The Book Of Mormon

Title: The Book of Mormon
Author(s): Written by God's prophets in the ancient Americas.
Length: 531 pages
Summary: Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed—To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof—Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile—The interpretation thereof by the gift of God.

 An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations—And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ. (Translated by Joseph Smith Jun)

My Testimony:  I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and for Joseph Smith in restoring the true church once again upon the earth. I know this church is true, and believe that Christ will come again. If there are any questions you have about the LDS church or this Book, please check out the website, lds.org, or better yet, read the Book for yourself.

May God watch over you and your endeavors and may we always be thankful for His guidance in our lives.  

Happy 2013. :)

RANSLATED BY JOSEPH SMITH, Jun.

Steel, Carrie Vaughn

Title: Steel
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publishing Date: 2011
Length: 287 Pages
Summary: (from book) Sixteen-year old Jill has fought in dozens of fencing tournaments, but has never held a sharpened blade.When she finds a corroded sword piece on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued and pockets it as her own personal treasure. 
The broken tip holds secrets, though, and it transports Jill through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Stranded in the past and surrounded by strangers, she is forced to sign on as crew. But a pirate's life is bloody and brief , and as Jill learns about the dark magic that brought her there, she forms a desperate scheme to get home-one that risks everything in a duel to the death with a villainous pirate captain.

My Thoughts:  Wow. This book had so much potential  and just tanked. You never get to see inside the heroine's head and the entire book is just one chain after another of everything falling into place. The descriptions were terrible. "They studied each other, eyes only inches apart, so it wasn't as if they could really see each other."  And the romance had no build up whatsoever. She's just stuck with this guy, never hints that she likes him, and then all of a sudden, starts kissing him. I would have liked the book better if there hadn't been any romance at all. It felt thrown in there just for the heck of it.
And the sword, again so much potential. But nothing much happens to it as a story piece until you find out fifty pages from the end that ohmygoodness it's a magical sword made from blood.
What the heck.
So she gets it into her head to fight the bad guy and that will send her home. There's not a clear logical explanation of how exactly she got to that point, but she does it anyway. That fails, she magically decided to try something else and that's what sends her home.
This book as a whole felt very....shallow. Definitely not the adventure I was looking forward to from the cover.

Things To Be Cautious Of:  Swearing. Several uses of some bible swearing, violence: sword fighting, bleeding, nothing descriptive believe me, and mentioning of rough pirate activity of a inappropriate nature.

The Time Thief, Linda Buckley-Archer

Title: The Time Thief (Book 2 in the Gideon Trilogy)
Author: Linda Buckley-Archer
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publishing Date: 2007
Length: 488 Pages
Summary: (From book) Peter Schock has been left behind in 1763. Kate Dyer is beginning to suffer some disturbing side effects from time traveling. And the Tar Man, who was terrifying even in the eighteenth century, is loose and wreaking havoc in twenty-first century London with twenty-first century technology at his disposal! Can Kate find a way to bring Peter back and stop the Tar Man for good?






My Thoughts: This series is so creative! And certainly thought provoking. I'm feeling really sick right now, so I don't have much of a review, but the sequel definitely gets a thumbs up.

Things To Be Cautious Of:Minor Violence, character death, mild swearing.

What I Learned: Time travel might not be such a good idea.

Montmorency, Eleanor Updale

Title: Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman?
Author: Eleanor Updale
Publisher: Schoolastic
Publishing Date: 2004
Length: 232 Pages
Summary: (From book) When a petty thief falls through a glass roof in his attempt to escape from the police, what should have been the death of him marks the beginning of a whole new life. After his broken body is reconstructed by an ambitious young doctor, he is released from prison, and -with the help of Victorian London's extensive sewer system-he becomes the most elusive burglar in the city. He adopts a dual existence as a respectable, wealthy gentleman named Montmorency, and his degenerate servant Scarper. But Montmorency must always be on guard. The smallest mistake could reveal his secret and ruin both his lives.


My Thoughts:  Yay! Another book series about Victorian London! I've never read a book that has so little dialogue in it. You get the whole story from the point of Montomrency. It was really neat. Montmorency is a character that isn't a hero, but isn't a villain either. As this book is the first in a series, you can see that there will be lots of development for him along the way. (And maybe more of that young Doctor Farcett? *hopeful*)
The POV looked at London in a kind of grimy, crude sort of way; different than the usual fluff, skimming, over romanticized versions of Victorian London that I've read prior to this book, and I found I kind of liked the change. The idea of him leading double lives is pure genius and I fell in love with it instantly.
I'm hoping the series holds up to expectations.

Things To Be Cautious Of:  Rather a darker look at the crime and happenings of London. The word 'dang' used like twice. Montmorency's habit for stealing.

What I Learned:  Everyone can change.

The Time Travelers, Linda Buckley-Archer

Title: The Time Travelers, (Book one in the Gideon Trilogy)
Author: Linda Buckley-Archer
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publishing Date: 2006
Length: 400 pages
Summary: (From Book)  1763, Gideon Seymour, thief and gentleman, hides from the villainous Tar Man. Suddenly the sky peels away like fabric and from the gaping hole fall two curious looking children.
Peter Schock and Kate Dyer have fallen straight from the twenty-first century, thanks to an experiment with an antigravity machine.
Before Gideon and the children have a chance to gather their wits, the Tar Man takes off with the machine-and Peter and Kate's only chance of getting home.
Soon Gideon, Peter and Kate are swept up into a journey through eighteenth-century London and form a bond that, they hope, will stand strong in the face of unfathomable treachery.

My Thoughts: What a cute book! I've already picked up the sequel to read as well. I thought the ending was creative and I can't wait to see how it plays out.
I am very much in love with Gideon, but I do feel a lot of sympathy towards Tom and Sidney as well. I'm hoping Tom gets a bigger part in the series. And the Tar Man! Talk about tragic back stories. I thought I was harsh in my writing, but his story is positively heart wrenching. I'm very curious to see how his character develops.
Book challenge almost completed!

Things To Be Cautious Of: The word dang used infrequently, and I found, quite humorously ('Dang your eyes!') Throughout. The Lord's name taken in vain.

What I Learned: Friends are important. People can change.

Fever 1793, Laurie Halse Anderson

Title: Fever 1793
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publishing Date: 2000
Length: 243 Pages
Summary: (from book)  During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn the family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then the fever breaks out. 
Disease sweeps the streets, destroying everything in its path and turning Mattie's world upside down. At her feverish mother's insistence, Mattie flees the city with her grandfather,. But she soon discovers that the sickness is everywhere, and Mattie must learn quickly how to survive in a city turned frantic with disease.


My Thoughts:  I feel dumb for not even knowing there was a huge outbreak of Yellow Fever in late Colonial America. This book was great for telling me otherwise. I've seen this book around for a few years, but never picked it up because the cover kind of freaks me out. But I was at the library and spotted it as a quick read to help me get to my book quota for the year. I'm glad I read it.
Mattie was a likable female protagonist and her story very believable. I admired her love for her grandfather and her persistence on survival and independence.

What I learned: It taught me a lot about the innate sense we all have for survival and made me wonder what I would do in a situation like hers.

Things To Be Cautious Of:  The Lord's name taken in vain I think...twice. And the nastiness of disease and how they treated it and the sick patients.

Reached, Ally Condie

Title:  Reached
Author: Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton
Publishing Date: 2012
Length: 512 pages
Summary: (from book) Cassia's journey began with an error, a momentary glitch in the otherwise perfect facade of the Society. After crossing canyons to break free, she waits, silk and paper smuggled against her skin, ready for the final chapter.
The wait is over.
One young woman has raged against those who threaten to keep away what matter s most-family, love, choice. Her quiet revolution is about to explode into full-scale rebellion.




My Thoughts:  Aaaaauuuuugggh.  This is the last book the Matched Trilogy. I loved the first book, wasn't much of a fan for the sequel, and the third one....mmm....not so sure what I think. I've met the author, she's fantastic. It was a fun book signing event; we got buttons with the Society logo and book quotes printed on them, and even pill vials to mimic the ones in the book. One thing her reviews always rave about is her poetic, beautiful prose, which to be honest....I find a little irritating after awhile. Cassia always goes on and on about creating and art and stuff, and I was to the point where I wanted to skip her chapters and just read about Xander and Ky.

(I'm on Xander's side, just so ya'll know)

The plot for this book was interesting....I wish there had been more subplots, but I can understand not wanting to create more story lines while trying to wrap up a series. It was a nice conclusion, and I am quite happy that Xander got where he needed to be.

Cassia and Ky? Eh. :)

Things To Be Cautious Of:  The word 'dang' used like five times throughout the book.  Mild dystopian stuff, plague related death. Some patient sabotage.

What I Learned: The power to chose is always worth fighting for.

Icefall, Matthew J. Kirby

Title: Icefall
Author: Matthew J. Kirby
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publishing Date: 2011
Length: 321 pages
Summary: (From book)  Trapped in a hidden fortress tucked between towering mountains and a frozen sea, Solveig, along with her brother the crown prince, their older sister, and an army of restless warriors, anxiously awaits news of her father's victory at battle. But as winter stretches on, and the unending ice refuses to break, terrible acts of treachery soon make it clear that a traitor lurks in the midst. A malevolent air beings to seep through the fortress walls, and a smothering claustrophobia slowly turns these prisoners of winter against one another.
Those charged with protecting the king's children are all suspect, and the siblings bust choose their allies wisely. But who can be trusted so far from their father's watchful eye? Can Solveig and her siblings survived the long winter months and expose the traitor before he succeeds in destroying a kingdom?


My Thoughts:  Wow. I just finished this one. And cried through the ending as usual.....
Matthew J. Kirby is an up and coming author and I absolutely loved his debut novel, The Clockwork Three.  With his second novel, I am starting to have a great appreciation for his work and will now look forward eagerly to see what else he comes up with.
As with all children's literature, there is a deeper meaning than just a clever storyline and I felt this one go straight through me. The different mentalities of all the characters and what they represented was so poignant and tastefully done. This felt more like an insight into the psychology of human behavior than a piece of fiction.

Things To Be Cautious Of:  Violence. Nothing too graphic or intense.

What I learned:  I am not just me. I have power within me and don't need to hold myself back. It is important to stay true to who you are and pick a side.

The Help, By Kathryn Stockett

Title: The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Publisher: Berkley
Publishing Date: 2009
Length:  522 pages
Summary: (From book)  Aibileen is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, raising her seventeenth white child. She's always taken orders quietly, but lately it leaves her with a bitterness she can no longer bite back. Her friend Minny has certainly never held her tongue, or held onto a job for very long, but now she's working for a newcomer with secrets that leave her speechless. And white socialite Skeeter has just returned from college with ambition and a degree, but to her mother's lament, no husband.  Normally Skeeter would find solace in Constantine, the beloved maid who raised her, but Constantine has inexplicably disappeared.
 Together, these seemingly different women join to work on a project that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a small town-to write, in secret, a tell-all book about what it's really like to work as a black maid in the white homes of the South. Despite the terrible risks they will have to take, and the sometimes humorous boundaries they will have to cross, these three women unite with one intention: hope for a better day.
My Thoughts:    What a wonderful book. I loved it even more than the movie. I am so in awe of the writing style of this debut author. To be able to handle three very unique first person narrations and an entire cast of distinctive characters is quite an impressive feat.  I fell in love with all the personal stories and started crying at the end.  This book is unforgettable and tells an important story in a light that is both entertaining and humorous, but with just the right amount of gravity to realize the sadness of the widespread belief of segregation.

Things To Be Cautious Of:  Language. The Lord's name is taken in vain repeatedly throughout the length of the book.  There is a scene in the novel not found in the film about some insane, naked wild man running around Celia's house.  Mentioning of violence, domestic abuse, unfair treatment of African Americans.

What I Learned: We are all God's children and He loves us all equally. We need to remember that.

Love Beyond Time, Nancy Campbell Allen

Title: Love Beyond Time
Author: Nancy Campbell Allen
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publishing Date: 1999
Length: 196 pages
Summary: (from book) Amber Saxton is a bright young LDS doctor on the cutting edge of twenty-first century medicine. But when she has a head on collision with a swinging door, life as she knows it is suddenly reduced to a heart full of searing memories when she awakens in another time and place. How can she practice modern medicine on a Civil War battlefield-and how can she get out of this mess? She longs for her comfortable apartment and her dear little Pirmary class, but she's trapped in a world that is not her own. And it's anything but friendly.
Meanwhile, Tyler Tyler Montgomery, an overworked accountant, is spending the night at his computer, preparing for an audit, when two of his worst nightmares walk through his office door. The last thing he remembers is the blow from the butt of their sawed off shotgun-until he comes to in a tiny room adjacent to a nineteenth century Army hospital. I've died and I'm not in heaven, he thinks.
Amber and Tyler have just begun the adventure of their lives, fraught with danger, intrigue and unbelievable discoveries at every turn. Thrown together in a world apart, they must somehow find their way back to the present. But first, they need to find each other and learn what matters most in life. Can they meet the test- or will it cost them their lives  before they can unravel the mystery of generations past?

My Thoughts: Mm....what to say about this one. It was given to me by a friend who loved it, but I'm not sure this is my cuppa tea.  The title is bona fide cheesy, and I don't think I would call this much of  a time travel fic.  I didn't like the pacing of the novel at all and just read through it for it to get it over with.  I quickly grew tired of Tyler's 'heated blood' when it came to his attraction to Amber, but since this is an LDS novel, it never really goes anywhere except for more kissing than I like, which is surprising since the author claims her objective is to write enjoyable romance without guilt.
I feel horrible for never really liking LDS fiction. It just always has to be so perfect and everybody has to join the church at the end. If I read Christian lit, I much prefer to read from other sects rather than my own, not for the religious perspective, but just for the content.
The one thing I did like about this book is that both Amber and Tyler met some of their ancestors while living in 1862. It was a happy touch for the genealogist in me.
What I Learned:   I need to stop bashing LDS fics.
 

Dandelion Summer, By Lisa Wingate

Title: Dandelion Summer
Author: Lisa Wingate
Length: 381 pages
Publishing Company: New American Library
Publishing Date: 2011
Summary:(from book) All her life, Epiphany Jones has been tossed like a dandelion seed on the wind. Now, with the death of Mrs. Lora-the family friend who took Epie into her home-the sixteen year old must move to Dallas to live with her indifferent mother and new stepfather. Trapped in the low-rent area of Blue Sky Hill, Epie doesn't fit in-and soon finds herself on the wrong side of the law. To make restitution, she's sent to work in another place she's not wanted: a home on the upscale streets of the Hill.
When J. Norman Alvord learns that his daughter has hired a teenager to stay with him in the afternoons, he's determined the nix the arrangement. Widowed and suffering from heart trouble, Norman wants to be left alone. But in Epie's presence, Norman finds a mystery, Deep in his mind, lies memories of another house another life, and a young, black woman, a housekeeper who saved him....
As summer comes to Blue Sky Hill, two residents from different worlds will journey through a turbulent past and find that with an unexpected road trip through sleepy Southern towns come a life changing friendship...and clues to a family secret hidden for a lifetime.

My Thoughts: What a wonderful book! It was full of warm fuzzies and good messages and lots of mystery.  I loved it, just like all the books my Grandma gives me to read. The name Epiphany Jones is charming and I loved her spunk and courage. J. Norman was just awesome. I loved the switches between POV and the different details and opinions you would receive depending on who was speaking.  
Things To Be Cautious Of: Epie gets involved with a bad boy from school and he wants to do a little more than make out. She resists.
What I Learned: Family is very important and knowing where you come from is a wonderful thing to have.
 
 

The House I Loved, Tatiana De Rosnay

Title:  The House I loved
Author: Tatiana De Rosnay
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publishing Date: February 2012
Length: 222 Pages
Summary: (From book)  Paris, France: 1860's. Hundreds of houses are being destroyed, entire neighborhoods reduced to ashes. By order of Emperor Napoleon III, Baron Haussmann has begun a series of large-scale renovations that will permanently alter the face of old Paris, molding it into a "modern city."  The reforms will erase generations of history, but in the midst of the tumult, one woman will take a stand.
Rose Bazelet is determined to fight against the destruction of her family home until the very end, even while others flee to new houses on bigger streets. She stakes her claim in the basement of the old house on rue Childebert, ignoring the sounds of change that march closer and closer each day. And as she waits, she escapes in the past, writing letters to her beloved late husband, Armand. By delving into the ritual of remembering, Rose is forced to come to terms with a secret that has been buried deep in her heart for thirty years.
My Thoughts:  Well....this book was nothing like the cover promised. I'm guessing the picture is supposed to portray how Rose and Armand looked as a young couple-but they didn't live in some mansion down a tree lined  drive, so I'm missing the point here...
I liked the writing style. It was elegant and too the point, but the story overall fell a little flat for me. I saw the movie Sarah's Key, and have had that story impressed on my mind for quite some time, so when I saw a new book by this author, I wanted to give it a try.
Rose is a widow living in the cellar of her house waiting for the destruction of her neighborhood. She does't want to let her house go, and is planning on staying until the bitter end. It wasn't a public protest, just her alone by herself, so the fight was more personal than rallying.
While she waits, she writes letters to her dead husband, Armand. I have to say I felt like she was a little selfish. She talks about how her mother paid little attention to her and her brother growing up, but then justifies not loving her own daughter in favor of their son. It's like an abuse cycle.
The big secret she carried around for thirty years wasn't something I wanted to read about, and I didn't feel like it was necessary to the story, but it works.
I have never wanted to visit Paris; it's always felt very pompous and...French. But I get the impression I would have liked to visit the old Paris before the renovations; that sounds more like something I'd love. So for giving me an interest in the old city, the book did it's job. For plot and characters....not so much.

Things To Be Cautious Of:  *MAJOR SPOILERS*  Rose's secret is that she was taken advantage of in her home and that is where her son comes from. I found it awkward and not necessary to the book and really wished I hadn't read that. After the son, *SPOILERS,* dies, the husband writes her a letter and says the way to overcome their grief is to love each other. ....Right.   There's hinting at romance lovey stuff, but nothing obscene, just married couple things. I really don't care for adult fiction since that seems to be an underlying theme.

What I Learned:  Old Paris sounds amazing. I don't want to be an old widow waiting for my house to cave in on me.

Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys

Title: Between Shades of Gray
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publisher: Philomel
Publishing Date: 2011
Length:  338 Pages
Summary: (From book) In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina is preparing for art school, first dates and all that summer has to offer. But one night, the Soviet secret police barge violently into her home, deporting her along with her mother and younger brother. They are being sent to Siberia. Lina's father has been separated from the family and sentenced to death in a prison camp.  All is lost.
Lina fights for her life, fearless, vowing that if she survives she will honor her family, and the thousands like hers, by documenting their experience in her art and writing. She risks everything to use her art as messages, hoping they will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive.
It is a long and harrowing journey, and it is only their incredible strength, love and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?

My Thoughts:  This book made me cry. Repeatedly. I bawl through every story of the Jews in Germany during WWII, but I had absolutely no idea about the people of Latvia. What they were put through was horrific and should never have happened. Lina's voice tells the story of her people in an unflinching and truthful manner. It was a wonderful coming of age story that balanced well the concerns of a growing teenage girl growing up in a prison camp. Every character was memorable and emotionally poignant.  This book will become a classic.

Things To Be Cautious Of: It's the story of the horrors of prison camps. While none of it is excessively violent or crude, there is mentioning of the reality of what really happened. Some of these stories may be hard for sensitive readers. (Example, me.)

What I learned: Love is important. Stand for what you believe in and never back down. Family is the dearest thing you will ever have in life.

The Musician's Daughter, Susan Dunlap

Title: The Musician's Daughter
Author: Susan Dunlap
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publishing Date: 2009
Length: 317 Pages
Summary: (From book) Amid the glamor of Prince Nicholas Esterhazy's court in eighteenth century Vienna, murder is afoot. Or so fifteen-year old Theresa is convinced when her musician father is found dead on Christmas Eve, his valuable violin missing and the only clue to his death is a mysterious gold pendant found around his neck. 
Her father's mentor, the acclaimed composer Franz Joseph Haydn, takes pity on Theresa and makes her his copyist, giving her an income so that her family will not go hungry. 
Determined to solve the mystery of her father's death, Theresa is stunned to learn about the secret life he led-along with a trail of blackmail and extortion that extends from the splendor of the imperial halls to the shadowy tents of a Gypsy camp. Yet it's the stirrings of love for a man she only thought she knew that might prove the most astonishing discovery of all.

My Thoughts:  Well, for starters, I bought this hard cover book for four dollars at the used book store. I actually put this one aside to devour the last book I just reviewed. It's not that this book isn't good, it was just....hard to get into.  Maybe it was the fact that everyone's names are so hard to pronounce and half the time they aren't calling Theresa her real name, but some term of endearment (I think) so it's very confusing. I wouldn't really label this a mystery or historical fiction. I didn't understand any of it.
And this romance they hint at isn't much of a romance at all-it's more like she has this hopeless crush on a guy much older on her. I didn't feel much of it returned on his part.
I like the Gypsies though. I've written a bit of a gypsy before and have always found them fascinating, beautiful people.
Things To Be Cautious Of:  Ugh...The Lord's name is taken in vain once, she talks about becoming a woman, she uses her low cut dress to advantage (not willingly), her uncle is a pervert, this old guy thought she was a 'lady of the night' *gag* and light mentioning of prostitution.  Someone is shot, not fatally, and a person is to be executed; mentioning of torture and torture methods...
What I learned: I'd much rather be the rockin' cool gypsy girl.

Keeper of The Lost Cities, Shannon Messenger

Title:  Keeper of The Lost Cities
Author: Shannon Messenger
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Aladdin)
Publishing Date: 2012
Length: 488 Pages
Summary: (From book)  Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She's a Telepath-someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It's a talent she's never known how to explain.
Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds.  She discovers there's somewhere she does belong; and that staying with her family will put her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different than anything she has ever known.
Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come "home."  There are secrets buried deep in Sophie's memory-secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans-that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.

My Thoughts:  *squee*  This book was amazing!! I stumbled across the author's blog on Tuesday and picked up the book yesterday at Barnes & Noble after reading 100 pages of it there first. Here's the big secret though, the book apparently doesn't release until next week, so why the book store had it out already, I don't know, but I'm so glad they did because I seriously adored this book.  I read the whole thing this morning. Couldn't put it down.
Sophie is a wonderful, lovable little girl and her emotions and concerns were very real. I nearly cried in the store at one point.  I found her innocence and open curiosity about everything to be endearing and I loved learning everything along with her.
Fitz was a sweet boy, I adore him, but I can't pick favorites between the other boys of the group. The author created very real and very lovable people.
One thing I did notice, was that there seemed to be an unconscious swing towards making girls the somewhat clichéd  means girls typical to school life. I didn't feel it was necessary and would have liked to have seen a bit of a gender trade with the bullying.  But that is a very small complaint compared to the genius of this book.
I am really hoping/praying/wishing for a sequel.

Things To Be Cautious Of:  NOTHING! WOO.  Unless, a bit of a downplay on the human race and mentioning of secret society isn't your thing.

What I learned:  It's ok to be different.

A Tale of Time City, Diana Wynne Jones

Title: A Tale of Time City
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Publisher: Fire bird Books
Publishing Date: 1987
Summary: (From Book)    London, 1939, Vivian Smith thinks she is being evacuated to the countryside because of the war. But she is being kidnapped-out of her own time. Her kidnappers are Jonathan and Sam, two boys her own age from a place called Time City. Built eons ago on a patch of space outside time, Time City was designed especially to oversee history. But now history is going critical, and Johnathan and Same are convinced that Time City's impending doom can only be averted by a Twenty Century girl named Vivian Smith. Too bad they have the wrong girl...


My Thoughts:  The cover on this book is so pretty. I love it. The plot was interesting, I've been a fan of accidental kidnapping plot lines ever since first encountering them, but after that...the book sort of lost me. There is so much to process and understand and the mythology and rules of Time City are complex and overwhelming. I can't say I really liked this book. It was an interesting read, but I found myself finishing it merely for the sake of completing it and the last twenty pages had me at a total loss as to what was going on.
I've never heard of the author, apparently she was a very popular fantasy writer, but as for me, it's just not my cup of tea.
Things To Be Cautious Of:  Three very mild swear words.
What I learned:  I don't want to write like this...

The False Prince, Jennifer A. Nelsen

Title: The False Prince
Author: Jennifer A. Nelsen
Publisher: Scholastic
Publishing Date: 2012
Length: 342 pages
Summary: (From book)   In a faraway land, civil war is brewing. To unify his kingdom's divided people, a nobleman named Conner devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost song and install him on the throne. 
Four orphan boys are forced to compete for the role, including a defiant and clever boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on one sword point-he must be chose to play the prince or he will certainly be killed.
His rivals will be devising their own plots as well, so Sage must trust no one and keep his thoughts hidden.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of deceit unfolds, until finally, a truth is revealed that may very well prove more dangerous than all the lies taken together.
My Thoughts:  One, the cover for this book is so pretty. I love a hardbound book and the way the pretty blue reflects light is just happy.  Also the image of the broken crown reminds me of the cover art for The Tennis Shoes Among The Nephites series I loved as a child.
Overall, it was a good read. I love fantasy and am beginning to lean towards trying my hand at that, and the plot was interesting. It made me think a lot about telling the truth and if I would ever be able to live with the strain of living a lie.
I struggled a bit with the author's lack of world building, and wish she had done more to make me feel like I was truly in a different realm. Instead, the book read like any other YA style, but with different names for the countries. I think it would have  been better if she had tried harder to create a culture and believable setting for the story instead of just giving a fantasy map at the beginning and saying, 'there you go.'
Sage, the main character, was quite likable with all his obnoxious talking back and I enjoyed the banter between him and the other characters.
I have always been a bit squeamish where the plot turns the characters against each other, which is why I refuse to read Hunger Games and will forever be scarred by Lord of the Flies,  and this book did have some of those moments. For example, *SPOILER ALERT*  one of the orphan boys was killed off at the very beginning and I was a little bothered by that.
The storyline kept me engaged and interested, but once we reached the big plot twist, the term being used lightly as you can see it coming, I felt like everything fell into place a little too easily. Sage became arrogant in his explaining and the way the book ended wasn't at all practical. This book is the first in the series, and I am curious to see how the author continues with his story. I would like to see more interaction between him and Imogen and more conspiracy plotting in the government.
Things To Be Cautious Of:  *SPOILER ALERTS*
A few beating scenes, nothing extremely violent. Mention of murder (poison) and hired assassins, one boy is killed at the beginning after being told he can be let free and used as an example to the other captives.
What I Learned:  I could never live my life knowing it was all fake and I rant way too much on this blog. :)

A Mystery For Thoreau, Kin Platt

Title: A Mystery For Thoreau
Author: Kin Platt
Publisher: Farra Strauss Giroux
Publishing Date: September 30, 2008
Length: 162 pages
Summary: (From book)  Sixteen year old Oliver Puckle, news gatherer for the Concord Freeman, has lived his teenage years by his uncle's creed: Avoid alluring company. This makes him all the more vulnerable when he meets an undeniably alluring young lady-the beautiful Miss Margaret Roberts, newly arrived from Boston under questionable circumstances. Oliver hardly has a chance to recover, however, before she just as quickly vanishes. When news arrives of a gruesome murder at Walden Pond, Oliver fears the worst. Suddenly all of Concord is in an uproar, and the only citizen who isn't a suspect is the recluse poet Henry David Thoreau, who spent the night locked in the local jail for refusing to pay his poll tax. Can the man who contemplates pond ripples and pine trees help uncover the true identity of the murderer?
As Oliver leads the charge to unravel the mystery, one thing becomes certain: the summer of 1846 will certainly prove to be his most newsworthy to date.
My Thoughts:  This book was a dollar read from my grandma and was actually pretty good. I love the cover and historical novels are always my favorites. I had no idea that Alcott, Emerson, Hawthorne and Thoreau all lived in the same town at the same time.
As for the plot and writing style of the book, I was a little disappointed. I had a hard time getting into it, I've been rather distracted, but Oliver just seemed a little shallow in general. He goes from being uptight to suddenly breaking all rules in a matter of seconds. I would have enjoyed a longer plot with more time to get to know the characters.
I did love the personality for Thoreau though. It really made me want to go pick up some of his work.
Things To Be Cautious Of:  Two swear words, mentions being taken advantage of, murder.
What I learned:  Thoreau sounds pretty cool.

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud, Ben Sherwood

Title: The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud
Author: Ben Sherwood
Publisher: Bantam Books
Publishing Date: March 2, 2004
Summary: (From book)   In a snug New England fishing village, Charlie St. Cloud tends the lawns and monuments of an ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. After surviving the accident that claimed his brother's life, Charlie is graced with an extraordinary gift: he can see, talk to and even play catch with Sam's spirit. Into this magical world comes Tess Carroll, a captivating woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that propels her into Charlie's life. Their beautiful and uncommon connection leads to a race between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go-and the discovery that miracles can happen if we simply open our hearts.

My Thoughts:  Saw this at the library at this afternoon and remembered always wanting to read it after watching the movie awhile ago. It was a short read, took me a couple of hours, and very good. I could consider this my first adult fiction book and was a little taken back by how much they mentioned drinking. So watch out for that. I also encountered my first, uh, love scene...but I skipped it when it got awkward. The entire time I read this, all I could picture was Zac Efron in the role of Charlie, and I do believe he was perfect for that role. I'm rather impressed with how well Efron is doing in the acting profession after High School Musical, but that's not really the point here...

Overall it was a good book. I've always loved the story and the book and movie stay very true to each other.  There is a constant sense of melancholy and longing to the book, making it perfect for a rainy day like today.  But do watch out for the infrequent swearing (several of the Lord's name in vain in different variations), the love scene (still feel guilty over that) and the mention of heavy drinking.

What I learned:  It's ok to let go.

Review: The Key On The Quilt, Stephanie Grace Whitson

Title: The Key On The Quilt
Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Publishing Date:  March 1, 2012
Summary: (From book)   From a distance, the  building may resemble a castle, but it's the last place Jane Prescott, Mamie Dawson and Ellen Sullivan thought they'd be, and the last place they expected to see love grow.
Broken in spirit and wondering if God has abandoned her, Jane is serving a ten-year sentence at the Nebraska State Penitentiary, even as she hides a startling secret. How will one caring physician help unravel the hidden meaning behind Jane's courthouse steps quilt?
Mamie told God she'd go anywhere, never dreaming He'd send  her to nurture women the world had forgotten as a prison matron. But while helping those around her, will she stubbornly keep the attentions of a kind guard at arm's length?
Ellen was never going to leave Kentucky, but then marriage made her a Nebraska warden's wife. Can she reach past uncertainty and fear to find God's purpose in it all?
Together, these three woman form an unlikely friendship that takes them to the ends of themselves and ultimately, on a journey that proves prison walls can neither frustrate God's plan nor keep love out.

My Thoughts:  
Wow, what a beautiful novel. It was thought provoking and touching and managed to convey a wonderful message without being overbearing or extremely sappy.  I find myself looking forward to the sequel and whatever else this author has written.
I became  very invested in Jane's story, and madly in love with that doctor of hers, Max Zimmer. (But then again, I fall for every doctor I ever read about, and to be far, he did have grey-green eyes)
The touch of mystery to her story kept me interested and the love the other 'friendless' women had for each other made me realize that I should not judge others. It makes me reconsider the way I view people and I need to be better at treating everyone as equals.
Her writing style was flowing and easy to get into and clearly well researched. I found myself right there in the scene with the characters going from one emotion to the next.
As a Christian novel, it was kept clean, aside from a few mentionings of 'feminine wiles' and couple romance, but nothing at all like what is considered acceptable for even teen and children fiction.
What I learned: 
This book has made me realize I need to include God more in my life. I am at a point growing up where I really need His influence and I admired the way Mamie went to Him for everything. I need to remember to say my 'thankfuls' and be watchful for the 'grace notes' God pours out on us when we need His help.
God is truly no respecter of persons and if He loves those women in the Nebraska State Penitentiary regardless of their pasts, then He must have a little room in His heart for me.

Review: The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Title: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Publisher: Scribner
Publishing Date: April 10, 1925
Summary:  (From book) The Great Gatsby,  F. Scott Fitzgerald's third book, stands as the supreme achievement  of his career. This exemplary novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the fabulous Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted, "Gin was the national drink and s_x the national obsession," it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920's.


My Thoughts:  Um....I don't really have much to say about this book except for:  What?
I understand the interpretation of the American dream, and the overall emotion of the book, but Fitzgerald's writing style is bizarre. He jumps all over and goes back and forth between so many things, that the entire plot of the story is twisted only to be occasionally lightened by beautiful description and a few 'ah ha' moments.
The book didn't even really seem to focus on Gatsby.  And Gatsby wasn't even really much of a character. I'm having a hard time understanding why this book is considered such a classic. Maybe I'll better understand it in a few years.
What I learned:  Don't ever have affairs. Being rich is overrated.

Review: The King of Mulberry Street, Donna Jo Napoli

Title: The King of Mulberry Street
Author: Donna Jo Napoli
Publisher: Random House
Publishing Date: 2005
Summary: (From Amazon.com) In 1892, nine-year-old Dom’s mother puts him on a ship leaving Italy, bound for America. He is a stowaway, traveling alone and with nothing of value except for a new pair of shoes from his mother. In the turbulent world of homeless children in Manhattan’s Five Points, Dom learns street smarts, and not only survives, but thrives by starting his own business.


My Thoughts: Wow. What a way to look at immigration to America. The summary does not do it justice. The first person narrative of the main character, Dom, as he is come to be called, gives life to this story in a way that was believable and moving.  
I have long had a soft spot for the little orphans and street children in history and this book only further increased my compassion for their plight. The concept of a padrone   is just horrific. The fact that such things existed, that such men, if they could call themselves that, would take advantage of poor boys unable to speak English and just trying to support their families is staggering. It makes me sick to think that for a long time, this is what America was built on.
Dom's story is partly based on the life of the author's grandfather, and that makes the story all the more heart wrenching. These are the sort of things that people ought to be reading, to realize, to understand that this is where people came from, how many things started....
Dom is an imaginative boy who takes charge of his situation and quickly figures out how to thrive on the American Dream. I worry about what happened to him though: if he ever went back to Italy, contacted his family....or if he became successful in America and really prospered in the way so many coming to Ellis Island hoped for.
I'd have to say the message I learned from this book is the need for compassion. The way Dom and his friends lived was unimaginable. It was such a relief that he found a way to push through it all and find kind people who cared for him. Their is no end for the need for service and Christlike love we can show to people and I will try harder to give generously to others.

Review: Inside Out & Back Again, Thanhha Lai

Title: Inside Out & Back Again
Author: Thanhha Lai
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publishing Date: 2011
Summary: (From book)
"No one believes me,
But at times
I would choose
wartime in Saigon
over
peacetime in Alabama."
For all the ten years of her life, Ha' has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by....and the beauty of her very own papaya tree.
But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Ha' and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed towards hope. In America,  Ha' discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape...the strength of her very own family.

My Thoughts: What a beautiful book.  I was first attracted to the cover, and then the style of the book. I have never read a book written entirely in prose. Hats off to the author, my lack at writing poetry really left me in awe of her style.
Part of what made this book so interesting is that this story is written from what she remembers happening to her as a child. It really makes the story all the more real. The characters may be fictional, but the circumstances and story are not.
It was a short read, about an hour to finish, but well worth it for the beauty of the words. Ha's story was touching and I found a soft spot for her older brothers that tried so hard to protect her. It was devastating to see how rude people can be just over different cultures and backgrounds.
The idea of Ha' and her family being baptized into Christianity with no concept of its principles or even giving their consent was shocking.
We are all God's children, and He loves us no matter what we believe or where we come from. Part of our journey here on earth is to use our agency to turn to Him.  This book is the halfway mark to my goal for the year, fifty two books, and I think I'd like to start doing some things different on this blog.  My motto for this has been: Gaining life perspective through a literary lens,  and I'd like to start posting what sort of lesson or overall message I get from what I read that will help me in my life.
The message I received from this book is a bit of a recap from what I said above. We are all God's children and He loves us no matter what our skin color, backgrounds or social status. The change I am going to make from having read this book is to be more Christlike to everyone.
Happy Half Way Point!

Review: I'll Be Seeing You, Jerry Borrowman

Title: I'll Be Seeing You
Author: Jerry Borrowman
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publishing Date: 2006
Length: 386 Pages
Summary: (From book) As the Depression worsens, a distant war draws near. Dan O'Brian finds he is once again embroiled with the inner conflicts he had hoped were far behind him after returning from World War I. Dan holds a strong conviction that the United States should stay out of this new war-because this time it is his son, Cory, whose life could be threatened by a foreign menace. But convictions can change.
Through his work as a musician, Dan finds an unlikely friend in Josh Brown, a man who challenges Dan's view of the world. And though both men share a common tragic link to the past, events of the future will soon forever bond the two men's families together.
In an era where the future is as uncertain as it is exciting, Cory O'Brian and Nathan Brown know they must defend freedom, just as their fathers have done. What they don't yet understand are the human costs of war-to those in the battle and those at home.
My Thoughts: Augh...why do these books make me cry so hard? I seriously sobbed towards the end of the book. Something in these stories really get to me and I will be finding the rest of the series as soon as I can to  keep the emotional roller coaster going.
I guess my only issue with this one is that I got a little bored with the technical, explaining of the submarines and war machines, but I guess that's because these books are more boy-centered in that regard. It's just so nice to find good series of books that uplift and inspire while teaching about important facts in an interesting and touching manner.
This is a series that I am going to recommend to anyone interested in the Great Wars.

Review: Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer

Title: Artemis Fowl
Author: Eoin Colfer
Publisher: Hyperion
Publishing Date: 2001
Length: 277 pages.
Summary: (From book)  Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius, and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short, of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories; these fairies are armed and dangerous.
Artemis thinks he has them right where he wants them...but then they stop playing by the rules. 
My Thoughts: What the heck did I just read?
There's been a lot of hype over the Artemis Fowl series, and I can see why; the covers are gorgeous, his name is fantastic and the plot interesting, so why did I hate this book?
Blame it on my dislike of Hyperion Publishing and my mistrust of adolescent fiction.
My overall impression of this book was that humans are bad,  fairies are weapon wielding technology geniuses and this little twelve year old boy is a psychologist's nightmare. In the book summary, I half expected the words, 'genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist to show up. The humor was a bit crude at times and I really wouldn't count this as a children's book. The violence had it been in a movie, would have been disturbing, and there were even occasional swear words.
The author seems very likable, and the series as a whole is very successful, so maybe this is just me and not my particular cup of tea.

Review: 'Til The Boys Come Home, Jerry Borrowman

Title: 'Til The Boys Come Home
Author: Jerry Borrowman
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publishing Date: March 2005
Length: 407 Pages
Summary: (From book) At fifteen, Danny O'Brian dreams of being something different than what his union-leader father has become-and now that the Richards family has moved to town, maybe it's possible. The Richardses have everything that the O'Brian's seem to lack-education, money, social standing-and best of all, they and their son are truly kind to Danny.
Everything changes, however, when war takes the two young men far from the peaceful streets of Pocatello, Idaho.  Danny must fight in the trenches, reluctantly using the one skill he was taught by his father. Meanwhile, Trevor battles the enemy in the skies. But war will not  be kind to these two men with a brotherly bond.

My Thoughts: Why is this author so amazing? Again, I literally sat there and cried for the last one hundred pages of this novel. What a beautiful, sweeping story of the pain of the war to end all wars. I fell deeply attached to both boys, and cheered and cried with them. The plot got a little slow right before the pre war dive, but other than that, this story was engaging and hard to put down. Borrowman is truly a gifted word weaver and I am going to eagerly dive into his other two historical fiction novels, but not after I've given myself a bit of a breather-I need to find more tissues.

Review: Skyship Academy, By Nick James

Title: Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars
Author: Nick James
Publisher: Flux
Publishing Date: September 8, 2011
Length:  376 pages
Summary: (From book) A devastated earth's last hope is found in pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power entire cities. Battling to control the Pearls are the Skyship dwellers-political dissidents who live in massive ships in the Earth's stratosphere-and the corrupt Surface government.
Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable-and dangerous-abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess. 
Enemies thrust together with a common goal, Jesse and Cassius make their way to the ruins of Seattle to uncover the truth about their new powers, the past they didn't know they shared, and a shocking secret about the Pearls.
*Major Spoiler Post*
My Thoughts:  Well....the cover is cool. The one for the sequel looks even better. This book was depressing. Just downright sad. I felt awful for Cassius who will need some serious counseling and repulsed at the idea of his fake mother, 'Madame' who did nothing but use him for her own twisted ideas.
The switching from first person to third person narrative I thought to be wonderfully done and is a technique I haven't seen before. I might have to try it.
The book would have been alright, sadness aside, this is dystopian after all, if it wasn't for what you find out at the end. *Spoiler alerts*  
The Pearls are actually people.  They have been killing people for their power source to fuel their stupid cities. Granted, they didn't know, but still the idea does not settle well for me. The Pearls are actually a form of transport for those from another planet to come to Earth and the boy, Jesse, is responsible for freeing them.
All I could think about was the millions of lives they'd lost.
I don't think I would have read this one if I had known what it was about.  I guess the sequel will about the two boys going out to beat the system and free the aliens.  But  I don't think I want to read it-way too depressing.  Here's what the cover looks like; he's quite dashing. Kind of like a Charlie Mcdonnell.

Things To Be Cautious Of:  Swearing. Nothing extreme, just your usual television usage.
Violence: Mention of fighitng, playing  a role simulating kind of thing, guns, one man is killed, a train with passengers explodes.
Psychological Weirdness: Madame's bizarre control over poor Cassius. Someone please get that boy to therapy.
Awkward Content: One oddly placed scene for a quick kiss, one guy cracks a joke about a guy's manhood.

Review: One Last Chance, Jerry Borrowman

Title: One Last Chance
Author: Jerry Borrowman
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publishing Date: April 2009
Length: 267 Pages
Summary: (From author's website)Artie Call can't get a break. Orphaned during the Depression, he steals food to survive. When mischief lands him in juvenile court, he's offered a home by fellow ward member David Boone, but then suffers under Boone's unkind and unyielding treatment. And after Artie helps the victim of a robbery gone bad, he's abandoned by Boone and is almost sentenced to juvenile hall.

Then his luck and life suddenly  change.

Mary Wilkerson, the feisty widow who was robbed, sees potential in Artie and takes him into her custody. Ray McCandless, the wise yet firm chauffeur, teaches Artie about cars, life, and the connections between the two. Under their care, Artie develops the desire and the ability to leave his past behind and grasp the hope in his future, which shines like Mary's luxurious Duesenberg. But when cornered by old enemies, will he defend his honor with his life?

My Thoughts:  Yes,  the cover is slightly creepy with his distant, half smile and all that, but this book was wonderful. I cried through the entire second half and then started bawling again at the last sentence. This author clearly has a talent for weaving beautiful, emotionally connecting stories.  The hero of the story, Artie, is a character dear to my heart; truth be told, this entire story is something I feel very strongly about.  For over a year my head has been filled with the stories of orphan children and their struggling to make a home in a place where it feels like they are not wanted because of their backgrounds. To have a story so closely tied to the one I am writing be put in front of me was like finding a dear friend. 

As this is a historical fiction novel, the attention to detail was beautiful, though a little tedious at times. I enjoyed reading about a subject where the author had clearly taken his time in careful research.  The characters were dominant personalities and quickly lovable. I laughed and cried and worried with them. 

It was so refreshing to sit down to a story and have it be clean and well paced. Not once did I cringe or find anything to be obscene or suggestive.  I have picked up another historical fiction novel by this author about the two World Wars (cue the water works) and am quite excited to see what heart touching tales he weaves in that new series.