Getting Warmer by Carol Snow

OK so normally I like a good chick lit book as much as the next girl, in the same way I like a good chick flick; it's good to kind of zone out and enjoy without having to think too much. Unfortunately, this is not a good chick lit book - it's dull and predictable and completely unoriginal. Sadly, my book club picked Getting Warmer as our pick for December, with the best of intentions. We wanted something lighter than our usual fare and thought this would fit the bill. This is no Bridget Jones' Diary or even anything by Jennifer Weiner. This is the story of Natalie Quackenbush, an almost 30-year-old teacher living with her parents in Scottsdale, AZ. Natalie is a liar - she lies to men at bars and invents insane information about herself. Until the day she lies to a guy she actually likes, which cues the predictable chain reaction of events. There are no surprises here and if you are in the mood for something light, try something else on for size.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

I am not a religious person and when someone first recommended this book, I'll admit I was skeptical. But despite the fact that this is based on characters from the bible, the story itself is only loosely related to the ones in the Old Testament. This is the story of Jacob and Leah's daughter, Dinah, who is only briefly mentioned in Genesis. Dinah tells us her story, in her own words, and begins with her childhood in Mesopotamia, where she was raised by her four mothers - Leah, her birth mother, and Rachel, Zilpah and Bilhah, the additional wives of Jacob. The title of this book, The Red Tent, is based on the place where women gathered during menstruation, birth and illness and where young Dinah is first initiated into the religious and sexual practices of the tribe. Her story continues through her doomed relationship with Shalem and her later life in Egypt and Canaan, where she becomes a well known and often requested midwife. As I said before, this is loosely based on the stories of Jacob in the Bible, but you do not need to be religious in order to enjoy this story, the characters are that memorable.

Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell

I just finished Patricia Cornwell's latest novel, Scarpetta, which of course follows Dr. Kay Scarpetta and Dr. Benton Wesley on yet another case. I must say, after The Book of the Dead, I was about ready to give up on this series. The novels had steadily deteriorated in my opinion, with Cornwell's narrative style getting terser and I think she even changed the point of view in the books. Anyway, I was not even planning on reading this one but a friend in England read it and said it was good, so I figured I'd give it a chance. While not up to the standards of some of the earlier books in the series, like The Body Farm or From Potter's Field, I still enjoyed this story. And I felt it was more realistic, in that there was definitely death, after all she is an ME, but with a slightly more believable story line than in the past. Plus it was nice to see that she and Benton had finally gotten married, after all the crap their relationship has been through. While not a home run, it was worth the time to read it. If you haven't read any of these books before, I would definitely suggest you start at the beginning of the series.

Thrillers

If you’re looking for something entertaining but not too brain-heavy, try one of these novels on for size. They’ll keep you entertained, will kill a few hours, and won’t overtax you. And most of these authors have recurring characters so you get to know them which makes it that much more interesting.

What Jason Bourne was to the Cold War, Scot Harvath is to the War on Terror. Brad Thor has created "the perfect all-American hero for the post September 11 world" (Nelson DeMille). Scot’s also a counterterrorism expert and one thing I like about Brad Thor’s books is that I feel like I learn a lot, especially about Islam, while reading them. Scot is featured in the following books: The Lions of Lucerne, Path of the Assassin, State of the Union, Blowback, Takedown, The First Commandment and The Last Patriot

Vince Flynn writes about Mitch Rapp, a covert CIA operative and member of the Orion Team. Mitch is basically a badass who can “shoot, stab, blow things up, and even kill with his bare hands.” Mitch is featured in ten books: Term Limits, Transfer of Power, The Third Option, Separation of Power, Executive Power, Memorial Day, Consent to Kill, Act of Treason, Protect and Defend and Extreme Measures.

David Baldacci’s latest novels follow the Camel Club, a curious band of friends who gather weekly to discuss and uncover political conspiracies. Their leader, who has taken the name Oliver Stone, has a bone to pick with the government and is not shy about expressing that. With the help of Secret Service Agent Alex Ford, the friends are thrust headfirst into one conspiracy after another. Camel Club Series: The Camel Club, The Collectors, Stone Cold, Divine Justice

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will suck you in from the first page - which of course starts with a decades old murder mystery. Mikael Blomkvist is hired to investigate the murder of Harriet Vanger, after his career takes a downward spiral after being convicted of libel. He is hired for one year to investigate exactly what happened the day Harriet disappeared and determine which member of the Vanger family killed her. In the course of his investigation, he hires the girl with the dragon tattoo, Lisbeth Salander, a world class hacker, as a research assistant. Lisbeth is a 24 year old who is still a guardian of the state and is perceived to have mental issues, despite the fact that she's a near genius when it comes to technology. But years of mistreatment by the state have made Lisbeth someone you do NOT mess with. I really enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down - I read it in one day. I wasn't too thrilled with the very end, but I just discovered that this is the first book in a trilogy, so hopefully the second one, The Girl Who Played with Fire, will pick up where this left off.

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

Someone at the library recommended this book to me and at first, I was skeptical, I had never heard of it and it seemed to be a bit odd. I could not have been more wrong - well it is a bit odd, but in a good way. The Gargoyle is narrated by a former porn actor who is in a horrible car crash that results in severe burns over the majority of his body. When he wakes up in the burn ward, his first thoughts are of the ways he will kill himself when he gets out. But then one day he is visited by Marianne Engel, a beautiful, if slightly disturbed woman who sculpts gargoyles and grotesques. Marianne insists that they were lovers long ago in medieval Germany, where she nursed him back to health at the monastery in Engelthal. She is a master storyteller, and helps pass the rehabilitation time with the story of their past, as well as stories of love from Japan to Iceland to Italy and England. As his body heals, so does his mind and soul, under the careful care of Marianne. This is a great, great, book, although if you have a weak stomach at all, just be prepared for a rough couple chapters detailing with the burns and care of the burns. It's very graphic but please don't let that deter you from reading this book.

Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bojalian

I have enjoyed everything I've ever read by Chris Bojalian, so when I saw this one, I had to grab it from the library; and I have to say, I think this was one of my favorites. Before You Know Kindness is the story of a family in extraordinary circumstances. It starts with Spencer McCullough, an extreme animal rights activist, who has just been shot by a bullet from a hunting rifle owned by his brother in law and fired by his 12 year old daughter, Charlotte. The ensuing lawsuit and media circus that is spearheaded by FERAL (Federation for Animal Liberation), his employer, tears the family apart in many ways. Willow, Charlotte's 10 year old cousin, fights to tell the truth about the events of that night, despite Charlotte's pleas to the contrary. Willow, despite her young age, is the moral compass of this story, always trying to do the right thing, despite the consequences. Although Bojalian takes his mocking of the animal rights movement to an extreme, the story is still extremely engaging and he has a unique insight into how to describe the disappointments, tragedies, hopes, and triumphs of a family.