Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

In an effort to simplify, I decided to incorporate Priceless Reads into Priceless Adventure. I'm having a hard enough time as it is writing on this blog while keeping up with Priceless Design Studio. I love that my little business is budding. It is certainly keeping me busy!

It took me almost 4 months to finish this book because of some combination of it being extra-extra long & me being extra-busy starting PDS. I think that is the longest I've ever taken to finish a book, sadly. I apologize in advance to those of you who just loved this book.

This book was not what I expected. I blame e-books and my own stupidity. If I had actually been at Barnes & Noble browsing for books there is no way I would have picked this one up on my own. Instead, I went off of what someone had said and because it was an e-book I didn't get to read the back (and was too lazy to google it).

The other deceptive thing about reading this book on an e-reader was the length. I guess I just didn't have a good feel for what 1400 pages on my iPad would actually be. I thought it sounded long, but figured it was probably just because the pages are smaller. I was thinking maybe an equivalent to half? Let me tell you, I was wrong, and it was long.

Let's talk about the actual book. I have no problem with historical fiction or fantasy, or even the two mixed together. That part didn't bug me. What bugged me were the scottish accents, written in words like "acht" or "ken." Drove me nuts! As did the cheesy love scenes. The scenes of graphic beatings were a different beast though. I cringed inside and they were hard for me to read.

One reviewer on Goodreads says everything I want to say about the book but better, here. {caution: spoilers.}

I will say that the book did keep me up several nights because I just couldn't put it down. There are 6 books in this series, and I might read the next one but I want to read something a little lighter first.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Help was a great summer novel.  I've never been to "the south" and I felt like this book gave me a good idea of what it might have been like.  The characters were endearing and the "good wins over evil" theme made this book so lovely to read.  If you read The Help and want more, I recommend reading Cane River by Lalita Tademy.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

I realize that I’m behind the crowd with reading this book, but I think it’s interesting that I started reading it on the day Osama bin Laden was captured and killed.  I wish I had read it earlier.  Everything about this fictional story of 2 remarkable women tugged at my heartstrings.  I was outraged at the men for their treatment of women and girls, and was so touched by the ending.  If you have never read a book about women of the Middle East, this is a great introduction.

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

This book was not as good as The Other Boleyn Girl.   It seemed to drag at the end, going back and forth between the three women: Anne of Cleves, Jane Boleyn and Katherine Howard.  Although I loved finding out what happened to King Henry’s next wives, the novel itself fell short for me. 

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

This book is like good braised meat.  It cooks really slowly but in the end you have a tender and delicious masterpiece.  I took my time with this novel, not just because it was rather long (over 600 pages) but also because I had to let each section sink in before moving on.  Told in 4 parts, this novel is the story of Marion Praise Stone’s journey as a brother, son, lover, and doctor. As the story grew, elements of surprise and magic kept me hooked, and the ending brought it all together for a sweet finish. 

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

The title of this book struck me first.  Followed by the fact it was about the Japanese internment during WWII.  I loved that it told a story about an old man and a child (him as a boy).  However, I became disappointed about halfway through the book when I could easily tell where it was going and how it would end.  It was too predictable for my taste, but I finished it.  It ended just as I thought it would, no surprises.  This would be a good book for a high school student learning more about the Japanese internment, but not as a novel for an educated adult.    

The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

More or less a sequel to Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen is another wonderful piece of historical fiction about the Queens of Egypt.  This time told as a first person account from the aspiring Queen, the main character is well developed and easy to identify with.  The story is filled with jealousy, trickery, politics, and love. 

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

A great recommendation from my mom, Nefertiti is a wonderful piece of historical women’s fiction.  I love books about women in history, and this one hit the nail on the head.  Told from the point of view of Nefertiti’s sister, Mudnodjmet, the story of the famous Egyptian queen is revealed from start to finish.  It satisfied my love for strong women and also my enjoyment of stories that are told from start to finish.  And what’s even better is that Moran has written several books about the Queens of Egypt, so if you like this one there are more to read! 

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

This novel was my first introduction to The Tudors, and it had me hooked from the start.  I thought it was brilliant to tell the story of Anne Boleyn through her sister.  I remembered that feeling of sisterly competition, and appreciated the honesty from the main character, Mary.  I read most of the book on a 36 hour flight itinerary, and couldn’t have chosen a better time because I had the luxury of reading for hours on end.  I now realize that this book is actually #2 out of 6, and I intend to start reading the others.