September reading list

Hi. My name is Jenny. (Hi Jenny) I am a book-aholic. I love to read!  Escaping to a different world does my heart good.  I am one of those people that will sit up to 2, 3 or 4 in the morning reading.  When I was in school I wouldn't let myself read non-textbook books, since I knew I would easily put school on the back burner.  Yes, I am that person.

This month I borrowed a few books from a friend and really enjoyed all of them.  Here was my September reading list:

Story about a man named Jacob, who finds himself joining the circus after his parents die.  Things seem to be going well for him, until he begins to fall in love with Marlena the enchanting equestrian performer.  This is a problem since she is married. 
The author, Sara Gruen, tells the story going back and forth between his past at the circus and where he finds himself in the present at a nursing home.  The character Jacob has a lot of fight in him for being ninety something and therefore makes the portions about his present just as interesting to read as his past. 
The book was an easy read that I found hard to put down.  There are a few raunchy parts, but overall pretty clean. 

Set in France, this story also jumps between the past and present.  The past being 1942, the middle of WWII.  Sarah's family is Jewish and we join them on the very night the French police come to their house to take them away.  Sarah's 4year old brother hides from the police in their favorite hiding place, a cabinet with a hidden lock.  Sarah pockets the key, promising to return shortly for her brother.  We jump 60 years later, to the the anniversary of this Jewish round-up called the Vel d’Hiv.  Julia is an American journalist living in Paris who is assigned to tell the story of this tragic event.  During her research she discovers that her husband's grandparents moved into the apartment that Sarah and her family were taken from.  Julia begins to uncover family secrets that stir up a wide range of emotions.
Be prepared to cry.  This book takes the reader on an emotional journey with both Sarah and Julia. Another book that was hard to put down.

What if imaginary friends, weren't imaginary?  What if they are only seen by the people that need them?  Cecelia Ahern explores the world of the imaginary friend, Ivan.  We meet up with Ivan as he is leaving his latest best friend and on the lookout for his new best friend.  When he finds Luke, Ivan is soon captivated by the boy's aunt Elizabeth.  She can't see him of course, at least not at first.  This is a new experience for Ivan that an adult can see him!  He helps Elizabeth see what she is missing in life and how to fill the voids with the people that love her.
A well written book that asks the reader to remember what it was like to imagine and pretend.  Ahhhh....good book.

 This book will make you: cry, want to throw up and yell.  This is the true story of a little boy growing up in the 70's in California, who was horrifically mentally and physically abused by his mother.  I can't even begin to tell you all the terrible things that he went through.  Absolutely terrible. With help from teachers, the school nurse and the principal, David was finally able to be free from the abusive environment.  This book will inspire you to keep going through the tough times, and to love on kids.  It taught me to remember that even if the parents seem to have it together or are important people in the community, doesn't mean they aren't capable of abuse their children
Every educator and parent should read this book.  It's not very long; I finished it in an afternoon.  Definitely had to take a break from the intensity every once in a while though. 





So there are the books I have read in the last couple of weeks.  Go to the library and pick one of these up.  You won't be sorry.  I promise.