His Dark Materials By Philip Pullman

Kathryn: This is a trilogy which has the books The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. This is definitely the best three books I've ever read. It is really action-y and the second and third books have a little romance in then too! The characters are very well developed and I can totally relate to Lyra on some points! I would recommend this book to ages 10-100 because it can really capture any one in it. If you have read them please post whether Lyra and Will made the right decision! By the way, I think my daemon would be one of those hyper owls like Pigwidgen from Harry Potter.

Jennifer: I was SO GLAD when Kathryn agreed to read this trilogy. It's one of the few series I've read more than once. There's so much I love about these books - the political message, the spiritual insights and the science. I'm proud that Kathryn relates to Lyra because she's one of my favorite characters. I cry horribly every time I read the end of The Amber Spyglass - the kind of crying where my nose is running and I'm actually hiccuping. I like Kathryn's idea that you should let us know if you think they made the right decision - I guess it was the only adult decision they could make but ...ouch. My daemon would be a mourning dove. Rather fascinating, in my opinion, that we both believe our daemons are birds.

Fall of Giants by Ken Follet

Jennifer: I liked this book so much that I think part of the reason I'm a bit sad today is because I finished it last night and I'm bummed that I don't have any more chapters to read. I'd read Pillars of the Earth and World Without End back to back - what a relief that I didn't have to wait for the sequel in that instance.

I didn't expect to enjoy Fall of Giants as much as his previous work, but I actually enjoyed it even more. This novel takes place during the teens and twenties and, as in his previous work, we learn about history through the eyes of fictional characters.  I was a history major and simply adored the professors who could bring the stories alive. My very favorite professor had me simply enraptured by his telling of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and the deterioration of Europe into the first World War.

In this book, I gained a new appreciation for my Welsh ancestors (and the fight for women's rights) through Ethel, I gained a new empathy for Germany and I was simply stunned at the dysfunction of Tsarist Russia. What fascinates me more than anything is reading the precedents to the Cold War - it's almost painful to read - as if you're someone watching a train wreck about to happen and you're the only one who realizes disaster is imminent.

What truly makes Ken Follet so readable, however, is good old-fashioned character development. You see the perspective of each and every character when they are "on screen" (so to speak). I can't even begin to imagine how difficult that would be as a writer. Most people simply write from the perspective of one character. Everyone else is just a cipher or maybe a semi-interesting antagonist. His women characters are just as interesting and compelling as his men. Some characters are more likable, but you understand where all of them are coming from and you don't question why they do what they do.

All I can say, Mr. Follet, is please hurry up with the second book in the trilogy!

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Jennifer: I ended up with this book because it happened to be available on PaperbackSwap.com (my new favorite way to pick up books) and the title rang a bell for me...as if it was something I'd always intended to read.

Life of Pi is impossible to put down, but the part of the story that had me practically jumping up and down in excitement is the very beginning, in which Pi falls in love with spiritually and is simultaneously a practicing Christian, Muslim, and Hindi. I completely understood his point of view and his eagerness to find God by going down every possible spiritual path.

The majority of the book centers around his odyssey on a life raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal Tiger. I stayed up until 2 a.m. on Christmas Eve finishing this book but I can't decide whether or not I like the ending.

In truth, I think I'm just disappointed that the book is fiction - it's written as if it wasn't - but of course it is. For some reason, that makes me sigh.

The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Kathryn: For people who love Twilight this book will shed a whole new light on the "army" in Eclipse. Written in the first person of Bree Tanner a new vampire, this book will make you laugh and make you cry as it shows what being a new and "normal" vampire is like. I would recommend this book to Twilight lovers ages 10-50.

elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

(Yes, the title is supposed to be in all lower case letters....)

Kathryn: When Elizabeth M. Hall finds herself in heaven after a traumatic car accident her life is reversed, literally!!! This book deals with love, family, friends, and finding yourself. I would recommend this book to ages 11-20!!

Matched by Allie Condie

Jennifer: I heard about this book on NPR. One evening right before Christmas, as I was driving back home from a shopping trip, someone recommended this as his top book for teenagers this year. I told Kathryn about it and she was interested enough to use a Christmas gift card to buy the book. She encouraged me to read it and I'm thrilled that she did.

She read it non-stop (in about a day) then I did exactly the same thing. I cannot stop thinking about this story. I've even dreamed about it - that's pretty unusual for me.

It's a haunting story of a future society where everything is controlled, including who you love. In many ways, it's a classic love triangle where the protagonist really does love two young men in two different ways. She's struggling not only with trying to figure out whether she can make herself happy with the "safe" choice but also with whether she's going to fight back against this oppressive (but seemingly very nice) government.

Here's the website with more info about the book and the sequel that will be coming out (thank goodness!!) in Fall 2011.

Kathryn: This is a very good book. I really think that all the characters are very well developed. I would recommend this book for mainly girls ages 11-111!!! When I read this I could not put the book down, so if I were you and I bought this book I would start reading on a day that isn't busy because you won't want to stop!!!! Be sure to check out the sequel which is coming out in fall of 2011 ( I know I don't think I can wait that long either!!!).