No One You Know

No One You Know by Michelle Richmond

I honestly can’t remember the details of  this one, so it’s obviously not memorable. But I did rate it on Goodreads.com. Let me know if you’ve read it and what you thought!

Just Let Me Lie Down

Just Let Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms for the Half Insane Working Mom by Kristin van Ogtrop

Being a Mom is always challenging. Adding a full time career inserts some unique difficulties. Sometimes it feels like a huge juggling act. When the stress is high, humor helps!

In this book the author shares funny stories/anecdotes about being a working Mom. There was a lot I could relate to.

I would love to write my own book on this subject!

Run for Your Life

Run for Your Life by James Patterson

I usually enjoy Patterson novels. I find his stories flow smoothly and are quick to read.

In this novel, Michael Bennett struggles with his personal life, including caring for 10 kids. At the same time, he is hunting a killer that calls himself “The Teacher.” This is a light, easy to read suspense/thriller.

After reading I discovered that this title is part of a series; so now I will need to go back and start at the beginning!

Malice

Malice by Lisa Jackson

This wasn’t the best book I’ve read by Lisa Jackson, but it was pretty good. The plot is slightly ridiculous, which made it hard to get into. It was also a bit too long, a lot could have been cut out.

Regardless of the issues I had with the book, I would still recommend this one to those who enjoy thrillers.

Seeing Red

Seeing Red by Susan Crandall

Description from Amazon:

“Ellis Greene remembers very little about the night of her cousin Laura's murder, but she does recall the face of the murderer. Ellis was the key witness to the crime, and her testimony helped put Hollis Alexander in jail for a long time. With Hollis behind bars, Ellis should feel safe, but the memory of that awful night still haunts her. Determined to free herself from the fear of being attacked like her cousin, Ellis has become an expert in self defense. However, when Ellis hears that Hollis has been paroled, she feels like a helpless teenager again--and she isn't the only one who notices that he's free. Laura's boyfriend Nate was one of the prime suspects for her murder. After the court case, many still believed that Nate was guilty and he left town to reinvent himself. Now, fifteen years later, he has returned to protect Ellis from suffering the same fate as her cousin. As soon as Ellis and Nate see one another, sparks fly. But Ellis hasn't let herself fall for a man in a long time, and she isn't sure whether she can trust Nate. As Laura's murderer zeroes in on Ellis as his next target, she must fight to stay alive while she finally discovers her true feelings about Nate.”

My thoughts:

A great read for the romantic suspense enthusiast. I really engaged with Ellis’s character and found the plot compelling to the end.

Life Without Summer

Life Without Summer by Lynne Griffin

As a Mother, this book really hit me emotionally.Tessa's life is forever changed when her 4-year old daughter is killed in an accident outside her preschool. The grief is palpable, as Tessa tries to make sense of her new life. Every Mother's fear is to lose a child. Just reading about this character's loss was painful. I cannot imagine the feelings that would come from losing one of my babies.

 

Tessa spends time with her grief counselor, Celia, who is also struggling with a loss from her past and current family problems.  Both women are keeping journals of their struggles and their voices are honest and emotional. I liked the plot of dysfunction and unexpected events. Life is not perfect and this book shows that.

 

While I liked this book, overall, there were a few things I didn't like. Each woman had enough character to fill her own book. I would rather have read a book about only Tessa or only Cecelia. I also didn't love the ending.

Running with Scissors

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

Description from Amazon:

"Running with Scissors is the true story of a boy whose mother (a poet with delusions of Anne Sexton) gave him away to be raised by her unorthodox psychiatrist who bore a striking resemblance to Santa Claus. So at the age of twelve, Burroughs found himself amidst Victorian squalor living with the doctor’s bizarre family, and befriending a pedophile who resided in the backyard shed. The story of an outlaw childhood where rules were unheard of, and the Christmas tree stayed up all year round, where Valium was consumed like candy, and if things got dull an electroshock- therapy machine could provide entertainment. The funny, harrowing and bestselling account of an ordinary boy’s survival under the most extraordinary circumstances."

 

My thoughts:

A definite recommend for the memoir enthusiast. Burroughs story is both witty and heartbreaking. This was a quick read for me, as I followed Burroughs through his sad childhood. In the end, I love that he is able to go on and have a successful life after the setbacks of his childhood.