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?

Friday Finds -- 3/5

I absolutely loved Chris Bohjalian's The Double Bind and received Secrets of Eden yesterday from the library. Guess what I am doing this weekend? Here's the summary from Barnes and Noble:

From the bestselling author of The Double Bind, Midwives, and Skeletons at the Feast comes a novel of shattered faith, intimate secrets, and the delicate nature of sacrifice."There," says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her baptism, and just before going home to the husband who will kill her that evening and then shoot himself. Drew, tortured by the cryptic finality of that short utterance, feels his faith in God slipping away and is saved from despair only by a meeting with Heather Laurent, the author of wildly successful, inspirational books about . . . angels. Heather survived a childhood that culminated in her own parents' murder-suicide, so she identifies deeply with Alice's daughter, Katie, offering herself as a mentor to the girl and a shoulder for Stephen -- who flees the pulpit to be with Heather and see if there is anything to be salvaged from the spiritual wreckage around him.

Can't wait! What did you find this week? (Friday Finds is hosted by Should Be Reading.)

Friday Finds -- 4/3

I have two Friday Finds this week. The first is God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens. Mr. Hitchens will be giving a lecture at the university I work at in a few weeks. I am planning on attending the lecture, thought I would read his book and then blog about his book and appearance. I found this quote (which I love) on the Barnes and Noble website:

The New York Times - Michael Kinsley
… Hitchens has outfoxed the Hitchens watchers by writing a serious and deeply felt book, totally consistent with his beliefs of a lifetime. And God should be flattered: unlike most of those clamoring for his attention, Hitchens treats him like an adult.

My second Friday Find is Skeletons of the Feast by Christopher Bohjalian. For book club I read both Before You Know Kindness and The Double Bind (which is one of my all time favorite books). We also had a chance to speak with Mr. Bohjalian when we discussed The Double Bind and were very impressed with the insight he gave in regards to his work. This sounds like a fantastic romance and I am very much looking forward to reading it.

Just some programming notes: Next week, I will have reviews on November 22, 1963 by Adam Braver (I was hoping to have it done this week, but time got away from me) and Anyone Out There by Marian Keyes. I am also making progress on selection 2 of the 1% Well Read Challenge, I'm Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti . If you have a chance, check out my recent reviews of The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, and my DVD reviews of Henry Poole is Here and The Duchess.

Have a great weekend,

Jess