Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Ape House by Sara Gruen

Everywhere That Mary Went by Lisa Scottoline

Look Again by Lisa Scottoline

.

The Tale of Despereaux

.

Schooled by Gorman Korman

.

Regarding the Fountain

The Shunning by Beverly Lewis

My work friends and I started reading this series because a couple of us had watched the Hallmark presentation of it. We just had to know what happened next because there were not anymore movies made! As always, the Amish community is always intriguing to read about. In Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania, a secret lies within the Lapp family. When Katie Lapp stumbles upon a satin infant gown in the dusty leather trunk of her parents' attic, she knows that something is just not right. After figuring out the name in the dress is actually her natural born name she finally realizes why she has not always been the most obedient Amish girl. When she is supposed to marry widower Bishop John she is too distraught by the resent news to go through with it. She runs out of the wedding and as a result she is shunned from the community. At the end of this novel there was a twist that I was not even prepared for. I have just began the second novel, and can not wait to see where it leads.

29 by Adena Halpern

I ordered this book because it reminded me so much of my own grandmother. I really enjoyed this book, one of the most heartwarming and endearing books I've read in awhile. Ellie, a 75-year-old woman, wishes upon her birthday candles that she could be 29 again for one day. Her wish comes true and hilarious problems arise, leaving the reader giggling along with the tale of an old lady in a young woman's body once again. She spends the day with her granddaughter, Lucy. They try to fulfill her youthful wishes from new clothes, haircut, and love. In the mist of it, Ellie's best friend and daughter go on a searching rampage for her that is quite comical as well. In the end she finally realizes who the true love of her life has always been. "You're only young twice!"

Harvest by Tess Gerritsen

Another stand alone by Gerritsen, which was better than the last but not completely impressive. It plays on the conspiracy of hospital patients purposely being put into irreversible comas so that they can sell their organs for extremely high prices on the black market. The main character, young surgical resident Dr. Abby DiMatteo, puts the plot together and ultimately discover that the people she has trusted and learned from are behind the unbelievable acts. DiMatteo also faces many malpractices suits as one donation goes bad and the family is out to get her career. Finally, she finds herself thrown into the mix, about to get her own organs taken because she knows too much. There are also foreign orphans and Russian mobsters added into the plot. Along with doctors who's murders are disguised as suicides. Kind of all over the place, but not too bad of a novel.

The Bronze Pen by Zipha Keatly Snyder

I chose the latest Snyder book for Read Aloud because I enjoyed her books when I was younger. Although this one was good, it did not seem as magical to me as her older ones did. Audrey is a young girl who finds an old woman in a cave. The old lady gives her a bronze pen, that has unique powers. Whenever Audrey writes a store, it comes to life. She has to figure out what she can and can't ask for using the pen. Her main goals is to get rid of her father's heart problems and make her mother's boss at work nicer to her.