Fall of Giants by Ken Follett

Wow!  A very long book that is very well written.  I really enjoy his writing and he is so good at totally submersing you in the story.  Starting in 1911 and finishing up in 1924 he follows five families with their struggles and triumphs during this difficult time.  There is war, hunger, love, coming of age and the frustrating truths of how the world works.  Reading about these times, people from different classes and upbringings, it all comes back to the human race and how we choose to work with or against other humans.  A wonderful novel in which I am looking forward to the next installment to see how things progress.  Just amazing writing!

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

I needed an 'E' book for my alphabet challenge and Terry said this was a good one.  I had passed it by over the years, so now was a good time to see what it was about.  It is truly a book set in New England, the characters demeanor and stalwartness rang true through the whole story.  Ethan Frome did not have an easy life and things that he cared about and wanted to do had to be set aside, he was not dealt the best hand and it was such a twist of fate in the end you felt sorry for the guy.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Subtitle: Medicine and What Matters in the End -- I was hesitant at first to read this.  I know that death is inevitable and sometimes I just don't want to think about it.  Gawande is a doctor and the longer in his profession he saw things that were lacking when it came to the end of life.  Doctors are taught to save people at all costs, almost to the point of the patient be damned.  He wrote about many different cases, including his fathers, and how everything was dealt with.  There are the doctors that took the time to listen and nurses and hospice care that gave value back to peoples lives.  Family is always hard, and being young and faced with a terminal illness is challenging.  You don't want to give up.  As the patient there are things to look at and we always talk about the quality of life.  Three questions that I came away with and that I will use with me and my family when things are nearing the end are: 1. What are your goals? 2. What are your fears? and 3. Where is the line in the sand?  These things can change as your health changes, but it gives everyone a baseline to work with and control to the one whose life is directly being affected.  The end of life does not need to be a terrible experience and we need to remember that doctors don't always know what is best.

Don't Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk

I have listened to Jimmy Buffet's Don't Stop the Carnival many times, based on this book, but had not taken the time to read it.  A gentleman from New York, Norman Paperman, falls in love with this island, Amerigo, and buys a motel there thinking it will just be paradise.  Once there he learns much more than he ever bargained for.  Between getting the lay of the land, learning the island politics and dealing with guests who just want to experience the tropics he gets more than a handful of troubles.  At times I felt the book dragged a bit, but there was much humor, much of which I could relate too.  Enjoyable, funny and worth the time.

Captive Star by Nora Roberts

Stars of Mithra, #2 -- A bounty hunter, Dakota, thinks he is in for an easy take and is quite surprised.  It turns out that it is not as easy as it seems.  M.J. takes him down and quickly puts him in his place.  They both end up get run after and shot at not really knowing why.  They get very close to finding the answers, but not before the people that had been chasing them die.  M.J. gets back together with her friend Bailey, who had sent her a gem stone and is relieved she is okay.  They still need to find Grace who has the last stone.  And of course, in true Roberts fashion Dakota and M.J. fall in love.

The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore

This was a wonderful story about love, loss and finding your way.  The story bounces between Grace and her daughter Trixie.  They both fall in love with men they cannot have because of class and duty.  They both try to move on and make things work, but they pay a price of sadness.  Near the end when everyone learns the truth about their history they are given a new lease on life and live life to the fullest, cherishing every moment.  The ending was a little bit of a let down, but the take away is to talk with those you love, don't push them aside and assume you know why they are the way they are.  Life is a wonderful thing that should be embraced, not full of regrets.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

I have decided to do a book challenge this year where you read a book starting with each letter of the alphabet.  Anne of Green Gables has been one of my favorite movies for years, but I had never read the book.  What a wonderful book!  The movies followed the book almost exactly and it was so refreshing to read and get wrapped up in Anne Shirley's adventures, troubles and amazing imagination.  Anne so lived in the moment and embraced her life with such energy.  For a fictional character she lead a life that we should all embrace.  I have become so enthralled with the first book I will be reading the rest in the series!