Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova

Inside the O'Briens takes a look at the O'Briens, one family afflicted by Huntington's disease.

I adored this book. As with Genova's other books it was very well written. She explains the medical details in layman's terms and doesn't get bogged down with technical jargon. She not only gives the reader insight in the disease (or condition), but also gives it a face and name to which the reader can relate.

I've heard of Huntington's, but didn't really know much about it. As it turns out, I didn't know anything, really. I think I had confused some of the symptoms with Parkinson's. For instance, I didn't know HD was inherited and that each child of an affected parent has 50% chance of getting it. I also didn't know that couples wanting to have children have options or that getting tested for the gene involves some counselling. All of these details were interesting. The littler glimmers of hope only did a little to break up the heartbreaking details of this devastating disease, which "has been called the cruelest disease known to man" (page 1).

I especially loved the scene at Fenway park where Joe attended (page 328) a baseball game with his family. He compares the number of people in the park with those diagnosed with HD as well as other diseases/disorders/conditions. It was an eye-opener. I doubt I'll ever look at a crowd of people the same way again.

Genova's presentation in this book was unexpected. While it's Joe O'Brien, the family patriarch, who's been diagnosed with the disease, he isn't the main focus of the book. The other family members, one in particular, are given consideration. I don't want to give too much of the story away, so I'll leave it at that. I will say, though, that I loved this approach and particularly loved how it ended.

I've read three other books by Genova: Left Neglected, about a serious brain injury called left neglect; Love Anthony, about autism; and Still Alice, about Alzheimer's. I adored them all.

Highly recommended. I hope Genova writes many more books.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Lisa Genova's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova, Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster) ©2015. ISBN 9781501102554(Advance Reader's Edition), 335p.

The Fifth Gospel by Ian Caldwell

In The Fifth Gospel, an exhibit featuring a sacred relic is scheduled to open at the Vatican Museum. Just before the opening, though, the curator is murdered and a seemingly unrelated break-in occurs at the home of a Greek Catholic priest, Father Alex Andreou and his son Peter. When two crimes go unsolved, Father Andreou does his own investigation in hopes of keeping his family safe. That's not going to be easy, though, because the exhibit remains unfinished and any secrets that the curator may have discovered about the sacred relic are lost. It's up to Andreou to unscramble the clues, review the materials, and solve the mystery, but to do so could put lives at risk, including his own and that of his young son.

I loved this book! It was an interesting read featuring the Shroud of Turin and the Diatessaron, the Fifth Gospel. It's contains a fascinating mystery as well as with tons of information about the Catholic church. The amount of research needed to write a book like this must have been extensive. It's so well written, carefully laid out, and very well explained. Even though it's about the Catholic Church, I don't think you need to much about the subject matter to read and enjoy this book.

Father Andreou used Bible stories to explain some troubling events to his son and younger characters. I found this extremely interesting. I also liked that a few of the parts of the book parallel events from the Bible.

I should mention that I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church and while I'm still a believer, I no longer attend services. I haven't studied the Bible or any other religious materials, so much of the information was new to me. I certainly learned a lot about the Catholic Church. It wasn't overwhelming or too much like a textbook. The information about the split in the churches and how the Roman Catholics differ from the Orthodoxy was particularly interesting to me. I also learned quite a bit about the gospels, other religious texts, Vatican city, St. Peter's Basilica, and surrounding areas. The information about Pope John Paul II, his papacy, and the other dignitaries in the Church was all fascinating.

I love books that shed some light on the mysteries of the Catholic Church. It's not that I want them to spill all of their secrets. It just would be nice if they were a bit more transparent.

I found the sections featuring Pope John Paul II particularly heartbreaking. The story takes place towards the end of his life. His struggle to continue serving the Church in spite of his debilitating illness was extremely hard to read about. Those sections left me in tears.

If I had one complaint it's that the ending seemed a little too simple. Perhaps it just seemed simple because the because the author did such a wonderful job of explaining the details and leading the reader through the mystery. Anyway, I don't want to go into too many details because that would spoil the ending.

I also read The Rule of Four by this author. It was before I started writing reviews and quite frankly I don't remember much about it other than I really liked it.

Highly recommended. I just hope we don't have to wait another ten years for Caldwell to give us another book.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

The Fifth Gospel by Ian Caldwell, Simon & Schuster ©2015. ISBN 9781451694147(Advance Reader's Edition), 427p.

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

In The Rosie Effect, Don Tillman has been married to Rosie for ten months and ten days. His life has definitely changed since Rosie came into his life. Now, both of their lives are about to become more complicated as more changes are on the horizon. In order to deal with this, Don seeks advice from his friends and the internet. At first, it all seems helpful, but eventually it gets him into trouble. Not only can he be prosecuted and deported, but he may end up losing Rosie as well.

I really enjoyed this book, a follow up to The Rosie Project. I loved reading more about Don and his life, especially now that he's had to adapt to his new relationships and surroundings. There's some new people in his life: George the landlord/rocker, whom I really liked; and Lydia, the therapist, whom I didn't. Gene and Claudia are essentially the same as they were in the first book.

While I did enjoy this book, I didn't find it as good as the first one, The Rosie Project. The whole Gregory Peck impersonation thing was lost on me. I was really confused by some of Rosie's actions. I can understand how newcomers wouldn't be used to Don's ways, but Rosie should understand him by now.

There was one passage in the book that I really liked.

People cannot forget things on command. Being instructed to forget something is analogous to being instructed not to think of a pink elephant...(page 269)

I also read and enjoyed The Rosie Project, also by this author. If these books are new to you, I'd recommend starting with the first one.

Recommended. Even though I didn't love this book was much as the previous one, I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins Canada website.

I purchased this book because I loved the first Rosie book so much.

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion, HarperCollins, ©2014. ISBN 9781443435901(Trade paperback),411p.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

In The Golem and the Jinni, two characters, Golem, made of clay and Jinni of fire, try to find their way in turn-of-the-century New York. They've come to the city by different means and at first their paths seems miles apart, but eventually they meet and become friends. That is, until a terrifying incident drives them apart. Just as quickly a formidable threat forces them together again.

I loved this book! It was totally absorbing. I don't read that much fantasy. At some point I'm going to have to stop saying that because I've read quite a few now. This one is different, though. The story is set in 1899 in New York, not some fantasy place. While the characters are fantastical, their experiences of trying to hide in plain sight are not. The story ends up examining what it really means to be human.

As I look back upon the story, I realize that not much happened in the way of storyline in the book. It was the main characters and the host of supporting cast that sustained me through this one. The more I read about Golem, Jinni, and the others, the more I wanted to read. I just couldn't get enough of them.

Besides the wonderful characters, I loved the descriptions of the city. The shops, the people, and the sites. I haven't been to New York, but after reading this book I feel like that in some small way, I've been there, at least to the city as it was many years ago.

As evidenced by the various reviews on Goodreads.com, this book isn't going to be for everyone. That sort of surprised me when I first stumbled upon some less than favourable reviews. What? I thought. Did they read a different book? After reading the comments, though, I understand.

Highly recommended. This book has definitely become one of my favourites. Perhaps even my favourite book of all time. I loved it that much. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

For more information about the author, please visit Helene Wecker's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker, HarperCollins, ©2013. ISBN 978006211831(Uncorrected Proof), 484p.

Between the Assassinations by Aravind Adiga

Between the Assassinations is a series of short stories all of which take place in the fictional town of Kittur, India. The vignettes take the reader into the daily lives of the citizens.

I adored this book. It's not quite like other short stories I've read in that these ones are vaguely connected to each other, some more than others. There are a few location and character overlaps, which enhance these connections. There isn't a continuing story, but there are enough familiar references to make them seem like a cohesive unit.

If you've come looking for a happy story with a happy ending, you've going to be disappointed. Sorry for the spoiler. Like many other stories situated in India, this isn't a happy book. Many of the characters are desperate, poverty-stricken, and without hope. There are a couple of exceptions and some very funny bits, but they are few and far between. While you won't find much happiness, what you will find are some incredible stories that are wonderfully and imaginatively written.

The short stories takes the reader into the daily lives of the citizens, from the well-to-do to the destitute. They encompass many societal issues and entities: politics, corruptions, addiction, poverty, castes, and more. All in all, the book contains some really wonderful insights into Indian society as a whole. Each of the stories is unique. Some were funny, some were sad. All were equally wonderful. I loved them all.

I loved how Adiga, the author, treated the reader like a tourist and presented the stories in itinerary form as though the reader would be spending a week in the town. Very clever!

I also loved the map at the beginning of the book. It's an artist's rendition of Kittur that features the various areas that figured prominently in the stories. It allowed me to get my bearings, as if I was actually there.

I appreciated the chronology list at the back of the book, which lays out the major events in India "between the assassinations", that of Mrs. Indira Gandhi (1984) and Rajiv Gandhi (1991). As I was reading the book, I only had a very vague idea of what the title referred to. Not much (if anything) was mentioned within the stories themselves. As someone who doesn't closely follow world politics, I was thankful the author included this very informative section.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy. Sorry it took me so long to get to it.

Between the Assassinations by Aravind Adiga, Free Press (Simon & Schuster) ©2009. ISBN 9781439152928(Hardcover), 339p.

The Keeper of Secrets by Julie Thomas

In The Keeper of Secrets, child violin prodigy Daniel Horowitz has decided that he's not going to play the violin anymore unless his parents also allow him to play baseball with his friends. World renowned conductor, Rafael Gomez, who understands Daniel's feelings, develops a plan to inspire Daniel. He's determined to find a violin that once belonged to the Horowitz family. It's not just any violin. It's a precious Guarneri del Gesú violin, which was lost to the Germans during WWII. His plan takes the reader on a heartbreaking trip from modern-day Chicago, to the horrors of Dachau, and to the leaders and rules in communist Russia.

I loved this book. The story was absolutely wonderful. It was filled with details about music, politics, families, secrets, survival and courage. The characters were fantastic, even the ones that were hard to read about. I especially loved how the story looped back and came full circle.

The book also contained a fascinating look into Russia, the Party and its leaders. All stuff that was pretty new to me, but I found it intriguing. The information about the concentration camps during WWII was horrific, while the details about the violins, how they are made, and how they sounded was all wonderful. I loved all of the references to music and keep thinking about how magnificent the soundtrack would be should the book be made into a movie.

There was one particular passage from the book that resonated with me. There was a conversation between Daniel and the maestro that talked about learning a new piece of music.

...it's in two languages, first the language of the brain, all the notes in the right order and the timing and the key and so on and so on. Then second, the language of the heart. This distinction, it is what separates all musicians. (page 20)

As a very mediocre flutist, I related to this passage.  I could learn all of the notes and such, but relating a "feeling" or learning that second "language" as a musician eluded me.  

I had reservations about reading this book at first because I thought that some of the details would be too hard for me to handle. And indeed, some of them were. Near the end of the book, I had to put it down for a few days before reading the ending. It was just too much. I don't want to give too much of the story away, but the ending made the whole book worth the read. I was glad that I didn't shy away from it despite the extremely heartbreaking parts.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at William Morrow/HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Keeper of Secrets by Julie Thomas, William Morrow (HarperCollins), ©2013. ISBN 9780062240309 (Trade paperback), 358p.

Summer People by Elin Hilderbrand

In Summer People, Beth Newton and her children retreat to the home on Nantucket after the death of her husband, Arch. She insisted that the family tradition of vacationing in Nantucket must continue and Arch's promise must be fulfilled. Before he died, Arch had invited the son of one of his clients to visit that summer. Now, Beth feels like she should honor that invite. So, she's taken her teenagers, Winnie and Garret, along with Marcus to the island for 3 months. When the kids learn about a secret from Beth's, they are desperate to keep the family together and carry on with the healing process.

I really enjoyed this story. There's just something about Nantucket and Hilderbrand's writing that draws me in every time. In this one, her characters are flawed and real; the storylines are accessible and relatable. The characters' grief about Arch's death and the return to Nantucket was palpable and accurate. It brought up lots of sad memories of my lost loved ones.

I love Elin's books, but I occasionally have a complaint about something that happened in the book that doesn't sit right with me. This one is no exception. First, there was a little too much teenage puppy love. There's a reason I don't read romance or young adult books. It's all a bit to sappy for me. Second, I don't want to reveal any spoilers, but the big shocking secret that the kids discover just wasn't that big or that shocking...at least to me. There's no reason for Beth to reveal her entire life story to her children. Their reaction after discovering the secret was a bit over the top. I realize that these are my criticisms and others, no doubt, will feel differently. Having said all of that, neither of these things stopped me from enjoying this book immensely.

Highly recommended. I love Hilderbrand's books and hope to read many more.

For more information about this book, please visit the St. Martin's Press website.

I picked up this book at a used book sale.

Summer People by Elin Hilderbrand, St. Martin's Griffin (St. Martin's Press), ©2003. ISBN 9780312283679(Trade paperback), 337p.

Silver: Return to Treasure Island by Andrew Motion

In Silver: Return to Treasure Island, the offspring of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver take to the seas to return to Treasure Island. It's been forty years since the events of Treasure Island and Jim and Natty want to retrieve the treasure that was left behind on the island. The whole trip is more than they bargained for and getting to the island and finding the treasure is only part of the battle. They still have to return home.

This was such an interesting concept that I was really looking forward to the book. It started off wonderfully, but about halfway through, I got bored. It just seemed to go on and on and nothing very interesting was happening. I had imagined lots of swashbuckling action with pirates and sword fights. I guess there was some of that, but it wasn't enough to hold my attention. Perhaps if I had read Treasure Island or if I was more familiar with the story I would have enjoyed this book more or at least knew what to expect.

Motion is quite an accomplished writer. He's written fiction, poetry, criticisms, biographies and memoirs. He was the poet laureate of the UK, has been knighted for his contributions to literature, and is a professor of creative writing. I'm only sorry I didn't enjoy this book more.

There are plenty of positive reviews out there. This book just wasn't for me.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at RandomHouse for this review copy.

Silver: Return to Treasure Island by Andrew Motion, Broadway Paperbacks (Crown, Random House, ©2012. ISBN 9780307884886(Trade paperback), 402p.

This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

In This is Where I Leave You, Judd Foxman's father dies and his mother and siblings gather together. It's been a decade since they've spent time together as a group for any length of time. It should get interesting. If that's not bad enough, Judd has recently discovered that his wife was having an affair with his boss and now she's pregnant. Anyway, his father's dying request was for his family to spend the seven days after his death together, sitting Shiva. As they do, their differences rapidly become apparent, but so do their bonds as a family.

I wasn't familiar with Tropper's work, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book. A death, an affair, and an unexpected pregnancy all sound pretty depressing. I certainly wasn't expecting anything to smile or laugh about. So, this book sat on my shelf until I was ready to deal with stuff like that. However, now that I've read it, I wish I had picked it up earlier. It wasn't all that sad. In fact, there were tons of laugh-out-loud moments. Great stuff! Of course, there were also lots of touching and tender moments, too. By the end, I loved it. Really loved it!!

I learned a lot about sitting Shiva and the Judaism, as did the family. Apparently, the father wasn't all that religious, so his final request was quite shocking to everyone. Yet, they did their best to honor it. The whole thing was extremely enlightening. I can't say if it was accurate, but Tropper did a great job of making it entertaining.

There were many great lines in this book. Here are my favourites:

You never know when it will be the last time you'll see your father, or kiss your wife, or play with your little brother, but there's always a last time. If you could remember every last time, you'd never stop grieving. (page 156)

It's a sad moment when you come to understand how truly replaceable you are. (page 215)

The old expression goes, a good speech is like a woman's skirt: short enough to hold your attention, long enough to cover the subject. (page 234)

At some point, being angry is just another habit, like smoking, and you keep poisoning yourself without thinking about it. (page 333-4)

Apparently, this book is being made into a movie, which is scheduled to open in September, 2014. I don't go to a lot of movies, but I'll be seeing this one for sure.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit Penguin's name website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Jonathan Tropper's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Penguin for this review copy.

The is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper, Dutton (Penguin), ©2009. ISBN 9780525951278 (Advance Uncorrected Proof), 339p.

The Original 1982 by Lori Carson

In The Original 1982, Lisa, a 24-year old waitress and wannabe singer, makes a life-altering decision. Years later she wonders what her life would have been like if she had chosen differently. Her journey takes her back to the original 1982 as well as an alternate one.

I was a bit disappointed in this book. I love the concept of this novel, but I didn't love the execution or the writing. Because the writing was a bit choppy, it took me awhile to get used to it. Also, I didn't love that both "years" weren't given equal billing. At first, Carson spent a lot of time exploring the alternate one, while the original 1982 was just left with a sentence or two. Of course, there were exceptions throughout the book and by the end she abandoned the alternate one all together. It just felt lopsided and I couldn't always tell what was going on. I think there were a few times where she didn't give enough clues to tell which "year" she was talking about.

The novel is written in the first person and is directed to her daughter, Minnow. That all fine and good until she gets to the sex parts where she leaves very little to the imagination. When you consider she's talking to her daughter (at times quite young), that's just icky. It could be just me, but I don't think any child wants to know how much sex or what kind of sex his/her parents engaged in.

Having said all of that, the story does contain some touching moments that were quite good. I don't have children and have never had to make the decision that Lisa did. However, I do know a few people who were in a similar position and this book made me see a side of their circumstances that I hadn't considered. In that way, I guess it opened my eyes a little and for that I'm grateful.

Because of Lisa's choices in her life, this book might not be for everyone.

I'm sorry, but I won't be recommending this book.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

For more about the author, please visit Lori Carson's blog.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Original 1982 by Lori Carson, William Morrow (HarperCollins), ©2013. ISBN 9780062245298(Trade paperback), 228p.

The Butterfly Sister by Amy Gail Hansen

In The Butterfly Sister, Ruby Rousseau is haunted by her college years. When a suitcase belonging to a former classmate, Beth, shows up on Ruby's doorstep, Ruby is taken aback. It turns out that Beth is missing and Ruby, despite many reservations, is drawn into the mystery and back to Tarble, her old college where the ghosts of her past await.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I absolutely adored the first half of the book and didn't want to put it down. However, halfway through the book something changed. It's almost like the author had a great idea for the beginning of the story, but didn't carry it through or didn't know how to end it. The second half was a major disappointment. One the bright side, if you can call it that, is that I didn't see those twists or ending coming.

I really liked Ruby. I admired her bravery in returning to a place that had so many bad memories for her. I'm not sure I would have done it. I was fascinated by her tendency (and frame of mind) to be drawn to books by women authors who committed suicide. I didn't realize that so many famous ones had taken their own lives. It's quite amazing actually.

I also loved Professor Barnard, at first. Her advice and guidance were awesome. I was so hoping that she'd become a ally of Ruby's and help her solve the mystery. There was one part that I didn't find at all believable. Apparently, Ruby and Professor Barnard had met before. The fact that Ruby didn't remember her didn't ring true. Even that little tidbit might be considered a spoiler to some, so I won't say more on the subject.

There were a few passages in the book that I made note of:

They say time heals all wounds. but I beg to differ. It seems time only deepens the scars.(page 96)

Anger isn't such a bad thing.... It moves obstacles. Nothing would happen without anger. It's a catalyst for change. (page 174)

There were a few more, but they didn't make sense out of context and I don't want to quote whole pages.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous and while I loved the title, I didn't quite understand the references to it in the book.

This edition of the book contains a section at the back that has information about the author and the book as well as a Q&A with the author and questions for a reading group. I always find these sections enlightening. It's definitely worth reading.

I'm not sure that I'd recommend this book. If the author writes another book, I might give it a try based solely on how much I enjoyed the first half of the book.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Butterfly Sister by Amy Gail Hansen, William Morrow (HarperCollins), ©2013. ISBN 9780062234629(Trade paperback), 298p.

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

In The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion, Sookie Poole is looking forward to relaxing after having married off the last of her daughters. She gets a huge surprise when she stumbles upon a secret that her overbearing mother has been keeping for 50+ years. It sends her into a tailspin and she's not sure of anything anymore. As she searches for the truth, Sookie learns more about a woman named Fritzi, who in the 1940s ran an All-Girl Filling Station.

I really enjoyed this book. It was laugh-out-loud funny at times, while being heartfelt and touching at other times. Flagg is a fantastic story teller. I love how she uses Fritzi's war-time letters to get story points across. The story spans two time frames and locations: near present day Alabama and the 1940s, state-side WWII. A wonderful way to get this story across. It's not my favourite Flagg books, but it was still terrific.

The title and cover of the book are a bit of a misnomer. The book is more about the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), than about the filling station. That's not too much of a spoiler, is it? Anyway, I loved all of this information. I hadn't heard of the WASP, so it was all new to me. Flagg's work is fiction, but it was still interesting to learn about these amazing women.

As for characters, I really liked Fritzi, but Sookie was a little annoying. However, she did experience quite a few shocks, so maybe I can forgive her. I did want to give her a little slap, though, so she'd snap out of it. I didn't find Lenore, Sookie's mother, terribly overbearing, but Sookie certainly thought so. I really wanted Sookie to stand up to her.

Flagg included a couple of nice twists near the end that kept me guessing as how it was all going to end. Well done!

I've also read two other books by Flagg, both of which I adored: I Still Dream About You and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, which I read before I started blogging. I have a few of her books in my to-be-read pile, which I hope to get to sooner rather than later.

Highly recommended. I think those who enjoy reading books about strong, independent women would really like this book. I'll definitely book looking for more of Flagg's books to read. She's fabulous.

For more information about this book, please visit the RandomHouse website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit the Fannie Flagg's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at RandomHouse for this review copy.

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg, Random House, ©2013. ISBN 9781400065943(Hardcover), 347p.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

In The Rosie Project, Don Tillman, a genetics professor, is in search of a wife. He constructs a 14-page questionnaire to help him in his selection and weed out those who are undesirable. His Wife Project, isn't going all that great, until Rosie, who definitely wouldn't make the cut, walks into his life and changes him in ways he couldn't imagine.

I really enjoyed this wonderful debut novel. It's such a lighthearted, cute book with an exceptional quirky fun main character. At times, the story was laugh-out-loud funny. However, it wasn't always in your face. My favourite thing about the book was the subtle humour. There were a few times that I didn't get the "joke" until I had read a few sentences past it.  

Another thing that I liked about the book was that most, if not all, of the major characters experienced some personal growth over the course of the story. Don was the one I was cheering for the most, but the others also changed in positive ways.

From the first page of the book, the reader knows that Don Tillman is quirky and not like most other people. While it doesn't exactly pinpoint Don's condition, I think it's implied or hinted at that Don has Aspberger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. Don has some of the same characteristics of Dr. Sheldon Cooper from the TV show, The Big Bang Theory. I absolutely love Sheldon, so it was terrific to read about a character like him. Their shared characteristics make them who they are; sometimes annoying, but always loveable.

The book is written from Don's perspective, which really is ideal for this story. It gives the reader insight as to what he's thinking and why he does what he does. In some ways, I could relate to him. For instance, lately I've been creating a number of small projects to tackle within the next year. I'm going to have to start giving them names. ;)

Even though I really enjoyed this book, at times it felt a little superficial. I don't think I fully connected with Don or Rosie because of that. While I loved Don, I thought Rosie was kind of abrasive. I didn't much care for Gene, Don's friend and confidant, but Gene's wife, Claudia, was okay. Don asked both of these people for advice on his Wife Project a number of times. Considering their marriage arrangement, I thought that was funny.

If you loved this book and want to read about another character with autism, Lisa Genova's Love Anthony (my review) is an exceptional book. It's very different from this one, but it can give you some insight into the mind of a very special little boy.

I could probably write a lot more about this book, but I think it's best if you just go read it.

Highly recommended.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I purchased this book at Costco.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, HarperCollins, ©2013. ISBN 9781443422666(Trade paperback), 324p.

Maya's Notebook by Isabel Allende

In Maya's Notebook, Maya, abandoned by her parents, is raised by her grandparents. Nini, her grandmother, is outspoken and a "force of nature". Her grandfather, Popo, becomes a stabilizing figure that Maya needs in her teenage years. When he dies, Maya goes crazy and gets into all kinds of trouble, including being enslaved by a drug dealer in Las Vegas. With the help of her grandmother, Maya is sent to live with Manuel, a friend of her grandmother's, on a remote island off the coast of Chile. Once there, Maya has to learn a new way of life while dealing with the past and the new people around her.

At first, I didn't know if I was going to like Allende's modern story. I've only read (and loved) a couple of her historical novels and I didn't know if it was going to work. However, there was no need to worry. This amazing story was extremely compelling.

The vivid details regarding Manuel's torture during the military coup and Maya's life in Las Vegas were definitely hard to read about. Despite this horror and sadness, though, Allende managed to include some humour in the overall story, which I appreciated. It gave me a much needed break.

I loved that Allende included lots of information about Chile and the island of Chiloé. What an amazing place! I love reading books set in places so different from where I live. It gives me a perspective on the world. Learning new things about the world is one of the reasons I love to read her books.

I liked all of the characters, but especially Maya and Manuel. Their relationship was unique; they seemed to be quite distant a lot of times, but I don't think they could have lived without each other. Besides them, one of my favourite characters was Freddy, the young man that Maya met in Vegas. His whole story was quite sad, but something about him appealed to me.

Even though I loved the book overall, I have two small complaints. The first is that the story doesn't necessarily read like a diary or notebook. The story works regardless, but then the title doesn't really fit. The second is the cover. I don't think it does the story justice. Generally, I don't like book covers with character photos, so it's just a personal bias.

The book contained a few new-to-me words. They are: inculcate (page 54): inspire, encourage odalisques (page 184): enslaved women in a harem

Highly recommended for fans; for those looking for a great read, and for those who haven't read Allende before because they aren't into historical fiction.   

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

Maya's Notebook by Isabel Allende, Harper (HarperCollins), ©2013. ISBN 978062105622(Uncorrected Proof), 387p.

The Blood Gospel by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell

In The Blood Gospel, three investigators are on the search for a gospel written in Christ's own hand, The Blood Gospel. Those investigators are: Jordan Stone, a military forensic expert, Rhun Korza, a priest, and Erin Granger, an archaeologist. They start their journey underground by finding the crucified body of a mummified girl and are soon trying to outrun the evil forces who are also trying to get hold of the book. As they travel on their search, they uncover some mysteries of the Catholic church.

This wasn't my favourite book. In fact, there's very little that I enjoyed about it. I didn't like the vampire angle at all. I've been trying to stay far away from this genre because it just doesn't interest me. Having said that, I have read and enjoyed a couple of other books featuring vampires/immortals, so there are exceptions, but as a whole the genre isn't my thing.

I also didn't like the change of point of view in the middle of the scene. When done well, stories, especially mysteries, told from different point of views, are terrific. I generally enjoy them. However, in this case because of the way it was done, it didn't work for me. The different points of view were okay, just not in the middle of a scene. I wanted the authors to focus on one main character at a time. Because that focus was divided, I didn't care much for any of the main characters. I found Father Rhun Korza the most interesting of the three, even though he was one of the vampires I said I didn't care for.

I was raised in the Roman Catholic church and am fascinated by anything (including fiction) that attempts to reveal secrets that have been long held by the Catholic church. The church appears to be so secretive, that I can't help but wonder why. I want to peak behind the curtain, so to speak. That's what first drew me to this book. Even though I wasn't enjoying the book, I kept reading because of the promised revelations. However, that didn't really happen. There are a few tidbits here and there, but overall the story was convoluted and not very clear. I guess I wanted clear-cut answers (or at least the authors guesses) to the questions posed in the synopsis: Why do Catholic priests wear pectoral crosses? Why are they sworn to celibacy? Why do the monks hide their countenances under hoods? I don't think I got that.

I've read two other books by Rollins: The Last Oracle and The Doomsday Key. I loved them both. I also have a few other books by Rollins on my to-be-read shelf. I'll definitely be reading those, but I'm not sure I'll be buying any others for awhile.

Sorry, but I won't be recommending this book. If you are into that whole vampire genre, you might like it. I wish I could say there was more to like, but perhaps my lack of interest in vampires clouded my judgement.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

For more information about James Rollins, please visit his website. For more information about Rebecca Cantrell, please visit her website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at William Morrow for this review copy.

The Blood Gospel by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell, William Morrow (HarperCollins), ©2013. ISBN 9780061991042(Trade paperback), 479p.

Big Brother by Lionel Shriver

In Big Brother, Pandora is sandwiched (pun intended) between a manic cycling, health food eating husband, Fletcher, and a grossly obese brother, Edison. When Edison moves in with the family, tensions run high. He pretty much overtakes the whole house not just with his size, but his large personality and stories of his past accomplishments and adventures. His eating is totally out of control and Pandora decides this has to change. At the risk of losing her family, she rents an apartment for herself and Edison and helps him lose the weight.

I just love Shriver's work. While this one isn't my favourite of hers, I really, really enjoyed it. The cast of characters is eclectic and absurd: Fletcher, a builder of unique custom made furniture and fanatic cyclist; Pandora, a manufacturer of wacky dolls; Edison, a jazz musician; Travis, Pandora's and Edison's father, a TV host, and Tanner and Cody, Pandora's and Fletcher's kids. They seemed pretty normal next to everyone else in the cast, however, they too had their problems.

I've struggled with my weight most of my life so the story resonated with me. Even though their experience is very different from mine, I enjoyed reading about their story. I never have and never would attempt a crash diet like they did. Also, Edison's pre-diet bingeng sort of surprised me. I have a healthy appetite, but bingeing isn't something I've ever done, at least not to this extent.

I loved reading Pandora's point of view on her weight loss. Her weight was an issue for her, but she really didn't have that much to lose. Why she chose a crash diet is beyond me? Perhaps it was to support her brother, which was admirable, but perhaps not that realistic. Shriver's whole portrayal of Pandora was insightful and fascinating.

The book contained a few noteworthy quotes:

I believed...that the number of that dial [of the scale] was a verdict on my very character. It appraised whether I was strong, whether I was self-possessed, whether I was someone anyone else would conceivably wish to be. (from Pandora, page 230)

"Put that on my gravestone", said Edison. It hasn't all totally completely sucked. (page 310)

While I enjoyed the book, I admit that the ending had me baffled. It was just so unexpected and confusing. I don't want to say any more than that.

I've read a few other books by Shriver. Here are links to my reviews: The Post-Birthday World, We Need to Talk About Kevin, and So Much for That. I really enjoyed them all.

Highly recommended. I have a few other books by Shriver on my to-be-read shelf that I hope to get to sooner or later. I admire Shriver and her strong opinions on social issues. I don't always agree with her, but I love that she isn't afraid to make a statement.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

Big Brother by Lionel Shriver, HarperCollins, ©2013. ISBN 9780061458576(Trade paperback), 373p.

Something about Sophie by Mary Kay McComas

In Something About Sophie, Sophie is summoned to the death bed of a man she doesn't know. However, she arrives too late and doesn't hear the secret he needed to tell her. With the help of Dr. Drew McCarren, she digs into her past and uncovers secrets that could destroy the whole town.

I mostly enjoyed this book, but something didn't click for me. I thought parts of it were really good, but other parts were just okay. The story was definitely suspenseful and that was good. The long buried secrets kept me turning the pages until the ever end. I really wanted to know what the fuss was about. I also liked the relationship between Sophie and Jesse and the budding romance between Sophie and Drew. However, the touching softer parts didn't seem to jive with the harsh murders and violence in the rest of the story. One of them was too extreme, but I'm not sure which.

One thing I really disliked was the author's use the dreaded "z" (instead of an "s") in some spellings when Sophie was talking to Mike, the teenage character. (Example: skillz, page 39) I understand that it's the "in" thing, but I don't understand using it in conversation. I could understand it if she was leaving him a note, but how would he know that she was using a "z" instead of an "s" when speaking?   I'm confuzed.

I really didn't like Sophie that much. She jumped to conclusions (wrong ones at that) so often it got annoying. While I liked the romance part of the story, I didn't get the love-at-first-sight thing. I just don't think it happens like that. Of the other characters, I really liked Drew, Jesse and Mike. I don't often like teenage characters, but Mike was cool. He was so wise beyond his years.

I don't often comment about the cover of books. However, I can't help wondering about this one. While the cover is likeable, I can't figure out what it has to do with the story. There was some descriptions and discussions about the rivers, but I don't remember them (or any body of water) being a key element.

I'd probably still recommend this one even though there were things about the story I didn't like. There's a quote from Nora Roberts on the front of this edition. Perhaps her fans would like this type of book.

This edition of the book contains a P.S. section at the back of the book. It contains "insights, interviews & more...". It's definitely worth the read.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

For more information about the author and her other works, please visit Mary Kay McComas's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins/William Morrow for this review copy.

Something About Sophie by Mary Kay McComas, HarperCollins, ©2013. ISBN 9780062084804(Trade paperback), 296p.

Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand

In Beautiful Day, Jenna and Stuart are getting married. Their families have gathered together on Nantucket this weekend to celebrate their union. The wedding details have been planned by the bride's late mother, Beth, who died years ago. She left behind a notebook with suggestions for her youngest daughter's wedding. While everyone gathers and prepares for the celebration, their hopes, fears and frustrations spill out and make them question love, faithfulness and commitment.

I really enjoyed this book. While most of the characters in the book were kind of miserable, despite the impending wedding, I found it enjoyable and accessible. Weddings aren't really my things, so to me the wedding and the preparations for it were secondary to the other happenings in the story.

I love that the story was told from just a few main characters: Margot, the bride's sister, Doug, the bride's father, and Ann, the groom's mother. There were other good minor characters in the book, but I really liked the main ones. Each of them had reasons to be unhappy on this weekend even though none of it had to do with the wedding itself. In general, I think I can more easily relate to those who are miserable or unhappy, rather than those who are upbeat and happy all the time. I tend to be more laid back and apathetic. It takes some effort (or caffeine) to get me in an upbeat mood. Perhaps misery really does love company.

The book also had some short "outtakes" scattered throughout the book. Mostly, they were brief comments from the minor characters as well as a few from the major characters. While they did fill in a few details of the story and gave further insight into the characters, I'm not sure they exactly fit with the rest of the book or why this information was presented in this way. They were short, though, so I'm not going to complain too much.

The book wouldn't be complete without excerpts from the Notebook, written by Jenna's late mother. She thought of every detail and laid them out for her daughter to follow. These entries were written in a casual style as if Beth was talking directly to Jenna. Having said above that weddings aren't my thing, I still think it's kind of wonderful that Beth wanted to be part of Jenna's big day even though she knew that she wouldn't be around to see it.

Favourite quotes:

It might not be a bad idea for her [Ellie] to learn now, at the tender age of six, that the world was a complicated place, that other people's minds could not be read, their emotions could not be predicted, that love was fleeting and capricious, that once you thought you'd figured everything out, something would happen to prove you wrong. Life was a mystery....

New words:
louche (page 169): disreputable
fascinator (page 302): a headpiece, a woman's alternative to a hat for formal attire.

I've read a number of other books by Hilderbrand and enjoyed each of them. Here are my reviews for: The Castaways, Summerland, and Silver Girl. I did have a couple of issues with some of the storylines, but that's probably just me being picky.

Highly recommended. I'm anxiously waiting for her next book while still hoping to read some of her backlist books that I have on my bookshelf.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit Hachette's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Hachette Book Group for this review copy.

Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand, Readgan Arthur Books/Little, Brown and Company (Hachette Book Group), ©2013. ISBN 9780316099783(Advance Reading Copy), 401p.

The Banks of Certain Rivers by Jon Harrison

In The Banks of Certain Rivers, Neil Kazenzakis is struggling to put his life back together after a tragic accident has left his wife in a permanent state of comatose. Besides teaching and coaching, he's been raising his now teenage son on his own, while trying to keep a romantic relationship with his mother-in-law's private nurse a secret from everyone. Things are running smoothly, until a series of misfortunes threatens to derail his progress and set him back. First, a video surfaces showing Neil in a scuffle with one of the students, then he starts receiving harassing phone calls and emails. If that wasn't bad enough, his son finds about his affair and doesn't take it well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The story was interesting, current and relevant. It's hard to believe that this is Harrison's debut novel. It was really well done. While I liked the whole story, I was especially touched by the ending. By then, I had connected with all of the characters and really wanted to see how things worked out for them.

Neil was a sympathetic and likeable character. He's far from perfect, but his particular transgressions made him all the more human to me. I really wanted things to turn out for him. I really liked Christopher, too, who was a pretty good kid when it came right down to it. Lauren rubbed me the wrong way in the beginning. Her first "romantic encounter" with Neil in the book felt a little gratuitous. However, as the story went on, she grew on me and by the end, I liked her as much as I liked Neil.

I loved the series of emails Neil sent to his wife, even though he knew she couldn't read them. It was therapeutic for him and a wonderful way for the author to add details to the story. I was a little sad that they ended a bit abruptly and that the author didn't make use of them throughout the whole story.

I don't want to give too much away about the video, but I will say it was really scary how quickly things got out of hand with it. Neil was lucky to have good people on his side.

New word:
détente (page 233): easing of hostility

I really liked the title and the cover of this book. It would definitely draw me in and make me want to pick up the book (if it were in a bookstore) or investigate it further (online). However, I'm not sure what it had to do with the overall story. If there was a reference or explanation somewhere in the story, I'm sorry I missed it.

There were a few bumps in the story, but those were relatively minor and didn't at all detract from my enjoyment of the story. Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit, The Banks of Certain Rivers website.

I received this electronic copy for review.

The Banks of Certain Rivers by Jon Harrison, ©2013. ASIN B00BXKY6VA(eBook), 319p.

The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers

The Comfort of Lies follows the lives of three woman who inadvertently become connected after one man's infidelity.

Tia had an affair with a married man, Nathan. When she becomes pregnant, he leaves her and she gives the baby up for adoption. Caroline isn't quite ready to be a mother, but her husband insists he wants a child. They adopt Tia's and Nathan's baby and name her Savannah. Nathan doesn't know about the adoption and when he tells his wife, Juliette, about the affair he neglects to tell her about the pregnancy.

All of that was 5 years ago. Now, Juliette intercepts a letter, along with photos of Savannah, that Tia has mailed to Nathan. All of Juliette's old wounds are opened up again when she sees how much the baby looks like Nathan. If he's hiding this...well, she isn't sure she can trust him. She insists that he needs to get to know his daughter, which leads these women to be linked in unexpected ways.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. There weren't a whole lot of happy moments, but the premise was terrific and the story was likeable. That's not true of the characters, though. With the exception of Savannah, I found it hard to like any of the characters. Each one of them, the men and the women, seemed to make a series of bad decisions. At times it was difficult to watch, I mean, read about.

Of the three women, I felt sorry for Caroline the most. However, her agreement to adopt the baby when she clearly wasn't ready to be a mother wasn't her shining moment. Her agony at not having the energy or desire to spend time with her daughter was palpable. I think there's an unfair societal pressure on women to be mothers. At the very least, they are expected to want to be mothers. That's just not true for all of us.

There's quite a few side stories in this novel. I didn't really find any of them intriguing, but I was especially blasé about Tia's job with the elderly. I don't think it added to the story; I just found it depressing.

Even though there are relatively few main characters, I had a hard time telling the women apart throughout the better part of the book. I knew their situations or predicaments, but I couldn't seem to remember their names. I can't figure out why. Anyway, I referred to the character descriptions on the dust jacket to help me keep track of which one was which.

I think I've been reading way to many mysteries lately (if there can be such a thing). When I was reading this one, I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn't a mystery; it wasn't likely to take a sinister turn. Not that it would have been a bad thing, but it's probably best that unfolded the way it did.

Recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

For more information about the author, please visit Randy Susan Meyer's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers, Atria (Simon & Schuster) ©2013. ISBN 9781451673012(Hardcover), 323p.