Recent Reads

1. Faithful Place
This book got great reviews and I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. A murder mystery of sorts, set in Dublin. While I enjoyed the ambiance, and story idea, the characters were all dysfunctional in their own ways. I stuck with it primarily for the local color. The writing itself was not compelling.

2. House Rules
I know the bar for the author has been set unreasonably high by this book, so was not surprised that I did not love this one. The author has a predictable formula at this point - the story is told from multiple voices, there is a medical condition, there is a court case. What I enjoyed was learning more about Autism and Aspergers - have taught students with both and after reading this book have a little better understanding of those conditions. Not a rush out and buy book.

3. Sketchbook
Interesting to see the ideas behind the final product and how people use their sketchbooks to work things out.

4. Journal Junkies Workshop
A good starter book for anyone who'd like to keep a visual journal. Some interesting ideas.

5. The Concord Life
I have a soft spot for self-published books. This one describes some of the sights in the nearby town of Concord.

6. And the Pursuit of Happiness
Was so excited when this little piece of eye candy showed up. Loved it, as I've loved all her work. A little history, a little sightseeing, lots of paintings. Loved it.