Peace Like a River

Set in the 1960's, this is the story of a motherless family on a quest to find the oldest brother who killed two neighborhood boys and escaped from prison.

Things I liked: Enger's writing style; the characters Rube and Swede; the themes of faith, hope, repentance and forgiveness found throughout the story.

Things I didn't like: Sense of foreboding throughout the whole book, feeling like I couldn't breathe every time Rube had an asthma attack, the setting--winter in Minnesota and North Dakota--which felt cold and dark.

So, it was a mixed bag for me. But, his next book, So Brave, Young, and Handsome will be out May 13, 2008 and I do plan on reading it.

The Book of Mormon

I figured it would be a pretty sad commentary on myself if I couldn't manage to get this one read this year with all the other books I did manage to read.

It truly is the best of all books and I know it is true.

(There just aren't enough *'s to convey how I feel about it.)

Love in the Time of Cholera

This was our book club book for December and I'm sorry to say that I only read half of it. The half I read was so beautiful. But then those who had finished it said that the rest of it gets quite graphic sexually in a way they described as "foul". So, I'm going to have to put this one aside. However, one person did highly recommend his One Hundred Years of Solitude, so I may try that after I get over my disappointment.

Christmas Jars

This book is the most cheesiest, predictable piece of slop I have read in a long time.

And I gobbled up every page.

If you have two hours (and I don't, but I read it while I was waiting for my car to get serviced today) and want to get into the Christmas spirit I highly recommend it.

Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank

And Other Words of Delicate Southern Wisdom

This book was hilarious.

Rivenbark is a humorist from right here in North Carolina. When I finally admitted to my book club I was reading this, others admitted they have read her other books and found them just as funny as I found this one. We then spent quite a bit of time retelling her funny stories.

The book is a collection of essays, making this is a good book to have sitting in your car if you have a moment to read a few pages here and there while you wait for kids. Most moms will relate to her reflections on why you regret saying yes to helping out at school, how scary the department store is when your little girl gets to size 7, and the joys/pains of taking kids to theme parks.

Rivenbark is certainly a little irreverent. So just beware that her language can be a wee bit colorful at times. Courtney heard me laughing out loud and wanted to check out what I was reading. Needless to say, I felt a sheepish saying, "Don't worry about it--(while I kind of closed it and hid it under the covers) --Get back to your Magic Tree House book!"

Assassination Vacation

This is our November book club choice, and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sarah Vowell (also the voice of Violet Parr) provides us with an interesting history-based travelogue of sites associated with the assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. She is witty and funny and sometimes cuts quick to the core. If you are going to be offended by her slams on the current Bush administration, do beware.

Otherwise, enjoy the journey.

The Year of Living Biblically

This book is explained fully by its subtitle: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. AJ Jacobs, a native New Yorker (as Jewish as the Olive Garden is Italian), decides he is going to live all the laws of the Old Testament and New Testament during the course of a year. He takes trips to Israel, a creationism museum in Wisconsin and a snake-handler's church in Tennessee as part of his spiritual journey. He consults with various rabbis and priests that guide him and provide answers to his many questions. The results are super funny, inspiring, and thought-provoking. If I have any disappointment, it is that he pretty well glossed over the New Testament. But, he admits up front that with his Jewish heritage he had a hard time even going there.

Well worth a read.

Father Knows Less

This book is part-memoir part-trivia. A New York Times reporter seeks to answer questions from children, including his own son, such as:

• What happens when you eat gum?
• Do nose hairs turn gray?
• Is George Bush evil? Mommy says so.

He then takes these questions to an expert in the appropriate field to get the answers--making for interesting and entertaining light reading.

Personally, I skipped about half the memoir/reflective part. I couldn't care less about the author and his kid. But, I loved the questions and their answers.

Moloka'i

It was kind of strange to read this book on the heels of Devil in the White City and Star Garden because all of these books are set in such different locations, but during basically the same time period. It was a refreshing change to move from dusty Arizona to tropical Hawaii and interesting to see how life varied from place to place.

The Bad News: This book took me about 150 pages to get into. Normally I would have given up, but my momseguine recommended it, and my book club chose to read it for October. You know before you even start the book that Rachel is going to get Hansen's disease (leprosy) and she is going to be shipped off to Moloka'i, but it took forever to get her there. I was ready for her to hurry up and grow up.

The Good News: I really, really ended up liking the book. I even cried. I loved the history. I loved seeing the happiness, love and joy one person can have and share with others, regardless of their circumstances and experiences. It's a book that encourages a change of pace and puts the important things in life into perspective.

Love, Stargirl

Loved Stargirl.

Loved Love, Stargirl.