The Letter

This was a great book! I gave it 5 stars but felt myself very frustrated for Marie and the rest of the Tillman family. I was irritated with the way they needed to dig for answers to find out what really happened to Pat. Great book, but have a box of Kleenex handy.

Here is the synopsis from B&N:

In 2003, Pat Tillman, serving in the US Army, hastily wrote a "just in case" letter to his wife, Marie. When he returned on leave before his departure to Afghanistan, he placed the letter on top of their bedroom dresser. For months it sat there, sealed and ever-present, like a black hole through which Marie knew her stable life would be pulled if she ever had reason to open it. Then, in April 2004, Marie's worst nightmare came true. In the days following his death, it was Pat's letter that kept her going and, more than that, it was his words that would help her learn to navigate a world she could no longer share with her husband.

In THE LETTER, Marie's talks for the first time about her journey to remake her life after Pat's death. In it, she recalls meeting and falling in love with Pat when they were kids, his harrowing decision to join the army after 9/11, and the devastating day when she learned he'd been killed. She describes how she withdrew from the public spotlight to grieve, learning along the way the value of solitude, self-awareness and integrity in the healing process. And, finally, Marie recounts her work to rebuild her life, including founding The Pat Tillman Foundation, an organization established to carry forth Pat's legacy of leadership, and her decision to step back into the public eye in order to inspire people to live with meaning and purpose.

Filled with the lessons Marie learned and the wisdom she gained since Pat's death, THE LETTER is both a heartrending love story and an inspiring tale for anyone, young or old, whose life has taken an unexpected hard turn — and who struggles to get back on the right path.

Catching Fire- Hunger Games Series

I just finished Catching Fire this afternoon while I was getting my "back to school" pedicure. Again, I highly recommend this book and give it 5 stars. The story continues following Katniss and Peeta. I have to say I want Katniss to give up on Gale and go for Peeta! I was a little surprised by this book. I wasn't expecting some of the events and the ending was a total cliffhanger! I have never read a series in its entirety at once. I typically need to take a little break and sneak in another book. I was thankful I had already downloaded the next book onto my Nook so I could start it immediately! Here's the B&N synopsis.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.  

The Hunger Games

The last two books I have read have been outstanding! I've been hearing things about The Hunger Games for awhile, but just never brought myself to read it. At the end of the school year the high school girl that helps in my classroom carried it into the room and set it down and went to work. Since I was on a prep I asked her about it. I knew I had to read the book when she told me she doesn't typically like to read but she loved the book. I totally agree with her! The writing was excellent and left me with vivid pictures of what the characters and District 12 would look and feel like. The arena came to life during the actual Hunger Games with the writing style. I also enjoyed the way the characters and relationships evolved during the story. I finished the book last night and immediately downloaded the next book, Catching Fire, and started it. Like usual, I will only post the B&N synopsis so I don't give too much away. This is the second book in a matter of weeks that receives all 5 stars!

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games.



The Help

I just finished The Help a few minutes ago and it's by far one of the best books I've read in a long time! Rarely do I give a book 5 out of 5 stars, but The Help gets them. Just a couple weeks ago I posted a message on Facebook asking if anyone had read the book and if it would be worthwile to download to my Nook. At the beginning of the book it took awhile to get used to the jumping between characters and reading some of the Southern dialect, but I quickly got used to it. I loved the way some of the relationships blossomed in the book. I don't think I've ever read a book in which I hated a character as much as I hate Miss Hilly. I wish someone would have stood up to her. So I don't ruin anything for those of you who have not read the book yet, I will just paste the synopsis from B&N.

Be prepared to meet three unforgettable women:

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

Finally Finished!

I finally finished Onward a couple days ago. The book was good, but not completely up my alley I guess. I originally picked it up because I love Starbucks and the atmosphere of the stores. It was interesting to read about how some products (specifically VIA) evolved and how some products were introduced to try to boost business when Starbucks was going through its hard patch. I remember many of the products that lasted only a short time and remember some of the special offers in an effort to increase sales. It was strange to think that many of the things I remember were brought about to try to save to company. I think the book would have been a bit more intereting if my career were in the business world, some of the jargon just didn't excite this kindergarten teacher! Overall I would give the book 3 out of 5 stars. If I was not a fan of Starbucks I think the book would only have gotten 2 stars.

Sing You Home

Here is the synopsis of Jodi Picoult's latest book, Sing You Home, from Barnes and Noble:

Music has set the tone for most of Zoe Baxter’s life. There’s the melody that reminds her of the summer she spent rubbing baby oil on her stomach in pursuit of the perfect tan. A dance beat that makes her think of using a fake ID to slip into a nightclub. A dirge that marked the years she spent trying to get pregnant.
For better or for worse, music is the language of memory. It is also the language of love.
In the aftermath of a series of personal tragedies, Zoe throws herself into her career as a music therapist. When an unexpected friendship slowly blossoms into love, she makes plans for a new life, but to her shock and inevitable rage, some people—even those she loves and trusts most—don’t want that to happen.

Sing You Home is about identity, love, marriage, and parenthood. It’s about people wanting to do the right thing for the greater good, even as they work to fulfill their own personal desires and dreams. And it’s about what happens when the outside world brutally calls into question the very thing closest to our hearts: family.


I am always a fan of JP and must buy her new books they day they are released. I enjoyed Sing You Home but was a bit disappointed about the end. Without spoiling anything, I wanted to know more about certain characters and turns of events toward the end of the story. I felt it ended rather abruptly. I give Sing You Home 4 of 5 stars.

Labor Day

I finished Labor Day this past Saturday afternoon. While some people have raved about Joyce Maynard's books, I wasn't overly impressed with this book. It was good but took me about 75-100 pages to get into the story. Once I got a bit more into it, I was able to quickly finish it. In the future I would like to try another of Maynard's books to see if I like it better. I used this book for the "read a book with a summer word in the title" for the SuBC. My challenge point total is now 110. I'd give this book 2.5 of 5 stars. Below is the B&N synopsis.

With the end of summer closing in and a steamy Labor Day weekend looming in the town of Holton Mills, New Hampshire, thirteen-year-old Henry—lonely, friendless, not too good at sports—spends most of his time watching television, reading, and daydreaming about the soft skin and budding bodies of his female classmates. For company Henry has his long-divorced mother, Adele—a onetime dancer whose summer project was to teach him how to foxtrot; his hamster, Joe; and awkward Saturday-night outings to Friendly's with his estranged father and new stepfamily. As much as he tries, Henry knows that even with his jokes and his "Husband for a Day" coupon, he still can't make his emotionally fragile mother happy. Adele has a secret that makes it hard for her to leave their house, and seems to possess an irreparably broken heart.
But all that changes on the Thursday before Labor Day, when a mysterious bleeding man named Frank approaches Henry and asks for a hand. Over the next five days, Henry will learn some of life's most valuable lessons: how to throw a baseball, the secret to perfect piecrust, the breathless pain of jealousy, the power of betrayal, and the importance of putting others—especially those we love—above ourselves. And the knowledge that real love is worth waiting for.
In a manner evoking Ian McEwan's Atonement and Nick Hornby's About a Boy, acclaimed author Joyce Maynard weaves a beautiful, poignant tale of love, sex, adolescence, and devastating treachery as seen through the eyes of a young teenage boy—and the man he later becomes—looking back at an unexpected encounter that begins one single long, hot, life-altering weekend.

Lime Tree Can't Bear Orange

I'm a little behind here! The home renovations and projects have taken my life over the last few days! I finished this book Monday and it was a great read. I've been having really good luck with my last few library picks. As always, I will only post the B&N synopsis so I don't tell too much. I thought the authors writing style was very similar to Toni Morrison's. I liked Amanda Smyth's style better though. She paints a very vivid picture as she writes which gave clear pictures of the characters and settings. I'd give this book 4 of 5 stars. Here is the the synopsis.

Men will want you like they want a glass of rum…One man will love you. But you won’t love him. You will destroy his life. The one you love will break your heart in two.So says the soothsayer, when predicting young Celia’s future. Raised in the tropics of Tobago by an aunt she loves and an uncle she fears, Celia has never felt that she belonged. When her uncle–a man the neighbors call Allah because he thinks himself mightier than God–does something unforgivable, Celia escapes to the bustling capital city.There she quickly embraces her burgeoning independence, but her search for a place to call home is soon complicated by an affectionate friendship with William, a thoughtful gardener, and a strong sexual tension with her employer. All too quickly, Celia finds herself fulfilling the soothsayer’s predictions and living a life of tangled desperation–trapped between the man who offers her passion and the one who offers his heart.

The Wedding

This afternoon I finished The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks. It is the follow up to The Notebook. While I enjoyed the story, it was a typical Nicholas Sparks book. There was a little twist at the end that I wasn't expecting though. I read this book for the "wedding book" cateogory for the SuBC. I would give the book 3 of 5 stars.

Harry Potter the Prisoner of Azkaban

Last night I finished HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I used it for the "book with a teenager as a main character" category of the SuBC. I love how addicting these books are and the fact that the further into the series you go the better the books are! I told my husband last night that he was not allowed to talk to me until I finished the book because I had to finish it before I could go to bed! I have a book from the library to read first, but then I'll be moving onto the next book!

Driftwood Summer

LOVED this book!! I don't usually give a book 5 stars, but this one gets it! I think I could be a little biased because I loved the talk of the family owned bookstore/cottage and its environment. It's been my dream to someday open a bookstore/coffee shop and own a lake home and the book is my dream! I will only post the B&N synopsis of the book so I don't ruin anything for anybody! I could ramble on and on about the book. The one thing I will say is that I loved how the author dedicated the chapters to one of the two sisters. It allowed the reader to get more information and points of view about the same situations. I have to say I think this is the best book I've read so far this summer and I am excited to read more by Patti Callahan Henry.

Three sisters— responsible Riley, vivacious Maisy, and fun-loving Adalee—reunite to save the family's beach-community bookstore. But summer also marks the return of Mack Logan, whose choice of Maisy over Riley years ago destroyed the special closeness between the sisters...Now Riley, a single mom, is hiding a shattering secret about their mother. Maisy, a California designer, still blames Riley for ruining her one true love. And Adalee resents the family's intrusion into her summer plans. All three will be forced to confront the conflicts that tore them apart and the bounds of love and loyalty that still draw them together...

Dead Until Dark

I just finished reading Dead Until Dark. I read it for the category "read a book you first heard about on the Nest Book Club" for my summer book challenge. It's the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series and is quite addicting. It's about a woman, Sookie, who falls in love with a vampire and learns more about the vampire lifestyle. There was a murder mystery tied in as well. My problem now is that I have started too many series without completing the whole series! I'm still need to finish the Harry Potter books and the Stephanie Plum series! Maybe after this book challenge I can focus on getting caught up with my series! I gave the book 4 of 5 stars.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

I just finished the second Harry Potter book this afternoon. Finishing the book also means I finished another SuBC category. I will earn 15 points next week for completing the "read the 1st and 2nd or 3rd and 4th book in a series" category. I'm going to read a couple other books before I pick up the third book.

No! I Don't Want to Join a Book Club

I just finished this book this morning and enjoyed it. It's written as diary entries by a 60 year-old woman. She loves her cat, wine, and talks about sex a lot. She doesn't want to take advice from friends when they suggest things she could do to fill her time. Parts of the book were laugh out loud funny! I'd give 3.5 out of 5 stars. Below is the B&N synopsis.

Marie Sharp is heading toward sixty and is just fine with it. She's already had plenty of excitement in her life: sex and drugs in the freewheeling sixties, career and children, marriage and divorce. Now she's ready to settle into a quiet, blissfully boring routine. No Italian classes or gym memberships or bicycle trips across Europe, thank you very much! Marie just wants to put her feet up and "start doing old things." She's even sworn off men! But as it turns out, life still has some surprises in store, the biggest of which is a new grandson on the way. What's more, Archie, her old childhood crush, suddenly reenters her life, and her closest friend falls seriously ill. Armed with a biting sense of humor, Marie wrestles with a life that refuses to follow her plans—and may still offer more possibilities than she realizes.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I finished reading HP and the Sorcerer's Stone on Saturday. I read the first three books in the series over 5 years ago. I decided I wanted to read the whole series before the baby comes in Nov. I forgot how addicting the books are! I'm using the first book as part of the category for "read 1/2 or 3/4 books in a series" for the SuBC. I started HP and the Chamber of Secrets last night. I should finish in a couple days so I can add my point to the SuBC total.

Summer Sisters

I finished this book today and was happily surprised by it! I never really got to much into Judy Blume as a kid, so I didn't have high expectations for the book. At best I thought it would be OK. I was COMPLETELY wrong! The book was about two young girls, Caitlin and Vix. Caitlin invites Vix to spend the summer with her at her father's house. The summer months turn into a tradition for the girls. The book follows the girls through high school, college, and then into the real world. A special bond develops between Vix and Caitlin's father and his new wife. I read the whole book in 4 days and couldn't put it down. (Would have been faster if the home remodeling wasn't happening.) I don't usually give five stars to books, but this one gets five!

Handle With Care- Jodi Picoult

I finished reading Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult on Saturday night. I will only post the synopsis from Barnes and Noble so I don't tell too much and spoil it for anyone. Overall, this was one of my favorite JP books! I got very emotionally attached with some characters and wanted to scream at them! I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Every expectant parent will tell you that they don't want a perfect baby, just a healthy one. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe would have asked for a healthy baby, too, if they'd been given the choice. Instead, their lives are made up of sleepless nights, mounting bills, the pitying stares of "luckier" parents, and maybe worst of all, the what-ifs. What if their child had been born healthy? But it's all worth it because Willow is, well, funny as it seems, perfect. She's smart as a whip, on her way to being as pretty as her mother, kind, brave, and for a five-year-old an unexpectedly deep source of wisdom. Willow is Willow, in sickness and in health.Everything changes, though, after a series of events forces Charlotte and her husband to confront the most serious what-ifs of all. What if Charlotte should have known earlier of Willow's illness? What if things could have been different? What if their beloved Willow had never been born? To do Willow justice, Charlotte must ask herself these questions and one more. What constitutes a valuable life?Emotionally riveting and profoundly moving, Handle with Care brings us into the heart of a family bound by an incredible burden, a desperate will to keep their ties from breaking, and, ultimately, a powerful capacity for love.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

I just finished this book last week and give it 4.5 stars. Although it is classified as a young adult book, I found the content to be somewhat mature. The main character, Lizzy, was killed after being hit by a car. After her death, she was transported to Elsewhere, where she meets several people, including her grandmother. Each person teaches her a bit more about life in Elsewhere.