The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another insightful, interesting novel by Coelho. It is so well-written, it is almost believable as non-fiction.
The Witch of Portobello
The Rest of Her Life
The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
Part of our everyday nightmare, hitting someone with our car when we think we are distracted, is the basis of this book. At first I was annoyed by the mother, then I started to relate to her in the most scary way! Part of her character development was her personal opinion of the people that were in her life the most, yet she did not vocalize her opinion. Then when these people confronted her about her aloofness, she started to open up and speak her mind! Does it take a great tragedy to finally find yourself?
Peony in Love
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
Clearly along the lines of Amy Tan (which I hope Lisa See does not mind this constant reference to her) but this book was not anything like what I expected after reading the first few chapters. The twists and turns of what happens to Peony in the book, which if I mention anything past the first few chapters it will spoil the book for anyone who has not read it. The book is set at one point in Chinese history but referencing another. The historical setting makes it the type of book that is much more geared to the types of books I like to read.
Breaking Dawn
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
My review
Clearly not a book that your 10-year-old should read. This book covers the marriage of Bella & Edward, and what vampires like to do all night long when we are sleeping. But once again, the book keeps you reading as you cannot ‘guess’ where each chapter is headed. The addition of Jacob’s special ability in the 2nd book definitely added that extra element to make the last 3 books much more interesting than the first.
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
One of the best of the 6 I have read. The book is quite thick but moves quickly. It would be almost impossible to keep up with what is going on if you had not read all the previous books. Not much else to say, as you can watch the movie when it comes out this summer.
The Shack
My review
rating: 3 of 5 stars
Interesting perspective on one man’s meeting with God in his 3 forms – the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit. Something that is a bust for organized religion, people who call themselves ‘Christian’, and judgment of our fellow man. The question can be asked – when there are so many people suffering from the loss of a child, why would God reveal himself to this person in particular?
The book needs to be used in a discussion group because there is so much to read and so much you can take away.
‘The Alechmist’
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book has to become a classic, must-read, for generations to come. It has a timeless appeal and is written so that you are trying to make the connection to what or who each character really represents. The forward by the author, as well as the biography at the end of the newer editions, adds a depth to the book that helps to make it one of the most inspirational books I have read in a long time.
‘The Book Thief’
‘The Host’ by Stephenie Meyer
The Host: A Novel by Stephenie Meyer
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book seemed more appropriate for my 10-year-old to read than the Twilight books! The simplicity of the title can lead you to think that either the book is about aliens, or someone that hosts dinner parties, but this book is no dinner party! I agree with Christine Taylor, who gave me the book, that I could not put it down once I started and read it in one weekend.
Eclipse
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was just as good as the second book…am now waiting to read the 4th!!!