The Notebook

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks is a sappy love story best described as book candy. It's sugary and sweet but doesn't really offer any real content. The book offers a sweet love story told by an aging man in a retirement home. The frame story is a little sappy and lame, but I mostly enjoyed the love story that he told. This book is fun, but definitely not life changing or awe inspiring. Read this book if you like sappy love stories, if you saw the film, or if you just want something quick and easy to read. I give it a 6 out of 10.

The Amber Spyglass

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman is the third and final book in His Dark Materials trilogy. It's also the longest book in the trilogy. The book brings the story of Lyra and Will to a somewhat disappointing and heartbreaking conclusion. Disappointing because you don't learn everything you want to learn and heartbreaking because what you want to happen doesn't happen. The book starts slow with so many story lines and characters to follow but wraps up all together too quickly when all the stories and characters collide. Read this book if you read the first two, if you like sci-fi/fantasy, or if you're interested in books about philosophical questions. I give it an 8.5 out of 10.

The Subtle Knife

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman is the second book in His Dark Materials trilogy. In this book, the characters can move between worlds including the world that we, the readers, live in. A great battle is about to be waged, and Lyra's journey has taken a turn. She has met Will Parry, a boy from our world, and together they must travel towards their destiny that could quite possibly be linked beyond their understanding. Read this book if you read the first, if you enjoy mystery and intrigue, or if you like to read a book that you can't put down. I give it a 9 out of 10.

The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman is the first book in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. The story takes place in a world very similar to ours but also very different. Lyra, a young girl growing up at Oxford under the care of scholars, is taken onto a strange and curious adventure when she must leave Oxford in the care of a beautiful, mysterious woman. Her adventure will take her far north to a land of fighting bears, clans of witches, and scientific experiments. Lyra doesn't know it yet, but her destiny is somehow wrapped up in her journey to the north, but she must discover that destiny by herself. The fast-paced action creates a story that you can't put down because you really, really want to know what's next...in fact, I already have the next book to pick up and read. Read this book if you love fantasty, if you're looking forward to the film and want to read the book first, or if you've heard the controversy but want to learn the facts straight from the source. I give it an 8.5 out of 10.

When the Emperor Was Divine

When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka is a beautiful story of a Japanese family deeply impacted by the Pearl Harbor bombing during World War II. Written from the perspective of the different members of the family, the book describes their life being placed into an Internment Camp. It remembers a time in our country's history that is often dismissed or brushed over. What makes the book so beautiful is it's poetic language. The sentences are short and sweet, but all together they create a story that will touch any reader. Read this book if you want to learn more about this time in our country's history, if you're interested in family stories, or if you like books that can say so much with so few words. I give it a 9 out of 10.

I Am the Messenger

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak is the story of Ed Kennedy, a twenty year old Australian who lives out his days driving a cab, hanging out with his stinky dog, and playing cards with his three best friends. His life suddenly changes when he stops a bank robber and begins to receive mysterious messages in the mail that require him to deliver his own messages to anonymous individuals. Ed's role as the messenger takes his life in an odd and inspiring direction. The message, ultimately, is the book. You have to read it to find out what that message is. Read this book if you like mysteries, if you are interested in the idea of random acts of kindness, or if you like to read young adult fiction. I give it a 9 out of 10.

Interpreter of Maladies

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri is a book of short stories about various Indian people. The connecting thread between each story seems to be an element of love. Some are searching for love, some are adjusting to a new love, some are discovering a loss of love. Each story gets to the heart of its characters. Lahiri knows how to develop stories that pull at heartstrings and make the reader mourn for the characters. All of the stories, except one, resonate with a deep sadness that can begin to feel overwhelming. The last story, however, saves the reader from sorrow by offering hope and happiness. Read this book if you liked Lahiri's novel The Namesake, if you enjoy short stories, or if you are looking for a quick read with deep meaning. I give it a 9 out of 10.