The Look of Love by Sarah Jio

The Look of Love by Sarah Jio (2014) – Fiction Jane was born on Christmas and receives a gift she learns about on her 29th birthday, which explains her health issues over the years:  she can see true love!  Before her 30th birthday, she must identify several types of love otherwise face consequences (possibly no true love for herself, for instance.) I actually liked this book by Jio better than…

Fleabrain Loves Franny by Joanne Rocklin (2014) Franny Katzenback of Pittsburg lives not too far from Dr. Salk’s search for a polio vaccine.  However, it is too late for her.  She has gotten paralytic polio, and spends months in the hospital, including time in an iron lung.  While she was in the iron lung, a nun comes to hospital regularly to read to her.  She reads her a brand new book:…

Goodnight June by Sarah Jio (2014) June is a high-powered banker in New York City.  She sleeps, eats, breathes her work.  She has very little contact with her family anymore, especially since her younger sister slept with her boyfriend.  In fact, they live in Seattle, and NYC was about as far as she could get.  Her job (closing small businesses in foreclosure) doesn’t leave her much time to…

How to Be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis

How to Be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis This book is a memoir of the author. . .  her reading throughout growing up and how they affected and changed her life.   Ms. Ellis is British with Iraqi Jewish family/ancestry.  In fact, there is a very interesting section of the book in which she tells the story that when she was a teen, her first serious boyfriend was also Jewish, but as their relationship…

Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot (2015) My Rating: 5 Stars I began reading the Princess Diaries series the moment the library I worked at received  the first book when it was newly published (and it had been processed.)  I remember reading it in the staff room during my 15 minute break one early evening.  I took it home and finished it.  I read every book in the series as they were released over the…

Six Feet Over It by Jennifer Longo (2014) I just finished reading this book.  It took me longer than usual (to read this book.)  I reluctantly give it 4/5 stars.  It really is a well-written view of grief from a teen’s perspective, but it was somewhat difficult to really get into.  I liked that premise that Leigh’s family has moved to a cemetery, and that Leigh’s father has pretty much given her…

The Promise of Palm Grove (Amish Brides of Pinecraft, Book One) by Shelley Shepard Gray (Avon Inspire, 2015) This is the first book of a new series by Shelley Shepard Gray. This particular Amish romance is a pretty light read in many ways, and perhaps as it should be.  Three New Order Amish friends have traveled by bus from Ohio to Pinecraft, Florida for a two week vacation.  They stay at a B&B…