A Reliable Wife | Robert Goolrick

This book starts out simple enough…a lonely old business man puts out a personal ad looking for a ‘reliable wife.’  His ad was answered by the seemingly innocent Catherine.  The dark twists and depths that the book goes to, however, keeps you reading on!  Any book with this much dark psychology and suspense has my stamp of approval.

That Old Cape Magic | Richard Russo

I’m sure I’d appreciate this book a little bit more about 30 years from now…but nonetheless I thought the story was an entertaining light read.  Finding himself in middle age, the main character questions the choices that he’s made throughout life that has led him to where he is now.  I mentioned that I may appreciate it a bit more in 30 years…but it was also interesting to read at my age because it really made me think about how all of the decisions and choices that Stehvn and I are making now are going to affect our path in life.  It’s so crazy to think about the possibilities of where life can go and more often than not, I don’t even think about how my decisions now are going to affect that.

Look Me In the Eye | John Elder Robison

This memoir paints life growing up with Asperger’s.  I’ve loved the memoirs from his brother, Augusten Burroughs, so I had great expectations of the storytelling to take place in this memoir…and it didn’t disappoint.  John Elder describes the ways he was misunderstood as a child, how his Aspergian ability to truly focus on one task at hand led him to go on the road with KISS, and how he finally understood later in life that his way of processing social situations differed from others.  A truly well-written, entertaining, interesting, and thought provoking account.

The 5 Love Languages | Gary Chapman

It’s not often that I read books like this, but after hearing a little bit about it from my cousin I was intrigued.  So, I sat down to read it…and finished it in a day.  It explores the different ways that people love and how in marriage sometimes partners show their love in different ways…..and those ways can often go overlooked by the other because it isn’t their personal way of showing or feeling loved.  Sounds totally cheesy but it makes a lot of sense!

Girl With a Pearl Earring | Tracy Chevalier

I’ve seen the movie and was mildly impressed…but the book had been recommended to me a while back…and since I know the book is always better I thought I’d give it a shot…and I’m glad I did!

I Am the Messenger | Markus Zusak

I had high expectations for this book because I love Zusak’s other novel, The Book Thief, so much.  Though it would be hard to live up to those expectations, the voice and storyline in this book were well developed and entertaining.  The plotline gave enough suspense to keep the story really moving forward and the character development was great!  The overall message of the book…empowering and bettering yourself by doing small things for others…is conveyed with strength but without being corny and over the top.  Love it!