A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini

A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini

Hosseini, K. (2008). A thousand splendid suns. New York: Riverhead Books.

GENRE: Fiction – Historical Fiction – Political Fiction

ANNOTATION: Two Afghan women are brought together by tragedy and bonded through mutual heartbreak and hope.

SUMMARY: Miriam, the scorned illegitimate child of a successful business man and a maid had nothing but love and admiration for her father, Jalil. But when her mother dies, she realizes he is not what she thought. Confronted with the wrath of his wives, he forces her, the living reminder of their shame, to marry Rashid, a shoemaker from Pakistan. Lila, a generation later, is also forced to marry Rashid by her own desperation after her family and childhood friend are killed by a Taliban bomb. Brought together by misfortune, the two women become unlikely allies in the face of a hostile and abusive husband as well as a ravishing war.

EVALUATION: 5 - This book weighs heavy on the heart and mind as it weaves between the lives of the two women. Ultimately, this touching and unforgettable story is one of love, sacrifice, and redemption.

THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett

THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett

Stockett, K. (2009). The help. New York: Amy Einhorn Books.

GENRE: Historical Fiction

ANNOTATION: In 1962 Jackson, Mississippi suffers from the racial divide. Three women become unlikely allies in the subtle, everyday fight for equality.

SUMMARY: In 1962 Jackson, Mississippi is divided. White middle-class women are cared for day in and day out by their poor black maids while living completely separate lives. However, something just doesn’t seem right to Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan. While at lunch with her best friends, a casual comment becomes a pivotal turning point. Skeeter is outraged at their opinion that the help should have their own bathroom because blacks have more diseases. Against all odds, she befriends two maids (ironically they both work for her friends). Finally, she wins their trust and they begin a project to help stop this injustice and have their say. Told from the perspectives of three women, this story Together, they risk everything for a greater cause.

EVALUATION: 5 - The author draws the reader into these pages and their world. The characters are dynamic and real; they quickly become alive to the reader. Who could forget Skeeter’s conviction, Minnie’s sass, and Aibileen’s faith. While not a quick read, this book maintains interest from beginning to end and will appeal to a broad range of readers.

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION: This is Kathryn Stockett’s first novel.

TELL NO ONE by Harlan Coben

TELL NO ONE by Harlan Coben

Coben, H. (2001). Tell no one: A novel. New York, N.Y: Delacorte Press.

GENRE: Suspense – Thriller – Mystery

ANNOTATION: Dr. David Beck’s wife was murdered eight years ago when he receives coded emails with phrases only she would know. Could she really be alive?

SUMMARY: Pediatrician David Beck has missed his wife every day for the past eight years. While celebrating their anniversary at the lake, she was abducted. David tried to help save her but was knocked unconscious into the lake. David miraculously survived but Elizabeth was discovered weeks later. Her murder was just one in a string by a serial killer named KillRoy. But when David Beck begins getting mysterious emails, he’s just not sure. The emails are coded with phrases only she could know. Could she be alive? As he begins to investigate Elizabeth’s death while chasing clues from the emails, he’s caught in a dangerous web of lies and deceit. The emails had told him: “Tell no one.” But soon he is framed for both Elizabeth’s murder and the more recent murder of her best friend. While running from the law, people framing him, and more trying to kill him, the doctor must find the truth and, above all, find Elizabeth.

EVALUATION: 5 - This book is a page-turning thriller. The fast paced suspense combined with the very real characters keep the reader interested from the first page to the last. I couldn’t set this book down!

DEAD UNTIL DARK by Charlaine Harris

DEAD UNTIL DARK by Charlaine Harris

Harris, C. (2009). Dead until dark. New York, NY: Ace Books.

GENRE: Fiction – Paranormal Fiction – Paranormal Romance

ANNOTATION: Sookie Stackhouse’s unusual “disability” of reading minds makes relationships difficult… Until she meets Vampire Bill Compton where she finds blissful silence. But dating a vampire isn’t exactly easy and things are quickly complicated when a series of suspicious murders take place in their small town.

SUMMARY: Sookie Stackhouse’s life in Bon Temps, Louisiana was pretty boring. Her telepathic “disability” left dating out of the question and most folks around town thought she was weird. Until she met Vampire Bill Compton… As a vampire, she could not hear his thoughts and thus found the blissful silence she’d been searching for. But their relationship was never easy. Vampires have only recently announced themselves to society (“come out of the coffin” as they put it) and tensions are high. When a series of suspicious murders ensue in Bon Temps, Vampire Bill is naturally the first suspect. But when it’s discovered that Sookie’s brother Jason has had relations with all the women who’ve been murdered he becomes the top suspect. Sookie must use her telepathy to help solve these murders and clear her brother’s name while straddling the tenuous relationship between the living and the dead.

EVALUATION: This book offers a fast, fun read with elements of romance, mystery, and plenty of the paranormal. I enjoyed it would definitely recommend it to others.

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION: This is the first book in Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire Mysteries Series. This is also the series the HBO show “True Blood” is based on.