Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Last night, long after the girls were in bed, I went to bed myself and started reading this book.

I stayed up finishing this book until the clock showed numbers which I refuse to admit to anyone for fear my husband, who watched me “help” this morning, have actual facts and not just suspicions as to the extent of my sleep deprivation.

I have spent the afternoon within the fog of the book – lines, characters, events and ideas rolling over and over in my head.

Would I recommend it? Yup, this one swallowed me whole.

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

Feb23

Sometimes people will ask me for a book recommendation and I will offer a few ideas.

Sometimes I read a book I like so much that I assault, friends, family and random strangers at the chiropractor’s office with my recommendation.

This was one of the latter.

I will admit that with the guy on the far right as my dad,

and the woman third from the bottom as my mom, and both being preceded by Gramps,

that it’s quite likely I was inundated with so much rowing talk as a child that I couldn’t help but like this book.

Oh and so long as we are sharing pictures, I thought you should know that those people who raised me, they were pretty good too…The Boys in the Boat, you should probably just go find it now before I corner you in the grocery store and talk your ear off about it!

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo and Harry Bliss

Jan30

Louise longs for true adventure – and boy does she ever find it!

Would I recommend it? Yes.

Xander’s Panda Party by Linda Sue Park and Matt Phelan

Jan22

“Xander planned a panda party…”

And even though it caused him “…great pains and perspiration” not to mention “consternation,” my kids loved Xander’s “celebration” with all it’s “conversation” “participation” and “jubilation.”

Fortunately, between the excellent vocabulary and fantastic rhyming, not to mention the ridiculously cute illustrations, their mother was happy to read it to them the 102 times it was requested.

Would I recommend it? Yes! It’s got everything I wish for in a kids book. (For some of my criteria you can check out this old post Pick A Good One, O Best Beloved. Ivy no longer stutters but I still feel the same about children’s books.)

The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldburg

Jan15

I am always excited to find a new Janet Evanovich book on the shelves. This one has a new co-author, is the start of a new series and possibly my new favorite of her books!

Would I recommend it? Yes! It’s a super fun, light, easy read and while not as laugh out loud funny as her Stephanie Plum books, it’s also not quite so frivolous. John and I were both surprised by how much we liked it!

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Dec17

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

The first of the Farseer Trilogy, the introduction to wonderful world and a great book all on it’s own.

I re-read it and handed it off to a friend the next morning – because that’s the kind of book it is.

Would I recommend it? Had I the funds I’d give you all a copy for Christmas.

The Infernals and The Creeps by John Connolly

Nov13

When you read these books, as you should, I highly recommend starting with The Gates. Not only will the books make more sense, as books in series are wont to do when read in sequential order, but then when the author berates readers for reading out of order as he provides/reminds the reader of important details in the footnotes, you can giggle and smirk because you are not one of those readers yet still get the benefit of the reminder.

Brilliant.

Would I recommend them? Yes.

I did mention the footnotes and my love of them but I didn’t tell you about the chapter titles. Here is my favorite from The Creeps:

“In Which We Go on a Date – Well, Not “We” as in You and I, Because That Would Just Be Awkward, but We Go on a Date with Other People. No, Hang on, That’s Still Not Right. Oh, Never Mind Just Read the Chapter.”

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Nov7

I don’t usually like to say too much about the content of the book but on this one I’m just going to put it right out there from the get go.

The main character in this book is a seventeen year old girl diagnosed with a terminal cancer and most of her acquaintances- they have cancer too.

So yes, this book does require a box of Kleenex but I spent at least as much time laughing as I did crying. Unfortunately the red, puffy eyes tend to stick with me longer than the silly grin.

Would I recommend it? There are times when the young adult audience it’s written for is more apparent then some of us cynical adults would like but I’d still pass it on.