The End

Well the summer is winding down for me as I say hello to the Fall 2008 semester. As I say farewell to my summer reading - I wanted to leave you with a list of books that might spark your interest.

I've invented my own star rating system.
5 stars - A page turner. You'd be doing yourself a disservice by skipping this book. The characters and content evolve in a meaningful matter. You become involved in the story. You'll find your time well spent reading this book.

4 stars - Great story line. Characters and story capture your attention.

3 stars - The book is an easy read, maybe a page turner. This book might be good for some audiences but not everyone. There's a good story here but it could have been executed better.

2 stars - Wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to others but is interesting enough to make it to the end.

1 star - Wouldn't recommend it and not sure if I finished it through to the end.

This is a period piece that revolves around a master builder and his family as they struggle to build a cathedral in 12th century England. It is a true page turner that has great story and characters.


World Without End by Ken Follett - A follow up to Pillars of the Earth, this book takes place 200 years after Pillars. Many of the characters are descendants of the original book. This book was interesting and kept me wondering "Where are you taking me Mr. Follett".


The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud The Emperor's Children follows three friends after their graduation for Brown. You are taken through their social and family circles. You walk through their perceived struggles and successes as well as their endless search for meaning.


Beautiful Boy by David Sheff This book follows a father's struggle with his son's addiction to meth. It is based on a true story and is both riveting and educational. I learned a lot about addiction, statistics, and what happens to the mind of those addicted to this drug.


The Silver Swan by Benjamin Black Based in the 1950's Ireland, this is a mystery novel that revolves around the death of the mysterious Deidre Hunt. The characters are all intertwined making for a good "who done it" novel. If you're not into mystery then this book isn't for you.



An amazing biographical story of a successful lawyer and her struggle with manic depression. It's a very good book that shows you the struggle of someone dealing with this mental illness.


Now You See Him by Eli Gotlieb This book walks you through one man's struggle with his best friends murder-suicide. It is a page turner that gives you a startling end.


A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines Set on the Bayou, this story follows the life of two black men trying to live in a race tense society. Sentenced to death both men must learn from one another before it's too late. I took this book from Oprah's book list. It starts of a little slow for my taste but has a touching lesson.


Chemical Pink by Katie Arnoldi This story follows the life of a fictional character in the world of women's body building. It is an easy read.



Other summer books that I have already written about in previous blogs:
- The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
- I Know This Much is True

I also read the following books by Jodi Picoult this summer:
- Thirteen Minutes
- The Pact
- Salem Falls
- Picture Perfect