I'll Be There

I'll Be There

by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Romance

Synopsis:  Sam Border wishes he could escape.  Raised by an unstable father, he's spent his life moving from place to place.  But he could never abandon his little brother, Riddle.

Riddle Border doesn't talk much.  Instead, he draws pictures of the insides of things and waits for the day when the outsides of things will make sense.  He worships his older brother.  But how can they leave when there's nowhere to go?  Then everything changes.  Because Sam meets Emily.

Emily Bell believes in destiny.  She sings for her church choir, though she doesn't have a particularly good voice.  Nothing, she feels, is mere coincidence.  And she's singing at the moment she first sees Sam.

Everyone whose path you cross in life has the power to change you-sometimes in small ways, and sometimes in ways greater than you could have know.  Beautifully written and emotionally profound, Holly Goldberg Sloan's debut novel explores the idea of human connection.

From the book jecket

Review:   This was an intriguing story of Sam and his brother, Riddle, who are basically homeless and forced to fend for themselves, and Emily who falls for Sam quite quickly.  If you want to break this story down the basics, It's basically a love triangle story with drama and adventure thrown in.  But it is more than that as well.  It's heart wrenching to read about Sam and Riddle and the way their dad treats them and how they live.  But the story gives you hope when Sam and Emily fall for each other and Emily's family meets Sam and his brother.  You want everything to work out but then comes Sam and Riddle's father who is unstable to say the least.  I devoured this book (after getting through the first few pages which did not grab me) and could hardly put the book down.

Rating: 4 stars

Left

Left

by Tamar Ossowski

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis:  Therese Wolley made a promise.  She works as a secretary, shops for groceries on Saturdays, and takes care of her two girls.  She doesn't dwell on the fact that her girls are fatherless, mostly because her own father abandoned her before she was born, and she has done just fine without him.

Even though her older daughter regularly wakes with nightmares and her younger one whispers letters under her breath, she doesn't shift from her resolve that everything will be fine.  She promises...and they believe.

Until the morning an obituary in the newspaper changes everything.  Therese immediately knows what she has to do.  She cannot delay what she has planned, and she cannot find the words to explain her heartbreaking decisions to her daughters.  She considers her responsibilities, her girls, and a promise she made years ago.  Then she does the only thing that any real mother would do.  She goes on the run with one daughter...and abandons the other.

Left is told from the perspective of Franny, the autistic sister who is left behind; Matilda, the troubled older sister who vows to go back and save her; and Therese, a mother on the run.

From the book jacket

Review:  First of all this synopsis is not accurate. Therese is not on the run.  She's not hiding from anything or anyone.  If she was hiding or running for someone, that is what I consider on the run.  Therese just decides to follow her heart.  Since I didn't know these things before reading the book I kept waiting to find out why she was on the run because it sure didn't seem like she was on the run.  I was left quite confused as a I was reading.  I was also waiting for the answers to all the secrets in the book and you don't find them out until about 15 pages from the end.  The author kept dropping very vague hints and foreshadowing moments but nothing was concrete enough to let me figure out what was going it.  It kind of drove me crazy as I really dislike knowing something is happening but not knowing what it is.  I was really intrigued with this book but after reading it all, I just got to thinking about how selfish Therese was and how she did not have the best interest of her daughters in mind- she just had her own interests in mind and I really didn't understand where Leah was coming from at all. There were just so many parts of this book that left me confused and parts that were quite strange that made me rate this a 3 stars.

Rating: 3 stars

And the Mountains Echoed

And the Mountains Echoed

by Khaled Hosseini

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis:  Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations. 

In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most. 

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

From GoodReads

Review:  There is no doubt that Hosseini is a talented writer.  This book had such minimal plot but yet it was captivating and had beautifully developed characters.  This book is the story of a family with side stories of other people who have interacted with members of the family.  Some of the side stories could have been left out as I felt like they detracted from the main family's story.  I couldn't wait to find out more abut the characters in the story that I wasn't missing a storyline.   There are parts of this story that are sad (my number one complaint with The Kite Runner was that the book was way too depressing) but not too much so that you didn't want to keep reading.  I enjoyed reading this book.

Rating: 4 stars

The Whole Golden World

The Whole Golden World

Kristina Riggle

Genre: Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  An astonishing novel from the acclaimed author of Keepsake that pushes the boundaries of storytelling. At turns shocking, provocative, and heart-wrenching, and inspired by a true story The Whole Golden World forces us to ask the question "How well do we really know our children?"

To the outside Dinah and Joe have a perfect family-three lovely children, a beautiful home, and a café that's finally taking off. But their world is rocked when it's discovered that their oldest daughter, 17-year-old Morgan is having an affair with her married teacher, TJ Hill.

Their town rocks with the scandal. When the case goes to trial, the family is torn further apart when Morgan sides not with her parents-as a manipulated teenage girl; but with TJ himself-as a woman who loves a 30-year-old man.

Told from the perspectives of Morgan, Dinah, and TJ's wife, Rain, this is an unforgettable story that fully explores the surprising, even shocking, events that change the lives of two families.

Review: What's interesting about this book is that I didn't really like any of the characters, and I found the subject matter disturbing, but I still loved reading it. In fact, I couldn't put the book down - I think I read it in two days!  Riggle made the characters seem so life-like as they struggled with their various problems; she realistically captured the voices of the troubled teenage honor student, her overprotective short-tempered mother, and the doormat-like wife who struggled with infertility.  I sympathized with all these characters at times, but also wished they would learn to see themselves the way they truly were and stop making so many mistakes!  This would be a great book to discuss with a book club!

Rating: 4.5 stars

The Prayer Box

The Prayer Box

Lisa Wingate

Genre: Women's Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola's rambling Victorian house. Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola's walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola's youth to her last days. Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper--the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything for Tandi.

Review: I have always enjoyed Lisa Wingate's tender Christian women's fiction, and this book was no exception.  It's beautifully written and inspiring, with lyric descriptions and haunting prose.  Having said that, the book was not without faults.  It could just be the stage of life I'm in, but I could not get past the fact that Tandi Jo started out as a terrible, irresponsible mother who should have had her kids taken away.  She showed a lot of growth throughout the novel, and ended up becoming closer to her children, but her primary focus still seemed to be meddling in Iola's life history (which was fascinating), her search for a steady job (which was responsible), her desire for a good romantic relationship (which was understandable) and then FINALLY her responsibility for her children.  I understand that good characters need to have realistic and relate-able flaws, but she bordered on criminally neglectful (in my opinion).

Rating: 4 stars

The Bookstore

The Bookstore

Deborah Meyler

Genre: Women's Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  A witty, sharply observed debut novel about a young woman who finds unexpected salvation while working in a quirky used bookstore in Manhattan.  Impressionable and idealistic, Esme Garland is a young British woman who finds herself studying art history in New York. She loves her apartment and is passionate about the city and her boyfriend; her future couldn’t look brighter. Until she finds out that she’s pregnant.

Esme’s boyfriend, Mitchell van Leuven, is old-money rich, handsome, successful, and irretrievably damaged. When he dumps Esme—just before she tries to tell him about the baby—she resolves to manage alone. She will keep the child and her scholarship, while finding a part-time job to make ends meet. But that is easier said than done, especially on a student visa.

The Owl is a shabby, second-hand bookstore on the Upper West Side, an all-day, all-night haven for a colorful crew of characters: handsome and taciturn guitar player Luke; Chester, who hyperventilates at the mention of Lolita; George, the owner, who lives on protein shakes and idealism; and a motley company of the timeless, the tactless, and the homeless. The Owl becomes a nexus of good in a difficult world for Esme—but will it be enough to sustain her? Even when Mitchell, repentant and charming, comes back on the scene?

A rousing celebration of books, of the shops where they are sold, and of the people who work, read, and live in them, The Bookstore is also a story about emotional discovery, the complex choices we all face, and the accidental inspirations that make a life worth the reading.

Review: I really wanted to like this book about a woman working in a bookstore (I mean, add in a bake shop, and it would by my perfect book!) but it did not live up to my expectations.  Esme was dull as dishwater and had no gumption, and what she ever saw in that selfish #$&* Mitchell was inexplicable.  She seemed like a smart enough girl, and there was no explanation for why she kept going back to him after he kept breaking up with her in terrible manipulative ways.  Plus, working in a bookstore could have been fodder for interesting stories about quirky customers, but instead, Esme seemed to meet only sad, troubled homeless men.  And to top it off, the ending was non-existent, with no resolution to Esme's story.  It was well-written, sure, and kept me interested in the story, but all-in-all, I was very disappointed.

Rating: 2 stars

The Time Between

The Time Between

Karen White

Genre: Women's Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  A stunning new novel of betrayal and forgiveness from the New York Times bestselling author.

Thirty-four-year-old Eleanor Murray is consumed with guilt for causing the accident that paralyzed her sister—and for falling in love with her sister’s husband. But when her boss offers her a part-time job caring for his elderly aunt, Helena, Eleanor accepts, hoping this good deed will help atone for her mistakes.

On the barrier island of Edisto, Eleanor bonds with Helena over their mutual love of music. Drawing the older woman out of her depression, Eleanor learns of her life in Hungary, with her sister, before and during World War II. She hears tales of passion and heartache, defiance and dangerous deception. And when the truth of Helena and her sister’s actions comes to light, Eleanor may finally allow herself to move past guilt and to embrace the song that lies deep in her heart…

Review: I enjoyed the interactions between Eleanor and Helena; they were so smart and sassy.  Gigi was a fun character, too, with a big personality for such a little girl.  And I enjoyed the setting, on a South Carolina beach-y island.  However, I was disturbed by the relationship between Eleanor and her family, specifically how her mother, sister and brother-in-law took advantage of her and treated her like she was their servant.  The resolution between the two sisters at the end of the book didn't feel realistic, after many years of nastiness between them.  I felt like this took away from the more interesting stories of Helena, Eleanor's relationship with her boss, and Gigi.  Actually, having written that, there were an awful lot of storylines in this book and I may have enjoyed it more if it focused on fewer stories.  But overall, it was beautifully written and easy to read, and would make a nice beach read.

Rating: 3 stars

Summer Girls

Summer Girls

Mary Alice Monroe

Genre: Women's Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  Three sisters reunite on Sullivan’s Island off the coast of South Carolina after years of separation in this heartwarming first novel in a new trilogy from a beloved author.Eighty-year-old Marietta Muir is a dowager of Charleston society who has retired to her historic summer home on Sullivan’s Island. At the onset of summer, Marietta, “Mamaw,” seeks to gather her three granddaughters—Carson, Eudora, and Harper—with the intent to reunite them after years apart. Monroe explores the depths and complexities of sisterhood, friendship and the power of forgiveness. The Summer Girls is a perfect beach read and anyone who “enjoys such fine southern voices as Pat Conroy will add the talented Monroe to their list of favorites” (Booklist).

Review: First of all, you should know that this is the first book in a planned trilogy.  While it does stand alone, telling the story of the granddaughter Carson, the ending leaves a lot to be desired with regard to the other sisters.  I imagine that the next two books in the trilogy will tell the stories of the other two sisters in more detail, and wrap up Carson's and Marietta's stories as well.

I have enjoyed Mary Alice Monroe's stories in the past, and this one was no exception.   My biggest complaint is that the author got a little preachy when it came to how to treat wild dolphins.  Her books often have a strong environmental or animal protection message, but this one came across  too strong, in my opinion.  Also, the three main characters weren't very likable - they were awfully spoiled and selfish - and so I didn't connect with them as much as I usually do in women's fiction about sisters.  It would make for a light and moderately entertaining beach read, but isn't my favorite in that genre.

Rating: 3 stars

A Discovery of Witches

A Discovery of Witches

Deborah Harkness

Genre: Fantasy

Summary (from Goodreads):  A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.

Review: You should know that this is the first book in a trilogy, and that the third book hasn't been released yet.  Somehow, I missed that information, and as I neared the end of the book, I couldn't figure out how it was going to be resolved in so few pages.  Then I got to the end, and I thought, "WHAT?  This cannot be the end!"  And, of course, it wasn't.

As many other reviews state, this book can best be described as a combination of Twilight and Harry Potter, but written for adults.  It got very slow in parts, the alchemical details were completely unscientific, the sheer number of characters got confusing, and I couldn't understand how Diana and Matthew could have fallen in love so quickly (or, for that matter, how anyone could fall in love with a vampire).  Plus, there were an awful lot of plots and sub-plots and twists on plots that could have been simplified.  And how on earth do you pronounce the name Ysabeau?  But aside from those complaints, it was fun to read and entertaining, and I enjoyed the fact that it wasn't a young adult book.

Rating: 4 stars

Never Go Back

Never Go Back

Lee Child

Genre: Thriller

Summary (from Goodreads):  After an epic and interrupted journey all the way from the snows of South Dakota, former military cop Jack Reacher has finally made it to Virginia. His destination: a sturdy stone building a short bus ride from Washington D.C., the headquarters of his old unit, the 110th MP. It was the closest thing to a home he ever had.

Why? He wants to meet the new commanding officer, Major Susan Turner. He liked her voice on the phone. But the officer sitting behind his old desk isn’t a woman. Is Susan Turner dead? In Afghanistan? Or in a car wreck?

What Reacher doesn't expect to hear is that Turner has just been fired from her command. Nor that he himself is in big trouble, accused of a sixteen-year-old homicide. And he certainly doesn't expect to hear these words: ‘You’re back in the army, Major. And your ass is mine.’

Will he be sorry he went back? Or – will someone else?

Review: This is book #18 in the Jack Reacher series, and it is one of my least favorites.  Child introduced some potentially life-changing twists in the story, but then didn't deliver on them, leaving me feeling disappointed.  The mystery was lackadaisical, with most of the discovery going on inside Reacher's head, instead of following actual clues.  And the bad guys went to an inordinate amount of trouble to get rid of Reacher for what seemed like a relatively minor transgression.  It felt like Child had run out of interesting and (at least somewhat) believable plots.

Rating: 2 stars

Legend

Legend

by Marie Lu

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian Fiction

Synopsis:  What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. 

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets. 

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills. 

From GoodReads

Review:  Here's yet another young adult dystopian fiction trilogy.  This one would be 3rd on my list of the ones I've read so far-third to Divergent and Hunger Games.  This book starts a little slow but does pick up after a while.  It's not full of action like other dystopian fiction books but it has major character development.  We really get to know both of the characters, June and Day, very well.  I think you know the characters so well because the book is written from dual points of view-June's and Day's. The chapters alternated between the two narrators and many times would end with a cliff hanger.  You couldn't help to read the next chapter so you could get back to the other narrator.  The action does pick up towards the end.  The author wrote this book very well and kept the reader engaged!

Rating: 4 stars

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend

by Matthew Dicks

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: I am not imaginary...  Budo is lucky as imaginary friends go.  He's been alive for more than five years, which is positively ancient in the world of imaginary friends.  But Budo feels his age and things constantly of the day when eight-year-old Max Delaney will stop believing in him.  When that happens, Budo will disappear.

Max is different from other children.  Some people say he has Asperger's, but most just say he's "on the spectrum."  None of this matters to Budo, who loves Max unconditionally and is charged with protecting him: from the class bully, from awkward situations in the cafeteria, and even in bathroom stalls.  But he can't protect Max from Mrs. Patterson, a teacher in the Learning Center who believes that she alone is qualified to care for this young boy.

When Mrs. Patterson does the unthinkable, it is up to Budo and a tea of imaginary friends to save Max-and Budo must ultimately decide which is more important: Max's happiness or his own existence.

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend is a triumph of courage and imagination that touches on the truths of life, love, and friendship as it races to a heartwarming...and heartbreaking conclusion.

From the book jacket

Review:  At first I wasn't sure of what to think about this book because the beginning is just about Budo introducing himself and Max and telling us all about the quirkiness of Max.  I was wondering where the book was going to go.  But then once Mrs. Patterson does the unthinkable, the book really picks up.  Budo has the mentality of an eight year old (or maybe a little older) and has to figure out how to save Max.  It's interesting to see what he decides to do and who he gets to help him.  You have to keep remembering while you are reading that you are not reading the perspective of an adult-its a young child.  It is also quite a unique point of view from an imaginary friend because he can't communicate with very many people except Max and other imaginary friends.  It was quite an interesting read!

Rating: 4 stars

Falling for Rapunzel

Falling for Rapunzel

by Leah Wilcox

Illustrated Lydia Monks

Genre: Fractured Fairy Tale, Picture Book

Synopsis: The course of true love never runs smooth...

When the prince spies Rapunzel in her high tower, he's convinced she's the girl of his dreams.  he things he can rescue her in the ordinary way, but this is no ordinary Rapunzel.  She throws down everything from her tower except what the prince keeps asking for-including one delightful surprise to make all his dreams come true.  Lively and fun, this is a hilarious tale of how one bad hair day turns into happily ever after.

From the back of the book

Review:  I love this story as did my kids!  This is such a silly book about Rapunzel being hard of hearing and throwing down the wrong thing to the prince who is trying to rescue her.  My kids just giggled and giggled with all the things Rapunzel threw down.  They would try to guess based on the rhyme scheme.  I would highly recommend reading this book!

Rating: 5 stars

Look Out Jack! The Giant is Back!

Look Out Jack!  The Giant is Back!

by Tom Birdseye

Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand

Genre: Picture Book, Fractured Fairy Tale

Synopsis:  Could you stay out all night in the dark even if... "there were spiders dangling over your head and ... snakes slithering around your feet and ... "A BIG, HAIRY, KID-EATING MONSTER on the prowl? Would you just tell them to go away? Oh yeah? In this rollicking tale about the creatures that might lurk in the night, two boys with very big imaginations prove they are so brave, so cool, they could face even ... Wait, did you hear a noise in the bushes?

From Good Reads

Review: This is a cute story about what happens after Jack takes the items from the giant and chops down the beanstalk.  Jack and his mother had moved to a cabin the North Carolina.  It's a fun story about how Jack tries to outwit the giant but how the giant tries to outwit Jack. I really liked Jack's calm attitude in this book.   My kids really enjoyed this book and have reread it several times.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

The Three Silly Billies

The Three Silly Billies

by Margie Palatini

Illustrated by Barry Moser

Genre: Fractured Fairy Tale, Picture Book

Synopsis: "Hold your horsepower," said the little man with a stamp, a stomp, and a snort.  "This is a troll bridge.  I'm the Troll.  Now, start passing the buck."

Bill Bob, Billy Bo, and Just Plain Billy don't have enough money to cross the troll bridge  But by pooling their pennies with the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack, the Three Silly Billies are able to pay the toll and cross the deep river in jolly good style.  And there's a whopping surprise in store for the Troll! 

Review: Most of this book went over my kids' heads.  I think this book is more written for an older audience with its play on words and detailed illustrations.  I didn't care for the illustrations for the young crowd-they weren't as playful and whimsical as I like in picture books.  I did get a kick out of the play on words.  This book was written very cleverly.  My kids liked all the different familiar fairy tale characters that were introduced in the book.  I could see this book used as a math lesson in early grades to add up the coins that are gathered to pay the troll the toll to cross the bridge.

Rating: 3 stars

Waking Beauty

Waking Beauty

by Leah Wilcox

Illustrated by Lydia Monks

Genre: Fractured Fairy Tale, Picture Book

Synopsis: Prince Charming is a horrible listener.  Sleeping Beauty's fairies try to tell him how to wake her up, but he keeps interrupting them with his own silly ideas (jumping on her bed, throwing water on her...).

Will he ever understand that she won't have ever-after bliss until he was her with a KISS?!

From the book jacket

Review: This was a funny take on the classic Sleeping Beauty.  The fairies try to get the prince to give Sleeping Beauty a kiss and they keep rhyming their phrases so it should rhyme with kiss but he interrupts and does something else.  Each time my kids would try to fill in kiss but then they would giggle over what the prince did.  This book was quite silly and easy to read with its rhyme scheme.

Rating: 4 stars

Plague

Plague

by Michael Grant

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy

Synopsis: It's been eight months since all the adults disappeared.  Gone.

They've survived hunger.  They've survived lies.  But the stakes keep rising, and the dystopian horror keeps building.  Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach.

But enemies in the FAYZ don't just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their way free.  The Darkness has found its way into the mind of its Nemesis at last and is controlling it through a haze of delirium and confusion.  A highly contagious, fatal illness spreads at an alarming rate.  Sinister, predatory insects terrorize Perdido Beach.  And Sam, Astrid, Diana, and Caine are plagued by a growing doubt that they'll escape-or even survive-life in the FAYZ.  With so much turmoil surrounding them, what desperate  choices will they make when it comes to saving themselves and those they love?

Review:  After reading the last book of the series, Lies, I couldn't wait to read the next book.  This book did not disappoint.  It kept me engaged and didn't let me put the book down.  It was full of action and struggle.  It did get weird though with the insects and disturbing with the flu and insects.  We seem to know a little more about the darkness and we get more of an understanding of Little Pete.  I'm curious to know where this series is going.  I want it to end well but I'm not sure that it can.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Words in the Dust

Words in the Dust

by Trent Reedy

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis:  Zulaikha hopes.  She hopes for peace in Afghanistan, now that the Taliban have been driven from her country.  She hopes for a good relationship with her hard stepmother.  She even hopes that one day she could go to school, or have her cleft lip corrected-inshallah, God willing.

Then she meets Meena, who agrees to teach her to read.  And American soldiers come to her village, offering not just new opportunities and dangers, but also surgery to fix her face.  These changes could mean a whole new life for Zulaikha-but can she dare to hope they'll come true?

Review:  I'm having a hard time figuring out what to say for this book.  Was it an outstanding, amazing book?  No.  Was it badly written with a terrible story?  No.  Was it a good, decent, clean written book?  Yes.  But I can't pinpoint why it wasn't amazing.  It is a young adult novel and it was very easy to read and perhaps that is why I'm a little perplexed.  I've read fantastic young adult novels so this one fell flat for me.  I think it was written for a much younger crowd than the young adult books I normally read.  I liked the story line of Zulaikha and how she was embarrassed by her cleft lip and how she wanted to read.  I did feel bad for the women in the story as a woman's life in Afghanistan is so different and empty of opportunities like we have here.  The story was a bit predictable for me.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

The Wedding Gift

The Wedding Gift

by Marlen Suyapa Bodden

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis:  Despite their disparate circumstances, the lives of these two women in 1852 Alabama are inextricably entwined: Sarah, a slave who is the daughter of the master of a vast plantation, and Theodora, his wife.  Their journey is one that both binds them together and sets them free.

When prestigious plantation owner Cornelius Allen gives his daughter's hand in marriage, she takes with her a gift: Sarah-her slave and half sister.  Theodora knows that her daughter, Clarissa, is not the proper Southern belle she appears to be, with ambitions of loving whom she chooses.  Sarah, in turn hides behind the facade of being a docile house slave as she plots to escape.  Both women bring these tumultuous secrets and desires with them to their new home, igniting events that spiral into a tale beyond what you ever imagined possible, and it will leave you enraptured until the very end.

From the book jacket

Review:  This is a much more honest book about slavery than the other ones I've read.  It talked about about some of the horrific treatments of slaves but also about how kind some of the masters could be.  While it was honest, it wasn't too hard to read because it didn't focus on those events-you could skim past those events if you are really squeamish.  The book focuses on the lives of the two women who are connected together by the plantation.  This story wasn't action packed but it did keep my attention and made it hard for me to put the book down.  There was some suspense that you could try to guess but wasn't confirmed until the very last page when Sarah talks about what she had to do.  I felt this book fell a little bit short because of the characters.  I didn't have an emotional connection to them as I have in other books.  I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to them but I didn't feel their emotions.

Rating: 4 stars

Lies

Lies

by Michael Grant

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy

Synopsis:  It's been seven months since all the adults disappeared.  Gone.

It happens in one night.  A girl who died now walks among the living; Zil and the Human crew set fire to Perdido Beach; and amid the flames and smoke, Sam sees the figure of the boy he fears the most: Drake.  But Drake is dead.  Sam and Caine defeated him along with the Darkness-or so they thought.

As Perdido Beach burns, battles rage: Astrid against the Town Council; the Human Crew versus the mutants; and Sam against Drake, who is back from the dead and ready to finish where he and Sam left off.  And all the while deadly rumors are raging like the fire itself, spread by the prophetess Orsay and her companion, Nerezza.  They say that death is a way to escape the FAYZ.  Conditions are worse than ever and kids are desperate to get out.  But are they desperate enough to believe that death will set them free?

From the book jacket

Review:  This has been my favorite book out of the series so far.  It seemed like we were given more information in this book than in others and the characters for the most part were not as contemptible-we don't see Drake that much, and that is a good thing!  This book gives you hope that there is something about the FAYZ but then consider the title.  Do we really know what is out there?  We can hope, right?  This book is fairly fast paced and luckily not as long as the last book!  This book leaves me wanting to read the next book.

Rating: 4 stars

Click here to read my review of Gone.

Click here to read my review of Hunger.

Shatter Me

Shatter Me

by Tahereh Mafi

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian Fiction

Synopsis:  "You can't touch me," I whisper.

I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.

He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.

Please touch me, is what I want to tell him.

But things happen when people touch me.

Strange things.

Bad things.

Dead things.

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her.  Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans of her own.

After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time-and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.

Review: Sigh, I've started on another trilogy.  I didn't know that going into the book.  But after finishing the book and the end not being an end but a beginning to another chapter in Juliette's life, I figured there must be more.  And there are, 2 more-Unravel Me and Ignite Me which is due out in February of 2014.  This book grew on me.  At the beginning when Juliette is in an insane asylum because her touch is fatal, she crosses sentences out left and right and that became really annoying because I didn't always see the value in it.  In fact, I rarely saw the value in it.  Luckily that stopped being so frequent later on in the book.  It also bothered me that the author used constant metaphors, similes, figurative language one after the other after the other.  It was just TOO much.  I just learned a word for it!  She wrote in the style of purple prose-prose that is far too flowery, ornate and melodramatic for it's own good.  Luckily that did get better half way through when the story started to pick up.  This book does take place in a dystopian society but there is a romance that is in the forefront throughout the story.  While I know I'm criticizing the book a lot, something about it grabbed me and kept me reading.  Something makes me want to read the next books-maybe it's that Juliette was given hope regarding her "gift" and I want to know how she uses it in the future.  The second half of the book really saved my rating.

Rating: 3 stars

Letters from Home

Letters from Home

Kristina McMorris

Genre: Women's Fiction, Historical Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  Chicago, 1944. Liz Stephens has little interest in attending a USO club dance with her friends Betty and Julia. She doesn't need a flirtation with a lonely serviceman when she's set to marry her childhood sweetheart. Yet something happens the moment Liz glimpses Morgan McClain. They share only a brief exchange--cut short by the soldier's evident interest in Betty--but Liz can't forget him. Thus, when Betty asks her to ghostwrite a letter to Morgan, stationed overseas, Liz reluctantly agrees.

Thousands of miles away, Morgan struggles to adjust to the brutality of war. His letters from "Betty" are a comfort, their soul-baring correspondence a revelation to them both. While Liz is torn by her feelings for a man who doesn't know her true identity, Betty and Julia each become immersed in their own romantic entanglements. And as the war draws to a close, all three will face heart-wrenching choices, painful losses, and the bittersweet joy of new beginnings.

Beautifully rendered and deeply moving, Letters from Home is a story of hope and connection, of sacrifices made in love and war--and the chance encounters that change us forever.

Review: This was a good book, but it took me a while to get into it, and I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight.  The beginning is pretty slow, and the three main female characters all seemed to have similar voices.  The story pick up halfway through, and the characters had differentiated themselves based on their experiences at least, so I found myself eager to read the last half of the book.  The letters between Liz and Morgan were beautifully written, and made me wish people still wrote letters like that!  But at times, the writing style was a little overly dramatic for me.  While I found the chapters written from Morgan's perspective to be interesting, the dialogue of his wartime buddies seemed a little stereotypical.  All-in-all, an interesting story, but not earth-shattering.

Rating: 3 stars

The Union Street Bakery

The Union Street Bakery

Mary Ellen Taylor

Genre: Women's Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  Life can turn on a dime. It’s a common cliché, and I’d heard it often enough. People die or move away. Investments go south. Affairs end. Loved ones betray us...Stuff happens.
Daisy McCrae’s life is in tatters. She’s lost her job, broken up with her boyfriend, and has been reduced to living in the attic above her family’s store, the Union Street Bakery, while learning the business. Unfortunately, the bakery is in serious hardship. Making things worse is the constant feeling of not being a “real” McCrae since she was adopted as a child and has a less-than-perfect relationship with her two sisters.

Then a long-standing elderly customer passes away, and for some reason bequeaths Daisy a journal dating back to the 1850s, written by a slave girl named Susie. As she reads, Daisy learns more about her family—and her own heritage—than she ever dreamed. Haunted by dreams of the young Susie, who beckons Daisy to “find her,” she is compelled to look further into the past of the town and her family.

What she finds are the answers she has longed for her entire life, and a chance to begin again with the courage and desire she thought she lost for good.

Review: I enjoyed reading this book about Daisy finding her place in her family and adapting to life working in the family bakery.  I know I'm a sucker for books about bakeries, but I really did enjoy learning about all the hard work that goes into owning one.  The recipes at the end sounded delicious!  I guess I found the setting to be a little more compelling than the plot, which had a weak mystery element and an interesting family/sister dynamic.  I found the big reveal about Daisy's birth mother completely predictable.  This review seems a little critical, but it was easy to read and entertaining.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Gold

Gold

Chris Cleave

Genre: Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  IF your dreams pull you in one direction and your heart in another, which should you follow? This is the question that haunts Kate Meadows, a world champion athlete whose eight-year-old daughter Sophie is battling a recurrence of childhood leukemia just as Kate is about to compete for her last chance at an Olympic gold medal. For years, Kate has sacrificed everything for her family and watched her best friend and closest rival, Zoe Castle, conquer the world stage. Kate has never won gold and will have to go through Zoe--who has everything to lose--to get it. Now her child is facing a life-threatening illness, and the stakes are higher than ever. How can she do what is right for her daughter without abandoning all of her dreams?

Review: Clearly I do not have the proper mindset to be an Olympic level athlete, because I could not understand or sympathize with the decisions that Kate, Zoe and even Jack made in this novel.  Having said that, it was interesting to read about what goes on behind the scenes when training for the Olympics.  The friendship between Kate and Zoe was confusing to me, since they didn't seem to have a real friendship in any way.  I found Sophie to be the most sympathetic character.

Rating: 3 stars

The Lost Wife

The Lost Wife

Alyson Richman

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  A rapturous novel of first love in a time of war-from the celebrated author of The Rhythm of Memory and The Last Van Gogh.

In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there's an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers...

Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit- and the strength of memory.

Review: I could not put this beautifully written novel down!  And that's saying a lot right now, since I'm having a hard time focusing on anything.  Lenka's story of pre-war Prague and her time in the concentration camp of Terezin presented an unfamiliar viewpoint of the Holocaust; it was interesting to learn about the work the artists did and the risks they took to provide arts and cultural experiences for the children and other inmates.  While I enjoyed the love story between Lenka and Josef, I felt that Lenka's story was so much more powerful and moving than Josef's.  I found myself trying to read through his sections quickly so I could get back to Lenka's story - I would have given this 5 stars if his story had been as emotional as Lenka's.  I was also disappointed by the ending; I wanted to know more!

You can read Becky's review here.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Emma's Secret

Emma's Secret

by Steena Holmes

Genre: Women's Fiction

Synopsis:  For two years, Megan, Peter, and their two older daughters, Alexis and Hannah, dream of nothing but being reunited with the family's youngest child, Emma, who is kidnapped just before her third birthday.  When Emma is miraculously found living with an elderly couple just miles from the family's home, they are hopeful that her return will heal the wounds her disappearance created.

But Emma is vastly different from the sunny toddler they remember.  She barely remembers her parents or her older sisters.  She is quiet and withdrawn, and, worst of all, longs for the very people who kidnapped her.

Megan is consumed with bitterness, while Peter works later and later nights in the company of his gorgeous business partner.  And in the middle of everything, Megan's best friend has become suddenly distance and secretive.

Then a chance encounter in town leads to a secret that changes everything again for Emma.  And Peter must decide between the happiness of his youngest daughter and the trust of his family.

From GoodReads

Review:  I love that there was a follow up to Finding Emma.  I fell in love with the family in that book and wanted to know how they coped with having their daughter back after 2 years and how Emma was able to fit into the family again.  My heart also ached for Jack, the man Emma knows as Papa as his life has completely been taken away from him.  He was such a kind, old man who made the toughest but yet best decision he could.   I wanted his happiness as well.  This story told of the trials everyone had being reunited with Emma.  It talks about the tough transitions and also how hard it was on Megan and Peter's relationship as they both seemed to think different things would help Emma.  I felt like the part with Emma's best friend was superfluous but other than that, I thought it was a great sequel.

Rating: 4 stars

Finding Emma

Finding Emma

by Steena Holmes

Genre: Mystery, Women's Fiction

Synopsis:  Megan sees her daughter Emma everywhere.  She's the little girl standing in the supermarket, the child waiting for the swings at the playground, the girl with the ice cream dripping down her face.  But it's never Emma.

Emma's been missing for two years.

Unable to handle the constant heartache of all the false sightings, Megan''s husband threatens to walk away unless Megan can agree to accept Emma is gone.  Megan's life and marriage is crumbling all around her and she realizes she may have to do the thing she dreads most: move on.

When Megan takes a photo of a little girl with an elderly couple at the town fair, she believes it to be her missing daughter.  Unable to let go, she sets in motion a sequence of events that could destroy both families lives.

From GoodReads

Review:  The first of two books in this series is emotionally charged and captivating.  The story goes straight to your heart and draws you into reading the book.  The story is one that so many of us fear to have happen to us and it is heart wrenching to see what the mother and family are going through in this book.  I felt for all the characters in this book, not just the mother and her family.  Holmes did a great job bringing the characters to life and making us feel not only the pain but the hope that this book provides.  A very enjoyable read!

Rating: 4 stars

Ghost Bride

Ghost Bride

by Yangsze Choo

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis:  Though ruled by British overlords, the Chinese of colonial Malaya still cling to ancient customs. And in the sleepy port town of Malacca, ghosts and superstitions abound.

Li Lan, the daughter of a genteel but bankrupt family, has few prospects. But fate intervenes when she receives an unusual proposal from the wealthy and powerful Lim family. They want her to become a ghost bride for the family's only son, who recently died under mysterious circumstances. Rarely practiced, a traditional ghost marriage is used to placate a restless spirit. Such a union would guarantee Li Lan a home for the rest of her days, but at a terrible price.

After an ominous visit to the opulent Lim mansion, Li Lan finds herself haunted not only by her ghostly would-be suitor, but also by her desire for the Lim's handsome new heir, Tian Bai. Night after night, she is drawn into the shadowy parallel world of the Chinese afterlife, with its ghost cities, paper funeral offerings, vengeful spirits and monstrous bureaucracy—including the mysterious Er Lang, a charming but unpredictable guardian spirit. Li Lan must uncover the Lim family's darkest secrets—and the truth about her own family—before she is trapped in this ghostly world forever.

From GoodReads

Review:  This book was fascinating to me.  The story mainly takes place in the ghostly world of the Chinese afterlife.  It is so interesting to read different culture's views of what happens after a person dies.  Li Lan is able to visit this world even though she isn't really dead.  This novel is part romance, part paranormal, part mystery as well as historical fiction.  You might think that it is weird to read about a character who is in in spirit form the majority of the book but it really wasn't because the story of Li Lan is very captivating.  I couldn't wait to read where Li Lan was going to go next and what she was going to be able to discover.  The ending was a little weak for me.  We know what choice she made at the end but I really did want to know more!  Overall a very good read!

Rating: 4 stars

Requiem

Requiem

by Lauren Oliver

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopian Fiction

Synopsis:  They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

From GoodReads

Review: Let me start by saying that I was not planning on reviewing this book but I had a totally different reaction to it than Marcie, so I had to review and rate this book.  I was expecting not to like this book based on Marcie's review of the book.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I liked this book the best out of the three books.  The first two books were too romance-y for me and I felt very ambivalent about them.  This one I liked! This one did not focus much on Lena's relationships with the boys in her life, it centered around the rebellion against the society that decided to get rid of love.  I really loved the alternating points of view from Lena's and Hana's perspectives.  It was interesting to get inside the mind of someone who had been cured and see what they still can feel.  I didn't have any problems switching back and forth because their lives were so different!  I know a lot of people had a problem with the ending but somehow I loved how it ended.  It leaves me with hope that society will be rebuilt and that Lena will be happy.  I also felt like the resistance had hope. While I think that the ending came up awfully abruptly, I honestly think the ending made the book as good as it was.

Rating: 4 stars

To read my review of Delirium, click here.

To read Marcie's review of Pandemonium, click here.

To read Marcie's review of Requiem, click here.

Allegiant

Allegiant

by Veronica Roth

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian Fiction

Synopsis:  The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered-fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal.  So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's know, Tris is ready.  Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind.  Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless.  Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves.  And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature-and of herself-while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant by #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

From the book jacket

Review:  I could not wait to get my hands on this book because I loved the first two so much.  I read this book in less than 3 days so clearly it was engaging and a quick read.  At first I was thrown off by the switching point of views.  It really took adjustment after the other 2 books being written just from Tris's point of view.  After a while it got easier.  But this book lacked depth both in the plot and in the characters.  I did not like the character of Four as much in this book and I wonder if that is because we can see his inner workings due to chapters being told from his perspective.  He lost his strength and became like a lost little boy.  The other characters lost their depth as well and became very one dimensional.  There was a big rebellion in this story but the preparation of it and the actual rebellion was such a short part of the book.  I'm not sure what they did the rest of the book!  Well actually I do know, Tris and Four made out quite a bit which was completely unnecessary-you can skip over those parts without missing anything!  The whole story line didn't seem to fit in with the other two books for me.  I expected something totally different to be outside the walls.  The ending was wrapped up neatly-there are no loose ends which is something that always bothers in my books and for that I am thankful that they author did that.   But I just wanted so much more from this book! 

Rating: 3 stars

Gift from the Sea

Gift from the Sea

by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Genre: Inspirational

Synopsis:  In this inimitable, beloved classic-graceful, lucid and lyrical-Anne Morrow Lindbergh shares her meditations on young and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and contentment as she set them down during a brief vacation by the sea.   Drawing inspiration from the shells on the shore, Lindbergh's musings on the shape of a woman's life bring new understanding to both men and women at any stage of life.  A mother of five, an acclaimed writer and a pioneering aviator, Lindbergh casts an  unsentimental eye on trappings of modernity that threaten to overwhelm us; the time-saving gadgets that complicate rather than simplify, the multiple commitments that take us from our families.  And by recording her thoughts during a brief escape from everyday demands, she helps readers find a space for contemplation and creativity within their own lives.

From the book jaceket

Review: To be honest, I was not mentally ready to read this book.  I was unaware of how thought provoking this book was and how dedicated you had to be to read this book.  While this book is very short, it is not a fast read.  You have to have no distractions to absorb all that you can from this book.  Lindbergh really does have great insights and uses beautiful metaphors to help us understand what she is talking about with life, womanhood, marriage and more.  But you have to be ready to take something away from this book.  You have to be open to change. And you also have to be focused and dedicated to deciphering her metaphors-many parts of the book are not easily understood.  You must put thought into this book.  As stated in the forward by Lindbergh's daughter, she reads this book at least once a year.  I could understand that because I think you would take away different advice in different stages of life.  It is a good reminder of simplifying your life, which is much easier said than done, and of living in the now.  Perhaps had I known the type of book it was before reading and found a time where I could dedicate to giving this book my all, I would have gotten more out of it and liked it better.

Rating:  3 1/2 stars (but this most likely will change when I am open to reading the book again)

The Memory Thief

The Memory Thief

Emily Colin

Genre: Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads):  Reminiscent of On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah, readers will adore Emily Colin’s unique and beautifully written debut novel, where one man’s promise to return drives an exquisitely passionate, unforgettable tale of love lost and found.

When Madeleine Kimble’s husband Aiden dies in a mountain climbing accident, Maddie can only think of his earnest promise to return to her and their young son. Aiden’s best friend J.C. feels great remorse over his inability to save him, but J.C.’s grief is also seasoned with the guilt of loving Maddie through the years. Meanwhile, across the country another young man wakes up in a hospital and finds that his memories have been wiped clean, and replaced with haunting dreams of a beautiful woman and a five year old boy whom he feels driven to find. What Nicholas Sullivan discovers upon his journey is utterly unexpected—and it will change all of their lives, especially Maddie’s.

Review: Perhaps I just wasn't in the right mood to read this book, but I found it somewhat slow and a little bizarre. SPOILER ALERT: The synopsis states that Nicholas has "haunting dreams", but in reality, he is basically possessed by Aiden following Aiden's death, which leads to some unbelievable situations.  Although I'm not normally interested in books about supernatural events, I might have enjoyed the novelty of this situation if it wasn't for the unrealistic and unlikeable behavior of the main characters.  I sympathized with Maddie's feelings towards J.C., since I thought he was a much better person than Aiden, but her behavior on the night of Aiden's funeral was just wrong and caused me to lose respect for her as a character.

Rating: 3 stars

Two Kisses for Maddy

Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love

by Matthew Logelin

Genre: Memoir

Synopsis:  Matt and Liz Logelin were high school sweethearts. After years of long-distance dating, the pair finally settled together in Los Angeles, and they had it all: a perfect marriage, a gorgeous new home, and a baby girl on the way. Liz's pregnancy was rocky, but they welcomed Madeline, beautiful and healthy, into the world on March 24, 2008. 

Just twenty-seven hours later, Liz suffered a pulmonary embolism and died instantly, without ever holding the daughter whose arrival she had so eagerly awaited. Though confronted with devastating grief and the responsibilities of a new and single father, Matt did not surrender to devastation; he chose to keep moving forward-- to make a life for Maddy. 

In this memoir, Matt shares bittersweet and often humorous anecdotes of his courtship and marriage to Liz; of relying on his newborn daughter for the support that she unknowingly provided; and of the extraordinary online community of strangers who have become his friends. In honoring Liz's legacy, heartache has become solace.

From GoodReads

Review: This was a very honest memoir about coping with a loss but also having to keep on going for the new baby.  Logelin really did a great job expressing his emotions without apologizing for them and telling the story of him, his wife, their life together and their child.  I was sucked into the book from the get go and had a really hard time putting it down.  Luckily it was a quick read!  It was not a tear jerker for me until the very last chapter.  Matt writes a letter to his daughter in the last chapter and that is when the tears started forming for me.  Logelin is very honest about his feelings and about himself.  He really had to grow up after his wife died so he may come off as immature in some places in the book.   There were a couple things I disliked about that book.  One thing that bothered me is the amount of splurging he did on Maddy and about how many trips he took with her.   It seemed a little excessive for someone who just had over half the family's income removed.  But that was more about his choice of lifestyle than about the book itself.  But it did make him less sympathetic.  The thing that bothered me the most was the use of the f word.  At times it could be on any given page once or twice.  Other times it was a little sporadic.  It was unnecessary at most times.  I know he was upset but to me there are other ways to express your emotions.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars but am debating about rating it a 4 because it was so captivating