Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

I actually really loved this book!  A few months ago I finally got around to reading Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand.  I loved it!  So someone else recommended Silver Girl to me. I added it to my paperbackswap.com wish list and the first one I was offered was the audio version, so I ended up listening to this one instead of reading it.

The story is about the wife of a man who lead a ponzi scheme.  Think Bernie Madoff.  In fact I think this had to be somewhat based on that because even in the book the husband is in a federal prison in Butner, NC which is where Bernie ended up.

It was so interesting to see the story from the wife's perspective.  How everyone hated her even though she was hurt in the whole thing too and had no idea what was going on.

There are also some side stories that get pretty good too.  I really enjoyed it!

I give this one 4.5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

I picked up this book in the airport in Las Vegas back in September because I had already finished the other two books I had brought on my trip and wanted something to read for the flight home.  I was intregued because it was about a good girl and a bad boy who are in love with each other but afraid to admit it to themselves and everyone else at first.

The first half of the book was ok.  It kept my attention for a while.  But then it just got to be rediculous.

Abby the main female character: Seriously I do not get why they guys are all in love with her.  There was nothing special about her and she honestly acted like a stupid, bitchy, self-righteous girl thoughout most of the book.

Travis the main male character: He is C-R-A-Z-Y.  Girls, you are stupid if you want a guy to act like this over you.  I know it seems romantic in stories sometimes, but in real life behavior like this means that person has serious, serious issues and you should stear clear.

I imagine their relationship to probably be like what Chris Brown and Rhianna's relationship would be like in my head.  Very passionate yes, but out of control and way too predicatable and drama (that is mostly created in their own heads) filled.

I was so over this book towards the end I contemplated quitting all together, but I ended up just mainly scanning the last 150 pages or so as the story continued on it's perdictable path.  The ending made me want to vomit.  Teenagers...this is not what love should look like at all.  I would not reccomend this book.

2 out of 5 stars  only because it held my attention for the first half and I was at least able to finish it.

Room by Emma Donoghue

I loved Room by Emma Donoghue!  At first it was a little weird.  It is written from the perspective of a little boy.  And I listened to the audio version which is read by a little boy.  His language and the way he talks about things is strange until you piece together what is going on.

Here is a synopsis from Paperbackswap.com:

To Five-Year-Old Jack, Room is the world. It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where Jack is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits. Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven foot space. But Jack's curiosity is building alongside Ma's own desperation - and she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.

There was one point in the story when things got really intense and I sat in my car listening to the story to find out what happened long after I had arrived home.  It was a really good story!  I talked about this book with my mom so much while I was listening to it that she went and got a copy and ended up finishing it before I did!

I give this one 4.5 out of 5 stars

A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

I LOVED this book!  I cried at least 5 times while reading this book.  This book made it to my "Keep Forever" shelf (which only has about a dozen books on it).

This book is the story of one dog.  But he is re-born as a new dog multiple times.  It is all told from his perspective.

First he is the puppy of a mutt.  Then he is the adopted puppy of a family (in particular a boy who he pretty much grows up with).  Then he is kind of an outlaw looking for his way back to the boy...will he find him?  and his purpose?  and how all his lives are connected and gave him what he needed to fulfill his purpose?

It is hilarious, interesting, heartbreaking, and just generally cute (in an amazingly awesome way!).  I read it while I was on vacation in Vegas and it made me miss Cam so much.

If you love a dog, you will probably love this book and wonder what the dog you love would say if he could.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

A friend had recommended this book to me because her book club had read it and loved it.  It is set in 1968 and one night a black man and white woman show up on Martha's doorstep with a baby.  The woman does not speak and the man is deaf. But she can tell they are in trouble.  Martha helps them.  The authorities come and search Martha's house and find the woman but not the baby and the man escapes.  As the woman is being taken away she whispers "Hide Her" to Martha.  The whole book follows Martha and the baby, the deaf man Homan who is determined to make it back to the woman he loves- beautiful girl, and Lynnie (aka beautiful girl) who has been taken back to the "school" they had escaped from.

It is such an interesting story.  Seeing the adventures Homan takes on his journey back to Lynnie.  Seeing how Martha hides the baby and how things progress over the years as she grows up.  And getting to know Lynnie and the stories at the school. And then how it all comes together at the end.

It's a beautiful story.  Because I am a sucker for love and happy endings.

It was a little slow for me in the beginning, but the ending was worth it.

My favorite quote from the book was in the middle and came from a secondary character:

"You think you know what you want until you realize you can have so much more."

Love that!

I give this one 4 out of 5 stars.

Sorority Sisters by Claudia Welch

I bought this book on a whim at Barnes & Noble one night.  Funny story- I spent 3 hours in Barnes & Noble one Saturday night reading a book Social Q's and He's Just Not That Into You because I wanted to read them but not buy them.  You probably aren't supposed to do that- oh well!

I bought this book because I wanted to get one of their beach bags and you had to buy a certain $ amount to get the beach bag for $9.99 and I will take advantage of any excuse to add to my growing "to-read" list.

This book was on a display and it sounded like the perfect beach read.  It was even autographed!  I read that the author is from NC so she must have had a signing at the store recently or something.

I LOVE LOVE LOVED this book!  I laughed.  I cried (multiple times).  I fell in love with all these girls and could identify with all of them at different parts throughout the story.  It had me re-living some of my memories from my college days.  It had me appreciating my girl friends and wondering how all our lives were going to play out over the next few years.

The book follows four main characters over about 30 years of their life.  It follows them through their college days to adulthood.  It had me gasping and telling parts of the stories to my friends.  And seriously I cried multiple times.

I started it last weekend at the beach and left the book at the beach to finish it the next weekend and I was actually sad to leave the characters behind and anxious to know what happened to them.

Put this one on your "to-read" list for sure!

I give it 5 out of 5 stars!

The Vow by Kim & Krickitt Carpenter

I really liked the movie The Vow.  Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams are two of my favorites!  And I love a love story!  So I really wanted to love this book.  But I didn't.

The book is very different from the movie.  And it is written more like a journal of events and their feelings during those events than a story.  It just wasn't well written I felt like.

I do love their story and how their faith in God and their commitment to the marriage got them through in tact.  It wasn't a pretty story, but life never is and their faith through it all really is amazing!

It's a good story and worth reading, but don't expect movie love or a story that sucks you in.

I give this one 3 out of 5 stars.