Love the One You're With ~ Emily Giffin

This was a total just-for-fun read, and I loved it. Emily Giffin's books don't really apply to my life, per se, but they sure are fun to read.

Ellen Graham has been married to Andy for three months when her ex, Leo, comes back on the scene. The two run into each other in a busy NYC intersection, and old feelings come rushing back. Ellen keeps the run-in a secret from her husband and her best friend, Margot, who just happens to be her husband's sister. When Leo, a journalist, lands Ellen, a photographer, (how ironic, right?) a dream job taking pictures of a famous rock star, Ellen can't refuse. She flies to LA to do the shoot, only to discover that Leo is there - and he'll be writing the article that accompanies Ellen's photos. Ellen avoids Leo, but finds herself thinking about him constantly. She begins to have doubts about her marriage, about Andy, about everything. Did she make the right decision when she married Andy? Is he "the one" for her, or is Leo - the man she just can't get over?

I couldn't put Love the One You're With down. The ending was cute and sappy, and I loved it. I admit that, along the way, I wasn't sure who I wanted Ellen to end up with. Not that I condone cheating on a spouse, because I don't - AT ALL. But Giffin has such a way of pulling me in with her writing that I have a difficult time seeing the black and white of things, just like her characters who are having the life-altering experiences. That said, I was truly glad that things ended the way they did. It was perfect.

4/5

The Host ~ Stephenie Meyer

The earth has been overtaken by aliens, called "Souls," who invade human bodies and gain control of their minds. Melanie Stryder, one of the few remaining humans on the run from the aliens, is captured and implanted with a Soul named Wanderer. Wanderer has previously lived in seven other host bodies, and is somewhat of a celebrity among her kind. She's been taught that invading a human body will be different than anything she's experienced before, but when she awakes in Melanie's body she immediately realizes that something is just not right. In fact, something is very wrong. Melanie is refusing to relinquish control of her mind to Wanderer. But Wanderer isn't giving up. She must somehow find a way to unlock Melanie's hidden secrets, while Melanie fights her every step of the way.

When Melanie begins reliving memories of time spent with her boyfriend Jared and brother Jamie - both still in hiding - Wanderer finds herself longing for them, too. Because Wanderer herself feels such an intense yearning to be with Jared and Jamie, it isn't difficult for Melanie to convince Wanderer to search for them in the Arizona desert, although Melanie isn't even sure if they're still alive. After days spent searching the desert, out of water and on the brink of death, Wanderer and Melanie are found by Melanie's uncle Jeb. He and about thirty other humans have been hiding in underground caves. And Jamie and Jared are two of the human survivors. Wanderer and Melanie become allies as they find themselves up against this group of humans, who won't believe that Melanie is still alive and aware inside her body.

The Host is a good story. I was surprised at how different it is from the Twilight books, when I really shouldn't have been, knowing that this was Meyer's attempt at Science Fiction. I grudgingly admit that I found myself disinterested in the story at times, and sometimes felt that there was just too much detail given. Personally, I didn't care about Wanderer's lives on other planets, but apparently Stephenie Meyer felt it important enough to include detailed descriptions of those past lives. As I worked my way through this 600+ page book, though, I got caught up in the story. The focus on the many different relationships was great, as well as Wanderer's journey to fit in - and her efforts to escape the "Seeker" (an alien who seeks out the remaining humans on earth) who is intent on discovering why Melanie won't disappear. Wanderer develops love and compassion for the humans in the caves, and the humans come to love and respect her as well. So much so that they'll do anything in their power to protect her and keep her with them.

I thought the ending was going to disappoint me, but it didn't. I thought I had it all figured out, and I did to a degree, but I was still surprised at how everything was resolved.

Not as good as Twilight or Eclipse, and maybe not even New Moon for that matter, but still a page-turner. Stephenie Meyer can't crank the books out fast enough, as far as I'm concerned. She has easily become one of my favorite authors.

4/5

The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory

It's 1553, and a teenaged girl with a dangerous secret is caught up in royal intrigue as she tries to serve a scheming lord, an unhappy queen, and the queen's ambitious sister. As Edward VI, only male heir of Henry VIII, lies dying, 14-year-old Hannah Green is helping her father in his London printing and bookshop. Because young girls are not supposed to set print or deliver books, she's dressed in boy's clothing, but that's not Hannah's only secret. She and her father are Spanish Jews who fled the Inquisition after her mother was burned as a heretic. Finding refuge in Protestant England, the Greens observe Christian rituals in public, but privately they still honor the old ways. One day Hannah attracts the attention of a shop customer, handsome Lord Dudley, by innocently revealing that she has the gift of second sight-a particularly useful gift in these uncertain times, when it seems that Protestant Edward will be succeeded by Catholic Mary. Hannah becomes an aide to Lord Dudley, who recommends her to the young king to be his Fool. While serving Edward, she follows Dudley's orders to attend and spy upon the king's older sister Mary, whom she grows to love. When Mary becomes Queen, Hannah attends her at court, but (again at Dudley's request) also makes contact with her sister Elizabeth. Hannah admires the young princess's courage as Elizabeth faces losing her life when Mary starts burning Protestants as heretics. Her loyalties divided, fearful that she and her father are vulnerable in Catholic England, Hannah relies on her wits to survive threats, intrigue, and danger. She must also decide whether she will marry Daniel, a family friend, to whom she is officially betrothed.

This is only the second Philippa Gregory book I have read, after The Other Boleyn Girl, and it doesn't come close to being as interesting as the first. It took me awhile to read this book; it didn't grab me and pull me in like The Other Boleyn Girl did. Still, The Queen's Fool was pretty good. Hannah was a great main character, but her constant divided loyalties between Mary and Elizabeth annoyed me. I wanted so badly for her to tell Robert Dudley, Dr. Dee and Elizabeth to shove it! I understand that she was trying to protect herself and her family from being exposed as Jews, but she could have done that by going away with Daniel and her father when they first asked her to. No need for her to stay at court and play into Robert's hands, like so many other women did, although she fancied herself in love with him. I admired her devotion to Queen Mary, though. She was a true friend to Mary when no one else would be. And I was pleased that she finally 'grew up' and realized that Robert Dudley was no good for her. What she really wanted was what she'd always had.

4/5