Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me (Howie Mandel)

I had received Howie Mandel's book as a gift so I was excited when I finally had an opportunity to take some time to read it.  I had chosen this book as my "A book that is funny" choice, since I had recently been watching a lot of "America's Got Talent" and realized how funny I think Howie Mandel is. 

I loved this book.  It was the perfect mix of funny, embarrassing, heartwarming, and honest.  Howie speaks truthfully about his ADHD and "germophobia" and helps us to truly understand the challenges that he goes through.  It puts these issues in a whole new light and allows us to begin to understand the complexities of the OCD he faces. 

There were so many funny stories in the book where Howie recounts pranks he pulled on others and encounters he's had with various people.  There were also more serious stories, where he talks about health concerns and other struggles. 

Though the book is a little more dated now, since it discusses Howie's days on the TV show Deal or No Deal, it's still recommended by me since it's equally as funny and true.  I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who likes nonfiction, Howie Mandel, or comedy. 

My 2015 Reading List Update

• A popular author's first book
• A book that was originally written in a different language
• A book written by an author with your same initials - In a Class by Itself (Sandra Brown)
• A memoir - Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Jillian Lauren)
• A funny book - Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me (Howie Mandel)
• A book with a colour in the title
• A book you own but have never read - Six Years (Harlan Coben)
• A book with a one-word title
• A book written by someone under 30
• A book you can finish in a day
• A book with non-human characters
• A book set during Christmas

In a Class by Itself (Sandra Brown)

It's been a while since I've read this book, but I shall do my best!

I read "In a Class by Itself" by Sandra Brown as part of my 2015 Reading List (which I doubt I'll be able to finish at this point!) as my choice for book by an author with the same initials as myself.  I had heard good things about Sandra Brown and she seems to be a very popular author, so I chose one of the many books on the library bookshelf and ended up with this one.

Dani and Logan have a history together, which causes some tension and brings up some old memories when they return for their high school reunion.  When Dani returns, she has some questions to ask Logan and Logan is also looking for some answers about their past.

From what I remember, seeing as I read this book about 6 months ago, it was an easy read and also had a few twists at the end.  I hadn't been able to predict what their past involved or what their current challenges were.

It was a good book, though written in the 1980s, and still contains a nice love story for those who want some romance.  Considering when the novel was written, it contained more details about ther relationship than what I would have expected.  Recommended for someone who likes their romance novels. 

My 2015 Reading List Update

• A popular author's first book
• A book that was originally written in a different language
• A book written by an author with your same initials - In a Class by Itself (Sandra Brown)
• A memoir - Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Jillian Lauren)
• A funny book
• A book with a colour in the title
• A book you own but have never read - Six Years (Harlan Coben)
• A book with a one-word title
• A book written by someone under 30
• A book you can finish in a day
• A book with non-human characters
• A book set during Christmas

Six Years (Harlan Coben)

I always know that I won't be disappointed when I read a Harlan Coben novel.  This one was no exception.

Jake meets Natalie and they fall in love.  All of a sudden, she's marrying another man and informs Jake that he shouldn't try to contact her again and that he needs to move on.  Six years later, when he sees Natalie's husbands obituary, he tries to reach out and offer his condolences.  That's when things start to get a little weird.

Within the first few chapters, you get to know the characters and then all of a sudden you notice that things aren't lining up properly.  As a reader, I felt as much confusion as what Jake felt as he was trying to put together all of the pieces.  Why did Natalie leave him six years ago for another man?  What has happened in her life since then?  Why didn't she want to have anything to do with him anymore?

Without giving anything away (because apparently my new nickname is "Spoiler-Alert-Sarah"), I will say that I loved how many details there were in the book and how they all intertwined and finally make sense near the end of the book.  There were times when I felt confused and scared for the characters.

If you're into the mystery books, you'll be into this one.  I love how Harlan Coben writes books that are full of suspense and mystery, yet don't have all of the gore and terrifying details that some mystery books have.

You should make this book the last one you read during your summer vacation!




I'm a little concerned that I won't have time to finish my 2015 Reading List... But I'm not AS far behind as I look!  I have a couple blogs waiting to be posted!
As some of you know, I will be starting my Master's of Education this fall, so I won't be spending as much time reading novels since I will be spending more time reading textbooks!  I'll try to make these last couple of weeks count - and I'll also be able to finish up some novels during Christmas!

My 2015 Reading List Update

• A popular author's first book
• A book that was originally written in a different language
• A book written by an author with your same initials
• A memoir - Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Jillian Lauren)
• A funny book
• A book with a colour in the title
• A book you own but have never read - Six Years (Harlan Coben)
• A book with a one-word title
• A book written by someone under 30
• A book you can finish in a day
• A book with non-human characters
• A book set during Christmas

We Were Liars (E. Lockart)

"We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart was a very interesting read. 

The writing style was different than other books I would typically read and to be honest, it took me a while to get used to the writing.  Sentences are short.  Or broken up.  Into many parts.  Or divided onto different lines.  I'm not sure of the purpose for writing in this style other than to make us stop and think for a bit or to have us try to put ourselves more in the mind of  the main character and what her thought processes may be like.

In an effort to not give you any spoilers, I don't want to share too much about the book, except the fact that I didn't really understand everything that was going on until the end.  The story finished nicely when all of the pieces fit together and the reader finally understands what has happened.  All of the weird things that happen throughout the book kind of make sense once you figure out the big ending of the story.

I would recommend this book - and despite the length of time it took me to read it, I would say that it's a quick read! 


On another note, I don't think that this book truly fits in anywhere on my 2015 Reading Challenge.  But the next one I read will!

My 2015 Reading List Update

• A popular author's first book
• A book that was originally written in a different language
• A book written by an author with your same initials
• A memoir - Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Jillian Lauren)
• A funny book
• A book with a colour in the title
• A book you own but have never read
• A book with a one-word title
• A book written by someone under 30
• A book you can finish in a day
• A book with non-human characters
• A book set during Christmas

Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Jillian Lauren)

I've finished my first book of 2015 - which also fits into my 2015 Reading List!

I started reading "Some Girls: My Life in a Harem" because it was recommended by my mom. It's the story of a girl who moves from a difficult situation in the United States into a quite different situation in Singapore.  She is promised a large sum of money if she moves across the world to attend parties for Prince Jefri.  The ladies fight over his time and attention during their stays in Brunei.  She's treated fairly well, has caught the prince's eye, and receives quite the perks with this 'employment.'

Although the title and overall idea of the book may discourage some people from picking it up, I enjoyed Jillian's story.  Despite this book sounding like a "deep" content book, it was easy to read and wasn't a depressing tale of a girl's life-gone-bad. It was an interesting read and provided quite a different view than the reality that we see in North America.

I would recommend this book for those who like non-fiction books and for those who enjoy stories about people who live different and interesting lives.  It was definitely a book I would recommend to others! 


My 2015 Reading List Update

• A popular author's first book
• A book that was originally written in a different language
• A book written by an author with your same initials
• A memoir - Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Jillian Lauren)
• A funny book
• A book with a colour in the title
• A book you own but have never read
• A book with a one-word title
• A book written by someone under 30
• A book you can finish in a day
• A book with non-human characters
• A book set during Christmas

My 2015 Reading List

Let's be honest - I failed a little bit in 2014.  I'm a wee embarassed at the lack of reading I have done in the last year... I'm not going to call it a new year's resolution (because those hardly ever work), but I will call it "making sure that I'm taking enough time to relax in 2015." 

A friend of mine posted the PopSugar reading challenge recently, which prompted me to choose some of my favourites from their list and create my own 2015 Reading List.  I'm obviously hoping to read more than 12 books this year (I mean, I did receive some books for Christmas that I definitely want to read but that wouldn't fit into these categories!), however I think this list will give me a good reason to diversify my reading in the new year! 

I've chosen 12 prompts for 2015... And will hopefully complete at least one per month throughout the year!  I haven't yet chosen which books I want to read for each prompt - we could call it procrastinating, but I think it gives me some time to really think about what my options are for these categories.

• A popular author's first book
• A book that was originally written in a different language
• A book written by an author with your same initials
• A memoir
• A funny book
• A book with a colour in the title
• A book you own but have never read
• A book with a one-word title
• A book written by someone under 30
• A book you can finish in a day
• A book with non-human characters
• A book set during Christmas

Feel free to leave a comment with any suggestions for my 12 categories!  

Insurgent and Allegiant (Veronica Roth)

This post is way overdue! I finished the third "Divergent" series book in November and have been slacking on getting something posted about the series.  Possibly my lack of motivation to write about these books is because I'm still digesting the ending and that I don't want to spoil anything for those who are reading the series (or watching the movies) - since I know I've already revealed the biggest spoiler alert to two friends while discussing my surprise at the ending to these books. 

Personally, I enjoyed "Divergent" more than I enjoyed "Insurgent" or "Allegiant," but all followed the same theme and used the same characters, so it was still an enjoyable series! 

The last two books in the series were just as jam-packed with adventure as the first one and still included all of the drama between characters. 

I honestly just don't want to ruin these ones for you!  (I even have a friend who has read 80% of the third book and refuses to read the ending because she just doesn't want to live with the ending.)

If you enjoyed the first book, you will enjoy these two as well! 

Divergent (Veronica Roth)

I've recently noticed that I forgot to post about "Divergent" by Veronica Roth!

Beatrice lives in a world where everyone is divided into one of five "factions," which decide how you live your life.  For example, some people live their lives as selfless individuals, whereas others are seen as honest or brave.  Each child is born into a faction, however when children turn 16, they must decide for themselves which faction they would like to be a part of for the rest of their lives.  This could mean staying with your family and the faction that raised you, or moving to a new faction and hoping that you will fit into a world that you have never previously experienced.

This book follows Beatrice through the decisions she must make when she turns 16, the turmoil and drama that follows her after she makes her decision, and the relationships and friendships that occur in her faction. 

I loved this book.  In typical Young Adult style, I thought the book was the perfect mix of exciting, adventure, suspense, romance, friendship... I could go on. 

It was a fairly easy read and it was one that you won't want to put down.  There is so much going on and you just want to know what happens next.  There are twists and turns throughout the story and you are continuously finding out new things about the characters and the factions.

I rushed through the last 100 pages of this book so that I could go see the movie (which I thought was well done!) and now I'm excited to read the next two books in the trilogy, Allegiant and Insurgent, which are on my summer reading list! 

If you were into books like The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner, then you will likely enjoy these Veronica Roth books as well!

The Rosie Project (Graeme Simsion)

"The Rosie Project" by Graeme Simsion is about Don, a man with Asperger's, who starts "The Wife Project."  The main purpose of "The Wife Project" is to find himself a suitable life partner who meets specific (and I mean very specific) criteria.  Along comes Rosie, a woman who is on the search for the biological father.  Don, being a geneticist, is able to help Rosie with some DNA tests to help determine who her father is.  While helping Rosie, he puts a hold on "The Wife Project," which allows him to step out of his comfort zone and begin to see see the beauty in just letting things happen.

The hectic May and June schedule (OK, let's be honest - the whole September to June teacher schedule) has made it much more difficult to keep up with the extremely long list of books that are waiting to be read, but I must say that I did really enjoy this book. 

I've noticed a trend - that I have been reading lots of books about individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  I must say that this one didn't disappoint.  Like others I have read, this book was written from the point of view of Don, so it portrayed an excellent idea of what may go on inside Don's head and how confusing certain social interactions are for him. 

The other thing I liked about this book was the humour.  You feel so awkward for Don at times, but you can't help but laugh at some of the events that happen in the book.  There are so many different relationships in the book as well characters with such quirky personalities, that there is bound to be someone in this book that you look forward to reading about.

I would highly recommend this novel for a good summer read!

The Choice (Nicholas Sparks)

Wow.  I just thought I would first take a moment to say that YES, I'm still alive.  Since June 2013, I'm sorry to say that unfortunately, reading was not at the top of my priority list. 

I spent last summer working in an office, playing baseball, coaching little kiddy soccer and going for long walks on the Boardwalk.  Since the fall, I have been trying to keep up with the every day planning and marking of a full time contract teaching courses I'd never taught before at a local high school and trying to maintain some kind of a social life. 

During Christmas, I tried to make it through a book (Divergent!), but the busy holiday schedule just wouldn't let me and then came exams, report cards.... *sigh*  Excuses, excuses... 

Long story to say that recently, I was able to take a short break from it all and go to the lovely Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  While I was there, I started a nice beach read - "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks.  Though I wasn't able to finish it on my trip, this morning I took an hour after I woke up way-too-early-for-a-weekend and finished it off. 

"The Choice" is about the stories of Travis and Gabby, and, as you can probably guess just based on who the author is, about love.  Travis is a veterinarian who is living in a small town, who never seems to be too serious about his girlfriends.  Enter Gabby, a new neighbour, who is in a long-term relationship already, but who is often alone when said-boyfriend is travalling for work.  After a weird first few meetings, Travis and Gabby start to hit it off as friends and start to discover that maybe they would consider wanting more from their friendship-relationship-whatever-it-is. 

As it's stated on his website, the book is truly about "How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?"

I loved reading about the early stages of Travis and Gabby's friendship and their chance encounters in the small town.  I found it was very true to what people often go through when first meeting someone and want to discreetly spend more time with that person.  By part two of the book, I wasn't so sure that I wanted to continue reading about their story since the book took quite a turn - don't want to give away any spoilers other than that.  By the end of Part Two, I didn't even know if I wanted to read the Epilogue because I was feeling so much hate towards a decision that was made.  However, I really did feel some good closure by the end of the book. 

I would recommend this book to those who love an occasional Nicholas Sparks book and to those who want to read another love story.  This book was perfect for the beach read I was looking for during my trip!

My "Sorry-For-Not-Reading-More-Quickly" Post

My apologies for dropping the ball on my reading this past month.  It's been absolute craziness with working two jobs, starting summer baseball, beginning to teach Zumba® classes, coaching soccer, the busy summer traveling (which has already begun!), and not to mention the fact that I have been slightly under the weather these past few weeks. 

I found this eCard while browsing Pinterest... Thought this would apply to some of those folks who are reading blogs such as this!

It's now officially the start of summer.  Go outside and enjoy some reading time! :)

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend (Matthew Dicks)

"Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend" by Matthew Dicks is a different kind of book - one that really requires you to wrap your head around it.  When I first saw the book, I was intrigued by the cover.  Then, when I found out that it was an autism-themed book, I knew I wanted to read it.  I don't know why I have the sudden fascination with fiction books about autism - possibly because it's a very talked about topic or maybe because it's seen very frequently in schools.  Regardless, it's a very interesting topic and I love how these fiction books help to raise awareness, inform their readers, and put you in the minds of the individuals. 

 

This book is different from the other fiction books with an autism theme.  Whereas books like Mockingbird or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime are told from the perspective of someone with autism, this book is told from the perspective of the imaginary friend of a child with autism.  Strange, right?

 

Budo is Max's imaginary friend.  Max is different from his classmates.  He needs his routines, he doesn't enjoy the company of others, and the whole school situation makes him uncomfortable.  Budo makes it very clear in his memoir that he likes Max's regular classroom teacher, Mrs. Gosk, but doesn't like Mrs. Patterson, one of the support teachers who helps Max throughout the week.  Budo discusses what goes on in Max's day-to-day life, and then they go on a bit of an adventure together. 

 

I liked the book because it gave a new perspective to a child with autism.  Telling the story from the child's perspective, it's hard to see 'everything' - because that's not how they see things.  A child would miss the obvious social cues or wouldn't understand why certain things are happening.  With this book, Budo is able to give honest opinions - you know, being the loving and loyal imaginary friend that he is. 

 

It took a bit of getting used to in the first few chapters, but it was a very neat concept (regardless of whether or not I was completely 'into' the plot in the second half of the book).  Budo, who is so real to his friend Max, is able to share his story while also sharing Max's story.  It's the story of a child and his imaginary friend as they are both growing up.  (Imaginary friends can also be very smart creatures, if you imagine them to be this way...  Budo happens to be very smart and he is very well aware that as soon as his friend Max stops believing in him, he will no longer be alive as an imaginary friend.)

 

I recommend it.  It was interesting.  It was different.  It kept me entertained.  It was a very neat concept. 

And it continues to spread autism awareness. 

Safe Haven (Nicholas Sparks)

I spent the beginning of my long weekend completely consumed in my most recent read, "Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks.  I'd seen the movie when it came out in theatres, so I was doing this one backwards (with the book before movie or movie before book debate!)  (I'm also a bit late on this post - my apologies!)

Let's start with the book.  It's the story of Katie, a girl who moves to a small town to get away from her past life.  In her old life, she was in an abusive relationship until she finally gathered the strength to leave.  Her husband, also a police officer, is doing everything he can do to find her now that she has disappeared.  In her new life, she meets attractive and friendly Alex, who is a single father to two kids.  They hit it off but she is still reluctant to start anything new because of her past. 

 

Now remember, I'm a sucker for love stories.  I loved the book - it's such a cute love story and the characters are so easy to get attached to.  Going back and forth between Katie's story and her husband's search for her kept the book suspenseful for the readers.  I motored through it, and, like I said, spent my entire sunny Saturday sitting outside with this book. 

 

Now, flash over to the movie.  I saw the movie first in this case and loved it.  Another great Nicholas Sparks book turned movie.  After reading the book, though, I wonder to myself why they had to change some of the things from the book while making the movie.  I know that movies often have to seem more "Hollywood", so they add and change things to make the story more "big screen" friendly and suspenseful.  I did feel like the story in the book would have been equally as good on the big screen.  (But what do I know about film-making, right?!)  All in all, the themes are basically the same and I would have to say that although they are slightly different, I liked both separately and tried not to compare them to each other too much. 

 

If you're the love story type like me, or if you're a fan of Nicholas Sparks, this one won't disappoint.  It's a good summer read and I'm quite happy that my relaxing weekend was spent with this one. 

The Fault in Our Stars (John Green)

The Fault in Our Stars is the story of Hazel, a 16-year-old girl who has cancer and is always hooked up to an oxygen tank.  She thought she was lying on her death bed when she was 14-years-old, but by some miracle, the tumours in her lungs have shrunk.  Her life is anything but ordinary - she doesn't have many friends, she can't do many things alone, and she isn't the happiest of children. While she is still alive, she is by  no means healthy.

Hazel then meets Augustus at a group therapy session - a boy who is of similar age, who is attractive, smart, in remission, and who is interested in her.  Their friendship grows throughout the novel and Hazel starts to experience life and the ups and downs of true friendships.

I thought it was a very well written young adult novel.  I know that it has been a very successful novel, and I will say that it definitely tugged at my heartstrings a bit.  You start to get attached to the characters and you feel like you're on their journey with them.  You root for the relationships between people, and you desperately hope that their lives with turn around and finally have more good news than bad. 

The two teens featured in the book (Hazel and Augustus), are not normal teenagers.  They seem much more mature than what they are and they speak in a much better dialect than you would expect from a teenager.  Maybe a bit unrealistic, but I'll let it slide because it was a cute love story and because I think there were a few good lessons for the young adults and teens who will read this book.

I may have shed a few tears (so be prepared if you take on this one), but it was a fast read and I think it's a good book for teens.  You learn about empathy and about how sometimes, it's ok to not be strong.  There are many quotable quotes throughout the novel, and I really hope that readers will read this and start to appreciate the experiences and situations that they are given in their lives. 

Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn)

I need to be careful what I say about Gone Girl, because I don't want to give anything away!

Nick and Amy are about to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary when Amy suddenly disappears.  We don't know what happened to her - is she missing, was she murdered - but we do know that Nick is the prime suspect in the police investigation.  This book alternates between Amy's past diary entries and Nick's current experiences to lead the reader to the outcome of this scenario. 

This book had me in a reading spell and I loved reading the ups and downs of the investigation and of Nick and Amy's relationship.  There were no lack of twists and turns in this book, and it was another example of an author truly allowing the readers to get into the heads of the characters in the book. 

The only thing that I wasn't too fond of was the ending (*sigh*).  I'm going to pretend that I'm reading it all over again - and this time, I'm going to forget that the last three chapters ever happened and turn the book into a "create-your-own-ending" book. 

So, while this blog post about "Gone Girl" is quite short, I highly recommend this one.  (I kept it short because I assume everyone will want to go out and read it - no spoiler alerts!)  It was a good read, it kept me guessing, and it captured me in the world of some truly twisted characters. 

127 Hours - Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Aron Ralston)

We've all heard about the movie "127 Hours", right?  This guy, Aron, is out alone adventuring when he gets his arm stuck between a boulder and a wall.  He's stuck there, by himself, for 127 hours.

 

This true story, written by Aron Ralston, describes everything that happened before, during, and after this incident.  (Spoiler alert: He survives - after all, he was able to write the book!)

 

I started reading the book, and then, a few chapters in, decided that I wanted to watch the movie.  I thought the movie was very well done, but I also felt like I wanted to know more.  I felt like I was missing information about the whole story.  (And I was really hoping that the book would answer those questions.)

 

This book exceeded my expectations and answered all of the questions that I felt were unanswered after watching the movie.  As far as the book itself is concerned, it included so many details during those 127 hours - how he decided to drink his water to maximize his resources, his thought processes for how he was going to try to get out of his situation, what he recorded on his video camera and photographed for his loved ones back home (when he was thinking that he was going to die), and everything that he saw and felt while he was stuck.  As well, he includes so many details in what his friends and family members were doing back home in their search for Aron and details about his rescue and recovery (both of which were not included in the movie).

 

Throughout the beginning of the book, he also goes back and forth from his present situation (him being stuck) to past adventures he has had with his friends or family.  Now, let this be stated - I think Aron is extremely brave for having done what he did and survived this situation (and for not letting this accident affect his active lifestyle).  However, I just need to point out that many of the past situations described by Aron in the book could have ended similarly, with him stuck in a (different) bad situation.  (He even talks, at one point in the book, about a friend who is no longer on speaking terms with him because Aron was the encourager that got them into a dangerous and life-threatening situation involving an avalanche.)  He's a risk-taker (something which I don't know very much about!), and while this was definitely a chance situation in 127 hours, I hope that he has learned to tone down some of the risks that he takes on while out adventuring. 

 

It was a bit tough to get into during the first couple chapters, but it was worth it.  This is not my typical type of read, but I was impressed with his writing, his memory of details, and his story. 

 

For those who liked the movie, for those who enjoy outside adventure, and for those who enjoy reading true stories, I would highly recommend this one. 

The Awakening (The Vampire Diaries) - L.J. Smith

The Awakening by L.J. Smith is the first novel in "The Vampire Diaries" series.  (I've looked it up, and I'm still not really clear on how many novels there are in the series.)  I know that The Vampire Diaries has been a bit hit on TV lately, so I thought I would give the first book in the series a try. (Also note that I haven't really kept up on the TV show since the end of the first season.)

This novel seems to be the introduction to the concept of "The Vampire Diaries."  Elena is a young girl who seems to be very popular and in demand among her male classmates.  When Stefan moves to town, she chooses him, but for some reason, unlike every other boy in the area, he doesn't show any interest.  Eventually, Elena and Stefan become a couple (once we figure out why he was avoiding her) and things seem to be going well, for the most part... Until weird things start happening around town and Stefan becomes the prime suspect. 

In terms of plot, there wasn't all that much happening in this novel.  I guess because it's part of a longer series, the relationships and characters are being developed to prepare for future novels.  By the end of the book (spoiler alert), Elena basically finds out that Stefan is a vampire and that his brother, Damon, is also lurking around town somewhere.  (For those who have seen even one episode of the TV show, this is no shocker.)  That's all that happens.  It's safe to say that I was a bit disappointed with the plot.  The novel also leaves you without a real ending, so I can only assume that it must blend right into the second novel.

That all being said, my expectations could be a bit skewed.  I've enjoyed what I've seen of the TV show, so maybe I was just expecting a little more from the novel.  The show seems to bring weekly excitement, so I was expecting a little more action in the novel.

It was definitely a young adult book and I think that the content and writing style would appeal to a younger audience.  (As an educator, I think that having books that appeal to a younger audience are important.  And although there are many Young Adult books that I am also interested in, I do know that I'm not the target audience and there will be some, like this one, that don't really appeal to me.) 

My recommendations for this book?  If you're a pre-teen, or a young teen, you will probably enjoy it.  As for everyone else, it's not on the top of recommended reads.

Handle with Care (Jodi Picoult)

I recently finished reading Jodi Picoult's novel "Handle with Care."  This novel was about a young girl, Willow, who was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), a rare genetic bone disorder that results in many bone breaks and fractures.  This disorder affects an individual for their entire lives and there is currently no cure.

Willow, though she is a very smart young girl, will always be small, will always have an unusually high risk of breaking bones, and will always require care or help from someone else.  Since Willow's mother, Charlotte, has been unable to work since Willow was born, her family is having a hard time covering the living costs for Willow, who constantly requires hospitalization, wheelchairs, and accessible vehicles.  After an incident while on vacation, a lawyer brings up the fact that, perhaps, Charlotte's doctor, Piper, should have been able to see early detection signs of OI in the fetus.  This early detection could have led to the termination of the pregnancy before any of these problems or costs became a problem for the family.  The book discusses the ups and downs of what occurs during this lawsuit.
 

When I was reading this book during my lunch break one day, another teacher walked in and asked what I was reading.  When she saw "Jodi Picoult," she said, "Those are always sad ones."  I must say that this book is no exception, since it does deal with such a serious subject.  Willow, though young, is smart enough to know that her mother is involved in a lawsuit where she is continuously saying that she wishes Willow hadn't been born.  I can only imagine how this would affect the home life in the O'Keefe's residence.  Charlotte's marriage is falling apart since her husband can't understand why his wife is putting their children and family through this experience, her friendships are ruined since she's suing her best friend (who also happened to be the doctor), and her other daughter, Amelia is also suffering as part of this torn household.  I always find that these kind of books require you to be in the mood to read something "deep." 

As with many of Jodi Picoult's novels, each chapter was written from the point of view of a different person.  One chapter would be from the point of view of the lawyer, whereas another chapter could be from the point of view of Willow's sister.  I find this helps the reader to get "in the heads" of the various characters in the book.  It's not centered on just the people directly involved in the lawsuit, but also on other people who are affected by it. 

Another thing I liked about this book was how it informs us about OI.  I always find books interesting when they are dealing with a medical condition that I know nothing about (kind of like how I enjoyed Left Neglected by Lisa Genova, and felt like I had learned a lot about Left Neglect while reading the book).  It's a great way to look into the lives of people who are dealing with different health challenges and raise awareness on these issues.  In this case, I had never heard of OI before reading the book, and I feel like I understand more about the challenges that face an individual with OI after having read it. 

I enjoyed reading this Jodi Picoult book.  It dealt with serious, real issues, and though I'm not sure that I would have handled things the same way as the characters in the book, it's fiction.  If you're a fan of Jodi Picoult books, this one won't let you down.

Mockingbird (Kathryn Erskine)

I picked up the book "Mockingbird" by Kathryn Erskine as I was browsing the books at the local library. I was initially in the "E" section looking for the next Janet Evanovich novel in the Stephanie Plum series, but instead fell upon this gem of a book. I judged it initially by the spine of the book, then by the cover (I know, how can you decide based on the spine of a book that you want to read it?!). It was a small book and had an interesting cover. While reading the blurb about the book, I decided that since the story was told from the point of view of a child with Asperger's, it was worth a read. 
 

The story is told by Caitlin, a young, elementary school aged girl (at the junior level, for all my Ontario teacher friends) who has Asperger's. Everything that she is dealing with in her world are things that would be challenging for any child, let alone one who has difficulty understanding emotions and the fine lines between what is right and wrong. Caitlin's family consisted of herself, her father, and her brother, Devon - that is, until Devon was killed in a school shooting. Caitlin doesn't know how to deal with the loss of her brother, her dad is an emotional wreck, and she doesn't have Devon there to help her through it anymore. She decides that she needs to find "Closure" for herself and her father.
 

I really enjoyed reading "Mockingbird." It was a short, easy read, but I found it really gives you a good look into the life of someone with Asperger's. Similar to "the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime," (by Mark Haddon) the language in the book follows the thought processes of the child and really opens your eyes to the situations that some of these individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) deal with on a daily basis. Being an educator, I have learned a lot about ASD since doing my Bachelor of Education, but I find it's books like these that really help you put yourself in the shoes of someone else.
 

I would definitely recommend this book! Read something different and put yourself in someone else's situation. It won't take you long to motor through this book and I guarantee you will look at things a little differently after having read it.

Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)

I just finished "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom. I read it more based on an "I need to grab something really quickly to read right now as I'm rushing out the door" instead of based on a recommendation or high praise. I remember that this book was getting quite a bit of publicity a few years ago, but I didn't read it at the time.

 

"Tuesdays with Morrie" is a true story told by the author, Mitch Albom, about one of his college professors. He became quite close to his professor, Morrie, during school, but then didn't keep in touch after graduating. One night, while flipping channels, he sees a show that features Morrie being interviewed because he has been diagnosed with ALS. Mitch starts to revisit and reignite the relationship between himself and Morrie, knowing that Morrie is in the final chapters of his life.  He visits Morrie every Tuesday to discuss everything from marriage to death to culture.

 

Immediately after finishing the book, I checked out the reliable goodreads for the thoughts of other readers. As with all books (or TV or movies, for that matter...), there are obviously those who are going to love and those who are going to hate. Many individuals thought that the book was very good and shed some good light on important life lessons, whereas others thought it was terrible (though this was mainly because of the readers didn't enjoy his style of writing).

 

What did I think? I agree that there are many good "life lessons" in the book. There were many quotable quotes that I jotted down while reading, and some questions or comments in the book that made me question some of the decisions that I am currently making in my own life or make you think a little deeper about the relationships you have with your friends and family. 

 

"Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, 'Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?'" (Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie)
 

This being the second Mitch Albom book I've read (the first one being "The Time Keeper"), I will say that I enjoyed "Tuesdays with Morrie" better than I enjoyed "The Time Keeper." This book was a little easier to follow and dealt with 'real situations.'

 

If you're looking for a book to help put things into perspective, this may be a good book for you. Who better than someone who knows that they are dying, to tell you what they look back on in their lives and wish they could have done differently? (Morrie did seem like a very well-respected teacher and friend, and you have to look at some of his qualities as you read and hope that you can be a little more like him.) As I said, there are many quotable quotes and many things to make you stop and think about whether you are living your life in the best way that you can.

"There is no such thing as 'too late' in life." (Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie)