Annemarie returns to her family’s ranch with her teen daughter in tow after her husband announces that he’s leaving.  Her life is a mess, and the ranch is the once place where she can hope to find healing.  Nothing spectacular, but a decent story nonetheless.

Your typical Robin Cook novel with evil corporate villains, sleuthing doctors and unsuspecting patients.  Told in Cook’s subdued, understated tone that downplays the seriousness of the subject matter.  For example, upon discovering that her friend has been kidnapped, Laurie’s reaction is to say, “This is a major disaster.”  You think?  Cook’s books help pass the time in a waiting room, but are usually a last resort for me.

Since I am a San Diego native who frequented Sea World as a child, a book with Shamu on the cover will always catch my eye.  Of course, when you think “Shamu” you don’t usually also think “love and marriage.”  But that’s exactly what Sutherland did when she wrote a column for the New York Times about how the lessons she learned while observing at an animal training school helped improve her marriage.  She got such a response, that she turned the article into a book.  It’s interesting, funny and full of techniques you can use to improve all types of relationships.

Haddix is a talented author, who has written many excellent books.  My favorite is her Cinderella tale, Just Ella.  Uprising is also an excellent book.  Bella, Yetta and Jane become friends in spite of their differences.  Bella and Yetta are immigrants from different countries, working at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory, and Jane is the daughter of a wealthy New York factory owner.  But when fire sweeps through the factory, the girls’ lives are changed forever.  It was hard for me to get into this book at first, not because of poor writing, but because of the dreadful lives that Bella and Yetta were living.  Their situation seemed so hopeless, I almost didn’t want to read on.  But I did, and I’m so glad I stuck with it.  In spite of the tragic fire, Uprising is a story of hope, forgiveness, perseverance and change.

An absolute must read for anyone who’s ever raised a family and loved a dog.  Grogan’s account of life with Marley will make you laugh and cry.  It’s more than a “funny dog story.”  Marley and Me is the story of how John, Jenny, their three children and Marley became a family

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