Lone Wolf (↑)

I could expect anything less than amazing and moving from Jodi Picoult. I just finished Lone Wolf (and I mean JUST finished. As in not even 5 minutes ago!), and I'm still in awe. I'm not one to cry when reading books, but I actually got a lump in my throat when I was at the end. I loved that I was able to learn so much about the pack mentality of wolves, and yet also be able to relate it back to what was happening within the human family. I mean I didn't spend an immense amount of time on it (only because my brain was lazy haha), but you know that the symbolism was there if you just thought about it long enough. Although Jodi Picoult's has a certain style and flow to her stories, this one did have a slight tweak. Although there was a twist, it actually didn't influence the outcome as much as I had thought it would. All in all I LOVED this book, and I can't wait to read the next one by her (The Storyteller I think it's called.)

This book starts off with a car accident where a teenage girl is severely injured, and her father has a traumatic brain injury. The son who was estrange is called and returns to the US to help make decisions as to his father's life. The son is charged with murder for unplugging his father's ventilator. The charges were dropped, but unfortunately another court case comes about to determine who should be the permanent guardian of the father. The sister wants the father to continue to live on machines as she feels guilty about the last thing she said to her father, while the son believes he should honour is father's wishes and terminate his life. In the end the son 'wins' (would one really consider it winning in this case?) the position, and the plug is pulled, and the father dies and his organs are then donated.

Amazing story, with a great premise. Jodi Picoult always knows how to choose the touchiest subjects, and make a great story behind it.  I will always continue to read her novels. Unfortunately I don't have her most recent book, but I think I will start the Divergent series. Until next time, Happy Reading!

Sing You Home (↑)

Wow is all I can say. I really can't expect anything less from Jodi Picoult honestly, but this book amazes me.  It brings up two extremely sensitive topics: gay rights and religion. This book is Sing You Home the newest book by Jodi Picoult. It was able to make me angry by the religious views expressed. It allows one to realize how the Bible really can be interpreted any way a person wants if they read it a certain way. It's frustrating though that people can't seem to accept that people who are homosexual are born that way, and that they don't have a choice who they fall in love with, and that although they need help to reproduce they can raise 'normal' children, and that no amount of influence can make a child a homosexual or heterosexual. But of course, these are the same people who don't believe in evolution and that scientists planted the dinosaur bones to 'prove' that theory. But anyway...

This novel is about a couple who went through fertility treatments, and unfortunately were not able to conceive a child. The last time they tried, it ended tragically, and the husband decided he had had enough and wanted a divorce. It proceeded from there where the wife fell in love with a female school counsellor and they got married. They decided they wanted children, and when they went to gain the consent of the ex-husband, to their detriment he said no. The husband had joined a church and 'got religion', and a lawsuit ensued. This novel follows the lawsuit, and the reasons why and why not the homosexual couple should have the embryos. Of course there's a twist at the end, and I suppose it is what you're expecting, but still a twist nonetheless.

This book is definitely worth the read! Anyway not sure what I'll be reading next, but until then, Happy Reading!

The Pact (~)

Unfortunately, it's taken me FOREVER to actually finish a book. I don't know if it's a combination of busy-ness, work, laziness, or just not wanting to read. But anyway, I've finally finished The Pact by Jodi Picoult. It says this is a love story, and technically it is. It really made me think about love, and finding that undying love where you give yourself completely to someone, and you are willing to do anything for them, including helping them commit suicide because you can't bare to see them in pain, emotionally or physically. I would love to have this kind of love, but also not. Only because it would be a burden to my partner. The fact that my pain was hurting someone else just as much as it was hurting me would be almost unbearable. Thinking about it now, I don't think I've ever had this kind of love. I think I've been in love, but not to the same extent as was described in the book. I almost feel that I'm selfish though, in my love. I care about the other person, and would make sacrifices for the other, but I don't think I could give myself self-lessly to someone. But I guess that kind of love is one that doesn't occur often, or I've yet to experience it. Maybe someday I will, but we shall see.

Anyway, sorry for that random tangent haha, recent events in my life have been making me sentimental, and this book apparently made it worse. So, this book was about 2 teenagers who have been best friends since birth and became lovers when they were teenagers. The girl becomes depressed and pregnant and is not able to deal with this and decides she wants to commit suicide. She confides in her boyfriend/best friend, who then tries everything he can to stop her, but in the end can't. It follows the trial of the boyfriend who is on trial for first degree murder for shooting his girlfriend.

All in all, it was a good book (I can't expect anything else from Jodi Picoult), but the rating was lower only because it took so long to get through, and it really didn't draw my attention like others I've read by her. Anyway, not sure what I'll be reading next, so until then, Happy Reading!