My Own Little Book Corner

Reconstructing Amelia by Kinberly McCreight This was an OK book - not nearly as good as it could have been.  Amelia is a high school girl with all the peer pressure that goes along with it.  She is raised by a single mother with whom she appears to have a good relationship.   The mother is beyond puzzled when Amelia is found after she apparently jumped from the roof of the school.   The story goes back and forth between current and past times painting the picture of what was going on in Amelia's life before that day and what her mom is going through to try to prove that Amelia did not commit suicide.  I liked the plot, just not into the writing style or how the story developed.  At times I felt like I was reading a Young Adult book, but then again, it wasn't.   Some of the story was unbelievable too and some I couldn't understand how they fit.   Not one of my favorites, but I did read it all. The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamb...

The Arsonist by Sue Miller A disappointing book. By the title and summary, I expected the story line to center more on the arsonist that is leaving the community of Pomeroy on edge. The main story line revolves around a woman who has worked overseas doing aid work all of her adult life and has popped in and out of the states.  She is struggling with the need to stay in the states to help her family or the pull of leaving.  This is a somewhat sad tale of family dynamics, community and life. I never felt connected to any of the characters, who for the most part were self-centered. The most encouraging part of the book was the ending, but even that had depressing tones to it. I wanted to like this book, but just could never get there.  The Shortest Way Home by Juliette Fay I almost waited to read this book because there is a lot of similarities in the plot line to "The Arsonist".  The main character is a man that has worked overseas doing aid work for his e...

The Risk Pool by Richard Russo A great book with wonderful character development. This is the type book that stayed with me after the last page was read. I think Mr. Russo does a great job of making the characters real people with flaws like we all have but also that tiny spark of goodness. This is one of my favorite books so far this year. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J.K. Rowling After hearing references to Harry Potter in sermons, I thought maybe I should read the series. I know it is a Young Adult series that caught on with the older crowd too. The style is definitely YA, but I did enjoy this first book. I enjoyed it enough that I was looking forward to reading the next one ..... Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling Reading this one right after the first book was probably not a great idea. The YA aspect really stood out to me. I almost felt as if I was re-reading the same story, just with a different set of circumstances. I've decided to try rea...

I have never thought I'd like an audio book. I've listened to different audio Bible's from time to time and while I've liked doing that, I find myself letting my mind wander. Since it had been a while since I had tried listening to a book, I thought I'd give it another chance. I checked out an audio book from our library, downloaded it to my mp3 player and have been listening while working out. I usually read a book while at the gym, but logistically that is not always easy to do. The book has to fit in the rack just right, I have to turn pages, I can't read when I jog, etc. So far the audio book has been a perfect fit. Plus I refuse to listen to it at home, so that gives me a little incentive to go work out. I think maybe I'm on to something.

I read 15 books in January. They are quite a mix of styles and topics. My favorites this month were Night , The Justice Game, American Wife and Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons . The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton A classic but not one of my favorites. Predictable from beginning to end. I really wanted to take a pen and change it up some. The Brambles by Eliza Minot I would classify this book as an "easy read" but it actually deals with a lot of heavy topics - death, eating disorders, adoption, marriage issues and even a stalker. Surprisingly it was not a depressing book, but in some ways an encouraging one. It did take me a while to get use to Ms Minot's style of writing, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Night by Elie Wiesel Wow! What can you say about a book that is a true story of being in a concentration camp. Such a sad, compelling story of survival. This should be a required book for everyone. City of Light by Lauren Belfer I enjoyed this historical ficti...

What am I thinking? I signed up for a reading challenge. There's no prizes, no recognition, no rewards - except meeting the challenge and hopefully discovering some good books. Since the most books I've read in one year is 120 and the past 2 years I've been stuck on 59, this is going to be quite the challenge. I am also trying to include as many Pulitzer Prize winners as I can in my reading. I know I won't read them all because frankly, they don't all appeal to me and I think reading should be for enjoyment, not drudgery. I do find it interesting that most people who have posted in the group do not expect to meet the challenge. I am starting the new year with full intentions of reading 144 books, but if I don't, it won't be the end of the world. Just something to shoot for. If you're interested in joining the group - check it out at Goodreads.com

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout It's hard to start describing this book. It is actually a collection of short stories set in the town of Crosby, Maine. Through most of the stories Olive Kitteridge makes an appearance in some way - even if as just a mention. Through these snapshots we get a picture of the how others view Olive and eventually as she views herself. She is an interesting character and through out the book she reminded me of different people I know. But this book is about more than Olive. In one of the chapters an observation is made about seeing the houses around us and not really knowing what kind of life people have. To me this book is a glimpse into many lives. It is a somewhat sad story in that so many of the glimpses are of the things that are wrong in their lives. Even when I was beginning to feel a little cheery half-way through reading Winter Concert, that story took a turn. This story offered many different perspectives on people and events in life and i...

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak This is a Young Adult book that I really enjoyed. Things begin getting weird when a young taxi driver becomes a hero by foiling a bank robbery. After that event, he recieves 3 playing cards that each have an address. The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff An interesting story that jumps between the 19th century and modern day with two stories of wife number 19 - one married to Brigham Young and the other to a modern day polygamist. My impression is that the bulk of the book is set in the late 1800's and since I like historical fiction, I enjoyed greatly. Left for Dead:My Journey Home from Everest by Beck Weathers Not exactly what I expected. I thought it was going to be more about the experience on Everest. Instead it is more a story of his life and marriage. It was ok - but nothing spectacular. A below average read in my eyes. Welcome to the Great Mysterious by Lorna Landvik I really enjoyed this book. It is a story of twin sisters - grown - whose...

A Song I Knew by Heart by Bret Lott An "OK" book. I expected much more of a book based on the story of Ruth. The storyline was a little weak in areas and while the story of love and forgiveness is definitely a good one, this book just didn't deliver as well as I expected it to. One L by Scott Turow While this book is old - published in 1977 - I still found Mr. Turow's reflections of his first year as a law student very interesting. I know part of the reason is that in the late 70's/early 80's I worked with 2 people who were also attending law school. It brought back memories of what they were going through. It would be interesting to read a more current book written by a 1L to see how much things have changed over the years. Sutter's Cross by W. Dale Cramer I like Mr. Cramer's books. This one did not disappoint. A story of family, greed and miracles. Another one worth reading. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah A really good book! It was one of those s...

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks A very good book. The book in the title is a rare Haggadah. The people in the title are those who owned the book or had some other connection to the book over the 300+ year history. This is a very well written story that brought to life the many persecutions that people have gone through because of their beliefs. A nice work of historic fiction. The Known World by Edward P Jones I stuck with this but don't know why. A depressing, story that was a drudgery to read. We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg I enjoyed this story. There were just enough twists to it to keep it interesting and a little less predictible. I felt like I knew the characters and that's always important to me for enjoying a story. The story also gives you things to think about as far as stereotypes and prejudices. A good one. She Got Up Off the Couch:And Other Heroic Acts from Moreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel A continuation of Ms Kimmel's memoir. Interesting...