#53-the Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Alblom (196 pgs) interesting read. Required for 8th AT English so read to discuss with Brooke. Not my favorite and not sure great for 8th graders....

#52 - Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman

(279 pgs) This was the journey of struggle and hope that the Chapman family endured after losing thier adopted daughter Maria in a car accident at their home when thier natural son Will hit Maria in the driveway, causing her death. This was a touching story about the reality of the pain the family experienced both by losing thier daughter and then worrying about thier son as he tried to deal with all of it. A good story and a nice inside look at how they struggled, still struggle, but cling to the hope that one day they will SEE Maria again. Very touching so have kleenex handy!

#51-Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell

(264 pgs) Loved this book on the Lone Star List! It's about Genevieve, who's mother decides to take her family on a summer vacation to family frontier camp where they live as if it's 1890. Could you survive living like that? Genevieve doesn't think she can either...but there are a few surprises in store for her....GREAT BOOK!

#50 - Leaving by Karen Kingsbury

(336 pgs) The first in the Bailey Flannigan series and of course, I loved it! Love that it realistic and not all happy scenarios for all the characters. Love that characters from the Baxter family are still included so we can see how they are doing. As always, VERY anxious for the next one....since no library has it yet, may have to purchase it myself and donate it when I'm done!

#49-The Calhouns by Nora Roberts

(571 pages) A typical, happily ever after story by Nora Roberts. This was actually 3 different novels all in one book: Courting Cathering, A Man for Amanda and For the Love of Lilah. They are good summer, brain candy kinds of stories. I will have to find the others though because the emeralds they talk about in all 3 were still not found by the end of the last book! Hate that!

#48 - Play Dead by Harlan Coben

(560 pgs) LOVED this book...great mystery.

#47 - Monster by Walter Dean Myers

(281 pgs) Read this because it is required summer reading for Brooke. A hard novel...hard to read as it is written in 'movie-making' format and hard topic. Certainly makes you think....