"Running Record" Thursday

Book #20 Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

Lexi Smart awakes one day in the hospital and finds out that she has lost 3 years of her memory. In those 3 years, she has become a totally different person-she has gone from drab to fab, she has a gorgeous husband, lots of money & a whole new set of friends. The only problem, she still feels like the "old" Lexi inside & has no idea how she could have changed so much in such a short amount of time. This book is about Lexi trying to piece together her life, who she was & who she wants to be & is done with a good deal of humor thrown in along the way.

I think I may have found a new favorite author in Sophie Kinsella & can't wait to read another one of her books. This was the 2nd book of hers that I have read & I really enjoyed her humor & the characters she has created. I loved trying to imagine walking through my life right now, but looking at it as I would have 3 years ago...it would be a very strange feeling. I also love the fact that these books are set in Britain, in some way, the phrases they use make everything sound so much more sophisticated. British curse words sound so much nicer than our American words :)

Book #21 The Pact: A Love Story by Jodi Picoult

This book is about the Golds and their neighbors, the Hartes, who have been inseparable since becoming neighbors. Eventually, their teenage children, Chris and Emily, begin dating, however, tragedy strikes when seventeen-year-old Emily is shot to death by Chris as part of an apparent suicide pact & the parents realize that maybe they didn't know their children as well as they thought they did.

Although, the subject matter was a bit difficult to read about, I found this book to be a good read. It does make one stop & think "how well do I really know [fill in the blank with your own loved one's name]". These parents felt that they knew their children inside & out, but they really only knew what they wanted to see. It definitely made me think about how I view people & how as a parent I want to know my child's "true" self not just the person I hope he will be. The Jodi Picoult books I have read have all seemed to deal with 'tough' issues, but the way she writes has really drawn me in too to the point that I can never seem to put these books down! :) They also always seem to be done long before I am actually ready to part with the characters & what is going on in their fictional worlds. *sigh* That must be the sign of a good writer-always leaving you ready for more...