Recent Reads!

During school, I read a lot for classes but sometimes they aren't books that I would choose on my own.  Since I've been home on break, I've had time to read three books so far:

1) A Stolen Life

I've been wanting to read this book since it came out over the summer.  I was so intrigued by Jaycee's story when she surfaced in 2009 and wanted to know how she managed to survive for so many years without her family. It's a riveting read...I picked it up this afternoon and finished it ten minutes ago.  For those of you who haven't heard of this book, it details the kidnapping and recovery of a California woman named Jaycee Lee Dugard who was abducted when she was 11. Jaycee spent 19 years in captivity before breaking free.  A lot of the book was very difficult to read, but the way she described the reunion with her mom at the end of the book was so touching and uplifting that it made the troubling parts easier to bear.  I cried at the end because I was so happy that she got out of that hell hole and can now live a 'normal' life with her two daughters. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.  It was a powerful read.

2) License to Pawn

If you've ever seen the tv show Pawn Stars on the History channel and liked it, then you would probably enjoy this book.  It talks about Rick Harrison, the star of the show. He's pretty outspoken on the show and his voice jumps off the pages in the book as well.  The book goes into his rough childhood, how his father first started a pawn shop, and how they eventually got their own show years later. It's a light, fun read and there was a lot of new information in it that I enjoyed such as the fact that they don't even work behind the counter of their store anymore because they're too famous. I would give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

3) Seriously...I'm Kidding

I was disappointed with this light-hearted book by Ellen Degeneres.  I was expecting it to be funnier and just more interesting in general.  The topics she discusses were boring and I didn't really like her delivery either.  I know it was a comedy book, and therefore fluffy, but I wanted her to talk more about her wife, American Idol, and other interesting topics. Instead she just kind of glossed over those things.  2.5 stars.

I'm looking forward to getting Mindy Kaling's book off the wait list at the library and I have a couple of others on my nightstand that I'm excited to start!  What books have you read lately?