November reads

No books blew me away this month. A few duds though.....I take that back, A Thousand Different Suns was very powerful and moving!


The Honk and Holler Opening Soon by Billie Letts 4* story about the lives that surround a parapalegic man that runs a restaurant

The Sound of Us by Sarah Willis 4* a woman who has just lost her twin brother befriends a 6 year old girl who is left at home by herself. she then tries to become her foster parent.

Chatter by Perrin Ireland (ARC) 3* story about a couple whose marriage is having problems. He finds out he has a daughter from a long ago relationship which strains their marriage. The writing is different, just very abrupt.....

Engleby by Sebastian Faulks 2.5* an odd story about a man who can't remember chunks of time. a friend of his in college is killed and he is a suspect. Decent story, just bogged down trying to be too intelluctual.

A Good Distance by Sarah Willis 4* a woman takes care of her mother who has Alzheimer's and they both flash back on their lives

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin (audio) YA 4* story of three children who live with their mentally abusive mother

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini 4.5* the story of 2 women in Afganistan over a period of several decades. I have a newfound compassion and admiration for Afghan women.

Summer's Child by Diane Chamberlain 2.5* a girl finds a baby on the beach and her family ends up adopting it. 20 years later everyone is trying to figure out who the mother is. too many twists, not plausible at all

Frankie's Place by Jim Sterba DNF love story set in Maine. The author got Maine perfectly but outside of the setting the book is incredibly boring. I made it halfway through and then just couldn't go on.

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan 3* historical fiction based on the love affair of Mamah Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Melancholy Fate of Capt. Lewis by Michael Pritchett (ARC) DNF this book starts off strong. I found the parts about Capt. Lewis interesting and the story of the modern day character engaging also. The problem is the book got so boring in the middle I found I couldn't go on even though I wanted to know what happened. I picked it up several different times and it just seems to be stuck, going nowhere, so I finally gave up.

Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick DNF (I picked up in honor of Thanksgiving) just too dry, couldn't finish

The English Teacher by Lily King 3.5* the story of a woman and her son, it's always been just the 2 of them, then she marries a widower who has 3 kids.

Theory of Relativity by Jacquelyn Mitchard 3.5* a couple dies and the fight by various family members to adopt their only child ensues. It's just a medicore story (not her best) but i thought the ending raised the rating a little.

The Alienest by Caleb Carr 3* a murder mystery set in the 1890's. Drags a bit in places but interesting to see how police solved murders back then before DNA, fingerprints, and profiling was available.

Along Comes A Stranger by Dorie McCollough Lawson 4* the story of a woman who is drawn to her mil's new boyfriend. Qucik read but I had trouble putting it down!

Hamilton by Catherine Cookson 3.5* the story of woman who has a tough childhood with an abusive mother and then an unhappy marriage. She begins talking to an imaginary friend that helps her get through.

Goodbye Hamilton by Catherine Cookson 3* the continuation of the Hamilton story