The Color of Lightning by Paulette Jiles

This book wasn't what I was expecting. I guess I need to be better about reading the entire jacket blurb instead of the first few sentences.
This book takes place just after the Civil War and is about a black man, Britt Johnson, and his family. They leave Kentucky and head west to Texas to start their lives as free people. Texas in the 1860s and 70s was rough. Right in the beginning of the book there is an Indian raid while Britt and several other men from the community were out of town. Britt's family- Mary, his wife and his 3 kids- is taken by the Indians. The book becomes alot about his drive to get his family back.
There is a side story about a man who is working with the Office of Indian Affairs. His name is Samuel Hammond and his life has taken a bad turn and he ends up working with the Indians and on the reservation.
The book had lots of historically accurate information and I learned alot about that time period in Texas. Britt Johnson was a real person and the book is loosely based on information about him. It was neat to read about Texas towns and people. I ended up enjoying the book, but felt like it had a lot of drama in the beginning and then I kept waiting for more to happen and it never really did till the end.

Three June by Julia Glass

This book is divided into 3 parts,each focusing on a different character- a father, his son and a young woman. Each one is written ten years apart and the characters and families overlap. I enjoyed the first third of the book and I liked how it came together in the end, but the middle part of the book was slow and it focused so much on this one man and his gay relationships- a lover and a friend dying of AIDS in the 80's. The book starts off in Greece and then goes back and forth between Scotland and New York. There were interesting parts and I liked that it followed the characters for many years, but it was kindof drawn out in the middle. I didn't hate it, but wouldn't really say I loved it either. I did like the end, but was ready to be done with the book and move on to something else.

Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling

This book is set in Paris right before and during WWII. Max Berenzon is the son of a famous art dealer and collector. He is interested in following in his father's footsteps, but ends up in medical school instead. Max also falls in love with his fathers assistant, Rose. When Paris falls to the Nazis, the Berenzons survive in hiding. When they return, they find their priceless art collection has disappeared. Max is driven to find his father's paintings. The book also focuses on Rose and her actions to save paintings from the Nazis. This book started off well but then got a little slow and dull. Then it picked up again and I really liked it. It was very interesting to learn about the art that was destroyed, stolen or hidden during World War II. There were lots of historical facts and I learned alot in reading this book.

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

This book tells the story of a young woman, Eilis, soon after WWII in Ireland. They story begins as Eilis has grown into a woman and is at a crossroads in life. When a priest offers to sponsor her to go to America, Eilis decides to go, leaving here sister and mother behind. Most of the book takes place in Brooklyn. Eilis gets a job and struggles to find her way in a new place. She also finds love. The books was slow at times, but then when the book ended, I wasn't ready for it to be over. The ending was a little abrupt and had me wanting to know more. It was a nice story and a really quick read- only 270 pages.

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

I enjoy most of Nicholas Sparks books. I requested this book from my local library when I saw they were making it into a movie. I wanted to read the book first, if there was a chance I would see the movie. It was a quick read. It is a love story with a few twists along the way. I liked that there was alot of talk of faith in God and doing whats right. The story is of 2 young people who meet in the summer when the guy, John, is home on leave from the army. John and Savannah fall in love quickly that summer and then, as often happens, reality and life hit. The books is about choices and ultimately loving someone and putting their happiness first. It was a sweet book.

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson

This is the sequel to the book, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo(which I LOVED) and it is good too. Steig Larsson writes great books! And they are so different than anything I've read before. I could not put this book down, which can be bad when it comes to housework! This book is a mystery thriller with many of the same characters from the first book, but it is a completely different premise. It was a page turner. There are some pretty graphic and frankly, weird, things in the book, but the story is so well written and intriguing that it didn't get in the way of the story. I really reccomend this book, but I would say to read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo first.

The Help by Kathyrn Stockett

I loved this book. It is set in the 1960's in Jackson, Mississippi. It basically tells the story of a newly graduated white girl, Skeeter and how she becomes involved in telling the story black domestic workers and their experiences working in white homes. It is alot about the relationship between white and black women in that time,as well as relationships with women of the same race. It is fiction, but is still very thought provoking. I like books where you really get to know the characters and you get to in this book. They seem like friends. I couldn't put the book down.