The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer

Wow. I won't write a book description for this one because it's impossible to do it justice with a blurb.  Instead I will tell you why I loved it so much. This is definitely more than another WWII book. It's a long one, but it wouldn't have been the same reading experience if it had been cut down. One thing that I loved was that the reader gets to know the characters well before the war really takes over their lives. Although there were a lot of people in this book, the character development is wonderful and I didn't lose track of the individual stories. If someone was there, they were there for a reason. This author doesn't leave you hanging wondering why so-and-so came along.
There is a real sense of what life was like for Jewish people in Hungary and in Paris prior to the war. I saw their false sense of safety and wanted to warn them to do this or that. I would talk to my book and say, "Are you crazy? That will get you into trouble! Don't you understand?" I loved these people. I wanted to protect them.
The epilogue wasn't necessary for me, but I think it was good that she added it for readers that need a more definite sense of closure.  Your questions get answered in the story itself, but the epilogue does give a final peek into the futures of the survivors. Overall this was an excellent book. I can't imagine how she could have done better. I look forward to more from this author. I give it a very strong 5/5.

If I stay by Gayle Forman

It seems that I am reading a lot of stories about near death experiences or after death experiences lately. There was also Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, which was more of a moments-prior-to-death experience. Each has it's own way of showing how one person's life impacts others. In this story, Mia is having a sort of out of body experience as she observes herself in a coma in intensive care. She learns about what has happened to her family members who were in the accident and watches her loved ones talking to her from this removed state. She comes to realize that it is her choice if she stays or decides to go. I was touched by her feelings for her brother as she was trying to discover his fate. She also relives her moments with her parents prior to the accident.
I kept wondering how different this story would be if it was told from the viewpoint of the mother or father. The idea of choosing to continue your life without your children would be a very different struggle. I was impressed with how the author handled this through the eyes of a teenager. It was interesting to see what Mia could and could not experience from this state. There is a sequel coming out in a few months, and I am looking forward to reading it.
This is a quick read with an interesting concept and good characters. I enjoyed it. 4/5

Thank you, Siobian! I appreciate it!
Dixie will likely be jealous that I was called stylish before she was, haha!

Okay, I am supposed to follow these steps now...

Post 7 random things about you.
1. I haven't let the dog out yet, and she is getting annoyed that I am on the computer.
2. I start just about every day with a Diet Mtn Dew and a game of Cubecrash.
3. Last night I counted my paper vs. ebook reads for the past year (yes, I realize how exciting my evening sounds to others) and it's almost exactly 50/50.
4. I'm still in a bad mood because neither the Bears or the Ravens got to the Superbowl this year.
5. I follow Harlan Coben on twitter, and he's a riot.
6. I can name the states in alphabetical order really really fast. You'd be impressed.
7. I love Kermit the frog. He's one deep frog.

Give the award to 15 other blogs
I'm not sure about 15, but these are some very deserving blogs that I love:
Confessions of a Book Addict   http://bookaddictconfessions.blogspot.com/
Glory Bee Attitudes http://glorybeeattitudes.blogspot.com/
Musings of a Bookish Kitty http://www.literaryfeline.com/
The Book Nurse http://thebooknurse.blogspot.com/
Vegaloca http://vegaloca.blogspot.com/
The Next Best Book Blog http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.com/
Book Babe http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/
For the Love of Books http://fortheloveofbooks-thebookgirl.blogspot.com/

Contact the blogger and let them know.
Ten-four, Rubber Ducky. I will.

Someone Else's Garden by Dipika Ria

Someone Else's Garden is about Mamta, the daughter of a cruel low-caste father who has arranged a horrific marriage to get rid of her. Mamta is a hopeful dreamer who goes from one abusive home to another until she is forced to run away in order to save her own life. The story follows many characters, including Mamta's mother and brother, as well as members of the rich family who owns their farm. At first it was somewhat difficult to keep track of the different storylines, but they eventually begin to connect to each other.  The picture of life for females in rural India is intense and depressing. At times it was hard for me to continue reading, although I am glad that I did.  It is difficult to comprehend how people can live this way in the modern world. I remember having this same reaction when I read
A Fine Balance  by Rohinton Mistry. I am glad that I read it, but I have a hard time recommending it to someone else.  The ending didn't seem to fit with the rest of the book in some ways. It gave a hopeful turn to a very bleak story, but I had a hard time accepting the changes in some of the characters.  I would rate it a 4/5, and I would suggest it to readers who are comfortable with very depressing but realistic stories.

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

One word of advice, don't look at too many book descriptions for this one before you pick it up. I read several, and although they didn't contain spoilers there was just enough for me to predict the major twist in this book very early. That being said, I don't think that this is a "predictable book". It's my own fault. I did too much digging. So I won't spoil anything for you here, girl scout promise.

The story is about Allison, a once very popular and successful high school student who is sent to prison for a serious crime, as she is released to a halfway house five years later. She is desperate to reconnect with her sister who is equally desperate to keep Allison out of her life. It is told from the viewpoints of four different women whose lives eventually come together.  I don't want to tell you any more than that, but it is a fast paced book that is full of twists. I finished it in one day because I had to know how things turned out.  Readers who enjoy Jodi Picoult should read this one. I will definitely read more by this author. I would give it a strong 4/5.