The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain

This was Belva Plain's second to last book and exactly why I love reading her books.  It is a sweeping tale of a young man who starts out with nothing and makes himself into a success.  Throughout it all he remains humble.  Adam Arnring is first introduced at the age of 13 at the beginning of the 20th century.  He is the first son of the family.  His mother is a mystery to him, only having been told by his father that she passed away.  He lives with his father (a grocer), step-mother and 2 brothers.  As Adam grows up and comes to make his own way in the world you get caught up in his story.  The book spans his lifetime (though mostly focuses on the time from his early 20's to 40's).  I enjoyed this book a lot and am glad to have found it.

Thanks for the Memories by Cecilia Ahern

This is the second novel I've read by Cecelia Ahern. The first was (of course) P.S. I Love You, which I can't get through without tearing up (nor the movie of the same name).  I wasn't sure what to expect by this one. Was it to be another tear jerker?  Some of it was.  But the most of it wasn't.  This story is about Joyce, who loses a baby to miscarriage at the beginning of the story.  Her miscarriage leads her to have a blood transfusion.  The events that follow are far-fetched and fairy-tale like.  If you can get past the improbability of it all, it's a fairly decent time passer.  It just depends if you like that kind of book or not.  I thought it was okay.  I'll try another one of her books in the future and give her another chance.

Crossroads by Belva Plain

I usually love getting lost in a Belva Plain book.  I read and re-read the Tapestry series several times (one of my favorites).  This was her last book.  She passed away this past October at the age of 95.  This one was published in 2004.  The amazing thing with Belva Plain's writing is that she wrote every novel in longhand.  She didn't own a computer.  This book wasn't her best, but it was still enjoyable. It follows 2 women from the same town in New England who are at 2 very different social levels.  Gwen is the very plain adopted daughter of the woman who owns THE company (the Glassworks) of the company town (I apologise for the terrible sentence there).  Jewel is a poor, but incredibly beautiful woman who works as a secretary of the Glassworks.  Their lives keep crossing over.  Both bear jealousies of the other.  Gwen longs for the beauty and confidence that Jewel bears.  Jewel wishes for the wealth and status of Gwen.  It was a nice read for a rainy day.
*Edit update - there has since been a Belva Plain novel published posthumously, Heartwood.  You can read my blog post on it here.

Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen

This one was recommended to me by a fellow teacher.  This is the story of Sam, an older teenager with Tourette's syndrome.  He is an introvert who has  suffered at the hands of his abusive step-father.  What follows is a true journey to discover where he really comes from and what potential he has to be released.  Jonathan Friesen (the author) also has Tourette's which made this book particularly insightful.  It is young adult fiction but a good read for young adults and adults alike.

Family Ties by Danielle Steel

This one was more typical Steel style.  It centres on Annie who in her 20's becomes guardian for her sister's 3 children.  The kids grow up and Annie finds herself at a crossroads having 'given up' her youth to raise the kids.  The kids are involved in different lifestyles and the problems that accompany them (abandonment issues, relationship abuse and cross-cultural issues).  It is what it is.  A time passer novel.

Big Girl by Danielle Steel

I could see what Steel was doing with this one before I even opened the book. Look at the cover art - very chick lit.  Her style was slightly different than normal for this one too.  It's a very clever way to build a new, younger audience.  This story centres on Victoria, a girl who never quite fit in with her perfect LA family.  She was always just a little too big, a little too intelligent and chose a career path in teaching that she loves but her parents disapprove on.  There is a journey of self-discover and healing for Victoria along the way, learning to love who she is separate from her family. 
It was an okay read.  I think if you want to read a really good book about a 'big girl' try Meg Cabot's Heather Wells books (Size 12 is Not Fat, Size 14 is Not Fat Either and Big Boned) or for true laughs read Jen Lancaster - she's fantastic!

Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel

It's books like this that I keep coming back to Danielle Steel.  Once in a while she writes one that I don't find to be so frivolous.  This one focuses on many characters who are faced with the tragedy of a big earthquake in San Francisco and the year that follows.
I have to say it was a bit disconcerting in timing to read this book.  I picked it up around the same time as the earthquake in Japan.  For that reason I will put a disclaimer that the effect of the destruction in this book seems a bit small in comparison to what such a large earthquake would actually face.
I also think that there were aspects to the story that could have been developed more.  I would have like to see a more natural progression in the relationship of Melanie and her mother Janet.  I also didn't find the relationship between Everett and Maggie to be completely realistic (but then again, I usually drop my sense of realism when I pick up a Steel novel).  I felt the ended wrapped up a bit too quickly.
The book overall kept my attention and was interesting to read.  I liked the characters and didn't find them to be too over the top, which I really appreciated from Steel.