Matched (re-read)

by Ally Condie

I re-read this book for my book club. I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed this book the first time. Since it had been a while, it took a chapter or so to remember the storyline. Future-earth; regulated society. Someone errs, does that mean the Society (decision-makers) are not perfect after all? Hmmm... Anyway, I liked it. Crossed is the next in the series...can't wait!

***

Jane Austen Ruined My Life

by Beth Pattillo

What a story. Feminine, realistic, humorous, touching, angry, and everything in between. Emma is dealing with a recent divorce, losing her career, and trying to figure out what to do next. She's in London on a treasure hunt of the literary sort. She is a Jane Austen fan...no fanatic, of sorts - both in literature and personally. She blames the "happily every after" of Austen for her own recent demise. This journey of love, friendship, vulnerability, and emotion is a quick and easy read. Fairly light-hearted and mostly feminine. I would recommend it - no language, no "scenes", just caffeine and searching..oh and shopping, too.

***

untouchable

by Scott O'Connor

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I downloaded this book onto my phone (Kindle app). I began reading about this man and his son, "The Kid". The man worked a job where he cleaned up after the authorities where through. The Kid was trying to survive sixth grade in a school where the bullies had father's working at the school. I originally thought..Aliens? Mafia? Also, the mom was dead - at least that's the story the man told The Kid, but The Kid thought it was a coverup of some sort - she was a high school teacher. It was a little troubling at first, but in the end, the story was very touching. This father and son are trying to sort through a variety of feelings in a very human way, without means of verbal communication. Somewhere along the way, The Kid quite talking. I would say this was a "real" story. Could be someone you know. Although I don't think I'll read it again, I would recommend it. There's language (mostly from a sixth grade classmate with the mouth of a sailor), and a few disturbing scenes as far as death, but nothing graphic or explicit - just mature. Interesting and very human.

***

Rebecca

by Daphne DuMaurier

This is a book club selection. I had an extremely hard time getting into it. I found the story to be rather slow moving and the writing very wordy. I thought I could wiz through a book, but in this case, it took me nearly 2 weeks to finish all 380 pages...Once I got into the last third, I was involved enough to want to finish it. I found the end to be rather anticlimactic. I understand there's a sequel, and while I'd like to know how the story ends, I'm not willing to attempt another DeMaurier novel any time soon. So, the story involves two main characters, who, shortly after meeting are married and travel to his home to live. I found "her" to be quite open and easy to understand (as well as paranoid and insecure). "he", on the other hand, was so vague and obscure, he was difficult to follow (and his moodiness rivaled a post-partum mommy). The secondary characters were shallow, but not unimportant. All over, this was not my favorite book. It was well-written, but too wordy for my taste. Also, I read to be entertained and this book was less than captivating.