Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

You know, I never had to read this story in high school but my friend did and she swore it was the best book ever. So I bought it. Scarlett made me so mad by stealing her sister's fiance that I couldn't read anymore after that. It took over 6 months before I could even pick the book up again. I finished it, but I will never read it again. I think I gave the book to charity. It may be a classic but I hated the story. To this day, I only remember Scarlett as a mean-spirited home-wrecking wench and that's about it. I refuse to watch the movie and have certainly never read the 2nd book in the "series". I know I'm in the minority here, but I feel much better now.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I was looking through my pile of books that I read and have not passed on to others yet and found my copy of The Time Traveler's Wife. I really liked this book a lot...Ok, I loved it. This extraordinary, magical novel is the story of Clare and Henry who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. His disappearances are spontaneous and his experiences are alternately harrowing and amusing. The Time Traveler's Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's passionate love for each other with grace and humour. Their struggle to lead normal lives in the face of a force they can neither prevent nor control is intensely moving and entirely unforgettable. If you want to read it, I'll mail you my copy...first come, first served.

My Friend Leonard by James Frey

Oh People, if you listened to me and read A Million Little Pieces by James Frey...you must read My Friend Leonard. It Takes off where the true tales of A.M.L.P. leaves off. James leaves rehab and heads to jail to serve out his time....It quickly moves into life after jail. Mr Frey has lived an interesting life and his friend Leonard has too. I refuse to say anything else about it...for fear of ruining it for you. My copy is going in the mail tomorrow, bound for Michelle in Nebraska.

Life of PI by Yann Martel

I loved this book. Here is the jist of the story...
A boy. A tiger. And the vast Pacific Ocean.
Pi Patel is an unusual boy. The son of a zookeeper, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior, a fervent love of stories, and practices not only his native Hinduism, but also Christianity and Islam. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes.
The ship sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for 227 days lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe his story and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second story, a story much less fantastical, much more conventional-but is it more true?
Life of Pi is at once a realistic, rousing adventure and a meta-tale of survival that explores the redemptive power of storytelling and the transformative nature of fiction. It's a story, as one character puts it, to make you believe in God.
Once you get to the part where Pi is in the lifeboat, you will have a hard time putting the book down. If you read it, let me know which story you believe.

The Secret Life of Bees

Who knew bees had a secret life? OK so the book is not exactly about bees even though they are in the story. It's a book about different kinds of relationships. It's very good story and I thank Annette for sending it to me. It's not something I normally pick out. This was a very nice change from Dr. Suess. It's interesting, easy to read, has a message to tell, and it's not too long.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night By Mark Haddon

A big Thanks to Lainey for suggesting a great book. I read this book last winter and I loved it. It was a little wacky and zany and yet it was very sad. You laugh and yet it pulls at your heart strings. I highly recommend it. I still have my copy if anyone else wants to borrow it.

Ok, Michelle and I have both read 'A Million Little Pieces' by Jeames Frey. I really enjoyed this book and it is not what I usually am drawn to. It is very high on my list of 'must reads' so give it a shot. In short, it is a TRUE story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. For a look at how the book starts...follow this link.