1) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers: I've already written an entire post about this book, so you know how I feel about it. It's my favorite!
2) Looking for a Love Story by Louise Shaffer: This was so good! It was a bit slow for me in the beginning, but considering I read it in a day and a half, it wasn't that bad =) I really like this one because the author is so witty and I love her conversational tone with the reader throughout the book. I really suck at writing a synopsis so here is the one from Random House books...After the success of her first novel, Love, Max—an irresistibly funny look at divorce as seen through a dog’s eyes—Francesca’s fictional saga becomes real when her sexy photographer husband bails on her. The good news is that Francesca gets custody of their apartment and their dog—an adoring scamp who has mastered the art of unconditional love. Still, a girl and her dog have to eat, so a desperate search for income leads Francesca to Chicky, a spunky, red-haired octogenarian who wants Francesca to write the memoirs of her parents, Joe and Ellie, who toured the vaudeville circuit in the early 1920s. Francesca is reluctant to take the job, but Chicky’s tales soon lure her into a showbiz era as irresistible and unlikely as the love story that unfolds. As she re-creates Joe and Ellie’s story, Francesca reflects, with hilarious honesty, on her own childhood and marriage—and discovers how to put the pieces of her life back together in a way that redefines herself and the true meaning of family and love.
3) The Host by Stephanie Meyer: It took me a while...but I finished it and liked it. I read this right after Redeeming Love, so I am not sure if I was just having trouble with switching gear (totally) or just had too high of expectations, but this took me a while to get into. However, I got through the 619 pages and really enjoyed it. This was more of a science fiction kind of book about aliens (souls) that have invaded the human species. If you have read The Giver by Lois Lowry (which is one of my all time favorites), I think you will really like this. Again...here is a synopsis from Amazon about the book...The author of the Twilight series of # 1 bestsellers delivers her brilliant first novel for adults: a gripping story of love and betrayal in a future with the fate of humanity at stake. Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves-Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.Featuring what may be the first love triangle involving only two bodies, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will bring a vast new readership to one of the most compelling writers of our time.
4) The Shunning by Beverly Lewis: It's probably cheating to even add this to the list because I only got about 3/4 through the book. It's not very good and I don't recommend this one, but maybe it just wasn't my thing. It was about an Amish community and a girl who wanted to rebel and live the modern, English lifestyle. It was very slow and it wasn't getting any better, so I gave up on it and read Looking for a Love Story instead.
I've already started on my June list, so next month I will post a review about each of those!
