Minding Frankie

I finished this book last week. It is kind of a slow read, but has a great story. Set in Ireland, it is the story of a man who unexpectedly finds out one of his old girlfriends is having his baby--and is dying of cancer. The child is left in his care, and his life is turned upside down. He must learn how to get his own life in order, while trying to learn how to be a father at the same time. His family and the entire community rallies around him to help raise his little girl, and protect her from being taken away by a suspicious social worker. It is a story of growth and change, friendship, and love. It took me a while to get through because it is a bit slow, but overall it was a good read.

Ten Little Indians (And Then There Were None)

This is what I'm reading at the moment--it is one of my all time favorite books, and definitely my favorite Agatha Christie mystery! Love love love this one. The movie "And Then There Were None" comes from this book, often titled "Ten Little Indians." I've seen the book under both titles.

It is the spooky story of ten strangers invited to stay for a weekend on a beautiful island, each lured there by letters from people in their past. When strange things begin to happen, they find that there host "Mr. Owen" does not seem to exist. Each of them is forced to deal with the demons in their past, as they try to survive the murderous game playing out around them. Very fun and exciting! A true classic.

Lemon Tart

Jessica Harnos says:

This is the first book in Josi Kilpack’s mystery series about Sadie Hoffmiller. Sadie is a fifty-six year old woman, who lives a quiet life cooking, while keeping up with her neighbors by looking out the kitchen window. Her life is changed dramatically with the murder of her neighbor, Anne Lemmon while a lemon tart is cooking in Ann’s oven. Anne’s son is also missing and Sadie sets out to discover the murderer and find Anne’s little boy. Sadie uses a few of her best recipes to help her get the facts she needs and even shares them with the reader every few chapters.

Sadie is a very likable character, the ultimate mom and homemaker, and it is fun to hear her point of view on how she thinks life should be lived. Her story is a definite page turner but not graphic or violent. Also, the recipes Sadie shares are fun and easy to follow. I made the lemon tart (with home made crust and everything) and it was delicious! I am excited to read the other books in the series and try more of Sadie’s recipes. There are five out right now with the sixth to come out this Fall.

This book was also a finalist for the Whitney awards in 2009.


Thank you so much for your review, Jessica! --The Fiction Fairy

Unbearable Lightness

Rachel Durazzani says:


This is not normally my genre of book. In fact, I don't believe I've ever read the memoirs of a famous actor. However, this book I could not put down. Part One was a little slow, but once I got to Part Two, I think I read it in a matter of a day. I learned so much about how our perception of ourselves can affect how we treat our bodies. Yes, we can blame hollywood and fashion magazines and all outside influences for those mistaken perceptions, but in the end, it's how we view ourselves - inside and out - that the makes the difference. 

I appreciated de Rossi's complete and total honesty. I am sure it was a difficult book for her to write as she held nothing back. She laid it all out there for the whole world to see. Although she does talk a bit about her homosexuality and the role that played in her sickness, most of the book focused on the decisions that lead her down the path to an eating disorder, and then a detailed account of how that played out. I would recommend this book to any woman (or man for that matter) who has ever looked at herself in the mirror and not loved everything she sees. It's truly an eye-opener.


Thank you very much for your review, Rachel! --The Fiction Fairy

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Just finished this book--I thought it was hilarious! David Sedaris is one of my favorite writers. He has a great funny/sarcastic tone. His books are kind of a collections of short stories from his life, but they are very funny and even a little crazy at times. I will say this--he is very gay, and while he never graphically talks about anything, he does mention his partner quite a bit. If you are offended by this, I wouldn't read his books. However, if you don't care, it really is not extensive, or in your face. I think it is part of what makes him hilarious.

If you read this book, skip the chapter "You Can't Kill the Rooster." It is a story about his brother, who swears quite a bit. You can skip it without any problem, and there is very little swearing in the rest of the book--there are handful throughout though, so beware if you are sensitive to that.

With those warnings in mind, I think his writing style is brilliant. I laugh out loud every now and then, which I rarely do with books. If you are not easily offended, check this one out for sure, along with some of his others. I would rate it PG-13.

I am Not a Serial Killer

This book was very interesting from a psychological standpoint. It follows the story of a fifteen year old boy who realizes that he has an unnatural obsession with death and serial killers, along with many emotional and physical signs of becoming a serial killer himself. He seems predisposed to become something evil. However, he knows that it is wrong, and makes the conscious choice to not let himself go down that path. He sets a series a rigid rules for himself, to keep his mind from engaging in dangerous behaviors that could lead to unleashing "the monster," as he calls it.

When a serial killer begins to murder people in his own hometown, he must battle the morbid curiosity he has about this person and the murders, while trying to protect the people he loves, and keeping "the monster" at bay. It may prove to be too much for him to handle....The story is pretty interesting, and a quick read. The author is actually from Orem, Utah, and this is his first book--kind of fun.

I would rate this a PG, due to some graphic descriptions about the embalming process (his mother is a mortician) and descriptions of the murdered bodies. Other than that, no bad language and no sex.

Elsewhere

I just finished this book, and I absolutely fell in love with it. It is not very long, and a pretty quick read. It is the very interesting story of a girl who dies at age 15, which is where the book begins. She transitions into the next life, which is not at all what she expected. This book is not religious at all, nor does it contain any traditional ideas about "heaven." Yet it is a completely fascinating, creative take on what comes next. It is basically a new life starting over, complete with family, friends, jobs, houses, and pets. However, the catch is: everyone ages backwards from the age they were when they died.

Liz (the main character) has to accept the fact that she will never get to turn 16. She struggles with the transition, but goes through a very sweet and interesting metamorphosis. She even takes a job helping deceased pets transition into Elsewhere--very sweet, and funny.

Great for a quick, clean read. I would rate it PG.