Books Mitigate Reality

In the last six weeks or so, I've finished four books. That's a lot for me. Here's what I read and my humble opinion on each.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale: Maybe I didn't have high expectations, but I adored this book, which in turn got me adoring Shannon Hale. This was a fantasy, but the reason it was so didn't overwhelm the entire story. I also enjoyed the unpredictability. And of course, the love story sealed the deal. It wasn't just a rosy fairytale though; there was some action and plenty of downs.

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale: I really enjoyed this one too. It is in The Goose Girl series, but it could stand alone as well. I think I liked The Goose Girl too much, so this one didn't compare, but it is still one I would like to buy. The fantasy parts were more prevalent in this book, but I was intrigued by it more than anything else. Plus, more love stories. I do have to say, parts were a little disturbing. I can't say much more without giving things away, just know that the title has literal meaning in the book.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd: I enjoyed the humor of the main character, a young girl, throughout this book. It was a pretty good book and I think more than anything I liked having a glimpse into that time period (I think it was the 60's) in the South. I also happen to love analyzing child-parent relationships and the effects they have on children's decisions. This book had plenty of opportunities to do that. The suspense level was pretty steady, which was good for my blood pressure. (I get so worked up when books are suspenseful, and by suspenseful I mean ANYTHING that is remotely suspenseful).

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom: I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this one. I don't like reading (or thinking) about death and I don't like reading (or thinking) about Heaven, because if you're in Heaven, you're dead. But I totally loved this book. It was a library copy and the whole time I was reading, I was wishing I had my own copy to mark up. I took notes instead. It's not every book that is entertaining and inspiring. It wasn't a book that created these lovable characters and then let them die. From page one, you knew what was going to happen. The book begins, "This is a story about a man named Eddie and it begins at the end, with Eddie dying in the sun. It might seem strange to start a story with an ending. But endings are also beginnings." (From Albom's site).The format was very unique and it was a quick read. I loved the deep thoughts that were presented and it was an unusual perspective of Heaven. My book club buddies might hate me after I talk non-stop at our next meeting. :) Furthermore, I liked this author's style. I might just have to check out his other books.

I have come to the conclusion that I'm a total sucker for a good love story. If there's a good love story running through a book, I'm bound to enjoy. It allows me to think happy thoughts and be momentarily distracted from reality.

I can't wait to read my next Shannon Hale book. It's on my bookshelf waiting patiently. And I just went to her site to post a link here and now I love her even more. Her url is not "Shannon Hale" but "squeetos". Obviously that confirms her coolness. Now read her bios. She's completely hilarious.