A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Love, love, love this book. But I also hated it because it made me cry. 

I knew it was going to be a really sad book from the very first bit. What else can you expect when all the main character wants to do is kill himself? 

You absolutely have to love Ove. Every quality is perfect in him. He is stubborn to the point where you can't help but laugh at him. The whole time I was reading, I just wanted to hug Ove, knowing he'd hate it so much. 

I read the back of the book and assumed it would be like Up, minus the floating house and stuff, but it was so much more. Ove was more: more grumpy, more frustrated, more stubborn, more sad, more loving, and more lovable. 

The book also had this horribly great dark humor to it; Ove couldn't successfully commit suicide. He wouldn't do something right or a neighbor would interrupt him. And he'd try his best to ignore them or scare them off, but he couldn't because he had a great family surrounding him. 

I loved how Backman did the story: every once in a while he'd take his readers back to provide more of Ove's story, making us even sadder as we realized all that he went through. This backstory was very well spread out so that we were never over- or underwhelmed by his past but received information relevant to the current going-ons. 

This book ended just as I would've wanted it too: Ove's natural death and a man just like him and his wife move into his house. I love that. It's just perfect and I think Ove would appreciate that. 

I also really enjoyed Rune and Ove's relationship. Some days they got along just fine, but one little thing would would set them off again to where they wouldn't speak to each other for years. I enjoyed that we got glimpses of their friendship: enough to answer our questions but still have us wanting mrore of their interactions. And when it counted the most, Ove was right there for Rune, doing whatever he could to beat the men in white suits. 

I think that was an interesting theme throughout. I'm sure someone with more knowledge could make some great political discussion on those "men in white suits," but I'll leave that to someone else. I loved that Ove kept saying that those men could not be beat, and we saw that as Ove continued to lose against them: until the end. Ove won and he won in a big way, with the help of his neighbors, of course. 

Overall, this is a beautiful story of living life with there around you, standing up for your beliefs and your friends, and forgiving those who have wronged you. I definitely will read this again.

What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan

What a page-turner! I felt so many things when reading this book: suspense because I had no idea who did it and every chapter, I changed my guess or Macmillan proved my suspicions wrong; horrible sadness because of what this mother had to go through, basically alone for the most part; anger at the way the public was treating Rachel when she was at the lowest possible point of her life; and then at the end I felt this relief/sadness because no one in that family would ever be the same and even though Ben was found and reunited with his family, they could never go back and he lost all of his childlike innocence at such a young age and in such a horrendous way. Rachel mentioned in the last chapter that he was having difficulty trusting which broke my heart. Of course he was having difficulty trusting people, because the one person he trusted outside of his family turned on him and took him away from all that he loved and knew, taking advantage of his childlike trust and innocence.

Macmillan did a fantastic job with this novel, bringing to light all the horrible effects of kidnapping, especially the ones that people don't always consider: the aftermath, even when the child is found and reunited with his family, the publicity and the attacks against the parents, and the horrible psychological effects on the family and the main detective.

Jim was one of my favorite characters in this novel. He worked so hard to save Ben, to the point where he wasn't sleeping anymore. Then, the he finds out that the woman he loves has betrayed not only him, but Ben and Ben's family as well as the entire police force. So while he loves her, he has to remove her from his life because that kind of betrayal, against everything in his life, is too much. After the case is closed, Jim finds room to blame himself for not solving it sooner and for suspecting the wrong people, and because of all that, Jim can no longer function at work and can't sleep at night.

I really loved the way Macmillan wrote this novel. I loved the interweaving of styles, from Rachel's and Jim's perspective written out in regular narrative, to the addition of emails, blog posts, websites, and then the notes from Jim's counseling, which happened after the matter, but helped bring readers through exactly what Jim was feeling and how he was being impacted by the course of events. This change in writing styles really helped move the story forward and kept me entertained the whole time.

This was a fantastic read, and I would recommend it to everyone. It helps readers understand more what it's like for a family to go through something horrible like this, bringing both the perspectives of the family and the police force. It was captivating and heartbreaking and oh so good.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

It took me a while to get into this book. I think about halfway through, I forced myself to slow down and pay more attention to the characters and the events going on because I had heard such great things about the book that I new I was missing something. I think it's probably difficult to write a novel about a group of people stuck in the same house for 4+ months, so there were definitely slow parts in the novel, mostly the whole middle section, but in retrospect, Patchett did a really amazing job with this book.

Underneath all of the terrorism and violence, she tells a story of music and love. Both music and love can cross barriers of any sort. In this house are people from all nations, people who can't talk to each other. Luckily, they have Gen, who is most definitely my favorite character, who can translate for everyone. But this is only one person for the whole party, so clearly he can't be translating everything everywhere at the same time. People have to learn to communicate against their differences. Even with these language barriers, love blossoms. Roxane and Mr. Hosokawa fall in love even though they cannot talk to each other. They find different ways to communicate. Love is not bound by language or nationality. Roxane recognizes this power of love as she's singing and pondering her love and "wondered how it was possible to love someone you couldn't even speak to" (238).

Same with music. The whole book is centered on the music of Roxane Coss. She sings in Italian, but not everyone there speaks Italian. Yet, with this language barrier, people still recognize the beauty of her music. They realize what she offers them to the point where they demand she sing every day for them. When she sings in Czechoslovakian, those who share that language know she doesn't understand what she's saying, but it doesn't matter because the music is beautiful. Patchett is showing the power of music in this horrible situation. These people are hostages in a terrorist situation, but when Roxane sings, they manage to forget that for a moment.

Then there's the bit with Gen and Carmen. Carmen, who is one of the terrorists, and Gen who is a hostage, fall in love, which should seem so ridiculous, but at the same time makes perfect sense. They just fit together, and shows again the power of love in crossing barriers.

This Carmen and Gen thing also speaks to another theme I found especially at the end: the enemy is always human. Regardless of what terrible thing the enemy does, they're still human. When the man comes into the house and starts gunning everyone down, the hostages try to protect the terrorists, because throughout the novel, the hostages saw the humanity of the people holding them hostage. They played chess together, they played soccer together, they fell in love with each other, they understood music together, and at the end, they protected each other, which led to some of them dying. Even the enemy is human.

Overall, very great novel with excellent themes and ideas. Although slow in the middle, the ending is well worth the read.

Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah

Sandra Brown did it again! This might be my new favorite Brown novel.  It was full of suspense and tension, and I had no clue how it was going to end because each chapter threw a new wrench into my well-laid out plan.

I really liked the characters in this book. Shaw is a perfect criminal gone good guy, and Jordie is a pretty good damsel in distress who can actually fend for herself if we let her. All along I was waiting for the moment when Brown would let me know that yes, they will end up together. I had a thousand different ways in my head that Shaw and Jordie would end up together, but when Brown hit me with it, it was one avenue I hadn't pursued. Total twister! but, after reading that revelation, I realized, of course. There could be no other way that would bring them together.

I almost didn't like the final twist of the book, because I wanted to like Josh. From the beginning, I wanted there to be a way for Jordie and Josh to reconnect; I thought Jordie was a great sister that could take care of Josh, but Brown let me know I was way off course with that. I was disappointed, but it was a great turn of events, and the book wouldn't have been as good had it ended any other way. Maybe what I didn't like about that ending was that Brown played me so well. I fell for the trap she put out, and I was convinced I was right in my guessing, so when I found out how wrong I'd been, I was kind of upset (in a good way, obviously). Nice job on the ending, Brown.

This is a small thing, too, but I really appreciate all the inter-play with the cops throughout the book. We get a really good back/home story of the main cop, which I really appreciate, and then we get these fun little relationships between all the cops as they come together. This is where I understood how much I like Shaw. When all the other cops find out the truth, they're kinda mad, and I find the future interactions with them entertaining.

All in all, a really great read, with lovable characters and new twists each chapter. Definitely will read again.

Sting by Sandra Brown

Sandra Brown did it again! This might be my new favorite Brown novel.  It was full of suspense and tension, and I had no clue how it was going to end because each chapter threw a new wrench into my well-laid out plan.

I really liked the characters in this book. Shaw is a perfect criminal gone good guy, and Jordie is a pretty good damsel in distress who can actually fend for herself if we let her. All along I was waiting for the moment when Brown would let me know that yes, they will end up together. I had a thousand different ways in my head that Shaw and Jordie would end up together, but when Brown hit me with it, it was one avenue I hadn't pursued. Total twister! but, after reading that revelation, I realized, of course. There could be no other way that would bring them together.

I almost didn't like the final twist of the book, because I wanted to like Josh. From the beginning, I wanted there to be a way for Jordie and Josh to reconnect; I thought Jordie was a great sister that could take care of Josh, but Brown let me know I was way off course with that. I was disappointed, but it was a great turn of events, and the book wouldn't have been as good had it ended any other way. Maybe what I didn't like about that ending was that Brown played me so well. I fell for the trap she put out, and I was convinced I was right in my guessing, so when I found out how wrong I'd been, I was kind of upset (in a good way, obviously). Nice job on the ending, Brown.

This is a small thing, too, but I really appreciate all the inter-play with the cops throughout the book. We get a really good back/home story of the main cop, which I really appreciate, and then we get these fun little relationships between all the cops as they come together. This is where I understood how much I like Shaw. When all the other cops find out the truth, they're kinda mad, and I find the future interactions with them entertaining.

All in all, a really great read, with lovable characters and new twists each chapter. Definitely will read again.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivery

I read this book in mid-June, which was nice because it helped me cool off on the really humid days. 

It was slow going for the first few chapters: until I met the snow child, but that's to be expected, I think, because the snow child is the main character here. 

Once the girl came in, it was a heartbreaking story, with just enough magic to make me see it as a novel, but enough reality to not make it too sappy or unrealistic. 

Ivey also brings up a lot of questions that I still don't have answers to. Where exactly did she come from? Is she real? Where did she go? and so on. But this is a good quality in a book because then I'm still thinking about it weeks later. Kudos to Ivey for making it stick with me. 

If you're stuck on the first part, keep going. It gets better, and you won't regret making it through that slow beginning. It picks up speed, and it might make you cry a bit (I think my eyes got a little watery).

Do I Make Myself Clear? by Harold Evans

I was told to read this book at my job, so I did. I was impressed with certain parts. I enjoyed how Evans told us something, and then provided examples of that thing he was trying to teach.

I was, however, unpleasantly surprised by the amount of politics in the book. Most of the examples (I'd say 75-80%) were political. I found myself skimming over those because I wouldn't understand them as an example and I just don't enjoy politics much.

I did gain a nice long list of words I need to use in the future from Evans, as well as a few quotes that I know I'll be keeping in the forefront of my mind from here on out.

This is a good read for writers and editors alike. Evans gives helpful advice for both. I also think it would be appropriate for college students to be reading this book, as it provides a lot of general guides on how to write well, even in simple terms.

Politics aside, it was a good read.

The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra

My English Prof recommended this book to me. I was on a Russian literature kick and had just finished reading Anna Karenina. He told me the book was a collection of short stories that seemed completely separate until the end. When I read through the first two stories, I didn't believe him at all. But as I kept reading, I was shocked by the connections. Marra did an excellent job weaving all of his events and characters together to create this intricately woven tale of love, techno, war, censorship, art...

I really enjoyed the settings in the story. The descriptions are subtle (which I've always liked because it enabled me to envision my own settings to a certain extent) but Marra gives you enough to start picturing the world he writes.

It did take me a while to really get into the story, and I think the only reason I kept going was because my prof gave me a copy and wanted me to let him know what I thought of it, so I had to keep going. I'm so glad I did.

I gained many quotes for my quote book, too, which is always a great indicator for me. When I have to grab a notebook and write something down, I know it's a winner, and I know I will be picking this book of my shelf again someday.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

This was a very difficult book to get through. I was often slogged down by scenes that seemed unimportant to the plot but went on for pages and pages (for example, the part where Levin mows his lawn). However, I'm so happy I finally finished the book, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good classic to read. 

I've been a fan of Russian Literature ever since I read Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky. I absolutely loved that novel, but the biggest mistake you can make (which I'll admit, I made) is grouping all of Russian Literature into one category (that goes further than just the region they were written) and assume the content will be the same. I was surprised by how different Anna Karenina is from Crime and Punishment. Crime and Punishment is such a psychological read. It is all mental and just messes with your mind the whole time. Anna Karenina is much more external, focusing on the actions of the many characters and how society and others are impacted. Yes, there is some psychology involved, but a majority of the story is about the surrounding society and the effect Anna has on them. The worlds of these two novels seem like completely different universes. The focus is on different classes in each. Crime and Punishment is about a much lower class than the people in Anna Karenina, which does change the world of the story.

I appreciate this work also because of the attitudes evoked by the characters. I usually hate reading books about characters that I don't like, and lemme tell you, I do not like Anna even one little bit. She is completely despicable. Maybe it makes me cold-hearted, but I couldn't bring myself to pity her or feel sorry for her at all. She made the choices that brought her to where she was. She chased what she thought she wanted, and when reality struck back in, she couldn't handle the consequences. And, when it comes to her son, she didn't even try to fight for him. She wanted what she wanted, and no one could get in her way. Maybe that trait is admirable to some people, but in this instance, and for me, I couldn't admire Anna. However, I appreciate that Tolstoy is able to draw such strong feelings out of me. Yes, these feelings are negative, but any feelings, any reaction that I'm able to get from a book is a good thing. I want to feel something when I read, and in Anna Karenina, I certainly felt a lot. 

Disliking Anna allowed me to focus on characters I did like, like Levin. He rambles much too frequently, and sometimes he is just a little pitiful man, but I enjoyed his person. Especially the ending Tolstoy gave him. His discovering what's important in life sets a good tone for the end of the book. 

The Language of Flowers: Vanessa Diffenbaugh

The story was absolutely heart-breaking and yet completely heart-warming. I went through such an emotional roller coaster while I read, and I love when a book can do that for me. The characters were so real and it was easy to feel everything they were feeling. I hurt when they hurt, I laughed when they laughed, and I cried when they cried. The characters were very well created. I though the aspect of communicating through flowers was new and fresh. However, I got very distracted by the bouncing back and forth in tenses. Although each chapter changed and the changes were consistent throughout the novel, I kept getting lost in the switches. Maybe just a header on each chapter reminding me of the change would have helped me keep track of where I was in time.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

It's been a while since I've read a book I liked as much as I liked this one. From the very first page, I was captivated, holding on, dying to find out what would happen next. The whole time I couldn't reach a decision on whether or not Jacob did it. Then, the trial ended, and I felt so good about what happened until that vacation. Then I got so angry! How could he do that after all he just went through? 

And the very end? Holy crap. I almost couldn't handle it. It was too much. My heart stopped, and I cried. Which is weird because I don't cry in books (even more points for Landay). I felt bad for Jacob especially with that final dialogue, but mostly, my heart was just breaking for Andy. He had done so much, gone through so much for what? Nothing, it seems. 

I also really liked the writing style of the book. There were always three different things going on. The trial in the present, the trial in the past, and the narration throughout. This always kept me on my toes and entertained, and I thought it was a really good way to make sure every piece of information was included. 

When I finished it, I tried to start a new book (because I have a never-ending list of books I need to read) but I couldn't. I gave this new book 20 minutes, but my mind was just swamped with Andy and Jacob and all those emotional ups and downs throughout the book. I had to sleep the book-hangover off and start again the next day. Bravo, Landay!

It is definitely well-worth the read, and I will be telling everyone I see for the next week to make sure they read this. 

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Wowza. This was a really good book. A friend recommended this to me, and for some unknown reason, I never have too high of expectations for books that friends recommend to me, which is something I should change because I haven't really ever been disappointed by a recommendation.

Although this book was touch and go for a little bit (it was difficult to really get into the book and had  a slow start), once it got going, it really got going.

I was first very taken with the writing style. It was unique in a fresh way. While it wasn't anything out of left field, it was just enough different from the other things I've read to make it new and exciting to read.

Then there was the plot twist. Can I say completely unexpected? Of course, when the plot twist hit me, I had no choice but to stop (when a book makes me stop and think, I'm always all for it) and think about any possible clues that were dropped early on. When I thought about it, I realized a ton, but even all of those subtle hints brought me no where near guessing the ending of this book.

This was an easy read, quick to the finish, and I'd recommend it for anyone taking a trip to the beach or cuddling on the armchair with a cup of tea.

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

This was a very intriguing novel. For the first 200 pages or so, I couldn’t figure out where the story was going, but when I finally paused and took a moment to think things through, I was able to make a few predictions. I’m happy to admit, none of my predictions were correct; that always makes for a wonderful book, in my opinion. I especially enjoyed the way Kostova wrote the story: switching back and forth between perspectives and time-periods so that each person (except Robert, of course) could tell his or her own story. I was able to follow along with Kate as she gave her account of life with Robert, I could understand Mary as she gave her version, I could pity Beatrice as she told her story through letters (which I particularly loved), and best of all, I could fall in love with Andrew as he went on a complicated journey to solve the mystery of a patient who wouldn’t tell his own story. Robert was a character I both loved and hated at the same time. It seemed he had everything anyone could want in life, and he threw it away to love a woman gone for over 100 years. I loved him because he threw everything away to give honor and redeem this woman who lost the things she truly loved 100 years before. The romance in this novel was completely unexpected. I thought Kate and Andrew would be together, and I was wrong (which I am totally okay with because I don’t like being right in my predictions; I always welcome a surprise or a twist in the end). I’m so happy with the development between Mary and Andrew in the end, because Andrew, I believe, is a most wonderful man: passionate, smart, true, noble, and he fights for those who are unable or unwilling to fight for themselves. He really, truly is a wonderful character, and this story is a wonderful story of heartbreak, passion, loss, and love. 

Hot Property by Susanne O'Leary

O'Leary did a really good job keeping me off track of what would happen in the end: until the last quarter of the book. I was completely convinced that Dan was the guy, and I absolutely hated it. I didn't like him one bit from the first page of the book, but he stuck around, so I though he'd go through some magic change and become the hero every reader wants in a romance novel. But as I kept reading, I kept hating him, more and more. Padie was the guy I wanted from the very start, but there were always new obstacles that after a while, I gave up hope on him and tried to convince myself Dan was the better choice, but I just couldn't see it. I almost quit reading because I just didn't care about Dan; I'm glad I kept reading. Every time I read about Ireland makes me want to travel there even more. It was a lovely story after Dan left the picture. The restoring and rebuilding of an old house makes for a charming addition, because it sounds so magical and beautiful.

Sarah's Sins by Tami Hoag

I loved this cute story! Sarah was such a lovable character and she handles her problems very strongly which made me admire her as a character. Matt was a perfect match for Sarah's personality and the two worked so well together. Although this was romance book and not a thriller, I was still captivated and holding on until the very end because I couldn't tell whether the two would end up together and if so how that would happen: would he become Amish for her or would she leave her family and her life behind to join with him in love? I was very happy with the ending Hoag came up with because I love a very happy ending. I do wish that Sarah would have been able to find resolution with her father, and maybe a slight idea of whether Sarah would ever get to see her family again, but I also appreciate Hoag giving her readers the ability to decide that. 

Tenth of December by George Saunders

Although I enjoyed the variety of stories in this novel, I was very confused by the setting. I couldn't tell if it took place in the present, 50 years from now or 200 years from now. Saunders introduced so many new things and ideas but didn't explain them, so I honestly had no idea what he was talking about in a majority of the stories. This made it hard to connect the different stories and relate to the characters. I did enjoy the creativity in which Saunders clearly write with, but I just couldn't fully enjoy the stories not knowing exactly what was going on.

The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda

Wow, wow, wow! I won this book in a giveaway, which I'm usually skeptical about, but this one was an exception. This book was so amazing! I could not put it down, and I'm pretty sure I chewed a hole in my lip because of the thrill. Miranda sets up the stage so perfectly for the crime and mishaps throughout the novel, and drags readers in by the lovable and relatable characters. I was completely pulled in until I finished the book, and this was one of the books that I had to wait a while before I could move on. It was so real to me because of the narration in the novel and the complexity of the characters. I found it amazing how Miranda detailed the life of a person who disappears and ends up having no life. Seriously a page turner. I'm going to have to read it again to see if I can pick up the subtle clues Miranda weaves in throughout the story. I gave this story five out of five stars without any doubt in my mind. It was so great!

The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones

I thought this book would be a bit more captivating, but I really struggled to finish the book. It left more questions unanswered, and nothing really seemed to be resolved except the children finding suitable partners (which for some books is wonderful, but for this one, I expected and hoped for a lot more than what I got. The characters are all too "mysterious" to empathize with; they don't allow the reader in and tended to just leave me confused and alone all through the book. When they bring in survivors from a train wreck, I thought for sure the story would start to get more interesting, but I was wrong, so wrong. The family was too selfish to help the survivors because the mother was too uptight and worried about class and her image to lower herself to feed the poor people. Maybe the point of this book was class and the struggles between the classes, but if so, that theme was poorly portrayed and didn't seem to say anything about it by the end. The survivors didn't really survive, as we see in the end, and I'm not sure what role they played in the story at all. They could have been completely left out, and the story would have remained the same. The youngest child goes through the Great Undertaking, which again, I thought would be super exciting and bring some thrill to the book, and again, I was wrong. It made me laugh a bit, but it did not drive the plot at all. Overall I was fully unsatisfied with the story and did not find any reason to finish it although I did. I wouldn't recommend it, unless you want a dry tale of nothing. 

Heart of Dixie by Tami Hoag

This was my first Hoag romance book. I have only ever read her thrillers, and I enjoyed the romance aspects of those books so I decided to read one of her solely romance books. It was a good, cute story, but when I was reading it, I was missing the thriller "who's going to die next" kind of rush I got from her other novels. 

I loved the characters in this novel, and I did feel sorry for Dixie, giving up everything she had to start over and be herself (I thought that whole theme was a good one, just be yourself no matter the cost, which we can tell through Dixie that it is never that easy). 

I also loved Jake, for all the flaws he had. Who really actually eats like that? He seems like the kind of guy any girl would be happy to have: loving Dixie for everything she was without asking her to change anything. 

I kind of hoped Dixie would let him write his book in the end for a real happy ending. Dixie never fully faces her issues and the problems of her past, and Jake gives up on the one thing that's been driving him for months. I get that people in love sacrifice things, but this novel didn't have any character development. The only development was in Dixie's cousin and her boyfriend (at least, I think they made up; now that I actually think about it, I can't remember if their reunion was even mentioned.). I acknowledge this is a purely romance book, so characters don't need to develop as long as they fall in love in the end, which Hoag gave us, so I shouldn't complain about people not changing or growing up or facing their problems. I'm just a sucker for character development. 

Dark Paradise by Tami Hoag

While I love Tami Hoag's novels, I wasn't a huge fan of this novel. I didn't really enjoy the main character because she was almost too much for me (I'm not sure if that actually makes sense or not, but it's how I feel). She didn't have many qualities that made me love her, but I could feel for her because she was going through a lot.

J.D. is a okay hero-type character; he sure sounds gorgeous and romantic, but he could have used a bit more development. He starts the novel off as a huge jerk and ends the novel in the same way, leading me to assume he was untouched by everything that went on throughout the novel. It also disappointed me that he didn't fully reunite with his brother. After all they went through, I thought perhaps they would be able to climb over some of the barriers that were left blocking their way to a good and strong relationship.

I appreciated the "villans" in this novel as well, because for a second, I wanted to really like them, and I liked that Hoag made me second guess my judgement by having the people I wanted to like be the awful characters.

I'm kind of sad I didn't get to meet Lucy, as I thought she would have been a great addition, but she was dead, and that fact is what drove the whole novel, so that wouldn't have made sense. I think she was the character with the most depth, and she died before the book began...

As far as the thriller aspect goes, there wasn't any, really. Sure, there were a few "close to death" scenes, but I was never really so into it that I couldn't stop and forgot where I was.

All of that being said, I do love a good ranch romance, and this proved to be one of those. I won't be reading it again any time soon, but it wasn't completely bad.

The Switch by Sandra Brown

I love Sandra Brown. She has the most chilling ways of writing, and all of her villans give me the creeps. This book caught me completely by surprise too. I was not looking at the right things, so when I thought I had solved the puzzle, I was blown away when Brown revealed the truth to me. I absolutely adored the romance between Gillian and Hart; it is so precious and beautiful. Brother Gabriel is one of those people who readers can immediately tell is a slime ball. What's nice about this villan is that Brown gives us his perspective so well that while we absolutely detest him and know every gross thing about him, we also pity him and can almost see his point of view, which also makes you feel a bit slimy. The novel is faced pace, and it was impossible for me to stop reading until I finished it. I felt if I put it down for even a second, I would miss something very important, so I kept reading until it was all over, and when it was all over, everything clicked and made sense and I was left mind-blown. Quite amazing.

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

I struggled for a long time over what rating I should give this book. I loved it, and I hated it. It is such a morally problematic book that drags you in and forces you to think about all of these things. The writing is beautiful, and it's a book that is easy to read. While I didn't love the characters, I was able to pity them, laugh with them, and hurt for them. Hanna was a character I didn't understand in the beginning. She was an awful partner to Michael; verbally and physically abusive, but because he was enjoying the sex, freedom, and maturity of their relationship, he was never going to leave her. She definitely took advantage of this poor young boy, which made me strongly dislike her. In the end, once readers get her whole story, I began to feel slight pity, but still dislike for her. Michael was just pitiful throughout the whole story, first with Hanna, and then again when he grew up and met Hanna again from a distance. Again, I didn't love the characters, and I didn't hate her, but I was still able to feel strong emotions for both of the characters, which is a strong point in Schlink's favor. It was a book that I wanted to put down because it made me uncomfortable, but by the end, I was so glad I kept reading it. It was uncomfortable, but that uncomfortable-ness forces you to think about what you would do in that situation, and where the line is between right and wrong. I wanted to judge the characters, but I found I couldn't because I wasn't (and still am not) sure what I would do in their shoes. I gave this book a four out of five star rating. I probably won't read it again, but I'm so happy I did read it because, like I previously mentioned, I was forced to think about so many different things that are very difficult to think about. 

Beautiful Maria of My Soul by Oscar Hijuelos

A friend recommended I read this book, and I was happy to, as it was related to music, which I also love. Unfortunately, I had a very difficult time getting into it and completing it. It felt like a very slow start, and I was very tempted to just give up, but I knew I had to finish it for the sake of my friend. The character of Maria is such a distant character that it is very difficult to connect with her. She keeps her emotions and thoughts to herself, so I never knew what she was feeling and thinking, so I found it hard to celebrate when she celebrated or cry when she cried. I also didn't see any character development from Maria. Through all the trials she went through, all the hurt and loss she felt, I didn't see any change in her character. She remained the same person she was in the beginning, which is disappointing. She had no closure at the end of her story, and all the questions brought up throughout the book were left unanswered, so readers are left confused at the end of the book. The format of the book was also difficult for me. Every once-in-a-while there would be an italicized section, and I couldn't tell why it was in italics, and this really bothered me, which took me away from the story-line. I'm sure the italics were there for a reason and to show and mean something, but I didn't understand why which was very frustrating for me. It's not a happy story, and the dark parts are extremely dark. I felt at times it was too dark, but that might just be because I'm a happy person. The last half of the book was a little confusing. It went from one thing to the next very quickly, and the reader has to work hard in order to keep up with the author, and I don't enjoy having to work hard when I read a book. I'm assuming it is biographical in part because it was written about the muse of the Mamba Kings, so maybe everything I didn't like about the book were things Hijuelos couldn't change because of the people he was representing in the story. I gave this story two stars because I just barely got through it and wouldn't want to read it again.

The Face of Fear by Dean Koontz

I haven't had much experience with Koontz, and I was intrigued when a friend gave me this book and told me to read it. Judging by the cover (yes, I know I'm not supposed to do that, but I can't help it) I thought I would struggle to get through. It just didn't look like the type of book I usually read. The cover looks all sci-fi, which is not my favorite genre. However, I wouldn't classify this as sci-fi. It is such a thriller! After I got past the first 50 pages or so, I couldn't put the book down any more until I finished it. The first bit is the basic introduction, trying to get readers interested and invested, but I didn't fully become invested until much later on, once all the real action began. It's really hard for me to read a book where I don't care about the characters, and I didn't start to care about Graham or Connie until page 86 or so, and this made it difficult for me to not give up on the book. I'd heard so many good things about Koontz, though, so I kept going. And I am so glad I did. The last half of the book is extremely suspenseful and the tension is almost unbearable. I wanted to read ahead to find out what happened, but I didn't allow myself that pleasure. I gave this book a four out of five rating because of the amount of time it took for me to stop thinking of the book as a chore and actually begin to enjoy it.

Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts

I'll admit: I might like Nora Roberts a bit too much. I have two and a half bookshelves full of her books (not to mention the shelf of J.D. Robb), and there are still books I'm dying to get my hands on. Honest Illusions is one of my favorites of her's because it combines many things that I really enjoy. Unlike some of her books with "real" magic, the magic in these books is just "illusion", but Roberts writes in a way that allows her readers to fully see the tricks and feel as though they are at the shows. While she does weave the "real" magic stories (I'm currently reading the Cousins O'Dwyer series) really well, it's easier to see what's the characters in Honest Illusion are doing because the tricks are ones that can and have been done by others, so I find this book more enjoyable. I read it while sitting on the couch next to my husband, and he gave me very weird looks several times as I laughed out loud at the characters in this book. I wouldn't consider Roberts to write comedy, but her books never fail to make me laugh. Her characters are all lovable and pitiful; I laugh alongside them, and my heart breaks alongside theirs. There are also so many different paths to track and keep up with which makes it a page-turner because you just have to find out what is going to happen to each person and each of their enemies. Each character is keeping their secrets and their enemies to themselves while ensuring each other they are completely trustworthy- this, I believe, speaks to the very being of many people. "Oh, I'm fine, trust me." Anyway, it was a wonderful book. I'm always disappointed when Roberts' books finish, and I might just start this one over again!

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all-time favorite books. I enjoyed Go Set a Watchman very much and I'm thankful readers are provided with somewhere to turn after TKAM. However, I forced myself to read GSAW as a completely separate entity as TKAM because I knew there was no was I could read it as a "sequal" or whatever. I read it as a different book with different characters because I wanted to keep my TKAM characters exactly as they were. Doing such enabled me to thoroughly enjoy GSAW and take many things away from the story that Lee spins in this novel. It really is quite brilliant and a very touching piece of work. The themes of this novel are ones that cannot be ignored, and (similar to TKAM) there are many lines and phrases that when I read, I had to put the book down for a few seconds in order to simply think about it. Many people struggled reading this book because the actions are so unlike the Scout we knew through TKAM, which is why I made myself read GSAW as a whole new book without any connections. It was Lee's writing, through and through, which was one of the things I originally loved about TKAM, so this helped me thoroughly enjoy GSAW. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars, because there was still a part of me reading with TKAM in mind, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. Also, because this was written early on in Lee's life, it's easy to see how her writing changed and developed (great when reading TKAM, not so great when reading GSAW). The worst thing I think one can do when reading this book, is consider it TKAM book 2. Read it as a separate story, and you'll see the greatness Lee was trying to give to the world. 

The English Teacher by Yiftach Reicher Atir, Philip Simpson (Translation)

I took notes as I read thinking they would be helpful as I reviewed this book, and very few of them actually are helpful now. Many parts in the beginning I marked as confusing or unclear, but those things became clear as I finished the novel. One concern I had when first reading this novel was an issue with the language. I think this is mainly due to the translation of the novel from Hebrew. Because of the vast differences in the languages, a translation into English isn't going to be perfect. There are several parts throughout the novel where the point of view shifts, unintentionally (unless I'm reading it incorrectly) or places where the tense changes. However, as I read I got used to the language. As I got into the story it became increasingly difficult for me to put the book down because so many things were going on throughout the novel and I just had to know what happened. It is such a page-turner, and I recommend starting it when you have time to read the whole thing. If the beginning is confusing, read to the end because everything will become clear. Page 208 is one section which I wanted to point out specifically because I felt my heart shatter when I read that section. Several times throughout, Atir is able to break my heart and make me feel with the stories he writes and the way he writes. It is a beautifully heartbreaking story, and I recommend it to everyone I know. It forces readers to think about things we may have never considered or cannot understand, and that is a great thing for an author to accomplish. This novel is very well written and very much worth the read. I gave this book a 5 out of 5 star-rating. 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child byJohn Tiffany (Adaptation), Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowling

I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, so when I heard this was to come out, I was beyond excited to read it. I loved that I was getting the chance to continue the Harry Potter story, as I never wanted it to end. Unfortunately, I would have been better off not reading it at all. It's not the Harry Potter I know and love, which I later admitted, I should have expected. The characters do, think, and say things that Rowling's characters never would have. The actions seem preposterous, and instead of loving the addition to the world, I ended this with dissatisfaction and bewilderment. It's difficult because it's in the play format, so we don't receive all of the details we normally would in a novel. This takes away from many of the things I loved about Rowling's books (her descriptive and beautiful way of writing even the simplest things, effectively holding me captive throughout all seven books). Normally, I'm a fan of reading plays, but because I was used to Harry Potter as a novel, it was difficult to transition to a play style of the world I'd previously encountered. It also isn't completely Rowling, which again takes away from what I loved, because the main thing I loved was Rowling's words themselves. At the end of the day, I'm glad I read it, because now I can converse about the play to others whom I know also love Harry Potter, but that's the only reason. It was almost painful for me to read, perhaps because I love Harry Potter so much. For those just picking up the book and reading it without much Harry Potter background, will probably enjoy it much more than I did. I also think it would be interesting to see the play and compare my experiences, but because I was so turned off by the characters and the action, I doubt I would find enjoyment in seeing the play. I gave this book a 2 out of 5 star rating.