Mansfield Park

Mansfield Park
By Jane Austen
http://www.gutenberg.net

Very good! I may be pre-disposed to love Jane Austen novels, but she never disappoints.
9/10

Stones into Schools

Stones into Schools
By Greg Mortenson
9780143144960 ~16 hours (book on CD)

Amazing. Didn't like the narration as much, I think just because of it being basically a first person book by a man, read by a woman. So I couldn't lose myself in the narrative as much as I did for Three Cups of Tea. And this book was more about the logistics of planning and building, not as many personal stories as the first book. Still a wonderful book, of course! It's amazing the work they've done in that part of the world.
9/10

Valley of Silence

Valley of Silence
By Nora Roberts
0515141674 318p

3rd in trilogy. My favorite of the 3, for a few reasons- Gaell, Cian, dragons, the end of the story, discovering who the old man telling the story was.
9/10

Knowing Hepburn- and other Curious Experiences

Knowing Hepburn- and other Curious Experiences
By James Prideaux
0571198929 319p

Very funny! One of my favorite books about Hepburn so far.
9/10

Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman

Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman
By Thomas Hardy
via www.gutenberg.org

Hated the ending, seemed out of character actually. And yet the rest of the book was beautiful and haunting. I really liked Tess until the end. Good characters all around actually, good story.
9/10

Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins

Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins
By Rupert Everett
9780446579636 406p

What a name dropper! Very funny, completely irreverent. Definitely a good book, really enjoyed it.
9/10

32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny

32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny
By Phillip Done
9780743272391 288p

Well-written, funny, loved it! I'll have to find his other books and read those as well!
9/10

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II
By Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
1558746161 324p

I like the teen books the best of these- they're more upbeat and positive.
9/10

The Seamstress

The Seamstress
By Sara Tuvel Bernstein
0425166309 343p

I think it's sad that the author's name on here is not her real name, Seren. Amazing book, what a brave and resourceful woman. Told very matter-of-factly, which I actually liked, if you can use the word 'like' in relation to a Holocaust memoir.
9/10

The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point
By Malcolm Gladwell
0316346624 291p

On par with Freakonomics. Intriguing, entertaining, enlightening. I can see why this is a best seller! I especially loved the Sesame Street disection, as it were. Definitely worth the time to read this!
9/10

The Virgin Suicides

The Virgin Suicides
By Jeffrey Eugenides
0446670251 249p

Wow. Beautifully written, just as the last one of his I read was. Every page brings up a new question, most of which are left unanswered in the end. Interesting way of writing to, collective first person, so you never know who the author is. You know who he isn't, by the boys he names who took the girls to the dance. But the other boys, the author could be any of them or none of them. Very disconcerting, in an awesome way.
9/10

Christians in the Wake of the Sexual Revolution

Christians in the Wake of the Sexual Revolution
by Randy C. Alcorn
0880700955 306p

Better than I thought it would be! Came recommended, but that doesn't mean much. But it was clearcut and relevant (though not as relevant as it was when it was written, I'm sure). He used real life examples without making me feel like he was betraying anyone's secrets (always hard to do, I've found). A great call to action, refreshing and honest.
9/10

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
By Gregory Maguire
0060987529 368p

Compelling. Definitely a new and interesting take on the old story. I liked it, though at times it seemed to open more questions than it answered!
9/10

Baudolino

Baudolino
By Umberto Eco
01510006903 521p

Wished it hadn't ended like that, definitely wanted to know what happened next, even if it was only in Baudolino's mind and a total lie!
9/10

100 Great Fantasy Short Short Stories

100 Great Fantasy Short Short Stories
0385181655 311p

There are some really great stories in here! Definitely impressed. Days after I read a story, it would come back to me. Not all of them, just the best ones. I can imagine that will still be happening a few weeks from now too.
9/10

Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea
By Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
9781400102518 (book on CD)

Amazing. I was completely blown away by this guy. Some things he did were a bit well, stupid in retropect! But 1- hindsight is 20/20 and 2- was good that he admitted it in his book, he could have glossed over things. Just found out there's a sequel coming out in December, can't wait!
9/10

High Noon

High Noon
By Nora Roberts
467p

One of her best, I think. Negotiating is an interesting profession to read about. And I liked all the secondary characters. I thought Duncan would figure out how to "cure" her mother, was glad when that didn't happen, would have been too much. Wanted to know more about why she couldn't sell the house, though, what kind of legal things could enforce that. Wasn't really made clear.
9/10

Angela's Ashes

Angela's Ashes
By Frank McCourt
0684874350 363p

Wow. One of the best, if not the best, autobiographies I've ever read. What a moving childhood and really, he pulled himself out of literally nothing to make a life for himself. Very inspiring, yet honest too. I'm assuming honest, I've never heard he made things up like other writers. He didn't sugarcoat the things he did to make the money to get to America or anything else.
9/10

The Glimpses of the Moon

The Glimpses of the Moon
By Edith Wharton
via gutenberg.net

Beautiful and haunting. I really liked the storyline, what a good idea. Been done before, of course, everything has. But it was done so beautifully here, I really felt for Susy especially but also for Nick. I don't think I have to wonder what will become of them, for Ms. Wharton makes it pretty clear how they will survive and even thrive.
9/10

The Lost Quilter

The Lost Quilter
By Jennifer Chiaverini
1416533168 336p

Her best yet. Was both sad and happy at the ending, for different aspects. Great characters and yet another piece of the Elm Creek puzzle.
9/10

Persepolis

Persepolis
By Marjane Satrapi
9781435276253 341p

I didn't like her that much, she seemed strangely spoiled in the midst of all the politics and war, she seemed disconnected from reality. Like, continuing to have the parties after her friend died. And being pissed at her whole school when some of them disapproved of her having sex with her boyfriend. And getting that guy in trouble so she wouldn't get in trouble for wearing make-up. Beautifully drawn and full of information, though.
9/10

Middlesex

Middlesex
By Jeffrey Eugenides
0312422156 529p

Wow. Moving and pretty powerful. Found myself peeking at it during work, ignoring all the paper on my desk just to read one more page, paragraph, sentence!
9/10

Not Quite What I Was Planning

Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure
By Smith Magazine
9780061374050 219p

Not as good as the Post Secret books, though I think they're based on a similar concept. This one is, Hemingway was supposedly once challenged to write a complete story in only 6 words. Amid doubts that this could be done, he hands over a masterpiece: "For sale: Baby shoes, never worn." Chilling, brilliant, horrifying. The editors of Smith Magazine challenged people to write their own life stories in 6 words.
And yes, I thought of mine, and though goodness knows I talk way too much to ever really do 6 words, here goes: "Always ready for my next adventure."
9/10

Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey
By Jane Austen
via www.gutenberg.org

Her earliest work that I've liked so far! And I really liked it, intriguing and interesting. I genuinely like Catherine, although she was an idiot at times. Henry was sweet, would have liked to have heard more about him. And would have liked to know how Isabella turned out. But otherwise, very enjoyable.
9/10

It's Not News, It's Fark

It's Not News, It's Fark
By Drew Curtis
9781592402915 268p

Hysterical at parts, simply amusing most of the other times. He's got a great point, actually many of them! Full disclosure: I don't read news anymore, finding it pointless 98% of the time. The other 2%, I will eventually hear from others.
9/10

What Life Was Like in the Age of Chivalry

What Life Was Like in the Age of Chivalry
Time Life Books
0783554516 156p

Good overview, the illustrations really fit into the subject on the page (I've found that's sometimes not the case, it's like the author found a cool object and wanted to cram it in somewhere, even if it doesn't make sense there!). Overall, good.
9/10

The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones
By Alice Sebold
0316666343 328 p

Beautiful and haunting. Loved every twist. Intriguing idea, spent most of a day reading, completely sucked in.
9/10

Cheer!

Cheer!
By Kate Torgovnick
1416535969 346p

Awesome! Lots of people to keep track of, but worth it. Lots of technical terms but easily understood through her writing. And yes, I do wonder what LCLM means!
9/10

Lisey's Story

Lisey's Story
By Steven King
9780743289412 512p

Was expecting a different ending, this being Steven King. Couldn't put it down once I started reading, yet never pulled me in as some books do. I always knew this was just a story, the characters were never totally real to me. Beautiful story though, the story really of a marriage. I read this because someone called me "Big Sissa Amanda Bunny" and I didn't understand the reference. Halfway though, I was slightly offended to have been called that. By the end, had more respect for her and I wish King had went more in depth into the rest of Amanda's story.
9/10

The Naked Consumer

The Naked Consumer
By Erik Larson
0140233032 239p

My company deals with Nielsen, so that was kind of cool. Overall, well written, interesting, good sense of humor. A bit scary but not over-the-top, no fear-mongering. Balanced and fair.
9/10

The Wives of Henry VIII

The Wives of Henry VIII
By Antonia Fraser
0394585380 430p

Very good! Amazingly researched and meticulously footnoted. The writers of The Tudors should have read this! Gives a lot of insight into the six women. Clears up some common stories, figures out if they're true or false. Sympathetic without throwing aside the truth.
9/10

The Lord of the Rings: Complete Visual Companion

The Lord of the Rings: Complete Visual Companion
by Jude Fisher
0618510826 212 p

Gorgeous photos, great overview of the story. Short sections on each piece of the puzzle, yet well-written enough to be moving and evoke the memory and emotion of the movie. Nicely done.
9/10

The Christmas Box Miracle

The Christmas Box Miracle
by Richard Paul Evans
0743219422 261 p

I haven't read The Christmas Box, I suppose I should have before reading this. But this was an intriguing book to read anyway. His path, how he learned to listen to that "voice", how he's continued to learn what he's doing wrong. He sounds like a good guy, trying to do the best he can with the crazy rollercoaster he's on.
9/10

The Last Battle

The Last Battle
By CS Lewis
0064409414 211p

Wow. Last 2 pages, what a shock. But what of Susan? Amazing end of the series, best ending possible
9/10

Breaking Dawn

Breaking Dawn
by Stephenie Meyer
754 p

Awesome end to the series. Intricate, interesting, thrilling. Crazy twist at the end and yet believable, amazingly enough. She should definitely write the next book, the 6 1/2 years later book maybe?
9/10

The Magicians Nephew

The Magicians Nephew
By CS Lewis
202p

Last 2 pages were my favorite, completely setting up the next books!
9/10

Virgin

Virgin: The Untouched History
by Hanne Blank
276 p

Social history of how virginity has been viewed by societies in the past and today. Greek, Roman, Jewish, early Christian, up to today in the US and around the world. Favorite quote, p17: "A woman's sexual choices now include, in ways that have not historically been the case, the option to decline." Definitely should have been a longer book. C'est la vie. As it is, interesting overview of the subject. And I learned from carrying this book around that the word 'virgin' will invariably cause a reaction. Some people will comment and ask questions, while others will ignore. Some of the same people who ask about every other book I read ignored this one once they saw the cover. So it is a relevant topis for us all, even today, not just for a social historian.
9/10

Home

Home
By Julie Andrews
9780786865659 325p

Surprising, genuine, very funny. She must be an amazing person to know. I hope there's a part 2 of this, to cover the next phase in her life! (edit 4/15- just read an article, nope she says there won't be a part 2, everyone already knows the next part of the story!)
9/10

The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale
By Diane Setterfield
9780743298025

Spellbinding. Just when you think you may have figured out a piece of the puzzle (for you will never feel like you figured the whole thing out), you turn the page. And just like that, a new name, a new circumstance, a new problem arises. And you are back 3 steps, rearranging what you thought you knew.
9/10

The Pillars of the Earth

The Pillars of the Earth
By Ken Follett
973p

Beautiful. I loved how everything was so weaved together, decades of stories that all came together. Things on page 20 explained on page 920, I love books like that. I did wonder about little things, I would have loved to hear the end for some people- Elizabeth specifically, but also Ellen and Francis. Overall, though, brilliant and moving and, if it doesn't sound too flippant, entertaining.
9/10

Inner Harbor

Inner Harbor
By Nora Roberts
0515124214

One of her best ones. The characters, wonderful. And we got enough of the characters from books 1 and 2 to really be invested in what happened. Cam was my favorite, but it's now a tie- Phillip is wonderful too! Great tying of the story and I definitely didn't see the twist coming (odd, since just a few hours ago I was talking to a friend about how predictable romance novels are!)
9/10

How Green was my Valley

How Green was my Valley
By Richard Llewellyn

So descriptive about everything from the coal mines to a kiss to a prize fight. The kiss description did surprise me, being that this book was written in 1940. Very erotic, I would think even now. I do wonder, though, about the rest of Huw's life. We only get hints. Although maybe that's better.
9/10

The Other Boleyn Girl

The Other Boleyn Girl
By Philippa Gregory
9781419329975 (book on cd)

Very powerful. Wonderfully written. The characters are just amazing. And even though you know how it all ends, how it must end being after all part of history, you still hope. At least I did. And yes, I know that Mary Boleyn was probably nothing like this, that history says her life was very different. But that's okay, this was a great "what if?" anyway.
9/10

A Preface to Paradise Lost

A Preface to Paradise Lost
By C.S. Lewis
0195003454

I that that he references the Disney movie Snow White and Jane Austen's Emma, among others, to make his points. I haven't read (or not in a long time) Paradise Lost, but this makes me yearn to read it!
9/10

The Everyday Guide to the Bible

The Everyday Guide to the Bible
By Carol Smith
1586604791

Well written, amusing, clearly written. Definitely a great overview of the Bible.
9/10

Scarlett

Scarlett
By Alexandra Ripley
0446515078

Very good. The beginning is not- Scarlett, crying at everything? And the end- when has she ever needed someone to protect her? But the middle (which is most of this long book!), is definitely her. And Rhett, oh for a man like him in my life!
9/10

Gone with the Wind

Gone with the Wind
By Margaret Mitchell

Heartbreaking, of course. Beautiful but so horrible too. And I don't just mean Scarlett, although she is all of that as well. I really read this book because I had an urge to reread the sequel Scarlett and it seemed silly to read it without reading the first book first. Does that make sense? I'm glad for the sequel, since of course the ending of this is so heartbreaking, so many heartbreaking things in such a short time. Not the thing to read when you're already in a weepy mood, but too late now for me!
9/10

The Metamorphoses

The Metamorphoses: Selected Stories in Verse
By Ovid
0486427587

Did I ever say I didn't "get" poetry? I was wrong. Moving, funny, romantic, heartbreaking, it's all here.
9/10

Among the Shadows

Among the Shadows
By L.M. Montgomery
0553289594

Loved the last story "White Magic" though it was clear how it would end. But I liked all the stories, very good all of them.
9/10

The Mulberry Tree

The Mulberry Tree
By Jude Deveraux
0671014218

Very good! Gripping story, lots of twists, most I didn't see coming. Last chapter had too many newnames, which was slightly confusing. Good book anyway! I just discovered I like this author, isn't that exciting?
9/10

Akin to Anne

Akin to Anne
By L.M. Montgomery
0553283871

Wonderful, as always. And about orphans, so of course I loved all these stories!
9/10

Jane of Lantern Hill

Jane of Lantern Hill
By L.M. Montgomery
0770423140

Last line makes the whole rest worth reading! It's a delightful book, but I really think the last line raised this book from an 8/10 to a:
9/10

The Know-It-All

The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
By A.J. Jacobs
0743250605

(The title will be longer than my review!) Now I want to read the Encyclopedia, right after the quilting and rug making!
9/10

Mistress Pat

Mistress Pat
By L.M. Montgomery
0553280481

I saw the ending coming, part of it, but it was delightful to get there! Great characters, loved all of them.
9/10

Pat of Silver Bush

Pat of Silver Bush
By L.M. Montgomery
0553280473

Yep, I cried. I can't believe she actually killed someone. The mother was barely there though, that was odd.
9/10

The Blood of Flowers

The Blood of Flowers
By Anita Amirrezvani
9780316065764

So the Elm Creek books make me want to learn how to quilt, this book made me want to learn how to make a knotted rug like the main character does! I liked the main character, her family was believable and interesting. I wasn't as enamored of the city as she was, I just couldn't picture it. But the story was amazing and involved, definitely kept my interest! I can't believe this is the authors first books, it's wonderful!
9/10

The Quilter's Homecoming

The Quilter's Homecoming
By Jennifer Chiaverini
9781428142541 (book on CD)

Well-written. Didn't like the characters all the time, though. Henry was too hard-headed. And to not press charges, what was that about? But it was an amusing story, nice to find out what happened with Sylvia's favorite cousin Elizabeth (although really if you haven't seen someone since you were 4, isn't that holding onto things a bit? There were no other cousins that you had grown close to in those 80 years?). Odd though, since Sylvia doesn't know what happened to Elizabeth but the readers do.
9/10

Magic for Marigold

Magic for Marigold
By L. M. Montgomery
0553280465

Adorable! As always, these characters are so much fun. Everything turns out as it should, of course. Just a sweet book to make anyone smile.
9/10

Chronicles of Avonlea

Chronicles of Avonlea By L. M. Montgomery

Very good! It's always a bit strange to see Anne Shirley's name in there but a good strange. Well written of course but also sweet. I found myself tearing up a few times, such great characters and situations!
9/10

Moll Flanders

Moll Flanders
By Daniel Defoe
1402557558 (book on CD)

What an interesting life! She was a very amusing character, as were most of the people she came into contact with. I was very amused when she would talk about her husbands, since she couldn't just say "husband" or even qualify them with "live" and "dead" since she had so many living! So she had to say "Lancashire husband" or "brother husband" and the other one, she barely talked about him so I can't remember what she called him. I half expected to discover that Defoe had written an account of the governess or the Lancashire husbands life. Those might have been interesting, but they don't exist of course!
9/10

For Your Eyes Only

For Your Eyes Only: Behind the Scenes of the James Bond Films
By David Giammarco
1550224999

Great overview of the whole Bond phenomenon, from Ian Flemming to Die Another Day. The author had great access, a good sense of humor and respect for the films. My one complaint: No Moneypenny! She's my favorite character, but the actresses who've played her weren't interviewed and she wasn't mentioned except one line where they mention her office. Disappointing!
Edit 2/14/08: I have heard from Mr. Giammarco, who tells me that Moneypenny is mentioned in his book! I will have to reread the book, I will post an updated review once I do. I can't believe I missed that, I adore her!
9/10

My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper
By Jodi Picoult
0743453529

Had to skip a bit at the beginning, anything medical with kids freaks me out and makes me nauseous (oh yeah, it's fun to watch House, MD when it's about a kid, takes me 3 days!!). But after that, it was amazing. I had heard it had a shocking ending, though, so I was actually expecting what happened, probably 50 pages before it did. I loved Campbell's flip answers to people asking him about things that were none of their business, that was my favorite part.
9/10

A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns
By Khaled Hosseini
9781594489501

Fast-paced, sucks you in. I couldn't stop reading this once I started. The women's stories were heart-breaking and yet showed in the end how powerful the women could be. Not sure if I liked the ending, was glad for it but I'm still not sure it totally fit.
9/10

The Story Girl

The Story Girl
By L.M. Montgomery

I love her imagery, her writing is just beautiful. It's not all beauty and light and fluff though, there was a line I loved that was thought-provoking: "Ah, do we ever feel quite the same towards people who destroy our illusions?" But it ends well, and it's a delightful story.
9/10

The Christmas Quilt

The Christmas Quilt
By Jennifer Chiaverini
074328657X

Another delightful story! Found myself crying at one point (well it was also 1am and I should have been sleeping, but still it counts!) I really want to find out if Sylvia found Elizabeth, though. I can't remember from the other books if she does, if she even gets to look. But there are 2 more books in this series, so hopefully I'll find out soon!
9/10

Kilmeny of the Orchard

Kilmeny of the Orchard
By L.M. Montgomery
0553213776

Beautiful writing but I expect nothing less of this author. I loved the Anne of Green Gables series when I was younger and read it quite a few times. I keep saying I'm going to read it again one of these days. Until then, I'll read everything else she wrote and I've never read. Kilmeny is a beautiful story even though the ending is a foregone conclusion (I sometimes wished it hadn't ended that way, but seeing when it was written, of course it ended the way it did.) The last 2 pages are perfect, however.
9/10

Love Walked In

Love Walked In
By Marisa De Los Santos
1419369601 (book on CD)

There were some great, laugh out loud lines in this book (my favorite, when one brother finds out his sister is in love with his other sister's ex-husband, he whines: "Not fair! I called him next!") But there were many others too that I just likes ("Jimmy Stewart is always and indisputably the best man in the world. Unless Cary Grant should happen to show up."). The back cover of this book mentions The Philadelphia Story, definitely in my top 5 of favorite movies, so I knew I had to read it. And I liked it, the storyline was definitely interesting and different. The ending wasn't as good as it could have been, Viviana should have been brought up more often for it to work, but it still seemed true and reasonable.
9/10

The Master Quilter

The Master Quilter
By Jennifer Chiaverini
(book on CD)

Yes, another Elm Creek Manor book, this was the 6th in the series. This was an interesting way to write a story- the same weeks of events told from many people's points of view. Each time the story got to the big event (the crime), there would be a little more information added but then it would go back to a few weeks earlier and move to a different person's perspective. I kept expecting to get annoyed with it but it worked out very well. I liked it. I think the only thing that annoyed me about this book was the women saying "Elm Creek Manor" every time they talk about the place. They've been in business now for quite a few years, you'd think they would have shortened it by now and just call the place "the Manor"!
9/10

Chocolat

Chocolat
By Joanne Harris
014100018X

This was so very different from the movie, which I adore. But this was good too, even though it was a very different story with different characters, stumbling blocks and even ending! I love the characters here, including the chocolate (which is of course a character also!). I can't decide if I like the movie or the book better, which is strange since I'm used to liking one more than the other (i.e. Emma- movie, Breakfast at Tiffanys-book). The daughter and the old woman are still my favorites, even though they've changed a bit!
9/10

Our Mutual Friend

Our Mutual Friend
By Charles Dickens
0140434976

I wasn't too interested in the beginning of this book, but it slowly reeled me in until I noticed I was hooked and couldn't wait to find out what happened to the characters! The plot was intricate, sometimes hard to follow, and wonderful. I liked most of the characters and was very pleased with the ending as well as the fun some of the characters had to get to the ending they wanted.
9/10

Prattitude

Prattitude: So You Wanna Be a Pirate? Here's How!
By John "Ol Chumbucket" Baur and Mark "Cap'n Slappy" Summers

Very amusing, not to be taken seriously for the most part. I like the little history lessons although of course have to be careful how many of these are true! These guys have a great sense of humor. I especially loved the left hand margins with the definitions of pirate terms. Very informative!
9/10

Ruth: A Portrait

Ruth: A Portrait
By Patricia Cornwell
0385488793

Fascinating look at a very interesting woman. She must have been a wonderful person to know. Glad the author was able to get so many behind-the-scenes types of stories. Makes sense being that she was connected with the family, so I guess I'm glad she included those stories for the rest of us to hear about!
9/10

Post Secret

Post Secret
By Frank Warren
0060899190

I love these books, they're so amazing! Should be clear by now, since I read every one I can get my hands on!
9/10

The Quilter's Legacy

The Quilter's Legacy
By Jennifer Chiaverini
1402597029 (book on CD)

Yes, another Elm Creek Quilt book! This is the fifth in the series. And my favorite one yet, although Andrew gets on my nerves sometimes. And his slightly whiny daughter. But I love the stories about Eleanor, the flashback/alternate story/whatever you want to call it definitely captured my attention this time, moreso than any of the other ones. I hope the next book focuses on the Elm Creek quilters again, but this one was a wonderful story even with them only there on the fringe!
9/10

Emergency Sex (And Other Desperate Measures)

Emergency Sex (And Other Desperate Measures): True Stories From a War Zone
By Kenneth Cain, Heidi Postlewait and Andrew Thomson

Horrifying book at times. They were there, they saw what happened, where the UN failed. The Last Coda is the most unbelievable. After all the horrors that the UN allowed to happen, again and again, they were nominated for a Nobel? Heidi seemed too obsessed with her boyfriends, I would rather have heard more about what life was like for her as a woman in those countries, what her job entailed, the everyday problems and people she had to face. Eye-opening book though. There are no easy answers, but at least with this straight-forward book, maybe there is hope that one day the right person will be in charge. And the politics will stop or slow and real work can be done on a big scale... instead of restricted to what just a few dedicated people can do.
9/10

The Runaway Quilt

The Runaway Quilt
By Jennifer Chiaverini
0743222261

4th in the series, they only seem to get better as the characters become more and more real to me. These books are quick reads without too many twists, just comfortable interesting characters who all seem like women I would want to be friends with. I could figure out most of what would happen as soon as Sylvia started reading the memoir and grew concerned, but there still was a twist I wasn't expecting! I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
9/10

Fire and Ice: A Life on the Edge

Fire and Ice: A Life on the Edge
By Patty Wagstaff
1556523106

Since I desperately want to learn how to fly (and have since I was about 14), I wandered around online checking for books I should read. This was one of them. Patty Wagstaff had an amazing life so far, at least when this was published 10 years ago. She is amusing as a writer and I love her attitude towards everything- flying, her own life and relationships, things that happen to her and her loved ones.
9/10

Inside Bartlet's White House

Inside Bartlet's White House
By Keith Topping
0753508281

Yes, I am a huge West Wing fan. Yes, even though the show is off the air now. This is a good book, giving the overview of the episodes 1 through 74, a little over 3 seasons worth. Obviously, he is in love with Donna, which is very funny! Each write up for each episode has a little thing about Donna and what she did or said during that episode. I liked the categories, they were interesting and sometimes funny. The little "Did You Know?" sections frequently told me something that I hadn't known! Always nice to learn new things about your favorite show, I think.

9/10

The Kitchen God's Wife

The Kitchen God's Wife
By Amy Tan
080410753X

This is my favorite of Amy Tan's books that I have read so far. The main thing I liked was that most of it took place in the past. In a country and within boundaries of behavior that are both foreign to me and yet completely understandable. I was expecting another story of a US-born child struggling to get along with her old-world mother. And yet this was something much deeper than that.
9/10

Summer

Summer
By Edith Wharton
0553214225

Moving story of how a girl falls into something she swore she never would. Charity is better than the other girls, she thinks. She won't do the stupid things they do with boys, won't be trapped by those boys. Then she falls in love and her whole mind and life unravel. Touching story, wonderful characters, you were really rooting for almost everyone! Of course, any Edith Wharton book is amazing. I would have expected nothing less of this one.
9/10

The History of Love

The History of Love
By Nicole Krauss
1410340727 (book on CD)

This book is one of those told from many different perspectives. The chapters switch between the characters as they each tell their stories. What I liked the most is that you aren't sure how the characters are going to intersect. Their lives are so different, they seem to be talking about completely different things sometimes. As the book progresses, the tiny links appear and grow bigger until they seem like they were always there. I wish there weren't so many unanswered questions at the end though. Like, Bruno? Mischa? The publishing house and the book? Alma and her mother?

9/10

The Canterville Ghost and other stories

The Canterville Ghost and other stories
By Oscar Wilde
0486419258

Just to confess right off the bat, I love Oscar Wilde. So I went into this book with certain expectations. Which were met! I love The Canterville Ghost, made me laugh out loud. The other three stories are good also, the twists are just perfect. And the Poems in Prose are great, deep and moving and thoughtprovoking. For such a short book, this packs a huge punch!

9/10

Round Robin

Round Robin
By Jennifer Chiaverini
068486892X

Second book in the Elm Creek Quilters books. Great book! I love how the stories are set up. Every woman has her own story, but there are traces of that story in each other story. Even when they're dealing with their own problems, we see how the problems of their friends affect each woman. Each of the problems are real, no convoluted storylines here. Yet they are not all your normal problems. A zoning dispute over a skateboard park? Never read a story with that as one of the plotlines!

9/10

Marie Antoinette: The Journey

Marie Antoinette: The Journey
By Antonia Fraser
038548948X

Wonderfully written. The author obviously loves her subject here and also has great respect for her. Understandable, as Marie Antoinette seems to be a fascinating persona. I cite the recent movie, but also the abundance of parties recently where the theme is Marie Antoinette. Now if the corsets would just come back into style because of the movie, I would be happy! (Full disclosure: I have not seen the movie yet, I like to read the books first. But I will soon, I hope) I really liked this book, which let us look at this flawed and interesting individual without romanticizing or vilifying her. Well balanced, doing it's bit to chip away at the fake stories that have sprung up about her ("Let them eat cake", anyone?)
9/10

The Sugar Camp Quilt

The Sugar Camp Quilt
by Jennifer Chiaverini
1419339001 (book on CD)

I didn't realize this was the 7th in a series. Glad I didn't, for I may not have picked it up, and it doesn't really follow the series. You don't have to read any of Ms. Chiaverini's other books to understand this one. Dorothea is a young girl asked to make a quilt by her stern uncle. She cannot imagine that his bizarre quilt will end up having such a huge impact on her life. But when he is killed, she is told the real story of the quilt- they are directions to the next stop in the Underground Railroad, which she never knew her uncle and their farm was a part of. She and her parents decide to keep up his work. The main part of the book, however, is Dorthea's story. Not the slaves and their trials. She has to learn about herself, what she's capable of, who her real friends are. She makes mistakes, she laughs at herself, and she is not perfect. I liked her. I figured out the ending just a few minutes in, but that didn't make it any less gratifying when it came about!

9/10

Birthright

Birthright
By Nora Roberts
0515137111

Good story, intricate and detailed. I love the academic focus that Ms. Roberts seems to like, even though this one is not art history! Her characters, as always, have the best lines and comebacks. And the mystery was compelling, full of twists that made sense after they happened. The romance wasn't too fast, as I think they normally are, since the characters were married before the book begins.

9/10

Book Illumination in the Middle Ages

Book Illumination in the Middle Ages
By Otto Pacht
1872501761

Didn't help me for my thesis, but still a good book. The author knows everything about this topic, but doesn't talk down to the reader. He makes the topic accesible and interesting, while teaching a great deal about it. Great overview of the subject, with great pictures.

9/10

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide
0756620643

In case anyone in the world didn't know it by now, I adore Pirates and Capt. Jack Sparrow! This was a great behind-the-scenes look at an awesome movie. There are little tidbits that made it worth the read, even for a fan such as myself, who reads as much as possible about the movies.
9/10

The Debutante Divorcee

The Debutante Divorcee
By Plum Sykes
1419390236(book on CD)

Hysterical! I'm sure people in the cars around me thought I was nuts, laughing my head off, tears coming to my eyes at times. I adore these characters, every one of them was a winner. And I didn't even see the 'twist' or whatever you want to call it, coming. Maybe I'm blind but it was definitely a surprise. I loved the snobby secondary characters the best, they were the funniest.
9/10

The Sunflower

The Sunflower
By Richard Paul Evans
141937544X (book on CD)

Gorgeous, funny, even some profound lines that really make you think. The descriptions of the rain forest really take you right into it. You can almost see what's being described (which yes I know is the aim of every book but many of them fall short!). The characters are sweet, genuine people, it was a pleasure to spend time with them!
9/10

Christmas with Anne

Christmas with Anne and Other Holiday Stories
By LM Montgomery
0553571001

Beautiful. This is LM Montgomery at her best. This was the perfect time of the year to read this book, these stories. It's hard to pick a favorite, just read them all!
9/10

A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Stories

A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Stories
By Charles Dickens
0451522834

Of course the first story is wonderful, an absolute classic. But the third story is awesome, I think it might be my favorite in this tiny collection!
9/10

The Cloisters

The Cloisters
By Peter Barnet and Nancy Wu
0300111428

Got this one from the library, may have to buy it! A different way to do a museum guide, this book is laid out chronologically instead of following the floor plan of the Cloisters (for those who don't know, a museum of medieval art in NYC that I adore). I like the change, it makes you see things in a different way.
9/10

Anne Frank Remembered

Anne Frank Remembered
By Miep Gies
0671662341

I think the only complaint I have about this book is that it's too short. But any longer and we're making a woman dwell on a horrible time in her life and our history. Maybe she doesn't want to anymore, who knows?
9/10

The Cloisters

The Cloisters
087099050

Very good, very informative. I love medieval art and the Cloisters (would live there if they would let me!), so I guess I'm prejudiced when it comes to books about my favorite museum.
9/10

Everyone Worth Knowing

Everyone Worth Knowing
By Lauren Weisberger
1419327151 (book on CD)

Awesome book. Well written and gripping, you really cared about these characters and how the story would end. The secondary characters were great too, always a big plus with any book!
9/10

The Prince and the Pauper

The Prince and the Pauper
By Mark Twain
0451521935

Everyone knows this story, but that doesn't mean it's not worth reading. Anything Mark Twain writes is worth reading. I loved the descriptions of court and of the streets of London. And I loved the characters, not just the title ones but all the secondary characters also. I love the idea of sitting down in front of the king and how important that idea becomes!
9/10

Slaughterhouse Five

Slaughterhouse Five
By Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

One of the classics/banned books that everyone should read. I've read it before, but you always see something new in these books, depending on where you are in your life and where your country is.
9/10

Myths and Folklore

Myths and Folklore
By Henry I. Christ
0877207836

This is actually a textbook for students. I'm not sure how I ended up with it, but I read it anyway! It's a good overview of the subject.
9/10

Seven for a Secret

Seven for a Secret
By Victoria Holt
0449221776

Definitely some twists and turns here that no one could have seen coming! You knew that certain people were going to be involved in horrible events, but you didn't know to what extent and you didn't know other people who would be involved. And the secrets that you never see coming, those are great! I like not figuring out the end of a book 50 pages into it, it's refreshing.
9/10