Saori Sirasaki Sirasaki من عند نيويورك من عند نيويورك

The best out of the series but only because of the expansion of Jacobs character who was the most interesting. Once again, I was disappointed and kept hoping something would happen. It was too much everyday teenager life and if you're having a vampire and werewolf in your story, you can't leave it at everyday teenager life.

Also read this pre-scandal so while I didn't like it as much as Million Little Pieces, it was a satisfying conclusion. Curiously, I was more skeptical about the truth of this book - particularly the opening scene in which he tries desperately to reach his girlfriend and the mob-related storylines. Again, I was disillusioned after the truth about these books came out and would not have read this had I known.

Even though Heather Armstrong can border on being too negative and crass (in my opinion) for a laugh, I felt like this was the most accurate representation of life with a newborn that I'd ever read or seen. I loved the fact that she could so directly portray both the horrifyingly terrible things about having a baby and those moments that almost make your heart explode from the cuteness. I enjoyed the "recovering Mormon" slant and all the Utah references. In the acknowledgements at the end of the book, she thanks her daughter for allowing her to share this story so that other women might not feel so alone, and it was nice to realize that all moms, whether you admit yourself to the psychiatric ward or not, have wanted to at some point or another. "When you're childless and young and hopeful, you have this idea of what your children are going to be like, and you make mental notes when you see other kids in public. You say to yourself, "My kid will be cute like that," or "My kid won't ever throw a tantrum in public like that little demon." I had always envisioned a sweet little princess who looked just like me sitting quietly in a high chair, her pressed velvet petticoat creased perfectly as she sat and waited to be handed things in a timely manner. And then you grow up and have kids and realize that YOU HAVE NO SAY, and the only clean thing she can wear is that oversized red shirt that she will smear pears on before you leave the house, and that demon you once witnessed looks more and more human in hindsight." p.230

Many things about this story combined to reel it absolutely close to my heart. At the most basic level, it is the story of a woman whose cancerous tissue becomes the baseline for an enormous amount of scientific research. It was biopsied without her knowledge or consent, however. The woman, Henrietta Lacks, was black. The question then follows- would this have happened to a white woman? And - if it did, would her family have been treated with more respect, dignity, and ultimately would they have received financial compensation. The book tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, her family, her cell culture line (HeLa), the doctors, and the politics and history surrounding cell cultures in general. It is worthy to note up front that, "Despite all the other cases and the press they've received, the Lacks family has never actually tried to sue anyone over the HeLa cells." And what's more... "The Lackes aren't interested in stopping all HeLa research. 'I don't want to cause problems for science,' Sonny told me as this book went to press. 'Besides, I'm proud of my mother and what she done for science. I just hope Hopkins and some of the folks who benefited off her cells will do something to honor her and make right with the family.' " In this well written book, we come to know and love the Lacks family. As readers, we experience their stress and hardships, some of which come directly from being misinformed, frightened, and used by the medical community- beyond their mother's initial culture event. The family is badgered and lied to. Each family member responds in their own way, simply heartbreaking to read. The poverty this family endures, while their mother's cell line is sold into the billions of dollars, is horrible. Still, the Lacks family has something corporate moguls will never share- love, faith in God, and empathy for fellow human beings.

Perfect