The Rock Orchard

We just finished reading and discussing The Rock Orchard by Paula Wall for my book group, The Book Bags.

This book was an easy read and I found myself reading it with a smile on my face. The characters in the book were such quirky people that you just had to love them. And because they were kinda strange, everything they did and said made me smile and sometimes laugh.

This author has another book out, The Wilde Women which sounds like it will be just as entertaining and will be going on my list of books to read.

http://www.paulawall.com/

The Reader

We are currently reading The Reader by Bernhard Schlink for my Women of Words book group.

From Amazon -- "The Reader is a brief tale about sex, love, reading, and shame in postwar Germany. Michael Berg is 15 when he begins a long, obsessive affair with Hanna, an enigmatic older woman. He never learns very much about her, and when she disappears one day, he expects never to see her again. But, to his horror, he does. Hanna is a defendant in a trial related to Germany's Nazi past, and it soon becomes clear that she is guilty of an unspeakable crime. As Michael follows the trial, he struggles with an overwhelming question: What should his generation do with its knowledge of the Holocaust? "We should not believe we can comprehend the incomprehensible, we may not compare the incomparable.... Should we only fall silent in revulsion, shame, and guilt? To what purpose?"

I have to admit that I have already seen the movie. (Yikes! Before I read the book? Really?) I really liked the movie and so far, I am liking the book too. It is hard to not have the movie playing in my head while I am reading, but that is not necessarily a bad thing, is it?

Her Fearful Symmetry

I just finished reading Audrey Niffenegger's new book, Her Fearful Symmetry. Remember? She wrote The Time Travelers Wife. I absolutely loved, loved, loved that book and was really looking forward to reading this one.

I was ecstatic when I found out that I WON a copy of the book because I was a fan on Facebook. I never win anything and to win Niffenberger's new book!!! Wow!! I savored reading the book and held off reading it in order to get things finished for Christmas cause I just knew when I started it that I would not want to do anything else.

Well, the book did grab me from the first chapter and I really, really liked the book. But I do have to say that I found it a very strange read. Niffenberger must have a very peculiar mind to write such odd books. But I do like them.

Another one of my all time favorite authors is Stephen King. Hmmmm, so what do you think that says about me??

http://audreyniffenegger.com/

Happy New Year!

Well, here we are into to 2010 already! One of my resolutions is going to be blogging more about the books that I am reading this year.

I am currently reading The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. I absolutely loved The Lovely Bones by this same author. This one seems more disturbing to me. I almost put it down very early in my reading and I did not want to continue reading it to the end. But I kept on, thinking it should get better. I suppose I could say that is is getting better but as I am reading it, I keep thinking about the 'next' book I am going to read and am just waiting to finish this one.

That is really not a good sign, is it? Oh well, I am almost done with it and then I can move on.