TAGGED

Is it possible to be tagged when you don't even have a blog yet? Well I was and this has been hanging over my head since June...Thanks JL!

Tag: Out of the Best Books

List 10 books you've read recently that you'd recommend to others. (One stipulation--you CAN'T list any of the Twilight series books.)

So I will list some of the books I've read in the last few months---these are not necessarily my favorite books. You can look at my goodreads.com account for those.

{In no particular order}

WHY GENDER MATTERS by Leonard Sax. This was recommended to me by my mother and sister and I have only just started this book. It is all about the differences between boys and girls and practical ways to understand them better. It is fascinating so far.

THE FRIDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLUB by Kate Jacobs. Quick Read. This is a story about women who are so different from each other who form friendships after meeting at a knitting store. After turning the last page I wasn't sure how I felt about it, but I've found myself thinking about these women many times since finishing the book.

A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini. This was the assigned book for my book club last month and I put off reading it for as long as I could. While I enjoy reading, my favorite genres are fantasy and historical fiction. I read to escape. I read for entertainment. I read for fun. To say I didn't like it would be correct, however to say that I felt inspired and determined to appreciate my own life after reading it would also be correct. I think this is one of those books that every American woman should read. It's bittersweet.

THE GOOSE GIRL SERIES (Enna Burning & River Secrets) by Shannon Hale. So far I have adored all of her books! Her writing style is descriptive and beautiful. Each book is fresh with new ideas and analogies. I never fell like she's repeating herself like many other authors (Sophie Kinsella). I look forward to Shannon's book like a piece of good cheesecake. The anticipation is wonderful. I wait until I am by myself so I can enjoy it uniterrupted. And then I relish it slowly bite by bite.

THE MOLLY MURPHY MYSTERIES by Rhys Bowen. More super quick fun reads perfect for waiting in carpool lines. Molly is an Irish immigrant in New York City during the 1900's. Great romance and intriquing mysteries.

THE PARENTING BREAKTHROUGH by Merrilee Browne Boyack. "A real life plan to teach your kids to work, save money, & be truly independent." Easy to read and makes great sense to me. The goal in raising our children is for them to be independent. This has practical ways to accomplish that including a wonderful checklist for things your child should be able to do by X number of years. i.e. 9 years old some items are bake cake, sew on buttons, fill car with gas, etc.

THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE SERIES by Chris Stewart. The 6 and final book in the series just was released and I'm thinking I may need to go pick it up today. This series deals with "the last days." It is complete fiction and after I've finished each book it haunts my thoughts for weeks afterward.

NORTH AND SOUTH by Elizabeth Gaskell. I loved this! I watched the BBC movie first and would say it is one of those rare instances where the movie makes the book better and visa versa. It is set in England in the 1880's during the industrial revolution. A perfect mix of romance & social commentary. This ranks up there with some of my favorite classics "Pride & Prejudice" and "Tale of Two Cities."

INKHEART SERIES by Cornelia Funke. Pure fantasy you can escape into. The 3rd book was just released.

MY SISTER'S KEEPER by Jodi Picoult This is a book that makes you think...similar to "Life of Pi." As my husband said, "she took the easy way out at the end." You'll have to read it and let me know what you think.

BOOKS I WILL BE READING SOON: Brisingr (3rd in the Eragon Series), The Hunger Games (recommended by Stephenie Meyer), Three Cups of Tea, and Enslaved by Ducks.