Camilla Lackberg - The Ice Princess

8. The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg (2009)
(Originally Published as: Isprinsessan) (2003)
The Patrik Hedstrom Series Book 1
Length: 394 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 26 January 2015
Finished: 28 January 2015
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 16 August 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Camilla Lackberg is a new author for me.

After struggling biographer Erica Falck's parents pass away, she returns to her hometown of Fjallbacka, Sweden to attend their funeral. What she finds is a town in crisis; and a community on the brink of inexplicable tragedy. The apparent suicide of her childhood best friend Alexandra is the catalyst.

Erica actually discovers the frozen body of her one-time friend in an ice-cold bath with her wrists slashed. At first glance, it does appear that Alex took her own life - yet Erica is still confused. The friendship between herself and Alex may have drifted apart as they reached adulthood, but surely, Alex would never have become so desperate as to commit suicide, would she?

At the behest of Alex's parents, Erica tentatively agrees to write about her childhood friend. She conceives of writing a book about the beautiful but remote Alex, one which will strive to answer questions about their shared past and lost friendship. As Erica's interest slowly develops into an obsession, her investigation only stirs up even more unanswerable questions...

Meanwhile, local detective Patrick Hedstrom is following his own suspicions about the case. But it's only when Erica and Patrik start working together that the truth begins to emerge about this small town with a deeply disturbing past. And it seems that even after all this time, what is hidden still has the power to cause immeasurable pain and tragedy...to everyone.

I must say that I absolutely loved reading this book. I thought this story was beautifully written and I felt that I got a true taste of Sweden through Ms. Lackberg's writing style. The plot was dramatic, well-developed and it kept me guessing about who were possible suspects right through to the end. In my opinion, Camilla Lackberg is an extraordinary writer and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author sometime very soon. I would give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Rosa Guy - The Friends

4. The Friends by Rosa Guy (1973)
The Cathy Family Trilogy Book 1
Length: 185 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 13 January 2015
Finished: 14 January 2015
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 25 July 2001
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Rosa Guy is a new author for me.

For fourteen-year-old Phyllisia Cathy, the problems that she has as well as her lifestyle have become increasingly overwhelming. Having recently arrived from an island in the sunlit West Indies - along with her mother, father and sixteen-year-old sister, Ruby - Phyllisia finds it a very difficult adjustment to live in New York. After growing up in such an idyllic paradise, she finds New York cold, cruel and filthy; nothing at all like her previous home. She is insulted daily and is constantly beaten up by her classmates. What Phyllisia desperately needs, as it seems divine intervention is currently unavailable, is a friend. 

When she first started out searching for a friend, Phyllisia would never have put fifteen-year-old Edith Jackson's name anywhere near her list of potential candidates. Edith's clothes are unpressed, her stockings worn and baggy with big holes. She is nothing but a ragamuffin in Phyllisia's mind. Edith's knowledge of school studies is essentially zero; she barely goes to class. She has no parents, she swears and she steals. But she is the only one kind enough to offer her friendship and protection to Phyllisia when she needs it most.

I must say that I found this to be a very intriguing book. In my opinion, it was a deeply thought-provoking and engaging story with a moral; told from a very different perspective. This is a story that I wasn't expecting to be as poignant as it was and I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jodi Picoult - Lone Wolf

3. Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult (2012)
Length: 429 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 6 January 2015
Finished: 13 January 2015
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 5 January 2015
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

For the Warrens, secrets have divided their family for so long, that it seems like they will never be able to come back together by their own choice. Then, on an icy winter night, a terrible accident forces them all to come together and make a fateful decision. It's a decision that will ultimately shake all of their lives to the foundations.

Seventeen-year-old Cara has always been her father, Luke's, little princess, protected by him, and confidently shielded by his love. What nobody realizes, however, is that Cara is tormented by a secret that she can't reveal - to anyone. Her older brother, Edward, has secrets of his own...ones that have kept him estranged from his family for the past six years. He has managed to keep them hidden rather well, but now they may come to light, and if they do, Cara will be devastated.

Their mother, Georgie, always felt like she was never able to compete with her ex-husband's life-long obsessions: wild wolves and their pack structure. This was a subject which Luke became completely immersed in; forsaking his own family in order to spend two years alone in the Canadian wilderness, following several wolf packs during that time - and subsequently running a wilderness sanctuary for wolves. And now, Luke's fate hangs in the balance and is held in the hands of her children; as the ex-wife, it seems as if Georgie has no further say in his personal matters.

With conflicting motivations and emotions, what will this family ultimately decide? And will they be able to live with that decision, after the truth has been revealed? What happens when the hope that should sustain a family in crisis, is the very thing tearing it apart?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, it was very well-written, and while I found the discussion of the hierarchies within wolf packs to be incredibly detailed; I appreciated how accurately such discussions described the dynamics within the Warren family. I give Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult an A+! I think Ms. Picoult does a tremendous job of getting the reader to care about these characters and about the difficult situation in which they find themselves.

A+! (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Laura Moriarty - The Center of Everything

1. The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty (2003)
Length: 339 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 1 January 2015
Finished: 3 January 2015
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 29 December 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed The Rest of Her Life: A Novel by the same author in the past.

In The Center of Everything, Laura Moriarty's stunning debut novel, a young girl tries to make sense of the unruly world around her. Ten-year-old Evelyn Brucknow has never really had much of a childhood, having been forced to pretty much take care of herself for most of her life. She lives with her single mother, Tina, in a small apartment in Kansas and just can't help dreaming of more for herself.

Though she is warm and loving, and values her daughter more than anything else in the world, Tina is nevertheless young, immature, and prone to making rash financial decisions. This personality type often leaves Evelyn feeling as if she is the rational adult in their troubled relationship. Growing up with a chronically out of work mother, whose most recent romance with her married boss has failed and left her jobless and desperate, Evelyn feels more and more anxious about their increasingly precarious financial situation. She resolves to distance herself from her mother's irresponsibility as much as she can.

However, Evelyn just can not escape the claustrophobic feeling of being stuck where she is - somewhere in the middle of Kansas - between her best friends, and in the midst of her mother's love...right in the center of everything. The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty is an extraordinary and affecting portrayal of a troubled mother/daughter relationship, as well as an eye-opening look at life in a small midwestern town. All this is experienced and seen through the eyes of a teenage girl; who also must come to terms with the heartbreaking lesson of first love - that not all loves are meant to be - and determine who she is and who she wants to be.

I absolutely loved this book and found myself completely immersed in the story right away. This book held my attention from beginning to end, and was one of those books that I never wanted to end. Although the plot wasn't all that action-packed - it was basically about living life in a small town, and the various trials and tribulations faced by the struggling residents - it still moved along at a leisurely pace and was a thoroughly enjoyable read for me. I give this book a definite A+! 

I think that Ms. Moriarty is a terrific writer and I am eagerly awaiting her next book - what ever it might be.

A+! - (96-100%)
  
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Elaine Mercado, R. N. - Grave's End: A True Ghost Story

125. Grave's End: A True Ghost Story by Elaine Mercado, R. N. (2001)
Length: 174 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 26 December 2014
Finished: 31 December 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 26 December 2014
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Elaine Mercado, R. N. is a new author for me.

Just about everyone loves a good ghost story, but what does one do when it seems as if the very fabric of reality twists and the vastness of the shadowy unknown peers out from behind the everyday rhythm of life? In Grave's End: A True Ghost Story, Ms. Mercado addresses this issue with wrenching candor. Although this may not be a book to read in an old, shadowy house at midnight, the story offers both fear and hope, and a sense of something eternal. 

By the time Elaine Mercado and her first husband bought a charming - but somewhat dilapidated - Victorian-style house in Brooklyn, New York, in the winter of 1982, they had been house-hunting for a little over a year and were quite anxious to settle into a home of their own. Although the house was in need of some serious renovation, it was within their price range and they were more than content to do the work required to make the house their own. Little did they realize that they and their two young daughters would be embarking on a nightmare that would last for thirteen years.

Within a few days of moving in, Elaine and her eldest daughter - eleven-year-old Karin - began to experience the sensation of being watched. Next came the scratching noises and inexplicably weird smells, followed by whispering voices, maniacal laughter, fluffy, dust-ball sized apparitions flitting along baseboards, and mysterious orbs of light floating along the ceilings. Almost from the day the family moved in, each member was targeted by the haunting in some way; "suffocating dreams" were experienced by everyone except for the youngest daughter - five-year-old Christine. Eventually, these paranormal experiences escalated to actual acts of physical aggression directed at Elaine and both the girls.

This is the true story of how one family tried to cope with living in a haunted house. It also describes how, with the help of famed parapsychologist Dr. Hans Holzer and psychic medium Marisa Anderson, the family finally discovered the tragic and heart-breaking secrets buried in the house at Grave's End. As of the publication of this book, Elaine Mercado continues to live in the once-haunted house with her family. 

I certainly enjoyed reading this book; as I always love reading true accounts of paranormal experiences. In my opinion, the story was very descriptive; written in a down-to-earth style that I appreciated. According to the author, while there is still residual paranormal activity, the primary source of the haunting has been cleansed from the house, and she and her family are able to live in their house in relative peace. Overall, I would give Grave's End: A True Ghost Story by Elaine Mercado, R. N. an A+!  

A+! - (96-100%)
               
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Laura Moriarty - The Rest of Her Life: A Novel

123. The Rest of Her Life: A Novel by Laura Moriarty (2007)
Length: 306 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 18 December 2014
Finished: 21 December 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 16 August 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Laura Moriarty is a new author for me.

Leigh Churchill is the mother of two lovely children - eighteen-year-old Kara - a high-achieving, popular high school senior, destined to go on to college; and Justin - a shy, awkward fourteen-year-old. While she has a wonderful relationship with Justin, for some reason that she can't identify, Leigh's relationship with Kara is strained and difficult. For the life of her, she can't understand what she may have done - or didn't do - that caused such coolness between herself and her daughter.

Then, in a single moment of careless distraction, Kara makes a mistake that ends in tragedy - something that no matter how much she may want to, she can't change or take back. Kara's actions not only divide Leigh's family, but polarize the entire community. We see the story from Leigh's perspective: as she watches her daughter struggling with the feelings of guilt and grief caused by what she has done; as Leigh herself grapples with the harsh reality of what happened and the devastating consequences which Kara's actions have on the family of another teenage girl in town; all while trying to shield and protect Kara in the face of rising public outcry. 

The Rest of Her Life: A Novel by Laura Moriarty delivers a luminous, compassionate, and provocative look at how even mothers and daughters with the best intentions can be blind to the harm they do to one another. Ms. Moriarty's novel is one of complex moral dilemma, filled with nuanced characters and a page-turning plot that makes readers ask themselves, "What would I do if I were in a similar situation?"

For myself, I absolutely loved this book. The story was filled with complex characters and intricate family dynamics, just the sort of story that I enjoy reading. I found Ms. Moriarty's writing and plot development to be spot on; very believable and with a strong basis in reality. I give The Rest of Her Life: A Novel by Laura Moriarty an A+! I will certainly be on the look out for more of Laura Moriarty's books to read in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)
  
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Margot Livesey - Homework: A Novel

122. Homework: A Novel by Margot Livesey (1990)
Length: 339 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 17 December 2014
Finished: 18 December 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 15 December 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed The House on Fortune Street: A Novel by the same author in the past.

For the most part, Celia Gilchrist is living a happy life. Despite feeling slightly lonely and a bit like a third wheel when she's around her friends, Celia is nevertheless quite content living on her own, answering to no one else - except her cat Tobias. Yes, life is good for Celia Gilchrist.

When she meets Stephen, Celia is ecstatic and believes that she has finally found the right man to share her life. He is a wonderful man - a math teacher at her friend Deirdre's school - very solicitous of Celia, and a loving father to his daughter Jenny. So she moves in with Stephen and Jenny, and happily takes her place within their lovely ready-made family.

Yet, shortly after Celia moves in, things begin to go subtly, menacingly wrong. Money disappears, a sweater of Celia's is ruined; small, commonplace lies escalate into awkward confrontations. Ms. Livesey's debut novel is a stunning and affecting portrait of jealousy and fear, devotion and the desire to be loved.

I was absolutely captivated by this book. The plot was utterly believable to me, and the characters were well-developed and fairly jumped off the page - at least in my opinion. I really didn't want this book to end, and I found myself wondering what would happen next. I would give this book an A+! and am happy to say that I recently obtained another book by Margot Livesey - The Missing World: A Novel.

A+! - (96-100%)
       
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Laura Esquivel - Like Water For Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments, With Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies

120. Like Water For Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments, With Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies by Laura Esquivel (1989)
Length: 246 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 12 December 2014
Finished: 13 December 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 21 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like historical fiction and Laura Esquivel is a new author for me.

In turn-of-the-century Mexico, fifteen-year-old Josefita de la Garza - nicknamed Tita - lives on the family ranch with her mother Mama Elena, and her two older sisters - Rosaura and Gertrudis. According to family tradition, Tita - as the youngest daughter of an affluent rancher - must never marry but stay home and take care of her mother until she dies. For Tita, this family tradition is restricting and very old-fashioned - but as much as she hates it, Tita is still bound by that tradition. Instead, she turns all her pent-up desire toward cooking - expressing herself through the food that she prepares.

When Tita falls in love with her next door neighbor Pedro - and he with her - Tita's tyrannical mother steps in and invokes family tradition, denying Pedro's request for her youngest daughter's hand in marriage. Instead, Mama Elena offers Pedro the hand of her daughter Rosaura and, in order to stay close to Tita, Pedro accepts her offer. And so the story spans the next twenty-two years, detailing Tita and Pedro's unconsummated passion for each other; as well as their bittersweet and complicated romance.

I must say that I debated with myself whether or not to read this, but in the end I'm so glad that I chose to read it. Mareena had gotten the book for me as a 'just because' gift for July of 2012 - but having watched the 1992 movie with one of her friends a while ago - she wasn't too sure if I would actually want to read it. So, the book languished on my TBR pile for a little over two years.

I actually enjoyed this book very much. I found that the story was whimsical and almost fairytale-like in places. It was really quite captivating to me, and I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tami Hoag - Deeper Than the Dead

119. Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag (2009)
The Oak Knoll Series Book 1
Length: 542 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 9 December 2014
Finished: 11 December 2014
Where did it come from? From my mailman's wife who was getting rid of some books.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 7 September 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Tami Hoag is a new author for me.

California, 1985 - Four children - running through the woods behind their middle school - literally stumble upon a gruesome discovery. Partially buried in a shallow grave and covered by wet leaves is the body of a young woman, her eyes and mouth glued shut. Close behind the children is their teacher, Anne Navarre, shocked by this discovery and heartbroken for her students as she witnesses the end of their innocence. What she doesn't realize is that this discovery will also effectively mark the end of innocence for the entire community of Oak Knoll, as the ties that bind both friends and families are tested by the secrets uncovered in the wake of an apparent serial killer's escalating activity.

FBI investigator Vince Leone, fresh from a law enforcement course at FBI headquarters, is tasked with interpreting those recently revealed secrets. He's using a new technique known as profiling - to develop a theory of the case; a strategy that pulls him ever deeper into the lives of the four children, and brings him closer to the young teacher whose own interest in recent events becomes as intense as his own.

As each new victim is found and the media scrutiny of the investigation intensifies around them, both Investigator Leone and Ms. Navarre wonder if those who suffer the most are the victims themselves - or the family and friends of the killer, blissfully unaware that someone very close to them is actually a cunning, calculating psychopath; capable of such horrific brutality.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The plot was very exciting and dramatic; jam-packed with action, and filled with enough twists and turns to grab my attention right from the beginning. I was completely engrossed by the story and found that it just wouldn't let me go.

Despite having one or two books by Tami Hoag on my bookshelf already - although I don't think I could tell you where either book actually is at the moment - Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag is the first book that I've read by this author. I would give Deeper Than the Dead a definite A+! and will certainly keep my eyes open for more thrillers by Ms. Hoag to read in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Scott Spencer - Preservation Hall

117. Preservation Hall by Scott Spencer (1976)
Length: 308 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 3 December 2014
Finished: 5 December 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 12 August 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed A Ship Made of Paper: A Novel by the same author in the past.

Meet Virgil Morgan, a young man in his late twenties who, to the world at large, seems to have all the earmarks of success: a luxurious apartment, a consultant job that pays extremely well and takes surprisingly little energy, and an idyllic marriage to a beautiful and creative woman named Tracy.

Meet Virgil's father Earl Morgan, a one-time high school music teacher who has always dreamed of greatness even as he hurtles towards oblivion. A hapless man who watches his wife pack a suitcase and leave him for good, who refuses to give up his beret and goatee. Yes, Virgil has always had a precarious relationship with his father; seeing Earl as an embarrassment - forever a source of gut-wrenching failure for Virgil, a man who wallows in his myriad personal failings too often and too well.

Virgil has done his best to stay away from Earl, and for most of his life that has worked quite well for him. When he and Tracy purchase their dream house in Maine, a cozy cottage they christen 'Preservation Hall', it looks as if he'll succeed - until a long-awaited romantic interlude is invaded by an unwanted visitor, and a sudden blizzard sets the stage for a terrifying week; forcing Virgil to confront the long-repressed ghosts from his past.

I must say that I absolutely loved this book. This is actually the second book that I've read by Scott Spencer and in my opinion, this story was fast-paced and very exciting. The characters were well-developed and sympathetically drawn, and the ones that were meant to be likable I liked very much. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)
  
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Margot Livesey - The House on Fortune Street: A Novel

116. The House on Fortune Street: A Novel by Margot Livesey (2008)
Length: 311 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 1 December 2014
Finished: 3 December 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Margot Livesey is a new author for me.
 
It seems like a stroke of mutual good luck for Abigail Taylor and Dara MacLeod when they meet while studying at St. Andrews University in Edinburgh, Scotland. Despite their differences, the two young women form a firm and fast friendship and a lasting, unshakable bond. Even years later, they remain such an unlikely pair.

Abigail - an actress who confidently uses her talent both on and offstage - charms everyone she meets, but believes herself immune to love. Dara - a counselor at a crisis center - is convinced that everyone is somehow irrevocably marked by their childhood; she throws herself into romantic relationships with frightening intensity.

Yet now it appears that each woman has finally found "true love". Is this another stroke of luck? Proof that each relationship is a once-in-a-lifetime love? Abigail has apparently found love with her academic boyfriend, Sean, and Dara with a tall, dark violinist named Edward; who quite literally falls at her feet. However, soon after Dara moves into Abigail's downstairs apartment, trouble threatens both relationships, as well as their friendship.

For Abigail, the trouble comes in the form of an anonymous letter, addressed to Sean and accusing Abigail of being unfaithful; for Dara, a reconciliation with her estranged father Cameron - who left the family when Dara was ten - reawakens some very complicated feelings. Through four ingeniously interlocking narratives - Sean's, Cameron's, Dara's, and Abigail's - we gradually come to understand how these characters' lives were shaped by both chance and determination. Whatever the source, there is absolutely no mistaking the veil that falls when tragedy strikes the house on Fortune Street.

I absolutely loved this book. In my opinion, it was a poignant and thought-provoking story - very intelligently and thoughtfully written. For me, this was also a compulsively readable story - one that I just could not put down. It was an interesting and engaging plot, and I needed to know what would happen next. I give The House on Fortune Street: A Novel by Margot Livesey an A+! and must say, that while this is the first book by this author that I've read, it most certainly won't be my last.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Warren Adler - Random Hearts

111. Random Hearts by Warren Adler (1984)
Length: 267 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 20 November 2014
Finished: 23 November 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 10 May 2001
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Warren Adler is a new author for me.

In a perfect world, people like Edward Davis and Vivien Simpson would never have met. He's a happily married man; an ambitious aide to an important Congressman who loves his wife. She's a happily married woman; a housewife with a young son and a dog who absolutely adores her lawyer husband. They are each living the good life - or so they believe. 

There is absolutely no earthly reason why they should ever meet...

Until a commercial airliner crashes into the Potomac River with eighty-four souls on board. Two of the victims are linked by a clue that at first stuns and baffles, then draws together their surviving spouses; and sends them on a dizzying exploration of their loved ones private lives. The secrets that they uncover about the people that they loved are totally unexpected. 

The explosive discovery leads Edward and Vivien on a journey that ultimately forces them to confront the mysterious and random nature of love - and the transforming power it wields over the men and women caught up in its relentless maelstrom.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, this was an emotional and very human story. It showed me how the consequences of a single action can ultimately tear apart a person's life - the feelings of hurt and betrayal, anger and confusion that can potentially ruin someone's happiness and contentment with life. 

This was the first book by Warren Adler that I've ever read and I give it an A+! Although Mareena has seen the 1999 movie adaptation of this book - starring Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas - at least once with a friend of hers; she and I have only ever seen portions of the movie together. Maybe the next time it comes on television, we'll watch the entire movie. However, in my personal opinion, the book is better than the movie; so watching the movie isn't all that imperative to me.

A+! - (96-100%)
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Susan Kenney - In Another Country

108. In Another Country by Susan Kenney (1984)
The Boyd Family Series Book 1
Length: 215 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 10 November 2014
Finished: 11 November 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 10 October 2000
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Susan Kenney is a new author for me.

At the age of twelve, Sara Boyd loses her forty-year-old father. For herself and her younger brother and sister, his death is their first brush with tragedy. This is an event which will stay with them for the rest of their lives, and his loss will ultimately affect all of their future relationships in one way or another.

As an adult, Sara realizes that her father's early death is actually the catalyst for her mother's frequent bouts of madness; and in turn, each of these manic episodes increasingly disturb Sara's own life - unduly straining both her marriage and family. When her husband subsequently becomes seriously ill, Sara draws on her past experiences to find the renewed strength to carry on.

I enjoyed reading this book very much; I found it to be a very poignant, well-told story. This book has been described as six interrelated short stories, but I think it would be far more accurate to describe them as six short vignettes in Sara's life. Each vignette is gut-wrenching in its own way, but doesn't necessarily seem to me to be excessively maudlin. I give this book an A+! and would be very interested to read the sequel, Sailing, if at all possible.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Bernhard Schlink - The Reader

107. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (2008)
(Originally Published as: Der Vorleser) (1995)
Length: 218 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 6 November 2014
Finished: 10 November 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like historical fiction and Bernhard Schlink is a new author for me.

Walking home from school one day, fifteen-year-old Michael Berg becomes seriously ill. He is rescued by Hanna Schmitz, a woman twice his age. Hanna, a bus conductor, tends to Michael and then takes him back to his home. Over time, Michael and Hanna form a relationship, and she becomes his lover - then she inexplicably disappears from Michael's life.

When Michael next sees Hanna, he is a young law student, sitting in on a trial in which Hanna is a defendant. She is accused of a hideous crime, but inexplicably refuses to defend herself. As he watches her refuse to defend her innocence, Michael is at first perplexed by her actions. However, as the trial continues, he gradually realizes that Hanna may be guarding a secret which she considers more shameful than murder.

I absolutely loved this book. I was drawn into the plot very quickly; and by about two pages in, I was completely engrossed in the story. This was a translation from the original German, but it was a very well-written, understandable, and easy read for me. In my opinion, the story flowed along easily and I avidly wanted to know what happened next.  

This was an unusual book to begin with - and while I haven't seen the 2008 movie adaption starring Kate Winslett and Ralph Fiennes - I enjoyed the book very much. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%) 
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Bernhard Schlink - The Reader

107. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (1995)
Length: 218 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 6 November 2014
Finished: 10 November 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like historical fiction and Bernhard Schlink is a new author for me.

Walking home from school one day, fifteen-year-old Michael Berg becomes seriously ill. He is rescued by Hanna Schmitz, a woman twice his age. Hanna, a bus conductor, tends to Michael and then takes him back to his home. Over time, Michael and Hanna form a relationship, and she becomes his lover - then she inexplicably disappears from Michael's life.

When Michael next sees Hanna, he is a young law student, sitting in on a trial in which Hanna is a defendant. She is accused of a hideous crime, but inexplicably refuses to defend herself. As he watches her refuse to defend her innocence, Michael is at first perplexed by her actions. However, as the trial continues, he gradually realizes that Hanna may be guarding a secret which she considers more shameful than murder.

I absolutely loved this book. I was drawn into the plot very quickly; and by about two pages in, I was completely engrossed in the story. This was a translation from the original German, but it was a very well-written, understandable, and easy read for me. In my opinion, the story flowed along easily and I avidly wanted to know what happened next.  

This was an unusual book to begin with - and while I haven't seen the 2008 movie adaption starring Kate Winslett and Ralph Fiennes - I enjoyed the book very much. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%) 
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Martha Moody - Best Friends

104. Best Friends by Martha Moody (2001)
Length: 483 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 27 October 2014
Finished: 29 October 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 21 November 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Martha Moody is a new author for me. 

Oberlin College, Ohio, 1973 - When Clare Mann arrives at Oberlin, she is absolutely ecstatic to be on her own finally. She lives in a small Ohio town somewhere between Akron and Youngstown, but the novelty of being even an hour away from home thrills her. Clare first meets Sally Rose - a transplant from Los Angeles - at freshman orientation and they are basically thrown together as college roommates. 

Clare, the daughter of a Protestant, working-class family from Ohio, has never met anyone like her new roommate, Sally. Wealthy and beautiful; and Jewish, Sally is barely emancipated from her close-knit Los Angeles family, and has led an otherwise sheltered life. She is utterly foreign to the hard-working, jaded Clare - and utterly fascinating. 

Clare's fascination with Sally only intensifies, when she brings Clare home to Los Angeles to meet the Rose family. Sid Rose, Sally's father, is charismatic, charming; the owner of a profitable business which is shrouded in secrecy. He is almost as compelling a figure to Clare as he is to his own daughter. California seems like a veritable paradise after spending winters in Ohio; and soon Clare begins to look forward to these visits with an almost desperate enthusiasm; to the numerous carefree rides in Sally's Kharmann Ghia and the seemingly endless lazy days spent poolside. 

Despite their many differences, the free-spirited Clare and a frequently homesick Sally soon overcome their mutual bafflement with each other to form an extraordinary friendship; a complicated, but tenacious bond that endures through the years. As the years pass, Clare becomes a doctor and Sally a lawyer; but they always remain roommates at heart, just a plane ride or a phone call away. Marriages and divorces, births and deaths do not separate them; but secrets just might - for as Clare watches, the Rose family begins to slowly disintegrate before her eyes. And the things she knows are the kinds of things that no one ever wants to tell a best friend. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; the story was totally engrossing and I almost didn't want it to end. With the various plot twists, intrigue, secrets and intricate family dynamics, this story held my interest right until the end. As I've said before, I always enjoy reading stories about families, and most especially about the enduring friendships between women. 

I give Best Friends by Martha Moody an A+! This is Ms. Moody's debut novel, and I'm delighted to say that I have her next book - The Office of Desire - somewhere on my bookshelf as well. In my opinion, she is quite an excellent writer.  

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Nicholas Sparks - At First Sight

103. At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks (2005)
The Jeremy Marsh Series Book 2
Length: 277 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 24 October 2014
Finished: 25 October 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 21 November 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and I have read and enjoyed Nights in Rodanthe by the same author in the past.

There are several things Jeremy Marsh was absolutely sure that he would never do: he'd never leave New York City; never give his heart away again after barely surviving one failed marriage; and never become a parent. Well, Jeremy is now living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, engaged to the love of his life, Lexie Darnell, and anticipating the start of their family. Jeremy Marsh's life had certainly taken quite an unexpected turn. 

However, just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, a mysterious and disturbing email sends him into a tailspin. It also sets into motion a chain of events that will irrevocably change the course of this young couple's relationship. It raises several questions in Jeremy's mind: just how well do we really know the ones we love? How do we handle the inevitable doubts and fears concerning impending parenthood, and the various stumbling blocks that are sometimes placed in our way?   

Continuing the story of Jeremy Marsh and Lexie Darnell - the young couple introduced in Nicholas Sparks' bestselling True Believer - At First Sight manages to capture all the heartbreak, tension, romance and surprises of couples who are newly married. This is an astonishing tale about the love between a man and a woman and between a parent and a child, At First Sight is about endings that bring new beginnings . . .tragedies that lead to unexpected joy. . . and, most of all, the magic of everlasting love.

This is second book by Nicholas Sparks that I've read, and I haven't actually read True Believer. In my opinion, though, I didn't really need to - this worked very well for me as a standalone story. I really enjoyed this book; granted that the story wasn't necessarily about anything earth-shattering; but it was a poignant and heart-warming story nevertheless. This author certainly knows how to develop an unexpected story; the plot was slightly mysterious and was an engagingly quick read for me. I give At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Joan Ryan - The Water Giver: The Story of a Mother, a Son, and Their Second Chance

101. The Water Giver: The Story of a Mother, a Son, and Their Second Chance by Joan Ryan (2009)
Length: 260 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 16 October 2014
Finished: 18 October 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Joan Ryan is a new author for me.

When she is first called to the hospital, acclaimed sports columnist and author Joan Ryan is convinced that her son's skateboarding accident would only require several stitches for him and a wasted afternoon for her. Sixteen-year-old Ryan Tompkins had fallen off his skateboard, and it wasn't immediately obvious just how serious his injuries actually were. Despite having various cuts and scratches and complaining that his head hurt, Ryan seemed fine; indeed, he seemed slightly annoyed to be going to hospital by ambulance. In this moving and extremely powerful memoir, Joan Ryan retraces the tumultuous and complicated relationship that delivers mother and son to this moment when, through his brush with death and his painful rehabilitation, they are challenged to redefine who they are and what they mean to each other.

For most of his sixteen years, Ryan hadn't been easy to parent. He lurched from one setback to another, struggling to overcome learning disabilities and ADHD. Joan's grim determination to solve the puzzle of her son's odd and often defiant behavior left her confounded and exasperated. She became so controlling and judgmental, so focused on trying to fix what was wrong with him, that she became more of Ryan's relentless reformer than his loving mother.

By the time Ryan arrived at the hospital, it became apparent that he was suffering from a traumatic brain injury, and the doctors weren't sure if he would even survive. The expectation of a wasted afternoon soon became the furthest worry from Joan Ryan's mind. Instead she spends months rather than hours with her son in the hospital and in rehab, watching him fight to survive his injury and to reclaim a small measure of his life.

When her son wakes from his coma, Joan gets a second chance at motherhood. She rejoices at his first word, his first step, his first spoonful of food, his first attempt to write. She gets the chance to be Ryan's mother all over again and for the first time recognizes what an amazing, heroic young man he is. The Water Giver is the universal story of a mother coming to terms with her own limitations and learning that the best way to help her child is simply to love him. 

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be poignant, well-written, moving and lovingly honest; a comprehensive account of a family dealing with a child's traumatic brain injury. The story didn't dwell too much on Ryan's challenges or portray him as someone who needed to be pitied because of his injury.

It was a very interesting book for me to read, and I could certainly understand how a traumatic brain injury not only affects - and continues to affect - the person who is injured, but also their entire family. I give The Water Giver: The Story of a Mother, a Son, and Their Second Chance by Joan Ryan an A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight