The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

My rating:  2.0

I loved the Maze Runner but was very disappointed my this sequel.  With the Maze Runner there was a plot and a puzzle of trying figure things out with the Maze.  With this book, it just dragged on and on.  I don't think I will be reading the third book in the series.

The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

My Rating: 4.45 

The descendants are The King family and are of Hawaiian royalty and one of the state’s largest landowners. Matthew King and his wife and daughters—Scottie, a feisty ten-year-old, and Alex, a seventeen-year-old recovering drug addict—are out of control. This is a touching story of family and connections. This journey leads to unforeseen humor, growth, and profound revelations and is one worth taking.  A very enjoyable read and one of the many reasons I am grateful for my bookclub.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

My rating:  4.8

Thomas wakes up in an elevator with no memory and is welcomed to "The Glade" by a group of boys. Every morning the stone walls surround The Glade open to the Maze which, overnight has changed it's pattern

I wasn't surprised to discover that this is going to be made in to a movie.  I am so glad that I am late to the party  so I don't have to wait to start reading the next book in this series.  This is  written, wonderful characters and fabulously imaginative and suspenseful story.  Highly recommend!

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

My rating:  1.0

While this was an extremely clever premise of a societal hierarchy based on the colors that people can see , it just didn't grab me.

Mortality by Christopher Hitchens

My rating: 3.5

This is the 18 month story, from diagnosis to death, of Christopher Hitchens' battle with esophageal cancer.  His career and his personality were so incredibly powerful.  Like others, I am wowed and still absorbing this book.  Raw, honest, open and most amazing of all, objective.  How he talks about the "victimhood" that he would blame others who would say things that were true but felt he had the ownership on it.  So real.

I wish I could have known him.

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

My Rating:  3.4

Three separate crimes are brought together 30 years later by PI Jackson Brodie.

This is my first Kate Atkinson book - and I loved her writing style but really wish that some of the characters could have been more likable....or even likable. The only likable characters were the ones who were dead or minor players (I did like Theo).  That being said, Atkinson does a wonderful job of telling her story through skipping around in between each of the three crimes (sometimes a fourth was thrown in) and also skipping around chronologically and, it all unfolds beautifully.  I will be reading more by her and just hope she throws in a more appealing character here or there.

Last Night At The Lobster by Stuart O'Nan

Rating:  3.8
This is about the last night of a Red Lobster in Connecticut or, more accurately, about the Staff.  A snowstorm hits on this last night as Manny, the manager, is figuring out how to make things go as smoothly as possible.  If you have ever worked in a restaurant, or wondered how things work behind the scenes, this book nails it.  O'Nan is pitch perfect in capturing the whole scene of the food industry and it's crew.

Firebird by Mark Doty

My rating:  2.8

This memoir is poetically written.  He captures the dysfunction, the isolation and the struggles.  That being said, the book felt disjointed and choppy to me.

The Expats by Chris Pavone

My rating:  4.6

Kate is a soon to be ex-CIA agent who is giving it all up to move with her husband Dexter and their two boys to Luxembourg.  As Kate is struggling with her new roles as a SAHM/Ex-Pat, she meets another couple who raise her suspicions that they are not who they seem to be.

The more I got in to this story, the higher my rating went,  I thought the ending was amazing and the Pavone walked us through everything so well.  I LOVE this author and will be checking out more by him in the future.  This is a great entertaining spy thriller that had me on the edge of my seat.

Unwind by Neil Shusterman

My rating: 5.0 

Absolutely brilliant! This is the kind of book that makes you want to recommend it to everyone....including complete strangers.    In this dystopian novel,between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, is a ward of the state without enough to warrant being kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. This is about their intertwined fates.

Shusterman is a master at having the story unfold, wrap around you and pull you in.  So many controversial issues that impact you and yet, the story feels light and you can't wait to turn the next page.  I am so glad that I am late to the game in discovering him as I won't have to wait for the sequel. The only question I have is, why is this book only getting 5 stars?  I want to give it 10!

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

My rating:  4.8

Picture Harry Potter with Greek mythology. Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. This book was a fun easy read and Percy is a likable character.  Perfect book for young teens.

Beautiful Joe by Marshall Saunders

My rating:  2.6


I read this book as a child and, unfortunately, I picked it to read again with my niece.  I forgot how long winded the author is and this was a struggle for both of us to finish.  In fact, were it not for her having to do a book report on it, I don't think I would have completed it.

The violence is very brutal and graphic and the rest of the book is very sugary sweet and long winded.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamed

My rating: 4.8

A young Pakistani, Changez, has Western yearnings, is educated at Princeton, employed by a top american valuation firm and falls in love with an American girl when 9/11 occurs.

This was a STRONG 4.8 for me.  Yes, parts of it made me uncomfortable but I enjoy a book that makes me think of other people's perspective, even if I don't agree with them.  I loved the author's approach of having the narrator tell the whole story and really enjoyed the voice of the narrator.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

My rating  4.2

This is about 16 yo Hazel with Stage IV thyroid cancer and hottie Augustus, who is in remission.  As others have said, some of this felt emotionally manipulative but, it was still an enjoyable read.

I really l wish that John Green would learn how to write age appropriate characters instead of 17 yo's that talk like they are 50.  That was really hard to get past.  I was glad that Hazel wasn't Alaska and, despite being horridly pretentious, both Hazel and Gus were endearing characters and, as always, Green's writing is beautiful.

The Paleo Diet for Athletes by Loren Cordain

My Rating: 5

The 5 stars is for rating of a diet book - which is completely different than rating a fiction book.  This was a well written book that gave me the information that I needed to understand how the Paleo Diet came about, why people believe it works and what you should eat and avoid.  It also has a lot of recipes at the back which, although I won't use, gave me ideas.  I really liked the generic ideas it gives you of how to order at various restaurants to stay on this diet.

My favorite part is that this isn't really a 'diet'.  Yes, you avoid sugars, wheat, dairy and primarily eat vegetables, fruit, fish and meats but, since you can have all you want, you are never hungry.  I also like that this isn't fanatical or extreme and you can even take days off.  Best of all I feel so much healthier following this.