JANUARY
#1
Title: Bride and Doom
Author: Deborah Donnelly
Date Began: 01/01/07
Date finished: 01/02/07
Type: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 288
Release Date: 2006
Time/Place: present/Seattle
Rating: B+
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: Carnegie Kincaid, a wedding planner, has an unusual wedding in this book of the series. A famous professional baseball player is marrying a up and coming hard rock star who leans on the Goth side. At a pre-wedding party in a baseball stadium, a sports commentator turns up dead. Carnegie attempts to find the murderer since her florist, Boris, is in jail for the murder. Lots of turns and twists amounts yo a good mystery. I love this series.
#2
Title: How To Murder a Millionaire
Author: Nancy Martin
Date Begun: 01/03/07
Date Finished: Type: 01/08/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release date: 2003
Pages: 260
Time/Place: present/Philadelphia area
Rating: A-
Book came from: PBS (paperbackswap.com)
Blurb: Nora Blackbird is the middle sister of Libby, a very different type of suburban homemaker, and Emma, a single somewhat wild sister. All three sisters are widows and their parent shave left the country due to a huge tax debt. Nora takes a job as an assistant to a society writer who is very controlling and mean. While on duty at a party, Nora finds the body of a old, loving family friend. With the help of sexy Mike Abruzzo, the son of a mob family, Nora nabs the murderer. The story is rollicking affair. My favorite Mike Abruzzo line from the book is: "I saw you in New Hope post office once last winter. You dropped a yellow umbrella. And you were crying all by yourself. Jesus, Nora, you broke my heart right there in front of the stamp machine." You have to like a guy who says that.
#3
Title: The Trouble with Magic
Author: Madelyn Alt
Date Begun: 01/09/07
Date Finished: 01/17/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2006
Pages: 261
Time/Place: present/Indiana
Rating: B
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: Maggie loses her job but gains another one at what she thinks is a tea shop called Enchantments. More is going on in the shop than tea when her boss openly admits she is a witch. Soon the boss' sister turns up dead and Maggie tries to prove her innocence. Not too surprisingly, Maggie realizes she has powers also.
#4
Title: Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds
Author: Nancy Martin
Date Begun: 01/17/07
Date Finished: 01/23/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2003
Pages: 250
Time/Place: present/Philadelphia area
Rating: A-
Book came from: PBS
Blurb: Nora's college fame, Flan, has problems and then his wife ends up dead. Somehow Nara is a suspect and has to find the true murderer. With the assistance of her not so helpful sisters (one of which is 9 months pregnant), her sometimes boyfriend, Mike Abruzzo, she weeds her way through the events leading to the murder.
FEBRUARY
#5
Title: City of Glory
Author: Beverly Swerling
Date Begun: 01/23/07
Date Finished: 02/01/07
Type: historical fiction
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 461
Time/Place: 1814/NYC
Rating: B+
Book came from: Tammy at WR
Blurb: Dr. Joyful Turner returns to NYC to be a mastermind behind a plan to throw off a competitor, Girnt Blakeman, in the shipping business. He joins forces with a ne'er do well cousin, Bastard Devrey, who due to bad choices id losing his shipping business. With the mystery of a huge diamond, many forces come together in this fast paced novel during August 1814. This book is not as great as City of Dreams by the same author but good.
#6
Title: Some Like It Lethal
Author: Nancy Martin
Date Begun: 02/07/07
Date Finished: 02/14/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2006
Pages: 264
Time/Place: present/Philadelphia area
Rating: A
Book came from: PBS
Blurb: The books in the series about the Blackbird sisters seems to be getting better and better. Nora attends an extravagant fashion marketing reveal which leads to more mystery. Her boss ends up dead on Nora's front porch. Upon investigation, Nora's shady boyfriend appears to be a suspect. Nora rams forward to prove his innocence. Along the way trails her sisters, nephew, an orphaned by and countless others. The array of characters is funny.
#8
Title: Pick Your Poison
Author: Leann Sweeney
Date Begun: 02/15/07
Date Finished: 02/20/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2004
Pages: 258
Time/Place: present/Houston
Rating: B
Book came from: PBS
Blurb: Abby comes across the dead body of the gardener for the family estate. Totally grief stricken due to their father's recent death, the apparent murder of the gardener puts Abby into motion to find the cause and the murderer. Along the way, Abby meets up with a handsome detective and Abby's ex-husband keeps coming around.
#9
Title: Finest Kind
Author: Lea Wait
Date Begun: 02/20/07
Date Finished: 02/22/-07
Type: historical fiction based on real historical facts
Release Date: 2006
Pages: 246
Time/Place: present/Wiscasset, Maine
Rating: A
Book came from: Amazon
Recommended by: Kathryn at Weeklyreads (yahoo book group)
Blurb: Jake Webber moves from Boston with his parents. Their fortunate life dissolved due to the Panic of 1837. Their cousin promises Jake's father a job in a mill in town and finds them a dilapidated home to live in. Jake meets some people in the area and attempts to sure he , his mother and brother with severe cerebral palsy to eat while their father is away working. Jake learns much about getting food and preparing for the winter. The occurrences during the events of the book indicate Jake is a brave and intelligent young man.
The story relates about a new boy in the area and hiding secrets. Die to others being frightened and misunderstandings about Jake's brother, the family hides the brother from others. The mother handles the disabled boy who is overwhelmed by uncontrolled seizures. Although Jake helps out, the mother takes care of the son mostly alone and takes up all her time. Many children born with disabilities were hidden during this era and throughout history.
#10
Title: Shadows of the Fair
Author: Lea Wait
Date Begun: 02/23/07
Date Finished: 02/28/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2003
Pages: 272
Time/Place: present/NY
Rating: B
Book came from: PBS
Blurb: At an antique fair, Maggie Summers attempts to save her friend's nephew Ben from being charged with a murder. Ben has Down Syndrome and the police tend to think he is easily the murderer. Maggie uses some interesting clues to find the murderer.
MARCH
#11
Title: The Pen is for Hire
Author: Laura Levine
Date Begun: 03/01/07
Date Finished: 03/04/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2003
Pages: 272
Time/Place: present/Hollywood
Rating: B
Book came from: PBS
Blurb: Jaine Austen writes for a living (naturally). When she writes a letter for a man to a woman he admires, the woman soon ends up murdered. Feeling like she caused the man to be at the scene immediately after the murder, Jaine feels obligated to find the real killer. Along the way, Jaine meets a really interesting man, a neighbor of the deceased who helps her with finding the murderer. Unfortunately Jaine is in danger due to her sleuthing.
#12
Title: Have Your Cake and Eat Him Too
Author: Nancy Martin
Date Begun: 03/06/07
Date Finished: 03/13/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 234
Time/Place: present/Philadelphia area
Rating: A
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: In this adventure, Nora Blackbird is at the scene of a murder and needs to assist her friend who is thought to be the murderer. Nora is being wooed by a reporter and Michael Abruzzo is still in the periphery making appearances when least expected. Unfortunately Nora's nephew, Rawlins becomes entangled with the real murderer and Nora comes to his rescue. Of course, Nora then puts herself in danger.
#13
Title: A Crazy Thing Called Death
Author: Nancy Martin
Date Begun: 03/14/07
Date Finished: 03/27/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 280
Time/Place: present/Philadelphia area
Rating: A
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: Nora tries to find out who murderer her elderly aunt..that is if she is dead. A severed hand is found and presented to be that of the aunt, but there are lots of questions. Nora resumes her relationship with Michael Abruzzo. His cronies protect Nora. The raucous adventured from the book keep the reader waiting more. An exceptional mystery with lots of twists and turns to keep you hooked on the Blackbird Sister series.
APRIL
#14
Title: Nineteen Minutes
Author: Jodi Picoult
Date Begun: 03/30/07
Date Finished: 04/08/07
Type: fiction
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 455
Time/Place: present/Sterling
Rating: A
Book came from: Costco
Recommended by: My friends at WR
Blurb: Students in his school picked on peter because he was shorter and clumsier than most. Peter feared daily life due to the bullying from other peers. Josie, the daughter of a judge, who became a popular student only because Matt, a jock in the high school, choose her to be his girlfriend. Peter knew Josie since their mothers use to be friends. Although their relationship was strange due to Matt's ego and meanness, Josie was afraid to break up with him since she knew she would no longer be popular. Josie at times went out of her way to be nice to Peter.
I somewhat feared reading this book knowing the nature of the story. However the story grabbed me and took me through the ups and downs pf the people involved and their lives. Sadness for Peter and his family touched my heart which I did not expect. The story and the characters will stay with me for a long time.
#15
Title: What's A Ghoul To Do?
Author: Victoria Laurie
Date Begun: 04/09/07
Date Finished: 04/15/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 281
Time/Place: present/NY
Rating: B+
Book came from: Amazon
Recommended by: Barbara at WR
Blurb: As the first book of a series, a psychic/ghostbuster MJ is hired to investigate a suspected suicide of the father of a rich. handsome and single doctor, Dr. Steven Sable. MJ, her parrot and her business manager/computer whiz Gilly proceed with Doc to his grandfather's lodge. They encounter the spirits and the doctor's scheming father. Gilly adds needed humor to the story as does Dr. Sable's none to graceful grasp to the nuances of the English language. The story is an interesting beginning to a new series.
#16
Title: Murder on the Iditarod Trail
Author: Sue Henry
Date Began: 04/16/07
Finished: 04/22/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release date: 1991
Pages: 246
Place: Alaska
Rating: A
Book came from: PBS
Recommended by: Nancy G at WR
Blurb: With my love of Alaska, this book fir the bill. The Iditarod Race has begun and soon a few contestants are picked off one by one. Some are dead and some are wounded enough to have to stop their participation in the race. Alex Jensen begins his job during the continuation of the race to find the killer. One of the racers, Jess Arnold, begins to warm Alex's heart on her brief stops during the race. Alex fears for Jess' welfare as he investigates each of the racers. How can he find the killer before Jess is hurt or killed too? The book contains a map of the race which helps the reader to locate the position of the racers.
#17
Title: The Elephant in the Playroom
Author: Denise Brody
Date Begun: 04/17/07
Date Finished: 04/25/07
Type: nonfiction
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 235
Rating: A-
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: The essays in this book are written mostly my mothers and fathers of children, teenagers, young adults and adults with special needs. Their sand and hopeful recollections are so heart rendering and honest. Valiantly the families asked for, fought and begged for the proper services for their children. Denise Brody opens each chapter with her feelings of the discussed relevant issues associated with the medical, educational, social, emotional and familial issues. These parents daily do their utmost to be their child's best advocate.
#18
Title: Daniel Isn't Talking
Author: Marti Leimback
Date Begun: 04/26/07
Date Finished: 04/29/07
Type: semi-fiction
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 275
Time/Place: present/England
Rating: B
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: Melanie is overwhelmed by life particularly since her son isn't talking at age three. Daniel is also not playing with toys but carries a train around and lines up video cases. Her husband is emotionally blind to his son's differences which causes Melanie to be even more involved in her son's delays. Their daughter Emily is typical which causes her husband to hold his attention on her. The story revolved around Melanie's attempts to get help for her autistic son when help wasn't available. Amazingly Melanie does triumph in getting help for her son but loses her husband who is in abstract denial. The story is modeled after the author's own fight to help her son who is autistic.
MAY
#19
Title: House Calls and Hitching Posts: Stories from Dr. Elton Lehman's Career among the Amish
Author: Dorcas Sharp Hoover
Date Begun: 04/30/07
Date Finished: 05/15/07
Type: nonfiction
Release Date: 2005
Pages: 358
Time/Place: mid 20st century/Ohio
Rating: C
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: Although the writing is rather bland, the book accounts Dr. Lehman's experience with the Amish over many years. His respect for the Amish is clearly presented. The Amish also relied and admired Dr. Lehman for his ability to help their health problems.
#20
Title: The Attack
Author: Yasmina Khodra
Date Begun: 05/16/07
Date Finished: 05/30/07
Type: fiction
Release Date: 2006
Pages: 272
Time/Place: current times/Israel
Rating: B
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: This book involved the Palestine-Israel problems in the Middle East. Amin Jaafari, a Bedouin Arab, works in Israel as a successful doctor and has obtained the respect of many Jews. He is married to a Muslim who dies in a terrorist explosion. Soon he learns she did not just die in the explosion but caused the terrorist attack. Amin journeys to learn more about how and why his loving wife could get caught up in the extremism.
JUNE
#21
Title: A Thousand Splendid Suns
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Date Begun: 06/01/07
Date Finished: 06/10/07
Type: fiction
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 384
Time/Place:
Rating: A+
Book came from: Costco
Blurb: Mariam is the illegitimate daughter of a rich businessman and his past mistress who is illiterate and depressed. Mariam's father visits her weekly and she adores him. When she attempts to be more a part of her father's life, Mariam is rejected. Mariam's mother commits suicide and then her father takes her into his home which Mariam now disdains. Soon her father's wives set the fourteen year old to be married to a 40 year old Rasheed, a shoemaker. Mariam's life is saddened even more when she is unable to carry a baby to term and Rasheed begins to beat her. Eighteen years pass of Mariam living a desolate, solitary existence. From Soviet raided to Taliban authoritarianism, the government changes and life changes for Mariam. Rasheed takes a second wife and brings her into his home after Laila's family is killed in raids. Laila soon shows she is pregnant and since Rasheed is so in love with her, he disregards the fact the baby probably isn't his own. Desperate Laila grasps Rasheed's home since her lover Tariq is assumed dead. When the baby girl is born, Mariam and Laila become friends due to the love of the child. Life is very difficult for women at these times and the story exhibits many facets of their lives together. Hosseini's writing brilliantly illuminates the sadness and the joy of these women's lives.
#22
Title: The Blue Bistro
Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Date Begun: 06/11/07
Date Finished: 06/23/07
Type: fiction
Release Date: 2006
Pages: 384
Time/Place: present/Nantucket
Rating: A
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: Adrienne ventures into Nantucket on a whim after leaving a boyfriend in Denver for stealing from her due to his drug habit. Sad and alone. Adrienne given a job in a restaurant as an assistant to the one of the owners, Thatcher Smith. Adrienne soon becomes a member of the staff which feels like a small family except for the chef. Famous and almost sequestered, Fiona runs the kitchen like a general but presents wonderful, exciting foods. Restaurant work is hard and even more so in this popular hotspot. The author serves us multifaceted characters and the dynamics of the restaurant business.
JULY
#23
Title: Peony in Love
Author: Lisa See
Date Begun: 06/24/07
Date Finished: 07/02/07
Type: fiction
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 304
Time/Place: 17th century China
Rating: A
Book came from: Costco
Blurb: Peony reads an opera The Peony Pavilion in a time when woman normally were not taught to read. Her devoted father allows parts of the opera to be presented to their family. Peony falls in love with one of the actors and defies tradition by being alone with him several times. Once Peony finds she is to be married soon, she is heart sick over her actor. Lisa See allows us to see the roles of a woman in these times and the lives they live.
#24
Title: Lean Mean Thirteen
Author: Janet Evanovich
Date Begun: 07/03/07
Date Finished: 07/04/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 320
Time/Place: present/Trenton, NJ
Rating: A-
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: Stephanie Plum rides again, but this time in a very old Crown Vic. Her ex-husband turns up missing with several of his business associates dead. With the help of Lula, Grandma Ranger and Joe, Stephanie goes through a myriad of events to save the day once more. This book is not my favorite of the series but good nonetheless.
#25
Title: Whistling in the Dark
Author: Lesley Kagen
Date Begun: 07/04/07
Date Finished: 07/11/07
Type: fiction
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 320
Time/Place: 1959/Milwaukee
Rating: A
Book came from: Amazon
Recommended by: Kathryn at WR
Blurb: Sally moves with her family and new stepfather to Milwaukee. Her mother has complications due to Hepatitis C and ends up in the hospital for weeks. Her stepfather stops coming home leaving Sally and her sister Troo in the hands of their 18 year old sister, Nell, who is always busy with her boyfriend. Two young girls have been killed in the neighborhood and Sally uses her imagination to find the killer. The book is delightful with lots of reminiscences of the 1959 life with a mystery seen through children's eyes.
#26
Title: Water for Elephants
Author: Sara Greun
Date Begun: 7/11/07
Date Finished: 07/18/07
Type: fiction
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 350
Time/Place: USA/early 1930s
Rating: A+
Book came from: Costco
Blurb: Jacob Jankowski leaves college where he studied to be a veterinarian after his both his parents die in a car crash. Unfortunately Jacob was unable to complete the test to obtain his veterinarian license. He hops on a train unknowing it is a circus train. Through the book, we see the different aspects of circus life, learn about the people whether they be workers or performers, the economics of the enterprise, insights to the animals and their training and how tough life was during and after the depression. Innovative story telling provides the reader with the past and the present merging for an emotional conclusion. The story awed me and the book was hard to put down.
August
#27
Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: K J Rowlins
Date Begun: 07/21/07
Date Finished: 08/03/07
Type: Fantasy YA
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 757
Rating: A
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: Lots of twists and turns occur in the last book of the Harry Potter series. The final experience of this fantasy world emits fear, laughter, love and hate. Harry, Hermoine and Ron again show how close friends can be when there is danger. and how much they each need the others.
This book took me a long time to read. Life kept getting in the way. I also wanted this book to last me a very long time. It is the end of a great group of books.
#26
Title: Enchanted Inc.
Author: Shanna Swendson
Date Begun: 08/03/07
Date Finished: 08/05/07
Type: fantasy mstery
Release Date: 2005
Pages: 308
Time/Place: NYC/present time
Rating: B
Blurb: Kate Chandler lives in NYC and is offered a job by some characters who seemed to be following her. Due to her need for a job with a nicer boss, Kate takes the position and learns magic is a part of life just not hers. She works as verifier since she lacks any magic abilities and can see a spell which is fake. Kate bring marketing into the magic spells company and saves the company and the world from black magic. Although the story is very creative, I had a tough time envisioning the concept.
#27
Title: Heartbreak Town
Author: Marsha Moyer
Date Begun: 08/06/07
Date Finished: 08/10/07
Type: romance
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 390
Time/Place: present time/ Texas
Rating: B+
Blurb: This book is the thrid of the series. Lucy Hatch Farrell is living in her home town, taking care of her son and working at her aunt's flower shop. Things are tough but she is hanging in there. Next thing she klnows her husband is parked in her driveway sleeping in his new pickup. Lucy hasn't seen him in 8 months when she left in the middle of the night with her son. Her husband has a drinking problem and just left a rehab center. Ash tries to put his opfe together but Lucy has her doubts. The book relives their problems and how they both attempt to make their lives right again.
#28
Title: The Sewing Circles of Herat
Author: Christina Lamb
Date Begun: 08/11/07
Date Finished: 08/14/07
Type: nonfiction
Published: 2002
Pages: 339
Time/Place: 1998 to 2002/Afghanistan
Rating: B
Blurb: Christina Lamb relates her visits to Afghanistan prior to and after 9-11-2001. The poeple she meets and talks to have endured much pain and suffering in their country due to the Russian and then the Taliban. Surprisingly the men respect her and tell her of their visions and what really occurred in their country.
#29
Title: Rosetta
Author: Barbara Ewing
Date Begun: 08/15/07
Date Finished: 08/30/07
Type: historical fiction
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 436
Time/Place: early 1800s/London, France, Egypt
Rating: A+++
Book came from: Amazon UK
Blurb: Being named after a town (Rosetta) in Egypt, Rose always yearned to visit Egypt one day. Her father had told her of the ancient hieroglyphs of the area from his travels. Rose marries young and is widowed young after several miscarriages. After meeting a handsome Frenchman, Rose finds out her husband did not die as a brave soldier. She ventures to Egypt to find out the secrets of her husband's death and the adventure of exploring a country she always dreamed about.
September
#30
Title: Night of the Living Deb
Author: Susan McBride
Date Begun: 09/01/07
Date Finished: 09/09/07
Type: cozy Mystery
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 320
Time/Place: present day/Dallas
Rating: B+
Blurb: Andrea Kendricks who calls herself the Dropout Deb suddenly has a missing boyfriend. Brian Malone, a defense attorney, attended a bachelor party and went missing with one of the strippers. Trying desperately to hold back her own suspicions, Andy muddles through the facts along with her socialite mother and her dress-too-right friend, Allie. Susan McBride brings about a funny mystery.
#31
Title: Crime Seen
Author: Victoria Laurie
Date Begun: 09/09/07
Date Finished: 09/22/07
Type: cozy mystery
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 282
Time/Place: /present day/Royla Oak, MI
Rating: B
Blurb: Abby Cooper assists her boyfriend Dutch, a FBI agent, in solving crimes but tends to find a few cases all on her own. Using her intelligence and her insightfulness, tries to help a jailed man who is innocent. With her PI friend, Candice, they both get in all kinds of trouble.
#33
Title: Dreams from My Father
Author: Barack Obama
Date Begun: 09/01/2007
Date Finished: 09/23/07
Type: biography
Release Date: 1995
Pages: 453
Place: Kansas, Hawaii, Chicago, Kenya
Rating: B
Book came from: PBS
Blurb: Reading this book allows the reader to see what a remarkable life Barack Obama has lived. Although his life has taken him to many far away places, his homelife was physically secure and yet insecure emotionally at times. Obama reveals his life with his mother, his maternal grandparents, a visit meeting his father and then going to Kenya to meet borthers and sisters he knew very little about. Throughout his life, Barack attempts to find the best on people including himself. The book introduces Barack up to the world.
#34
Title: Postville: A Clash of Cultures in the Heartland
Author: Stephen G. Bloom
Date Begun: 09/24/07
Date Finished: 09/30/07
Type: nonfiction
Release Date: 2000
Pages: 336
Time/Place: late 1990s/Postville, Iowa
Rating: B
Book came from: my TBR pile :)
Blurb: Bloom, being a professor in a nearby town, ventures in Postville to see the kosher meat packing plant which the Hassidic Lubavitcher Jews have in the town. Apparently a Hasidic group came to the area due to the magical number 28 and the ending of a highway with the same number. The townspeople were prepared to be friendly, but the Hassidic Jews do not acknowledge non-Jewish people, shake their hands nor eat in the restaurants in town. The native Postville people also are put off by the way the Hassidic Jews bargain when attempting to buy anything from the town stores. This of course begins a rift along with a few other particulars such as the Jews do not know or care about keeping lawn up and plus the Jews hire people from out of town (Mexicans, Eastern Europe and Africa) to work in the meatpacking plant.
Bloom interviews the people of the town about the Hassidic Jews. Some of the townspeople's remarks are anti-semenic where others are just dumbfounded by the Jews culture. While interviewing the Hassidic Jews, Bloom opens to us a very different world of the Hassidic Jews brotherly friendships, customs, rites and families. The Jews overall want to remain secular from the town, whereas the major of the town would like to be friendly with the Hassisic Jews. Distrust comes from both sides.
After five years of research, the author eventually sides with the townspeople in a political dispute. Small town Iowans do not like change and if change occurs, it would be best at their own pace. The Hassidic Jews seem almost prideful of their choices and opportunities. It is unfortunate these two diverse groups could not in some way sit down and talk. However the book shows both sides and allows us to see their predicament through this book.
OCTOBER
#35
Title: The Pillars of the Earth
Author: Ken Follett
Date Begun: 09/25/07
Date Finished: 10/25/07
Type: historical fiction
Release Date: 1989
Pages: 976
Time/Place: England/12th century
Rating: A
Book came from: TBR pile
Blurb: A fantastic read! The building of a catherdral was a major event in the 12th century and caused many lives to entertwine. Tome the Builder designed the basics of the catherdral while his stepson Jack years later added the pointed arches and the stained glass. Prior Phillip jumped through many hoops to get the catherdral built politically and economically. The book contributes so much to understanding the dynamics involved in the building of a milestone catherdral. The characters are multifaceted and multidimensional.
#36
Title: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs
Author: Canfield, Hansen, McNamara, Simons
Date Begun: 10/01/07
Date Finished: 10/20/07
Type: nonfiction
Release Date: 2008
Pages: 350
Rating: B-
Book came from: Amazon
Blurb: Many short stories about the triumphs of children with special needs and their parents. Many of the stories are very poignant and heart rendering. Several of the stories are from the past. Warming to the soul the abilities of children to overcome the bumps in the road and allow their parents joy.
#37
Title: 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Author: Ellen Nothohm and Veronica Zysk
Date Begun: 10/15/07
Date Finished:10/29/07
Type: nonfiction
Release Date: 2004
Pages: 207
Rating: B+
Book came from: Amazon Marketplace
Blurb: Great book for ideas of strategies of working with and getting through to children with autism.
NOVEMBER
#38
Title: Wolrd Without End
Author: Ken Follett
Date Begun: 10/26/07
Date Finished: 11/21/07
Type: historical fiction
Release Date: 2007
Pages: 1014
Time/Place: 12th century England
Rating: A+++
Book came from: Costco
Blurb: World Without End continues the several generations and 200 years later from where Pillars of the Earth ends. The story begins with four young people seeing a murder and one assisting in keeping a big secret. The four people grow and go to different journeys in their lives. The plot is wonderfully intertwined with great character development. In this readers opinion, World Withour End had more content than Pillars of the Earth.
#39
Title: Rules
Author: Cynthia Lord
Date Begun: 11/23/2007
Date Finished: 11/25/2007
Type: young adult
Release Date: 2006
Pages: 200
Time/Place: current times/Maine
Rating: A
Book came from: Amazon Marketplace
Blurb: This charming and yet informative book relates how Catherine handles her life with having David, her brother who has autism. When at home Catherine has a deep abiding love for her brother and appears to have great pateience with David. Her life becomes stressful when her friends are around. Any one's brother can be embarrassing to a preteen sister, but David's outbursts can be very distrubing. However Catherine exhibits mother bear like protection for brother when a neighborhood boy teases David in a typical boyish manner but causes utter frustration for David.
Catherine becomes friends with Jason, a very bright preteen with severe cerebral palsy which causes him to be unable to walk or talk. Jason has a communication book which intrigues Catherine's artistic abilities and her interest. Soon Catherine feeling his words are too limiting is creating new words for Jason on little cards which slide into slots of his book, such as "awesome" and "stinks a big one". Catherine's word cards have little illustrations to give the words more meaning and life. Her friendship with Jason allows her to see her brother through a different view and herself as well.
Each chapter of the book begins with one of the "rules" Catherine has create to allow her brother to understand some of the nuances of life he is unable to grasp. Examples of the rules are "Late doesn't mean not coming" and "No toys in the aquarium". Life can be to literal at times but Catherine compensates for her brother and for herself in the end.
DECEMBER
#40
Title: Key of Light
Author: Nora Roberts
Date Begun: 11/27/2007
Date Finished: 12/09/2007
Type: fiction
Release Date: 2003
Pages: 334
Time/Place: PA/current times
Rating: B+
Book came from: PBS
Blurb: Malory loses her loved job when the owner lets her go due to his new young wife who wants to rule the art gallery on her own. She immediately runs into a large dog whose owner is a handsome man, Flynn. Soon after Malory meets Dana, a gorgeous librarian and Zoe, a pretty hairdresser. All of the women are looking for a new endeavor. They are offered a financial adventure of questionable terms. The three women embark together and solve one of the "key" conquests.
#41
Title: Z for Zachariah
Author: Roberts C. O'Brien
Date Begun: 12/10/07
Date Finished: 12/13/07
Type: Young adult ficition/apocalyptic
Release Date: 1974
Pages: 249Time
Place: 1974/Western NY
Rating: A
Book came from: Amazon Marketplace
Recommended by : Nancy (Thank you)
Blurb: Nuclear radiation has ruined the world. Sixteen year old Ann Burden luckily lives in a farm valley which due to its lowness stands unravaged by the toxins. She is alone but maintain an existence for herself on the family farm. One day a man in a protective suit enters her valley. Unforuantely the man is very mistrusting of Ann even though she helps him through an long radiation illness when he took a swim in a contaminated pond. Her brother's dog ventures into the valley as well, looking weary and bony but survives with Ann's help. The man, John Loomis becomes well and suddenly is telling Ann what to do and how to do it even though he has never lived on a farm. Soon Ann leaves her house for fear of the man. John uses the dog to track Ann's hiding spot, a cave. What an unlucky situation for a young woman trying to survive and the last man alone is mentally unstable.
#42
Title: The Champion
Author: Elizabeth Hartwick
Release Date:
Pages: 499
Time/Place: France/England late 1100s/early 1200s
Rating: A+
Book came from: Amazon Canada
Recommended by: Tammy (Thank you)
Blurb: The daughter of loving parents, Monday de Cerizay grows up in the tourney circuits of knights. There she meets Alexander de Mointroi, who becomes the love of her life. After her parents' deaths, Monday must find a live for herslef and does through her fine sewing and embroidery. Alexander and meetsMonday later when she is the mistress to John who becomes king. Through stories of knights, clerical manipulations, and court jovials, Elizabeth Chadwick presents an enthralling tale with depth and vision.
