Recent Reads

1. The Confessor
Picked up book three of the Gabriel Allon series - how can you not love the idea of a Mossad art restorer? An interesting read, and I learned more about the role of the Vatican during the Holocaust - something I sure did not learn about in Catholic school.

2. A Death in Vienna
This is book four, and the final book in the Holocaust trilogy featuring Gabriel Allon and I found it a fascinating and disturbing read. Like the earlier books in the series, I learned about things I had no idea about - in this case the role that Austrians had in the Holocaust. I love books that introduce me to a new way of thinking about a topic, and this trilogy did just that. Yes, we hear all about the Nazis, but what about the role of Swiss banks (book 1), the Vatican (book 2) and Austrians (book 3)?

3. Inkheart
I was introduced to this series by my nieces who love it. This is book one of the trilogy and it is quite a fun read, especially for those of us who love books and the worlds they create. The magic and power of reading is explored very creative ways.

4. Coraline: The Graphic Novel
I found the movie rather creepy, and have yet to read the book, but enjoyed this graphic novel. Really good story and the illustrations are fab.

5. Secret Daughter
You know that feeling you get that you have read a book before, but don't actually remember what comes next, so you keep reading? Well, have had that with several books lately - this being one. An interesting story about Indian families, adoption, identity and the burden of daughters. Have read several articles recently about the continued decline in girl birth rates in India and other Asian countries, and this story examines one example of what might happen when an unwanted girl is born in a culture that values boys/men over girls/women.