EReader

So, I am getting an eReader. I still have a lot of paperbacks to read, but I'm thinking that the eReader will be good for when I am travelling, so I won't have to carry as many books around (they can be pretty heavy). I am hoping that it's all it's cracked up to be, and that I didn't waste money (as well as my parent's money). Time will tell.

I don't know why I got the eReader though. I have an iPod Touch which can do the exact same thing as an eReader, only on a smaller screen. I should've been happy with that, but NOOO being me, I always want more.

Either way, I will let you know how it goes.

The Virgin's Lover (~)

I've finished another book. Not a Harry Potter book (I doubt Harry Potter would've taken me this long to finish). It's The Virgin's Lover by Phillipa Gregory. I bought this book when I was going on my trip to Europe (so waaaay back in 2006) and I only now decided to continue reading it. It's alright. I don't think I'd re-read it, but I am going to keep it only because it's by one of my favourite authors and I want to get a collection of her novels. I enjoyed learning more about Elizabethan times, seeing as most of Gregory's novels focus on the Tudors. It just seemed to long and tedious. Queen Elizabeth I was a real pain in the ass, very wishy-washy never sticking with a firm decision, and very dependent on others to make her decisions for her. I don't know if it's because of everyone's expectations of her as a ruler at the time (women were thought to be crappy rulers), or if she actually really was like that.

This book is about the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, and her finding a proper suitor and dealing with impending war with the French. She falls in love with Sir Robert Dudley who is a reformed traitor and a childhood friend. Dudley is married however, and so Dudley tries to convince Elizabeth to grant a divorce (she was the supreme governor of the church of England). She doesn't. Elizabeth's advisor William Cecil believes that Dudley is rising well above his ranks and that England will revolt against the queen if she does marry Dudley and so Cecil and Elizabeth plot the murder of Dudley's wife as a way of slandering Dudley so that he falls below his ranks and is able to never rise above them again due to the scandal.

I learned a lot more about the scandal surrounding Queen Elizabeth (surprise surprise, another royal with scandal). While reading this book however, I'm curious to know whether Elizabeth was actually in love with Dudley, and whether Dudley was in love with Elizabeth, or whether he just wanted to gain access to the throne regardless of Elizabeth. I am also curious as to what the country would've been like if Dudley and Elizabeth had married. Would England be the same as it is today, or would it have been different?

Funny how history plays out...

Anyway, I don't know what I will be reading next, but until next time, Happy Reading!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (~)

I finally finished Harry Potter! Only the first one of course: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I don't need to put the author mostly because EVERYONE should know the author's name without me saying it...I realized from this book how simple the first few novels were and how simple the storyline was. It's not until I'll get to the other novels that they will become more complex. Not harder to follow of course, but just more complex.

This book is about a boy named Harry Potter who finds out that he is actually a wizard, and is packed up and moved to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He then has a few mini-adventures, until he has to battle a teacher in order to gain control of the Philosopher's stone in order stop Voldemort (the man who tried to kill him and who killed his parents when he was only 1) from growing stronger again.

Sorry for giving away the whole plot, but honestly, who hasn't read Harry Potter?! Or seen the movies?!

Alright onward to the next one! Until next time, Happy reading!

The Lovely Bones (↑)

I've finally finished another novel. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I read this book in high school for a book club and I remember enjoying it, and I asked for it for Christmas a couple years ago (or perhaps it was last year...I can't remember) and while I was home a few weeks ago on a break, I decided to pick it up and re-read it. I saw the movie over the summer, and that was pretty fresh in my mind...However, the book definitely differs especially in the time-line. I won't get into it, because I don't really want to ruin either the book or the movie for you.

For those of you who have been living under a rock: this book is about a 14-year-old girl who was murdered by her neighbour and she watches down from her heaven. She follows her family as well as a few friends over the course of many years, hoping that her family and the police will solve her murder so that her family can have peace of mind.  It follows the changes that occur in her family's life and how her death helped shape the lives of others in her community, and although she believed that she was insignificant, this is untrue because she changed the lives of others (even in small ways.)

I enjoyed reading this novel and would recommend it to anyone who wants a quick read. I must advise you though that it's definitely not like the movie, and you should've read the book first and then watched the movie. But what can you do!

Onward to re-reading Harry Potter! Hopefully I'll write another entry soon! Until then, Happy Reading!

Eat, Pray, Love (~)

I've FINALLY finished a book! I've been swamped by school, and work so I haven't had much time to read. Not to mention I haven't really felt like reading. I don't know if it's because I'm too tired or just not into the book I'm reading...

I've finished reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's about a woman who realizes that she wants to be truly happy, and the only way she thinks she will discover that is if she travels to Italy, India and Indonesia to study food/pleasure, meditation/spirituality, and love. It's quite heavy at times, and not with a true storyline but rather in spiritual insight. For some parts I kind of skimmed over.

I do enjoy the book, but I don't think it's one I want to read again...

Who knows when I will be posting next, so until then, Happy Reading!

Harvesting the Heart (~)

It took me long enough, but I've finished another book. And just in time too! I'm about to move back to school, so this might be my last post for a bit. I finished reading Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult. I believe it's one of her older novels, and so I didn't find it quite as engaging as her others. It's not a court battle with thought provoking content, but rather it delves into the human emotions that encircle abandonment and whether that is a genetic trait. (well, it kinda goes into the genetic trait thing).

Basically, this novel is about a woman who was abandon by her mother and raised by her father. She runs away after high school and meets a med student, falls in love and marries him. When she has a son of her own, she proceeds to believe that she's not cut out to be a mother because her own mother had abandoned her, and so she runs away to find herself. Meanwhile her husband is left fuming and picking up the pieces (aka looking after their infant son).

I liked the end because it seemed that things were actually happening, but honestly, it's a pretty boring book, which makes me sad because it's by one of my favourite authors. Oh well, you win some you lose some. I find that with her later novels, they are more engaging and the I feel like I actually know the characters and feel for the characters, while with this book, it's not the same. I have another one of her books to read, but I believe this one will be more like the others (hopefully).

Anyway, until next time, happy reading!

Breaking the Silence (~)

I've finished another book. This one must've been better, you say. And I have to admit that it was. It had a good story-line with a few twists (not too many of course), but I have to admit that at times, some of the conversations that were written or the actions done were a little too fairytale (as in, people wouldn't actually act that way). All in all though, it was a good novel.

Breaking the Silence by Diane Chamberlain is about a woman, who after her father dies, is told to visit an elderly woman she knew nothing about in a nursing home. Her husband is against the idea, and while she is out, commits suicide. Her young daughter is home at the time, and is assumed to have witnessed it. She freaks out, and becomes mute. The therapist she took her daughter to suggests that she contact the child's biological father, and see if perhaps he can become involved in her life as a way to get her to talk again. Not only does this occur, but the woman also continues to visit the elderly woman in order to figure out how her father knew her. What she finds out changes everything she ever knew.

It won't really be a quick read, but it certainly will grasp your attention, so I will still recommend it to you. Until next time, Happy reading!

The Thirteenth Tale (~)

I finished another novel last night. I was too tired to write a blog then, hence why I am writing it right now. This book has a gothic and creepy feel to it. I never understood how an author can produce this feeling when writing, but this author can. I kept seeing this book everywhere a couple years ago, and decided I wanted to read it. I've read it, and I don't think it's all it's cracked up to be.

The Thirteenth Tale is written by Diane Setterfield. It's about a woman who gets asked to write the autobiography of a reclusive author who is dying. With her time there, she learns the deep dark secrets of the author's pasts. The whole book kind of sets you on edge, even though it's hard to see why. Maybe because it hints at incest, and just the thought of that kind of sets me on edge.

I can't say that this novel wasn't well written, because it was, but like a lot of novels, I couldn't wait for it to be finished. At least I continued to read it unlike some novels. I just wasn't interested in it I guess, so that's why I gave it a so-so rating.

Anyway, until next time, Happy Reading!

The Memory Keeper's Daughter (~)

I finished another book. More quickly this time, as you can see. It's The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. I have to say, that probably the end of the novel was the best. And not just because it was ending, but because it had more to do with the girl. I guess the reason the rating isn't "↓" is because it is well written. I just didn't like how it was written. It's one of those award winning novels. I should really learn not to read those ones, mostly because they aren't what I think they will be, and I really don't enjoy them. But oh well.

This novel is about a doctor who delivers his own twins during a snow storm. He sees that the female twin has Down Syndrome, and he gives her to the nurse to take to a special institution for children like that (this novel is based in the 60's). She drives there and sees that it's not fit for people to live in, and instead runs away with the child and starts a new life in a different city. It follows the lives of the doctor and his family, along with the little girl and her 'mother'.

I have to say that I'm glad that things have improved for people with Down Syndrome, and how people actually see them as real people, and not just as being mentally retarded. I know having a child who is mentally retarded can be difficult, but it's the struggles in life that make life rewarding and fulfilling. If you always have it easy, then life isn't really worth living, is it?

Anyway, hopefully I like my next book better. Until then, Happy Reading!

The Tea Rose (↑)

I've finished The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly. It's an excellent book! A little bit romance, a little bit thriller/mystery. The only issue I had with it was that it's a little too long, and seemed to draw things out, BUT I guess it had to tie up ALL the loose ends, so that's probably why it took so long.

Basically the book is about a young girl who lives in an impoverish part of London during the late 1800's. She loses everything except 1 family member because of murders or other deaths or sicknesses, and she wants to rise to the top. She immigrates to New York city where she makes her fortune, and decides to come back and face her past. Throughout the novel is a romantic tale of her love Joe, along with a tale of revenge.

I would recommend this to anyone who has a lot of time to read it (it's kind of unputdownable), but wants some romance with thriller twists.

Now I'm going to read The Memory Keeper's Daughter. Until next time, happy reading!

Roadside Crosses (~)

I've finished another book. This one is Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver. It's a thriller-mystery novel, which I haven't really read in a long time, so it was a nice change of pace. It's a well written book, a little too long for my liking. After the mystery was solved, I thought it should've ended, but of course the author wanted to tie up other loose ends. He also started threads of another story which kind of fell through at the end (some of those loose ends) which I didn't really understand why he would've introduced them in the first place. Overall, it's a good story.

This novel is about a police officer investigating roadside crosses which are left with a date on them which is that day's date or the day after's date (an indication of a murder/attack that was about to occur). It follows through to a blogger's controversial blog, and then to a teenage gamer. Like most mystery novels, there are twists and turns, and things are never as it seems.

I don't really know who I would recommend this to, but it's still a good novel either way. I don't really know what I will be reading next, so until next time, Happy Reading!

Mercy (↓)

I must say, this is the first (and hopefully) only time I will be giving a bad review to a Jodi Picoult book. I don't know whether I just wasn't in the mood to read, or if the book didn't grab my interest like the others, but I really didn't enjoy it. Of course it's well written, I wouldn't expect anything different from her, but for me, it seemed to stray from the original story-line. Maybe I just wasn't reading deep enough and if I thought about it a little bit more, I could come up with some connection.

This novel is called Mercy by Jodi Picoult. It's about a man who smothers his wife and kills her because she is terminally ill and she asked him to do it. It's also about a police chief who has an affair. I don't really see the connection, but there might be one somewhere.

The one thing this novel did make me do was think about my own relationship with Andrew. If he and I were married, and he was terminally ill and would not get better, would I have the strength to kill him if he asked me to? Would he do the same for me? There was also a part in the novel which seemed to ring true. A relationship is never 50-50. There's always one person who loves or gives a bit more than the other. I believe this is true. I hate to admit it, but I almost think that A. gives more than I do for this relationship. It's certainly not fair, but what can you really do about it? I think that this is also what makes me think about whether I actually love him or not. But I must. I consider him in all of my decisions concerning my future, I think about how difficult things will be for us when I'm gone away to school, and how I will go about telling my parents that we will be living together...

This blog posting as turned a little more personal than I had hoped, but I think that's a good thing. Anyway, now I'm going to read a book of a different genre. More suspense/mystery. Until next time, Happy Reading!

Nineteen Minutes (↑)

I've finished another Jodi Picoult book, this one being Nineteen Minutes. It's an amazing book, and truly thought provoking. It delves into the social hierarchy of teenagers and children, and what kind of psychological damage it can cause to the unlucky folk who are considered the social outcasts. When I went to school, I wasn't bullied, but I definitely wasn't popular. People liked me yes, but I was one of those weird kids. I had a few friends, but none who I could call my 'best friend'. I think back on it, and honestly, all I remember from high school was the work, I don't remember the fun I had with friends, I remember the feelings of being left out when we had to work in partners, and how I didn't want to work with the weird kid in our class because I didn't want it to seem like I actually LIKED him (even though I did consider him a friend). I'm just as bad as they were for teasing him. While reading this book, I ran into a girl I worked with and knew from high school, and it seems that she has changed. She actually stopped me in the grocery store to ask how I was doing, what I was up to and whatnot. I was amazed that I was the one fidgeting and trying to escape, while she was fine with talking to me. It almost seemed as if she cared about what I was saying and doing, which is a change from high school.

I also wonder if this has changed from high school. As in, in the real world, does this social hierarchy still occur? Only instead of being popular, it's your job that allows you to stay at the top of the chain? I almost feel like attempting to write a story about it, and see how it turns out. We'll see if that occurs.

This novel follows the aftermath of a school shooting in New Hampshire. Exploring the secrets that each of the characters harbour, and trying to see how it might play a part in the shooting. The one thing I didn't really enjoy about the novel is that, Picoult mentions the shooter's older brother being killed by drunk driver, but that's about all. She doesn't explore the idea that perhaps the older brother played a part in the fatal accident, but of course, this might actually draw away from the story itself, so I suppose it's better left undiscovered. Of course, there is a twist at the end of this novel, but for me, it's one I was actually expecting. I kind of had a feeling that it was leading up to this conclusion. Either way, it was another novel by Picoult that I just couldn't put down. Well done!

I'm trying to decide whether I should start another one of her novels, if it would be better if I moved on to something else. But honestly, I think I want to read the last new novel I have of hers, and then move onwards to another author. Until next time, Happy Reading!

Handle With Care (↑)

I attempted to read another book before this one, and I just couldn't do it. It was as if the author was trying to make the novel as suspenseful as she could, but instead, it made the novel just seem silly. Suspenseful novels are suppose to be natural, not forced, and that one was definitely forced. Anyway, this past weekend I went on a trip to Maine, and during that trip I read a Jodi Picoult novel, Handle With Care. It was a magnificent novel. Although, I had to read most of it while listening to Blue Collar Comedy Channel while we were driving. I'm not one to read with music (nonetheless talking) occurring, I wasn't able to focus very well. I was still able to get the gist of what was going on in most of the chapters I read. This novel deals with a controversial subject (like most of her novels do), and she handles it perfectly! She didn't force me to choose sides within the novel, but rather allowed us to come to our own decisions about the outcome.  I doubt many people would become offended (hopefully anyway) but it's hard to be sure.

Anyway, this novel is about a family who had a child born with a severe bone abnormality (osteogenesis imperfecta) which caused her to have severe disabilities during her life. On a family vacation, something comes about that causes the mother to decide to sue her obstetrician (who's also her best friend at the time) for wrongful birth. Wrongful birth means that parent was not given the choice to abort the child because they were not informed of the child's deformities before birth, and the severe disabilities the child would have. Although it sounds like a horrible lawsuit, the mother was really only doing it for the money so that her daughter could lead a fulfilling life she should be allowed to live. Anyway, it follows the family throughout the lawsuit, switching between the characters, all talking to the little girl, explaining their thoughts on the matter, along with what's happening.

The one thing I didn't really enjoy about the novel is that it follows a very standard style, that Jodi Picoult established in her previous novels. It always follows a mother who's doing what she does to protect 1 of her children, while ignoring the other. It also always finishes with a twist, and a quick one, as if she didn't know how to finish it, or didn't want to finish it with a happy ending. This complaint is only a minor one, so I can't hate her novels (mostly because I enjoy the subject matter too much). All in all, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and would recommend it to my friends. I'm going to read another one of her novels for the next blog. Until then, Happy Reading!

The Forgotten Garden (↑)

I've finished another novel. It's a mystery. But not like others I've read which are about solving the mystery of a serial killer, or something. It's more the unravelling of an unknown past. I'm always amazed at authors and how they are able to create intricate stories in a way that I wouldn't be able to. I've tried writing stories, but most of mine tend to be fluff, no real substance, no intricate details, or twisting plot lines. I suppose if I had a really vivid imagination, or just put my mind to it, I'm sure I could come up with a lovely little tale, but I really have no urge. Anyway, this novel didn't really have many faults. Sometimes I found that it dragged on, and it was one of those books that you really have to read about 100 pages before you're really into the book. I also found at times that it was a tad long (500+ pages), but I wasn't ready to count down the pages when I was nearing the end.

I guess I should introduce the novel by saying what the title was and the author's name. It's The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. The novel follows a woman named Cassandra who is attempting to unravel the unknown past of her grandmother after she passed away. It starts out in Australia, but moves to a coastal fishing village in Cornwall. It involves the story-telling of 3 generations of that family, and it switched between 3 times: early 1900's, 1970's and the present (well 2005). It's told incredibly well, and has many twists and turns along the way. Although it was a mystery, I figured out the main mystery quite easily and before the main characters, but of course, I found out mostly because I had the background story to go from, unlike Cassandra who only had information of family members, and other minor characters to go from. The minor details I didn't figure out until the very end, not that that really mattered much.

All in all, it's a well written novel and I would recommend it to friends who want a good old fashioned family mystery novel. Anyway, until next time, Happy Reading!

Gentlemen & Players (↑)

I've finished another book. I attempted to read the 2nd novel in the Outlander series, and I just couldn't do it, so I gave up, and picked up this hardcover novel that I had found in a used book bin at either Frenchie's or the used bookstore. Anyway, this novel is called Gentlemen & Players by Joanne Harris. It was an amazing book, and I would definitely recommend it to friends. It's kind of a suspense novel, but really, I'm not sure how to categorize it. It's strange, but it seems that every random novel I find that is cheap and doesn't appear to have many reviews, is typically the best novel I've read in a long time, while when I spend good money on a popular novel, I end up hating it, and sending it to the used bookstore anyway.

Anyway Gentlemen & Players is about this person who wants to get revenge on a posh private school. They plan out this huge plot, and follows through with it all. At first, I wasn't sure what to expect, but slowly, I really started to like certain characters (however, sometimes I had a hard time keeping their positions within the school straight), and at the end, I was so surprised by the turn of events and changes in character, that I couldn't help but like it! It was so unexpected, that you had no idea that it was going to happen.

I know I kind of keep things aloof for the synopses, but that's mostly because I don't want to give anything away and I want you to go out and read it for yourself. Alright, I'm gonna attempt to read another (or at least start) book. It's going to be a busy weekend, so we'll see how far we get. Until next time, Happy Reading!

Outlander (↑)

I decided to re-read the Outlander series again. So the book I just finished is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I always find the first few novels of the series are much better than the last ones. I think it's because the characters are new and fresh, and you don't have top situations that have occurred in previous novels. I mean, I like the later novels in this series, but I still enjoy reading the first few, especially when they are still in Europe and haven't gone to America yet.

This novel is about a woman named Claire Randall who, when touching a stone in a circle of stones in Scotland, gets transported back in time. She then falls in love with a young Scottish warrior, Jamie Fraser, and she follows him throughout this travels. I like how she introduces all the characters, and I also really like the sex scenes. Makes me sound perverted, I know, but they're just good. You just have to read the novels to understand, ha ha ha.

Anyway, I'm going to attempt to read the rest of them. At least I know that if I get bored of them, I can stop at any time and not feel guilty!

Until next time, Happy Reading!

An Echo in the Bone (↑)

I've finished another book. This one is part of a series I read about 2 years ago. It's a new book in the series (only came out last year, hence the huge break between reading the last one and this one). It's called An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon. It's well written and I'm sure well researched, but it's really really long which can make reading it tiresome. And also because it had been so long since I read the previous novels, I had to work even harder while reading it in order to remember what had happened previously along with trying to remember all the characters and such.  But that's certainly not the book's fault, more my fault. Either way, I really enjoyed reading it.

Basically, this book continues the story of the time-traveller Claire and her Scottish husband Jamie (who isn't a time-traveller) as they have their adventures through the American Revolutionary War. It also follows Claire and Jamie's daughter Brianna and her husband and their children's adventures in modern day (they are also time travellers). It also follows the story line of Lord John Grey (who also features in quite a few of the other novels in this series, along with novels in a separate series, starring only him) and his son William. In the end almost all the storylines tie in together.

Now I have to make the decision as to whether I want to re-read the whole series over again (not including this book) or if I want to read other books instead. I think the problem I would have with re-reading this series is mostly that all the novels are 700 + pages, so it will take forever. But it's not like I have much else to do at the moment. Either way we'll see I suppose.

I recommend this novel only to those who want to read the Outlander series (I can list the books later) mostly because otherwise they won't understand the ties between most of the characters. Anyway, until next time, Happy Reading!

The Tsarina's Daughter (~)

I've finished another book called The Tsarina's Daughter written by Carolly Erickson. It's a historical fiction about the fall of the Romanov dynasty in Russia. It was fascinating reading about a country's history that I don't know about. I mean it's different when I read about King Henry VIII because he's so widely publicized (having his own TV show and whatnot) but when it's about an Eastern-European country it makes it all the more interesting to me (or at least that's what I believe anyway). I have heard of the Russian-Revolution (I didn't know during what time period it occurred) and who the Romanovs were, but I didn't know in great detail what it was all about. I think mainly, that's because being in the Western side of the world, we don't have much connection with the other side, and aren't forced to learn about Russia, or the rest of Asia.

So as I kind of give away in my previous paragraph, this novel is about the fall of the Romanovs dynasty, and the Russian Revolution. It follows the 2nd oldest daughter Tatiana as she tells the story of her life. It's not a biography, it is a historical fiction and so there are (of course) characters who didn't actually exist, not to mention there are a few other things that are not true. It's still a pretty good way to gain basic information about the Russian Revolution and the family in general, and if you want to learn more, I'm sure you could do research and find out a lot more information. For me, this is why I read historical novels is mostly to gain basic information so that if I want to learn more, I can.

All in all, this novel was alright. Not one of my favourites. If you want to learn more about the Revolution, etc., then this would be perfect for you. It was a good read, and it went quickly, and it certainly didn't go too in depth either, so I was able to still concentrate on my studies AND read this novel also.

Anyway, seeing as I'm now home, I can read more, so hopefully there will be more posts in the future. Hope all is well, and until next time, Happy Reading!

The Devil Wears Prada (~)

I've finished another book. Surprisingly, actually, considering it's exam period. But anyway, the book I finished was Lauren Weisenberger's The Devil Wears Prada. Another mindless chick lit novel. No real romance though, more about finding out who you are and who you want to become. Which, by the way, is  fitting, considering I found out I'm not accepted into the graduate study program I really wanted. Such is life I guess. Everything happens for a reason, and I really really hope that the time I'm going to take off is enough for me to find out what I really enjoy and hopefully see about making a job out of it. Or even find out what I really want out of my life so I can go back to school to help myself achieve it, or find a way to live it out.

Anyway, enough about my problems, and more about the book! Basically, this book follows a girl as she becomes an assistant to the worst woman on the planet. It goes through her family, social and love life going down the drain as she works overtime, and becomes under appreciated until one day, she can't take it anymore and she blows up at her, and is fired. From there on things are peachy.

The movie is based off this novel. I watched it to compare, and really there's not much in common. I still enjoyed it though.

I don't know if I want to recommend it to anyone unless they need a mindless read, but it's really up to you. Anyway, until next time, Happy Reading!

The Twelve Little Cakes (↑)

I've finished a book, and I must say, it's one of the best ones I've read in a really long time. It's called The Twelve Little Cakes and was written by Dominika Dery. It's a memoir of her life growing up in Communist Czechoslovakia. Although, her description of Prague during this time paints it as a run down city (probably because of the communist regime), she really did live a full life and was able to have (most of) the same experiences other children could have. It made me sad to read about the conditions in this country, but also I couldn't help but smile at the antics the child would partake in. She was a precocious little girl, and the things that would happen to her and her family actually caused me to chuckle to myself a few times. I would recommend this novel to ANYONE! Whether they want to learn something about Eastern European history, or just want an amusing story to read about.

I don't want to give away too much information about this novel, but basically this book follows the life of Dominika Dery (the author) from age 3 to about age 10. Her parents were dissidents and so they were shunned and constantly persecuted by the communist police. Although her family didn't have much money, they still succeeded in giving Dominika and her sister a good life full of fun and love.

It's definitely a favourite, and I will NOT give it up (and surprisingly I only spent $1 on it at Zellers!) Anyway, until next time, Happy Reading.

The Sari Shop Widow (~)

I've finished another book. It's called The Sari Shop Widow by Shobhan Bantwal. It was an okay book. It kind of gave me a taste of Indo-American culture, which was cool. It was definitely more romantic than I expected so that made it difficult to finish because it had gotten so sappy at the end. It's also predictable, so that was also irritating. But it was a nice quick, no-thinking read, which is what I need at the moment.

Basically this novel is about an Indian woman who was a widow and was helping her parents at their sari shop in 'Little India' in New Jersey. Their store was going bankrupt, so her father called in his businessman brother to help bail them out. He arrived along with his young business partner, and it goes on from there. Secrets come out, and there's a definite attraction between the young business partner and the main character, etc.

Anyway, onward to other novels. Until next time, happy reading!

The Time Traveler's Wife (~)

I've finished another book. It's Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife. I didn't like it as much as the movie, which I saw first. I enjoyed reading it for sure, but I don't think it's one of my favourites.

Basically this book is about the romance between a man who time travels, and a girl whom he met when she was just 6 years old. It follows them as they meet for real when she is in her 20's, and goes along with them getting married, and then having a child, and then him dying. I'm not sure if it's like most typical romance novels but you can still consider it one, I'm sure.

I would say read it anyway, and then watch the movie and compare the two, and see whatever one you like the most. I think I will watch the movie again sometime, and make my real decision based on the 2nd viewing.

Anyway, that's all for now, until the next time, Happy Reading!

The Rose Labyrinth (↑)

I've finally finished another book. It seems that I keep choosing novels which are very intense reading, and so I can never finish them quickly. Depressing, I know. Anyway, the novel I finished is Titania Hardie's The Rose Labyrinth. It's going to be hard to comment on this one, mostly because I kind of forget what went on in the first part of the book, mostly because I've only been able to devout a lot of time to reading it in the last few days (Thank you study break!!).  This novel is very philosophical. It delves into theology, religion, philosophy, and myths. It is full of riddles (which I never actually solved myself) also.

Basically, it's about a woman who receives a heart transplant, and then falls in love with her surgeon, only because they feel a special connection with one another. They also partake on a journey of sorts to solve the mystery surrounding a set of keys that were left in the surgeon's brother's will (he died in a motorcycle accident). It's full of mystery and intrigue, and some action.

The only part I really didn't like was that, if you don't read slowly, you won't understand how the riddles are solved, or how they all connect together. It makes it difficult, because the riddles have a major part in the novel, so a few times I had to re-read parts in order to understand and follow the novel properly. I would recommend it to friends though. It's a definite 'curl up on a couch for a stormy afternoon' read.

Anyway, until next time, Happy reading!

The Other Side of the Story (~)

I have finished a book, surprisingly, considering I've been über-stressed because of school and grad school and what not. I've finished Marian Keyes' The Other Side of the Story. Obviously, I've read books by her before, but to tell you the truth, it really isn't that great. Kind of boring to tell you the truth. When you take into consideration what it is about, it just sounds like the bitchyness that might be occurring in her life from her editor and publishers, and the author just wants to write about and complain.

Basically the book is about 3 women who are inter-connected. One is an literary agent and is having an affair with one of the partners in her firm. Another one of the women is a struggling author who stole her best friend's boyfriend (who is the other women in the story). The last woman wants to get revenge on her ex-best friend by ruining her life. The book switches between the characters and tells their stories.

I must admit, that at the beginning I did find some of the parts kind of hilarious, and I actually laughed out loud, but for the most part I couldn't wait until it was finished. I wouldn't really recommend it.

Until next time, Happy reading!