Vanishing Acts

Vanishing Acts
By Jodi Picoult
9780743454551 418p

Wow. Twists and turns like always. Shocks all the way to the last page! Beautifully written. I love the alternate characters chapters. And I love that it's not pretty or Hollywood, especially with Ruthann and with Eric.
10/10

Bel Canto

Bel Canto
By Ann Patchett
0060934417

Wow. Amazing, beautiful and literally breathtaking. I honestly forgot to breath a few times! "There was such an incredible logic to kissing, such a metal-to-magnet pull between two people that it was a wonder that they found the strength to prevent themselves from succumbing every second."- there's a sample for you. The characters were amazing and the story was interesting and different. But it was the descriptions that really made it into a masterpiece. A dinner is interrupted by a group of kidnappers. They take everyone hostage and this is what happens next. Loved it, can't say enough good things about this book.
10/10

A Lifetime of Secrets

A Lifetime of Secrets
By Frank Warren
9780061238604

Loved it!! As always, these books are awesome.
Some of my favorites:
"I loved her when I was six. She threw my most valuebull stuff out the window (I sill love her.) and now I'm ten."
A door "I didn't walk you to the door after a 9th grade dance... I have regretted it ever since."
Picture of soldiers "Our nation is spoiled, corrupt, & ignorant... but I would die to protect it."
Mailboxes "When I was younger, I used to write letters to imaginary men ending affairs that never happened. I would address them to 'resident' and mail them out to addresses I picked at random."
Picture of 2 paths in woods "I made the wrong choice."
Sunset "I still wonder how different my life would be if I had taken that sunrise walk with you."
French Unicorn Tapestry "I want things back the way they never were."
10/10

A Venetian Affair

A Venetian Affair
By Andrea Di Robilant
(book on CD)


So I've been reading some diverse books the past few months: first I wanted to learn to quilt, then make rugs, then read the entire Encycopedia. Now I want to fall in love. In Venice, obviously! This book was beautiful. It being a true story made it even better. The characters were wonderful, so real which is sometimes hard with historical characters! The descriptions of Venice, Paris, London, etc. were great, sometimes you really felt like you were there.
10/10

The Blue Castle

The Blue Castle
By L.M. Montgomery
0553280511

Awesome story! I think this was my favorite so far, although statements like that can never include Anne, she's just on her own level. But I loved Doss- oops, Valancy! She was well-written and an absolute wonderful person to spend some time with. Maybe because she's closer to my age than the other books I've read of Ms. Montgomery, I like her more. I saw the ending coming from almost the beginning, but that didn't make the journey less enjoyable! Didn't see one twist about Barney coming, but I did guess the other.
10/10

"Unsinkable": The Full Story

"Unsinkable": The Full Story
By Daniel Allen Butler
081171814X

Opening line of the introduction: "It has been said that 'Titanic' is the third most widely recognized word in the world, following 'God' and 'Coca-Cola.'" Love that line! Book is full of details and interesting stories yet not bogged down by details. I had never heard so much about the "mystery" ship, it was good to get an in-depth look on that. Definitely interesting book, even if you're only midly interested in Titanic. (Insert the obvious ruining the ending/boat sinks line here, I have no desire to make that joke right now!)
10/10

The Golden Road

The Golden Road By L.M. Montgomery

I love these books, so wonderfully written. But I cried so much reading this one, isn't that sad? I know, it's a kids book. I don't remember crying so much when I read this one years ago, though! It's so sad to say good-bye to these characters, since I don't think she wrote any more about them! So we never find out what happens, although I suppose there are hints enough. I hope they got together again, if only in Ms. Montgomery's mind. And not for a funeral either. *sniff, sniff*
10/10

Empire of Blue Water

Empire of Blue Water
By Stephan Talty
9780307236609

Breathtaking! If you love pirates, like pirates, or know what a pirate is, you should read this book. I loved the use of "Roderick" (a made-up character who represented a normal pirate and how he would have seen the world, his fellow pirates, and Morgan). This is the story of Henry Morgan, but it's so much more. This is about a way of life, for Morgan and his victims, his followers and his enemies. He's a brilliant man and his story is incredibly interesting, but I think the real story is about a way of life. And that story was wonderfully told as well as Morgan's.
10/10

Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice
By Jane Austen
(book on CD)

I adore Jane Austen. She's wonderful and her characters always seem true to life. Pride and Prejudice may be my favorite Austen book, although Emma is great too. Every girl wants to be Elizabeth, and every girl wants to find her Mr. Darcy, right?
10/10

This is Our War

This is Our War: Servicemen's Photographs of Life in Iraq
by Devin Friedman
157965309X

Beautiful, haunting book. The introduction says something about these photographs not being professional photographs, the photographers not professional photographers. No, as the author says, they're much better than that. This is the real war, the day-to-day stuff. There is death but there is life. Laughter, fear, sadness, smiles. A young Iraq boy smiling broadly, with a gun aimed at him. If he makes a wrong move, there will be problems. A huge truck, military issued everything, surrounding a man sleeping on the hood. An opulent palace reduced to dust, with the lingering wonderings of what happened at that beautiful place under it's former leader. In short, breathtaking in it's simplicity and it's depth.

10/10

The Secret Lives of Men and Women

The Secret Lives of Men and Women
By Frank Warren
0061198757

Another amazing postcard book, full of interesting, shocking, and frequently sad secrets. There's really nothing to say that wasn't already said about the first one I read. And honestly, these books should be seen instead of talked about.

10/10

My Secret

My Secret
By Frank Warren
0061196681

Easily one of the most powerful books I've ever read. The concept that Frank Warren came up with is for people to write a secret on a postcard and mail it in. The cards then become part of the website or, in this case, a book. They are anonymous, they are therapeutic, they are frequently heartbreaking. This is a book to be considered, not simply read. I had to stop a few times just to think about something I had just read, a secret that someone in the world had been burdened with. Opening the book at random will almost certainly give one of these heartbreaking phrases. The one I opened to just now was": "Every day I pray that you will stand up at my wedding when the priest asks if anyone has a reason these two shall not be wed. I am counting on you." Powerful stuff here. Not all doom and gloom, though, there are some funny ones as well. "I think I'd enjoy life on a deserted island because almost everybody gets on my nerves." And some are both funny and sad: "I faked my own graduation."

10/10

Ride the Wind

Ride the Wind
By Lucia St. Clair Robson

Two amazing books in one day! Doesn't get much better than this! This book is a true story of a little girl who is kidnapped by Indians in the 1800's and grows up as one of them. Historically accurate, apparently, and wonderfully moving. It's horrible to read on one hand because we all know the history of the Indian tribes, their ultimate end. So you root for this girl and her family, knowing it won't matter in the end. Knowing that it can't turn out how you want it to. One jarring thing, wonderfully jarring however, is the points of view. When we are with the Indian families, we see their majesty and goodness. But then the whites come in and we see the Indians through their eyes also. We see how wrong they were in thinking of these amazing people as dirty savages, but brainwashing goes deep. You are almost willing the good whites to see, for their eyes to be open to the truth, all the while knowing it won't happen. There is no way to avoid the future that is rushing towards then. Heartbreaking but amazing book.
10/10

The Stolen Child

The Stolen Child
by Keith Donohue
1419389246 (book on CD)


Wow! Amazing story, amazing concept. This is the story of two boys. Or rather, one boy and a changeling. Or two boys and two changelings. Take your pick, they all fit. Henry Day is an ordinary young boy, until he runs away one day. Then he is switched for a changeling in the woods. He is forced to live in the woods, while the threads of his life are taken up but altered by a changeling who has been waiting for a century for his chance to be human again. Both boys deal with their own struggles, internal and external, as the chapters go back and forth between them. I was never sure who to root for! I only had two nit-picks, tiny ones. The penultimate chapter had a better ending than the ending chapter. I liked it better, I think it should have been switched. But I'm not a best selling author!! Another thing, at one point Anaday says that the lady in the red coat is the last human he'll ever talk to but then years later he talks to another woman in a car. Doesn't make a big difference, I still absolutely adored this book!

10/10

Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451
By Ray Bradbury
0345342968

Well, the book gets a 10/10. Brilliantly done. The extra parts- 9/10. It messed up the book! Example- The fire chief having books in his house? That defeats the purpose of having Guy plant the book in his house and call in the tip! Why were the extras even included?
10/10

Letters from Pemberley

Letters from Pemberley: The First Year
By Jane Dawkins
1893337006

Brilliant! I adore Pride and Prejudice, may have to reread it this summer. And this is a near-perfect sequel to it. Only “near” because it’s a new author. I would have loved to read Jane’s responses, because her story was nearly as interesting as Lizzy’s. And Mr. Darcy’s letters, since he’s an amazing character. But I can’t bear to give this wonderful book any less than: 10/10

Across the Miles

Across the Miles
By L.M. Montgomery
0553571036

I love this author!! Anne of Green Gables is a wonderful series. Story Girl is great too. But this collection is so adorable. A group of stories, all about letters being written, misled, mistaken, and all other ways a letter can change a life. Her short stories are just as charming and beautiful as her long stories.
10/10

There and Back Again

There and Back Again: An Actor’s Tale
By Sean Astin
0312331460

Wow! Great book! Sean Astin is an amusing guy. Full of self-doubt at times, which he should get over because he’s awesome! I’m glad he played Sam the way he did in Lord of the Rings. It made sense that way, not all hobbits were crazy, bouncing guys! I loved Merry and Pippin, but I like that there was also a “sane” one in the bunch. I think he knows he did the right thing and is using the book as a form of therapy. I loved hearing the behind-the-scenes stories of getting the tattoos, of the parades to celebrate the release of the movie, of the dinners shared by the cast. Sean has a great voice, very amusing to read and almost like a conversation. I can’t remember the last time I’ve given this, but here it is: 10/10

Bond on Set

Bond on Set
By Greg Williams
0752264990

Wow! These pictures are amazing! This book shows what went on behind-the-scenes on the movie set of Die Another Day. And the photographer apparently had access to everything, if these shots are any indication. The colors are amazing, the black and white photographs are even more so. I also loved the information provided, the little stories that we would otherwise never hear. Pierce Brosnan’s brush with danger, for example, in the story of him getting hurt on set. All in all, a must for Bond fans!
10/10

The Great Train Robbery

The Great Train Robbery
By Michael Crichton
(Book on CD)

Two amazing books in one month! Actually, I was reading them at the same time, so this was very nice! This reminded me a lot of the movie Ocean’s Eleven- intricate plotline, likeable crooks, hair-raising adventure and close-calls. I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone, it was just so wonderful! I loved the improvisational tactics that had to be used for them to avoid detection, it was so much fun to listen to them get out of those tight spots!
10/10

Desert Queen

Desert Queen
By Janet Wallach
0385495757

What an amazing woman. And an equally amazing storyteller. I absolutely loved this book. This tells the story of a young woman in the early 1900’s who doesn’t simply get married and have a family. She travels to the Middle East and becomes an extremely important person in the relationship between England and the countries of the Middle East. Her story is one of courage but also of loneliness. The author never pretends that she had a perfect life, bucking tradition and following her own mind. She suffered greatly in some ways, but it was for a good cause and she never regretted it. I’m not even interested in the Middle East and I’m giving this book: 10/10