BOOK 41: Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card

Rating: 4 stars

Cover synopsis: The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Is Ender Wiggin the general Earth so desperately needs? The only way to find out is to throw him into ever-harsher training at Battle School, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when his training begins. He will grow up fast.

I keep insisting I'm not much of a sci-fi fan, but then my friend keeps giving me sci-fi books to read and keep liking them. Not loving them, but enjoying them enough to give them 3- and 4-star ratings. So perhaps I need to change my assessment of myself...

Anyway, Ender's Game is THE sci-fi book. Every sci-fi fan has read it. It recently made NPR's top 3 list of science fiction and fantasy novels. And for many people I talk to, it's the book they read as a kid that turned them on to the genre. And I can see why.

This is a fascinating look into the mind of a soldier, Pair it with mind-blowing video games, contests, and worlds, and it's a pretty awesome read. I had a hard time visualizing some of the games, though I most enjoyed the political backstory and character psychology. Looking forward to a deep discussion at my book group this week.

BOOK 40: Same Kind of Different As Me, by Ron Hall & Denver Moore

Rating: 4 stars

Cover synopsis: Meet Denver, a man raised under plantation-style slavery in Louisiana in the 1960s; a man who escaped, hopping a train to wander, homeless, for eighteen years on the streets of Dallas, Texas. No longer a slave, Denver's life was still hopeless-until God moved. First came a godly woman who prayed, listened, and obeyed. And then came her husband, Ron, an international arts dealer at home in a world of Armani-suited millionaires. And then they all came together.


This is a true story about the power of service, friendship and God. And a nice reminder of what's really important in life.

Warning: It's a tear-jerker. I read this on a cross-country flight, and I was sniveling like a baby. I'm sure my seat mates loved that!

BOOK 39: The House at Riverton, by Kate Morton

Rating: 4 stars

Cover synopsis: A novel set in England between the wars. It is the story of an aristocratic family, a house, a mysterious death and a vanishing way of life, told by a woman who witnessed it all and kept a secret for a very long time.

Grace went to work at Riverton house as a servant when she was 14 years old, and becomes attached to the Hartford family, particularly the daughters, Emmeline and Hannah. The story is told from Grace's point of view, decades later, as she is nearing her death in a nursing home. She wants to tell the true story of the house, it's secrets, and it's infamous downfall to her grandson, who is an author.

The story was compelling and the characters were interesting -- although I disagreed with practically every decision they made. Still, I cared about what happened to them and their little world. The book was a bit too slow-moving for my taste and I figured out the main secrets early into the book. But I still wanted to find out how they would play out. There were a few surprises along the way (and a lot of head-banging d'oh! moments as I watched these characters' lives self-destruct). Yet I enjoyed it, and all it's complex layers.

Not as good as Morton's "The Forgotten Garden," but still a pretty good read.

BOOK 38: The Slippery Slope (#10 in A Series of Unfortunate Events), by Lemony Snicket

Rating: 3 stars

Cover synopsis: The 10th book in this outrageous publishing effort features snow gnats, an organised troupe of youngsters, an evil villain with a dastardly plan, a secret headquarters and some dangerous antics you should not try at home.

The series continues...this one had some nice plot differences, showing that Snicket is finally thinking about tying this thing up. And it continues, of course, to be one of the wittiest series out there. Still, I'm struggling to keep my interest. But I'm determined to finish this thing. Eventually.

BOOK 37: American on Purpose, by Craig Ferguson

Rating: 2 stars

Cover synopsis: In American on Purpose, Craig Ferguson delivers a memoir of living the American dream as he journeys from the mean streets of Glasgow, Scotland, to the comedic promised land of Hollywood.

I love Craig Ferguson. I think he's one of the funniest people on television, and the best interviewer, hands down.

So I was pretty disappointed by his book. It just wasn't that funny! Of course there were moments (like his description of hosting the White House Correspondents Dinner), but overall, this was a self-indulgent trip down memory lane, full of drugs, alcohol and infidelity. He comes off as a real jerk!

I know his point was that he had to overcome a pretty crappy life to get to where he is today. But he spent 95% of the book reveling in that crappy life, and only 5% talking about the good stuff. A typical Hollywood memoir. I was hoping for better from Craig!