(Personally rated on a scale up to five stars, *****, five stars being the best)

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. ** This novel, my book club’s November selection, was rather boring and predictable. I don’t know what compelled me more to finish the 545-page mystery — the mild curiosity of why a four-year-old girl was left on a cruise ship all alone in 1913 or the nagging hope that maybe, just maybe, if I continued on there would be a big, exciting twist at the end. Eh. (Read Nov.-Dec. 2012)

11/22/63 by Stephen King. *** My first Stephen King book and I was thoroughly entertained. This story explores the intriguing concept of “what if…” The protagonist, a high school English teacher, is shown by a friend a portal to the past. The English teacher is implored to travel back in time and intercede in the shooting of JFK with the hopes that it would positively alter the course of future events in the United States ie…the Vietnam War. King masterfully weaves in modern day commentary (like Dancing with the Stars comments). He also personifies “the past” like a singular being with its own embodiment that harbors a daunting dark side. I enjoyed the immense amount of research King compiled to write this tale. At the back of the bound book, King talks about his writing process and his inner thoughts about tackling the subject matter that at one time paralyzed our country. (Read Dec. 2012) 

The Pearl by John Steinbeck. *** Madeline’s required reading for Literature and my first Steinbeck novella. A great read if you are looking to exercise your literary side — lots of symbolism and foreshadowing. (Read Oct. 2012)

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. *** My September book club’s selection. I really enjoyed this book and I can happliy boast I was the only one in the group to finish it. This piece of nonfiction pieces together William E. Dodd’s first year as America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany. The book unfolds the story of Dodd and his family’s time in Germany through a collection of journals, letters and official correspondences. This book reads like “Frontline,” but I really like “Frontline” and enjoyed this book and its insight into this moment in history. I recommend it. (Read Sept. 2012.)

The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht. ** My August book club’s selection. This book I’ve seen on many book club lists, so I had high expectations. Unfortunately, the book fell well flat of those expecations. I struggled to get to page 100 and went around town begging anyone I knew if they’d read the book and if it would get any better. No one had. Anyway, I slogged through it. I won’t spoil it, but here’s my two cents. The author is a good writer, but she’s like 12 years old if you judge the picture on the back cover. The text is weighed down by too much description. There are too many tangential characters with more really lengthy descriptions. What I found interesting were the stories of the tiger and the deathless man. (Read Aug. 2012.)

wild by Cheryl Strayed. ***** BEST. BOOK. I. EVER. READ. This inspiring memoir can change the trajectory of your life. (Read Aug. 2012.)