Books! Summer Recommendations

I have been asked by a couple of people to give some casual reviews of the books I've been reading lately. I am glad to oblige. So of the past 10 or so...here are the 5 worth reading and why I think so.

1) Still Alice - by Lisa Genova

This is the book I just finished. It's excellent. It comes highly rated by my sister and my mother.

It is a story about a successful professor at Harvard that falls ill with early onset Alzheimer's Disease. The story hits close to home, even though remotely, for me seeing as Alzheimer's is fairly prevalent in both sides of Nick's family.

It's also just real reminder, reality check if you will about how delicate life is and how there are just so many small details in life to be thankful for. Something I think we can ALL use a reminder of from time to time.

2) The Red Leather Diary by Lily Koppel

This book is about a young writer in New York that stumbles upon a woman's diary. This woman had such a cool life....she was progressive, kind of wild...a socialite, what I would imagine a mid 1900s Gossip Girl to be. She talks all about young love, her education, her lofty dreams and goals. It is SUCH a wonderful time in someone's life and her story was engaging and very fun to read. I loved the old photos, and finding out how her life ends up, after her teen and college escapades.

3) Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

An up and coming Chicago author writes this dark mystery novel. This also was a fast read. I liked the main character and while I felt like I had figured out the 'who done it' character early on, it kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page.

4) What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Haruki Murakauri

Now I wasn't sure if I would love reading about running as much as I love actual running and I have found out that I do. This book is WONDERFUL. There are so many moments when I'm reading it that I'm like, YES.....this guy totally gets running/runners. I have SO had THAT thought, or this thought, etc. I would suggest savoring this book. Read slowly alongside something else. It's dense and has a lot to offer. If you run. Read this.

5) Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Reading this now! And already feel like I can recommend it :)
It's about the holocaust....a roundup in Paris by French police, where they took mainly Jewish women and children and sent them to concentration camps. It follows the story of one of these young girls, and the story of a woman in modern day Paris as she unravels clues about this date in French history.

The chapter I read yesterday brought me to tears. It heart wrenching, but well written and it's totally sucked me in. Can't wait to finish it. This is the pick (Greta's) for Books Over Brooms. I can't wait to see what Mom and Gert think.

ENJOY!
When you finish one - come back and let me know what YOU thought.
(JESSICA!) ;)