A Fine Balance

I read this for my first book club. I have been meaning to read it forever...so the time came. What a dynamic book! Despite it being depressing -- I love this book. The characters were pitch perfect. I love how everything came around full circle. I was emotionally invested in this book and really felt the ups and downs! Wow! A fine balance between hope and despair. Of life and death... just beautiful.

The Help

I loved everything about this book! I had been putting it off and now I am so happy I read it. It's one of those books I was having dreams about... couldn't stop thinking about. The story was fantastic and so were the characters. I even loved what Stockett had to say at the end of the book about her own childhood.

I still find it hard to imagine that this was going on not that long ago.... wow! How much has changed... yet... how much hasn't changed! This book made me happy and sad all at the same time. But mostly hopeful.

Don't Get Too Comfortable

I didn't really understand this book. The stories were amusing enough -- but didn't get how they all really connected. Maybe they weren't supposed too... and in that case, I didn't really like the book. I might be missing something, but who is this David Rakoff person and why did he get to try/do all these crazy things? I don't know... I was pretty bored by this, actually....

As I Lay Dying

So -- it's a new year. I only read 22 books last year. I must do better this year. I have also decided to read all of Oprah's book club books. To top it off, I have also vowed to read more classes. So -- I chose a book that goes into both categories.

I have only read one other book by Faulkner, "A Light in August" and I remember I kind of liked it. So I thought why not read more Faulkner?

This book started off alright. I liked trying to figure out who all the characters were and how they were related. I like Faulkner's style -- but then.... it just started to drag. These characters were awful! I couldn't believe how self-centered they were! This was their mother! Urgh.. I just started to hate them all more and more. I finished it, but barely. I like the style -- but not the characters.

Our America

What I really liked about this book is that it was told from a child's point of view. We hear a lot from people who have survived "the ghetto" or from people who have worked with people in "the ghetto", but I thought it fascinating to hear what a teenager who was actually experiencing it (not reflecting on it later. It was a good portrait of the neighborhood in the mid-'90s... I wonder how the story would be currently? Worse? Better?

Beatrice and Virgil

Wow! This is one of the most engaging books I have read in a long time. I absolutely loved Life of Pi and this did not disappoint! Martel's writing style catches me and doesn't let go. I am a person who loves animals and has a high interest in the Holocaust, so book sits high on my list. I also tend to love books about strange topics or characters. The ending wasn't what I was anticipating, but actually I think it was better than I had expected.

I cried, you didn't listen

This book started off as a train wreck and only got worse. Okay, sure I sympathize a bit for what Abbott went through, but I felt like he was so completely biased (and I don't really blame him) that this book was basically his way of blaming someone for how he turned out. This book wasn't exactly written well. ( I suppose considering he hadn't been in school since he was 10, it wasn't bad.....) Anyhow.... I find some of his story hard to buy. Was there really that much rape and abuse going on? I am not sure I am totally convinced.....