BOOK 31: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith

Rating: 3 stars

Cover synopsis: Upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, Mma Ramotswe is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart is that of a missing 11-year-old boy who may have been snatched by witch doctors.

This was a pleasant read, and somewhat interesting, but it wasn't very compelling. I kept waiting for it to draw me in, but the simplistic writing style and rambling organization never quite got me into its clutches. The mysteries were all resolved in single chapters. As a collection of vignettes or short stories, this is quite good. As a novel: meh.

I did enjoy the main character, though. I liked her insights into life, and I liked the setting in Botswana. I don't think I've ever read a story set there before.

BOOK 30: The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, by Kelly O'Connor McNees

Rating: 2 stars

Cover synopsis: A mix of fact and fiction as the author imagines a summer lost to history, a summer that would inspire the story of love and heartbreak between Jo and Laurie in Little Women.

The premise was intriguing to me -- a love story about Louisa May Alcott that she didn't want anyone to know about so she destroyed all evidence of it from letters and her journal.

The book started off well enough, and I enjoyed learning more about Alcott's family, particularly her father and sisters. But the writing was lackluster and too sappy for my taste. I would have given the book 3 stars were it not for the author taking such outrageous liberties with Louisa's character, making her do something entirely unbelievable. Sigh.

BOOK 29: Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie

Rating: 4 stars

Cover synopsis: Detective Hercule Poirot has booked passage on the Orient Express. One of the passengers is found dead of multiple stab wounds in the night. By dawn, thirteen travelers, each bearing a secret, will find themselves suspect in the most ingenious crime Poirot has ever solved.

This is my first Agatha Christie, and it was good. The writing was a bit methodical for my taste, but so was the detective, so I'm just going to chalk it up to his personal style. The story was interesting, the characters colorful, the outcome surprising, and the moral thought-provoking.

BOOK 28: Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale

Rating: 3 stars

Cover synopsis: All the teenage girls from the mountain village must attend an academy to learn how to be a princess. Miri soon finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires to be chosen.

This was an interesting spin on a princess book -- Miri comes from a world that is the opposite of frilly and fancy. She grows up in a mining town, where everything is rock and dirt. She hunts rabbits and keeps house for her father and sister, who work in the mines. She is then sent to the academy to get an education and to refine her manners.

I liked the book, the plot, the idea...but for some reason, I didn't really connect with this book. I can see how some people would love it -- it's a New York Times Bestseller -- but it didn't really speak to me on any other level. It was an enjoyable read, but not much more.

BOOK 27: Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

Rating: 2 stars

Cover synopsis: When 28 year old Lexi wakes up in a London hospital, her teeth are perfect, her body is toned, she's rich, and married. Having survived a car accident, she lost 3 years of her memory, and her life couldn't be more different. It turns out her new life comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen?

I found this book in a used book store in Buxton, NC, while vacationing at the beach. The back cover sounds intriguing, and it was. This book was definitely a page turner as you try to figure out what happened in Lexi's life over the past 3 years, to turn her into the person she wakes up as in the hospital. Funny and interesting, I finished it in a day and a half.

However, I was severely disappointed in the language of the book, and the questionable morals. Why do authors feel like they have to sprinkle so much garbage into a book to make their main character seem hip and cool? Ugh. This is why I rarely just pick up a book and read it without doing any research on it, or getting people's opinions. If it weren't for the trashy aspect, this could have been a 4-star book. As it is, I give it 2.

BOOK 26: Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine

Rating: 5 stars

Cover synopsis: At birth, Ella was given a foolish fairy's gift -- the gift of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it's hopping on one foot or chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. She is determined to break the curse and live happily ever after.

This was such a cute book! It's a clever retelling of the classic Cinderella story. Ella is a spunky girl with a strong personality (a wonderful change after recently reading "Countdown"). Yet she's someone that everyone can relate too. She has to make tough choices (which is ironic since she often doesn't have a choice in many matters due to her curse), and she handles sticky situations with hilarity and wisdom. Love this character, love the storyline, love the ending.

BOOK 25: Countdown, by Deborah Wiles

Rating: 3 stars

Cover synopsis: It's 1962 and it seems everyone is living in fear. 12-year-old Franny lives near Washington, D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. For Franny and all Americans, it will be a formative year.

I enjoy historical fiction, so I thought I'd give this young-adult novel a go. It was OK. Not as spectacular as I was expecting. The story about Franny is fairly dull -- a lot of "my best friend's mad at me!" "The new kid is so cute!" "Mom's going to kill me if I don't do my chores!" Oh, and "we have bomb drills."

The layout of the book was a bit different...but gimmicky. It included a lot of pictures, advertisements, and song lyrics from 1962. While some of it was interesting, I thought the author overdid it. She'd make her point, drive it home, and overkill it. Then overkill it MORE.

Still, it was an educational experience for me. I didn't know much about the Cuban Missile Crisis, and to see from the eyes of a 12 year old girl was a fine idea. This would be a great book for kids ages 11+. But I wish Franny had more going on in her head to keep it interesting for us grown-ups who didn't grow up in the 60s.