The Death Cure by James Dashner

I definitely like this series, but there was one thing that bothered me this entire book: Why didn't Thomas want to remember the past?? At first I understood why he tried to prevent it from happening because I didn't trust Janson (The Rat Man) any more than Thomas did. I figured that they were really trying to do something else to their brains. BUT, after we realize that WICKED did indeed want to return memories to their "test subjects", why did Thomas keep rejecting the idea? He was the mastermind (or one of them) behind The Maze after all. It seemed to me that having his memories returned would have been helpful at that point! By rejecting his memories, he was flying blind. I did not understand his reasoning. He was dependent on Brenda giving him the answers regarding the layout of WICKED, for one example, when he could have simply remembered himself. Seems to me it would have been more efficient and wasted less time. He seemed to be "running from the truth", which goes against his otherwise brave, intelligent, fearless (or at least not fearful) persona.

I liked Thomas and Brenda. I guess I didn't necessarily think that Thomas and Theresa would end up together. I thought it was sad that their prior relationship couldn't survive the deceit and brainwashing of WICKED, but Theresa didn't really have a very big part in this book so I wasn't very attached to her. I was bummed that she died though. It's not like Thomas and Theresa had a choice about their involvement in WICKED. They were children when they were chosen.

I was shocked that WICKED purposely released the virus. (I have to be careful about what I say here because I am almost finished with the next book, which is a prequel that explains a lot!) I personally think it was a terrible idea! You know what they say about "best laid plans"! Didn't the last Dan Brown novel address the same solution for population control? Yeah, bad idea.

It bothered me that Minho was such a hothead. Cooler heads prevail. He was continually losing his temper, which made most situations worse. I just wanted him to chill and use his head.

I am happy that Chancellor Paige had a Plan B! The best and the brightest and the immune can re-populate the earth - starting with Thomas and Brenda, presumably. ;) Reading this series (I really like the prequel too!), I am intrigued by the other James Dashner series: The Mortality Doctrine. I am thinking I will need to read that series too!

Wendy's Rating: ****

The Girls by Emma Cline

Whenever I read a book and I cannot relate to even one character in it, I find myself reading it in a detached manner.  I did feel sad for Evie, beginning, middle and end however. I can't imagine ever thinking like Evie, or making the decisions she did, much less any of the other girls. They just seemed so lost. I know the 60's were a unique time in our history, but I guess I have lived a sheltered life. I am okay with that!

This is a well-written book. The author explains Evie's life, feelings and thoughts in such a way that each decision she makes along the way makes sense. Evie stays true to herself. Her parent's divorce, her dad's affair, her mom's questionable taste in men, the loss of her best friend (although her own actions didn't help that situation), being sent off to boarding school - those were the things that made up her life at the time. She was an isolated, lonely girl of 14. I can see how someone like Suzanne (at the ripe old age of 19!) would seem compelling to Evie. After meeting Suzanne however, Evie definitely turned her blinders on! Yikes. The author does an amazing job of describing the filth and smell of the ranch. You can feel the love that everyone had for Russell. I am sure the constant intake of drugs didn't hurt their ability to look past the daily details of their lives either.

I really don't know the reason that Suzanne kicked Evie out of the car that night on the way to Mitch's house. She didn't strike me as someone who thought of anyone but herself (and Russell). Was she trying to save Evie - or was Evie just annoying her? At the time it just seemed like Evie was annoying her, being too clingy and "in love" with her. Despite being "saved" from that horrendous night, Evie never seemed to save herself. That's why the entire book comes across as a sad tale to me. Evie could have made something of herself, of her life. Her parents had money; she made friends at her boarding school. She could have counted her blessings - despite her misgivings about what she would have done that night - and moved on be become a productive member of society. She ends up like she started however, being isolated and lonely with no meaningful relationship in her life.

Wendy's Rating: ****

Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander, MD

As others have noted - including he himself - this "proof of heaven" is even more impressive considering EB is a man of science. I think his journey has been incredible, especially considering how ill he was.

Since EB is a neurosurgeon, he speaks/writes like one. Sometimes his descriptions were a little too medically or scientifically detailed for me to completely understand. One thing that really scared me though was his explanation of the KPC enzyme, which "could potentially render a bacteria that absorbed it resistant not just to some current antibiotics, but to all of them." This bacterial strain could wipe out the human race if it got into the general population. Very frightening to think about!

EB's near death experience was also very detailed. Some of it was hard to follow, which makes sense because, again, he is a neurosurgeon who pays attention to the nitty gritty details in life - and death. I guess for me that is beside the point. I can certainly find value in things I don't completely understand. What I love about this book is that this man, who was struggling in his personal life, had this amazing, miraculous experience which changed his life. Then, he is compelled to share his story to give others hope.

I love how he shared his adoption story, his feelings of being given away and how that affected his life. I am happy that he was able to re-connect with his birth family, even though it made things even worse for him for awhile. His experience enabled him to figure out who he is - and realize that he is loved. Most importantly, without the unconditional love of God, we will always feel lost on earth.

Wendy's Rating: ****

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: ****