A work of art, in both a good and bad way.

I read this one a while back, but I'm about to read another one of his so it reminded me to post it.

Boy, it's hard to describe because it transcends so many genres; science fiction, politics, social science, Native American, etc. It's about a self described "time traveling mass murderer", however not in a fun Terminator II way, more in like a thoughtful profound way. Eh, it's just too hard to describe.

While it was a great book and the writing was stellar, I'm not sure I can recommend it to people. It was so crushingly heartbreaking for me that I literally sobbed openly during it and almost didn't finish. You know how there are some things you wish you could unsee or unknow? This is one I wish I could unread because it hurt me so much. However, it's a testament to the writing that it was able to affect me that profoundly, which is what a work of art is meant to do.

I'll leave it up to you.

The Sugar Queen

A bit predictable, but overall a lighthearted, magical, feel good book. It was an easy and quick read and I am definitely a fan! SAA also has a book called Garden Spells that is supposed to be even better and one called The Girl Who Chased the Moon, which I haven't heard much about. However I would give them both a try!!! :)

Summer at Willow Lake -- Susan Wiggs

Yep, I got involved with another romance "series" - this one is called the The Lakeshore Chronicles, Book 1. Summer at Willow Lake. Go to sleep boys -- this one is for the girls. I tend to read more than one book at a time, and this one was read in snippets here and there, because let's face it -- it doesn't take much brain power to digest romance novels. This one is a very sweet story. Nothing more, nothing less.

The Associate -- Grisham

Did I mention that i was longing for a suspense? This one fed some of that craving, but it wasn't his best effort and left a lot of things hanging.

Grisham's formula seems to be writing about a scenario involving "real-life" events (however incredulous), and although the plot set-up is "nearly" unbelievable -- it doesn't stray away from possibility so far as to become totally implausible, however far-fetched it may be.

I'll admit that I like this easy and entertaining style, and although most of the books are basically the same -- I get involved enough to blow away a little stress.

The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee

This is first novel for this author. The story was quite engaging, and I particularly loved listening to the audiobook. The narrator had a beautiful English accent. I learned a few details about the historical events in Hong Kong in the 40's and 50's.

Although I liked this book...I'm yearning for one of my favorite genre's -- suspense!

Jodi Picoult tackles a variety of tough real-life situations. This one is no exception. However, I found myself at odds with the main character's actions from the beginning, and I was unconvinced to give her a pass for her behavior because she had such a strong love for her child.

Nonetheless, the circumstances surrounding the event were compelling enough to keep me reading. There is even a very neat "genetic twist" involved that Melissa, in particular, might enjoy.

The books by this author are very formula oriented, however it is quick entertainment. I read this one in the car. I know...cheating.

The Widow of the South

This is the author's first novel.

This novel is a nice blend of fact with reasonable fiction inserted. An interesting view of this tragic war from the perspective of various individuals, but primarily from one Southern woman in Tennessee.

NOBODY'S READING ANYTHING????

Bridge of Sighs, by Richard Russo

This was an interesting character study of families who originated in a small town setting. I enjoyed most of the book, but in the end it was a bit more ho-hum, when I really prefer a little intrigue.

The Vagrants, by Yiyun Li

This was recently on one of the booklists for summer reading, so I picked up at a copy at the library. It is set in the late seventies and revolves around the counterrevolutionary struggle that included the "democracy wall" in Bejing. The characters are well developed and intertwined in a creative and interesting way which forces the reader to use the memory tracks in their brain. I was not aware that the kind of issues described in this book were still prevalent in 1979.
It's not a "happy" book, but it was a fascinating (albeit somewhat depressing) look into another culture.