The Art of Racing in the Rain (by Garth Stein)

I just finished this book last week. It was for book club. I think at book club we spent approximately 5 minutes, maybe, talking about the book. But the point of book club is to drink wine and chat, didn't you know that? In any case, I liked the book. It was a book about a man and his family, told from the perspective of the man's dog - Enzo. Interesting and creative idea. At times I found myself forgetting that I was reading from the perspective of the dog. Very clever writing. The main guy - the owner of the dog - Denny Swift, is a race driver. Not a Nascar driver, but a race driver on courses around the world in fancy shmancy cars. The book uses the racing as an analogy to life throughout the book. Basically, the dog falls in love with the racing also. Denny meets a woman, gets married, has a kid, and it goes on from there. This book definitely had its sad moments (not quite as sad as Marley & Me where I bawled like a little girl at the end), but definitely sad. And it also deals with the struggle between your dreams and the realities of those dreams. All in all a good read. Especially if you like dogs. I'm a cat person myself, but I found this entertaining.

Up next: In Cold Blood (by Truman Capote) - I'm trying to mix in a few more classics into my reading repertoire.

Little Bee (by Chris Cleave)

What an interesting book. This one did not take me long to get through. I won't divulge too much of what this book is about because it'll ruin it for you and I don't want to do that. But, what I will tell you is this - read it. This book is not "easy" emotionally. Its not a romantic book. It is a love story though. This book centers around a character named "Little Bee" who is a Nigerian Refugee and a British woman named Sarah and how their lives impact each other's lives. This book will take you through the emotions of anger, fear, compassion, gratitude, frustration and happiness. That's all I will tell you about it thought - I definitely recommend you read this one for yourself! And then let me know what you think!

Up Next: The Shack (William P. Young)

The Help (by Kathryn Stockett)

This was a great book, as is evidenced by the fact that it is a National Bestseller. This books concerns 1950s, Jackson, Mississippi. And is told from the perspective of three women - Miss Skeeter, Aibeleen, and Minny. The age range of characters in this book is primarily 23-30 year olds, and 50-60 year olds. This book centers around the interactions between women, whether black or white, whether friends or maids. It catalogues the relationship dynamics between all different types of women. It focuses also on the dynamics of the societal times during the 1950s and the different race relationships. It centers on a white woman, Miss Skeeter, who decides to write a book upon the urging of an editor in NYC. She decides to write the book about how "The Help" are treated in Jackson, Mississippi, and is helped by several maids/nannies in Jackson who contribute with their stories of working for women in Jackson. It was a well written book that gives a different perspective to the 1950s. I wasn't thrilled with the ending, but I understand why it was written the way it was. If you read the authors own personal story in the back of the book it makes a lot more sense why she chose to write about this topic.

Rating: Altogether good.

Up Next: The Story of Forgetting (by Stephen Block) (its for my book club).

Same Kind of Different As Me (by Ron Hall and Denver Moore)

This book was INCREDIBLE. It is an inspiring story that grips you from the moment you start reading it. At first I enjoyed it because it is based in the F-dub (that's Ft Worth for those Non-texans out there), and well I grew up right next door to F-dub, and knew all the places described in the book. The book is a true story written by two men (Ron Hall and Denver Moore) who meet in the most unusual of places (at a gospel mission in downtown f-dub). The story chronicles each men's lives throughout the period before, during, and after they meet. It is inspiring to read about the depth of their relationship, the impact of Ron's wife on the gospel mission, and the growth that occurs for both men throughout the book. It is a book about faith and belief. I recommend this book to anyone who needs a little inspiration/encouragement in life. It really makes you think about your life and the blessings in it and how you can impact the world.

Rating: CPD

Up Next: well...i already read the up next book for this post (i've been a bit slow in my blogging lately) - I read Dead Until Dark (by Charlaine Harris).

The Hour I First Believed (by Wally Lamb)

I finished this book this weekend. It took me three weeks to read this for many reasons. One, it was long with small type, two, I had a hard time getting through, three, too many characters. This was a well written, dynamic, and complex book. It starts off with the Columbine shootings, and ends on a farm in Connecticut. This book is about one man - Caelum Quirk, and the aftermath and emotional turmoil of the Columbine shootings, and its effect on his wife Maureen, who suffered PTSD from the shootings (she was in the library (this is ficitional character)). It also goes into Caelum's family and ancestors. I had a hard time with characters that were mentioned in the beginning and then not mentioned again until page 400 and had to refresh my memory. Its very historical and sometimes I felt a bit slow. It wasn't a can't put down book, but if you are in the market for a very developed, character driven book, this one is for you. But if you are looking for a light read, I'd pass.

Rating: Just okay.

Up next: American Wife.