Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi

I read this to the boys.  They liked it because pretty much every chapter has a cliff hanger.  I thought it was pretty good.

The Boy Who Could See Demons by Carolyn Jess-Cooke

So the entire time I am reading this, I am thinking, huh, this is an interesting premise, but kind of a slog, maybe I should give up . . . and then I get to the end and realize that the book is completely brilliant.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella

Decent fluff.

The Compound by S. A. Bodeen

Great premise, good twist, stupid execution, wooden characters.

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Great premise, excellent setting (Edwardian country house!  The London Blitz!  My favorites!), promising beginning, stupid ending.

Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O'Brien

Written for the lay reader, this book is an excellent introduction to the numerous and surprising ways in which our cultural assumptions shape our reading of scripture.  I highly recommend this provocative book to pretty much everyone.

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

The characters were pretty wooden, but for some reason I still kind of liked this.  At least it didn't feel like the 9000th time I'd read the same story.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I loved this book.

The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan

I loved this book.

Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole

I feel like a dork for liking this book.  I don't normally do romance, and this was pretty schmoopy.  And there were a lot of cheesy plot twists.  But still . . . somehow . . . maybe because the characters were so charming . . . I liked it.

Note:  Review copy provided by publisher.

The Best of Connie Willis by Connie Willis

I came to this book with high expectations because Willis is one of my favorite authors.  And my expectations were . . . exceeded.  Seriously, some of these stories were excellent.  And her short reflections after each story were marvelous.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly

Kind of dragged, but then the ending was better than expected.

The Kite Rider by Geraldine McCaughrean

I read this to the boys.  It was OK.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

I started out loving this because it was the Sophie Kinsella kind of goofy/funny, but as I found out more about the very sad circumstances of the main character, the goofy/funny became jarring and kind of ugly.  Then things twist and turn a little, and the ending felt pretty slapped together and unsatisfying.  (But it was goofy/funny, so there is that.)

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld

I've been in a real book slump lately--I've started and abandoned maybe a half dozen books after reading a third to a half way through.  So this was a breath of fresh air just for holding my attention.  It wasn't perfect, but it was interesting, with good characterization and some interesting reflections on, you know, life and relationships and everything.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Big Brother by Lionel Shriver

This was exceptionally good.  I think what I like best about Shriver's writing are the little lines of insight peppered throughout the book.  But the plot and characters were great, too.  And the social commentary.  And as long as you can stand the f-bombs, this would be a great choice for book groups.

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Great fun.

Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls

I only read this because I had to for book group.  I didn't like it because I don't know how to read a "true-life" novel.

The Execution of Noa P. Singleton by Elizabeth L. Silver

If you read the blurb, you expect a bleeding-heart liberal story about the death penalty.  This is not that.  It is more of a psychological thriller.  It was pretty gripping.  But there were a few weak plot points, so it was ultimately unsatisfying.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Restless Giant by James Patterson

I really enjoyed this.