Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

I have heard of this book before, but I didn't really know what it was about, so I was quite surprised.  It's a bit of a horror story.  (It isn't the bloody, gory, super-scary type, though, so don't worry.)

I can't say much about the story without giving things away, so skip this paragraph if you want complete surprise.  This is the story of four siblings.  They are very happy with their family and really look up to their parents.  Then their father dies in a car accident.  Their mother is completely unprepared to take care of them, so she contacts her parents.  She had "a fall from grace" and was disinherited at 18.  Her father doesn't know about her children, so she and her mother shut the children in a bedroom of the mansion that connects to the attic until their mother receives forgiveness.  Spoiler alert!  Three and a half years later, the kids finally get to leave the attic in a fairly dramatic turn of events.

It is an easy book, but due to imprisonment and danger to children, it is probably not good for young readers.  It also has some discussion of puberty and the bodily changes it brings.  There is also mention of sex and a sexual situation, although it isn't graphic.  It certainly isn't an intellectual read, but it's very entertaining, so it is worth the time.

A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

This book is very, very long, so it requires a large time commitment.  Be prepared!  It's 1400 pages of rather small print.  I surpassed the library's renewal limit (twice!) and had to check it out again and again.  Luckily, it is also extremely well-written and quite interesting.  And the story really picks up around page 600-something and you may not want to put it down!

This story takes place in India in the early 1950's, an interesting time period politically.  The country is still feeling implications from the division with Pakistan.  The feudal farming system is being ended.  Religious strife is rampant.  It's an exciting setting.

It begins at an arranged wedding, where the mother tells her younger daughter that the next thing they will do is find a suitable boy for her.  The book follows the two families who are connected in the marriage along with all the prospects for Lata's (the main character) groom.  Lata is an enjoyable character and easily likable.  Some of my other favorite characters are the Chatterji family.  They are irreverent and funny, so they're enjoyable to read about.  Kuku, the younger sister, writes many spontaneous rhyming couplets that are rather funny.  The talented shoemaker with his determination and skills is also interesting. 

This book is worth the time, but isn't an easy or quick read and takes a great deal of effort and determination.  It is clean and appropriate for all readers, but I can't imagine most young readers would want to put in the time!

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

This is a young adult novel that was recommended to me by my 15-year-old son.  When I first started reading it, I was a little surprised by the writing which seemed less than stellar and somewhat trite.  But the story quickly had me paying no attention to the writing!  (Although I really do think it improved as it went along.)

The Rithmatist is the story of a young man, Joel, who attends a prestigious school in a fantasy steampunk world.  He received admission because his father was a chalk-maker at the school and his mother is a cleaning lady, so he struggles to fit in with the wealthy student body.  The elite class at the school are the rithmatists who train to keep the world save from wild "chalklings" with geometric drawings that come to life.  (It's definitely fantasy.)  Joel is a non-rithmatist student with a fascination for rithmatics and a natural talent in math and geometric drawings.

SPOILER ALERT It does have a positive ending (I'm not a fan of a book ending with the bad guys ahead, even when I know the good guys will prevail in a later book.), but it's clear the bad guys are still alive and well and even thriving.  So the second book needs to come out quickly;  I'm interested to see what will happen!

Like past Brandon Sanderson books, The Rithmatist is 100% clean and safe for all readers.

It is a quick easy read.  Young adult books are easier, but it also draws you in, so that makes it go fast as well.  It's easily worth the time.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

I haven't read a book by Ann Patchett before, but this one was good enough that I will make an effort to read another.

Bel Canto tells the story of a group of international businessman who are attending a birthday party in a poor war-torn country.  The party is invaded by a group of terrorists looking for the President.  Since the president isn't there, they take the party goers hostage.  The situation becomes a long-term deal.  The hostages and terrorists develop connections and a strange alternate reality.  (We all know about Stockholm syndrome, but the relationships in this story seem completely real.)  Of course, the book doesn't end happily, but that was easily predictable early on because how could that situation possibly end happily?

The best part of this book are the characters.  The title is named after an amazing opera singer who performed at the party.  The middle-aged businessman whose birthday it is and his translator are also prominent figures.  The terrorists include many young poor recruits from the jungle, including two girls.

This book includes a great deal of violence.  There is also some sex, including adultery, although that isn't descriptive and is just mentioned.  It isn't appropriate for young readers.

This book is a quick easy read and definitely worth the time.