, and no suspect. Formerly Amish herself, Kate is no stranger to the secrets the Amish keep from their “English” neighbors—and each other. When the diary belonging to the rebellious teenager Mary Plank turns up, Kate is surprised to find not only a kindred spirit but a murder suspect: the charismatic stranger who stole Mary’s heart.

Then there’s Mary’s brother, Aaron. Shunned by his family and the rest of the Amish community, could he have returned to seek revenge? Now it’s up to Kate to search for some dark truths about the Planks—and confront long-buried secrets of her own. As Kate’s obsession with the case grows so does her resolve to bring the killer to justice—even if it means putting herself into the line of fire . . .

This book is the follow up to "Sworn to Silence" by the same author, that I reviewed last spring. I thought this one was as good, if not better, than the first. They're both good mystery books with the same imperfect but relatable characters. Lots of suspense, some violence, but described in a way that I didn't find it too graphic.

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 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.

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.)

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.

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 Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Sheffer and Annie Barrows *****

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

This isn’t a typical novel with chapters. It's a series of letters written at the tail end of the German Occupation. I didn’t think I’d like the format, but the story was so good that I barely noticed it. Excellent book.

Ecological Gardening, by Marjorie Harris *****

Ecological Gardening: Your Path to a Healthy Garden

This is one quickly became a favorite reference book for me. Written by a Canadian, it talks about growing gardens in a way to support our ecosystem instead of polluting it.