August Books

Bossypants by Tina Fey5 stars out of 5

From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon — from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence. Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

So funny! I love how she doesn't take herself too seriously.

Oxygen by Carol Cassella5 stars out of 5

Dr. Marie Heaton is an anesthesiologist at the height of her profession. She has worked, lived and breathed her career since medical school, and she now practices at a top Seattle hospital. Marie has carefully constructed and constricted her life according to empirical truths, to the science and art of medicine. But when her tried-and-true formula suddenly deserts her during a routine surgery, she must explain the nightmarish operating room disaster and face the resulting malpractice suit. Marie's best friend, colleague and former lover, Dr. Joe Hillary, becomes her closest confidante as she twists through depositions, accusations and a remorseful preoccupation with the mother of the patient in question. As she struggles to salvage her career and reputation, Marie must face hard truths about the path she's chosen, the bridges she's burned and the colleagues and superiors she's mistaken for friends.

I absolutely loved this. I couldn't put it down and when I had to, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty
3.5 stars out of 5

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food. From New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty comes a strikingly original look at friendship, love, and sisterhood—in a future that is eerily believable.

I really liked her previous YA series. This is a stand alone book and quite well done. A bit hard to grasp the language (lots of slang) but definitely a good read.

The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich
4.5 stars out of 5

Hannah ha-Levi, a midwife in the Jewish ghetto, is known throughout Venice for her skill in midwifery. When a Christian count appears at Hannah's door imploring her to attend his labouring wife who is near death, Hannah's compassion is tested. Not only is it illegal for Jews to render medical treatment to Christians, it's also punishable by torture ... and death. But Hannah cannot turn down the money. With such a handsome sum, she can save her own husband, Isaac, who was captured at sea and taken to Malta as a slave of the Knights of St. John. Aided by her "birthing spoons" — rudimentary forceps she invented to help with difficult births — will Hannah be able to save mother and child? And if she can, will she also be able to save herself?

Fantastic. Hard to put down.

The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
4 stars out of 5

The time: the present. The place: a Balkan country ravaged by years of conflict. Natalia, a young doctor, is on a mission of mercy to an orphanage when she receives word of her beloved grandfather’s death far from their home under circumstances shrouded in confusion. Remembering childhood stories her grandfather once told her, Natalia becomes convinced that he spent his last days searching for "the deathless man," a vagabond who claimed to be immortal. As Natalia struggles to understand why her grandfather, a deeply rational man, would go on such a far-fetched journey, she stumbles across a clue that leads her to the extraordinary story of the tiger’s wife.

I liked this. But didn't love it. I was happy to be reading it but it wasn't the type of book that I couldn't wait to get back to and would consume my thoughts when away from it. I had expected it to be that kind of book because it seems everyone is talking about it and it's on many "top" lists.

Healer by Carol Cassella3 stars out of 5

Claire Boehning must dust off her long-unused medical expertise and make a living for her family in rural Washington when her husband's biotech venture crashes--taking everything they owned with it.

Decent. I enjoyed it but didn't think it was nearly as good as her first.

Stolen: a letter to my captor by Lucy Christopher4 stars out of 5

Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

An interesting read. A different format in that it's written as a letter from the captive to her captor. I didn't really "believe" a lot of it but maybe that's today's violent world messing with me.

Prisoner of Tehran: A Memoir by Marina Nemat
4 stars out of 5

In January 1982, Nemat, at just sixteen years old, was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to death for political crimes. Until then, her life in Tehran had centered around school, summer parties at the lake, and her crush on Andre, the young man she had met at church. But when math and history were subordinated to the study of the Koran and politcal propaganda, Marina protested. Her teacher replied, "If you don't like it, leave." She did, and, to her surprise, other students followed. Lyrical, passionate, and suffused throughout with grace and sensitivity, Marina Nemat's memoir is like no other. Her search for emotional redemption envelops her jailers, her husband and his family, and the country of birth each of which she grants the greatest gift of all: forgiveness.

Really good. A dramatic account of what life is like for a political prisoner in Evin.

What have you read lately? Anything good to recommend? Anything bad to stay away from?!