Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

This story takes place in a South American country when a birthday party is taken over by terrorists wanting access to the president. The president is not in attendance and so the terrorists take the party-goers hostage for weeks.

I found this book very easy to read. The writing is really smooth and some of the characters were developed quite nicely. However, the very end was unexpected and not so satisfying, and actually a little weird.

Ah well. This book would serve well as a fast afternoon read.

The Dinner Diaries by Betsy Block

The full title of this book is The Dinner Diaries: Raising Whole Wheat Kids in a White Bread World. And we certainly do live in a White Bread World. This is the author's journey of finding healthy, local, toxin-free food that her family of picky eaters (her husband and two kids) will actually like. She researches meat, seafood, milk, buying local, school lunches, advertising targeted to kids, and advice from nutritionists. Entertaining and useful at the same time.


I found this book helpful as I alter my own diet to fit my doctor's recommendation (based on results of my last three blood tests) to cut out sugar and starches from my diet. Oh yeah, and to increase fiber. It's quite the challenge to eat well, especially when I love cookies, bread, hot chocolate, and lemonade. So this book was fitting for me as I try to eat better. It also made me glad I don't have any picky eaters to feed...I just have to focus on my own diet right now.

My Top Picks for 2008

In 2008, I read a total of 67 books for fun! And there's still a couple of days left to 2008 and some half-finished books on my bed, so maybe I'll finish a couple more. Or maybe not. I'm working on a video game that Boomer gave me for Christmas too. Heheh.

Here are my three top picks for 2008 by category. (Click on the title to read my review.)

Book that touched my heart the most- Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Book that inspired me spiritually- Sleeping with Bread: Holding What Gives You Life

Most enthralling reading experience- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Happy new year! I hope that 2009 brings much joy, growth, and good books to read!

P.S. If you wouldn't mind sharing, I'd like to hear which books were your favorites in 2008.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I was wondering what all of the hype was about regarding the Twilight series so I picked the first one up at the library.

Actually, I had to place a Hold on it and wait several weeks until it was available.

Now it seems fitting to make a plug for the local library. You can really find any book you want there even if it means waiting a bit or ordering it through the LINK+ system which connects lots of local and academic libraries in California. So get a library card or dig it out from your wallet and visit your library. It's really amazing. Plus, on winter days, it's warm inside and on hot days, it's cold!


Okay, back to the review. Once I had received an email saying this book was ready for pick-up, I checked it out and read it in two days. It's about Bella who moves to rainy Forks, Washington from sunny Phoenix, Arizona and falls in love with a vampire! And then we hear all about this family of vampires. Interesting, but also pretty two-dimensional and straightforward.

I can see what the hype is about...this one was definitely a page-turner. I've even placed Holds on the remaining three books in the series and am looking forward to reading them. But besides being a page-turner, there's not much else to say. Enjoyable, but it did not offer anything that complicated or deep, nor did it fascinate me in the same way that Harry Potter and the wizarding world of Hogwarts does.

What Now? by Ann Patchett

"...What now is always going to be a work in progress." --Ann Patchett

This is the commencement speech that the author, Ann Patchett, gave to a graduating class at Sarah Lawrence College. She discusses the question "What now?" which is a question that will continually resurface in our lives. She traces her own career path of working as a cook, going to graduate school, waitressing, and finally becoming a writer. A short, sweet book that is a bit different from the typical, super-inspirational carpe diem commencement speeches. Pick this up at the library if you can, it's worth the 30 minutes or so that it takes to read it.

I didn't read anything last week.

Well, that's not entirely true. I did read some of my Bible and my Advent devotional. But I didn't read anything besides those two because I was on a five-day Silent Retreat. I invite you to read about my Silent Retreat experience on my other blog, The Rest of the Story.

Click here to visit my other blog.

Lottery by Patricia Wood

Perry L. Crandall is slow, not retarded. In this book we see what his life is like and how his family wants nothing to do with him (excluding his grandma who raises him) until he wins $12 million in the Washington lottery. Then, his relatives are suddenly very interested in getting to know Perry and being involved with his life and finances.

This book is delightful, minus a couple of crude scenes. Perry learns the true meaning of family, love, and what it means to be rich.