Mega Book Reviews

Ok, I've been seriously remiss in updating you all (all two of you!) about my reading progress. I have been reading some fantastic books, but the time to write about them hasn't been forthcoming. So below, without graphics or fanfare, are my opinions about my latest 11 books:

Fall on Your Knees: An Oprah book, if you want to know. Seriously, though, a couple of people chose it for the Something About Me challenge and I'd been wanting to read it. Engrossing, a quick read, very good. I'd highly recommend it, especially if you are interested in literature about Nova Scotia.

Prayer for the Dying: I've wanted to read more of Stewart O'Nan since I read The Good Wife a year or so ago. This was the one the library happened to have so I picked it out. But geez Louise, this was a hard book to read! It's about a town in Civil War era that is swept by cholera. Stewart O'Nan is a beautiful writer, but man oh man, don't choose an emotional time to read this one.

The Bridge of Sighs: I love, love, love Richard Russo. When I saw he had a new book out, I couldn't wait to read it. So I didn't. I listened to it, through Audible.com. I had to drive to San Diego (6 hours) by myself, and hour of commuting for 12 days and then home again. So I needed something to do, and I listened to this book the whole way. Like other times when I've listened to a book, part of what I come to love about it is the reader's voice and the ambiance of listening to it, so I can't say if you'll love it as much as I did if you read it. But I bet you will. Richard Russo has a way of bringing you into small town upstate New York life like no one else.

Eat, Pray, Love: Yeah, I know, everyone has read this one. Reading it at a yoga training makes it even better. This is non-fiction, if you don't know. I really don't like non-fiction, reviews always claiming that they are "laugh out loud funny" and they don't even make me crack a smile. This one really did make me laugh out loud. It's feel good all the way. If you haven't ever had a spiritual crisis, or any other kind of crisis, I guess maybe you won't really get it. But for the rest of us, it's solid gold.

Twilight/New Moon by Stephenie Meyer: These are the first two books in Stephenie Meyers series. I don't know how many books she's planning, but me and all her other readers (I'm sure about this) hope it will go on forever. I heard about these in the book blogging world, hesitated because I'm not a vampire story lover, but finally gave in. I finished Twilight on a Tuesday about noon, and we were supposed to travel on Wednesday. I actually drove to the bookstore and bought the second one for my trip, something I rarely do. I'd had to wait a month for the first one from the library and I wasn't about to wait that long again!! I've got the third one, Eclipse, on hold now. Everyone I've gotten to read Twilight has promptly called me to tell me they hate me, as piles of laundry threaten their lives. Yep, you won't be able to do anything else once you start.

Water for Elephants: What an unusual book. I almost got this one several times and decided I wasn't in the mood to read a story about a traveling circus. Finally I read it because my sister in law loaned it to me. All I can say is, don't hesitate!! What wonderful writing, what a departure from all the run of the mill books you might choose. It's powerful, you'll love it, go get it right now.

A Little Love Story: Well, I liked this book. A book about falling in love. Falling in love with someone sick with cystic fibrosis, to be exact. A good, fast read. Really didn't like being left hanging at the end, though. It's not a bad book, but I could take it or leave it.

Blood Memory: I'm a psychotherapist, and my supervisor once recommended this book in our supervision group as having a lot of information about working with people who have childhood sexual abuse issues. I put in on my list, as that's not my specialty but you never know when it will show up. But if you're not a psychotherapist, never you mind. It's a gripping crime novel type read. Nothing majorly literary about it, it's very John Grisham/James Patterson/John Sanford-y (although I think Greg Iles is a better writer than some of those). It's a big book and I read it in two days. You just have to know what happens!

72 Hour Hold: I'm reading this now and almost done, so I'll leave a review, because heaven knows when I'll be back here. I wonder if this book is fascinating to me simply because I'm a therapist, or if it would be no matter what I did. I'm not sure. The writing is good, it really delves into the dynamics that happen to parents when their kids turn out to be mentally ill. If you have no interest in this area, however, I just don't know how much you'd like it.

Alright, that's it. See you in six months! haha. Just kidding. I hope to be able to update this more regularly in the new year...it's not a resolution or anything, mind you.....