Happy Tuesday!!

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(43)All the Summer Girls by Meg Donohue

All the Summer Girls 

by Meg Donohue 

@MegDonohue

Pages: 288

Publication Date: May 21, 2013

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Kate, Dani, and Vanessa have been best friends ever since they attended grade school at the local Quaker private school in Philadelphia.  Their friendship has stood the test of time, through high school, summers on the beach,  college, and beyond.  From boys, to the loss of Kate's twin brother, and so much more, their friendship has been the one constant in all of their lives.  

Now all three women are on the verge of turning thirty. Vanessa's marriage is on the rocks, Dani is a failed author who just got fired, and on the day Kate's fiance dumps her, she discovers that she is pregnant.  What do old friends do when their lives are falling apart?  They lean on each other.  They decide to meet up once again at Dani's Father's beach house on the Jersey Shore.  The same beach house where they spent the summer that Kate's brother died.  Will their time together heal both their past and their present?  Or will the truths that come out at the beach house destroy their friendship forever?

Can you believe that the first wave of "beach reads" are hitting the shelves? It seems like just yesterday it was snowing.  Oh wait.  It was.  :)  (Quite heavily in the Utah mountains) I just find it so hard to believe that 2013 is almost half over already.   ANYWAY.... beach reads are always fun to read, I have my favorite "regulars" that write an annual beach read novel, but now I can add Meg Donohue to the list.  All The Summer Girls was a really quick read and it certainly transported me from cold, rainy Utah to the beaches of the Jersey shore.   All three characters had their strengths and their weaknesses, very obviously flawed.  Kate is a control freak, Vanessa is contemplating adultery, and Dani has a problem with over indulging on pills and booze. But, despite their flaws, they are good women who will be there for each other no matter what.  It is something that all women can relate to in one way or another. 

Bottom line, if you are looking for a good beach read to kick off the Summer season, then you must start with All the Summer Girls.  A well written novel set on the beach, but with a little more substance to it than similar books in the genre.  Give it a shot and let me know what you think!

(42)Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

Reconstructing Amelia 

by Kimberly McCreight 

@KimMcCreight

Publication Date: April 2, 2013

Pages: 382

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Kate Baron has it all.  She is a very successful Manhattan attorney and has a beautiful daughter, teenager, Amelia.  Her world is rocked when she gets a call from her daughter's exclusive prep-school, Grace Hall, Amelia was accused of plagiarizing a paper, she is being suspended, they demand Kate's appearance immediately. Unfortunately immediately doesn't fit with Kate's busy schedule and when she finally arrives at Grace Hall she finds an horrific scene, Amelia allegedly jumped from the roof of the building. 

Kate is barely existing in the days after Amelia's death.  She decides to go back to work sooner than expected, much to the surprise of everyone, but she is desperate to take her mind of the fact that she is now truly alone in this world.  Kate thinks that she is doing "fine" until she receives a text from a blocked number. "Amelia didn't jump".  That one text sends Kate on a journey into the dark, terrifying world that her daughter lived in at Grace Hall.  Through Amelia's text records, emails, and computer Kate reconstructs Amelia's life and finds a world of secret clubs, hazing, bullying, and more.  Did she ever really know her daughter at all? And did Amelia  jump? Or was she pushed?

Reconstructing Amelia is one of those page turners that have a new twist at every turn.  It is so good , but you are torn on which way to feel.   On the one hand your heart aches for Kate at losing her daughter, her heartache and regret resonates with every page.  But on the other hand, you can't help but feel some anger towards Kate for not being more involved in her daughter's life.  Especially when you know that Amelia would have given anything to tell her mother what is going on in her world.  It is heartbreaking,utterly heartbreaking. No matter what their relationship, by the end of the book you are side by side with Kate - desperate to know what happened to Amelia. 

Bottom line, Reconstructing Amelia, is going to be this Summer's "must read" novel that everyone is talking about.  It is rare to find such an engrossing novel that will leaving you guessing until the very end, but Reconstructing Amelia will do that for you.  Give it a read & let me know what you think!

(41)The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes

The Mystery of Mercy Close

by Marian Keyes

@MarianKeyes

Publication Date: April 9, 2013

Pages: 400

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Marian Keyes is one of those Irish authors that turned me on to the beauty of Irish literature.  I have read all about the Walsh family and the ups and downs of their lives in books such as Watermelon and Rachel's Holiday. Sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, for better or worse Marian Keyes has brought the Walsh family into our lives.

The Mystery of Mercy Close is Helen's story. Helen Walsh has had a rough go of things lately.   With the economy crashing her private investigation business has taken a nosedive.  Her flat is about to be foreclosed on and she is forced to move back in with her parents, at the age of thirty-three it is rather quite humiliating.  The only bright thing in Helen's wife is her rather handsome boyfriend, Artie.  But even things with him have been a little tense lately, his ex-wife has been hanging around far more than Helen likes.  All of it has her spiraling out of control and barely hanging on by a thread when she gets a phone call from her ex-boyfriend, Jay Parker.   He needs her help with a top secret case.

One of the most famous boy bands from the nineties is getting back together for a reunion concert, Jay Parker has put it all together and there is a lot at stake.  Except for now, one of the major stars has gone missing and Jay is desperate to find him so that the show will go off without a hitch.  As Helen searches for the missing star, she starts spiraling deeper and deeper into the abyss.  The only thing that is keeping her from  ending it all is her professionalism. She must find Wayne Diffney - and then she can end it all.   Will Helen find the missing boy band star and what will she do when the case is over?

Marian Keyes has always been known to write Chick Lit novels with a somewhat dark overtone, but The Mystery of Mercy Close is the only one that somewhat parallels her own life. In 2009 Marian Keyes experienced a crippling bout of depression, much like Helen Walsh, it nearly destroyed her.  Her experience with depression is the reason why this book was so good. The darkness that envelopes Helen is almost as terrifying for the reader as it is for Helen.  When she even went so far as to buy a knife and start planning her suicide I was so tense and found myself so concerned for her well being.

Bottom line, The Mystery of Mercy Close, has everything you would want in a novel.  Mystery, romance, rock-stars,divas, crazy families and more.  At the heart of everything is the severity of mental-illness. It is an important message to get out there and one that I think needs to be discussed more often, like maybe at this month's book club meeting?

Happy Tuesday!!

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(40)The Glass Wives by Amy Sue Nathan

The Glass Wives

by Amy Sue Nathan

@AmySueNathan 

Pages: 304

Publication Date: May 14,2013

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Evie Glass has reluctantly adjusted to life as a divorced woman. Her ex, Richard, married the woman he had an affair with, Nicole, and they share custody of their twins, Sam and Sophie.  It is not the most ideal way to raise children, but they have figured out how to make it work.  Until Richard is killed in a tragic accident.

The Glass Wives starts with Evie and her family sitting Shiva at the home Richard shared with Nicole and their son, Luca.  As much as Evie wants to shut Nicole out of their lives, the twins have gotten rather attached to their little brother and are not about to let her write him out of their lives. The coming weeks are rough on all of them, Evie's concern about their financial stability forces her to do the unconventional and she invites Nicole and Luca to move into their home.  They have settled into an uncomfortable "normal", but when Evie discovers that Nicole has her own plans to secure her future, well, it causes Evie to rethink their "new normal".  Will Nicole's act shatter their fledgling little family or will Evie be able to forgive yet again?

When you think about it, the concept behind The Glass Wives is so unique, really, could YOU imagine inviting the woman who broke up your marriage to live with you after the death of her husband, your ex-husband? Evie's two closest friends Beth and Laney think that she has lost her ever-lovin mind and don't waste any opportunity to let her know it, too.  And maybe she has, but I can totally understand that she felt it was really her only option. I can also understand her desire to give her twins whatever they need in order to help heal, but to invite "the other woman" into her home, I just don't know if I could be so generous. There is also a "betrayal" that comes to light with Evie's friend that causes Evie to question the black & white of her life,  it is a nice subplot in a story that touches the heart.

Bottom line, The Glass Wives is a very well written novel about two women and one man. Forgiveness, healing, and sacrifice are all themes you will find in this novel. I found myself feeling empathy and compassion for both women and I found myself wanting a "happy ever after" for both women. That is never a bad thing, right?

(39) Where You Can Find Me by Sheri Joseph

Where You Can Find Me 

By Sheri Joseph

@Sheri_Joseph

Pages: 336

Publication Date:  April 16, 2013

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We, the American people, have short memories.  We often are captivated by the "Story of the week" - a girl loses an arm in a shark attack,an innocent woman is set free from a foreign prison and a boy recovered years after mysteriously disappearing.  We are enamored with their stories for a week or so and unless they write a book or are interviewed by People magazine we here very little about them and their "Life After" .   Author Sheri Joseph attempts to give us a glimpse at the "after" in her new novel, Where You Can Find Me.

Caleb Vincent was eleven years old when he was kidnapped and fourteen years old when he was returned to his family that fractured with his disappearance.  His parents separated while he was gone, but have gotten back together for his sake. But his mother's fear and even grief has everyone on edge.  Her idea to deal with it is to take Caleb, his sister, Lark and move to Costa Rica where their grandmother lives.  Even though his father disagrees with that course of action, he lets them go.   In Costa Rica, Marlene struggles to create a new "normal" for her kids.  Lark adjusts pretty quickly, but Caleb struggles with readjusting to life.  The life he lived those three years he was away was truly a nightmare, but it was his nightmare, and that nightmare WAS his normal. Caleb is torn between longing for Jolly, the man who "rescued" him and trying to readjust to his family.  Will Caleb ever settle in with his family or is he forever damaged by what happened those three years he was gone?

It took me a few chapters to feel connected to Caleb and his story, but when I did, I was swept away to Costa Rica with Caleb and his family.  The chapters are told from different viewpoints, so you get all sides of the story, but there is no indication as to whose telling the chapter until you just start reading.  It does make things a bit disjointed, but not so much that you can't keep up. I found myself most interested in Caleb's chapters.  Trying to get into his head and understand why he did the things he did really kept me engrossed in the story. I even felt the concern for Caleb growing in ME as I was reading the story, it was a unique feeling. And oh, the breathtaking scenery the author describes through out the whole book is stunning, not to mention the wildlife that is found through out the story, well the scenery made it very easy to get swept away to Costa Rica with Caleb and his family.

Bottom line, Where You Can Find Me is not one of those happy, feel-good kind of stories.  Caleb, and his family, went through hell.  You can't recover from hell in just a few short months, no matter how long the book.  Please, don't let that scare you though, Where You Can Find Me is a well written novel with characters that will draw you into their world and force you to care about those actions.  Definitely worth the read!

(38)Man Up! Tales of my Delusional Self-Confidence by Ross Mathews

Man Up! 

by Ross Mathews 

@helloross

Pages: 216

Publication Date: May 7, 2013

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You are probably familiar with Ross Mathews even if you don't realize it, you know one of those faces (or voices) that you recognize, but don't realize why.  He may be that guy from Leno (like he is for me) or for some of the younger crowd you may know him as that guy from Chelsea's show.  Either way, he is that unforgettable down to earth guy that is guaranteed to make you giggle like a school girl.

Well Ross has written a book about how he stumbled into his career as a free lance "television personality".  From growing in in a rural Washington community with his normal family to becoming the worlds second most famous intern (behind Monica Lewinsky of course) we get to here all the details in true Ross fashion.  He tells us tales of dating when he was still a kid and was dating girls.  We get to hear about how he and Gwyneth Paltrow become BFFs and believe it or not, we get to hear about his love of football, no really, he loves football.  In hilarious fashion, Ross shares bits and pieces of his life and his road to becoming somewhat a celebrity himself.

I love a good celebrity memoir where we get to read about some famous celebrities and hear some behind the scenes type of stuff.  Ross Mathews does not disappoint with Man Up! His down to earth style is very evident in his words and his writing style is bit unique. By that I mean, just looking at Ross you would never expect him to have the mouth of a trucker, but he does and it is adorable on him.  Oh!  And pay attention because there is a Cosmo-style quiz at the end!

Bottom line, Man Up! has everything that you would want in a celebrity memoir.  A fun, honest celebrity, a super star BFF, and lots of giggling.  If you are looking for a quick and fun read, then you must get grab Man Up! , you can find it in book stores today.

Happy Tuesday!!

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Heads up - the critics are calling this one the next Hunger Games!

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(37) The Lost Husband by Katherine Center

The Lost Husband 

by Katherine Center

@KatherineCenter

Pages: 304

Publication Date: May 7, 2013

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I have shared before that I grew up in rural Iowa.  When I was a kid I wanted nothing more than to get out of the rural setting and find my way into a city where nobody knows your name.  Now here it is twenty years later and I would give anything to live in a rural setting - isolated in nature with no traffic and no HOA's (grrr!!).   Libby Moran gets that chance and is it wrong that I am so envious of her?

Libby Moran's life has been hell for the last three years.  There is no other way to describe it than hell.  Her husband was killed in a tragic car accident that severely injured their daughter. With that moment her perfect suburban life fell apart. The man who hit them did not have insurance, her husband had cashed in his life insurance to invest in a bad deal, she lost their house, and was forced to move into a small condo with her narcissistic mother. Libby is hanging on by a thread when she gets a letter from her long lost Aunt Jean, inviting her to move to her goat farm and help run the farm since she has health issues preventing her from doing as much as she used to around the farm.  Libby grasps the invitation as if it were her last hope and within days Libby and her two kids are headed to the Hill Country of Texas to live on Aunt Jean's farm.

Libby had no idea what to expect when she drives onto the farm and finds a quaint little cottage with a license plate roof.  She finds herself instantly attracted to the warmth of Aunt Jean and the sense of "home" that she has been missing since her husband passed away.  With the help of Aunt Jean's farmhand, the "Grizzly Adams-esque" O'Conner Libby catches on to the ways of farm life quite quickly.  The next few months are spent learning a lot about her family history, her marriage, and herself.  Is the farm where she is meant to be or is there something else out there?

Have you ever read a book where you just feel GOOD about life when you are finished?  I really think that The Lost Husband is a "feel-good" kind of book. Libby is such a great character, I enjoyed everything about her and I really enjoyed how the author avoided the "fish out of water" hi-jinx that can usually be found in "city girl moves to the country" books.  Oh, she let it be known that Libby was out of her element in subtle ways, like having to teach the kids what "go outside & play" really means and getting used to no television or internet.  There were just no silly mishaps involving the goats or muddy yards.  But anyway, I found myself envying Libby and her quiet farm evenings with a porch swing and all of the windows open.  And O'Conner?  More city girls would be moving to farms if every farm came with a man like O'Conner!

Bottom line, The Lost Husband was a sweet, tender, feel-good kind of read. I found myself enjoying the farm and Libby and Aunt Jean so much that I did not want the story to end. The Lost Husband is an enjoyable read that I think will have you longing for the farm, too.

(36)Thinking of You by Jill Mansell

Thinking of You

by Jill Mansell 

@JillMansell

Pages: 384

Publication Date: May 7, 2013

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oops. I could have sworn the release date for Thinking of You was last week, which is why I had it on last Tuesday's post.  But apparently I was wrong, shocking, I know. :)

Ginny Holland is thirty-eight years old and is experiencing a severe case of the empty nest syndrome.  Her only child, Jem, has just gone off to University leaving Ginny alone in their big rambling house.  Her friends and ex-husband mean well by trying to help by suggesting things such as taking a boarder (her friend's idea) for her house and attending a singles club (her ex-husband's idea) .  Of course things don't go as smoothly as Ginny would hope.  Her boarder is in the throws of horrible depression after a bad break up and her foray into dating has yielded nothing but heartache when she discovers her new boyfriend is also dating her best friend. Will she be able to get her life straight and will her cute new boss, Finn, ever see her as more than an employee?

Okay, first of all.  This is the first Jill Mansell novel where I was close to the heroines age (I will be 38 in two months) yet we are at such different  spots in our life. But not really.   Ginny is battling empty nest syndrome, but by no stretch of the imagination is she a dried up old maid type of mom. She is just seeking the direction she next wants to take with her life.  She no longer has a child at home to focus all of her energy on, so now what?  Ginny was really a character that I could enjoy.  Her love for her friends and her daughter and even her ex-husband made her a character with character, if that makes sense.  I also enjoyed the sub-plot of Jem off on her own for the first time and desperately trying to be an adult in an adult world when she very much still has a young woman's heart.  And then there is Finn, the cute boss... sigh... Even with his extra baggage and the funny misunderstanding when he first met Ginny, well I was rooting for him from the very beginning.

Bottom line, while I am a very loyal Jill Mansell reader I didn't realize how much her last two books was lacking until I read Thinking of You. I loved Thinking of You and flew through it in just a couple of days.  It  is one of those books that will touch your heart, make you laugh, and even make you cry with everything that Ginny goes through. As a woman in her late 30's I found a lot of myself in Ginny and that always makes for a good read. Check it out and let me know what you think!

(35)Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

Someday, Someday, Maybe

by Lauren Graham

@thelaurengraham

Publication Date: April 29, 2013

Pages: 352

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The year is 1995 and Franny Banks is running out of time.  She made herself a promise that if she didn't "make it" in acting in three years she would move on and find something else to do with her life. Well, time is running out and all she has to show for her time in New York is a job waiting tables at a comedy club and a few commercials.  Her days are spent running from audition to audition with a few attempts at finding an agent and the occasional acting class. But as her "date" closes in on her the pressure of success is almost overwhelming, but she finds comfort hanging out with her nerdy roommate, Dan.  Will Franny find success as an actress or will she have to admit her failures and move on?

First of all, yes, the author is THAT Lauren Graham, also known as Lorelei Gilmore and Sarah Braverman. So, pretty much someone who has experience as a struggling actress. The whole flashback to the year of 1995 was awesome.  The tv show Friends and a drawer full of scrunchies, yes please! I also enjoyed how each chapter ended with a pages out of Franny's date book. It was fun to see the scribbles and notes she made about her life. The banter between Franny and her father is really quite funny and I found myself chuckling more than once at their interactions. The story itself lagged a bit in spots, but the chuckles that popped up every now and then made it worth the read and you just have to stick with the story to see if Franny ends up with the nerd or the actor.

Bottom line, it doesn't matter how many shows or movie she stars in, Lauren Graham will always and forever be the fast talking, quick witted single mother, Lorelei Gilmore to me.  For that reason alone I was excited to read Someday, Someday, Maybe and I wasn't disappointed.  If you are looking for a solid read and a flashback to the 90's, then you will most likely enjoy this book.  Be sure to let me know what you thought!

Happy Tuesday!!

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(34)The Time of My Life by Cecelia Ahern

The Time of My Life

by Cecelia Ahern 

On Facebook

Pages: 486

Publication Date: April 23, 2013

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< /p> Have you ever told your friends or family a little white lie just because the truth is too complicated or too hard to share?  Well, Lucy Silchester has found herself in a rut of perpetual lies. She has been receiving notices from her Life, requesting a meeting to set things right and she just ignores it and ignores it until she can not put it off any more. 

Her meeting with Life does not go as she expected. He calls her on all of her crap, starting with leading her family and friends to believe that SHE cheated on and dumped the love of her life, when in reality he dumped her.  She lost her fabulous job and lied to get the job she has now, which she hates.  She lies to her landlord and hides her cat, Mr.Pan and most importantly she lies to herself that all is well with her Life. After her meeting, her Life (also known as Cosmo) shows up at the most inopportune times trying to get her to face the reality of what has become of her Life.  Will she use this opportunity to re-examine her life and put things back on track, or will her fear of Life prevent her from moving forward?

Y'all know how much I love my Irish literature, so I say this as lovingly as possible.  The Time of My Life was a bit weird, but weird in the best possible way. It really took me a while - most of the book really -  to figure out that the reason why Lucy is so hateful towards Cosmo is because she really, really hates the way her life has turned out. Even when the handsome Don Lockwood wanders into her life, she finds ways to sabotage the relationship. But, having your Life manifest before your eyes in the form of a grumpy, disheveled gentleman is a bit of an eye-opener, and it made me think, once I finished the book, if my life were to manifest into a person, who would it be?

Bottom line, even though it took me most of the book to "get it" - I really think that The Time of My Life has an important message. If you love Irish literature, then you are very familiar with Cecelia Ahern and you are not likely to miss this book, but don't give up on it too early, even though it seems "weird" you must stay with it to the end. It is well worth the read, I promise!

(33)Nowhere But Home by Liza Palmer

Nowhere but Home

by Liza Palmer 

@lizapalmer

Publication Date: April 2, 2013

Pages: 384

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Queen Elizabeth Wake (Queenie to those who know her) got out of North Star, Texas as soon as she possibly could, leaving behind the scandal her mother created with her death.  After college she drifted from city to city and finally landed in New York City where she is a chef at an upscale hotel.  Well, she was, until she got fired for refusing to allow a guest to add ketchup to one of her dishes. With no money, no job, and no home, there is only one place she can go - home to North Star, Texas.

Even though North Star is just the same as it was when she left, the people have all gotten older, including Queenie's sister, Merry Carole and her nephew, Cal. And the gossip-mongers have gotten worse. And then there is Everett, the reason why Queenie high-tailed it out of North Star.  The love of her life who was far too good for the town whore's daughter. Queenie is confused as to what to do when she is offered a unique position preparing the last meals for inmates on death row. Will Queenie stick around North Star and finally put down roots or will the daily life of small town living be too much for her?

Nowhere but Home started off being your normal Chick Lit kind of book. I could relate to the big city girl going home plot line, but the moment she thinks about taking a job cooking the last meals for death row inmates it gets kind of heavy.  Queenie has all sorts of mixed emotions about being back in Texas to begin with, and then to be offered a job preparing the last meal that these people will ever eat?  Throw into the mix her very single ex-boyfriend? Woah.  I was surprised at how much I was sucked into Queenie's story, especially after she went to work at the prison. Her reaction to those meals really touched my heart, she goes home and crawls into bed with her big sister, because she can't bear the thought of being alone. 

Bottom line, Nowhere but Home, is a great little novel with a unique main character.  While Queenie is a little rough around the edges, she has a heart of gold and just wants to be happy. I truly believe that Nowhere but Home would be an excellent selection for your next book club meeting.  There is so much discussion to be had from one little novel, for example, what would YOU choose for your last meal?

(32)Table for Seven by Whitney Gaskell

Table for Seven 

by Whitney Gaskell

@WhitneyGaskell 

Publication Date: April 23, 2013

Pages: 416

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It is New Years Eve when a group of friends gather for a unique dinner party.  Fran and Will are the hosts, they have been married for many years and have settled into the routine that many married couples fall into, especially when there are careers, teens, and life involved.  They invite their friends Jaime and Mark, a newly married couple with two young children, as well as Mark's daughter from a previous marriage.  They get very little adult time and look forward to the evenings with their friends.  Leland, a widowed retired neighbor is invited as well as Coop, an old friend of Wills, and Audrey, a young widowed friend of Fran's.  They are an eclectic group of people and are all surprised at how much they enjoyed their dinner party.  The group decide to make it a monthly date rotating hosts and the "Table for Seven" club has started.

As the year continues the seven members go through their ups and downs. Each of the seven of them have their good times and bad. They are struggling with career choices, marriage issues such as infidelity and struggles that come up after years of marital routines. They each try to forget their problems to attend their monthly dinners, but eventually all of their secrets are revealed.  Will marriages remain intact?  Will friendships stay strong?  And will the dinner party club continue after it is all said and done?

Table For Seven was a nice leisurely read.  The characters seem a bit more three dimensional than some "fluffy" books, but don't seem to take themselves to seriously. I enjoyed watching the relationship between Coop and Audrey develop and I was rooting for them the whole way.  And I really enjoyed Leland, the retired neighbor.  He was a unique character added to the mix and I am glad the author introduced him to us.  The ending was good, without being too predictable, which sometimes happens.

Bottom line, if you are looking for a good book for a leisurely afternoon read, then you would likely enjoy Table for Seven.  It will hold your interest and connect you to the characters without being too strenuous or emotional, so pretty much perfect for a lazy afternoon.

Happy Tuesday!!

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(31)With or Without You by Domenica Ruta

With or Without You

by Domenica Ruta

@DomenicaMary

Publication Date:  February 26, 2013

Pages: 224

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Domenica (Nikki) Ruta did not have a conventional childhood by any stretch of the imagination.  She grew up in a small community outside Boston where she lived with her mother in a house owned by her Grandmother, that sounds normal, right?  Well her mother, Kathi,  was somewhat of a notorious figure in Danvers, known for her ability to have a good time with lots and lots of drugs. From pot to oxy to heroin, Nikki knew from a tender age what drugs were and what people ON drugs were capable of doing to young girls. 

Despite her tumultuous upbringing Nikki tried to maintain a normalcy - even when her mom paid for her parochial school with money she got selling drugs, Nikki didn't think she was much different then the other kids at school.  Then one night she had a friend over to stay the night and saw her home from new eyes.  The squalor that she was living in and the drugs and drug addicts that littered her home WAS different from the other kids in her class.  So they try to get her into a boarding school and after lots of applications, she is accepted to one of the most prestigious boarding schools on the East coast.  But was it in time to prevent Nikki from repeating the horrible cycle that began generations before she came along?  Will she be able to put her Mother behind her and go on to lead a happy, productive life?

I am not sure if you could tell from my brief synopsis, but With or Without You is a memoir. A horrifying real life tale of a young girl trapped in the drug addled world created by her drug addicted mother.  My jaw literally dropped at some of the stories Nilkki had to share about her mother, it almost seemed like she HAD to be fictional because no mother would be so bad as to give her young daughter OXYCONTIN for a headache, right?  I will say that the Nikki skipped around in the time line pretty frequently causing some confusion and frustrations to me, the reader.  I was pretty irritated by the sequence until the end of the book when she made some comment (not a direct quote) about how [when finally sober, memories return slowly and never in the right order]. It was a like a light bulb came on and I immediately forgave Nikki for her writing ADD. 

Bottom line, With or Without You is a raw, gritty novel about a young girl struggling to survive a childhood that would have chewed up and spat out just about any other soul.  Nikki is obviously a strong woman who has a great gift for telling a story and I am glad that she did survive to tell us her cautionary tale. If you are in the need of feeling better about your own childhood, then you must read With or Without You. I promise you that you will feel better about your life.

(30)The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green

@realjohngreen

Publication Date: January 10, 2012

Pages: 336

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Hazel Grace Lancaster has not been healthy for as long as she can remember. The cancer that has ravaged her body has also stolen a normal childhood from her.  All of her missed school resulted in Hazel getting her GED and now is a sixteen year old college student. An experimental drug has made life somewhat liveable, she has to carry oxygen wherever she goes , but it is really a small price to pay for staying alive. Even though she is glad to be alive, she is a bit self conscious to be seen in public, so she sticks pretty close to home. Much to her dismay, Hazel's parents require her to attend a support group made up of other kids who have cancer, it is there that she meets Augustus Waters.

From the first time they meet Hazel is drawn to Gus's quick wit and lazy smile. His rapid fire way of talking keeps Hazel on her toes and has her falling madly in love despite the fact that she is terminal and she knows that she is a grenade.  Gus is not only at group supporting his friend, Isaac, but he himself lost a leg to cancer, but has been NEC (No Evidence of Cancer) for quite a while.  Soon, Hazel and Gus are spending a lot of time together, discussing their favorite books, their favorite poets, and even something so normal as playing video games as teens are known to do. Will Gus and Hazel be able to escape the Grim Reaper to live their happily ever after?

Any "real" reader has been familiar with at least the title of The Fault in Our Stars as it was at the top of all the "Best of 2012" lists - including Time Magazine.  Now I understand why.  I listened to the book while on the treadmill, I knew I was taking a risk on the treadmill listening to a book about kids with cancer, but I found myself chuckling more than I found myself crying.  Hazel and Gus are such SMART, fun characters. Their banter and their wit and their utter devotion to each other just made me fall in love with both of them.  And then there is their cancer -the courage at which they deal with the cancer is just astounding and their trip to Denmark was just about as romantic as you would find in any romance novel, especially the visit to the Anne Frank house (which ironically enough has been in the news this week because of another famous teen who will remain unnamed in this blog).  But the end... the end of any book about cancer.... well, I am not gonna lie, it is going to rip your heart out. 

Bottom line, The Fault in Our Stars, is a pretty damn good book.  John Green is one of the best YA novelist out there right now and he proves why with this book.  I know most of my readers are adults, but if you only read one Young Adult novel this year, let it be this one. You will be glad that I introduced you to Hazel and Gus, I promise.

Happy Tuesday!!

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(29)Family Pictures by Jane Green

Family Pictures

by Jane Green 

Jane Green on Facebook

Pages:  352

Publication Date: March 19, 2013

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Sylvie has always joked that she has the perfect marriage. Her husband, Mark, travels extensively for work and is only home usually about two weeks out of the month.  Which gives her the alone time with her daughter that she craves and just enough spousal time to keep her from feeling smothered or abandoned.  Their daughter, Eve, is getting ready to head off to college causing an "empty nest" fear in Sylvie that she never expected.  She starts to pressure Mark to give up the excessive traveling and stay home more, the pressure causes some friction between them, but he swears it will be better soon. 

Maggie is exactly the kind of wife you would expect to find in a Connecticut suburb.  She has three popular, nearly perfect kids.  Their beautiful McMansion is the envy of the whole neighborhood. She is highly involved in the social scene in their community and everything that means, including charity work and events at the club.   She drives a Land Rover and her husband, Mark, drives a Porsche.  He travels extensively for work, but because he provides generously for their family she does not give him any grief over his absence.   Unknown to her, one night their daughter, Grace, brings home an online friend who is visiting from the West Coast, Eve.  Eve awakens and is beyond shocked to see the family portrait. Her father, Mark, is in the picture with Grace and her family. 

Family Pictures is a story of two women, two families, and one man. I don't think I am giving anything away by divulging that information.  The book's synopsis gives a pretty good indication as to what happens, but I will say it took nearly half the book to get to that revelation.  The two women are about as different as you can get, yet with the one major thing in common they quickly become acquainted.  I liked how the author illustrated the difference between the two women, and even their children, yet at the same time their are strong similarities between them and especially their daughters, who are battling their own demons.  The story follows their adjustments to their "new normal" and I was very satisfied with the way the story ended, in fact it made me happy. 

Bottom line, I think it is easy and honest for me to say that Jane Green is one of my top favorite authors, if not my absolute favorite.  I have read her books and followed her career ever since Jemima J, which I read so long ago, I barely remember the plot. (and I just purchased the e-book so I can re-read!). That being said, Family Pictures was not my favorite of hers. It is absolutely worth the read, don't get me wrong, but waiting half the book to get to the big "reveal" was a bit frustrating to this impatient reader.

(28)If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

If You Find Me

by Emily Murdoch

Publication Date: March 26, 2013

Pages: 256

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For as long as she can remember Carey and Janessa have lived deep in the Tennessee woods  as their drug addicted mother comes and goes as she wants.  Fourteen year old Carey has vague memories of life before the woods, but six year old Janessa knows nothing else.  Their "normal" includes reading old schoolbooks picked up at garage sales and hunting their food.

Their mama has been gone for months this time when "The Man" and a strange woman shows up in the clearing.  It has been many years, but Carey recognizes "The Man" as being her father.  They say that her Mama sent in a letter saying where they could find Carey & Janessa and that she won't be back.  In just a matter of minutes all hope was sucked from Carey's world.  She reluctantly agrees to go with them because in the long run she knows it will be the best for Janessa.  Her father has remarried a woman named Melissa who has a daughter, Delaney, who is roughly the same age as Carey.  They both try to forget what happened during their years in the woods as they prepare to go to school for the first time, experience Christmas for the first time, sleep in a real bed for the first time and adjust to life with a real family.  Will Carey and Janessa ever become "normal" and will what happened in the woods really stay in the woods?

I found it rather easy to get caught up in the world of Carey and Janessa. Carey is a very likable character and the author wrote Nessa to be one of the sweetest little girls to be found in a book.  My heart ached at the tender way Carey "mothered" Nessa,  the love she has for that little girl is so evident. My heart also ached for Carey as she adjusted to going to high school, especially with her Step-Sister not exactly being welcoming.  Then there is Melisa, Carey's Step-Mother.  I was really worried that it would be a  "Step-Monster" scenario, but the author wrote Melisa to be a warm, caring, and accepting kind of Step-Mother, the kind of Mother that Carey wished her real mother was like.  And don't get me started on Shorty the dog....needed tissues for Shorty the dog.

Bottom line, If You Find Me was a really good book to read.  I found myself getting caught up in Carey and Janessa's world. The love they have for each other is quite evident.  There were many parts of the book where I felt so sad for their situation and what happened in the woods, but their perseverance is very admirable.  If you are a fan of Young Adult literature, I really think you should check out If You Find Me!

(27)The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen

The Best of Us 

by Sarah Pekkanen

@sarahpekkanen

Pages: 352

Publication Date: April 9, 2013

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Can you imagine?  An all expense paid trip to Jamaica with your college friends? Allie, Tina, and Savannah have been friends since college, nearly twenty years ago. They were also friends with the resident nerd, Dwight. While Dwight made millions in the early dot-com boom,  Tina is a busy stay-at-home-mom who is in desperate need of a vacation.  Allie is a nurse who just received news that she has a 50% chance of getting ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. And Savannah is keeping the truth from her friends, her husband, Gary, has left her for his nurse.

Fast forward and the gang is celebrating their thirty-fifth birthdays one by one.  Now it is Dwight's turn.  His wife, Pauline, plans the most elaborate birthday ever.  They fly the girls and their husbands to Jamaica on their private jet where they have a private house on the beach. It is truly a dream vacation, but each of the girls has a hard time letting go and fully enjoying the vacation.  Their troubles from home and own past relationships put a slight cloud over their gathering, but it is nothing a small hurricane and a lot of tequila won't fix.  Will the girls still be friends when the vacation is over?

Sarah Pekkanen is quickly making a name for herself among women's fiction readers. It is easy to lose yourself in one of her books and pretend like her characters are your friends, too. The Best of Us is no different.  The ease at which the three old friends get together is something many of us experience with our own old friends.  While the three women seem to be at ease with each other, for the most part, their relationship with Dwight does not come across as easy and their relationship with his wife even less so. Especially when some truths start to come to light.  It is even a bit uncomfortable at times.  But the story,  the dynamics and worries withstanding,  is pretty fun to read.  How can it not be with a beach, plenty of alcohol and an all expenses paid vacation.

Bottom line, The Best of Us may be a bit early to be considered a "beach read" - but it really is a great book to take to the beach.  The story is fun without being too fluffy. The characters are interesting without being too cliche. If you are looking for a "take me away" kind of book, The Best of Us might be right up your alley.

Happy Tuesday!!

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(26)Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen

Last to Die 

by Tess Gerritsen

@tessgerritsen

Publication Date: August 28, 2012

Pages:  352

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Having worked at the bookstore, I am very familiar with the works of Tess Gerritsen, but it wasn't until TNT turned her series of books into the television series, Rizzoli and  Isles that I started paying attention.


Having not read any of the previous books, but being familiar with the characters in general, Last to Die finds Rizzoli and Isles a bit at odds because Maura testified (I am assuming in the last book) against a Boston police officer.  They are called to a  homicide in a very upscale Boston neighborhood to discover an entire family slaughtered.  The only survivor is Teddy Clock, their foster child who already lost his entire family to a murderer.  While the rest of the BPD think it is an open & shut case (the housekeeper's boyfriend), Rizzoli's gut is telling her something different. She is there when an intruder breaks into the house of Teddy's foster family, she knows something deeper is going on.  She whisks Teddy off to Evensong, the exclusive boarding school in the wilds of Maine where Teddy will be safe.  Until Rizzoli and Isles discovers that there are two other children at the school with the exact same history as Teddy.  While Dr. Isles stays at the school, Rizolli & Frost are off to track down the truth about Teddy's family and the other students at the school.  Will they find the truth in time or are the kids next to be exterminated?

I really enjoyed Last to Die.  Jane and Maura in the book are very similar to how they are portrayed on TNT and I was glad to see the resemblance. Even Jane's crazy Italian family make an appearance in Last to Die.  There were somethings I missed from the previous books, obviously, but I knew enough to piece it all together.   The mystery itself, of what happened to the families of Teddy, Will, and Claire was unique enough to keep me guessing.  And that is always appreciated in a novel.

Bottom line, even though I was familiar with Rizzoli and Isles because of the television show, I had never read one of the books before and I have no idea why I waited so long. The characters are well written and the mystery is engrossing. If you haven't read the Rizzoli and Isles books before then you must, and if you have, what is your favorite book of the series?  I want to know which one I should read next!

(25)Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald

by Therese Anne Fowler

@ThereseFowler 

Pages: 384

Publication Date: March 26,2013

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Ever read a book and find yourself completely surprised by how much you are enjoying the story?  That was Z for me. I was completely swept away by the story of Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald.

You may not realize that Zelda Fitzgerald was a talented woman in her own right, yet she sacrificed her talent for that of her husband's. In fact, she allowed Scott to pass off some of her work as his own, which in the long run caused great friction between the two of them.  She followed Scott all over the globe, starting in New York City and then returning to his home town of St. Paul for the birth of their daughter, Scottie, then back to New York City where Zelda aborted her second and last child, and of course all over Europe. She supported, coached and critiqued Scott through all of his novels and short stories.   Their story is peppered with literary giants of the "Roaring Twenties" such as Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and many, many more.

The title says it all, Z is a fictional autobiography of Zelda Fitzgerald, the greatest literary spouse of all times.  Keep in mind, the book is a  work of fiction, but the author did extensive research on the Fitzgeralds and wrote what she thought was said between the two of them.  From when they first met in Montgomery to their time in New York City and even in Paris.  Their story is one of passion, jealousy, resentment and even loneliness.  And their story is so captivating, you just can't stop reading.   I found out so much about the Fitzgeralds.  I know I should take some of it with a grain of salt, just because it is a fictional novel, but it sure did pique my curiosity.  Did Zelda really have an affair early in their marriage?  Did she really have an abortion?  Was there more than just friendship between Hemingway and Scott, like she alludes to many times?  Needless to say, I found myself heading to "Google" more than once to fact check the author.

Bottom line, I know that not everyone enjoys period pieces, but Z is really worth the read. It was a bit hard to get into at first, but by the time you get to New York City with Scott and Zelda you are swept away by the glitz and glamour of the roaring twenties and it is impossible to put the book down.  It really is a book that should not be missed by fans of American Literature.

Happy Tuesday!!

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(24)Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Walking Disaster 

by Jamie McGuire

@JamieMcGuire_

Publication Date: April 2, 2013

Pages: 448

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Last Summer I devoured a book called Beautiful Disaster.

I got sucked into the world of Abby Abernathy and Travis Maddox and I admittedly was surprised at how much I enjoyed Beautiful Disaster and how much it stuck with me.  How often do you read a book like that and wish you could get the other side of the story?  Jamie McGuire answers that wish and wrote Travis's side of the story in her new book, Walking Disaster. 


Walking Disaster starts off exactly where Beautiful Disaster starts - with the exception of a brief prologue. This time Travis takes us through the tumultuous relationship between him and Abby.  From the night they met at a fight through their "bet" that landed Abby in his apartment for a month, we get to see Travis's thoughts and feelings as their relationship develops and nearly implodes.  One thing I learned while getting Travis's side of the story is that he is NOT as big of an asshole as I first thought. Yes, he has tendencies, but a majority of his behavior was because of having feelings for a woman for the first time and not knowing how to deal with them.  Which almost seems a bit endearing....

Bottom line, if you have read Beautiful Disaster, then you already know the story.  Good girl falls in love with bad boy, but good girl is not as good as everyone thinks.  If you are not familiar with Travis and Abby, then go ahead and pick up one.  You will not be able to resist the other.