How It All Began by Penelope Lively

Imagine a mother gets mugged on a London street, which happens to Charlotte Rainsford.  Wonder as to what will be the ripple effects of this attack?  Lively compares this with the "Butterfly Effect."  Besides Charlotte, more people are subsequently affected.
One of the subplots is that of Charlotte's daughter Rose and Anton, the immigrant that Charlotte is tutoring English.  It keeps me guessing how their friendship would unfold despite knowing that is is futile.  I enjoyed this novel for its unconventional ending.

Undiscovered Country by Lin Enger

I listened to this book on CD and enjoyed the narration and plot.  Jesse is ready to tell his younger brother, Magnus, the truth about his father's death ten years ago by writing a manuscript.  When Jesse was 17, hunting deer from a blind in the Minnesota woods, he hears a gunshot.  He finds his father dead in the woods.  The death is judged a suicide but Jesse, who was very close to his father, does not believe his father would kill himself.  Jesse's mother sinks into depression and Jesse seeks to figure out who shot his father.  He believes it is his father's brother Clay, who had dated his mother in the past, and devises a trap to establish his guilt.  Spurred on by supposed visitations by his father's ghost (though this could be just tricks of the mind) he looks for revenge.  Jesse is dealing with very adult issues which are further complicated by his girlfriend with her own difficult family problems.  A suspenseful book, there are questions whether Jesse's suspicions are correct and the choices he will make.

The Fiddler By Beverly Lewis

Beverly Lewis was one of, if not the first writer of Christian Amish Fiction. I think she remains one of the best.  Her stories seem well thought out and believable. In The Fiddler a chance encounter between "Englisher" Amelia Devries and Amish, Michael Hostetler start them down the road of change. Although they both are attracted to each other are their differences to big to overcome?  Another good read from Beverly Lewis.  I look forward to the second book in this series.

Killing Lincoln by: Bill O'Reilly

This book logically starts with  the end of the Civil War, and the culmination of Lincoln's assassination by Booth (I didn't realize the two events were so close in proximity to each other.  I really need to get a better grip on my history). Likewise, I knew the general circumstances of the assassination  meaning Fords Theatre, shot by Booth and the manhunt, but the detail was fascinating.  I had no idea the extent of the conspiracy for example, the attack on Seward that coincided with Lincoln's not the extent of Booth's intense hatred of the President.  The details that were presented in this book really made me stop and think of thing how they were then and how we live our lives today.  The fact that if you wanted to have an audience with the President you could just camp out on the White House floor was mind boggling to me.  Also the lack of personal protection for the president is so different today.  I enjoyed the personal side of Lincoln that was portrayed as well in this book. 

Me and You by Niccolo Ammaniti

This book is a short read. The author is becoming known for his powerful stories. Lorenzo Cuni is the main character. He is a teenager about 14 years of age. He has told his mother that he is going on a ski trip for a week with some friends and their parents. However, he was not really invited and has successfully planned to hide out in the storage cellar of his own home.
     While there, his half-sister, whom he has only met once, shows up and wants to stay there too. She is estranged from their mutual father and has become an addict. They are not friendly at first, but do manage to develop a camaraderie over time.
      The story leaves lots of room for thought and would be great for a book discussion, or for a high school or college literature class. I liked how the story was NOT tied up in a pretty bow at the end, but seemed realistic and life-like.

Spooning By Darri Stephens

Charlie Brown, JP Morgan, Jane Dough makes Spooning a hilarious and a clever must-read that roped me in with the characters names alone! For every girl out there that is, or once was, in their mid-20's this is an all too true witty account of life after college. The embarrassingly funny mishaps and constant drama in the lives of Charlie and friends kept me fully engrossed and left me wanting more when I finished the book.

Where Children Sleep by James Mollison

This book is composed mostly of pictures. On the left side is a photo of a child and a description of where he/she lives, how old, and a little information about their situation. On the right side is a full page photo of where the child sleeps. The author was first going to call his project "Bedrooms", but soon discovered that many children don't have a bedroom.
     The interesting thing that comes through is the fact that a child's life can clearly be defined by where he/she sleeps. It is a reflection of their life. Children of wealthy parents have a lot and children from poor families, orphans and third world countries have little. It was captivating to read the stories and feel sorry for some and feel like others were spoiled. I actually spent a couple of hours with the book and was able to finish it cover to cover. I think this would be a good educational tool for children, so they can see that not everyone has the same sort of life and to feel empathy for someone in a different situation. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it especially to people who learn visually.