If It's a BOOK, Let's Have It

  What a book!  It started out quite intriguing, but the last third of the book was way too bizarre. The main character is in her 80's and is suffering greatly from Dementia.  The book alternates between 1951 and 2018.  It's the story of two friends who are planning to run away to London to get away from their family situations.  Lucy disappears the day they are to secretly catch the train.   I did not like the last third of the book involving an abortion, murder, seances, an evil step-father, and a best friend.  BUT, the best friend kept the murder a secret for 67 years.  Finally, in her 80's, she is able through stops and starts to recall the scene.   I found it appalling that the main character did not tell the police all those years what she knew and saw about the murder.  I can't really recommend this book to anyone.

 Talk about a fairy tale!  That's exactly what this book is. It's the story of a father and daughter who travel the states in a school bus that has been converted into their home. The mother and two sisters were killed in an accident five years ago, and Coyote and Rodeo (daughter and father) will go anywhere but to their home in Oregon because of the terrible memories that they both have from there. Coyote (really Emma) learns that the park where she and her mother and sisters buried a memory box is being dug up and she tries to find a way to trick Rodeo into going home. Along the way, they pick up some unique characters - including a goat - and the adventure takes off.  It's really quite silly, but tender.   I give it 3.5 stars.  Not my kind of book actually, although it has won several awards for YA lit.

The title of this book is referring to a saying,"Preaching to the choir!"  But, a homeless/gang member got it a little mixed up.   Gregory Boyle is a Catholic priest who runs a program for gang members; he also runs a bakery that employs the gang members.  This is a mixture of Boyle's Christian philosophies and his interactions with the gang members he encounters over the many years he has been doing this.   It is a remarkable story and he is a very inspiring person who follows the teachings of the Savior.  I give it four stars and am grateful that I read it.