Songs of Willow Frost - Jamie Ford

one sentence summary:
tracing on two converging time lines the life of a 12 year old boy and his mother from before the had her baby we find a story of strength and sorrow.

review:
I really really really enjoyed this story, that said the writing was a bit scattered from time to time and I feel that a stronger editor could have refined the novel to near perfection. I loved the historical aspects of it, I felt fully submersed in 1920's Seattle and leaving the novel behind took a while every time I had to put the book down. The story was mostly heart breaking but in a beautiful and forgivable way. I recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for something good to read.

8/10

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe - Fanny Flagg

one sentence summary
Friendship can come from the most unexpected people in the most unexpected ways

review
This is a wonderful novel, telling a story of a small town over fifty years of history. It shows true friendship in all sorts of forms and how much of a struggle it can be. In a hodgepodge of entertaining stories the lives of four women are patched together and you can't help but like them. It also takes an unflinching look at race relations in the Southern USA during this time. I recommend this to anyone who likes witty, amusing stories told in off handed ways.

8/10

Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez

one sentence summary:
a boy and girl fall in love, she marries someone else, he beds 622 other people, what will happen when they meet again?

review:
This is not an easy read, thus is not recommended for occasional readers, but if you consider yourself a reader I would most likely recommend it to you. It is a beautifully written work and while I understand that love is a difficult thing to write about in a realistic way, the love in this novel is so possible it almost becomes surreal. It moves from love to hatred/obsession and back to love in a rather believable story line. the characters are all well thought out and wonderfully flawed. Well worth reading if you enjoy reading.

6/10

To Kill a Mocking Bird - Harper Lee

One Sentence Summary:
A lawyer and his family set about proving a black man's innocence to a racist Southern town. 

Review:
An American classic, this is a must read for everyone. I loved all of the characters in it and the way it was written and everything else about it. It is an easy read but is still a moving and motivating piece, it reflects our own nature back at us through an untainted mirror. Good vs bad is showcased on nearly ever page with good triumphing against all odds. While it may not be the most realistic outcome for the era it makes the points it sets out to make in such a way that even the dumbest kid in the fourth grade class forced to read it can see the themes.

10/10
10/10

Notable Quotes:
"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing." 

"People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for."

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what."

If you enjoyed this you should read:

Anne of Green Gables - L M Montgomery (if you love Scout, Anne is just as precocious)
The Watson's go to Birmingham - Christopher Paul Curtis (if you are suddenly interested in the civil rights movement/segregation)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky (just because it is the modern American coming of age classic)

Water For Elephants - Sara Gruen

One Sentence Summary: 
During the depression a veterinary student runs away and joins the circus where he falls in love.

Review:
I wanted this story to be better than it was, that said it wasn't that bad. Jacob is a very well thought out character, but the rest are all a bit flat. The plot itself was really intriguing, aside from the stereotypical romance (which wasn't that bad but should have this book categorized on the romance shelve rather than the contemporary fiction ones it seems to occupy). The writing was alright, but really not that good, not good enough to have been the #1 New York Times Bestseller for 9 weeks.

6/10

8/10

Notable Quotes:

"With a secret like that, at some point the secret itself becomes irrelevant. The fact that you kept it does not." 

"When will people learn that just because you can make something doesn’t mean you should?" 

"The more distressing the memory, the more persistent it's presence. " 

If you enjoyed this you should read:

The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck (written during the great depression)

Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon (not really related, but is historical romance worth reading)

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern (though it is not really related you should read it anyway)

(I also recommend watching Carnivale)