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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See

In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s painted a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart. (summary from bn.com)

What a beautiful book! I began this book a year ago but had to return it to the library. When I saw it on sale at the bookstore a few weeks ago I had to buy it so I could finish it. I read it from the start so that I could read it straight through again. The writing in this book is so beautiful; it made me feel as if I were there feeling what the characters were feeling. I don't remember ever feeling in pain because of words in a book like I did while reading about LIly's foot-binding. The story itself was captivating; I cared for all the characters. I'd love to read it again!

288 pages; published: 2006.

2009: 24/60 [040%]; 7834/15000 [052%]; 122/365 [033%]

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, by Nagaru Tanigawa.

Haruhi holds the fate of the universe in her hands . . . lucky for you she doesn't know it! Meet Haruhi - a cute, determined girl, starting high school in a city where nothing exciting happens and absolutely no one understands her. Meet Kyon - the sarcastic guy who sits behind Haruhi in homeroom and the only boy Haruhi has ever opened up to. His fate is now tied to hers. Meet the S.O.S. Brigade - an after-school club organized by Haruhi with a mission to seek out the extraordinary. Oh, and their second mission? Keeping Haruhi happy . . . because even though she doesn't know it, Haruhi has the power to destroy the universe. Seriously. The phenomenon that took Japan by storm - with more than 4.5 million copies sold - is now available in the first-ever English edition.

This book was interesting! It held my attention and had me turning pages to see what would happen next. I also grew to really care about all of the characters. However, the storyline is really out there! I'm not sure I'd read the rest of the novels if they're released in English but I am glad I read this one.

224 pages; published: 2009

2009: 23/60 [038%]; 7546/15000 [050%]; 112/365 [031%]

Everything is Illuminated, by Jonathan Safran Foer

With only a yellowing photograph in hand, a young man -- also named Jonathan Safran Foer -- sets out to find the woman who may or may not have saved his grandfather from the Nazis. Accompanied by an old man haunted by memories of the war; an amorous dog named Sammy Davis, Junior, Junior; and the unforgettable Alex, a young Ukrainian translator who speaks in a sublimely butchered English, Jonathan is led on a quixotic journey over a devastated landscape and into an unexpected past. (summary from bn.combn.com)

This was the first book read for the book club a friend of mine started. This book was not what I expected at all but it was a wonderful read! Filled with humor, darkness and innocence it takes the reader on a ride. After finishing it I closed the book and stared at it wondering, "What did I just read?" It's a book I'll probably pick up again quite soon to read again to try and understand it a bit more; we all decided that was necessary. But definitely recommended!

288 pages; published: 2003.

2009: 22/60 [037%]; 7322/15000 [049%]; 109/365 [030%]

Rumors by Anna Godbersen

True love. False friends. Scandalous gossip. Welcome back to Manhattan, 1899. As rumors fly about the untimely demise of New York's brightest star, Elizabeth Holland, all eyes are on those closest to the dearly departed: her sister, Diana, the family's only hope for redemption; Henry Schoonmaker, the flame Elizabeth never extinguished; Penelope Hayes, poised to claim all that her best friend left behind; even Elizabeth's former maid, Lina Broud, who discovers that while money matters and breeding counts, gossip is the new currency. In this delicious sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Luxe, nothing is more dangerous than a scandal . . . or more precious than a secret. (summary from bn.com)

The second installment in the Luxe series was very addicting, though not quite as good as the first! I was so happy to read about these characters once again! While this book wasn't as good as the first the ending took me by surprise (unlike the first) and it left me wanting to see what will happen next.

432 pages; published: 2008.

2009: 21/60 [035%]; 7034/15000 [047%]; 96/365 [026%]

The Villa, by Nora Roberts

Sophia Giambelli has never had to worry about competition. For three generation, the Giambelli wines have been renowned for their quality- from Napa Valley to Italy, and throughout the world. The pride of the Giambelli family, and a top PR executive, Sophia loves her job- and excels at it. But things are about to change at Villa Giambelli. Tereza, the matriarch, has decreed that a merger will take place with the MacMillan family's winery- and Sophia will be taking a new role. As a savvy business-woman, she knows she has to be prepared for anything...but she isn't prepared for Tyler MacMillian. They've been ordered to work together very closely, to make the merger as smooth as possible. Sophia must teach Ty the finer points of marketing and promotion- and Ty, in turn, shows her how to get down and dirty, to use the sun, rain, and earth to coax the sweetest grapes from the vineyard. But as they toil together, both in and out of the fields, Sophia is torn between a powerful attraction and a professional rivalry. At the end of the season, the course of the company's future- and the legacy of the Villa- may take an entirely new direction. And when acts of sabotage threaten both the family business and the family itself, Sophia's quest will be not only for dominance, but survival.... (summary taken from bn.com)

I was in the mood for something light and wine-related. Remembering this book a friend had me borrow awhile ago I pulled it off the shelf and started reading, not expecting much. I was surprised, though! I got lost in the story which was much more than just a romance and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. I loved the look inside a vineyard and the mystery that surrounded the merger of the two, well-known wineries in the novel. However, I thought the book was a bit on the long side. Towards the end I was just ready for it to be done with.

496 pages; published: 2002.

2009: 20/60 [033%]; 6602/15000 [044%]; 95/365 [026%]

Simmer Down, by Jessica Conant-Park & Susan Conant

Chloe Carter's boyfriend, Josh Driscoll, is prepping for the opening of Simmer, Boston's hottest new restaurant. But at a fund-raiser featuring samples of Josh's cuisine, a trendy club owner is found bludgeoned to death-by Josh's state-of-the-art, professional-grade food processor, the ominously-named Robocoupe. By opening night at Simmer, the list of suspects is almost longer than the line to get in. And Chloe is struggling to solve the crime before the final course is served. (summary taken from bn.com)

The second installment of the Gourmet Girl mystery series is better than the first! I thought the mystery was better (and there was more if this time) and I got to see more of the supporting characters which was a lot of fun. Like before Chloe has a sense of humor which had me laughing however towards the end she started to get on my nerves. I definitely read this series for the supporting characters because they're all so different and wonderful! And while there was more of a mystery this time around I still think there needs to be even more in the books. Still not a series I need to own but I do have the third from the library already. This installment also had some recipes I was actually interested in trying.

304 pages; published: 2008.

2009: 19/60 [032%]; 6106/15000 [041%]; 93/365 [025%]

The Luxe, by Anna Godbersen

It's New York City, 1899. Elizabeth and Diana Holland are at the top of high society. But when their mother drops a bombshell on them they realize their future isn't as secure as they thought. Now they're faced with decisions they have to make and they have to decide who they're going to put first: themselves or their family.

I began reading this book on a plane ride home from vacation and kept reading after I arrived until it was done. It was such a page-turner! The book was predictable and I guessed the ending at the beginning of the novel but I kept reading to see what was going to happen next between the events at the beginning and the events at the end. Definitely a recommended read, especially for those who like the television series "Gossip Girl."

433 pages; published: 2007.

2009: 18/60 [030%]; 5802/15000 [037%]; 82/365 [022%]

Swimming Lessons, by Mary Alice Monroe

Monroe returns to Primrose Cottage in which Toy Sooner now resides. At 23 she's a single mother to the much loved Little Lovie and employee at the South Carolina Aquarium. When she discovers a sick sea turtle in the ocean near her home and brings it ashore she gets permission to bring it to the aquarium and is put in charge of its rehabilitation. After word leaks the aquarium receives phone calls, alerting them to more ill and wounded sea turtles found along the South Carolina coast. In response, the aquarium picks them up but is not equipped to care for them fully. Its decided that a sea turtle hospital will be started in the aquarium and that Toy, once a volunteer at a hospital in Topsail Island, will be in charge. There to help her is her boss, Ethan Legare. Faced with this daunting task Toy faces one of the most challenging summers of her life, with the sea turtles guiding her along.

Where The Beach House introduced the reader to the sea turtles at a distance, Swimming Lessons takes the reader up close and personal with the sea turtles, providing an opportunity to fall even more in love. Every time the turtle's "almond eyes turned to" Toy or Ethan or Cara I fell even more in love with these amazing creatures. Again, Monroe's magical descriptions take the reader from the lowcountry of South Carolina to Costa Rica and North Carolina as turtles are saved and Toy learns a lot about her beloved sea turtles, love, friendship and motherhood.

480 pages; published: 2008.

2009: 81/365 [022%]; 5369/15000 [036%]; 17/60 [028%]

The Beach House, by Mary Alice Monroe

Carette Rutledge thought she'd left her Southern roots and troubled family far behind. But an unusual request from her mother -- coming just as her own life is spinning out of control -- has Cara heading back to the scenic Lowcountry of her childhood summers. Before long, the rhythms of the island open her heart in wonderful ways as she repairs the family beach house, becomes a bona fide "turtle lady" and renews old acquaintances with her mother that she will earn life's most precious lessons -- true love involves sacrifice, family is forever and the mistakes of the past can be forgiven. (from BN.com.)

I first read this book about six years ago as a sophomore in high school and immediately fell in love with the story, the characters, and in like with the sea turtles. I have often thought about this book over the years and decided to take it on a trip to Florida to reread in preparation for reading the recently released follow-up to this novel. During my second read I finally moved from being in like to in love with the turtles. Monroe's descriptions (very realistic, thanks to her years in a Turtle Team in South Carolina) of the magnificent creatures are so magical they have the ability to take your breath away and make you long to be apart of the effort to save them. Another bonus? This book features the first man I fell in love with: Brett Beauchamps.

416 pages; published: 2002.

2009: 80/365 [022%]; 4889/15000 [033%]; 16/60 [027%]

The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink

This is the tale of Michael, just fifteen at the start of the story, who meets an older woman, Hanna, one day while on a walk as he recuperates from an illness. When she sees the teenager sick on the streets she welcomes him into her apartment to take care of him before sending him back home. After that day she's lodged in his memory and he returns to her apartment to see her. They begin a long affair until one day she disappears. When he sees her again he's older, studying law, and sees her as the defendant in a court proceeding, charged with a horrible crime. Michael can't picture Hanna committing the crime she's accused of and believes she must be hiding a secret.

The Reader is a beautiful novel. Lyrical, philosophical and touching, it takes the reader into the mind of Michael as he is drawn to Hanna and through his confusion as he sees her on trial.

218 pages; published: 2008 (current edition)

2009: 75/365 [021%]; 4473/15000 [030%]; 15/60 [025%]

Corpse Pose, by Diana Killian

The first of the Mantra for Murder mystery series finds A.J. returning to her hometown when she receives a phone call that her aunt was murdered. She is shocked to learn that she is a suspect in the murder--and even more shocked to learn the reason why. She was the heiress to a majority of her aunts fortune as well as her aunts home and business (a yoga studio). A.J.'s mother, an actress who formerly portrayed a detective on a TV show, is determined to solve the crime with A.J. at her side. As they're introduced to the workers and students of the yoga studio, as well as the rest of the town, they begin sniffing out to clues in hopes of solving the crime.

The writing of this book seemed awkward to me at times; it was written in third person but read more like first person and that tripped me up at times. The POV also kept me a bit detached from the story; I definitely felt like an outsider looking in rather than feeling like I was in the story. The plot also seemed slow. For what was included in the plot I don't think the story needed to be as long as it was and felt like some things were overplayed (A.J.'s mother's undying love for her ex-husband, for one). That being said it was nice to be able to dip into a book that I could just read for enjoyment. It had me turning pages and I was definitely entertained. I will keep an eye out for the next in the series to be released next month.

276 pages; published: 2008.

2009: 14/60 [023%]; 4255/15000 [028%]; 70/365 [019%]

Handle with Care, by Jodi Picoult

Picoult is the New York Times bestselling author who is known for not being afraid to tackle any subject. In her latest book, Handle with Care, she peeks into the life of Charlotte O'Keefe, a mother raising a daughter with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as Brittle Bone Syndrome. Five-years-old and the size of a two-year-old, her youngest daughter Willow has broken around 60 bones in her life. Constantly fighting with insurance companies and wondering where the money for the medical expenses not covered while still caring for Willow and her older sister has left Charlotte exhausted. When she hears about a lawsuit that could give her the money needed to cover Willow's expenses for the rest of Willow's life she's intrigued and ready to do whatever she needs to do to secure her daughter's future. The catch? She has to sue her OB-GYN and sit up in front of a judge and a jury and say she would have terminated the pregnancy had she known early enough to do so that her daughter would be disabled. The second catch? Her OB-GYN is her best friend.

Over the past couple years I haven't been as impressed with Picoult's novels as I was with her earlier works. But I was not about to stop reading and every March I've been at the bookstore purchasing her new book. This one did not disappoint! Picoult has the ability to make her readers examine each side of an issue presented and that is exactly what she does in this book. I was immediately drawn into Willow's plight and throughout the novel kept alternating between feeling sorry for and disliking Charlotte as well as her husband and her best friend. I have to say that the character I was most interested in is the one who was often over-looked by family and friends, the oldest daughter, Amelia. Picoult's trademark twist of an ending wasn't that big a twist, at least for me. I figured out what would happen right at the beginning of the book. Handle with Care has made me excited for Picoult's books once again and after posting this I am off to her website to see what 2010 has in store for us. In one word this book was unputdownable.

477 pages; published: 2009.

2009: 13/60 [022%]; 3979/15000 [027%]; 68/365 [019%]

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The story upon which the award-winning movie was based about Benjamin Button, a man who ages in reverse.

I enjoyed the story much more than I thought I would. Fitzgerald has a way of making his descriptions shine without using many words. The story itself was quite fascinating and while I didn't find it particularly heartbreaking in the original form I can definitely see how they'd play it up to cause the tears to roll in the movie.

64 pages; published 2007 (this version).

2009: 12/60 [020%]; 3502/15000 [023%]; 59/365 [016%]

Soulmates, by Elizabeth Chandler

In the last of the Kissed by an Angel trilogy, Tristan and Ivy both try to discover who is trying to kill her. Friends become possible adversaries and the two race to learn the truth before it's too late. However, finding out who is after Ivy will mean that Tristan's mission, and therefore his time on earth, is done and he'll have to leave Ivy behind. Are the two ready to separate?

The ending of this book was predictable but it was still a page-turner! Again, the mood of the book was spot-on and the writing was a beautiful. It was a satisfying end to the trilogy. I would have taken a different angel on the angel storyline however Chandler wrote it as she envisioned it and it was fun to take a month to step into her world.

234 pages; published: 2005 (originally).

2009: 11/60 [018%]; 3438/15000 [023%]; 57/365 [016%]

The Power of Love, by Elizabeth Chandler

The second in the Kissed by an Angel trilogy, guardian angel Tristan realizes that his mission is to protect his former girlfriend Ivy from the same fate that befell him. As he tries to reach out to her and make her aware of his existence he watches her grow closer to Gregory, a classmate he doesn't trust.

This was definitely my least favorite of the series. I actually found the book frustrating to read and while the angel part still fascinated me I once again found it a bit hokey. However, once again with this book I loved the mood and there were parts where the writing was quite beautiful. The author wanted the reader to feel a certain way and she definitely achieved that.

220 pages; published: 2005 (originally).

2009: 10/60 [017%]; 3204/15000 [021%] 50/365 [014%]