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!