More Summer Reading

Sharing GREAT reads (and the not-so-great) is the name of the game to beat the summer heat.
Here's my view on a few recent reads:

My Name is Memory: Ann Brasheres (C+)
I loved the Time Traveler's Wife and thought this one, based on a similar concept (protagonist can recall his past lives), would make for a great love story. Mediocore. Sorry Ann. Loved The Last Summer of You and Me, but this one is sappy and leaves you with a large gaping wound in your chest when you read the final "letter."

Learning to Swim: Sara Henry (B+)
A great story with a female lead that is commendable, respectable and downright smart.
Love stories about females with real guts. This story involves a near drowning of a young boy and his heroic rescue under mysterious circumstances. The pace could have been a bit quicker, but otherwise a worthwhile read.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lachs: Rebecca Skloot (D)
Very disappointing. After several friends highly recommended this true story, and because it involved what is now the foundation (HeLa cells) of most modern-day medicines and medical research, I thought I'd have a read. If you want to know every boring detail about cancer research, death by cancer, medical testing, cell cultures and have example after example of the poor judgement and greediness of many medical personnel who since the 1950's have tested drugs (in this case injecting cancer cells)into non-suspecting minorities, then this is the book for you. I thought Henrietta's story and the story of her family were treated like an after-thought in this book. Their story of survival, of being misled, and lied to for over 60 years, is the true story that should have been told here. Shame it was hidden behind the medical drama of cell culture research...just like Henrietta.

Still Missing: Chevy Stevens (A)
A 30-something year-old realtor is kidnapped from an Open House. She's taken and kept in a remote cabin (an hour from her home) for over a hear by a sick, perverted creep. The protagonist's story is recounted in a series of sessions she has (one-sided conversations where we only hear her voice) with her therapist. I could not put this down until the end. There are plenty of tears, twists and a superb ending that DOES NOT disappoint. I enjoyed Chevy's writing style and format so much, I just bought her next novel Never Knowing. Enjoy this one.

Next up:
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: Tom Franklin
Save Me: Lisa Scottoline
Deep End of the Ocean: Jacquelyn Mitchard (this was Oprah's first book club book...and I've yet to read it...what's up with that?)

Summer Reading

Always love to share good books. It's the start of the summer. Is there a better time to dive in?
Here's a few of my recent favorites:

Cutting for Stone, by Abrahan Verghese. All I can say is WOW! Could not put this down. It's a coming of age story that transcends religion, culture and time. Marian Stone is a character you find yourself cheering and rooting for from the get-go. It was recently released as a paperback, so go get it at the lesser price.

Warrior Princess, a poignant book written by Princess Kasane Zulu, an HIV-positive inspirational speaker and AIDS advocate who I had the pleasure of hearing speak at a recent conference. Her book is a moving, testament to the power of faith, and the belief that as women it is our job to lead and get out there and fight the good fight.

Kristin Hannah's Night Road. Read this one on the airplane on my way home from Ireland. Like Winter Garden, I openly wept on the airplane to my husband's chagrin. There's nothing like a great KH book and a good old fashioned Oprah cry.

The If I Stay/Where She Went 2-book series. It's for young adult readers, but what the heck. How many of us loved the Twilight series and kept it hush, hush until our girlfriends confessed they too were reading it in their closets at 3:00 AM because they couldn't put it down. If I Stay is the first book (and it's a tough one)...lot's of tragedy and a promise kept. The second book does not disappoint. If you're a music lover or a lover of any kind...you'll cherish this 2 book set.

Currently reading:
The futuristic, page-turner: The Passage by Justin Cronin. Keeps me up at night, but what the heck, I'm reading any way.

My Name is Memory (the latest adult book by Ann Brashares)...anything involving the afterlife, learning from our mistatkes and time travel is a draw for me. By the way, if you haven't read Ann's other adult book: The Last Summer of You and Me...you're missing out on a great book.

Homage to the Work

The holidays were over-the-top this year. Too much family drama, too many cancelled plans, bad weather, illness and other nastiness. For the first time (or since I can recall), I was relieved to see the holidays go. I was relieved to "get back to the grindstone."
I stayed "in touch" over the holidays with clients, with work...something I make a point not to do the week between Christmas and the new year. In the past, I resented the obligation to "work" over the holiday. Not this season. This season, my work was a saving grace. Interestingly, I had no writers block; really good ideas and solutions flowed from me freely this season, and I took full advantage, applying my new found energy to my work. The result was a better organized office, a reasonable number of emails to return on January 3rd and a fresher perspective on the new year. Lesson learned: do what you need to do to get by, to survive and news flash-- it's OK if that includes work. I realized how lucky I am to have God in my life, to have a wonderful husband, super great kids, the best friends and the most fulfilling career/work I can imagine...and I paid homage to ALL of those things this holiday season...even the work.