Patty Pick for 8/28/14 is "Her Fearful Symmetry" by Audrey Niffenegger

If you liked "The Time Travelers Wife" you will find "Her Fearful Symmetry" definitely different. There is not much that the author does not throw in this book. It has true love, two sets of twins, much dying, mental disease, ghosts, a historic cemetery, and stealing souls and bodies. Whew, where do you even start?
Twins, Edie & Elspeth are separated by a hidden secret and one is living in America and one has stayed in England. Edie has a set of twins, Julia & Valentina, and a successful marriage to Jack. Elspeth and Robert are struggling with Elspeth's cancer. When she passes away, Julia & Valentina find out that their aunt has left them her apartment and business. The only catch is they have to live in the apartment for a year. 
The twins who are waffling through life at this point, decide to take the challenge. They meet their neighbors, Martin who is struggling with OCD and finally Robert who works at Highgate cemetery and is still mourning Elspeth. Martin is having a meltdown because his wife, Marijke, has left him to take care of herself and moved back to the Netherlands. She is tired of putting up with all it takes for his disease and he has refused to take medicine to help himself. 
Not to spoil all the many surprises waiting for you if you read this book, there is so much that happens as this story moves forward. It becomes rather hard to keep up with whose soul is jumping around in other people's bodies. The "young" twins are inseparable but their stay in London proved to be their undoing. Read this at your own risk. A perfect book for October reading, as it's not too gruesome but definitely spooky!

Patty's Pick for 8/21/14 is Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

                             




















Sarah Addison Allen usually sets her books in North Carolina, however Lost Lake is set in Georgia. This was shaping up to not be my favorite book of hers, but I hung in there because I love her writing. Good decision since I ended up loving this book. It opens with Eby and George on their honeymoon. While in Europe Eby saves the life of Lisette. This deaf, young girl follows them back to America and ends up spending her life working along side them at Lost Lake. 
Kate decides impulsively to find Lost Lake with her daughter, Devin, instead of moving in with her mother-in-law Cricket. After Kate finds Lost Lake and her aunt, Eby, the book changes for me. Even though it took a while for me to get into this book, once I did it really took off! 
When Kate and her daughter, Devin, arrive at Lost Lake, they both discover their childhood and family. Eby is in trouble and has decided to sell the property. Eby's friend, Lisette is in denial that Eby will leave Lost Lake and refuses to discuss her own future plans. Even though Eby has decided to sell, no one including Eby, is happy about the decision. Lost Lake has fallen into disrepair and needs more help and money than Eby has.
There is so much going on in this book that you forget sometimes about the magic involved but it's there. I adore the love story of George and Eby. As all these characters and the town meet for a farewell celebration, things really start happening. There is a lot going on so don't miss it! 

Patty's Pick for 8/14/14 is "Me Before You" by JoJo Moyes

Sometimes when people write stories that include handicapped people you feel it's made up and not accurate. Not so with "Me Before You" by JoJo Moyes! All though the accident that changed Will's life is the main reason our two main characters come together, the story is really a love story. And Will and Louisa feel like real people with all their doubts, troubles, and faults. But be prepared with your kleenex box because I think you will need it. 

As we meet Louisa Clark, her own life is in transition. At the age of 26, she is living at home with her parents, grandfather, her sister and nephew. Her family is struggling with finances and depend on her wages to help keep the household together. Then the day comes when her boss tells her that he is closing the restaurant, gives her a severance and sends her on her way. After trying some of the jobs the Job Center sends her to, she is ready to give up. Then a job as the care assistant in a private home comes available and Louisa heads over for an interview that will end up changing her life. 

Will Traynor has it all - head of acquisitions for an international company and good-looking to boot. He grew up in a wealthy home and seems to have his life laid out for him. One day while heading to work, he is hit by a motorcyclist and paralyzed. It has been a hard transition and Will has become bitter and ready to die. 

When Will's mother hires Louisa to help with Will's care, they are both surprised by the other. She tries to break through his gruff exterior to make his life better. Along the way, they end up changing each other. As their relationship grows, you will not be able to put this one down! Start this book on a weekend so you have plenty of time to read it as you will want to cherish every word. 
  

Patty Pick for 8/7/14 is "Ladies' Night" by Mary Kay Andrews

It is August, but you should have time for one more good beach book! You can count on Mary Kay Andrews for a light, quick read with characters that react in humorous but usually true-to-life ways. "Ladies Night" is no exception. This touching, funny book tells the story of Grace who just happens to be a very successful interior design blogger.
Her husband, Ben, is working the business end and Grace is happy to turn the day-to-day 
operations over to him. That is, until she finds him having too much fun in his sports 
car with her young assistant. Since this discovery is made in their garage in the middle of the night, she has a very clear view of the activities.  
In a fit of rage, she drives Ben's very expensive car into their backyard pool. This did create quite a ruckus, as you can imagine. After the police leave, Grace takes a few things in a hurry and runs to her mothers apartment. Rochelle lives over the family business, the SandBox. Rochelle welcomes Grace with open arms as Grace tries to figure out what to do next. Ben systematically cuts Grace out of everything they own together-even her blog! She finally realizes she will need a lawyer to sort this out. This leads her to the Judge Stackpole who definitely does not like the female side of the marriage equation. He orders her to Divorce Counseling with a group of other divorcing women and then the fun really begins. 
Grace finds friends, a blossoming love, and a plan to start her life again. She gains a furry companion she names Sweetie. As Grace fights to start her blog and her life over, she finds out she is stronger than she thought and gains a new way of looking at her life. She even finds love. Read this while sitting on a sunny beach and you will not go in until you finish it!