I Want My Hat Back, by Jon Klassen

This was such a funny picture book! The simple but effective illustrations were wonderful, and the cheeky bear was very naughty in the end, but understandably!

Zen Shorts, by Juhn Muth

I took this out because I was curious about the titles that President Obama recently bought on a shopping trip, and thought it might be interesting to see what he would buy as a picture book. I did not like it.
It was basically zen koans, told as childrens' stories, with odd illustrations, and it left me annoyed.

This Beautiful Live, by Helen Schulman

Well done book. Richard and Liz Bergamot's New York world is pretty perfect, and their children's too- private schools, lots of extracurriculars, a warm and loving family with economic secutiry and a stable life. When their 15 year old son Jake is sent a pornographic video by a younger girl he rejected, he forwards it to his best friend, in a mistake that leads to disaster for everyone involved. Reminded me a bit of Anita Shreve's Testimony- teen sexual activities recorded and shared, and the fallout that can ensue, but was much better.

Ed King, by David Guterson

Phenomenal update on Oedipus Rex. I had major doubts about how the classic tragedy could be updated, but the exceptional Guterson did it so well. A 16 year old au pair and her employer seduce each other, and she abandons the baby in a wealthy neighborhood, wishing the baby the best. Ed King grows up not knowing he is adopted. He has teenage years of being reckless - it is hard to not give plot spoilers, so I'm going to stop because the deft way Guterson brought the tale to modern times was really brilliant, and moving the drama into the hubris and grandiose ambitions of software barons was a genius stroke.

Few Eggs and No Oranges, by Vere Hodgson

This was an absolutely incredible diary by a woman living in London throughout WWII- it was astonishing in the courage that people had during unimaginable terror and deprivation, and breathtaking in how seriously wonderful the English spirit was during those times. Long- 624 pages- but I could not put it down. Her daily entries breathed with life, and the detail with which she recorded the progress of the war taught me more about WWII than I have ever known. Stunning. Everyone should read this.

Blueprints for Building Better Girls, by Elissa Schappell

Excellent short story collection, exploring the worlds of women, as lovers and 'sluts', daughters and mothers, wives and mistresses- the interconnections between the stories made it almost novel-like, as each story really built upon previous stories, to create a very vivid and powerful collection.

Miss Buncle Married, by D. E. Stevenson

Sequel to Miss Buncle's Book, and still charming, if a little too sacharine. Miss Buncle (plot spoiler lol!) marries, and moves to a new village, where further match-making and life-changing ensue.

Miss Buncle's Book, by D.E. Stevenson

Lovely, fanciful and warm novel. Miss Buncle, when strapped for cash, decides to write a book- thinly veiled about her village and neighbors. Its publication is a surprise success, and the ramifications of her descriptions of her neighbors and friends lead to upheaval within the village. Charming.

Gossip: The Untrivial Pursuit, by Joseph Epstein

Unpleasant book about gossip. While Joseph Epstein often writes about topics I am interested in, such as the social implications of gossip, or class structure in America, he seems such a snob and a jerk, and this was the most offensive yet of his name-dropping, nasty books.

MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend

Interesting premise. When Rachel and her husband move to Chicago, she misses her best friends from New York, and makes a concerted effort to try to meet friends. While meeting and making friends outside of college is so much harder, I hate to say the book really turned me off. I wouldn't want to be friends with her, and although the things she treid were interesting, not being able to like the author stopped me from enjoying the book itself.

The Night Eternal, by Guillermo Del Toro

OK ending to the Strain trilogy. The first book was so good, and the second so horrific, but this one left me a little flat.

Shiny Objects : Why We Spend Money We Don't Have in Search of Happiness We Can't Buy, by James Roberts

Excellent book on consumerism, happiness, and how they relate. Full of interesting charts with accessible references to peer reviewed studies, this was a nice new take on a topic I've read a lot on. Would recommend.

After the Armistice Ball, by Catriona McPherson

Well done between the wars mystery. Classic set up- society heroine, missing diamonds, a death, but very neatly done- I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Twisted, by Sara Shepard

Great new Pretty Little Liars, somehow taking and expanding on the original A premise, and continuing one of my greatest guilty pleasure series reads.

LBD: It's a Girl Thing, by Grace Dent

Funny English YA, but nowhere near as good as Dent's FANTASTIC Diary of a Chav series. This was sweet and well done, but lacked the characterization that really made Diary of a Chav transcend the genre.

Lost In Time, by Melissa De La Cruz

Pretty ludicrous addition to the Blue Bloods series. The mythology at this point is so strained, and Jack and Schulyer's relationship feels unreal, and Mimi's visit to Hell was laugh out loud bad.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever, by Jeff Kinney

Number 6 in the very funny Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Greg and his family are trapped by a blizzard, after the usual shenanigans of a Wimpy Kid book- quick and cute.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick, by Joe Schreiber

Fast paced and outlandish but funny and enjoyable YA. Like Carl Hiaasen or such. Perry is reluctant to take his family's visiting Latvian exchange student, Gobija, to the prom, but when she whirls him into NYC for a series of assassinations, he finds there was more to her than he thought. Going to be a movie, and I bet it will be a fun one.

The House on the Cliff, by D.E. Stevenson

Lovely D.E. Stevenson book. Light and cozy romance with a great dose of real-estate porn- struggling actress Elfreda inherits a family estate, and learns to leave Lond'ns bright lights for country pleasures.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, by Jerry Pinkney

Just about the most beautiful childrens' book I have ever seen.