The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst
ISBN # 0-316-77850-8

This is a somewhat odd, yet compelling book, so I thought I'd include it on my list of book recommendations.

It's the story of a widower, linguist Paul Iverson, who is grieving over the loss of his young wife, Lexy. She is found at the base of the apple tree in their back yard and the death is ruled accidental. Yet strange clues left inside the house seem to point to something else, and Paul becomes nearly obsessed with teaching their dog, Lorelei-the only witness to Lexy's death-to communicate.

As the story progresses and Paul is able to look at his life with Lexy, the reader is given a fantastic glimpse into the fabulous love affair between Paul and Lexy-as well as disturbing insights into the workings of Lexy's mind. Beautifully written and expertly crafted, this is a book that will linger longer after the last page is read.

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik
ISBN# 0345442822

This was a fun book to read-although at times it seemed as if I'd read it before. This is the first book by this author that I've tried (she has some great titles like Welcome to the Great Mysterious) and I'm looking forward to reading more.

The book contains an ensemble cast of five women-housewives united by their address (Freesia Court-Wisteria Lane, anybody?) and their book club AHEB (Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons). There's the political activist, the widow, the abused wife, the divorcee, and the Woman With A Past. The book starts out when they all have young children and we watch them learn and grow and change over three decades.

There's lots to smile and cry about here-my only complaint is that I wish this had really been three separate books because there's a whole lot of issues to cram into a single book!

Hostile Makeover by Wendy Wax
ISBN# 0553587951

I loved this book! Yes, I know it officially doesn't come out until October 25th, but I was lucky enough to be able to read it pre-publication so I'm going to share it with you here.

This is a tale of two sisters-the younger, irresponsible one and the older one who's always done what her parents expected of her (married the perfect Jewish lawyer, had the prerequisite 2 children). Both sisters face a crisis and find themselves looking at their lives in unexpected ways. In turns funny and wistful, this was a pleasure to read from cover to cover.

I'm not always a fan of romantic comedy, but Wendy Wax never lets me down. Don't miss this book!

Check back for more book faves--I always have a pile on my bed stand and I love to talk about books almost as much as I love to write them!

- Great young adult reads

The Angels Trilogy- Lurlene McDaniel
ISBN 0-553-57098-6

Leah has cancer, and she's scared. She has no idea if she will live through the tests or the cancer permanently. Then she meets a young girl who is sharing the same hospital room with her. Rebekah is an Amish girl. She has a huge family, including a handsome brother named Ethan. Leah fins solace and happiness in Rebekah's Amish community, and it gets her mind of cancer. Ethan is shy and has a huge choice to make when he becomes older. He can choose to go and live with people like Leah, or he can stay in his Amish community and marry a girl there. He and Leah become close and eventually they fall in love. They are there for each other when hardship befalls both of them. Leah is tested in her faith in angels and Ethan must choose which time to live in.

I really enjoyed this trilogy, and I recommend this to girls who don't mind stories that make you cry. Honestly, this is the only Lurlene McDaniel book I've enjoyed because it brings two times together. I enjoy long books, and I liked it because it was a trilogy.

The House Next Door- Richie Tankersley Cusick
ISBN 0-7434-1838-7

Emma Donovan bets her brother she can sleep overnight in the creepy old Victorian next door. When she goes there, she begins having freaky mind-slips about a life she never lived and a handsome young lover who seems familiar, yet she has no clue who he could be. Emma's brother Charlie thinks Emma is just crazy and was dreaming the whole thing up, yet when he becomes a part of it, he starts thinking differently. Emma's dreams get more realistic and more dangerous and she realizes she must figure out why and who is controlling them and figure out why Emma's having the dreams about a tragic love.

This was a great book, mainly because it was really spooky and had a great mystery in it. I recommend this book highly and I bet you won't be able to put it down.

Mary, Bloody Mary- Carolyn Meyer
ISBN 0-15-216456-1

Mary Tudor is a young princess and expects servants to wait on her, dress her, and adore her. She never expected that she would become a servant in her own household though, or that her own father, the powerful King Henry VIII, would banish her without money or acknowledgement from anybody that she is the daughter of the king. Mary becomes hopeful and believes it was all a mistake. But her father marries Anne Bolyn and has a child, the future Queen Elizabeth I, and Mary faces reality and realizes that her new role must be in taking care of her baby stepsister.

I loved this book. There are others too about the young royals, but this one was my favorite. Carolyn Meyer delivers a gripping story about Mary Tudor and I wasn't able to put it down until I finished it.