Thhe Millennium Series by Stieg Larsson -
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult -
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini -
ROOM by Emma Donahue - This book was a very different book. It's about a five-year-old boy named Jack who was born in Room. He and his mom are trapped there, his mom puts Jack in the wardrobe every night in case Old Nick comes. Room is Jack's whole world and the story is told from his perspective. Ma knows that she can't live in Room with Jack much longer and so together they plan their Great Escape.
Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen - This story is about a man who is 90 or maybe 93 year old man (he's not quite sure), Jacob, who lives in a nursing home. He looks back on his life during the Depression when he was involved as a veterinarian with the circus. Here he falls in love with Marlena, the head animal trainer's violent husband. It's a quick read, with love, action and a secret. I loved the ending! I look forward to seeing the movie.
Sarah's Key by Tatiana Rosnay - This story takes place both in 1942 and 2002. In 1942, 10 year old Sarah locks her little brother in a secret cupboard to keep him safe from the roundup at Vel D'Hiv thinking that she would be back in a few hours to let him out. It follows Sarah's journey during the Nazi occupation of France. It also takes place in 2002 with Julia Jarmond who is a journalist writing an article on the 60th anniversary of the Vel D'Hiv roundup. While researching she finds that she has a connection to Sarah's past. I really liked this book, especially the chapters that took place in 1942. It is a very sad book, there were parts where I was teary eyed. I really liked the fact that chapters were typically about 3-4 pages, makes for a quick read. I wasn't a huge fan of the final quarter of the book, it just focused too much on Julia's life and I wanted to hear more about Sarah's past.
The Help - This was a great book. The story takes place in Jackson Mississippi in the 1960s where segregation is still prominent and African American maids look after white households. It is told in the perspective of Minny, an outspoken African American maid; Abileen another African maid who is the first to open up with the truth of being a maid in Jackson; and Skeeter, a recent college graduate who believes that things need to be changed. Together they form an unlikely friendship and soon everyone in town is talking about what they written.
The Hunger Games -
Catching Fire -
Mockingjay -
Oryx and Crake - A Margaret Atwood book. I had no idea she wrote sci-fi!
The Shack - Written by WM. Paul Young. This book was about a father who suffers a major loss and has trouble getting over it. He finds God who helps him through his pain. This was a very slow book and a bit too religious for me. The beginning and ending were both interesting but overall it would not be a book I would recommend.
Wonderstruck - This was a fast read! It was over 600 pages and I read it in an evening. It's a children's book written by Brian Selznick (who also wrote The Invention of Hugo Cabret). It is really two stories that are connected near the ending even though they are 50 years apart. MOST of the book is portrayed in pictures, black and white hand-drawn pictures. That part of the story is told from a little girl's perspective in 1927. The other part which is written in text is from the perspective of a little boy in 1977. The story discusses Deaf culture and museums, it's a creative book that I really enjoyed!
Safe Haven - A Nicholas Sparks book.
