The Secret Life of Bees

Title: The Secret Life of Bees
Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Kindle

From Goodreads: Sue Monk Kidd's ravishing debut novel has stolen the hearts of reviewers and readers alike with its strong, assured voice. Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the town's fiercest racists, Lily decides they should both escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. There they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters who introduce Lily to a mesmerizing world of bees, honey, and the Black Madonna who presides over their household. This is a remarkable story about divine female power and the transforming power of love--a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

What I thought: This was our book group read for October and although the meeting was yesterday, I didn't get to go due to the fact one of my kids had a surf carnival! I've read it before but was more than happy to do so again. I find this to be such an uplifting book. The characters are genuine, loving, caring people who want nothing more than to help others and live peacefully. The situations they find themselves in are met with determination and a complete lack of judgment of others. More importantly to me, they are mostly women who are strong and self sufficient. Even now I think there is a lack of strong women in our fiction, women our daughters can look up to and admire. The Secret Life of Bees is a story of how differences should be valued, people should be accepted for what they are and how love can change a life completely.

Recommended for: everyone.

Challenges:  100+ Challenge, A-Z Challenge, E-Book Challenge

The Children

Title: The Children
Author: Charlotte Wood
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Library

From Goodreads: When their father is critically injured, foreign correspondent Mandy and her siblings return home, bringing with them the remnants and patterns of childhood. Mandy has lived away from the country for many years. Her head is filled with images of terror and war, and her homecoming to the quiet country town - not to mention her family and marriage - only heightens her disconnection from ordinary life. 
Cathy, her younger sister, has stayed in regular contact with her parents, trying also to keep tabs on her brother Stephen who, for reasons nobody understands, has held himself apart from the family for years. In the intensive care unit the children sit, trapped between their bewildered mother and one another; between old wounds and forgiveness, struggling to connect with their emotions, their past and each other. But as they wait and watch over their father, there's someone else watching too: a young wardsman, Tony, who's been waiting for Mandy to come home. As he insinuates himself into the family, the pressure, and the threat, intensify and build to a climax of devastating force.
This acutely observed novel exposes the tenacious grip of childhood, the way siblings seem to grow apart but never do, and explores the price paid for bearing witness to the suffering of others - whether far away or uncomfortably close to home

What I thought: I borrowed this from the library after hearing the author on the radio talking about her new book which is a sequel to this. Although it sounded like you can read the Animal People without having read The Children, my anal retentiveness over matters such as these would not allow me to do so! Having fallen behind in my reviewing recently, I actually can't remember too much about this book apart from the fact that I really liked it and want to read more of Wood's writing. Each of the characters touched a chord with me and I felt for them as they attempt to deal with each of their personal demons. The struggles as Margaret deals with not only losing her husband, but trying to keep her children close to her and each other, Mandy dealing with the images she has seen as a foreign correspondent and the frivolity she now sees in most peoples lives, Cathy trying to keep the peace across the board and Stephen who really doesn't want to be there. The climax when it comes is sudden, startling and perplexing. It jolts the reader out of the lives of the characters and forces them down another path. In the end, has anything really changed?

Recommended for: those who like good quality Australian fiction.

Challenges:  100+ Challenge,

The Thompson Gunner

Title: The Thompson Gunner
Author: Nick Earls
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Book – Library

Synopsis: Meg is a successful Australian stand up comedian. However, things from her childhood in Northern Ireland are starting to surface and while on the surface she looks like she is still in control, the reality is things beyond her control are making her ask questions she's avoided for years. But eventually the past need to be faced. The question is, will it save her, or break her completely?

What I thought: I struggled to get inot this, but by the end I was engrossed. This is different from most of Earls stuff to date. Darker, a more serious topic and he pulled it off with class. I didn't pick the end. It was obvious something had happened in Northern Ireland, but I didn't think it was that!
The story jumps between times and places but it's easy to follow - especially the bits in Northern Ireland during Meg's childhood. The other two settings are only weeks apart but were easily distinguished by the weather! Canada in winter and Perth in summer. Once again, Earls characters are easy to identify with and like. They have their flaws, making them believable and likeable.

Recommended for: people who have enjoy other works of Nick Earls

Challenges: 100+ Challenge, 

The End of the Alphabet

Title: The End of the Alphabet
Author: CS Richardson
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Book – Library

Synopsis: When Abrose Zephyr has a check up at 50, he is told he has a mere month to live. So he gathers his wife and a list and heads off to visit a variety of places in alphabetically order. But is this what they really need to be doing?

What I thought: This came from a recommendations from Jules at Jules' Book Reviews - way back in January 2010! Obviously you can't rush me!
This is a nice quick read- I managed it in a lunch hour plus a bit before bed. It has a lovely lyrical quality and the writing flows beautifully. The vagueness of what disease Abrose has makes sure the reader focus' on the journey, not the destination. It's full of lovely little symbols (like Ambrose's intials - A-Z) and has hidden depths. Well recommended

Recommended for: people after a good, intelligent, quick read.

Challenges: 100+ Challenge, TwentyEleven Challenge, A-Z Challenge

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Title: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Author: J.K Rowling
Series: Harry Potter
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Children/ Young Adult
Format: Book - Personal Collection

Synopsis: Harry Potter is just an ordinary boy living with his horrible aunt, uncle and cousin. Then one day, Harry finds out he is not as ordinary as he thinks. Not only is he a wizard, he is famous in the wizarding world. So off he goes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary to begin on the path of his true destiny.

What I thought: The other week a friend and I went to see the final movie in the Harry Potter series. I loved it, thought they did an excellent job. Of course, it did mean that the moment I went home I wanted to read the books again! So being the anal person I am, I started with the first and plan to work my way through! What I am pleased to say is that the book stands the test of time. Given I have re read it every time a new book came out, plus a few extras, you could expect the thrill of it to diminish each time. It doesn’t. It’s just as exciting to read it this time as it was the first time I read it. In fact, in some ways it is better, as you know to look for little things and you become aware as the books go just how much the characters are growing. My only regret at the moment is I have a stack of library books (what’s new!) that I have to get through before I move onto book 2!

Recommended for: everyone! A true classic

Challenges: 100+ Challenge. I’m not adding this to my YA challenges as I feel it’s not really a YA book, more a children’s.

The Siege of Macindaw

Title: The Siege of Macindaw
Author: John Flanagan
Genre: Fiction
Series: Ranger's Apprentice
Audience: Young Adult
Format: Book - Library

Synopsis: In an isolated area in the north, Will needs to find some fighting men to help him recaputure the castle taken by Sir Keren who plans to hand the castle over to the Scotti, giving them easy access to the rest of Arulen. And then there is the rescue of Alyss that needs to happen too. Can Will find the help he needs and recaputure the castle before it's too late.

What I thought: Yet another excellent book in this series. Really, if you have a boy aged 10 or above who likes a good story, this is an excellent series to direct them to. As with a lot of these types of series, the situations are getting a little more dangerous, the concepts a little more complex. Like Harry Potter, it's a series that grows with the reader and is well worth the read.

Recommended for: those who want a quality YA fantasy series.


Challenges: 100+ Challenge, For the love of YA Challenge, Aussie YA Challenge

The Adults

Title: The Adults
Author: Alison Espach
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Book - Library

Synopsis: Emily Vadal’s watches and observes the adults ‎around her, making witty and frequently biting comments. Her ‎parent’s divorce, her father’s affair with the neighbour and her ‎own on again off again affair with a teacher affect her outlook ‎and approach to life.‎

What I thought: I first came across this book via a review by ‎Claire over at The Captive Reader. I had trouble writing the ‎synopsis for this book. I think that was what it was about. I also ‎think I liked it, although I’m not 100% sure on that either! There ‎was large sections where I was quite engrossed in what I was ‎reading, and other parts where I thought maybe I’d picked up a ‎different book altogether. The book jumps large amounts of ‎time, like the whole of Emily’s schooling after high school. Her ‎choice of interior decorating as a career didn’t feel right to me, ‎it’s just not what I pictured her doing. But then again, maybe that ‎was the point. The books many changes of direction were jarring ‎and unsettling, which is how Emily’s life was. She never seemed ‎fully comfortable or engaged with what was going on around ‎her. In the end, I’m still not sure if I like it or not, although it was ‎definitely an interesting read!

Recommended for: I’m not sure!‎

Challenges: 100+ Challenge, TwentyEleven Challenge.‎

Half of a Yellow Sun

Title: Half of a Yellow Sun

Author: Chimamandra Ngozi Adichie
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Kindle

Synopsis: Half of a Yellow Sun follows a group of characters ‎through the rise and fall of Biafra in Nigeria during the 1960’s. ‎From Ugwu, the loyal house boy to Odengibo the revolutionary, ‎Richard the white British expatriate who considers himself ‎Biafran and his lover, the fiery, pragmatic Kainene, Adichie’s ‎characters take the reader through this little known time in ‎Nigerian history.‎

What I thought: I never even knew that part of Nigeria seceded ‎to form a new state in the 60’s! A very interesting fact, especially ‎considering the following refugee and humanitarian needs crisis ‎that followed led to the formation of Doctors without Borders. ‎This is our book group book for July and I think it will provoke a ‎lot of discussion. It is beautifully written and the imagery ‎stunning. Adichie involves her reader with her characters lives. ‎The overwhelming disappointment I felt in Ugwu at one stage ‎was devastating, almost like my own nephew or close friend had ‎let me down. I can see this being made into a very powerful, ‎emotional movie.I would be very interested to read other Adicihie ‎works.‎

Recommended for: those who want to know about life outside ‎of their own little comfort zone.‎

Challenges: 100+ Challenge, E-Book challenge

Sunday Philosophy Club

Title: The  Sunday Philosophy Club
Author: Alexander McCall Smith
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Audio Book - Library

Synopsis: Isabel Dalhousie was the last person to see Mark Fraser alive as he fell from the balcony above her at the theatre. Feeling disturbed by the event, Isabel feels she has an ethical responsibility to investigate the event. Was it suicide, or is there a darker reason for the death of this young man?

What I thought:  I decided to have a go at this as I love McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. Unfortunately, I wasn’t so impressed with this. I’m not even sure what it was that made me not like it. I didn’t particularly like the main character, Isabel Dalhousie. What she justifies as an ethical obligation, I  simply see as meddling – sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. I also found her to be snobbish, giving the impression that she frequently thought she was better than others. Now this may be exactly what McCall Smith was aiming for, but I find it hard to read a book where I dislike the main character so much! I won’t be reading any more of The Sunday Philosophy Club books and I’m not sure if I am game enough to dip my toes in any of McCall Smith’s other works.

Recommended for: others who like McCall Smith’s books and ‎want to see what else he writes. Just be warned, you may be ‎disappointed!‎

Challenges: 100+ Challenge, ‎

Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

Told by 31 year old Kathy as she comes to the end of her life as a carer, Never Let Me Go tells the stories of a special group of friends, bought into the world for a special purpose. From their days at Hailsham School, through to the fulfillment of their purpose, Never Let Me Go explores friendship and how a shared past can help shape the person you end up being.

I had read several reviews of Ishiguro's books and thought they sounded interesting. I picked this up off the shelves at work one day and borrowed it out. It sat on the shelf awhile before I picked it up again.

What I discovered was a beautifully written story. Kathy's voice was very natural to me. Her exploration of her upbringing and friendships were heartfelt and moving. The slow realisation of what their purpose was lead to the suspense of the novel and once it was revealed, I was both horrified and fascinated.

I will definitely be reading more of Ishiguro's work. In fact I plan to choose one of his books for my next book group selection.

Minimum of Two

Minimum of Two - Tim Winton

Love, love, love Tim Winton! I've always thought it would be great to hear a Tim Winton book read out loud so when I discovered the library had this on audio book, I had to get it.

And I was right. Winton's style of writing lends itself beautifully to being read out loud, although I wasn't thrilled with the voice of the narrator. At times he just seemed to get the tone wrong. However, Winton's stories over-rode that small annoyance.

Minimum of Two is a collection of short stories, although the majority of the surround the story of Jerra, Rachel and Sam. The last story in the book which was based around Sam's traumatic birth was incredibly powerful and moving.

My pick of the stories though is the one that lent it's name to the title of the book: Minimum of Two. This was the story of a husband trying to deal with the rape of his wife. As I listened, I realised how wrong the husband had got it. That the rape and how the release of the man convicted of it was not about him - the husband. He totally failed to see it was about his wife and while he had been affected by the event, it had not happened to him and what he did in order to "make it better" did in fact, make it a lot worse.

I have said before that Winton is my favourite author. The fact he is Australian is even better. I highly recommend his books to anyone, although if you a little wary of bizzare stories, go for one of his later books such as Breath or Dirt Music.

Flowers for Algernon

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

I read this for our book group last weekend. I had read it before many years ago so knew how it basically went.

Charlie Gordon has an intellectual disability. He has been selected for an experimental operation aimed at restoring his mental faculties to "normal." As part of the experiment he is asked to write progress reports, documenting his feelings and what happens to him in the time before and after the operation.

In the beginning Charlie's entries are full of mis-spellings and incorrections. He tells us about his friends at the bakery he works at, how they make him laugh. He gets upset by the fact that Algernon, the mouse who has already had the operation and shows every sign of success, continually beats him at a maze game.

As time goes on, Charlie's entries become more sophisticated as the effects of the operation start to take place. He starts to learn more about the world and not all of it is good. Those work mates, they didn't laugh with him, they laughed at him. And people often say what they don't mean. And those memories of his childhood are particularly good either.

And then Algernon starts to decline. Charlie now at a point where he is smarter than just about anyone, does the research and realises his own time is limited.

This is a great book for a book group. It bought up such great discussion. Do we have the right to interfere, play God? How far would you go to "fix" your child? Why does society feel there is a need to "fix" children who aren't neurotypical? Was Charlie better off happy and ignorant, or angry, sad and confused but intelligent?

The book is written completely from Charlie's point of view. This means the beginning can be hard going as the writing is at the level of maybe a grade 1 or 2 child. I found myself getting angry on Charlie's behalf as he talked about his "friends" and how they were so obviously using him for their own entertainment. For me it really bought about questions about why we feel we need to fix people with intellectual disabilities. At times I struggled with the language, remembering it was written in the late 50's, early 60's. Terms such as moron just don't sit well in today's society. I also had to constantly remind myself of the period when reading about Charlie's relationship with his mother. The stigma of having an "abnormal" child was high and she didn't deal well at all. In the end though, the book is timeless in a way. As I said, it raises so many questions that are just as relevant today as they were back in the 60's. I would highly recommend reading it.

The Sculptress

The Sculptress by Minette Walters

Way back in June, I added Minette Walters to the list of authors I wanted to read or reread the back catalogue of. Not long after I started with The Ice House, I (or more to the point, my husband!) put me on a book ban after discovering I had over 60 books to read.  So here we are, several months on and I have finally managed to read the second of Minette Walters books, The Sculptress.

Olive Martin was accused of and what's more, confessed to, killing her mother and sister is a most gruesome fashion. A long time social misfit and object of scorn and disgust due to her gross obesity, Olive has few friends and even fewer champions.

Rosalind Leigh is a journalist who has been given the choice of writing a book about Olive or unemployment. She is fighting her own demons, but the more she looks into Olive's story, the more convinced she becomes that there has been a miscarriage of justice. The problem is, Olive doesn't agree!

I really enjoy Walters writing. Her books move along at a wonderful pace. There are stories within the main story, but not so many or so overwhelming you lose track. To start with the reader is scared of Olive, like the other characters in the book, but the further you go, the more you start to pity and feel sorry for her. Rosalind becomes stronger as you go too, yet her flaws are obvious and believable. The ending was brilliant and leaves the reader not really 100% sure of anything! I'm looking forward to Walters next book on my list The Scolds Bridle.

The first five of Walters books have been adapted for TV by the BBC. I borrowed The Ice House from the library after I read it and plan to put The Sculptress on request tomorrow. It has the brilliant Pauline Quirke in it and will do nicely for Friday night when the husband is off playing volleyball!

Mr Rosenblum's List

Mr Rosenblum's List by Natasha Solomons

I first read a review of this by Staci over at Life in the Thumb, but under the title of Mr Rosenblum Dreams in English.

Staci loved the Rosenblum's and I can only say I agree with her wholeheartedly!! From the first the page where Jack is listening to the weather report on the radio (because that's what an Englishman would do) to the last page where...(I won't tell you), I was cheering for the Rosenblum's, wanting them to succeed, wanting them to be happy.

Mr Rosenblum's List is a lovely, whimsical, read. But not only that, it gives you food for thought. When you immigrate to another country, is it essential to divulge yourself of your old identity and totally embrace the new? Do you have a right, or are you able to be happy when you have lost all of your family? What is the true value of dreams and good friends?

I totally enjoyed this book. It left me feeling warm, uplifted and happy. What more could you want in a book!

She's Come Undone

She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

I borrowed this awhile ago from the library and to tell you the truth, had been putting off reading it. While I enjoyed The Hour I First Believed, I did have to wade through it a bit and I was reluctant to start another wader type book.

I need not have been worried. I loved this. Everything. The characters were engaging and believable, the writing beautiful and the story moved along, every twist leaving you in despair or cheering.

"so beautifully written you trust it from the first sentence." 
OK! Magazine

The quote above that appeared on the back of the book sums it up beautifully for me.

I felt so many things for the main character Dolores. At times I got so angry with her, at others I just wanted to gather her up and fix all her ills. Her journey from childhood through to adulthood enthralled me. Lamb's writing flows like water and you really feel for the characters, can visualise the setting and totally immerse yourself in the world he has created.

I will be searching out Lamb's other books.

The Double Comfort Safari Club

The Double Comfort Safari Club - Alexander McCall Smith

As I mentioned before, I love this series. It's one series I have read that has gone on for this long (this is No 11) and not   jumped the shark. (I learnt that phrase the other day and love it!)

Double Comfort once again sees lots of lovely Botswana advice dispensed with the calm and sensitivity by Mma Ramotswe. A beneficiary needs to be found, whether or not a husband or wife is cheating needs to be established and a bossy, rude aunt needs to be dealt with.

What I do find interesting though, is my inability to read any other Alexander McCall Smith books. I've tried to read his other series' , and there are a few. For some reason, I feel disloyal to the No 1 Ladies Detectives when I read his other stuff. Maybe one day when the series is finished I will be able to give my full attention to the others. In the meantime, Mma Ramotswe, Mr J. L. B. Matakoni, Mma Makutsi, Phuti Radiphuti and those 2 lazy apprentices remain No 1 in my heart!

The Aloha Quilt

The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

This is the 16th book in the Elm Creek Quilts series.

I reviewed the 15th book back in July! It's taken that long for the one copy my local library has to get to me!

The Aloha Quilt sees one of the Elm Creek Quilter's, Bonnie, travel to Hawaii to help her friend Clare set up a quilt camp there.

Poor old Bonnie has had a bit of a hard time of it really. Her fabric shop, Grandma's Attic, has had to close for several reasons, her marriage is over and she is really a bit of a doormat for everyone. To tell you the truth, she has never been one of my favourite characters. Judgmental of others, but unwilling or unable to see her own faults, I find her very insipid and weak. The Aloha Quilt allowed her to grow and become a little more fleshed out. She learns to stand up for herself and discovers things are not always as they seem. I was quite happy with the outcome actually!

As always, but taking the main action away from Elm Creek, Chiaverini has managed to keep the series from becoming boring and repetitive. With this she also managed to fit in a bit of Hawaiian history as well. A great read for fans of the series.

To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

OK, dirty little secret time. I've never read To Kill a Mockingbird! (hides in shame) I think I tried to once a long, long time ago (say, about 14 -15) and didn't get far. Any way it is one of my friend's all time favourite books and so with all the stuff about banned book week around, I decided to do it.

Wow! How have I not read this before?? I will admit I'm not a big fan of classics - old or modern. I struggled through Wuthering Heights and Great Expectations and have an active dislike for Catcher in the Rye and have never managed to finish Lord of the Flies. But this? This was amazing! I totally get why this is considered such a classic. Lee's snapshot of a an American country town during the 1930's is so well crafted you can almost believe you are there, running past the Radley house, playing with Scout, Jem and Dill, holding your breath in the court room and fearing the outcome. To tell you the truth, it has opened my eyes to the possibility that not all "classics" are beyond my reach. So to anyone who has also read this (and if you haven't, you should! Really, go now and do it!!) what other classics would you recommend to me??

A Taste For It

A Taste For It by Monica McInerney

So I'm not a big fan of audio books. There is usually too much going on in my house to listen to them while I cook or clean and I can't just sit and listen - my mind wanders. Anyway, the audio book of this came through the returns chute at work (I'm telling you, working check in is dangerous!)and I thought I would have a go at listening to it in the car on the way to work after dropping the kids off and on the way back to pick them up.

I'm pleased to say I enjoyed it. I listened, wasn't distracted and often turned it off with disappointment when I got to the kids. My only problem is that instead of listening to the radio I was listening to this. I often listen to the ABC (public radio station in Australia) in the car and it's often my only source of news and current events. I did feel very out of touch while I listened to my book. I will get another one, but it will have to be something I'm willing to sacrifice my radio time for.

Now, onto the book review! McInerney writes chick lit. I don't mind chick lit. I quite often find it a light fluffy read without having to think. The thing I like about McInerney's books is that they are well written and I don't feel like I have read them all before. Yes, they are predictable - girl meets boy, girl and boy are attracted but something happens to stop them getting together, crisis happens, girl and boy end up together - but at times you need predictable! And she's Australian!

House Rules

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

From Goodreads:

Jacob Hunt is a teenage boy with Asperger's syndrome. He's hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself to others, and like many children with Asperger's, Jacob has an obsessive focus on one subject - in his case, forensic analysis. He's always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room. But then one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him. Reluctance to make eye contact, stimulatory tics and twitches, inappropriate gestures, all these can look a lot like guilt. Suddenly, Jacob finds himself accused of murder.

House Rules looks at what it means to be different in our society, and at the extremes of love and loyalty a family must call upon to overcome impossible circumstances.

So here's the thing. I use to love Jodi Picoult. It started with The Pact, which I will admit at a second reading this year it wasn't as good as I remembered. I know I  enjoyed Keeping Faith and Songs of the Humpback Whale, both earlier Picoult books. I know Nineteen Minutes it had been coloured by the prior reading of the much grittier We Need to Talk About Kevin. So, taking all of this in to account, I approached House Rules hopefully, but with some doubts.

And once again, here is my problem with Picoult - I don't like her mother characters. In House Rules, the neglect of the lesser, more normal child was not as obvious. While Jacob's brother, Theo seems to have a better understanding and reason to be pushed aside at times for Jacob, I still feel the expectation put upon him by his mother, Emma is unreasonable. Then again, I have taught children who have siblings with a disability and to an extent, this is a given. As the teacher and parent of neurotypical children (a nice term for what is considered "normal"), I found it offensive that there did not seem to be one single adult in the whole book who was willing to find their child's or student's treatment of Jacob. As far as I could work out, no one had ever stepped in and dealt with a child who had called Jacob a retard or picked on him in any way. I know it's certainly something I would not tolerate in either my own kids or students. On top of that, in House Rules, Emma seems completely oblivious to how the legal system works and how it cannot be adjusted simply because Jacob is on the spectrum. Yes, allowances need to be made for his disorder, but it can't be a case of oh he has Asperger's off you go.

Which brings me to another point. I know Asperger's is a relative new diagnosis (it wasn't formally recognised as a separate syndrome until 1994), but, and maybe this is my issue, I would assume most people when they heard the term would register this person was different and may react differently to the general population. There seemed to be no attempt to understand or find out or listen to Emma about Jacob's issues.

My other issue is the social isolation Picoult seems to assume is the norm for families dealing with a child with Asperger's or Autism. Emma has no friends, either does Jacob or Theo. I have friends who have children with Asperger's and Autism Spectrum Disorder. They have friends. So do their kids. Picoult seems to assume that anyone else who is not dealing with these conditions on a daily basis is an uncaring, unsympathetic, judgmental asshole who makes no attempt to understand what their fellow mother/ parent is going through. Sure, I have thought "Thank god it's not me" and have felt guilty every time I have said it. Have I cut contact because their child refuses to make eye contact or has lashed out at my child? No. Then again, I have friends who accept their child's condition, but also work really hard at not using that as the excuse for their their child's behaviour. No eye contact acceptable, biting not!

So apart from these issues, the book was ok. I enjoyed it although I did pick the twist. (really, wasn't that hard) Is it worth reading? Yes, if you are a Picoult fan. I won't be recommending it to friends who have kids with any type of Autism Spectrum Disorder. If I got annoyed at what I think are the inaccuracies, I can only imagine how they would feel.