Beneath a Marble Sky-John Shors

From Others: In Beneath a Marble Sky, readers enter a realm rife with contrasts; where love turns into betrayal; where war collides with beauty; and where the visions of a commoner inspire the dreams of a princess. Richly authentic, superbly written, this extraordinary work of historical fiction immerses one within ancient India's finest and darkest days.

Set at the height of the Mughal Empire, Beneath a Marble Sky recreates the remarkable lives of those responsible for the Taj Mahal's existence. From the famous lovers who inspired it, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, to the architect who designed it to the man who sought to destroy it, Beneath a Marble Sky recounts the stories of those who oversaw the rise of the world’s most famous building.

From Me: I will definitely come back and write more about this one, but all you need to know for now is that I love, love, love this book. It was beautifully written, kept my attention from page 1, and I have every intention of re-reading it (as soon as I finish the other 400 books on my to-read list!).

Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin

From others: Helprin's first novel in a decade is a satire that finds the hapless and maligned heirs to the British throne sent on a mission to re-colonize America... a task that involves everything from naked parachuting to impersonating dentists.

From me: This book is essentially a parody of a future king and queen of England. I do have to say that it was a bit long for what is was, but none the less I found the book a rather humorous page-turner. There was just enough historical significance in the book to peak my interest in the beginning ( I have a deep love for historical fiction) but plenty of antics to keep any reader interested-I was never bored with the book.

I would not venture to say that anything sentimental or enlightening might be gleamed from his book, but in turn, anyone could always use a break from enlightenment for a good laugh. Highly recommended.

The God of Small Things

The God of Small Things
Author: Arundathi Roy

Description: In her first novel, award-winning Indian screenwriter Arundhati Roy conjures a whoosh of wordplay that rises from the pages like a brilliant jazz improvisation. The God of Small Things is nominally the story of young twins Rahel and Estha and the rest of their family, but the book feels like a million stories spinning out indefinitely; it is the product of a genius child-mind that takes everything in and transforms it in an alchemy of poetry. The God of Small Things is at once exotic and familiar to the Western reader, written in an English that's completely new and invigorated by the Asian Indian influences of culture and language.

From Me: This book was a quick read, but I believe I may need to reread it. Roy apparently has a great affinity for verbosity and word-smithing. Not that I do not enjoy a good word-smither, it keeps me guessing about the intentions of the author. As is often the case, however, excessive word-smithing and description leaves me confused about what I just read. Nevertheless Roy has a fascinating writing style and a is quite good at plot twists. The end is not only shocking but saddening.

The Hot Zone

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

4.5 out of 5

Maybe because completely and utterly convinced a virus is going to wipe us clean or just because I just find viruses really interesting, but I did love this book oh-so-much.

While it reads like fiction, the scary thing is that this book is actually true. Completely terrifying but yet you can't quite seem to pull away.

Both arising from Africa, the book describes two hemorrhagic fevers, Ebola and it's much less terrifying but still scary sister, Marburg virus.

While I don't have too much to say on the book besides the fact that I flew through it and really liked it, I'd say it's a must read for any fan of viruses, outbreaks, or even fans of post-apocalyptic fiction. I know I wish I had my "blue suit" ready.