The Gift by Richard Paul Evans

Evans always writes feel-good stories that make wonderful tv movies! This short book is no exception. There is tragedy, romance, hope, faith and love. What made this one a little different is that the idea came from an incident that happened during the author's childhood. It involves "the gift" - the ability to heal. In the real event it was Evans' grandfather who had it. In the book the ability belongs to a young boy. Healing is not always about physical things - it can also be emotional. We see both of these in this book. Maybe you will stop and think about which is the most powerful.

Catching Genius by Kristy Kiernan

What caught my eye about this book was the reference on the front about readers of Jodi Picoult and Anita Shreve liking this book. Since those are two of my favorite authors I decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did. The story revolves around two sisters. Most of the story takes place in the present with trips back to the past. The older of the sisters was found to be a math prodigy and from that point on she was basically separated from her younger sister. This is the type of book I love because it focuses on relationships. It also reminds us that we do not always share the same memories as our sibling(s) even though we lived through the same things.

If I Pay Thee Not in Gold by Piers Anthony and Mercedes Lackey

Mazonia is a country completely opposite ours. The women have all the power, and men are mere slaves. You see, women can conjure, and men cannot. So that gives women more power.

Xylina is a young Mazonian, about to do her trial to see if she's fit to be a full citizen. Her trial consists of fighting unarmed an unarmed man. If she succeeds, she has the right to be a full citizen in the Mazonian society.

But Xylina doesn't really care. Her mother is gone and a curse is upon her head to bring harm to any who care for her. And after she becomes a citizen, it certainly seems the curse is in full force. Or is there someone behind the curse, threatened by the ease in which Xylina can conjure?

An interesting tale with twists throughout from two great fantasy authors. Xylina is an engaging and emphathetic character.

The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller

If you have ever read anything by Sue Miller you know that she is an excellent writer and this book is no exception. In this story we meet two couples who live in a double house. Meri and Nathan are newly married and new to the town. Delia, the wife of a former senator, lives next door. We find out about their past lives and secrets as the story unfolds. A tragedy turns into happiness for Delia but eventually ruins relationships. A fascinating story.

The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan

A non-fiction book, this is the story of Kelly Corrigan. She is a young woman having a wonderful life. She is married to a wonderful guy and together they have two young girls. She is a wife and mother - but she is still very drawn to her role as George Corrigan's daughter. When Kelly discovers a lump and faces an uphill battle against cancer she knows that her dad will support her. And he does - but he also has a recurrence of cancer and begins his own battle. This sounds like a depressing book but it really isn't. Her story is well-told with many touches of humor and is very uplifting. I liked it a lot.

Wizard's Daughter by Catherine Coulter

Wizard's Daughter begins with Nicholas Vail, a newly titled earl who goes to London to seek out a specific young woman. Why he does this, he is unsure--he just knows he has to meet her. And she turns out to be Rosalind de La Fontaine, a beautiful 18-year old who has no real idea who she is. Found beaten and bloody when she was quite young, the only thing she remembered was the bit to a song.

Nicholas and Rosalind quickly marry and return to Nicholas' house, where all sorts of things begin to happen. There's a ghost living in the library. Books appear, books that only Rosalind can read. And a nagging sense that Rosalind is not her real name--and her history is tied up with mysterious tales of the Pale.

An engrossing read, although the ending was added a little too easily. The novel is long, and some of the details are confusing, but the overall story is engaging.

Some Day My Prince Will Come, by Jerramy Fine

Wow!!! What a terrific read! I Looooved it! It is well written, entertaining, inspiring, and amusing. The book is a memoir of a woman who grew up with hippie parents in a small western Colorado town (which is a hoot and a holler in of itself) and at a young age insisted she was really a princess, and not in a hippie "be yourself" kind of way - but in a "you're not my dressing woman" to her mother kind of way. So from a young age she plots and plans to bring her goal of becoming a princess a reality. At times bittersweet, this book is so much more than an Anglophile's dream. It's a book of setting goals, unbelievable determination, and the importance of always having dreams. It is also a great window into the aristocratic lifestyles of twenty somethings in England with a bit of Bridget Jones thrown in. I could go on and on ... but pick up the book, trust me, you won't be able to put it down!!

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

I don't usually read non-fiction but I was looking forward to reading this one because I've heard so much about it. I really think the cause is great and support it wholeheartedly. I wanted to be immersed in the book...but just couldn't get into it. Not the fault of the book or the author, at all. What I read I enjoyed but after carrying it from one place to the other in my house for two weeks, I finally gave up - and moved on to the new book by Jan Karon.

We Carry Each Other

This is a non-fiction book that is a type of how-to book. It isn't a fun how-to book. This book will help you feel more comfortable in uncomfortable situations. What do you say to someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one? Harder still is what to say to someone who is terminally ill. You are not going to get canned lines to whip out in these situations. You are going to get some insight into what might help. There are many stories of people on both sides of these situations. The inspiring stories of how people helped their friends and families through tough times might help you the next time you are faced with the situation.
A quote from the back of the book - "Don't wait to read this book because you never know when life will expect you to show up and get into action".

My Life with George by Judith Summers

Are you a pet-lover? Does your pet walk all over you? Would you do anything for your pet? If you answered "yes" to these questions you have competition! This non-fiction book tells the story of a woman whose life changes abruptly when her husband dies, leaving her with a young son to raise and a very dark lonely house to come home to at night. The answer is obvious. They need a dog. First they go to look - they aren't going to get one that day. Of course they do. The mom goes through a few basic rules before they get home. The dog will not get on the furniture and the dog will not sleep in the bed. Of course he does. Being a very bad disciplinarian myself I completely sympathize with her. If you are not a pet-lover don't read this book! You will not be convinced that this type of thing goes on in the world.
I loved the book - four paws up!