The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton

Perfection. What else is there to say.

Big Easy To Big Empty

Short but powerful documentary about government failures (and worse) leading up to and after Hurricane Katrina.

Pebble Mosaics, by Deborah Schneebeli-Morel

No idea why I took this out, and i certainly have no urge to make pebble mosaics, but if I did have such an urge, this was definitely a well done craft book.

Bad Apple, by Laura Ruby

Interesting, well written YA. Tola is the focus of a rumor storm after her art teacher is dismissed after accusations of an inappropriate relationship, so it's a little suburban trauma-porn, but her character was unique enough to make the book stand out.

Bought, by Anna David

Although it looks like straight up chick-lit, this was actually pretty serious, and it was a good book. Emma wants to be a serious journalist, but her job just has her covering press lines at Hollywood events. She ends up looking into the world of modern day courtesans in L.A., and realizes how easily lines can blur. Good read.

Dream House, by Valerie Laken

Re-read, and even better on the second reading. Really, one hell of a good book.

Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?, by Louise Rennison

The latest (and last?) in the Georgia Nicholson series. I loved the first ones so much, the middle was a bit iffy, and while I enjoyed this, I'm kind of glad it's over. Still love Angus the cat though.

I Love You Miss Huddleston, by Philip Gulley

Sweet and funny memoir of growing up in Indiana- much of a Bill Bryson's Life and Times of The Thunderbolt Kid flavor. Very nice.

False Impression, by Jeffrey Archer

Clever art theft/fraud thriller set during and immediately after 9/11, which might be a bit of a crass plot device, but it was pretty well done.

Murder at Longbourn, by Tracy Kiely

Absolutely fantastic locked door mystery/Jane Austen tribute thing. I usually get very annoyed with the Jane Austen take-offs, but this was so well done, and the mystery itself was fair play, I can't wait for her next book.

Scary Stuff, by Sharon Fiffer

A Jane Wheel cozy mystery, antiques and family secrets and Halloween- ok.

Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter, by Lisa Patton

Fun book! Leelee's husband suddenly gets the urge to move from Memphis to Vermont to run a bed and breakfast, but when Leelee is left to face Vermont winters and to run an inn on her own, she finds she's much more competent and capable than she had ever thought. I usually don't enjoy books that twang on about Southern-ness, but this was an enjoyable light read.

Much Ado About Anne, by Heather Vogel Frederick

Very sweet YA/Children's book. A sequel to The Mother Daughter Book Club, this time the girls read Anne of Green Gables, and the plot of the book vaguely mirrors the plot of Anne. Lovely.

Box 21, by Roslund-Hellstrom

Disturbing but well done Swedish noir. Corrupt police? check. Illegal immigrants and human trafficking? check. A dark and awful twist at the end? check. Fantastic, I'm sold.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, by Jeff Kinney

More of the same, but Greg is definitely growing up. Very funny.

And Another Thing, by Eoin Colfer

This was lovely, funny, and fit right into the series. I'm never sure about a new writer finishing a dead writer's work, but supposedly Douglas Adams was sad about where he'd left Arthur, Trillian, Ford, Random, etc, and Colfer definitely tried to follow the magic formula.

I Never Fancied Him Anyway, by Claudia Carrol

Standard psychic Irish chick lit. fun.

Emma

A really lovely movie version of Emma (Jane Austen). This was lovely, I liked it a lot more than the Gwyneth Paltrow version.

George Bush Dark Prince of Love, by Lydia Millet

One of the strangest books I have ever read. Ex-con Rosemary fallis in love with George Bush during his inaugural speech, worships him from afar, builds altars and effigies, writes to him and gets secret service visits, and in the end, transfers her insane affections to Bill Clinton. Kind of fabulous, very depressing, wonderful writing.

If I Stay, by Gail Forman

Trauma-porny YA. After a horrific car crash that kills her parents and her little brother, Mia floats around the hospital in some kind of out-of-body coma and decides whether to 'stay' or go.