Matched

I have to say, even though this was entertaining and a pretty quick read,
I didn't love it.
Maybe I am reading too many young adult books or something
but I just found this book to be very similar to other books I have read.
I did enjoy the characters and really felt for the main character, Cassia.
This book is set in a society where the government (or "officials") control everything.
What you eat, where you work,
when you have kids and how many,
when you die, and of course, who you marry.
It all starts when Cassia turns 17 and is off to her matching ceremony
where she will find out who the society has decided is the perfect match for her.
She is thrilled to find out it is her best friend, Xander,
but then something strange happens.
When she pops in the micro-card that has all the information about her "match"
and what rules are now in place,
the face of a different boy,
Ky,
who is also her friend, pops up.
The officials try to reassure her that it was all a mistake and that Xander is in fact her match.
But the society rarely makes mistakes.
Now Cassia is starting to doubt the society
and everything she has known,
and is beginning to fall in love with Ky.
Cassia has to decide if she wants to continue following the rules
with no question and stay with Xander.
Or break all rules and expectations,
go against everything she has been taught and told to do
so she can be with Ky.
It is a pretty good book, and definitely a easy and quick read.
I have just read other books like Delirium, Hunger Games, etc., that I like better.
This is a series but I am not sure if it will be one I keep up on.

The Paris Wife

This was my book club book this month.
I thought it was pretty good. Not my favorite though.
The book follows Hadley Richardson as she becomes Ernest Hemingway's first wife.
It was set in the early 1900s, first in Chicago and then follows them to Paris.
I really enjoyed the first half of the novel.
The courtship of the two characters and seeing them fall madly in love.
The second half was still enjoyable but seemed a little slow.
I so felt for Hadley while she was desperately trying to find her role in Ernest's life.
Ernest seemed like such a complex and moody individual
and Hadley was so patient and seemed to always try to put him first.
But their life was very fast paced and somewhat racy,
which was difficult for Hadley once they had a child.
So in all, I liked this book,
I just found it somewhat slow in some places.

Hotel on t he Corner of Bitter and Sweet

This was our book club book this month.
I would have to say it wasn't my favorite, but I did enjoy reading it.
It is set in the 1980's and follows a Chinese-American man who
finds something that reminds him of his past.
This starts the flashbacks back to his childhood, the 1940's.
His childhood was difficult.
He was mistaken for a Japanese boy throughout his childhood,
who given the time period, were unfortunately passionately disliked.
He finds a friend, who happens to be a Japanese-American girl,
and they quickly bond.
Unfortunately his tumultuous relationship with his father and this new friend
being shipped away to a internment camp got in the way of this relationship.
In the present, his wife recently died from cancer
and he and his son are growing farther and farther apart.
This novel is more than a love story.
It is a story about heartbreak, loss, life, and love.
I would recommend this book,
but I did find it somewhat slow.

Happy Reading!