A Secret Kept (~)

Finished another book! Not as quickly as the James Patterson one, but quickly compared to the last few books! This time I finished A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay. Although I enjoyed this book, I can't say it's my favourite, nor that it's as gripping as Sarah's Key. I just didn't find the storyline as interesting. Although there was an internal struggle in the main character, honestly, I didn't find it as heart wrenching as her other novel. I'm not saying I hate it (as you can see from the rating I gave it, there were some redeeming qualities) I'm just saying it's not my favourite. I certainly didn't get bored with it, and I wanted to continue to read it, but I'm not sure if that was because I wanted to see if there was more depth to it, or if it was truly interesting for me.

This novel follows a man who had gotten into a terrible car accident with his sister when they were returning from celebrating her 40th birthday at their childhood vacation spot. His sister about to tell him a flashback she had encountered during their stay there when she veered off the road. During her recovery, she told him that she remembers going to their mother's room and seeing her laying there naked with another woman. Antoine then spent the rest of the novel determining who this woman was and why/how their mother died. There are other personal/familial events that occur that honestly confused me a bit as to why they were even in the novel, but I'm not going to mention them as I don't deem them important.

I believe this book is a meh read. You can read it if you like, but don't compare it to Sarah's Key as you will most likely be disappointed.  I must say though, this won't stop me from reading more of her novels as they come out! Anyway, I'm off to read a Dean Koontz book! Until then, happy reading!

Sundays at Tiffany's (~)

So, when I said I was going to read something easy...I guess I didn't clarify. I meant chick lit... so I just finished Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. I probably could have finished it within a day, but I wanted to space myself out with it as I've been so used to taking months to finish a book...

So this one is about a woman who falls in love with her imaginary friend (who she had when she was 8) and accidently runs into him in real life when she was in her 30's. It follows their 'love story', although it wasn't a very well developed story. But I suppose after reading the Millennium series, no stories would have the plot twists and such that that series did. But anyway, the premise behind the book was cute and I could definitely see a romantic comedy movie come out of it, if the story itself could be better developed.

It was a nice step back into the world of reading fiction. But now I'm onward to Tatiana de Rosnay's A Secret Kept, if it's anything like Sophie's Key, I should love it! But until then, Happy Reading!

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (~)

Finally finished another book. This time it's the last book in the Millennium series The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larrson. The book was alright, but I have to say that because of how detailed it was, it was hard to keep track of everything, so unfortunately I don't really remember all the details. What really annoyed me was that nearing the end of the book, it seemed really out to lunch with the court proceedings. The defence was able to bring in random witnesses that the prosecution knew nothing about. I know in North American judicial systems that's not allowed. The case would have to be completely restarted, so either Swedish judicial systems are different, or Mr. Larsson was out to lunch. What prosecutor goes only by what the police tell them? I thought they would do their own research and figure things out. Anyway, those are really my only 2 gripes with the book. I mean obviously the fact that Lisbeth and her brother are basically superhuman seem a little out to lunch, but it's a fictional book....I shouldn't complain too much.

Basically, this book picks up where the last one left off. Lisbeth and her father are in the hospital. It follows Lisbeth as she's kept in isolation and guarded in the hospital, and then put into prison. And then follows the court proceedings and research that went into that. It ends by tying up all loose ends for characters.

Not my favourite book, but I'm glad I'm finally finished the series and can move onwards to something that might be a little easier on my brain. Anyway, until then, Happy Reading!

The Girl Who Played With Fire (~)

Finally finished Stieg Larsson's The Girl Who Played With Fire. I'm not saying it's a terrible book because the last 150-ish pages really had me hooked, but I don't feel that having to wait until the last 100 pages when the books 500 pages long is really necessary. It also sucks because it's hard to keep facts straight when it's been taking me so long to read them. But oh well.

This novel answers many questions I had regarding Lisbeth Salander (what her past was etc. and her disorder). Well it doesn't directly answer the disorder question, but it gives a bit more information to go off of. In this book, Lisbeth is framed for 3 murders. It goes through a lot of ups and downs to figure out who is behind the murders, but in the meantime, a lot more is discovered about Lisbeth which allows the reader to gain more insight into why Lisbeth is the way she is. As usual, the novel really picks up the pace during the last 150 pages, and it makes it very hard to put down. Although I really didn't like how it ended, but I guess it made me want to start the 3rd book pretty quickly (which I did, haha!)

Anyway, I'm on to reading the last novel in the series, and then probably I will go back to Game of Thrones series. Until next time, happy reading!

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (↑)

Finished Stieg Larsson's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I had started it before in hard copy, but couldn't stomach the first 40 pages, so I stopped, got rid of the hard copy, and then got all three of the books in epub format, and put them on my ereader. Everyone I know who has read them recommends them, so of course, I decided to read them. Not to mention C.L. has been hassling me to watch the movie, but I refused because I hadn't read the book yet. Anyway, I've read it, and honestly, once I got about 100 pages in, I didn't want to stop reading it! At first I wasn't sure how Salander fit in to the story line, but I just had to keep reading. The only thing is that Salander is so mysterious, I really want to know more about her past! I've started the second book so maybe it will explain it a bit more. I guess I'll find out soon enough!

Anyway, this book follows Mikael Blomkvist, a financial journalist who was ruined by a larger company (serving time in jail for libel, etc.) as he sets off to a lonely, out of the way island to solve a long ago family mystery for the Vanger family. He solves it, but he's in for a ride along the way.

Honestly, this mystery isn't spectacular, and the characters aren't all that well developed, but the reason I gave it such a high rating is because it kept me hooked the whole time, and I really enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it to anyone, but I would encourage them to keep reading it even if they found the first 40-100 pages to be extremely boring or random. Anyway, I'm going to continue to read the 2nd book in the trilogy, so until I finish that one, Happy Reading!

Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain (↑)

Hello all! Back again with another finished novel! Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain by Portia de Rossi. For those of you who don't know who Portia de Rossi is, she's a famous actress who battled anorexia and bulimia as well as she's Ellen DeGeneres' wife. This book is basically a memoir of her battle with anorexia. Although, myself, I have never had a lot of body image issues (don't get me wrong, I still don't like certain aspects of my body), this book really sheds light on that area, and how dangerous comparing yourself to the 'ideal' body can be, and it can be a slippery slope before becoming an eating disorder.  Being a Psychology major in university, I spent a fair amount of time studying eating disorders, and what they stem from. Right away, you can see it's a classic case, but it's not exactly as it's described in textbooks. Although she doesn't like certain aspects of her body, for her it is definitely a control thing. It just amazes me that she didn't realize where she was headed by restricting her calories so much. As soon as you start restricting food intake and exercising at insane rates you are well on your way to an eating disorder. But I guess when you are in the thick of it, you don't realize what you are doing is wrong until it's almost too late. I have to admit though, my favourite part was the epilogue, where she goes on to say what helped save her from anorexia and bulimia. How now she lives by a eat until you're full, don't restrict what you are allowed to eat and find fun things to take up your time instead of obsessing over looks style of life. It's probably a style of life I should (and probably do) live by and why I've maintained the same weight for the past 5 years.

Overall I think this book is in my Top 10 must reads, and I would recommend it to any young female (or any female in general) just so they know what it's like to battle anorexia and how it starts, and how it's not a fairy-tale of being skinny, but rather can become a living hell.

I've already decided the next book I'll be reading. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I'm reading it because my boyfriend has been bugging me to watch the movie, so I've decided to just get it done and over with. After that series I'll start back in the Game of Thrones. Until then, Happy Reading!

A Game of Thrones (↑/~)

Finally, finally, FINALLY I finished a book! This one was a hard one to rate because it took me so long to finish! Honestly, I did like the book, and I'm quite glad I picked it up (well technically I downloaded it...) Anyway I finished reading A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. I wasn't sure of it at first, mostly because it's classified under the fantasy category, and honestly, I'm not usually a huge fan of fantasy novels, but this one I feel almost has more of a medieval feel to it, as well as a little bit of fantasy mixed in. Other than it taking FOREVER to finish I really really enjoyed it. I'm not sure if it took so long because I was busy, or I just wasn't that into it, but let's just say the last 100 pages, I didn't want to stop reading it!

Anyway, for those of you who don't know what A Game of Thrones is about, it follows a number of families who basically are all plotting against one another to steal the throne and rule the kingdom. It has a lot of twists and turns, but really it's just about who is going to rule over the kingdom. I could go into more detail, but honestly, it has so many crazy details, I don't think I could really do it justice.

All I can say is that I really enjoyed the book, even though it took me forever to finish it. Hopefully the next one won't take me as long!

Until next time, Happy Reading!

The Piano Man's Daughter (↓)

FINALLY finished another book. I think a multitude of factors affected why it took me so long to finish this one. Anyway, I finished the book The Piano Man's Daughter by Timothy Findley. I honestly didn't like this book. I don't know if it was the fact that it bounced around in time, and changed the narrator constantly, or if the fact that the storyline was a bit scattered, but it certainly isn't a book I want to read again. When I read the synopsis I thought it would have more about Charlie's daughter, than about his great-grandmother, grandmother and mother, but there really was limited information about his daughter.

This book was about a man named Charlie who found out that his ex-wife had a little girl who is his. He was afraid that this little girl would have the same 'sickness' his mother had, and that she would continue to suffer throughout her life. Basically this book follows the life of his great-grandmother, grandmother and mother so that the reader can fully understand what his life and his mother's life was like with her sickness. Definitely not what I expected.

I just want to clarify that, it's not that this book isn't well written, it's just not what I personally like in a story-line because of how it changes narrators without specifying. I also found it frustrating that the author didn't specify what kind of illness the mother had. I know part of it was epilepsy, but I'm almost wondering if she also had schizophrenia because of the visions she had. Anyway, unfortunately I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

Anyway, I'm going to try to re-read The Hunger Games trilogy because the movie is coming out soon, and I want it fresh in my mind when I see the movie. But if I don't get to read it in time, I'll probably find/start Game of Thrones or something like that. Anyway, until next time, Happy Reading!

Three to Get Deadly (~)

Finished the last of the 3-book bundle of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. This one being Three to Get Deadly. Not a whole lot to say, honestly.  I'm excited to move onwards to something with a bit more depth to it. I've had enough of chick lit.

Basically this follows Stephanie as she tries to apprehend the neighbourhood candy man. Only it gets her into bigger trouble than she had ever expected. This book (as with the other 2 I had read) are over the top in antics, but it's an easy read to take your mind off of life.

I'd only recommend it to people who want to read something fast and amusing, but doesn't use much brain power. Anyway not sure what I'll be reading next, so until then, happy reading!

Two For the Dough (~)

Finished another one by Janet Evanovich called Two For the Dough. It's part of the Stephanie Plum series. I don't really have much to say because I found it to be pretty much exactly like the first book I read in the series. I think now the only reason I'm reading the 3rd book is because I bought it in a bundle and I don't want to waste my money. I have to admit though, they are amusing reads, and they are quick reads. I can't say that they make me laugh out loud though.

This one follows Stephanie as she attempts to bring in a crazed man who jumped bail. At first she thought it'd be pretty simple, but as she continued on, it made her realize that she was getting into more than she bargained for and it was a lot more dangerous than she suspected. But as always it ends with her catching the man.

Anyway, if you want a quick mindless read, I suggest this series. Anyway, until next time, Happy Reading!

One For the Money (~)

Pretty quick in finishing up this book. It's One For the Money by Janet Evanovich. It's a simple read. I guess it could be called a mystery. Well a chick mystery. It's not quite chick lit, but it's not quite mystery either. It didn't exactly grab my attention, but it was easy enough to read that I didn't exactly have to focus in order to follow the story line.

This book followed Stephanie Plum who becomes a bounty hunter because she was unemployed and had no idea where her next income was going to come from. Anyway she was given the file for a man who had been in and out of her life multiple times and seemed to be a 'slippery' character. It follows her 'adventure' to capture this guy with a lot of hijinx along the way.

This book really wasn't anything special, but I must admit the characters were pretty funny at times, especially Stephanie's grandmother. I will probably continue to read the series only because they're easy reads, but I unno if I'd recommend them. I bought the first 3 in the series, so most likely I will read all 3 and then move on to another series. Anyway, until next time, happy reading!

Sarah's Key (↑)

I'm on a roll finishing books quickly! I actually finished this book on January 17th, but I never got around to doing this blog entry (work and whatnot). Anyway I finished Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay. It's an amazing book about a girl losing her family to the Holocaust in the 40's. It's amazing because it really depicts the struggle she faces when she realizes she's the only one of her family who's left. It really makes you feel like you've lost your family also. It also made me think of what it'd be like if I did in fact lose all my family and what I'd do if I did. The only thing I didn't like about the book is the story that's set in modern times. I didn't mind the investigative part about finding out who and where Sarah was, but the part about the divorce. I thought that was a bit pointless. However, maybe it's a reflection of the woman losing her family and how to survive it. I'm not really sure.

Anyway this novel follows a journalist who is writing about the Vel' d'Hiv' (the round up of Jews in Paris during WWII) when she discovers that the apartment her family and she are moving into used to be owned by a Jewish family who were rounded up during Vel' d'Hiv'. She then went on to investigate what happened to the family and discovered that one of the children of the family survived the round-up and she went on to see what happened to her. At the same time she realizes she's pregnant and has to go through some tough decisions and decide whether her marriage means more to her than the new life growing inside of her.

I really recommend this book to anyone interested in the Holocaust as well WWII. It's a terrible part of history but it's still best to know about it because if not, we're bound to repeat it. 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!

Turn of Mind (↑)

I finished another book very quickly this time. Only because I crap-load of time on my hands lately (I worked a lot of night shifts, and I had all of today off and to myself). this book was called Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante. It's very similar to Still Alice, but instead of seeing the Alzheimer's develop, it's already in full-force you and you see the quick deterioration of the mind. Again it's told in the first person, and shows why people with dementia act the way they do, and can be quite stubborn. It's funny, but since starting my new job and hearing stories about the psycho-geriatric unit where there are a lot of dementia patients, I can almost empathize with them about what's going on, only by reading this book. This book also almost made me cry. I'm not sure why, but I think it's because I find it so sad that someone who was so intelligent was ripped down to almost nothing mentally. She might still be smart, but forgetting her own family, and living obstinately in the past and refusing to be brought back to reality seems sad to me. I know that really, living in the past and refusing reality isn't truly her fault, but I find it sad that she got so upset when people tried to pull her back to reality (not that she remained there for long). I know that this paragraph is kind of rambly so I'm going to leave it there, and get to the synopsis.

This book followed the character Dr. Jennifer White who had been a orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hands. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, and she was progressively going downhill. Her best friend Amanda (who could be a bit of a bitch) was murdered, and the police began to investigate. One thing lead to another, and the police labeled Dr. White a 'person of interest'. It continues with the investigation, and then leads to Dr. White being put in an institution because her mental health had deteriorated so far, and she was no longer competent and was considered a danger to herself and society.

This book was awesome. I was certainly recommend it to anyone who wants more of an inside view of dementia, and what it feels like for patient. Anyway, I believe I'm going to be reading a Jodi Picoult book next, so until next time, happy reading!

Shopaholic Ties the Knot (~)

Yeah, it didn't take me long to finish up this book, but of course it's because it's one of the Shopaholic series, so it's an easy chick lit reads. This one is Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella. Not much to really write about this book, only because it's chick lit. Everything I've written about chick lit is the same, so you guys can look back at past blog posts and go from there.

So basically this book follows Becky Bloomwood as she prepares for her marriage to Luke Brandon. Instead of spending too much money however, she ends up having 2 weddings prepared for her, and she has to figure out what she's going to do, and which wedding she is going to choose to go through with.

This book is an easy read, and if I had had the time, I probably would've finished it in a day, but unfortunately life got in the way, ha ha ha! Until next time, Happy Reading! Also Happy New Year!