The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry (#3 Cotton Malone Series)

I equate my like of Steve Berry's Cotton Malone Series to my enjoyment as a child of the Nancy Drew books. The Venetian Betrayal is the third book in this series and I am still hooked. The first book in the series is The Templar Legacy and after reading it I began to realize how much I could enjoy "adult" mystery/ thriller novels. It had conspiracy, religious history, world history, government assassinations... this series has it all. The second book is The Alexandria Link. While this one was good, I wasn't as into it as the first or the third. Since The Venetian Betrayal is the one I just finished reading I will focus on it. Once again Berry delivers... he brings back all of the main characters from the previous two books and creates a plot that I found so unpredictable and complex. When I was only 1/4 of the way through the book I felt like it was about to conclude and be done... I couldn't imagine what else could happen... yet Berry kept adding to it and bringing in more and more elements to complicate things, which I really appreciated. I was constantly on my toes. The novel focuses around a new nation, the Central Asian Federation, which is run by Irina Zovastina, a very powerful ruler with her own agenda. She is an expert on Alexander the Great and his death and in the beginning of the book you learn that she is after something called Elephant Medallions which were from the time of Alexander, but it is a while until you learn why. Since I don't want to ruin the book for anyone I'll just say that Cotton Malone and several other characters try to stop her and end up in the middle of something bigger than they could have ever imagined. This book gives you danger, political corruptness, love, friendship, fighting, death, sickness... everything. I'm so excited to read the next book (although I will probably read a different genre of book first... I like to break it up) and I'm so glad that have I many to go in the series before I have to wait for him to write another one!

A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff

A Vintage Affair has changed my view of fiction novels that lean towards chick-lit. I was SHOCKED at how much I enjoyed this! The main girl, Phoebe, opens a vintage clothing store not long after her best friend dies. While working she meets an old woman who lived during the Holocaust and harbors a secret that she decides to share with Phoebe, and it is this secret that drives the plot of the book. There is, of course, a romantic side story but that is not the main focus of the book, which I found rather refreshing. The story was so touching and the ending brought me to tears, but in a good way. It was realistic, showing the negatives in life, love, and family, while still showing how in the end things tend to work out, even if not how we'd planned.
It was an easy read... I knocked it out in around 3 days since I started it in the middle of the school week. I definitely recommend it for someone that enjoys a little bit of romance but not necessarily romance novels. I don't want to give away too much of the plot so I'll keep it at that. You should definitely add this to your reading list!

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

*Warning there are some spoilers in this!*

I have been avoiding this book since high school, and I'm actually glad, but not for the reasons you might think. I believe that I wouldn't have enjoyed it back then like I did now. It was one of those books that when I finished reading it I had to remind myself what real life was because it had taken my mind to a whole new place and it took some prodding to bring myself back.
The Lovely Bones was unique and thought provoking, reminding me of the child-like senses I lost so long ago. I enjoyed the writing style, though my one critique is that towards the end the author did jump around alot and I finished the book wondering if I has missed a few things. The end was also a little weird in the fact that most of the characters seemed trapped in their teenage selves, though they should have grown up quite a bit, being adults at the commencement of the book. But those were two very small negatives in comparison to this very intriguing  novel. The concept wasn't really a new one... someone dies and is caught in the "in between"... but the execution was very different. I enjoyed how she incorporated Susie (the main character) into everyone's lives once she died and the details of Susie's "heaven" were different and thought-provoking. Towards the end, when Susie comes back to earth in Ruth's body and ends up sleeping with Ray, her high school crush, I had a weird flashback to my own high school boyfriend who died when he was only 15 and how I always wondered what it would have been like to see him again back then and what I would do and say. It was heart-warming to see Susie get the chance to kiss him one last time and let him know that she could see him and had loved him. I found the ending sad... I hated how her killer had simply died by an icicle falling on him and had never had to face punishment for his crimes, though I guess that is the reality of life in many cases. I also really wanted to know if her mom stayed for good and reconciled with her dad or if she eventually left again... that was kind of a loose end for me. But I loved the feeling I got from this book... did I mention I read it in 3 hours?? It was definitely a page turner. Ah the places only books can take us...

Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

Today has been a reading day... 2 and a half books so far!

I must admit, Journey to the Centre of the Earth was my first "sci-fi" work. And I must admit, I actually enjoyed it. And I'm surprised because science fiction is so not usually my thing. I would give it 3 out of 5 stars. I had expected to finish this book rather quickly because it is so short, but it actually took me over a month to complete. Granted I did put it down for several weeks. So while I did enjoy it, it didn't grasp me in a way that made me unable to put it down. I actually put it down to read another book. But now, having finished it, I'm very glad I read it. I found the story line to be unique and adventurous but I was a little disappointed in the character development... the professor was really the only character that I felt had a "personality". Even his nephew (also the narrator) felt very unknown, other than his love for science, his fiance, and his unmistakable fear about making the journey to the center of the earth. I found myself wishing that I knew more about him... about everyone really. But that aside, I enjoyed the premise of the book. I could really picture the seas and passage ways, and I kept wondering how they would get out and what they would find. I was a great new work, especially for that time. Very innovative.

My Life in France by: Julia Child

There is so much to say about this book, both good and bad. I enjoyed it, but it surprisingly took me months to finish it, which is highly unusual for me. It isn't uncommon for me to complete a book in one night. So why was I so slow in completing it? I think that while it was a good book and it had interesting content, there really was no climax. Also, the majority of the book was about Julia Child's life before fame and I was really hoping for more about her life once she became a famous chef.  But then again, her life in France was so vital to her later success so it was a paramount part of her story. I'm definitely going back and forth with this one.

I loved hearing about her trips to the market and the parties she threw for friends. The house parties were the perfect picture of what entertainment was like in the 40s and 50s... something I wish existed more today. I could picture them all sitting around the kitchen table sipping wine and being served elaborate meals while they discussed politics, philosophy, and art. The trips that Julia described her and Paul taking through the French countryside sounded majestic and inviting. I found myself reminiscing about my own trip to France and the feeling of freedom and elegance I found there. Imagining her life there was one of the greatest points of the book. She led a life to be envied.

Then I read about her pain. Her pain from being unable to conceive a child, from her broken relationship with her father, and the constant rejection from publishers. Her life might have been charmed and full of love, but she still had pains of life like everyone else. Those details made her book real and relate-able.

And that doesn't even touch on learning about her cooking and the road to her becoming THE Julia Child. I love the phrase she has, "Never apologize!" Those two words can be very empowering in the kitchen. She was absolutely fearless...determined to succeed regardless of how much everyone expected her to fail. Though I did find it funny that she failed her first exam at Le Cordon Bleu... who knew?! Again though, there wasn't very much in the book about her life during/ after fame (and maybe that's because of when she wrote the book) so I still feel like I don't know much about her later life.

I leave this book having learned about motivation and perseverance. It took her years to get her cookbook published yet she did not compromise or turn her book into what everyone else wanted just so she could get published. I found that a rare and admirable trait. In fact, she was middle aged by the time she became famous, which is motivation in itself and also serves as a reminder that life isn't over at 40. While the book was a little slow, it did kick my butt back into the kitchen to start learning new recipes and perfecting my skills. I know one thing... I wish I loved something the way that Julia Child loved food.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by: Rebecca Skloot

Wow, what a book! The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks turned out to be more than I could have ever imagined it being! This was my first true biography and I was very pleasantly surprised with how intrigued it kept me. Being in medical school, I found this especially relevant and thought provoking. It is the story of a young woman who was diagnosed with cervical cancer and then treated at Johns Hopkins Research Hospital. During her treatment, without her consent or knowledge the doctors took her cells for the purpose of research. They are now called "HeLa" cells and are used across the world. Any medical scientist has undoubtedly used them in some capacity. "The first immortal cancer cell line"... these cells have offered an immeasurable contribution to research, including cancer studies, AIDS research, gene mapping, and they were used to test the first polio vaccine. However, until recently (when this book came out) no one knew much about the woman behind these cells. Skloot did an amazing job telling the story of Henrietta and her family, from the details of Henrietta's childhood to the present day life of her daughter Deborah, who never actually knew her mother and didn't find out until later in life that her mother's cells had been kept alive.


This book is about Henrietta Lacks, but it is equally about medical ethics. And it raises so many questions. When should a patient be required to give consent? Should families be compensated for participating in research? What if one person could save millions, but refuses? When is it ok for people or companies to receive excessive compensation for medical advances? Example, is it ok for a company to make millions off of someone else's cells, in this case HeLa cells? Should Henrietta's children be paid for her contributions? There are so many ethical questions in medical research that need to be answered and defined, though many must be answered by each person separately. 


The book also sheds some light on the medical industry, both past and present. While I don't think it is wholly indicative of the field it does certainly offer a different perspective. Unfortunately Henrietta's cells were taken back in the 50s, before there were consent forms and HIPPA laws, so while frowned upon nothing illegal was actually done. But, another question, how should this be dealt with today? Should it be dealt with today? So many questions...


I commend Skloot for venturing to write such a book, for daring to bring to light so many facts which were kept secret for so many years.  I can assume that this book was not well received by most in the industry, though as a student I welcome these questions and debates. And for that reason, coupled with the fact that this book is just all around interesting, I am placing this book on my favorites list. 

Queen of the Road by Doreen Orion

I should mention upfront that this is not meant to be a book review. Those can easily be found on amazon and goodreads. I want to explore what makes the book interesting (to me at least) and why it is a must read... I'm not interested in discussing the literary aspects of it or the character development etc (look at the profile... scientist, not lit prof). So that brings me to my first book post.

I finished reading Queen of the Road by Doreen Orion on June 6, 2011. I chose to start with this book not because it was the first but because it was by far the most fun, and I must say also my favorite so far. It is a travel memoir about a woman and her husband in their mid 40s (both psychologists) taking a year to travel the US in a bus/rv with their dog and two cats. And if that doesn't make you want to read it I don't know what will! It was brilliantly hilarious and satisfyingly sarcastic... Doreen (after reading the book I definitely feel on a first name basis) describes their exciting, often awkward, often miserable experiences with great detail and lightheartedness, leaving the reader (me) wanting to go buy my own rv and irresponsibly take off for a year. I love when a book can excite my mind like that.

On a more personal level, I liked the book because I saw myself in its author. She's over 40 with no children and no intention of having any. I am 25, but am unable to have children and really lack the desire anyway. The book left me feeling better about my situation and encouraged me with the thought that my life didn't have to resemble that of "everyone else". It showed me the amazing life I could have just me and my husband (maybe not literally in an RV, but you get the picture). She also went to med school, having earned her PhD... I'm also in med school working on my PhD, though they are in different specialties. Her husband even reminds me a lot of my husband... sarcastic and funny, a Mr. Fix-It type, "I am man, hear me roar!" I found myself cracking up throughout the book as I would recognize similar traits in them both. Oh how funny it would be for us to take a road trip together... the results would be film worthy! My husband (we will just call him Alex since this is an anonymous blog) calls me flighty on a regular basis since I am constantly wanting to fly off somewhere or do something new. I never have been satisfied staying in one place for very long. I love adventure... probably why I love travel memoirs... they give me new ideas for dreaming.

Again, Queen of the Road is a wonderful book for the reader who loves humor and travel. I commend Doreen for writing this book... it was definitely an adventure worth writing about! So, because of the enjoyment factor and how it touched me personally, this book will be hard to knock off the top of my "favorites" list. Go read!