The Red Queen (Philippa Gregory)

You know I love the British monarchy and historical fiction, so I knew I would like this book. The Red Queen is the story of Margaret Beaufort, a lady of the House of Lancaster, during the War of the Roses. She spends her life fighting to secure the throne for her son - the future King Henry VII. The White Queen is Margaret's primary adversary as the two royal houses of England battle it out.

Not a book that everyone would love (I recommend the Tudor books first), but I still enjoyed it!

Read: February/March 2011

Bonus: got this from the library!

The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)

We read this for Book Club in February and I really enjoyed it. I listened to it in the car (is that cheating?) on a drive to visit Sara in Houston. The Red Tent tells the biblical story of Jacob's four wives - Leah, Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah - and his daughter Dinah. In the Bible, you read about the rape of Dinah and how Jacob took revenge by requiring the Canaanite tribe to be circumcised and then slaughtering them all in their sleep. This fictional interpretation re-creates the life of Dinah and describes the events from her point of view. This was the second time for me to read this book and I really enjoyed imaging the story behind the short biblical account. It also inspired me to study Genesis again to compare. Highly recommend!

Read: February/March 2011

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

I finally finished the last book in this trilogy! I started reading it in October and never really got into it. But I can't leave books unfinished! And I generally have to read every book in a series once I start, so this one has been hanging over my head. I finally picked it back up last weekend and knocked it out. I'm glad I did because it was a satisfying ending to the series. It had thrills and mystery, but I liked the way it ended. My only complaint with the series is all of the names and the many many many confusing characters. It is hard to keep track!

Now the question is whether to watch the movies? And if I do, should I watch the Swedish ones or wait for the American versions?

Read: October 2010 and February 2011

Happy Ever After (Nora Roberts)

This is the fourth book in the Bride Quartet series by Nora Roberts and it was as cheesy and good as the others. In this one, Parker Brown falls in love with the car mechanic, who turns out to be perfect for her. Everyone finds their guy and will live happily ever after. Sappy, predictable chick lit at its best.

Read: February 2011

Mini Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)

Oh, I just love Becky Brandon nee Bloomwood. I know she's ditzy. I know she does dumb things. But I just love her. I love her antics and schemes and crazy solutions. Although I was annoyed with her out-of-control daughter, I really loved this sixth installment in the Shopaholic series. It was a fun read as Becky plans an over the top surprise party for Luke. It was classic Becky.

I hope there will be another Shopaholic book someday!

Read: January 2010

Heart of the Matter (Emily Giffin)

Its hard to say exactly how I feel about this book. Its about infidelity from the perspective of the wife and the other woman. The chapters alternate between the two women so that you see both sides. Guilt, insecurity, worry, suspicion. Lots of emotions in this one! I wanted to know what happened - whether the wife found out, how she handled it, what the other woman did, etc. And it was very quick to read. But at the same time, reading about infidelity is hard because I just don't want to think about it. So read at your own risk! Emily Giffin's first two books were her best (Something Borrowed and Something Blue). I haven't loved any of the others. Not sure I'll try again.

Read: December 2010

The Art of Racing in the Rain (Garth Stein)

So many people have talked about this book that I had to read it. Even though I always know that when a dog is the main character, the end is going to be sad. This one was true to form. Like Marley and Me, this is worth reading as long as you can prepare yourself for the end!

Enzo is the narrator, telling the story of his owner Denny. Denny meets and marries Eve, has a daughter named Zoe and keeps risking it all to become a professional race car driver. Enzo sticks by his side through the highs and the lowest of the lows. Seeing things from a dog's perspective kept the book entertaining. And the overall message will stick with me: That which we manifest is before us. To me, that means focus on your dreams and you will attain them. A good motto.

Read: November/December 2010