The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Youth Fiction - 3 stars

For our Halloween book club meeting, Megan and I read The Westing Game, a sort of murder mystery using clues and character development to tell the story. Megan loved this book and read it in two nights. It took me much longer to get through it, partly due to a lack of spare time, and partly because of the way the book is written. It skips around a bit, and you have to piece things together, including chapters. Overall, it was a good read, and it teaches some good lessons. The best part of reading the book was the meeting with all of the great Chinese food. Awesome, Susan!

The Help, by Katherine Stockett

Historical Fiction - 4.5 stars

What a wonderful book. It is an easy read, and it manages to take a very serious, painful subject for many and make it a humorous and touching account of life. Writing from the perspective of three very different main characters, it is a snapshot of the 1960's as it was in many southern cities. The murder of Medgar Evers plays a prominent role in showing the tension and fear behind the humor in the book. I waited to see the movie until after I'd read the book, and I'm so glad I did.  

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass

Youth Fiction - 4 stars

This book was Megan's summer reading choice. I decided to read it, and I loved it. The story of an unlikely group of friends brought together at the Moon Shadow camp ground to ultimately view a total solar eclipse (the descriptions of this are amazing). The main characters, Ally, Bree and Jack, all have something to overcome in the story, and their journeys all come together at the end. The real beauty of the story is the character development. At the end, you truly know the characters and care about them.

A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin

Historical Fantasy - 5 stars

The Second in the Song of Fire and Ice series, A Clash of Kings picks up where Game of Thrones left off. Martin continues to develop his characters and keep the reader guessing as to the fate of all in these books. This is a very long, complex story, and I can't say anything else because if you aren't reading the books, you might be watching the show on HBO. I don't want to ruin the next season. It's sufficient to say that I can't wait to read the next one. However, sticking to my promise to myself, I'm going with a classic next.

A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle



Youth Fiction - 5 stars

The ulltimate starter book for science fiction fans, A Wrinkle in Time chronicles the adventures of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Cal in their quest to find Meg's father who has disappeared into another dimension. I won't give too much away, but let's just say that this is one of George's favorite children's books, and now Megan's favorite. I loved reading it because the issues Ms. L'Engle presents are very adult issues, but because of the way that she writes them into the book, children can understand a bit of them. They even take their own perspective into account, and the issue changes into something that the individual reader can relate to. AWESOME!!!

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Historical Fiction - 3 stars

A stark, somewhat depressing tale of betrayal and relationships in a small northern town in the 1910s, A Reliable Wife is an interesting read. Loosely based on the odd and tragic happenings in a real life  rural Midwestern community near the turn of the century, the somewhat predictable intrigue is still interesting because of the realistic basis. Goolrick does a good job creating complex relationships from relatively simple characters, and weaves a tale that closes out in the end. I would recommend it, but it is not a summer beach read. Save it for the winter.   

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

Non-fiction - 3 stars

This is a cute little book written by a pastor from Nebraska whose four-year-old son, after a hospital ordeal with a burst appendix, tells his dad that he met Jesus and other family members in Heaven. Definitely not for the cynic, or those who do not believe in God, this book's message is about the power of prayer and God's love for us. I enjoyed reading it (only took me about 3 hours), and its message definitely left me thinking about my life as a Christian parent. Nothing earth-shattering or mind-blowing, just a sweet story.   

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Fiction - 4.5 stars

I loved reading this book. The series is one of George's favorites, and I thought I'd at least read the first one before the show starts on HBO in April. I am so glad I did. It is a fantasy book told from the point of view of several characters spread out among "the Seven Kingdoms." They are all very complex characters, and the events in the story are often unexpected because of the sheer ambition and self-serving agendas of the players of the "game of thrones." Martin's character development is top notch, and you quickly get to know the characters, whether you like them or not. I am so excited to see how HBO adapts this - plus Sean Bean plays a critical character in this first book. How can you go wrong when Sean Bean is present?

School of Fear by Gitty Daneshvari

Youth Fiction - 3 stars

Cute is the best word I can think of to describe this book. Full of pop language, and definitely geared toward the middle school/late elementary school crowd, School of Fear is an easy read for the adults, but still interesting. It includes factual tidbits about different phobias, a plot that keeps the reader interested, and some really awesome character development. It also gives some good life advice, albeit in a funny and unconventional storyline.  Makes me want to be a children's book editor when I grow up!