The Memory Keeper's Daughter

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

by Kim Edwards

Fantastic! Stunning! Never in my life have I read a book that articulated so many of my feelings so perfectly. I stayed up all night reading, feeling that even with a story so different than my own, the ending must surely be the same. And I love the cover. I would call it a perfect book club selection.

'Til the Boys Come Home

Another series! I suppose I talk a lot and if I were going to write a book, I would probably say all I could and spread the story out too.

This is a series of war novels by Jerry Borrowman, including (so far):

'Til the Boys Come Home: A World War I Novel

I'll Be Seeing You: A World War II Novel

As Time Goes By: A World War II Novel - Battle of Britain

I think Dave got the first one for Christmas last year, and then the second for Father's Day, and his Dad brought the third one on our trip this summer, so I have read all three. I enjoyed each of them. I will admit the banter in some of the romantic conversations is way too "chick flicky", but their are plenty of war scenes to balance it out. The author's knowledge of machinery is astounding, and no matter the war vessel, from submarines to motorcycles, his details provide an experience worth reading. He also provides plenty of background as well as maps and a glossary, so it is still easy to read if you are not a "war buff". I think it is a captivating, well-rounded story, and I would like to see these made into a movie(s).

Fablehaven

While away from our home, we did not have a crib for our barely two year old son, so we decided it would be as good a time as any to make the transition into a big boy bed. Along with this transition came the responsibility for someone to sit in his room at nap time until he fell asleep. This responsibility required a quiet activity for my husband or me while we waited - for me: reading. After our family had left and taken their "beach books", I had scoured all of our tourist pamphlets and returned our library books, I was left with no other choice than one of my husband's birthday gifts: Fablehaven or book two of the new series: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull.

I chose to read Rise of the Evening Star for two reasons: a friend was borrowing Fablehaven and Rise of the Evening Star had a slightly less scary cover. I don't find myself attracted to fantasy novels, so I was not interested in the least in this book, but once I began reading, I was easily drawn in to the story. I found it very similar to Harry Potter with young children involved in a magical world of creatures and spells (without the wands) - the goal being, yet again to find a way that fantasy and reality can coexist and offering a new and different explanation of this secret world (hint: butterflies are fairies). Good versus evil abounds (as well as a little suspense), the story is easy to follow, and the characters are very likeable. I would imagine it is very close to the earlier Harry Potter books (which of course, I haven't read) - ideal for middle school, but entertaining still for adults. I hope that this author keeps the series young.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Superbly entertaining! (Do I sound like a professional critic?)

So, I am not a Harry Potter person. I have seen two (well, now three) of the movies, and listened to one or two of the books on CD (the library has a limited selection of novels on CD, so we listened to this and Lemony Snicket through all of our road travels around the country last year). Dave on the other hand enjoys the story immensely and picked up Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final book the day it came out and read it the next day. We were on a sort of vacation, so I needed something to read. It was the only thing around after returning my library books, so I picked it up.

I was completely immersed. It was entertaining, well written, and super easy to follow. The detective in me was able to predict many sections of the book, but I wasn't bored, and by no means was my intelligence insulted (that could be just my intelligence though). I felt some of the subject content was a little mature and a few parts a little graphic for younger readers, who I think I remember to be the original intended audience of the series, but maybe I just don't know younger readers. All in all, I give it two thumbs up for a great vacation read (a little bulky for a beach book, but that didn't stop some people out here).