It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 4/26

Last week was not a good week for me. I continue to work my way through The Magicians by Lev Grossman. The book hit somewhat of a lull in the plot during the week making it hard to finish. But last night at bedtime, the action picked up and I didn't want to put it down. I am hoping to finish it tonight. Today at lunch I am planning on starting one of my mom's favorite books, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. This is our book club pick for May and I am very excited to read it! Lastly, I had to return Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian to the library and was unable to finish in time. I really need to stop watching episodes of Modern Family and Glee on hulu and read more!

What are you reading? (This meme is hosted by Book Journey.)

Recommend Me -- 4/23

Recommend Me is a meme hosted by The Neverending Shelf. Kate asks bloggers to choose a book you loved and would recommend. My recommendation is the fantastic The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian. This book blew me away when I read it a few years ago. It is a mystery wrapped in the tragic story of a woman who is assaulted and how she comes to terms with the assault. A sad, gripping read with an unbelievable ending that just blew me away.

What do you recommend?

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 4/19

Happy Monday!!!!

Currently Reading: The Magicians by Lev Grossman (really good, at a very sad part) and Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian (started off well, in a slow spot)

Read / Reviewed Last Week: American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (great book club discussion regarding this novel)

What are you reading? (This meme is hosted by Book Journey)

Review -- American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

American Wife
by Curtis Sittenfeld
Random House, 2009
592 pages
*I borrowed this book from the library.

Summary: American Wife tells the story of Alice Blackwell, a woman who would overcome a tragic event in high school to marry the rich and charismatic Charlie Blackwell. Charlie eventually becomes president of the United States and Alice struggles with the decisions he makes as well as her role as first lady.

Review: American Wife is a slow, steady read that takes the reader into the life of a woman who accidentally becomes first lady. Alice is an interesting character, with her tragic past and need to make amends by being the best person she can be. Unfortunately, she meets and falls in love with Charlie Blackwell, a man who refuses to grow up and wants to make his mark on the world at any cost. It is at this time that our heroine becomes somewhat of a doormat and you wish she would chuck the good manners and Charlie to the curb. Instead, she marries him. Gripping at times and interesting at others, American Wife is a great read. Rating: *** out of 5

Links to My Reviews in ABC Order

A:
A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
A Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens
Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
Already Dead by Charlie Huston
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes
Austenland by Shannon Hale

B:
Beach Trip by Cathy Holton
Best Intentions by Emily Listfield
Burn by Linda Howard

C:
Consumption by Kevin Patterson
Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

D:
Dancing with Ana by Nicole Barker
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

E:
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Eating Heaven by Jennie Shortridge
Evermore by Alyson Noel
Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell

F:
Fool by Christopher Moore
Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

G:
Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch

H:
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Hooked: A Thriller about Love and Other Addictions by Matt Ritchel

I:
I'm Not Sacred by Niccolo Ammaniti
Ines of My Soul by Isabel Allende

J:
Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single by Heather Mcelhatton
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Julie and Julia by Julie Powell

K:

L:
Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger
Little Pink Slips by Sally Koslow
Look Again by Lisa Scottoline
Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe by Jennie Shortridge
Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos

M:
Matrimony by Joshua Henkin
Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie
Montana Rose by Mary Connealy
Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Sharon Lathan
Murder By Family by Kent Whitaker
My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger

N:
Need by Carrie Jones
Never Let You Go by Erin Healy
No One You Know by Michelle Richmond
November 22, 1963 by Adam Braver

O:
Obsession, Deceit, and Really Dark Chocolate by Kyra Davis
Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin
One Day by David Nicholls
Our Lady of Immaculate Deception by Nancy Martin
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

P:
Paper Towns by John Green
Passion, Betrayal, and Killer Highlights by Kyra Davis
Powers by John B. Olson
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

Q:

R:
Room by Emma Donoghue

S:
Salty Like Blood by Harry Kraus
Sex, Murder, and a Double Latte by Kyra Davis
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Smashcut by Sandra Brown
Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown
Something Rotten by Alan Gratz
Star Island by Carl Hiaasen
Starting From Scratch by Susan Gilbert-Collins
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
Stolen by Lucy Christopher

T:
Testimony by Anita Shreve
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
The Bronte Project by Jennifer Vandever
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
The Divorce Party by Laura Dave
The Frog Prince by Jane Porter
The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant
The Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow
The Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal
The Magicians by Lev Grossman
The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski
The Opposite of Love by Julie Baxbaum
The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies
This Must Be The Place by Kate Racculia
Thr3e by Ted Dekker
Turning Tables by Heather & Rose MacDowell

U:
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

V:
Vince and Joy by Lisa Jewell

W:
What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman
What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown
Without a Backward Glance by Kate Veitch

X:

Y:

Z:

Review -- Powers by John B. Olson

Powers
by John B. Olson
B & H Publishing, 2009
I received this book for free from a member of book club.

Summary: After the Badness kills her grandfather, Mari is on the run looking for Jaazaniah the Prophet. Jaazaniah is a jazz musician who is unaware of the powers he receives until corrupt cops and the Badness track him down. With the help of some friends, Mari and Jazz work together to find her grandfather's treasure in order to eliminate the Badness.

Review: I don't think that I am part of this book's demographic. This book was not for me. I struggled reading it. I enjoy the occasional paranormal novel, but the mix of religion and science fiction was just too much for me. I was indifferent to the characters, who for the first 50 pages just seemed to run around and get dizzy a lot. About halfway through the story, I was starting to get into the plot and this world the author created started to make sense to me. And then... the main character refused to go into a building because she would be 'unclean' and the other character got dizzy and fell down. In one sentence, I went back to disliking the book. Overall, this book has an audience, I am just not part of it. Rating: * out of 5