Midwives

The first thing about this book that intrigued me was the author is a man and he writes as a teenage girl. I was worried about the book because it's one of Oprah's Book Club picks and I usually don't like those. However this book came with high praises from other people.

Connie is a young teenage daughter of a midwife in Vermont. She has been used to her mother catching babies since she can remember. When the 14 year old girl is going through normal teenage struggles something horrible happens to her family, her mother. Something that has always been in the back of their minds but is not often spoke about.

This book looks at the stigmas against midwives and their families as well as taking a deep look into the family of a midwife. It also takes a look into how we question ourselves and our families, and what we will do for each of those.

Time Travler's Wife

It took me about 40 pages to figure out if I was going to like this book or not. Once I got about that far into it I knew I loved it and I couldn't put the book down.

Henry travels through time and meets his future wife when she is eight and he is in his 30s. Henry writes down all the times he'll meet Claire over the next 10 years. After that he will go away for two years before she will see him again, when she finally does she wonders if life has been a dream up to that point.

There is a Henry in the past, present, and future. All of them time travel but the present doesn't know about anything the future Henry does. So while he's lived his life he doesn't know a lot of the things he's done.

This was an amazing book that I highly recommend.

Baby Catcher

This was a wonderful story about Peggy Vincent who as a student nurse fidgeted while one of her patients walked up and down her bed while in labor. Once the baby was born she knew this was her calling.

Soon she learned how to create a closed off world for the women to labor in the way they wanted. Soon Peggy realised she wanted to be a midwife. After going to midwifery school and starting her own practice life was never the same.

This book takes a look at the good, the bad, and everything between. It spans years where being a midwife was looked down on, in demand, then looked down on again. You will laugh, love, cry, and get angry.

Laura Moriarty

The Center of Everything is a book about growing up in small town, USA. Following Evelyn from young childhood until just before graduation this book takes you back to those years in life where everything hung on a string. If one thing didn't go your way you thought the world was over. Then slowly you start to see the bigger picture of things, learn to stand your ground, sometimes even when you shouldn't. You learn the meaning of friendships, and then you learn that life really does hang on a string, one decision can turn your whole life upside down.

A quick, easy read.

The Midwife's Pregnancy and Childbirth Book

This is a very informative book about the different parts of pregnancy and child birth. I liked this book because it gave you different options for almost every problem you might face during those long 10+ months.

The great thing about this book is if you are like me and picked it up in your 8th month there is still helpful info in it. I really liked the chapter on what goes on in a woman's mind/body while in labor and delivery. I am hoping my husband will read it, to help him understand the process a little more.

The first half of the book is great if you are trying to get pregnant or in the very early stages. There is a TON of helpful info there, including how to pick your doctor and/or midwife.

That was another good thing about this book - it gave you information whether you are in a hospital, birthing center, or at home.
A great book to pick up no matter what part of pregnancy you are in.

12 Erotic Stories

Seduce Me is 12 erotic short stories in one book. This personally was not my cup of tea. The stories were very, very mild some so much so I wouldn't even consider them erotica. They all follow the theme of seducing someone or being seduced. The stories themselves were well written and the book was an easy read.

Babyville

This was definitely a chick book but surprisingly I enjoyed it. I wish I would have read it about 10 months ago when I was trying like crazy to get pregnant. Although I know it would have affected me in a completely different way.

This book takes place mainly in England with a group of 3 friends. One friend has moved away to New York and is happy to be living the single life. Friend #2 is in a long term relationship and has been trying desperately to get pregnant. Friend #3 is happily married and expecting baby #1.

There are 3 different sections of the book 1 is based on friend #2, 2 is based on friend #3 and 3 is based on someone unexpectedly coming into the group.

The stories follow their love lives, and the way having, or not having a family affects us. Sometimes good, bad, and indifferent.

Lady Killer

Lisa Scottoline's Lady Killer takes place in Philly with a young female lawyer as the main character. Born and raised in South Philly she feels that she owes herself to her old neighborhood, her people.

Even though she is a great, promising defense attorney she takes on the small cases, the workmen's comp, suing siding companies, and all the things her people might need help with. Even when an old high school bully comes along asking for help she jumps to the occasion.

How far is she willing to go though? Getting mixed up with the mob, quiting her job or worse yet getting fired? What about her love life, would she put that on the line too?

Cameron West, Ph D.

I can't say enough about First Person Plural My life as a multiple. This book is written by Cameron West who suffers from DID. We follow his life from when he first realizes he "blacks out" all the way until he finally admits, and accepts he has DID and has many personalities.

This is a wonderful first person look into what happens when someone has DID and another personality comes out and how life not only affects the person but all the personalities. This book should be a required read.

Secret Submission

Diana Hunter's first book takes a look into the life of a young widow who finds a man she's intrigued by. Only later does she find out he's a Dom. Can she do this? For how long? She gives it a weekend to find out, then realises she secretly likes it. While a battle within herself takes place over the right and wrong of this relationship she finds herself falling in love with her Master. He's not like the others she finds out, he truly cares and respects her.

This book takes a look at the softer side of a D/S relationship. It shows that even though this isn't normal to most, they still have a "normal" relationship.

Wifey

Judy Blume's book Wifey is written about a stay at home mother in the 1970s. She was a virgin when she got married, had two kids, fixed up their first house, is looking for their "final" house and has lived the life she was supposed to. Until a strange man on a bike shows up in her front yard.

Then she realises that maybe she missed something. Where was the excitement, the diversity? Will she find it somewhere else or is this the life she's destined to live?

Eric Goodman

I couldn't put down Child of my Right Hand. This book follows a family of 4 living in a small Ohio town. Each chapter is written by either Mom, Dad, or Son but is very easy to follow and keep seperated.

Just moving to the small town from a larger city everyone begins to learn that diversity isn't recieved too well. When son becomes openly gay no one wants him around. This book takes us on the ups and downs of life with a gay child and as a gay child.

An Idiot Girls' Christmas

I really don't know what to say to this. Laurie Notaro scores every time. She's so funny and lovable. Even if you were one of the popular girls I'm sure you could relate to her somehow.

Susan Anderson's Marine series

A while back I read one of 4 (I think it was 3 of 4) books in Susan Anderson's Marine series.

Head Over Heels, Getting Lucky, and Coming Undone follow the life of 3 friends from the Marines and one of the friends' younger brother in law (who became a marine).

The books are well written. If you like those series that all have the same basic feel to them these books are like that. Opposites attrack and everyone falls happily in love in the end.

Good Grief

Lolly Winston writes a touching and comedic book about what it's like to be a young widow in this era.

Sophie's mother-in-law who is also a widow thinks things should be a lot different. Sophie needs to get up and move on; all she wants to do is curl up with her husbands clothes and eat.

Sophie learns that just because things don't happen the way we think or wish they would doesn't mean that good things can't come of it. She also learns that happily ever after is possible, just not in such a clean cut way.

Joe David Brown

Paper Moon was the first book I've read of his and I have to say I was not disappointed. Although this isn't the type of book I normally read I was happy with it.

Joe David takes us back to the time of FDR with "Long Boy" and "Addie" while they con their way across the country. Soon they learn that their love and companionship mean more to each other than money ever could. Money isn't everything; or is it?

In an Instant

Lee and Bob Woodruff co write this book about their lives during a time of tragedy.

The main story of the book is how Lee is feeling while her husband, ABC news corespondent Bob Woodruff is fighting for his life after the Humvee he was traveling in was hit by a bomb. They also take a look back at life before their kids and before Bob's career took off.

This is a very personal look at the couple and how they have always managed to get through tough times in life.

A great read for everyone.