The Reading Room

For my birthday, my wonderful husband bought me the Barnes & Noble version of the e-reader, the Nook! I was not expecting this gift at all, but I love it! I never thought I would get on the e-reader bandwagon (I always thought I would prefer holding and reading an actual book), but I have to say that this thing is amazing! You can get on the web to surf for and download books at the touch of a button. No more running out to the bookstore!

So, the first book that I purchased and read on the Nook is Jodi Picoult's House Rules. I had read Nineteen Minutes by Picoult, so I knew that this would be a good first purchase. And I was right! House Rules chronicles the daily stuggles of a single mother trying to raise a 15-year-old typical teenager and an 18-year-old who has Asperger's Syndrome. Theo, the 15-year-old, finds himself having a difficult time dealing with high school and the "stigma" of being the brother of a "different" child. Jacob, the 18-year-old, is fascinated with forensic science and (a hallmark of Asperger's) is obsessive about crime scenes. One day, Jacob's social skills tutor, Jess, comes up missing and is later found dead. Because Jacob is the last to be seen with her, all signs point to him as the killer. Yet, it's Theo who finds himself deeply involved.

I have to admit, this book really kept me on the edge of my seat. From one page to the next, new details emerged that made this one hard to put down. I will say, while it was a good book, it wasn't one of Picoult's best. However, I highly recommend it if you're looking for a fascinating read on crime scene investigation and learning more about Asperger's Syndrome. Happy reading!