Book # 37 The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. The story is based around three women trying to find their identity and dealing with grief. The setting switches back and forth between Australia and England. The author creates many twists and turns, leaves the reader hanging like in a weekly episode of a soap on tv, and even includes a red-herring. The three women are bound to a cottage, a maze, and a secret garden. This story seems to be part Jane Eyre, part Wurthering Heights, part The Secret Garden, and part fairy tales for children.

Even though I enjoyed the book, the book structure became too contrived (each chapter explained what had happened in the previous chapter), and I thought it went on a bit too long. Boy, am I the critic.

Book #36- Into the Beautiful North by Luis Urrea. All the men have left for the North. Narcos and banditos have taken over a small Mexican town. The mayor, Tia Irma, has sent four teenage girls and Tacho, a gay restaurant owner, on a quest to the United States to bring back seven policemen or soldiers to protect the town. This story includes the journey to the Tijuana border, the horrific attempts to cross the border, the trials and tribulations of being an illegal alien, and the eye-opening realities of kids who know about the US from watching TV and the movies. They are on an honorable mission, but they have no idea what it will entail. The final journey is to Kankakee to find one of the girl's father.

This was a really interesting story with modern details sort of based on "The Magnificient Seven". Most of the stories I have read about Mexico are historical fiction. I had some trouble with the Spanish and lingo ( I took French in college). I really enjoyed the book since it is very different from what I am use to reading. Reviews say his, The Hummingbird's Daughter, was much better. I'll have to find out.

Book # 35 Brooklyn by Colim Toibin. A young, indecisive, Irish girl is overshadowed by a beautiful older sister and has no prospects for marriage. A visiting priest finds her a job with future advancement in the US. She braves the Atlantic crossing and homesickness in Brooklyn and has her worldview changed. Her life is pretty much work and nondescript. Finally, her future is on an upward swing until she must return to Ireland. Back home, she has to make some important decisions. She can almost forget about her life in Brooklyn, but it isn't quite the same in her hometown since she has been away. Will she return?

This book got great reviews on NPR, but I thought it was a little slow.