The Girl With The Pearl Earring

I wasn't so sure about this book for a while. I have had it on my "to read" list and my bookshelf for some time now. I finally picked it up the other day thinking if nothing else it would be a quick read. It certainly was. Once again, I am forced to starve my family and leave dirty laundry strewn about. I don't know why I liked it so much. Not the most engaging story by any means. And I still haven't figured out if it is based on true accounts or totally fictional. A girl, Griet, is hired by an artists family to be the maid. She ends up intriguing the artist, his purchasers and the local butchers son. An easy, pretty clean read. If anyone knows if this is a true story, do tell.

The Things That Keep Us Here

I could not put this book down! My friend, Laura, brought it over and told me not to start it till I had plenty of time to read it. So, of course, I picked it up that very night and that is what I did for spring break. So, really...don't start until you have a minute or two.
This book is strangely enough, about the bird flu. I know...its like a book about teenage vampires that don't drink human blood or something. However, the story focuses on a family that has to quarantine themselves from the flu, the weather and the psychos that will do anything to save their families. Just when you think things can't get worse for them, it does! It really made me think about how unprepared I am for a host of problems that could arise. Needless to say, when I wasn't reading, I was making Sterling shop with me for supplies.
It doesn't help that right when I got to a part about being without power for days, our power went out and I was reading by flashlight.
This book had a very small foreplay part, and 1 f-bomb, but other than that, pretty clean read. I mean, it is not meant for a teenager or younger person to read. There is some gore. But I liked it. It was a good one timer!

Testimony

Whoa Nellie!! This was a page turner. But it wouldn't be for everyone. It starts off with a bang and never stops with the fireworks. It was actually a little difficult to read. Why? The whole book is about a sex scandal at a private school, with young people, caught on video, did I mention with young people? So, it is written a little Jodi Picoult style, which is for those of you that haven't read anything by one of my favorite authors... a little diary-ish. She jumps from the stand point of person to person. It was certainly not one of my favorites, but I also could not put it down til I was done with it. So, read at your own risk.
Lots of young sex, a fair amount of language and very adult issues. I most likely wouldn't recommend this book to a soul I know.

The Color of Heaven

Very good book here people. I am not sure where to start about it though. I am tempted to copy and paste it book description.

Ok, so I don't recall any language or sex or anything too in inappropriate. It is not a teen fiction book so it may appeal more to an adult though.

So, woman goes through horrific loss of child, deception of husband and a horrible car accident. She then decides to go on a little search of her past. This includes some time jumping into the life of her mother. She needs some answers I guess. Don't we all....

This book reminded me a lot of "The Notebook". So if you loved that one, this is a great follow up.