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.