Sleeping Elsewhere

Ms. Madeleine Wickham, I do believe this book was a load of horse poop. Sleeping Arrangements was quite dull to be honest. It felt as if absolutely nothing happened. Where are the consequences for people's actions? According to Ms. Wickham's book, extramarital affairs are okay if you still love your partner and don't tell them about the affair. I don't think this book fully explored what any of the characters had to offer, and in the end, they just all go on their merry way. Maybe that's the way things happen in England, but I don't think so. I just wasn't pleased with this book. It seemed to be a waste of characters who could've been interesting given the right situation. I hope this next book is not equally disappointing. A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire. The third book of the Wicked years.

Fascinating Austria

Eva Ibbotson loves her some Austria. I don't mind, except for the sometimes difficult to pronounce names. (And there are lots of names). I usually really enjoy her books and The Reluctant Heiress was fine, but not as good as the other two I've read. So far, I'm going to have to say my favorite is A Company of Swans. The whole opera thing is a little annoying to read about. I wouldn't mind watching an opera, but reading about it is not very interesting. The love story part of this book was not emphasized as much as I would have liked. Too much about politics and opera, not enough about the relationship. Next up is Slepping Arrangements by Madeleine Wickham. 

Death and Dying

I've been bad! I've finished two books since the last time I wrote! I really didn't mean to, but the last one was so hard to put down that I finished it very quickly!

Okay, so first of all I read Club Dead by Charlaine Harris. It wasn't a bad book, but I think it was my least favorite of the Sookie Stackhouse novels I've read. I'm not a really big "Vampire Bill" fan to be honest, and I really wish Sookie would have completely kicked him to the curb. I honestly think she'd be better off with Alcide. Hopefully, the next Sookie Stackhouse novel will be a better read.

Now, the book that I only put down because I had to actually work. If I Stay by Gayle Foreman was a beautiful book. The author weaved the two parts of the narrative together seamlessly. It was an incredibly sad book, but at the same time an incredibly joyful book. I can understand Mia's internal struggle as she decides whether she wants to live with the pain she knows she'll face, or let go and enter into the unknown void of death. She wavers between choices for a while, but has to ultimately decide her own fate. It's a gutwrenching look at how someone's life can be dramatically altered in a matter of seconds.