The Lake House by Kate Morton

I really love Kate Morton novels! She has a way of getting the reader invested in two or three different stories so that it isn't disappointing or shocking to go back and forth in time. I have to admit though, at the beginning of this book, there were a lot of characters that I had a difficult time keeping track of. Plus, she doesn't explain anything (part of the "mystery") so it can be hard to know what is going on; what is important to remember; who will be the main characters. Fortunately, she reminds us of who everyone is enough times so that eventually I remember most of it. I did keep forgetting the details of Constance's early life and Eleanor's childhood, whose lives and actions were obviously important to the story.

I never believed for a minute that Theo's sisters could or would have caused him harm, whether intentionally or unintentionally. They loved him way too much. Teenagers are so centered around themselves that I figured his disappearance had to involve something more than what his sisters where up to. I thought it was reasonable to think that Anthony could have unintentionally harmed Theo, based on what happened to him in the war. I didn't believe he would though - or that he would have an affair with the nanny. He loved Eleanor too much. His story made me incredibly sad. So much promise. Very realistic portrayal of PTSD. Ben's death also made me sad. My opinion of Ben changed dramatically as the story progressed. Again, Alice portrayed him (and their relationship) much differently than he/it was. Eleanor and Ben's love story seemed genuine. I love that Eleanor stayed with Anthony though. That's the "for better or worse" part of marriage. Plus, they really loved each other. Protecting him, and protecting her children from him, is a huge burden to carry however. And....I was very sad about what happened to Mr. Llewellyn. Why couldn't Constance have just let it go?!

I can't remember exactly when I started understanding what really happened to Theo. KM does take you on a journey full of twists and turns! I did not want him to be dead, so part of it was probably wishful thinking on my part, but a woman protecting her child above all else is something I understand. Eleanor's decisions made sense to me. Constance's decisions did NOT. I really disliked her! 

I didn't understand why Sadie was so ostracized due to her actions. She genuinely believed that Nancy's daughter had come to harm. She believed Nancy when Nancy explained how much her daughter loved her granddaughter. Sadie going to the media jeopardized her reputation and her job? Seems a little harsh to me. Maybe she was too invested - and maybe she didn't follow procedure - and maybe it was time for her to take a "breather", but it's annoying when your gut tells you one thing and it's opposite of what everyone else is saying! I totally understood her investment in this case!

What I absolutely did NOT see coming was Theo's identity! Not even an inkling. Does it seem like too "pat" of an ending to me? Yes, kind of. But in the end, I didn't care. I like happy endings, especially after all the sadness.

Loved it!

Wendy's Rating: *****

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

A modern day romance with a handful of quirky characters, most of them flawed in some way, who all make mistakes and (eventually) accept and love each other anyway. In all honesty, I didn't really connect with any of the characters - and didn't much like Ed - initially. When they began their road trip however, I grew to love each and every one of them - as a "blended family unit" and individually. This is a case where they brought out the best of each other the longer they spent time together. That includes Norman! I actually thought Ed was more tolerant of Norman drooling and farting in his beautiful car than I would have been!

The moral of this story is: honesty is the best policy, regardless of the consequences. Jess and Ed's mistakes were very real examples of some serious consequences that made an impact on the children, friends and family members. Ed took responsibility for his careless crime, which was committed for a terrible reason; Jess took responsibility for her crime committed in desperation. I love that by the end of the book their social statuses had moved toward each other. Jess had found her niche and was building a business; Ed sold all of his expensive homes and cars and was happy with a small home and old vehicle. They seemed to "meet in the middle". Best of all, they were both so much happier!

Nicky showed a lot of growth. I love that he stayed true to who he was though. He didn't stop wearing mascara or try to be someone he was not. He just learned a "safe" way to express himself (thanks to Ed suggesting that he blog!) I thought it was wonderful that he was honest and open and showed his vulnerability when he blogged - and that people responded to that. Kindness begets kindness. Nicky was able to learn that in his own way in his own time.

Tanzie went from being ambitious and confident to a girl with low self esteem who was afraid of her own shadow. For good reasons of course, but very disheartening. I wasn't quite sure how she would gain her spirit back, but I like how the author handled it.

My inclination is to go read another Jojo Moyes book RIGHT NOW, because I love her books! They are all a little different too, which I like. My favorite will always be Me Before You though!

Wendy's Rating: ****

The House of The Spirits by Isabel Allende

I always have a hard time with books like this. It was well-written, but I didn't love it. I certainly didn't mind the unique characters - of which there were many - but I really didn't like most of them. My favorite character was Clara. One of the reasons I liked her is because she genuinely seemed to love Esteban, which is ironic because my least favorite character was Esteban.  Clara wasn't really invested in anyone though, including her children. She was self-absorbed and preoccupied with her spirits. Then, when she feels her time on earth is done, she dies and leaves everyone else to struggle without her. Why? 

I detested Esteban. How he could love both Rosa and Clara, yet treat all other women in his life like lower life forms, raping and discarding them like they were nothing, is beyond me. He was violent and cruel. He was selfish and arrogant. Since he was also the narrator, the reader rarely gets a break from him. It's hard for me to love a book when I hate the narrator and main character.

When the story turned more political in nature, I thought it was interesting how it parallels
our recent politics. Due to unexpected election results, the whole country panics and impulsively makes decisions, like pulling their money out of the banks and fleeing the country. Property values halved and people start stringing barbed wire along the border to keep the Russians out. "In a few hours the country had split into two irreconcilable groups, a division that began to spread within every family in the land." How incredibly interesting that this book was written in 1982 and the same thing could have been written today! It is also a good reminder that power is power, and it can be corrupt no matter what side of the political spectrum you are on. Esteban thinks everything is going to be so great when the "rebel" president eventually gets overthrown, but things get even worse, for himself and his country. (It reminded me of Katniss realizing that District 13 taking down the Capitol wasn't going to be a positive thing, just a transfer of abusive power. Where is the girl with the bow & arrow and wicked shot when you need her?) ;)

Anyway, I will continue reading more from this author (I really want to read The Japanese Lover), but this was not my favorite book.

Wendy's Rating: ***1/2

Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard

Cooking really doesn't interest me, so I was wary about reading this book. All of the reviews on the back of the book referred to the recipes, the food, the palates. Much to my surprise, and enjoyment, I found this book charming. I actually got something different out of the book than apparently a lot of other readers.

What I loved is reading about the differences between American culture and French culture - so beyond the meals the French prepare, which can take hours to consume, and the open air markets where they buy their fresh produce twice weekly. I love the distinct differences in thought.

Elizabeth comments about Gwendal "committing two cardinal sins against French society: he was running after money....which challenges the aristocratic origins of the elite, and he was catapulting himself to the head of something - potentially bossing other people around - which goes against the egalitarian ideals of the French Revolution and anti-establishment rhetoric of the 1968 hippies." I loved the author's observation that American parents raise their children to believe that they can do whatever they want to do; be whoever they want to be. Americans say "yes, yes, yes!" The French raise their children to follow in their parent's and grandparent's and great-grandparent's footsteps - never wanting more and never thinking outside the box. The French say "no, no, no!" Americans are all about change. The French are all about history.

Then, to make the story even more interesting, the reader gets to see Elizabeth and Gwendal each come to the realization that there are flaws in the thought process and beliefs of each of their countries. Gwendal learns that it is okay to seek something else - to have a dream and pursue it. Elizabeth learns that you can constantly be searching for something - money, fame, honor, recognition - but never get there. Sometimes you just have to be happy with what you have, instead of always wanting more.

I loved that in the end, Elizabeth realizes how deeply her life has been enriched by her own family and friends, Gwendal's family and friends, American traditions and French traditions. Their life together is truly a tapestry.

Wendy's Rating: ****

The City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin

This book was worth the wait! I really loved the entire trilogy, even though six years is a long time to wait to read three parts of one story. This book certainly answered a lot of questions, especially how the whole thing started to begin with, but there was simply too much time between reading the three books to understand it all.

I really liked that we got to meet Tim Fanning and understand his life. I'm not sure if we should blame Fanning for what happened however. Lear is really the one who set everything in motion. He was the one obsessed with the virus; he was the one who abandoned Liz, the wife he loved, for this obsession. He was the one who wanted Fanning to join him in his research after Liz died. Lear tried to "correct his wrong" by creating Amy, but honestly, it was much too late at that point. I am not saying I liked Fanning, but none of it would have happened without Lear.

What was confusing to me was the different levels of being a viral. You have Fanning (Zero) who was the father of all virals, and yet he looked like a man. Then there is Alicia, who was half-viral, half-human, who looked liked a woman but had Zero in her head at all times.  Amy is viral, but from a different source. She is changed back to human form by nearly drowning and then can be automatically trusted - even though she is a viral. Carter, well I honestly never did understand what was going on with him. I can't even remember who Rachel is! Then you have the virals and the dopeys, the virals obviously stronger than the dopeys - but both of them die in the sun and water. Right? There is something to be said about waiting until a trilogy is completely written before starting it!

I think that Amy gave Peter her blood at the end (when she wouldn't earlier on) because it was the end. There was no one else in the United States. They could be together and it didn't affect anyone. I am surprised that Peter died though, and Amy lived another 900 years. As a viral I would have thought that Peter would have lived longer. I think that Alicia had been living in pain for a long time. She had Zero in her head, but after her water escapade turned her back into being fully human, her body was broken - literally. I think she was just tired of living and just wanted to join her daughter in death. I kept wondering how Michael was going to get his way with fleeing the country with 700 people on his ship, since Peter was so opposed to the idea. That whole part, trying to get the remaining citizens of Kerville, Texas to the ship in time was really page-turning material! In the end, Michael saved the human race with his forethought. Ever the adventurer, it was fitting that he went off by himself in the end to continue with his explorations.

One thing that I still wonder about: Pim seemed to have a special bond with Amy? What was that about? How did Amy know how to sign? What were they "sharing" or "talking" about over their mind-waves (so to speak) that day - at least that is what they appeared to be doing. I am glad that Pim wrote it all down, but how did she know the full story of what happened?

If there were not so many other books that I want to read, I would start The Passage right now! One day, I plan to read the entire trilogy again. Maybe if they make a movie out of it, that time will come sooner rather than later! I really loved this story!

Wendy's Rating: *****

When Smiles Fade by Paige Dearth

Yikes, this book was like "fifty shades of abuse"! It's one of the darkest books I have read in awhile. The abuse goes on and on and on, pretty much like the sex in Fifty Shades of Grey, hence my previous comment. One of the biggest problems I had is that there is no relief from the abuse. The author is not subtle about it either. The main character, Emma, goes through a variety of physical, emotional, mental and sexual abuse. She is beaten and burned and raped and ignored and hated. One of the only characters in the entire book that is nice to her is the head of the mafia. Really?? And even he isn't honest with her about his situation, so she gets hurt by him too.

On the back of the book jacket, the final sentence states, "Finally a person emerges from within that guides her toward a better life until she learns of a secret that sets her on the path of ultimate redemption." Redemption?? How about revenge, or retaliation? The definition of redemption is: the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil. I don't think that includes murder! Redemption is being freed from sin, or absolution, not committing sin and after sin - and feeling good about getting away with it. Honestly.

And while I am on a roll, the lack of subtlety in the "foreshadowing" (of more abuse to come of course) was really irritating. Just let us think for a split second that maybe, just maybe, a person that Emma meets could potentially be a decent human being instead of ruining it for us right away. Oh, I haven't even mentioned the abuse that her sister, Gracie, endured. Or Izzy, Gracie's daughter.

I finished the book for two reasons: 1) I always finish every book I start;  2) I honestly thought there would be a positive ending. What a disappointment.

Wendy's Rating: **

The Golden Throne by Katia Fox

I really loved this trilogy. Each of the three books could easily stand on their own, but I think reading them in order added depth to the story as a whole. I thought it was interesting to read the same story (generally) from two perspectives. As much as Guillaume and Ellen loved each other - they honestly had relatively minimal shared history. So even though their story is a "love story" in and of itself, I am really happy that they each loved and married someone else that loved them back. I really admired Guillaume for staying faithful to Isabelle, because I am guessing that knighthood and faithfulness to a spouse didn't really go hand-in-hand back then, especially since it took him a really long time to understand how much he loved Isabelle!

It was interesting to have insight into Guillaume's thoughts and feelings - especially when it clarified how different his actual thoughts/feelings were vs. what Ellen was thinking they were! Ellen completely misread his feelings about their son, which I was relieved about. Every book had a character I hated, although they were different characters in each book. So, even though the same characters were in each book, I found myself only hating the character that was despicable to the main character of the particular book. Do you get that? I guess we all go through life being affected differently by the people around us - even all the people we have in common.

I would not have wanted to live in this time! I also wouldn't have wanted to be a part of the royal family or serve the royal family. They are quick to judge and quick to kill off the people in their way! Guillaume definitely walked a fine line with almost every king he served during his lifetime. Too stressful.  They all seemed so arrogant, paranoid and self-indulgent. It's great that Guillaume could remain a man of honor despite serving so many kings.

So, we learned about being a sword smith, a falconer and a knight. Very useful in current day. Ha, Ha!! Seriously, I thought these books were well researched and well written. I enjoyed each and every story very much!

Wendy's Rating: *****

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

I honestly thought I would like this book more than I did. Four major things bothered me about it. First of all, the writing style. For the first third of the book especially, it really distracted and annoyed me. It just read so "flighty" and uninvested. The more I read though, the more I got interested in each character's personal stories - the ones that were actually told. That's not to say that I liked the personal stories though! What an odd family.

Secondly, Abby. I did NOT predict her storyline to end the way it did. What an odd plot twist. Everything came across as just so unemotional. Abby wanted goodbyes. She wanted the chance to say her goodbyes. She wanted for her and Red to die at the same time - like on a plane that was going down so that they would have a chance to trade last words. For someone who loved her husband, dogs, children so much - for someone who adopted a child who needed a home - for someone who brought other needy people into her home - her demise did not do her justice.

Thirdly, Denny drove me crazy. I tried really hard to understand him and accept him as the black sheep of the family. He really just came across as self-centered. He seemed to have an ulterior motive for everything, so he could not be trusted. I was impressed that he cooked, cleaned and sewed though, so there is that. We know next to nothing about him - even at the end when he apparently gets back together with Allie. Who the heck is Allie? Did I miss something?? And then, the real kicker is when the young boy sitting next to Denny on the bus is sobbing (at the end), and after acknowleding to himself that the boy might be asking for help, he pretends not to notice. Ugh. Double ugh.

Finally, Junior and Linnie Mae. Good grief. What kind of marriage is that?? Junior didn't even like Linnie Mae, much less love her. What a pitiful life for both of them. Reading their story honestly just disturbed me.

So, the spool of blue thread. I guess this is in reference to the blue thread that Denny uses to repair the dashiki that Red wore to his wedding to Abby - and her funeral. They were married for 48 years, so their marriage was significant - and their love for each other was real. So was this the "thread" that held this family together? Not sure if this title represents anything more than Red's love for Abby. I am open to hear thoughts on this though! 

Wendy's Rating: ***

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

This book is Paul Kalanithi's memoir.  It's a tragedy that someone so brilliant, a neurosurgeon who had an avid interest in neuroscience and also wanted to be writer, could die from cancer at such a young age. I keep thinking about all of the lives he could have saved had he lived and how much research on the brain he could have accomplished. Who knows what discoveries he could have made. Yet, when someone asked him if he ever thought "why me?", his response was "why not me?". 

Specialists, like neurosurgeons, can often be arrogant - and some definitely have minimal "bedside manner" skills. Paul wrote about some of his early arrogance and lack of emotional investment when dealing with patients and their families. What I loved about Paul is how early in his career he understood the importance of taking time with patients and their families to explain the choices and the potential consequences of each choice as they made their decisions about the viability of  brain surgery. Sometimes the negative consequences definitely outweigh the possible positive results, especially depending on what part of the brain is being operated on. He was also able to converge science with faith. He found the central values of Christianity, sacrifice, redemption and forgiveness, compelling. He believed the main message of Jesus is that mercy trumps justice every time. Reading about how he, a man of science, could also return to his faith during his residency certainly made me respect him as a man and a doctor all the more.

Another comment he made really impacted me. He was asked if it would be more painful to die knowing that he would be leaving a child behind, along with his wife, rather than just his wife. Paul's response was that he hoped so. His focus always seemed to be on the positive. Having a child would be so wonderful that it didn't matter to him that it would be more difficult to leave a child behind - a child so young that she will never know her father.

Another thing that was astounding to me is how he went back to surgery when he was in so much pain. He just persevered as long as he possibly could. I would guess the majority of people would not return to work at all, or check things off their "bucket list", but Paul decides to go back to work and finish up his residency. 

I really liked this book - and although Paul didn't get to finish it, I think the book feels complete. It's nice that his wife wrote the epilogue. Their daughter, Cady, should be very proud of her father and all he brought to others during his too-short time on earth.

Wendy's Rating: *****

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

Robert Galbraith, aka JK Rowling, adds a literary element to her mysteries.  I like how she includes a quote at the beginning of each chapter that ties in with the chapter itself. It's an obscure clue about what's happening next. Her characters are extremely intelligent and knowledgeable.

I continue to love Strike and Robin. They are not perfect people by any means. Strike is overweight, eats a lot of McDonald's when on the road, and pines after a woman who is certainly not good enough for him! He focuses on her outer beauty rather than her inner ugliness.  You would think that after 16 years he could let her go! I was thrilled that he didn't cave to her texts to him on her wedding day. Good riddance. And Robin, she didn't cave either! How awesome that she stood her ground with Matthew. She could have continued to sneak around and tell half-truths or lie through omission, but she just layed it on the table. I admit that Matthew surprised me by trying to accept Robin and her passion for detective work, rather than giving her an ultimatum of "it's me or your job". All three made progress in this book from The Cuckoo's Calling!

Strike spent most of the novel in pain, both physically and emotionally. He seems to be the better for it though. As for the murder of Quine, everything about it was complex. Solving the mystery of who killed Quine was more about delving into these unique characters and how they related to Quine, rather than an "ah-ha" moment. Strike had his "ah-ha" moment, but the reader doesn't share it. We just have to wait until the story unfolds. I thought it was interesting that Strike tells Robin to watch Michael Fancourt's interview until she figures out what was weird about it. Then when she does figure it out, we never get to hear about it from her. We don't know until Strike mentions it to Fancourt himself.

Other than Strike and Robin, the characters aren't that "likeable". Everyone has an edge to them - or something incredibly quirky or selfish - or sometimes they are just moody. I love joining Strike and Robin on their "journey" with these unique individuals. To me, it wasn't the solving of the mystery that was ultimately satisfying, it was watching Strike and Robin follow their instincts as they figured it all out.

I will continue to read whatever RG/JKR puts out. I just hope it's soon!

Wendy's Rating: *****

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom

I am definitely on a roll. I have read a string (no pun intended!) of really good books, and this is certainly one of them. In some respects, this book reminded me of Forrest Gump. Frankie traveled through life, making a significant impact on other's lives - some of them famous/infamous for their talent. Forrest "ran" and Frankie "played", but they both influenced others' lives.

The story is narrated by Music. Frankie was born a musical genius with enormous talent. He is given a guitar that he carries with him for most of his life. The 6 strings of his guitar appear to have some mysterious magical power. The strings never break until after one turns blue, and then it snaps and needs to be replaced. The string turns blue when Frankie's actions affect someone else, usually in a life or death situation. What I loved about this is that, yes, there does seem to be something magical in nature when the strings turn blue, but at the end, the reader discovers that it isn't something purely magical. Things happen for a reason. Frankie's life is saved over and over, not because of magic, but because someone has pledged their life to keep him safe. I loved the ending of this story - not only because we get to understand how & why everything happened the way it did, but also because Frankie finally finds out who his parents were. (I just wish El Maestro knew who his son was!)

El Maestro was obviously an excellent teacher for Frankie. I loved how he kept Frankie on track. My favorite comment he said to Frankie though was, "The secret is not to make your music louder, but to make the world quieter."  I think that is excellent advice! Although Frankie made his music too loud at the worst times in his life, he returned to his roots, both musically and literally, at the end.

Another favorite quote from this story was made by Music: "But then, had many of you left places even one day earlier, the landscape of your lives would be rearranged. You cannot unplay your notes. Time, like music, is indelible that way." I often think about how one decision - one turn - one minute of hesitation or impulsiveness can change the path of your life. Frankie made lots of decisions, some of them impulsively, some heavily influenced by drugs, some thought out and some that caused him great sadness - which made his life veer off into some negative experiences, but in the end, he was able to find his "center" again by returning to his music. 

I have always thought that the most talented, the most genius, the most artistic people in our world are often the ones who struggle with mental illness and chemical dependency issues. I really loved how Music addressed that. Music lamented the fact that the most musically talented people often think their creativity or "genius" lays at the bottom of a bottle or in the midst of a drug-induced haze (I am paraphrasing here!) and that these people need to understand that it is their natural talent (gifted by Music) that they need to trust in.

I really loved this book! I have never read Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, which is the bestselling memoir of all time. I think it's about time I read it!

Wendy's Rating: *****

The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz

David Lagercrantz continues Stieg Larsson's series and certainly does it justice. I very much enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and stayed true to the characters as written by Stieg Larsson. In fact, it may have been even more enjoyable because SL had a tendency to give a little too many details about things at times!

Lisbeth and Mikael spend very little time together in this book, although they help each other a lot from a distance. Their relationship works well this way. I am still waiting for Mikael & Erika's relationship to run its course and settle into friendship only. It drives me crazy that he still sleeps with her, while her husband waits for her at home. Ugh. For some reason, I didn't remember that Lisbeth had a sister. Seems like something I should have remembered! I guess it's been too long since I read the original trilogy. I would love for Lisbeth to get the better of her. I guess we will have to wait for a future book for that. It's makes sense that Camilla would be difficult to catch/track down, considering how intelligent Lisbeth is, but Camilla is certainly an "evil twin". 

I just don't understand why women stay with men who beat them up on a regular basis! I understand that Lisbeth's mother's situation would have been tough to get out of, considering who she was dealing with - a Russian gangster basically, but why on earth did Hanna stay with such a brute?? Westman was an jerk, and abused both her and her son, whom she seemed to love, so why?? How do you go from someone like Frans to someone like Westman? I really loved how Lisbeth treated August. I was disappointed when Lisbeth brought August back to Hanna, but when I realized Lisbeth was sending them both away, I was reminded how much I love Lisbeth's affinity to helping the helpless and abused.

I was intrigued by the example of the savant losing his focused intellect/talent once he learned to talk - or one he started talking. On one hand it makes sense because something is usually sacrificed when something else is introduced that needs focus. But what a choice! August was an amazing artist and mathematician. Maybe talking simply wasn't important to him, so why try to get him to talk? Should someone else be allowed to make that choice for him?

I guess I haven't even mentioned the main focus of the story: artificial intelligence. Yikes. Computers being able to think for themselves? That sounds downright scary. I was sad that Frans had to die for his incredible research/work - but happy that he had the forethought and insight to destroy everything on his computer before he was killed. I can hardly believe (still!) that Zander was also sacrificed in this story. Unbelievable. Did that really have to happen?? I think not.

I can't wait for the next book!

Wendy's Rating: *****

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Hands down, this is a wonderful book! I adore Ove, for starters. He is the kindest curmudgeon you could ever have the pleasure to know. He and his neighbors are such an eclectic bunch, and they accept everyone for who they are. I love that. It doesn't matter what age, nationality, gender, sexual preference, fit/unfit, smart, clumsy they are, they help each other out. The only thing that does matter to Ove is the car they drive. ;) Ove even softens a bit on that too, becoming a tad more accepting of other's vehicle choices by the end of the book! It's awesome that his best "bud" is a cat. :) When the cat is found frozen in the snow and cat-allergic Jimmy warms him up on his bare skin(flab) without a second thought - that's when I really started loving all of these characters.

This book reads very smoothly, even though it jumps around in time. The story unfolds a little at a time. You really don't know what happened to Ove's wife until it's slowly relayed over time. I love how Ove talks to his wife - and how he makes decisions based on what her thoughts would have been on the subject. I love how Ove is even sensitive to the cat's feelings and safety when he repeatedly contemplates how he is going to die on a particular day. Most of all, I love how much Ove loved his wife of nearly 40 years!

The routine-driven and safety-conscious Ove appears to be on the autism spectrum. This is the second book I have read recently where an author "normalizes" autism, making Ove simply human rather than "disabled". People are not their disabilities. People are people. Ove could not get through a day without helping someone. His deeds gave him purpose. How wonderful that his neighbors gave him purpose again after his wife died. Parvaneh, Patrick and their daughters became Ove's family. I love that the girls called him "Granddad".

There is nothing I don't love about this book! I laughed, and I certainly cried. This is a must-read.

Wendy's Rating: *****

The Silver Falcon by Katia Fox

I really love this trilogy! I thought I might have a hard time adjusting to William being the main character in this second book, moving away from his mother Ellenweore's story in book one, The Copper Sign. But, I loved Ellenweore's story and I loved William's story. This trilogy reminds me of a much shorter Game of Thrones, with a lot less characters and no fantasy element, but definitely engaging from beginning to end.

I will admit that there were a couple of times I had to "take a break" for a few minutes because it was hard to read about the evil things people did to each other - or I was too afraid to read what was coming up because I thought something really bad was going to happen. As with Game of Thrones, some really wonderful people died - and it took a long time for certain people to be brought to some sort of justice - and that was difficult too. Another thing that was hard for me to read about was some falcon-related things: sealing their eyes shut; killing small birds to use as their food; the descriptions of the falcons taking down their prey. I am not a big fan of hunting (that's an understatement!), so that's never my favorite thing to read about in any detail. I enjoyed reading about William training the falcons and Robert's love of the dogs though.

William & Robert were wonderful - devoted and loyal friends - and I rooted for them throughout. I was really grateful for Marguerite for forcing them back together - and for Marshal, who gave William some good, non-judgmental advice. William could definitely be a bit of a hot head! And honestly, his jealousy of Robert & Marguerite just because Odon put the idea in his head?? Ridiculous! I absolutely despised Odon, which is what the author intended of course. She did a really nice job of portraying an evil man with a softness for only two people: Clara and Adam. Not that his love for Clara and Adam made up for one iota of all the evil things he did - or allowed. Enid's death was horrible - and so unnecessary (except to move the story along of course). ;)

By the time Marguerite meets William, I had already forgotten that her mother, Alix, was only 17 at the time of her birth and married to Richard. I think I was so distracted by William's story that I forgot about the connection between Alix and John. It was also hard to follow the fight for the throne - who was who, who supported who, who fought for who, who died and how a death affected the throne. But this didn't detract from the story for me. The reader doesn't have to understand all the details of 12th century England's succession to the throne to get wrapped up in the main story.

I was happy that William went home a couple of times to visit his mother & Isaac, because I missed them from the first book. When I finished The Silver Falcon I pulled The Golden Throne (third book) off my bookshelf to see who was the main character. I was hoping it was still William, but no. At first I was disappointed - until I realized that it focuses on Marshal. He is called by a different name in the book though so that the reader doesn't get confused by the two Williams, father and son. I am really looking forward to finishing this trilogy. Hopefully it ends well.

Wendy's Rating: *****

A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley

This was my fifth novel by Susanna Kearsley, and probably my favorite. Although there were two separate stories set in very different times, there was no time traveling or ghosts or genetic connection between the two stories. There were some familiar characters from her other books, as the author is wont to do, but to be honest, I didn't even pick up on that until I read the author's notes at the end of the book.

I think I said this after the last Susanna Kearsley novel I read, but the author certainly knows her history of the Jacobites! She uses real names, real people, real events and combines it all to tell a very detailed historical fiction story. I really loved the 1732 story about Mary and Hugh MacPherson. They did not have a typical journey to love, that's for sure. I wasn't even sure initially who Mary would fall in love with, although I knew it would be somebody! Mary had a fear of Hugh at the start and thought him dangerous and scary - especially his eyes. And he was not at all attractive. ;) It was interesting to watch her transforming opinion of him as the story progressed. I love strong female characters, and I thought that Mary's strength showed in her quick thinking, adaptability and storytelling abilities. She was essentially abandoned by her immediate family (father and brothers) and even though she longed to be wanted by them, at the end she realized that she identified with Hugh's comment that "Home is not always where you left it."

The other story, of Sara code breaking the diary of Mary, was also very good - and unique. I love stories that share the positive traits of someone on the autism spectrum, while also explaining some of the challenges of living with autism - and loving someone with autism. How wonderful that Luc accepted Sara for who she was and loved her for her strengths instead of judging her for her difficulties. Luc is a keeper! The one thing I wish had been explained more thoroughly is how Luc and Denise ended up getting married and having a child - and why they ended up divorced so early on in their marriage since they obviously cared so much for each other. I just thought their whole story was a little odd. 

I liked how the diary that Sara was deciphering just ended mid-sentence, and the book ends with Mary thinking, "It mattered not that no one else would bear the moment witness nor remember it, for if the future could not know them, neither could the past confine them, and the choice was always theirs to make, the tale their own to finish, as her aunt had once assured her." What a perfect ending! Sara & company never find out what happens with Mary & Hugh - and the reader gets a satisfying ending. I really loved it!
Another moment that I really liked is when Mary thinks Frisque would rather be left with the children and Hugh tells her, "Call him." Mary simply says his name, and the dog comes running from the children to her. Mary remembers that moment when Hugh is ready to leave for Spain without her, and she "calls him" too.

Wendy's Rating: ****

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens

A first novel by a Minnesota author. I loved it! The author did a wonderful job of developing the characters while driving the plot. Many books seems to have one or the other: the development of characters or a fast-paced plot, so this was a really good read. The title's meaning is significant to nearly every single character in the book. Each person had something in their history that they wanted to forget, but couldn't, and most of them were punishing themselves for it. Even though they were each trying to "bury" it in their own ways - certainly by not acknowledging it to others - they were living their lives and making decisions based on those same things.

I really liked both Joe and Lila. I think they were really good for each other. They both had things in their past that caused them a lot of guilt, so it was great that they found someone who wouldn't judge them for their past actions. I thought Joe made some questionable decisions, like bailing his mother out of jail with his college money and going after DJ on his own, but there were reasons, that were actually understandable, for his actions. On top of that, he was a college kid, and people that age sometimes think they are invincible! I loved how resourceful he was when he had to be though. His will to survive was apparent in the most direst of situations! He persevered and definitely had his McGyver moments in the cabin! ;)

Carl was the most tragic character in the novel of course. Talk about someone living with his guilt. He certainly did not deserve to spend his live in prison or die a painful death from cancer. It's interesting that he could put a positive spin on his imprisonment though. He lived a life in prison when he most likely wouldn't have lived at all if he hadn't been sent to prison. In his mind, he deserved to be there anyway for what he did in Vietnam.

I loved the code used by Crystal in her diary. I think it's appalling that the police used the diary to convict Carl without even breaking the code though. Talk about assumptions! What's even more interesting to me is that the book I am currently reading - set in a completely different country, culture and time - is also about a woman who journals using a code. It's so weird that subject matters in common pop up so often in books I read consecutively, although there is no prior indication they would have a common theme. Anyway, it's too bad that Crystal didn't have a trusted person she could confide in. Very sad.

The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the ending. It wasn't exactly a "neat and tidy" ending in one respect, because after all, Joe found himself the primary caregiver for his autistic brother while trying to attend college and work. But in another respect, the rewards seemed too neat and tidy. Not that I didn't want the best for Joe and Jeremy, but the rewards did seem to tie things up in a neat little bow....

All in all, a great read. The author has a second book out called "The Guise of Another", which I will definitely read.

Wendy's Rating: *****

The Sound of Glass by Karen White

One thing I really like about Karen White novels is that I care about her characters. Some are dysfunctional and some appear unkind or downright mean at times, but they are flawed for a reason. And there are always kind characters, to help soften the rough edges of the others. Karen White also attaches a mystery to her stories and leads the reader, along with the main characters, to the resolution. Lastly, I love the setting of each of her novels. All of them involve beaches/oceans/water and a southern environment.

This story demonstrates the vicious cycle of domestic abuse from generation to generation. This particular story focuses on the genetic component over the environment component since in the third generation, one brother is an abuser like his father and grandfather and the other is a gentle and caring doctor. It goes without saying that I adored Gibbes. ;)

I didn't quite understand Merritt and Cal's love for each other. Part of it is not understanding how a person can abuse a woman he truly loves. Secondly, Merritt doesn't really act like she has lost someone she loved. She certainly felt guilt, since she told Cal to walk into the fire and he did, but it was difficult to see her loving him. But, maybe Cal walking into that fire did in fact show how much he loved Merritt. He stopped the cycle of abuse in his family.

I absolutely loved Loralee! She was such a kind soul - and wonderful to Merritt who initially didn't want to give her the time of day. I bawled like a baby at her passing. How brave of her to move to Beaufort, SC and move into her step-daughter's inherited house without an invitation - all for the sake of her son.

I was fascinated by the details of Edith's crime scene boxes. The time and patience those must have taken!  It was hard to know how it was going to connect in the end, but when it did, it made sense. I couldn't figure out why Edith would bury the suitcase - and why she was so confused by the suitcase missing the dopp kit - but all of those details were explained in the end.

I really enjoyed this novel. I am making my way through all Karen White novels because I have liked every one a lot.

Wendy's Rating: ****

See Me by Nicholas Sparks

I like Nicholas Sparks. He has an easy writing style, a few solid characters, romance, sometimes a little mystery and too often the death of a beloved character. Sometimes the mystery is who the character is that is going to die. ;) Fortunately, the main characters escaped death in this story, although I was worried about Lily and Evan more than once! I certainly didn't want anything to happen to Evan, since he was always so faithful and supportive to Colin. Colin of course came out with some injuries, but I guess I never thought he would die.

Speaking of Colin, I had mixed feelings about him at times. I really liked him, but I disliked the innate sense of violence and aggression in him. I would have a hard time being with someone like that. I have never understood the lure of boxing, fighting or ultimate fighting. Why do men enjoy trying to hurt each other? I just don't get it. And why would Maria want to see him fight? Colin seemed to live on the edge of his anger, so it was  a good thing that he went to the gym a lot and ran when he needed to clear his head. But still.... If I was Maria, I would live in fear of him totally losing it one day. 

There was a time that I thought that maybe Maria was imagining Lester, like maybe she was the one with some mental health issues! (I guess I have read too many books like that!) Anyway, I was a little relieved when Maria's sister said (finally) that the man wasn't behind Maria when she raced for the door because he was running the other way. Why didn't she say that in the first place?? She just told Maria that there was no man coming after her. Good grief. That scene made me question everything Maria had said. But, there was indeed a Lester, and Lester definitely had some mental health issues. No thanks to his dad, Dr. Manning, right? The Manning family certainly had their share of tragedies.

Oh, and Colin's response of "okay" for everything? That would drive me nuts! I know it was supposed to be his "signature response", and that some people (characters) found it charming, but I didn't find it sweet. I found it annoying. 

Anyway, I actually did like the book. It was entertaining, and it's nice to read books occasionally that I don't have to put too much deep thought into the plot or the characters. That is not a slam. Just a fact.

Wendy's Rating: ****

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

I seem to be on a trend of interestingly ambiguous endings lately. I actually don't like it when authors feel like they have to tie up every story line with a neat little bow. But....I guess I do prefer nice solid endings. I want to protagonist to KNOW that he/she is making the right decision, not just doing the "right thing" or the "thing that's expected of them". That's too much like real life. I want them to experience life and learn a lesson or two along the way, but in the end, I want them to know what they want - and have the strength to follow it through. 

I actually don't know what Eilis really wants - or who she wants - or where she wants to live at the end of this novel. Maybe she is just a woman who will make the best of whatever life is thrown in her path. She doesn't want to leave Ireland for America, but she does it because her mom and sister tell her she needs to move to Brooklyn, work in a shop and go to school. She doesn't want to switch rooms at Mrs. Kehoe's, but Mrs. Kehoe tells her when and how to switch rooms, so she does. She doesn't want to sell nylons to black Americans at the store (at least exclusively), but she is told that is what she must do, so she does. She seems to genuinely like spending time with Tony, and certainly went to a place with him I didn't think she would go (wink, wink), but she gets so distracted by Jim when she goes back to Ireland.  It seems to me that she would have stayed in Ireland and made a life with Jim; stayed in America and made a life with Tony; worked at any job thrown her way; lived wherever anyone wanted her to live. I would have liked to hear her voice at the end. What DOES she want?? It reminds me of the movie The Runaway Bride. Julia Robert's character takes on the likes and interests of every man she is with (and engaged to) - but can't quite commit to them and always leaves them at the alter. At the end, she takes the time to figure out her own likes and interests - and then once she knows who SHE is, she decides who she wants to spend the rest of her life with. That's what I wanted for Eilis!

I liked Eilis, but I didn't overly connect with her - probably because of her ambiguous feelings about everything and her inability to speak up to anyone; her inability to voice her own thoughts, feelings, opinions. I really liked Tony. I am not unhappy that Eilis goes back to Brooklyn in the end, to honor her commitment to Tony, but I sure wish I knew that she wanted it. She did "sew a couple of oats", which I thought was risque for the time and for her upbringing, so maybe she will be happy. I hope for Tony's sake that she is.

Wendy's Rating: ****

Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help, and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer's by B. Smith & Dan Gasby

I bought this book to give to my stepmother, who is the caregiver for my dad, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. After receiving it in the mail, I decided to read it before giving it to her. I thought I might gain a better perspective of what she is going through and learn more about the disease. This book provided the details I was seeking, plus more. It was extremely informative and I found a lot of value in reading it. I hope my stepmother does too.

B. Smith was a model, singer and New York restaurant owner. She decided to go public with her early on-set (before age 65) Alzheimer's diagnosis. Dan Gasby is her husband of 22 years, and her caregiver. The book is split up into 10 Parts and B. Smith shares her thoughts as a preface to each Part. Dan expresses his frustrations, impatience, compassion, love and denial as they learn to live with Alzheimer's. He also explains the different theories on what causes Alzheimer's, how different drugs may or may not help and why, how genetics plays a role, how lifestyle also plays a role, the research that is currently going on to slow down the progression of the disease after it has been diagnosed, and even the steps being taken to stop the disease from ever developing in the first place.

The book alternates from Dan sharing their personal story of day-to-day life and all the trials and tribulations of understanding Alzheimer's and the different lives they are forced to lead because of it, and information regarding Alzheimer's itself, including how many people are affected by it, how challenging and expensive it is to complete drug trials, and how underfunded the research for Alzheimer's is compared to other diseases - even Ebola! (Which doesn't affect even a tiny fraction of people in the US compared to the growing number of people living with Alzheimer's).

Dan is open and honest about his feelings, and his shortcomings as a caregiver. He has also spent a lot of time and energy researching this disease, talking to doctors, understanding the options, planning for the future. B. Smith's voice also strengthened my understanding of how frustrating it must be to be told what to do each day, even as you know that someone needs to tell you what to do each day. I would recommend this book to all people who love someone who has this disease or is caring for someone with Alzheimer's.

Wendy's Rating: *****

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

So, I really don't get the title. The Age of Miracles.... Where exactly are the miracles in this book? This story was not at all what I thought it would be. It was sad, tragic, frightening and disturbing. Sickness, death, accidents, people turning against each other. Just not sure how it provides "solace", as one reviewer stated. Where was the hope? Even in the book of Revelations there is hope at the end of all the tragedy!

The narrator of the book is Julia, a lonely, basically friendless, 11/12 year old. She is an only child, so she doesn't even have a sibling to talk to. Her mom is sick; her dad is having an affair and lying to both of them about several different things. Hanna, her BFF at the beginning of the book, moves away, comes back and completely dismisses Julia as a friend. Julia ends up having a few happy months with Seth, who is sad because his mom died of cancer, but then Seth gets sick and moves away. Her grandfather puts all this effort into saving the four of them, and then dies from falling off a ladder, on her birthday nonetheless. Honestly. This is one depressing book! The birds die, the whales die, plant-life dies, people die from suicide pacts, some people are ostracized because they want to live on "real time" vs. "clock time".

Is this supposed to be a forewarning of things to come if we don't stop the ozone from depleting? Then why not just write a book about that? Instead, the world comes to an end as we know it because the earth slows down its rotation, but not its orbiting. Why?? If the author can come up with this unique dystopian idea, then maybe she can come up with a reason why! If the point is that there is no explainable reason, then I guess (for me) there needs to be a message of hope at the end. I need one or the other!

Since this book was so depressing, it won't be a leap for me to start my next book tonight, a non-fiction book on Alzheimer's.

Wendy's Rating: ***

After You by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You was my favorite book in 2015, and one of my favorites of all time. I wasn't sure I wanted to read about Louisa after Will's death. I am glad I did though. This book wasn't the "page-turner" that Me Before You was, and it didn't leave me bawling my eyes out at 3:00am, but it was appropriately good. 

Louisa drove me a little crazy at times - especially when she turned down the New York job! That was the most frustrating part of the story for me because I really, really wanted her to move on with her life and get out of the ridiculous work situation with Richard and that awful uniform!  It's not that I wanted her to leave Lily or Sam, but I kept waiting for her to do something - one thing! - for herself. I could not believe that she asked Richard for her job back either! I think I would have worked anywhere but there. I guess the point was, jobs were hard to come by, and Louisa needed to figure things out in her own time. Thank goodness she did!

This book was satisfying to me for a couple of reasons: Louisa found love again - and to a really good man - and she followed through with moving on with her life, despite her love for Sam. I would have been disappointed in Sam if he had tried to make her stay, or feel guilty for going. I would have been disappointed in Louisa if she decided to stay because of Sam and/or Lily. Louisa made the best possible decision for herself. 

I am glad that the author fleshed out Lily's story for us. I am glad there were reasons that Lily stole from her mother and Louisa. I didn't want her to be just a lying thief! I felt bad for her - one error in judgment really affected her life negatively. She really didn't have anyone that she trusted enough to share her story. I understood why she didn't tell Louisa, because it would have been humiliating, but I am really glad she did in the end.

Sam was awesome! I completely didn't predict the true connection between Sam and Jake. That was a twist that I didn't see coming. I thought maybe Jake was just lying about his father "shagging" everyone in sight and then crying about it. I mean, he was a teenager who had lost his mother. I was relieved by the truth though about Sam!

Will this be the end of the story for Louisa, Sam, Lily and company...? Who knows! The ending was satisfying to me (because I know that Louisa will come back for Sam after she has fulfilled her commitment to her new employer - as well as to Will and herself), so I would be fine either way!

Wendy's Rating: ****

Traction by Gino Wickman

If you own a business, or you are part of the leadership team of a business, this is a valuable book. At the company I work for, we sit in meeting after meeting rehashing the same old issues. We never seem to resolve anything because we are never on the same page. We can never come to an unanimous decision, so we table it until the following month - or months - or year. It gets frustrating, to say the least. What is encouraging to me personally is that the owner of my company wants each member of the leadership team to read this book - and he even bought us each a copy. So, I think he means business. ;) Now that I have read the book, I see that he is already starting to implement some of the suggestions in the book - and that is encouraging to me.

This book explains how to make sure the right person is in the right seat within the company; how to structure your company; how to grow your company - because if it's stagnant, it's dying; how to determine your core value and core focus - and then making sure that everyone on the leadership team agrees so that you are all working toward the same goals; how to eliminate the people on your leadership team if they are the wrong person in the wrong seat; how to hold each other accountable by setting measurable goals and then having to report back to the team on a regular basis.

I know a lot of people who think that meetings are a waste of time - and they probably are if you don't have any goals or direction. This book explains how to set a 10 year target, a 3 year target, a 1 year target, 90-day targets and the importance of weekly meetings. It encourages an all day off-site meeting every 90 days and weekly meetings (same time, same place every week). The greatest part of each meeting is discussing and solving issues. This book explains how to actually solve them, instead of rehashing them meeting after meeting.

This book inspired me to try these techniques on the group of coordinators who report to me. It's about taking control of your business - finding the traction to move it forward. This book is very readable and I actually kept picking this one up instead of the book I was reading for book club!

Wendy's Rating for a Business Book: *****

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

I really loved this book! It was a unique concept that explored many current issues in our nation: treating people differently because of their color and preconceived notions of what they did and why they did it; pro-choice vs. pro-life as regards to abortion; the separation of church and state, or the lack of in this case; living under the watchful eye of Big Brother through tracking devices that allow every movement to be advertised for all to see. Hello Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,smart phones, iCloud, Google Maps, etc. We seem to already be on our way....  ;) The author said she got the idea for this book from a comment made by a family member. He said that drugs should be legalized and funded by the government, but whenever someone used drugs they should turn bright blue so everyone else can see who is high on drugs and be able to avoid them. What a clever idea! Hence, the idea for "When She Woke" was born.

I loved "watching" the transformation of Hannah as she evolves from an obedient, faithful, single-minded young woman to a brave, spirited, free-willed, open-minded young woman. The author threw in a couple of curve balls I didn't expect (hello Simone!), but they cemented the fact that Hannah was growing as a person and opening her mind to the possibilities. Since Hannah was discovering herself - and making decisions based on each discovery, many times "in the moment", I really didn't know how it was going to end. I was never really sure what Hannah would decide to do, but the decisions she made were consistent with her development as a character. Hannah had to make some difficult decisions, but I think they were the right ones for her. She was able to break out of the "box" once and for all. 

I thought it was interesting that the author felt the need to hit us upside the head with the comparison of Hannah Payne to Hester Prynne, even to the point of Hannah having an affair with a minister and naming her aborted child Pearl. Wow. Maybe not everyone has read The Scarlet Letter, so it wouldn't have been so obvious to all readers. Maybe. ;) Anyway, as a society we always seem to want to put the transgressions of others on public display. It could be wearing a scarlet "A", having red skin, or advertising it on social media - it's one and the same. I was very happy that Aidan did the right thing though! Wasn't sure he was brave enough to follow through with it, but he did, and that made the story even better in my opinion. Why should Hannah be the only one to suffer the consequences of their actions?? At the end, the one person I still felt really sad about is Hannah's father. I wish he could have had some closure - some knowledge of Hannah's plan and/or destination. Something.

Now I will absolutely have to read Mudbound, Hillary Jordan's award-winning first novel!

Wendy's Rating: *****

The Fit Mom Project by Heidi Rivers Marshall

The full title is: "The Fit Mom Project, A 465-Day Guide to Overcoming Thigh-Gap Obsessions and the Embarrassment of Peeing Your Pants When Jumping Rope."

I certainly identified with some of the author's feelings about her body, and how people can be so focused on imperfections in their body that they miss "being in the moment". I thought one really poignant example of this was when HRM talked about being focused on the fat rolls in her stomach while she was nursing her child. I could so relate to that. I grew up with a father who was incredibly focused on the aesthetic appeal of people. Most often he commented on people's weights, but he also liked to point out other "imperfections" as well.  If these "imperfections" were noticed in his family members, his advice was always to "fix the problem" through plastic surgery or other means, depending on the "problem".  I used to think that his lifelong observations didn't affect me, other than my annoyance of them, but I now know that isn't actually true. I, also, can be super focused on my weight - to the point of not enjoying myself if I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror while out, and the glimpse is an unflattering one. I then think about my clothing choice for the day rather than enjoy what I'm doing.  Why?? Who cares?? Obviously, I care - and I hate that I do. 

I could not identify with HRM's motivation for Cross-Fit however!! I can say with 100% certainty that I would never get up every morning - or every other morning - or even once a week to attend a 5:30am workout!! I absolutely admired her determination though. I was a bit discouraged (as she was) that she didn't lose weight faster, as hard as she was working at it. That goes to show you that the food and drinks you put in your body does indeed make a difference, whether you exercise faithfully or not. I felt her pain with that though too. We only have one life to live, and as much I want to be thinner and lead a healthy lifestyle, I don't want to sacrifice my favorite foods and drinks. I love to eat out and that usually includes at least one alcoholic beverage, if not more. I also like to "wine down" at night by having a glass of wine before bed.

How awesome for HRM that her persistence paid off and she did eventually lose weight and drop down a few sizes in her clothes. But what I liked even better is her coming to the conclusion that we have to feel good about ourselves as women and that we are not all going to look like the No Excuse Fit Mom, no matter how much we exercise. On top of that comes the acknowledgement that many of us don't want to! Yes, I want to be healthy, but I have no desire to post a picture of myself on facebook wearing a bikini with my four children! ;) Most importantly, HRM decided that "[i]t's about choice and honoring accomplishments; it is about supporting other women in their choices and pursuits." One of the reasons that the Kardashians drive me crazy is that they feel the need to share their naked/partially naked bodies on social media constantly! They completely objectify women. Heaven forbid if someone posts a picture of themselves baring a breast/partial breast to feed their child though. What a warped world we live in. :(

HRM comes to the conclusion that "[m]y fitness as a mother is defined by working to be the best version of myself that I can be." Amen to that!

Wendy's Rating: ****

The Silent Wife by ASA Harrison

This book has been compared to Gone Girl, and I see the similarity. I don't necessarily think it is better than Gone Girl however. They both read at a quick pace, there are twists & turns in the story, and the main characters are too flawed to actually like them. 

I thought the characters in The Silent Wife were more pathetic than evil. I could not relate to Jodi on any level! She was like a 50's housewife - who happened to also be a part-time psychologist. Where was her motivation? She was obviously intelligent, but why was she so subservient to her womanizing husband?? She waited on him hand-and-foot, making oyster appetizers for him to munch on when he got home from work. I am surprised she didn't bring him his slippers when he walked in the door! She wouldn't marry him (Why??), but she let him support her all those years. She was afraid to leave him to himself (because who would take care of him if she went to a professional conference for a week?) but she lived with him for 20 years as he slept with who knows how many women. Ick! She was intelligent, pretty and had several good friends. I simply didn't understand her at all.

Todd was pampered by his wife, which may have been the problem. Maybe if she had stood up to him, instead of living in a state of denial - or really planned ignorance - he wouldn't have played around so much. Todd didn't even see how passive aggressive Jodi was! Clueless. He really thought that he could marry his best friend's daughter, have children (that he didn't really want) to pass on his seed, and sleep with Jodi on the side. Seriously, I can't say enough how pathetic they both were!

As I was nearing the end, I wasn't sure how it would end. I wasn't shocked by the ending though. I enjoyed the read, but I think Gone Girl was superior when it comes to the surprise twists and the, arguably, more interesting ending. I did think it was interesting that a psychologist could lead such an unsatisfying life. Physician heal thyself.

Wendy's Rating: ****

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Yep, I really like this series! The Hunger Games trilogy is my all-time favorite dystopian series, but this reminds me of that. It's another deadly "game" or "contest" for children to see who is strongest, smartest, quickest - and has the strongest will to survive. There is WICKED (like the Capitol), who is manipulating the contest, even to the point of not letting Thomas die. On top of all that is the almost impossible task of figuring out what is real and what it not; who can be trusted and who can not; and what does it all mean??

I trusted Teresa all the way up to the end of the book. Then she told Thomas "WICKED is good", which is that same thing her tattoo says. It was the first time that I started doubting her intentions with Thomas. I also thought it was weird when Thomas had a dream toward the end that Brenda was talking to him in his head instead of Teresa or Aris. Usually Thomas' dreams seemed to represent things that had actually happened, so I was thrown off by that. I guess the two people I really trusted in the book, besides Thomas (since we are in his head), were Minho and Newt. I haven't given up on Teresa by any means - after all, Peeta tried to kill Katness!! - but I am starting to wonder if in the end, Thomas will end up with Brenda. 

So, are they all infected with the Flare? Was that just a ploy to get everyone to participate in the Scorch Trials? What are the variables and why are they important to the cause?  What is the cause?  How does watching  a bunch of kids - boys and girls - interact with each other and react to what is thrown at them - benefit the country/world? I simply have no clue yet! Is this story ultimately about global warming - a warning to us all? ;)

I spent some time thinking about this story after I finished the book - which proves that I really liked the book! I have a thought about what may be going on, but certainly not why. I thought about mentioning my idea here, but if I am right, I don't want to ruin it for anyone reading this. :) I promise I will tell you my idea, if it's right or wrong, in my blog post for The Death Cure!

I think it's interesting that this intelligent group of kids believe what is told them - either in the spoken word or written, like their tattoos identifying their roles in the game and the signs posted in the city they travel through, saying that Thomas is the true leader, on the way to the "Safe Haven" (A book by Nicholas Sparks!) I think it's quite easy to believe what you hear and/or experience, especially in dire situations - like Thomas doubting Teresa even after she warned him that things were going to get bad but he should trust her. A side note: what on earth does Minho really think of those signs saying Thomas is the true leader?! If I were Minho, I would say "go ahead Thomas, LEAD". :)

Anyway, I have the third book and I am ready to read it! I cannot wait for some insight as to what is going on!! I am really enjoying this series!

Wendy's Rating: *****

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

I have been trying to decide which book I like better: The Rosie Project (TRP) or The Rosie Effect (TRE). I love them both. I think TRP is probably funnier throughout, but TRE certainly has laugh-out-loud parts too. What I like about TRE is that it delves into the more serious side of living with Aspergers - or living with someone with Aspergers.

I really love Don! He tries so hard at everything he does, especially socializing with friends (his men's group) and being a good husband to Rosie. Don wants his marriage to work so much that he even resorts to lying (or hiding the truth in some cases) despite his innate sense to speak honestly at all cost. In fact, being so incredibly honest got him in plenty of trouble (being arrested as a pedophile; the airplane terrorism fiasco). These were funny episodes, but it made me sad that no matter how hard Don tried, Rosie kept slipping away from him.

I was frustrated with Rosie. I totally get how difficult it would be to be married to someone like Don. He really didn't feel anything for their baby. How sad for both of them. BUT, instead of talking it out with Don - and being really specific about her expectations of him regarding the pregnancy - Rosie just gave up on him. She sprung the pregnancy on him - and then got upset when he could react the way she wanted him to. It just wasn't fair to Don. Even when Don tried to correct his mistake of missing the sonogram, she just kept pushing him away. I am happy that she finally took some responsibility for her part in their disintegrating marriage.

Just like in TRP, Gene drove me crazy! I really found his remarks about women distasteful! And how insecure do you have to be to lie in order to make yourself seem worse?? I just don't get it. Don really wanted Gene and Claudia to get back together, but their relationship was so dysfunctional that I had no problem with them both moving on from each other. I found myself warming up to him a bit by the end of the book of course, because he was influential in navigating Don & Rosie back to each other.

Dave also drove me a little crazy by his lack of interest in his and Sonia's baby. I thought it was so great of Don to sort out Dave's business! What an awesome friend! And I did like Don's unique men's group: a professor of genetics, a psychiatrist, a refrigerator expert and an aging rock star. How eclectic!

My favorite "Don quote" from the book: "I had been granted an unexpected bonus that was destined to be temporary because of who I was. Paradoxically, happiness had tested me. But I had concluded that being myself, with all my intrinsic flaws, was more important than having the thing I wanted most." I love this!! So, in conclusion, TRP was definitely charming and funny, but TRE was all that plus more. I cannot wait to catch up with Don, Rosie and Hudson in the next chapter of the Tillman chronicles. :)

Wendy's Rating: *****

A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre

This is a non-fiction book about Kim Philby, the British spy for the Soviet Union during the Cold War. I read it for one of my most engaging book clubs (where everyone always reads the book and actually spends a hour talking about it!) Surprisingly, I was nearly the only person who liked it! Despite how much I disliked Kim Philby, I was very interested in reading about the spy business. In Britain, they have the M15 (like the FBI) and the M16 (like the CIA). I enjoyed reading about the recruiting of spies and double agents, the rivalries between M15 and M16 and the boys-club mentality of the agents - where even the most top secret information was shared among them. Most of all, I was intrigued by how Kim Philby, loved by all, could betray his country and send hundreds of people to their deaths without an ounce of remorse. He never strayed from his worship of communism and his idealistic view of the Soviet Union. He was like Ted Bundy - a good looking charmer who fools everyone while doing evil deeds in almost plain sight.

I did get frustrated while reading this book however. First of all, while I admire loyalty among friends, I got irritated at both Nicholas Elliott and James Angleton and their blind faith. These were all highly intelligent men - and the spy business is full of double agents and some triple agents. There was some pretty damaging evidence being stacked up against Kim Philby that should have at least had them thinking twice about things. But no, they were friends (naive friends!) who literally had to have his betrayal flung in their faces before they believed it. It kind of reminds me of Bill Cosby's wife. But I digress. It took a really long time for Kim to be caught and I was impatient with that! It was incredible how "lucky" he was, escaping exposure time and time again. I found it interesting - and believable - that they allowed him to defect to the Soviet Union after he was caught, instead of charging him with treason and sending him to prison, as they had done with George Blake - another Soviet spy within M16. It would have just been too "messy" for Britain to deal with him. I could not believe that they allowed his wife and children to come and go from the Soviet Union to visit him though!! What's up with that? Neither Britain or the Soviet Union appeared to have a problem with it. Very weird.

My book club cohorts who did not like the book stated that it was too detailed and there were too many people to keep track of. They said it was impossible to keep everyone straight and to remember where they all fit into the system of the British spy network. Agreed. There were a lot of people involved. The majority of readers will not be able to remember who everyone is, but I don't think you have to. Follow the key characters and you will be fine. I really do detest Kim Philby, but I still liked the book!

Wendy's Rating: ***1/2 (Apparently it's not a book for everyone!)