1,000 Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hoesseini

If you haven't read The Kite Runner, well you need to read that too, but of the two books, this one is my favorite. The story takes place in Afghanistan before Taliban rule in 1996 and ends with full Taliban rule. It is the story of Mariam who is the bastard child of her wealthy father and his housekeeper. She lives in a shack with her mother and "lives for Thursdays" when her father comes to see her. When the situation changes for Mariam she thinks her father will take her in. Instead he marries her off, she is 14, to a much older man who takes her away. When she becomes a mother her focus changes. She has someone else to live for and take care of. I am leaving out a lot of important facts, but I want you to have the audible gasp in shock that I did time after time. This is a book that is not only amazing, it educates. I felt I could be a part of the dialogue of the Iraqi/Afghan situation. Total must read.

The Devil You Know, by Louise Bagshawe

This is one of my favorite chick-lit books. It is a page-turner until the very end. I was a very bad mother one morning; I put the t.v. on for the kids and read all morning til I was done. There is so much going on in this book it is a little hard to condense here, but in a very small nutshell, it is the story of triplet sisters who are separated at birth. It switches between each of the sister's stories as they navigate through single hood, work, and love. There is an over-arching story, that of bringing the sisters back together and righting the wrong of their separation. I am sure there is an element of cheese to the characters in this book, but to be honest, I just didn't feel it. I enjoyed it too much. GREAT beach or pool read.

The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian

This is an amazing book. The book jacket synopsis is a tad confusing which is why it took me a while to actually read it, but trust me, go for it. It is the story of a girl who is attacked on her bicycle by two men. She works in a homeless shelter and when a man dies, she finds a collection of photographs in his possession. One of which is of her the day she was attacked. She begins a search to find out how these two events are connected.

I can tell you this because I knew this reading it too. There is a MAJOR twist at the end of the story. I could not figure it out either. You will love the ending. When you finish it, you will want a friend to read it so you can discuss it. Great choice for book clubs.

The Queen's Fool by Phillipa Gregory

This is a historical novel following both the lives of Princess Elizabeth and Queen Mary. It begins in England, 1553. King Henry VIII is dead and now begins the story of young Hannah Green, a Jew. She is gifted with visions and is used by Lord Robert Dudley to spend time with the two royal women and report back to him. It is a fascinating tale of the struggle of Queen Mary to return England back to a Catholic nation. This is where the term "Bloody Mary" comes in. Protestantism becomes illegal and the nation is caught in a religious war between the two daughters of the King.

A fascinating read, this book is a page-turner til the very end. If you have never read a historical fiction novel before, trust me, this is the place to start.

Mermaids in the Basement by Michael Lee West

This is a wonderful beachy read. Very much in the vein of The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. It is the story Renata DeChavannes, who has a lot going on: a tabloid ran a story about her film director boyfriend's possible on-set fling with an actress; her mother and step-father died in a plane crash five months ago; her father is about to marry his fourth wife; and she's just found a letter written by her mother instructing her to seek out her mother's past. So Renata heads to her Gulf Coast Alabama hometown, where her very rich grandmother Honora DeChavannes; former nanny Gladys Boudreax; and Honora's longtime friend and former actress, Isabella D'Agostina McGeehee, live. It is played out in flashbacks, with grand parties, dashing men, and lots of heartbreak. Very well written and a joy to the end.

Escape by Carolyn Jessop

This is a book I could not put down. I think I read it in about 3 days at the beach last summer. It is a memoir of Carolyn Jessop's life in the polygamist sect now currently known as the Yearning for Zion Ranch. She is married off to Merril Jessop at the age of 18 and ends up being one of his 7 wives. After years of oppression, abuse, and fear for her children, she escapes with her 8 (I think) children into a world she knows nothing about. Read it when you don't have much to do because the house will fall down around your ears while you sit and read and read and read.

A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers

I saved the best for last. Let me just say that I usually do not like Christian fiction. I find much of it cheesy and poorly written. That however is not the case with Francine Rivers. Her books are amazing and this one takes the cake. It is the first in a series of three called The Mark of the Lion series. A note, make sure you have book two before you finish book one. You will know what I mean when you get there.

This is the story of Haddassah a Messianic Jew about 50 years after the Crucifixion of Christ. It takes place in both Rome and Ephesus. Rivers deals quite frankly with the culture of the time. And I can certainly say, it is true, there is nothing new under the sun. These books are my all time favorite books. Every time I recommend them to someone I get sad that I have already read them and can't experience the newness and joy of them again.

We that's it friends. At least for now. Keep checking back and I will have new recommendations for you. From one reader to another....

Happy Reading

A Summer Reading List

My friends and family are always asking me to create a summer reading list for them. So this year I decided to do one for everyone. I am a self-proclaimed BOOK JUNKIE. I read on average about 7 books a month. So below are books that I hope you will enjoy. You may not love all of the them, but I am sure that you will like a great deal of them. As I do not buy books, all the books listed will be in your library for FREE!

Happy Reading,
Alison