The Children Act by Ian McEwan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ian McEwan's writing is measured, magical, and insightful. He has the ability to touch some truly tender human places while strolling by with his narrative, moving on to where the story will inevitably go. Judge Fiona Maye is a wonderful character, the driven female baby boomer who seems to engage in life from the distance of her work, always calculating the degree of her engagement, escaping her life by measuring and judging the dramas of others, until finally, drama erupts in her own living room in the form of a husband who longs for lost passion. And then there's the young character from her courtroom who wavers across the border between his world and hers, and entangles her in his own troubled reality. I was fascinated every step of the way, following the track of Fiona's thoughts and actions through her work and her personal life and the inevitable consequences that develop.
McEwan evokes a rich narrative atmosphere with an economy of prose that is amazing. The novel felt expansive though it was very short and the characters were richly three dimensional. The climax of this book takes place during a piano concert, where as the music is building, the drama of the story is also building. This was truly one of the most beautiful literary devices I have ever witnessed.
The audio version is superbly narrated by British actress, Lindsay Duncan.

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The Walk by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Typical Richard Paul Evans ... not great literature, but always feel-good fiction with believable characters, setting, and a moral or three worth pondering. I will likely read the sequel(s).


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What Would a Holy Woman Do? by Wendy Watson Nelson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Our RS group bought a few copies of this and gave to members to read, write comments on pages following each chapter, and then pass on to another in our branch to read and pass on, etc. We are having a branch RS overnight retreat next month and one of the planned activities will be a discussion of the book, sharing our experiences with each other. what a great idea. It is a short book with the suggestion of reading one chapter per day (10-15 minutes,tops) and then applying the principle gleaned to own life for 24 hours. I will likely give this little book as gifts to daughters and friends.

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The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an intricately woven and incredibly interesting story about betrayal, trust, forgiveness, and perspective. It is about the secrets we keep and the lies we tell ourselves all in relation to our perspective. The lives and perspectives of 3 women are skillfully woven together as they are forced to examine their core values and live with the consequences of same. The characters are consistent, real, and all of them are interesting. The issues are relevant.

It is a fast paced mystery with memorable Australian characters, witty humor and dialogue. If you are looking for a book that will keep you up at night wanting to know what happens then this is it. The metaphorical writing is superb, but the language is harsh which, if you follow my reviews, you know I feel is never necessary in truly good literature, and the palliative conclusion is not morally uplifting, thus it lost a star in my rating.

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Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Bleh....with unnecessary overuse of the "f-word".

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Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This must-read will anger some, sadden all, and hopefully cause its readers to live outside of themselves. It is a lopsided love story majorly conflicted, especially so depending upon one’s spiritual and religious beliefs. But to explain why reveals more than I want to share about its plot or ending. So let me just say the story of Lou Clark, a 26-year-old working class girl who becomes the care assistant to Will Traynor, a victim of quadriplegia in the wake of a motorbike accident, is deserving of the high ratings it has received. Moyes paints life as a quadriplegic with such poignancy, your heart feels as though it will be crushed by the weight of the burden this once vibrant, still handsome man must endure. It is a book about respect, life, living, and changing course when all you find yourself doing is running around in circles or living with stupid or no goal in mind.

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We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

ew.....An unreliable narrator with amnesia drags out a tale of her sterotypical self to its strange and tragic end. This would have made a brilliant short story but as a novel it just didn't get there for me.

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My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This love story to reading will prompt you to read more, both of this silver tongued tale spinner and of others. Conroy chronicles his lifelong love affair with the English language: as a student, reader, teacher, and writer. Books are the vessel on which Conroy first escaped a troubled childhood and abusive father, the bullying of officers as a cadet at the Citadel from which he graduated, and at a young age became a national-bestselling author.

He recounts how throughout his life he’s found meaning in words: through his mother's self-education and passion for "Gone With the Wind,” the loving mentorship of Gene Norris, his 9th grade English teacher, the absurdity of Eileen Hunter, the irascible librarian at his Beaufort, South Carolina high school, the rhapsodic detail of author Thomas Wolfe’s, the exactness and purply prose of US Congress Poet Laureate and novelist James Dickey, and so much more.

As you read this book, inspired in Conroy's own journey is perhaps a parallel and more powerful narrative: that of the way in which words have had a similar purport in your own life.

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Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally, here is current YA fiction I actually would feel comfortable recommending to YAs. It is a witty, cute, clean, well-done realistic teen romance, more likely enjoyed by girls than guys. I read it a while back so it is not fresh I my mind but I remember having an enjoyably fun time listening to the audio book.

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The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a sometimes uncomfortable yet compelling tale of abolition of slavery and the search for freedom. It is a very well written book based upon the lives of a real women.. Sue Monk Kidd is an excellent author and has done much research resulting in a historically accurate and detailed portrayal of Charleston, S.C., with its iconic characters of the 1800's.

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The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is hard to believe this beautifully told poignant story is a debut novel. It hooked me at the beginning, tore at my heartstrings, and I didn't want it to end. The author's own experiences as a foster mother and teacher shine throughout.
It was a great selection for me and would make for excellent review and book club discussion.

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The Martian by Andy Weir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars...If I were a guy I'd likely give it 5+ but the technical jargon was far beyond my comprehension. Still I enjoyed the story, loved the humor...laughed out loud several times...and even learned a few things. Mark Watney's irreverent cheekiness, unfailing optimism, and determination to survive the unsurvivable earns him my vote as the man I'd most like by my side when the world comes to a halting and apocalyptic end. Plus the man know his stuff, and I'd trust him with my life a hundred times over. Favorite quote:
“Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped.”

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The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Faced paced mystery with memorable Australian characters, witty humor and dialogue. The lives and perspectives of 3 women are skillfully woven together as they are forced to examine their core values and live with the consequences of same. Great use of metaphor......if you have already or intend to read this clever beautifully written novel, think Tupperware, Berlin Wall and Pandora's box. This would stimulate great discussions for book clubs.

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The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Teen love story, family loss, emotional recovery story with both humorous and poignant scenes. Interesting and real characters with good dialogue made this an enjoyable fun read, BUT why is it considered "good" YA fiction when it encourages impulsive behavior, e.g. getting drunk with a bunch of people you don't know and sneaking out late at night? The epilogue is too perfect. A happy and meaningful life is not the result of the "live a little...you should be out partying" philosophy.

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