The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Excellent. I was familiar with HeLa cells, having become one with them during college, but never gave it any thought (nor remember reading anything) about the person they originally came from. That's what this book is about - the woman, Henrietta Lacks, whose cells these were and the repercussions on her family. It was a fascinating read.

NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson, Ashley Merryman

Fascinating. I know this is kind of a random thing for me to read since I don't have kids and likely won't, but I read a review somewhere (not sure where now) and it piqued my interest. If I did have kids, this book would have changed my approach. Since I don't have kids, it's merely very interesting.

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

Incredibly sad. But I'm glad I read it.

The Taking by Dean Koontz

Deliciously chilling. I really like Dean Koontz's books, though I haven't read anything by him for quite a while. However, my mom, who loves his books, strongly recommended this one, so I read it. As I said, it was deliciously chilling. It doesn't quite end as strong as it starts, which was disappointing (because the first half is fabulous), though the last two pages creeped me out again. This one is definitely worth a read, though.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Excellent. Absolutely excellent. A very engaging story that had me staying up way too late to finish it.

One Second After by William R. Forstchen

I love a good apocalyptic tale. The writing was mediocre - not bad, merely a tool to tell the tale, though the occasional sentence made me cringe - but the tale the text told was chilling and engaging. And now, of course, I'm terrified an electromagetic pulse (EMP) will be the end of my happy, electricity-filled existence, and I will die a horrible, miserable death.

So a recommended read!

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

Excellent book. The weakest parts were the ones set basically modern day. I really didn't care what happened to Hanna, and the ending drama felt like it sort of came out of nowhere, like the author thought some sort of twist was necessary. However, the parts in the past, tracing the different little pieces, were so fabulous that they made up for the weaknesses. Lovely prose, too.

Blooming English by Kate Burridge

I LOVED this book. Completely and totally fascinating. Its subtitle - "Observations on the Roots, Cultivation and Hybrids of the English Language" - pretty much covers what it's about.

The Piano Shop on the Left Bank by Thad Carhart

Very good. This is not something I would have selected on my own in a million years - who cares about a piano shop in Paris? - but it was selected by a member of my book club so I read it. To my surprise, I really liked it. It introduced me to a couple worlds I've never given any thought to, and it did so with excellent writing and an interesting tale (it's non-fiction). I'm glad I read it.

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Very good. Gave me some food for thought.

The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin

Fabulous book. Everyone should read it.

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Very interesting. His almost-final declaration that, "See, there's absolutely nothing wrong with kids experimenting with drugs," was eyerollingly stupid (okay, so their chances of getting addicted are small, but that's hardly the only reason it's not such a good idea), but that's the only thing I remained unconvinced about in the entire book. Definitely a good read.

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

Loved it. But I've loved everything of his I've read. I love the travel/comedy mix. And as someone in book club pointed out, he's writing about common, normal things; he doesn't experience anything extraordinary on his travels. However, he manages to make it seem fascinating and fun. That's quite a skill. (Also, this is technically a re-read for me, but it was just as fun to read it this time around as the first time.)

Dreams of My Father by Barack Obama

I expected to dislike it. I'm sick of hearing about Obama. But it's actually quite interesting.

Bonds That Make Us Free by C. Terry Warner

Pretty good. Probably would be better if I had a husband and kids I could use it with. It makes sense, though.