This week's book...

So a few years ago, I bought "Winner of the National Book Award", a novel by Jincy Willett. It sat on a shelf in a bookcase for 5 years, until one day in ended up in my "to be traded in" pile. And away it went, onto a shelf in the store for another customer to enjoy. I haven't thought about it since. And then last week, during another meeting, I asked my go-to's for a book suggestion and Jincy Willett was it. I remembered having owned and then trading in the book just recommended to me, so I figured I'd just go back to my store and buy it again. Well, when I went to get a copy, her more current offering, "The Writing Class", jumped out at me as more interesting for the mood I was in. So, home it came with me. I have to admit it was slow going at first. A page here, five there. But after the first couple of chapters, I couldn't put it down. So last night and today was spent devouring this witty gem. The book follows a group of wannabe writers all attending the same writing workshop taught by a once critically praised author who has seen better days and hasn't published anything in ages. The mystery starts from the first class as the students start receiving curious, if not mean, critiques of their writing. Then odd things happen: a Ted Bundy mask, missing classmates, crude drawings, and whispered phone calls. Then a murder (or two) and the whodunnit is in full blown mystery mode. The characters are well written, the humor is a bit dry but I laughed out loud, and you just can't beat the tension created as the class struggles to figure out who the culprit is. A review listed on the jacket of the novel says: "The Writing Class is alternately funny, sweet, and suspenseful. It's a mystery written for book lovers, and books like this are what caused book lovers to fall in love with books in the first place." -The Buffalo News

I couldn't have said it any better!

Lots and lots of reading!

So this week I read three books. I don't know what it was, I was just really in the mood for reading. The first book is the one mentioned in my previous post. A great read, you should definitely check it out. The second book was "The Girls from Ames". I just loved this book. It was like secretly reading someone's diary. Filled with laughter, some tears, and all heart. What I most identified with in this book was the bond between all the women. While I don't have close "friends" from childhood that I still stay in touch with, I have my three sisters. As we have grown in age, we've become great friends, as well as sisters. I know we each have our own lives, friends, worries, responsibilities, families even, but we are always there for each other; whether to lend an ear, offer a laugh, or pick each other up when we fall. I totally recommend this book to all you ladies out there. And to my sisters, if you are reading this, keep an eye out. A copy is coming your way soon.



The third book I read this week was "Case Histories". I have seen this book hundreds of times in the store. It is always on the shelf, we always take it in, and I have always been curious about it. Someone recently told me they heard it was good and I finally checked out a copy from work. It wasn't what I thought it would be, although it was a good read and I would recommend it. It only took me two nights to read and kept me turning the pages looking for more answers. The ability of Kate Atkinson to weave together so many characters, time lines, and plot points and keep them all straight, for both the reader and the story itself, completely amazed me. The only complaint I had of the story was that I wanted more intrigue, mystery. This is really a book of character sketches disguised as a murder mystery, but the "case histories" are so well written that the lack of surprise revelation can hardly be held against the book. It is really that well written. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I rather enjoyed it. Any suggestions for what I should read next? Let me know.

I just finished...

During a recent meeting in Tucson, I asked my friends and co-workers for a few fiction suggestions. Normally, I read non-fiction or whatever teeny bopper series my sisters suggest ;)
But I don't read a lot of fiction. I try, but I usually give up after 35-40 pages. This is not to say I don't ever read, I read every day, I think I just pick the wrong fiction titles. Sarah, Katy, and now Marshall are all great resources as I have liked pretty much everything they have suggested, so I think I will stick with their recommends for a while. Anyway, Marshall suggested "Then We Came To The End", which was quickly seconded by Sarah. I found a copy at work, started reading, and couldn't put it down. 400 pages, 2 days. If you have ever worked in an office or with a group of people you might not necessarily be friends with out in the real world but spend countless hours with at work, you will probably like this one. Think "The Office" in book form. Some drama, some comedy, and a couple of laugh out loud lines thrown in. Definitely worth your time.