Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, by Julie Powell

Fiction - 3.5 stars

Just finished this on my Nook, and I must say there were some hilarious parts. While I am not a huge fan of indiscriminate cursing and political aspersions being thrown around willy nilly, I really enjoyed Julie & Julia. The descriptions of the food, the cooking-related tantrums, and Julie Powell's relationships were enough for me to keep reading. As I finished it last night, I felt inspired. While I am not about to start cooking my way through the recipes in MtAoFC, I am inspired to, at least once a week, pull down one of my many cookbooks and make something new. George might or might not be excited, depending on the amount and color of the vegetables in the dish. We'll see. Anyway, I was blown away by the movie, too. Meryl Streep WAS Julia Child - the voice, the quirky body ticks, the whole package. In all, they are both worth the time I invested.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Fiction - 3 stars
Dark Places is the story of Libby Day, a depressed and angry thirty-something who, at seven years old, testified against her brother for the murders of her mother and sisters. In her thirties, she becomes a person of interest for a club called the "Kill Club" and is told that she may have been wrong about her brother. An interesting look at the farm culture in the 80s, this book has the elements of a great story, but it falls flat, mainly due to the writing style. Not my favorite 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.

Ida B: . . . And Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, And (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan

Youth Fiction - 4 stars

This is a delightful children's book about a young girl, Ida B. Applewood, who grows up on a farm (orchard, really), is home-schooled by her parents, and has relationships with the natural objects she sees every day. When her mother gets cancer, and Ida B. experiences changes like going to school and seeing part of her land sold, she must deal with her anger. Along the way, she learns a few things about others and herself. Megan and I loved it.