#7: The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

The Last Anniversary is a wonderfully original, feel-good novel that made me smile big smiles at the end, and that I couldn't put down once I started.  Liane Moriarty never fails to please.

And just so you know, this novel is not about the last anniversary of a marriage, or a relationship, but of a murder-mystery.  See--totally original.  And, yes, still a feel-good kind of book.  You're going to have to read it to understand, but it will be worth it, I promise.

Enjoy!
:)Dodie

#6: The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

I absolutely could not read The Thorn Birds fast enough, yet at the same time I also did not want the story to finish.  I have heard of this book since the 80's when it was a mini-series, and I have also heard my husband wasn't allowed to even be in the room when it was on because it was so scandalous, but never read it. I then heard it mentioned on a TV show recently so I took it as a sign that I needed to read it so I ordered it.  I am reading random books in between Outlander volumes so I picked this one and couldn't put it down.  It is quite brilliant and I totally understand why it was turned into a mini-series, which I have purchased and plan to start watching today.

The story is long and spans roughly 75-100 years (it is just shy of 700 pages long) as it follows the life of the Cleary family who live first in New Zealand and then move to Australia.  The details are rich and, as a result,  you get to know these characters intimately.  The book is divided into sections, named for the main characters, but within the sections you get to meet the entire Clearly clan along with friends and neighbors.  Their saga is dramatic, scandalous, and is the perfect story to center a college level course around.  The themes and parallels amongst family members from one generation to the next abound.  This is the sort of book that sticks with you and that you will want to talk about with other people.  It is a perfect book club book.  Really.

I understand the scandal now.  If you are bothered by the notion that a Catholic priest might slip and might not be as pure as he should be, you should not read this book. It will be too much for you.  But, if you want to read a story that explores money, feminism, religion, and love, this is the book for you.  It's truly amazing.  One friend of mine said it was the first "grown up romance " novel she read and that it changed her life.  I suspect that had I read this 20 years ago, I could say the same.  I also suspect that had I read it 20 years ago, I might not be where I am now as it certainly makes one think about gender roles and expectations of and for women.  Where was this book in my Feminism in Literature Class??

Read this.  You won't be disappointed. I promise.

Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie

#5: Finding Fraser by KC Dyer

Finding Fraser by KC Dyer is a must read for any self-respecting Outlander fan.  If you've never heard of Outlander, read the books, or watched the series, skip it.  None of it will make sense to you and you'll find it not only confusing but silly.  If you have read or watched, reading this is a must.  Because if you have read Outlander, it is certain that you, like Emma, have wondered if there's really a Jamie Fraser out there somewhere and have thought long and hard about trying to find a Fraser of your very own.

Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie

#4: Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes

If you are interested in reading an original take on the events of WW2, read Ship of Brides.  The book details the trip from Australia to England that 654 war brides took aboard the HMS Victoria, a naval aircraft carrier, to be reunited with their husbands.  I always like to read books about WW2 that cover the personal stories of the ordinary people impacted by this great war.  This novel, based loosely on real events, fits that bill perfectly.

Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie

#3: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

If you liked Gone Girl, read this other Flynn novel that was written before Gone Girl.  It's not quite Gone Girl caliber, but it does make you wonder about what goes on in Gillian Flynn's mind.  It's the story of Libby Day, a now 30 year old woman who lived through a mass killing of her family.  Her brother Ben went to jail for the murders, but now 22 years later, Libby starts asking questions that may prove that Ben was not, in fact, the killer.  It's intense for sure, but not quite as over the top as Gone Girl.

I laughed when I was reading her Thank You section at the end of the book--she thanked her husband for knowing what goes through her mind AND still wanting to sleep next to her each night.  Hilarious!

A good read.  Now I can watch the movie!

Happy reading!
-Dodie

#1: Dragonfly in Amber and #2: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

I said that I wasn't going to blog about books in 2015 unless they moved me in some way, or I felt the need to write about a particular book.  Well, I do intend to keep that promise, mostly to myself because I began to dread writing about each and every book I read.  But, I do plan to list the books I read in this blog so that I can continue to have a record of what I read.

Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager are the second and third books in the Outlander series, to which I have become addicted.  I have watched the entire first season of Outlander twice, I now own the CD's for season one and listen to the beautiful music in my car, and Rob gave me a page-a-day calendar that sits on my bedside table.  I have not yet begun book 4, although I did buy it and it's just waiting for me, because my good friend Scottie has not yet finished Voyager and I don't like to read when I can't talk to her about what I am reading, so I am waiting until she starts reading book 4 to begin it myself.

Outlander is the greatest epic love story I have ever read.  It makes you think and feel and it has caused my relationship with Google to expand, as I look up places and historical events that I never dreamed of learning about.  I can't not wait to begin book 4 and I really can't wait for the second season of Outlander to start on Starz in April.  Rob even watched the first season with me, so this isn't just a girlie story.  Now, I doubt he'd read the books (they are insanely long--Voyager is 870 pages--dense, long pages), but he will watch it with me when it comes back to TV.

This is a great series to pick up if you aren't afraid of long books and want to read an amazing story.

Happy reading!
-Dodie

2015 Top Ten List

This year, unlike other years, I am actually going to rank my Top 10 Favorite Books.  I had not planned on doing this, but since I just read one of my original posts and am now in tears, I figured that because one book moved me so much and allowed for such intense personal growth and reflection, it didn't deserve to just be stuck ion the middle of a random list.  It rocketed its way to the top of the list.  

So, if you can't find time to read 52 books this year (and I know for a fact that with my new addiction to the Outlander series I won't come close to reading 52 books this year), take a look at this list of my Top 10 Favorites and maybe you can find something from this list to read. 

Enjoy! 

10. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
9. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
8. On the Island (series) by Tracey Garvis Graves
7. Five Brides by Eva Marie Everson
6. Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
5. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
4. Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner
3. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

and my favorite book of the year is....

1. The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers