Sunday Synopsis

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jodi Picoult has a way with controversial subjects, and this book is no different. Among the issues mentioned in this book are violence against the police, child abuse, arson, murder, the death penalty, prison conditions, homosexuality, religion, and organ donation. Perhaps trying to tackle so many subjects in one book is not a great idea, but Picoult does it fairly successfully.

What I didn't like about this book: It is too long, over 400 pages. I feel like Picoult could cut some of the events and back story from the book without changing the message or the plot structure of the novel. There are too many chapters on a peripheral character, Lucius, who does not impact the story line to any degree. She is far too wordy in this novel. Another thing I didn't like is that there are parts of the book that are preachy and almost insulting to certain types of people. Part of it bordered on blasphemy.  I think I would have enjoyed the book better had she not made her own opinion so obvious in the narrative.

What I did like about this book: The characters are realistic and relatable, even the ones you may not like. I can picture these characters in my head, not just their appearances, but their attitudes, backgrounds, and feelings. I also like the idea that everyone can be forgiven, that we are all basically the same except for certain circumstances. And I like the premise of this book.

What if your daughter needed a heart to prevent her from dieing? What if the heart that is available is the one beating inside the chest of the man who killed your husband and other daughter? Would you take it?  What if donating his organs is the way he feels he can reach salvation?  The premise sucked me in.

Change of Heart is about so much more than just the question of organ donation. The death penalty and religion factor in largely as well. The best thing about this book is that it made me think. If you're looking for a fluff book, this is not it. If you like to read stories about realistic people having realistic issues, and you enjoy reading or discussing controversial issues, then you may enjoy Change of Heart.

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Random Thoughts and Coffee Chat

I'm linking up with Stacy for some Random Thoughts.

You know what's weird?  All during the week, I think of things I want to write, but instead of actually writing them down, I think, "I'll remember when it comes time."  But I don't!  I hate that my memory is not what it used to be.  There was a time when I didn't have to write things down, but that time is long past.

As I mentioned last week, the wedding is over, and it went so smoothly.  I may be biased, but I thought it was beautiful!  It gets so stressful when you're planning a big event, and when it's over, you can finally breathe more easily.  Here are a few shots of took.

The couple with the officiant

Dad/Daughter Dance

Some of the girls dancing

My twins

My twins will be 21 in one week.  I can't believe it!  I really wanted to do something special for them, but they'd rather be with their friends.  They're a little old to have a party anymore.  We will be going for lunch on their birthday and for dinner with their grandmother the day after.  I'm having a difficult time deciding what to get them, too.  Ideas?


And now, Coffee Chat with Rory Bore.

This week, our hostess says, " Shameful!!!   Come on, fess up!  We all have a book, movie, or song... maybe even celebrity crush that we are a bit ashamed to say we love!   I'm listening. "

Books - My favorite genre is crime thrillers.  They are sometimes a little graphic or gruesome, but I love them.  And no, they don't scare me.  For example,  Along Came a Spider and First to Die, both by James Patterson, or Carved in Bone by Jefferson Bass.  On the flip side, I don't watch scary movies.
  There is a song that always gets me dancing:  Love Train by the O'Jays.  It never fails to make me smile.  I secretly wish I could perform a lip sing routine to this song for someone!


There is one other song that I'm a little ashamed to admit I like.  It's the song Fantastic Man that is playing on the iPhone Portrait Mode commercial.   I have no idea what they're saying, but it's got such a catchy beat!


I honestly can't think of anything else that I am ashamed to admit I love.  I'm pretty comfortable with my nerdiness.

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Sunday Synopsis

Little Black Dress by James Patterson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The main character of this novel is Jane Avery, a magazine editor going through life as a new divorcee. The "little black dress" brings about a change in her behavior. She begins to have no-strings-attached sexual encounters with strangers. One of those encounters goes extremely wrong.

I did not like this book. As I was reading, I kept thinking, "When am I going to start caring about this character? Will I ever like her? What is the point of this story?" This was unlike anything I have ever read by James Patterson. I almost felt like it was trying to copy 50 Shades of Gray in some ways (which I haven't read because it's not my style).

My point is that there is little action or suspense. There isn't even romance. Much of it is Jane talking to herself, trying to decide which part of her conscience would win. There is a dangerous situation, and the author(s) had the opportunity to make a statement or inject a consequence, but he didn't. The character's reaction is completely abnormal.

This is not the typical Patterson book. I wonder if he even read it, or if he let the co-author write the entire story. The main thing I usually like about Patterson's novels is how quickly the reader is immersed in the action. Not so for this one. I blame co-author Emily Raymond.

Can a little black dress cause a complete reversal of character?

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Coffee Chat

Our lovely hostess at Ink Interrupted asks us...

What is your favourite way to spend the weekend?

(I love spelling favourite like our hostess!)

Everyone in my family will tell you that my favorite weekend activity is SLEEP.  During the school year, I get about 6 hours of sleep a night Sunday through Thursday, oftentimes less.  I'm a night owl, so going to bed early is not easy for me.  I'd rather stay up late and sleep in, which is impossible when you have to be at work at 8:15 AM.  So, I make up for it on the weekends.

The experts tell us that you should try to keep the same sleep schedule every day, but I say, "Why?" as long as I get back on my regular schedule Monday. The experts also say that too much sleep is just as damaging as too little sleep.  Too much is 9 or 10 hours.  If you use the law of averages, I get about 7 1/2 hours per night.  And according to research by the National Sleep Foundation, an exact amount of sleep cannot be pinpointed, just a range of hours, and I think I'm within my range.

Perhaps I should have been a cat.  They sleep 12-16 hours a day!  So, my favorite weekend activity is a little boring, but it's not the only thing I enjoy.  A good weekend also includes reading, eating out, spending time with my husband, maybe church on Sunday, if I'm not sleeping (I know, I know!), and the best weekend includes avoiding the grocery store.  Grocery shopping is my least favorite chore ever.

This past weekend did not include a lot of sleep due to our daughter's wedding.  It was absolutely beautiful!  Here's the proof!

So, even though this past weekend did not include extra sleep, it was so worth it! Subscribe in a reader

Sunday Synopsis

Still Alice by Lisa Genova
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had a very hard time getting into this book. The main character, Alice, is my age when she is diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. At the onset of the disease, she has many symptoms similar to those of us who are 50. Forgetfulness, of course, is one of those symptoms.

As I read the first half, I was depressed. I even call myself Forgetfulone. This could happen to me! I have to admit, it took me months to get through the first half. I would pick it up and read a little bit and put it down. I'd wait a few weeks or a month and pick it up again. Finally, I just decided to get over the fear I felt about this happening to me and finish the book. So I did. And it was good.

The main character, Alice Howland, is a respected cognitive psychologist on the teaching staff at Harvard. She's an avid runner, a mentor, and a gifted public speaker. Her husband also works on staff at Harvard. They have three children, two of whom are married. The novel explores the complexities of family relationships both before the onset and after. It also shows the complex process of diagnosis, testing, procedures, medications that may or may not help, support, and the hardships it imposes on relatives of the patient and the patient herself.

As the disease gets worse, Alice forgets and repeats herself often. The author writes it this way which is a little tedious, but it does help the reader comprehend the effects of the disease. The ending was sad, but realistic. It's important to note that the author, Lisa Genova, is a neuroscientist, so she knows her subject well. This is also her debut novel.

Still Alice has been made into a movie starring Julianne Moore, but I haven't seen it yet.

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