Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

Here is a classic I never read, and I really enjoyed. I got very absorbed in the lives of the four sisters, and found it very endearing (if perhaps a bit unrealistic) how eager they are to improve themselves and be good. Overall, a good one.
Funny thing... I thought I knew the ending because of a "Friends" episode where Rachel tries to spoil the book for Joey out of spite, but I guess she was just pulling his leg and I didn't get the joke because I had never read the book! Well, now my horizons are broadened past pop culture and I actually know the ending :-).

Life of Pi, Yann Martel

This was another reread that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is the story of 12 year old Piscine Molitor Patel, zookeeper's son, castaway at sea on his way immigrating from India to Canada. That Pi has an active imagination! There are many layers to the story, and I enjoyed reading it again with a fresh perspective (I won't tell you what I mean in case you haven't read it).

Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

This was an interesting, suspenseful quick read recommended to me By Suzanne Yost. I read it in just a couple of days on our trip to Nebraska. I liked it! Interesting premise about a society where the poor districts are made to sacrifice a teenager to a gladiator-like competition once a year to prevent rebellion. I put the sequel on hold at the library... 279 holds before me :-).

Echo in the Bone, Diana Gabaldon

This is the newly released 7th book of the Outlander series. I loved it! My only complaint is that it ends in a major cliff hanger, which none of the other books do and I did NOT see coming. Well... I guess there must be an 8th book in the works. Sheesh, does it never end! One other small annoyance was the 50 page piracy-on-the-high-seas aside, which I found almost entirely unecessary and uninteresting. Other than that, I was really engaged in this book.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith

This one was a reread of one of my all time favorites, inspired by my friend Jenny Lee (the book is also one of her faves).
Once again, I love a heroine with some steel to her. And I love how Francie notices things and appreciates them, especially seemingly unimportant or irrelevant things.
I think I'll read this for a fourth, fifth, even sixth time someday! It's a lovely one to cycle through every once in a while.

World Without End, Ken Follet

This was an interesting an engaging read. This story follows the lives of several characters in England in the Middle Ages, and goes into great detail about their personal lives, the politics of church life and the feudal system.
The author has an interesting writing style, his sentences seem very to the point, almost clipped. Somehow he still writes in great detail and his descriptions are very vivid.
I love one of the central characters, Caris, she is a strong and independent woman who finds a way to live her dream despite all the obstacles that simply being a woman presents.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes, Diana Gabaldon

This one held my interest more than The Fiery Cross, although there are so many side stories and it goes on for nearly 1,000 pages, which does seem a bit rambling. Overall good, although the earlier books in the series are better.

The Glass Castle, Jeanette Walls

This was a very compelling, but also horrifying and depressing book. Probably not the best choice for me with a new baby, it gave me all kinds of nightmares! It is a true story about a girl growing up in desperate poverty with a neglectful mother, alcoholic father and three younger siblings. Yikes. I did enjoy it, despite the difficult topic. It reminded me somewhat of one of my all time favorites: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. She even compares herself to Francie Nolan in the book.

The Fiery Cross, Diana Gabaldon

Not my favorite from the Outlander series. In fact, I think they get less and less compelling as the series goes on, which is too bad. I enjoy them all, though. Easy, entertaining, romantic, adventurous... There is actually a seventh novel coming out this fall, which I will definitely read... hopefully it is good. Next is A Breath of Snow and Ashes, I am debating about whether to pick it up right away or read something else in between.

My books: the beginning

I decided to start a blog to keep track of and review books I read. I often wish I could remember more about a book I read, or struggle to think of good books to recommend. Here I will log what I read and how much I enjoy it.
Currently I am reading The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls.
On my to read list:
Little Women- Louisa May Alcott
Ann of Green Gables- LM Montgomery
The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
The scientist in the crib : minds, brains, and how children learn by Alison Gopnik
There are more.... I need to make a running list!