Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

★★★ 1/2

"Fear is good.  In the right degree it prevents us from making fools of ourselves.  But in the wrong measure it prevents us from fully living.  Fear is our boon companion, but never our master."

This was a really unique and interesting story of a young girl's experience growing up in Moloka'i - an island in Hawaii where those diagnosed with leprosy were sent in the late 1800s.  Rachel's story is tragic in so many ways, yet she finds a new live in Moloka'i and is able to create a future for herself.  The writing was so-so, but I really enjoyed the historical aspects of the novel and all of the characters that were able to find hope in the midst of a horrible disease.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

★★★★ 1/2

"Don't be afraid.  There's the two of us now."

I don't know what to say about this book that hasn't been said before, but I FINALLY was able to get through the first 100+ pages and finished it.  I guess I shouldn't try to read such a huge book right before I have a baby or start a new job or be in the middle of grad school, but those things keep happening lately and I honestly had to start this book at least three times.  I knew it I would love it once I did - and I was right.  A perfect mix of history and romance and - time travel.  Didn't see how that combination could possibly work, but it did.  I would love to read the rest of the series...someday.  But for now I am very excited to FINALLY be able to watch the TV show!!!

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (audio)

★★★★

"People said Ove saw the world in black and white.  But she was color.  All the color he had."

A charming story about a man called Ove after he loses his wife to cancer.  I loved Ove's unique character and his simple view on the world  I enjoyed seeing how he developed over the course of the story, especially his friendship with his neighbors and relationship with his wife.  This novel was full of heart and humor and I loved all of the quirky scenes and people that came in and out of Ove's life and we learn about his past.  I had some issues with the general premise, but it was generally an enjoyable book.

Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson

★★★ 1/2

"The readers are in love with shipwrecks and terrible disasters.  And they make it sound very tragic...but also...wonderful.  I don't know how they do it."

This novel tells the story of Anne Shirley before we meet her in the Anne of Green Gables books.  I grew up reading the first books and some others and loved the character of Anne!!  It was interesting to think about what Anne's life might have been like - as it wasn't really discussed in great detail in the original books.  It was filled with tragic circumstances, but had a lot of hope as well.  I read the first novel to my almost two-year-old daughter when she was a few months old and plan to read the other books in the series someday.

The After Party by Anton DiSclafani

★★★★

"In the end, the details weren't about beauty or status.  They never had been, for me.  They were about feeling at home in the world.  And Joan hated these details."

A wonderful story about friendship between two women and the challenges they face living very different lifestyles in the 1950s.  I really enjoyed the setting and historical aspects of the story - even though I didn't always like that characters, but they were well-written and interesting.

Sharp Object by Gillian Flynn (audio)

★★★★

"The face you give the world tells the world how to treat you."

Another quick-paced and suspenseful novel from Gillian Flynn.  Filled with interest twists and one dark story after another, this story explores shocking family relationships and flawed characters.

Three Sisters, Three Queen by Philippa Gregory

★★★★

Another entertaining historical fiction novel from Philippa Gregory - I don't think I've missed a single one of her books since I started reading them several years ago.  I'll admit, many of them have started blending together, but I still enjoy them.  This novel tells the stories of three different queens: Katherine of Aragon, Mary Tutor, Queen of France, and  Margaret Tutor.  Gregory has touched on these women in various degrees in her previous novels, but this gave a new perspective of no only their individual lives, but the connects that they had with one another.