Life As We Knew It

Dena suggested this one to me. I couldn't put it down. It's a teen novel, and written as a young girl's diary. An asteroid hit's the moon and knocks it out of it's orbit, which changes the earths tides and magnetic pull. This is the diary of a young girl, living with her mom and 2 brothers, during these events. I won't go into the story, because I would probably give too much away, but.. it's a good story and stays with you.

Half-Broken Things

I really don't know how I came to read this book. No one recommened it to me, I hadn't heard of the author, I just happened to see it at the library and grabbed it because I was wanting something to read. Didn't even check to see what it was about. (which is strange for me) Anyway, it's about an elderly house sitter who is staying in the perfect house. She has just been informed that the company will no longer need her services due to her age. She has no family, or place to go. She makes up a son, and places an advertisement in the paper looking for him. A man who has no family, no job, and makes a living stealing from people, answers her ad. He also brings along a pregnant girl he has just met. Together the 3 of them become a family and make each other something better. They have found their place together. Only problem- not their house.

This book has won the Silver Dagger Award. (I really don't know what that is) This is not a mystery, drama or romance. Maybe a little of each? It draws you into the lives of these characters and makes you ask "What would I do to keep my family together?".

The War of Gifts

If you like the Ender series, you will enjoy this short story by Orson Scott Card. It takes place at the Battle School during Christmas, where all religious observance is forbidden. There is only one purpose, only one curriculum: the strategy and tactics of war. The children are drawn from all nations, all races, all religions, and are expected to leave all their cultural differences on earth. But they are kids. One boy leaves a Sinterklaas Day gift in his best friend's shoe and that quiet act of rebellion becomes the first shot in a war of wills with the staff of the Battle School.

It's only 126 pages, but was an enjoyable holiday read.

The Worst Hard Times

This is a terrific book. I must admit, I had not a clue about the Depression. I had listened to my Granny talk about what they went through during the Depression, and they had it better than a lot. They lived on a farm in Kentucky. But after reading this book, I went back and asked her and my parents about the dust storms that traveled across the nation. They could remember the days the storms came across. This was dust from Oklahoma and neighboring states covering Kentucky and all the way to New York. I can't imagine. The author Timothy Egan, has a special showing on the History Channel, where he tries to recreate the conditions that these people were living in. This book makes it come alive for you. It generalizes the times, but also follows the lives of several people in a small town, in the heart of the Dust Bowl. Best Nonfiction I have read in a while.

Thanksgiving

Like every other Evanovich story I've read: girl meets boy under slightly zany circumstances. Boy is instantly attracted to her but scared of committment. Further zany circumstances draw them together until they are in love but are too afraid to admit it. Silly fight. Zany circumstances bring them back together where love is declared and committment made.

This particular one takes place in Williamsburg.

Utterly ridiculous. And perfect for listening to while hiding in one's room folding laundry to escape the "whole house light saber battles" which my four sons currently stage.

The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday

This is book 5 in the Isabel Dalhousie Series. I love these books. I love most of what Alexander McCall Smith writes. ("The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series, and "44 Scotland Street" series.) Most books I attack with voraciousness and gorge myself on. These books I can appreciate at my lesiure. They seem to be written to simultaneously calm and entertain me.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

This was our book group selection for December. I think we all universally agree that we loved it. Recommended for women and book groups everywhere.

Montana Sky

I've never read a book by Nora Roberts before. Upon admitting this, one of my guy friends was appalled. I was informed that Nora Roberts is as requisite for women as John Grisham/Michael Chrichton/whomever else is writing books to be read on an airplane flight these days.

I was unaware that there were gender requirements for these authors, but I'll take the comparison.

"Montana Sky" is the story of three sisters who meet for the first time at the funeral of their father. He married and divorced their mothers before the daughters ever knew him. Now these three very different women are required to spend one year on his ranch in Montana to receive any inheritance. I will admit that I had low expectations when the three beautiful sisters all had three gorgeous cowboys to spend time with, but honestly the story was very suspenseful and enjoyable.

My largest complaint is that I listened to this story. Why is it that every actor believes that people in the west speak with southern accents? It was extremely irritating to listen to the reader make everyone sound like they were from the deep south. And frankly, even people in the deep south don't really talk like that. People in Montana have an accent. I've never heard anyone correctly immitate it, though.

Let It Snow

When one is faced with amazing amounts of stress, what should one do?

In my opinion, one should read light and fluffy books. If I want intense, I will kindly check back into my own life, thank you very much.

In that vein, I thoroughly enjoyed "Let It Snow". It's a series of short stories written by three different YA authors. The stories have a few things in common and should be read in order since they are sort of connected. (I read the one by John Green first, because he is my favorite. I was confused by a few wierd references until I went back and read the first story...um, first.) The three stories take place when a huge blizzard hits a small town in North Carolina.

Yes, I read it while it was snowing outside.

And, yes, it made me happy inside.