The Only 127 Things You Need: A Guide to Life Essentials by Donna Wilkinson

The title of this book caught my attention. The mottoes of "Less is more" and "How to life simply" seem to have flooded book stores lately.
This informative book is comprised of 3 interlocking categories - Body, Mind and Spirit and how to attain them healthfully. Wilkinson has also included expert advice, further reading and website resources for the readers to explore. I especially appreciate the subject on "It's easy to be green" (p.235). It has a tip on "Don't buy so much stuff. Buy only what you need, and when you can, buy items that can be recycled..." (p.238).
This paperback is reader friendly and covers almost every aspect of life's essentials, from getting a good night sleep to "living consciously" to having a sense of awe and wonder. It is a good book!

South of Broad by Pat Conroy

Pat Conroy, author of Prince of Tides, has turned out a wonderful novel that is well worth the long wait. South of Broad is a beautifully written, moving story of friendship and love. Set in Charleston, it tells the story of a teen-aged boy and the high school friendships that changed his life. The prose is so lovely, I could have have enjoyed the book simply for the fine writing. Happily, the characters are also interesting and, well, characters. The vivid descriptions of Charleston make me want to visit there. Savor this book.

Seen the Glory by John Hough

This is a wonderful Civil War novel about two brothers from Martha's Vineyard who join the Union Army because they oppose slavery. Luke and Thomas quickly learn that their fellow soldiers have joined for varied and different reasons, and that army life is harder than they expected. It's a novel about brotherhood, love, fighting for what you believe in, and doing what's right. Highly recommended.

The Defector by Daniel Silva

Gabriel Allon is pulled out of semi-retirement when Russian defector Gregori Bulgavov disappears from his comfortable life in London. The British are willing to believe Bulganov re-defected, but Allon knows otherwise. Once again, Allon assembles a talented team to free a friend from a seemingly impossible situation. This book is a sequel to Moscow Rules, but can stand alone. I'd recommend reading Moscow Rules first, though. Daniel Silva is the master of the spy thriller, and this one is no exception. I like the earlier Gabriel Allon books best, but as long as Silva keeps writing them, I'll keep reading them.

Wanting by Richard Flanagan

In Wanting, Flanagan draws the parallels in the lives of the Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin and writer Charles Dickens, illustrating that both reason and desire coexist in all humans.
Mathinna, the native Aboriginal girl from the Van Dieman's Land was "adopted" by the Franklins as Lady Jane, Sir John's wife, wished to transform her into a proper English woman, but her real intentions were questionable.
In 1854, when the Arctic Voyagers failed to return, Lady Jane asked Dickens to defend her husband by refuting notion of cannibalism. Dickens wrote a play about the doomed Northwest Passage, starring himself and in the process fell in love with a young actress, Ellen Ternan.
All the characters were torn between reason and desire, especially when Lady Jane visited the St. Joseph Orphanage. She could have "saved" Mathinna... There are some raw and heart-wrenching depictions in the novel that haunt me after reading it. However, Flanagan was excellent in exploring the ramifications of colonialism and the moral dilemmas we must face up to.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

An international best-seller, this book is set in Sweden. The main character is Mikael Blomkvist, a financial journalist who is at loose ends because he recently lost a libel case. He is hired by the elderly patriarch of the very wealthy Vanger family to look into the disappearance of Harriet Vanger. Harriet disappeared 40 years ago and is presumed to have been murdered, although her body has never been found. The book is primarily a murder mystery, and a pretty interesting one, but several other storylines are woven into the plot. The tension and complexity build as the novel progresses, and it all comes together quite nicely. The characters are varied, different and not always easy to like. Although there are a few inconsistencies in the plot, the fine writing and masterful pacing more than make up for these minor distractions.

This book is not for everyone, as there is graphic violence, language and sex scenes.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by C. Alan Bradley

You are going to love Flavia de Luce, the 11-year-old narrator, aspiring chemist and heroine of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. She's plucky, quirky, smart and independent. She lends a fresh and interesting voice to this classic mystery story.

Could this be the first of a series? I hope so.