My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Content Rating: 4.1.5 (R)

Category: Realistic fiction, romance, adult

Review : 3/5

How do I review this book? Did it keep me interested and turning the pages? Did it make me think? Yes, on both counts. Did I enjoy reading it? I have to say, guiltily, yes. I say "guiltily" because it is not a clean read. There are dozens of cases of very harsh profanity, though it seems to really come out towards the end. Until I got to the last 100 pages I thought, "Yeah, there's a lot of profanity but it hasn't been too bad." Well, that changed. As for the sex content, I thought it could have been much worse. I gave it a 4 rating just to be on the safe side. I thought it might classify as a 3 because it wasn't overly graphic but it was outside of marriage, so I gave it the 4 rating, as seen above. I couldn't recommend this book to anyone I know but I did find it very interesting. The characters are fleshed out well, they are likable, and they touched me. I thought it was pretty well written most of the time. It made me think about how I treat each of my kids and hope that I can show each of them that I truly love them for who they are.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Rating: 1.2.1

Recommended audience: Adult, but some teens might like it

Category: Cozy mystery

Review: 4/5

Hannah Swensen is the late twenty-something owner of a bakery called "The Cookie Jar". She is single, much to the dismay of her widowed mother, but is very happy that way. She has a thriving business and is content living in the small town of Lake Eden, Minnesota where she grew up. When Hannah happens upon a murder victim she becomes an amateur sleuth, trying to help her brother-in-law, who's on the police force, solve the crime. This is the first in a series of Hannah Swensen Mysteries. I quite enjoyed it. I wouldn't call this great literature but it was a fun read and I will read more of this series. It's just the right mix of interesting and true-to-life characters, a hint of romance, and a puzzle to solve. An added bonus is the 6-8 cookie recipes scattered throughout the book that are mentioned in the story. They look yummy!

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Rating: 2.1.2

Recommended audience: 16+

Category: Romance

This book is pure chick-lit, nothing very substantial or thought provoking...but I really liked it. The story is about an early 30's single woman named Jane who has had many failed relationships and blames it partly on her obsession with Mr. Darcy (as played by Colin Firth). She ends up at Austenland, a vacation spot where attendees immerse themselves in the world of Jane Austen complete with the empire waist dresses, corsets, and high tea while actors pretend to be Austenian type characters. Jane's goal is to overcome her obsession with Mr. Darcy so she can finally succeed in a real relationship. This is funny, cute and pure escape fiction but if you like Jane Austen I think you'll like this book. If you love Jane Austen and can seriously critique everything relating to her books, this book might not cut it for you. I don't think you have to have read Austen's books to enjoy this but it is helpful.

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

Rating: 4.3.2

Recommended audience: Adult

Category: Historical with some romance

I read this book well over a month ago. I have had such a hard time getting myself to write a review for it because I just couldn't decide how to rate it and what kind of review to give it. The book is set in a small village in England in 1665. The book is roughly based on a real village, Eyam in Derbyshire (how interesting that it is the same county as Mr. Darcy's), which became known as the Plague Village because after being infected with the plague, decided to quarantine themselves rather than spread the heinous disease. This book was so thought provoking, with so many issues of faith, religion, superstition, family, and more that would be so interesting for a book club discussion. Then the ending came and what a disappointment. Brooks turned it into a steamy romance that just felt wrong and incongruous with the rest of the novel. Then the epilogue seems really far fetched too. I can understand a little why she took it in that direction because of some of the information that was brought to light through the affair but how I wish she had found another way. I don't know whether to recommend the book or not, but hopefully based on the information here you can make an informed decision.

Wicked by Gregory Maquire

Rating: 5.3.5

Category: Read at your own risk

I haven't finished this book and I'm not sure if I will. I've been listening to the audio version while I run and though I have enjoyed it, I've about decided that I should just wait for the musical. It is definitely not a clean read. I have heard that it is a very good book and I can see that it would be very interesting and entertaining but there is just a little too much sex, innuendo, and crudity for my taste. Since the musical is so family friendly I have heard of many people being caught unaware by the content of this book so I thought that I'd try it out and see for myself. With 3 F-bombs in the first third and more to come I'm sure, I've given it a 5 rating on profanity. The 5 for sex is deserved but the 3 for violence is just an estimate of what may come since there hasn't been much violence yet. If you really want to read this book I would guess that you could skip parts and be okay because it doesn't have profanity throughout like some books I've been unfortunate enough to pick up. If I do finish I think I will try the book version instead of the audio because I might be able to control what I read a little better. I would definitely not want my teenage daughter to read this.

The Gift by Richard Paul Evans

Rating: 1.1.1

Recommended audience: Teen to adult

Category: Inspirational

The Gift tells the story of a boy who has the power to heal people and the effect this has on the people around him. I listened to this book on CD and found it hard to turn it off. It is a compelling story and the characters are likable and seem fairly real. I didn't love it though and I think it's because I just don't care for this genre of books. I had the same problem with Christmas Jars. I think I just prefer the messages of a book to be more subtle. I know many people have adored this book and all the others by Richard Paul Evans. I do think it is well written and the characters are well developed so if you like inspirational books you should definitely pick this one up. There are some very thought provoking ideas.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Rating: 3.2.2

Recommended audience: Adult

Category: Mystery, Gothic

Loved this book! It's beautifully written, has an engrossing story and is a little twisted but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It starts out in modern day England but has a story woven into it beginning about 100 years ago. It reminded me of classic gothic novels like Jane Eyre or a Dickens book. It's a little creepy, a ghost story really, and has many interesting (and in some cases, very strange) characters that you feel like you come to know. There is some sex but it is mostly just implied and not described. The two main characters, Margaret Lea and Vida Winter, are both book lovers and books are often discussed and have a part in the story, another thing I loved about it. If you like Jane Eyre, I definitely recommend this book. If you think Jane Eyre is boring then you probably wouldn't like this either. Sit down with a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy.

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

Rating: 3.3.2

Recommended audience: Mature teen to Adult (16+)

Category: Romance, thriller

Another fun read by Stephanie Meyer. Similar concerns as in the first two books. The physical aspect of Edward and Bella's relation gets a little more edgy in this book and I've said before that it concerns me. I know there are books out there that are much worse but I think this one is held to a higher standard because of the religious beliefs of the author. I think morally it gets a little gray in there but most unmarried people (teens or not) come up against these kinds of issues (pre-marital sex). With the standards of today's society, choosing to wait until marriage is not only almost unheard of, it can often be ridiculed. Edward and Bella deal with this issue, if not always in a mature way (Bella), they do at least make the right choice--in my humble opinion. :)

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

Rating: 2.3.2

Recommended audience: Mature teen to adult

Category: Romance

Another fun read but I did see it coming. I won't give anything away but this one seemed a little predictable to me because of fore-shadowing. Still, not all of it was predictable and it introduced some interesting characters. Bella drives me a little crazy because she just seems too dumb sometimes but, again, I'm afraid I identify with her stupidity a little too much sometimes, maybe that's why I can't stand it. I know some people who were quite bored with the middle of this book and I understand that opinion but I didn't think it was too boring. My biggest problem with this book though was the poor proofreading. There were so many errors that it really bugged me. I'm pretty nit-picky about that kind of stuff though so hopefully it doesn't bother you. Anyone know how I can get a job as Meyer's proof-reader?

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Rating: 2.3.2

Recommend audience: Adult and teens (16 and up)

Category: Romance, thriller

I really liked this book. It's exciting, romantic, suspenseful and a fun read. I gave it 4 stars because there were a couple of things that bothered me about it. I don't read a whole lot of young adult fiction so maybe this is not a valid point. I just felt like Bella's inferiority complex towards Edward is not a healthy example for teenage girls to be reading. I think it's pretty real because I was very similar as a teenager but I would hate to see that kind of thinking reinforced in teenage girls. Another problem I had with it is that even though there is no sex in the book, it is definitely titillating. I'm just not sure I would want my teenage daughter reading this and thinking that they can behave the way Edward and Bella do and not get too carried away. Their affection is innocent enough but eventually could lead to much more when two normal people are involved instead of a vampire with super-human powers. I know this is a soap box and I'm probably taking this all too seriously but when something is so hugely popular as this book, I think it can have a big influence on people. There's my take on it and I'd love to hear your opinion.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Rating: 2.2.3

Recommended audience: Adult, mature teen

Category: Historical, some romance

I've put off doing this review because I'm not sure what to say about it. I don't want to give anything away. The main character is a 14 year old girl who has to deal with the death of her mother and surprising circumstances surrounding that. The book is set in the South during the summer of 1964 when racial tensions were very high. When I read it I liked it but I didn't love it. After discussing it with our book group I came to appreciate it even more. I would not recommend it to anyone who is offended by unorthodox religion. There is also a lot of profanity and though I didn't find it very offensive, I believe some people would find it to be so. I definitely recommend this book because it is beautiful in many ways but it may not be for everyone.

The Cat Who.... mysteries by Lilian Jackson Braun

Rating: 2.2.2

Recommended audience: Adult

Category: Mystery

Now I have to admit, these books are fluffy, but I just like them. When I'm in the mood for an easy read or a mystery that won't leave a sick feeling in my stomach (Mary Higgins Clark does that to me sometimes), I turn to books like these. I've read many of these "Cat who" books and some are a little better than others but I like most of them. I'm not even a cat lover but the two cats are pretty interesting and their owner Jim Qwilleran is very interesting. The characters are so quirky and fun and I love to quess "who done it." There are a lot of recurring characters so its fun to start at the beginning and just see how you like it. I've listened to a few on CD's and they're probably even better than the books. They're not the kind of books I would go out and buy but I can guarantee any decent sized library would have them all.

Inside the Kingdom: My Life in Saudi Arabia

Rating: 2.1.2
Recommended audience: Adult
Category: Memoir





We read this book at the recommendation of one of our book club "sisters" and I have to admit that I was a little hesitant about reading it. I am so glad we did. Carmen Bin Ladin married into the Bin Ladin family in the 70's (yes, the Osama Bin Ladin family) and she tells what it was like living in Saudi Arabia. This book describes her daily life while living there (she was able to get out in 1988). Even though this book only tells what it is like for wealthy women in Saudi Arabia, it was still a real eye opener. I knew that things were hard for women there but I didn't know it was like this. I definitely recommend this book. It's an easy read and except for a little discussion about homosexuality it is very clean.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Rating: 1.3.2
Recommended audience: Teen to adult
Category: Adventure, survival




This book has two parts. The first is about Pi Patel, a teenager living in India who accepts and practices three religions--Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. The second part is the story of his survival at sea. You've probably heard at least a little about this if you haven't already read it. I loved this book. I loved it even more the second time I read it. For some people the first part is a little boring but please just keep going. It is so different from other books out there. Make sure you know someone else who has read it or will read it because I can guarantee, you'll want to talk about it with someone.

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang

Rating: 2.3.2
Recommend audience: Adult
Category: Historical, memoir



This is the story of three generations of women and their struggles and triumphs through the very difficult 20th century history of China. It is truly a remarkable story and I learned so much about the history of communism in China and the rule of Mao Zedong. It is not an easy read with all of the Chinese names that are so unfamiliar, but so worth the effort. I definitely recommend this book but be warned that the subject matter is often heart-wrenching. I will never think of China in the same way again.

The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas

Rating: 2.3.4 (The 4 is for one F-word. Otherwise, not much profanity.)
Recommended audience: Adult
4 stars
Category: Historical fiction, mystery

Set during the Depression in Kansas, this is the story of a motley group of women who are part of a quilting club. I really enjoyed this book. I was disappointed by the one F-bomb (as my good friend, Julie, calls them) because I had been excited to recommend this book to my mother-in-law. If you can handle that one spot which also includes some violence, I still recommend this book. It is such a great story of friendship and loyalty and takes you back to a much simpler time compared to the fast paced world of today. It made me want to learn how to quilt. Fun book.

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Rating: 3.3.3 - This is a rough estimate on the rating because I haven't read it for a while. It's also probably an overestimate as it may be more like 2.2.2 but I don't want anyone who picks it up to be surprised if I'm not remembering well enough. I think it would be PG-13 if it were a movie.

Recommended audience: Mature teens to adult

Category: Historical with some romance

5 Stars

This story begins in 1959 when a minister takes his wife and four daughters to the Belgian Congo where, in his view, he plans to save the heathens and savages from themselves. The story is told in first person accounts by each of the daughters and their mother. This book is beautifully written. I was so impressed by Barbara Kingsolver's abilities as a writer. I know some people have had a hard time getting into this book but I think it is totally worth the effort. Warning: This is not a cheery book. Read it for the beauty of the writing, the knowledge about African history you will learn, and perhaps a new appreciation of other cultures, customs and traditions that you may not have ever thought about.