The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

Fiction - 3.5 stars

Sage Singer is a baker for a reason. She works at night to escape people, her own loneliness, the guilt from a hidden relationship, and the memory of her mother’s death.Her constant reminder, a significant facial scar, is her constant companion. Sage meets Josef Weber, an elderly man in Sage’s grief support group, and they strike up an unlikely friendship. They see past each others' scars, and they grow comfortable together.

Everything changes when Josef asks Sage for an unimaginable favor. The request begins a story of horror and heartbreak, and through it, Sage begins a journey of self-discovery that will make her realize who she really is. 

I really liked this book. Though the subject matter is tough (the Holocaust), it is an interesting and easy read. I would recommend it for a book cub read. 

The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais

Fiction - 4 stars

Do you ever read a book and think, "Wow, that was just a really good story"? That is exactly what I thought when I finished this last night. When I saw that the movie was coming out, I knew I had to read it first, and I'm so glad I did. Morais includes such vivid charaterization and vivid scenes of food preparation, I know the movie will be beautiful. Loosely based on his relationship with Ismail Merchant (the late producer behind Merchant Ivory films), Morais writes a beautiful story of an Indian boy, Hassan, whose family moves from India after the death of his mother. After a short stint in London, they move to Lumiere, a small village in the French Alps. There, Hassan learns the art of French cooking, and gathers relationships that carry him through his adulthood and his ultimate achievement, 3 Michelin stars. It's just a really good story.  Read it, you won't be sorry.
Bonus for me, it includes a few Indian recipes from the book and movie. Can't wait to try them out!

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Youth Fiction - 5 stars

One of our Mother/Daughter book club selections, Number the Stars is the story of Danes and the Jews in Copenhagen Denmark in 1943. As the Nazis increased their presence in Denmark, rationing and relocation became realities for the people. An underground resistence movement also existed that focused on the protection and removal of Jews from Denmark to Sweden. This book, told from the perspective of 10 year-old Annamarie Johansen, touches on these very real subjects in a way that children can understand but not be truly saddened. It is one of the few holocaust books that I could say that about. I know Megan will enjoy reading this book, and I can't wait for the conversations that will come from it.

Ratking by Michael Dibdin

Fiction - 3.5 stars

This book is the first in the Aurelio Zen series of mysteries. I enjoyed the writing style, as Dibdin wrote in a very vivid and conversational way. The story - the patriarch of the Miletti family is kidnapped and Zen is assigned to invesigate - weaves in and out of the lives of the Miletti's, their closest companions, and Zen himself. Zen lives with his mother and is in a relationship with an American woman. He's been caught up in controversy and assigned to a desk job in Rome. But, in the end he's a cop through and through. I really enjoyed the book and I'm really excited to read the next. However, I will say I enjoy the short-lived BBC series more than I enjoyed the book - mostly because of Rufus Sewell.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Fiction - 5 stars

Not for the faint of heart, this 1500+ page (in small print, I might add) tomme is a masterpiece of storytelling if ever there was one. The story of several characters and timelines, some seemingly insignificant, weaves through the book to culminate into a satisfying and epic conclusion. It only took me two years to read it!

By the way, the movie starring Jim Caviezel is a good adaptation, but nothing beats the book.

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Historical Fiction - 3.5 stars

Sarah's Key is a story of the holocaust. Set in 1940s and modern France, it tells two stories that eventually intertwine into a heartbreaking tale of the Vel D'Hiv roundup in Paris, where french Jews were forced into a coliseum and sent to death camps, most never to return. I cannot reveal too much, but can say that this is a decently written book that delves into an area of history that most people have never learned about. It was an eye-opening read.

Chocolat by Joanne Harris

Fiction - 3 stars - Chocolat is one of my favorite movies, and I really wanted to read the book, but this is one time that I actually prefer the movie. The story from the book is much more elaborate, but Lasse Halstrom just created something in the movie that wasn't there in the book. Also, while I won't give anything away, the plot is slightly different in the book, disappointingly so. I suppose it's worth reading, but I would recommend the movie first.

Timeline by Michael Crichton

Fiction - 3.5 stars - A good historical/archaeological-interest story. If you've seen the movie, ignore your opinion of it when reading this. The characters are interesting, the story is compelling, and it is a quick read. I really enjoyed it.

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

Fiction - 3.5 stars - A good read and interesting story, this book keeps you enthralled to the very end. Very graphic images of children dying horrible deaths are disturbing, so if your constitution isn't up to it, don't read it. But, in all it was good, despite the historical inaccuracies.