Good Clean Reads

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

2011-11-16T16:11:00.001-07:00

Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 1996, Ballantine Books
Source: Personal library
Review: 4/5 stars

Brief Summary: The legend of a woman named Joan who, disguised as a man, allegedly became Pope in the ninth century is brought to life in this novel by Donna Cross. As a very intelligent young woman she decides to dress as a boy in order to pursue her dream of learning and education that was completely denied to women during that time. Her superior intellect, drive, and compassion give her many opportunities and eventually lead her to the highest spiritual position on earth.

My Thoughts: This really is a fascinating book. I don't know for sure what to think about the truth of whether this woman existed but it is definitely a good story. I really enjoyed learning more about this time period. The utter brutality and injustice toward women that was described made me so mad, the corruption and politics discussed were very interesting, and the love story is heartfelt.

We read this for book club and everyone enjoyed it. It was fun to debate about whether or not she did exist and I think we agreed that where there's this much smoke there is probably fire. If you've read the book and the pages by the author at the back talking about her research you would have seen the picture of the chair. For most of us that was the most convincing piece of evidence that something happened to make them use that chair and declare the nominee a man. It was also quite funny. :)

Recommendations: I would recommend this book to most people I know. On the back of my copy there was a review that said, "Pope Joan has all the elements one wants in a historical drama–love, sex, violence, duplicity, and long-buried secrets. Cross has written an engaging book."–Los Angeles Times Book Review. That made me a little nervous about reading it but the sexual content ended up being fairly mild. The violence was actually more offensive to me than the sexual content (but that's just my opinion).

Ratings: 2.4.2 Includes sexual relations between an unmarried couple but is not explicit. Violence includes child abuse, war type violence, sexual assault, and violent punishments. Profanity was fairly minimal.

Thanks for reading!

To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal

2011-11-04T11:55:00.001-06:00

Genre: Literary Fiction
Published: June 2011, 436 pg. Little, Brown & Company
Source: Review request by Publisher
Review: 4/5 stars

Brief Summary: Judith Whitman is now in her 40's, married 20 years to a man she met at Stanford, has a teenage daughter and her dream career. When she suspects that her husband may be keeping a terrible secret from her, she begins to question whether this life that she's been leading is the path she should have taken. What would have happened if she hadn't left Nebraska and Willy Blunt?

My Thoughts: This is a beautifully written novel that explores the longing for and wondering over the road not taken. I became emotionally attached to the story and shed a few tears at times. It was interesting because I didn't always like what Judith did or her motives in her life. She seemed to be cold towards her daughter and was disengaged as a mother, which I find disturbing. I did still sympathize with her, though, and I really liked and cared about her young love, Willy. As I read I found myself thinking about my own life and the decisions that I've made and being very grateful that I don't have huge regrets about the direction of my life.

Another thing I liked about this book was the references to classic literature. Judith and her English professor father often talk about their passion for reading. I added a couple more books to my to-be-read list while reading this.

Recommendations: Unfortunately, I can't recommend this book as a clean read. There are at least a dozen f-bombs so if that kind of language really bothers you I wouldn't recommend reading this one. There is also sexual content that I don't consider over-the-top but it is a significant part of the story. These are mature themes so this book is definitely not for teens. I did like the book but I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending it to most people I know. Read at your own risk.

Ratings: 3.1.5 I'm giving this book a 3 for sexual themes and descriptions, a 2 for violence, and a 5 for at least a dozen f-words--I stopped counting after about 6 but there were still several more--also includes many examples of taking the Lord's name in vain. Read at your own risk.

Thanks for reading!

The Golden Spiral by Lisa Mangum

2011-10-30T13:00:00.000-06:00

Genre: YA, sci-fi/fantasy
Published: May 2010
Source: Publisher--Shadow Mountain
Review: 3/5

Brief Summary: The story continues right where Hourglass leaves off. I'll leave it at that to avoid spoilers.
My Thoughts: My reaction to the second installment of The Hourglass Door series is much like the first. It has an interesting premise, likable characters, plenty of romance (a little too much sometimes), and a thickening plot. I'm not the intended audience so the teenage romance gets pretty sappy at times. My 12 year-old daughter loves these books and has read them all at least 3 times.
Recommendations: Great for those looking for a clean romance with fantasy elements set in a modern world.
Ratings: 2.2.1 There's plenty of kissing and affection, some violence, and mild (if any) profanity.

Thanks for reading!

Updates

2011-10-28T21:46:00.000-06:00

As you've probably noticed, I haven't blogged in months. It's not that I didn't want to or that I wasn't thinking about it, I just couldn't seem to make myself sit down and do it. I'd play with the design a little here and there and start a blog post but I'd always get distracted and wouldn't come back.

Tonight I sat down to finally post a review. I happened to look at my stats page and noticed there were about 5-6 times more hits on my blog yesterday than there normally are. I discovered that my blog had been mentioned and linked in an online article for LDS Living. How cool is that? If only I'd known then maybe I would have tried to make it look like I run a good blog. :) Anyway, thank you Kaela Worthen at LDS Living for the shout-out and, hopefully, a few of you who clicked over to my blog yesterday found something helpful

My plan is to be a more consistent blogger. You may not want to hold your breath waiting for that to happen but I'd like to think that I can give it a real shot.

Thanks for reading!

Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer

2011-10-28T20:39:00.001-06:00

Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: Originally 1955, this edition--July 2011
Source: Sourcebooks (publisher review request)
Review: 3.5/5 stars

Brief Summary: Lady Serena is reunited with her former suitor, whom she jilted several years ago, when her father names him, the Marquis of Rotherham, her guardian in his will. Both Serena and the Marquis are hot-tempered and obstinate so quarrels ensue. In true Georgette Heyer fashion, witty-dialogue abounds. The romantic plot thickens as Serena becomes reacquainted with the man she had once loved when she was much younger, who had been sent packing by her father because he was not a good match for her.
My Thoughts: Georgette Heyer does not disappoint. Even though Bath Tangle wasn't quite as charming as some of her other books, it still hits the spot when you're looking for that Regency Romance fix. The plot is pretty predictable but it doesn't really matter. Even though we know the destination, the journey is always fun. The hero and heroine are unfortunately not often together in this book but when they are in the same room, the sparks fly with heated arguments and sparring of words that Heyer is famous for.
Recommendations: To all Austen and Regency fans.
Ratings: 1.1.2 Pretty clean read with a smattering of mild profanity.

Thanks for reading!

The Third by Abel Keogh

2011-07-12T23:12:00.001-06:00

Genre: Dystopian
Published: April 2011, 263 pp.
Source: Review copy from publisher (Cedar Fort)
Review: 3/5 stars

Brief Summary: In the not too distant future, Ransom Lawe and his wife Teya struggle to make ends meet in a world where, due to global warming and other environmental disasters, food, energy, and...children are rationed. Families are allowed to have only two children and, as you may guess, Teya becomes pregnant with a third child.
My Thoughts: The Third by Abel Keogh caught my attention from the very first chapter. The world he has created seems very possible and that makes it unnerving. It was refreshing for me to read a dystopian novel with adult main characters instead of teenagers. In ways I could relate more to the characters and what their lives are like since they are parents like me. However, in other ways I felt like I was never really invested in the characters and I didn't care about them very much. They seemed to make so many stupid decisions and mistakes that I got to the point that I wasn't very sympathetic. So, while I did enjoy and like the book, I think I would have liked it more if I could have liked the main characters more.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book to any of you dystopian fans out there. It is especially nice to read a little dystopian that's not YA for a change.
Ratings: 2.3.1 There is a scene in which a character is intending to rape someone. There is some violence in some scenes where a character is beaten up and there is a physical threat to a baby. I don't remember any profanity.

Thanks for reading!

The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum

2011-06-25T20:29:00.001-06:00

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Romance

Published: May 2009, 400 pp, Shadow Mountain
Source: Publisher
Review: 3.5/5 stars

Brief Summary: Abby's life is turned upside down when foreign exchange student, Dante, comes to school. Even though she has a boyfriend whom she's been best friends with since they were kids, Abby can't help being drawn to the new guy. Strange things happen when she's around him and she soon finds out why.

My Thoughts: The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum is a fun read with plenty of romance, action, drama, and mystery. It has a very interesting premise that I don't want to really give away but time is involved and that always makes for a twisting, turning, surprising plot line. The teenager emotions were a little much at times but I'm sure a real teenager (not a 37 year-old, stay-at-home mom) would appreciate their authenticity. My daughter--11 going on 16--loved this book. Abby and Dante are likable and I can imagine a few book crushes on Dante might be formed while reading this book.

Recommendations: I think this book would appeal to anyone 12 and up looking for a clean romance.

Ratings: 1.2.1 Plenty of kissing and affection but not really inappropriate. There is some violence--fisticuffs, etc. No profanity that I remember.

Thanks for reading!

My Daddy -- ebook for ipad and iphone

2011-06-10T14:38:00.001-06:00

In my last post I told you about TaleSpring and their tool to make interactive and animated children's books for the ipad. I'd like to share one of the books that is now available on the App Store.

My Daddy, written by Jason Izatt and David Pettit and illustrated by Darren Gygi, is the perfect book for kids to give to their iphone and ipad toting dads this Father's Day. Dads and kids will love discovering together the surprises that a simple touch to the screen brings. Each page shows a father and son doing something together. If you touch the words, a boy's voice reads them to you. Explore each page to find the hidden buttons that reveal fun animations, sound effects, or other unexpected surprises. A few little mice appear in many of the pages and add humor to the sweet sentiments of a young boy spending time with his daddy. The illustrations are excellent and this ebook is a steal priced at just $1.99 in the App Store.

Here's a little preview from youtube:

Check it out on the App Store by clicking here.

Thanks for reading!

Have you ever considered writing a children's book?

2011-05-25T14:57:00.001-06:00

I would guess that a large percentage of the readers of book blogs have at one time or other thought about writing a children's book. Am I right? Surely most book lovers have wondered what they would write about if they ever decided to put a pen to paper (or fingers to a keyboard) or have dreamt about their name appearing on the front cover of a book. Well, there's a new way to make that dream come true and it's provided by a company called Talespring. Using their online tool you can make your own interactive picture book that can be viewed on your computer or it can be published to the app store and viewed on an ipad or iphone.

Talespring was recently featured on the news and this clip gives a pretty good example of what can be done using Talespring's online tool for building children's books.

Here's another video showing how the online tool can be used to create a page for a book. It may seem a little long but it's interesting to see how the animations of a page easily come together.

In the interest of full disclosure I do feel like I should tell you that this is my husband's company. Even so, I think this is a really cool thing and I hope you'll check it out. Look for more information at Talespring.com.
Thanks for reading!

Matched by Ally Condie

2011-04-29T16:33:00.002-06:00

Genre: YA, Dystopian, Local Author
Published: Nov. 2010, 366 pp.
Source: Personal Library
Review: 4.5/5 stars

Brief Summary: Cassia Reyes lives in a world of no choices. The Society controls everything from the food the people eat and the clothes they wear, to the career they will have and whom they will marry. Cassia has never questioned this until, somehow, a mistake is made and she begins to question the way the Society controls her life.

My Thoughts: I loved this book. I've discussed it with two book clubs and a few people have agreed that it's a "watered down Hunger Games". While there are definitely similarities, I think that Matched has its own merits that make it worthy of all the hype surrounding it. I think the world Ally Condie has created is creepy and terrible in a much more subtle way than many other dystopian worlds. I like the quiet build-up of tension in the book. The love triangle is becoming a bit of a tired plot device for me but it still works here. I have lots of questions that I want answered in the next book and I'm looking forward to it.

Recommendations: This is a great book for those who liked the ideas behing Hunger Games but didn't like the violence. I think that kids as young as 11-12 could enjoy this one.

Ratings: 1.2.1 Includes kissing, references to violent actions by others, and no profanity that I can recall. (If there is any profanity it would be very mild).

Thanks for reading!

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

2011-04-26T15:47:00.005-06:00

Genre: YA, Dystopian

Published: March 2011, 358 pp.
Source: Library
Review: 3.5/5 stars

One of the latest in the YA dystopian crazy, Wither by Lauren DeStefano gives us yet another haunting tale of what could possibly go wrong if our society chooses a certain path. This time the issue is genetic engineering. What could happen if, at some point in the future, all babies were born genetically modified so they would be perfectly healthy and have long life spans? Destefano paints a grim picture of a generation of perfect people whose children and grandchildren die by their mid 20's.

I enjoyed many parts of this book. The people and the relationships are good--complex and multi-faceted. I liked the story but I kept being pulled out of it by the logistical errors in the back story. I felt like the science was not there to back up what had happened in their world. I'm too much of a geek to let that stuff go. I really appreciate a book that makes sense and this one didn't always do that for me. Even so, it was a good story and I look forward to reading the next ones. Who knows, maybe some of the problems I had with things will be resolved or answered.

Rating: 2.2.2 The book is about a polygamous marriage so there is some sex involved but it's behind closed doors and between married people, even if it is a strange situation. There are a few disturbing scenes that include blood or people who have died. Mild profanity.

Epilepsy Awareness and Purple Day

2011-03-18T09:43:00.005-06:00

Bookscoops is again hosting a challenge for Purple Day and I'm a excited to participate this year as well. Purple Day is March 26th and is a worldwide campaign to help raise awareness for those who are affected by epilepsy, or seizure disorders. Here's a little information that I'd like to share from the Bookscoops post.

"We wanted to raise awareness about epilepsy because it is the second most common reason people see a neurologist behind migraine. Epilepsy affects 50 million people world wide and about 3 million people living in the United States have epilepsy. More people have this condition than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s disease combined and every year more people will die of epilepsy than breast cancer. Unfortunately, a lot of myths and false ideas are still being perpetuated about epilepsy (such as it is a mental condition or that epilepsy is contagious). Some of these misconceptions have caused many people to become isolated and live in fear and shame that someone will find out about their condition and many people have faced discrimination based on their medical diagnosis."

There are several ways to participate in the challenge and this is what I plan on doing.

Wear purple on Purple Day and tell people why.

Post a review of When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, which has a character with epilepsy.

Post about our family's experience with epilepsy.

Read and post a review of The Brothers Karamozov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky who is known to have had epilepsy. (Hopefully I can get this one done.)

I'll try to figure out some more things I can do but I'm already a little late in starting. The challenge ends March 27th but hopefully you too can do something to participate. There is a prize drawing for participants: two books, When You Reach Me and The Day Glo Brothers by Chris Barton.

The Journal of Curious Letters by James Dashner

2011-03-13T17:46:00.009-06:00

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Utah Author

Published: March 2003, 432 pp.

Read: Mar. 2009

Source: Own

Category: Heinz 57 (Look on sidebar for explanation)

Review: 4/5

I thought that my first "Heinz 57" review should be an easy one. As I looked through my lists, this one popped out at me. I read this one in March of 2009 because I had just met James Dashner at the first Utah Book Bloggers Social in February. My husband and I both found him very funny and interesting so we went right out to buy his book. My husband called first dibs, my daughter got it next and then finally I was able to read it.

The Journal of Curious Letters tells the story of Tick Higginbottom and the strange letters he starts receiving, which contain riddles and puzzles to solve. He eventually learns about the existence of alternate realities, meets new friends, and has some adventures.

There are two main reasons I really liked this book. The first is that Tick's parents are loving, supportive, intelligent people. Tick actually goes to them with his problems instead of hiding things from them. Why is that kind of family relationship so uncommon in middle grade and YA fiction? I found it very refreshing from the usual depiction of families. The second reason I liked this book was the idea of alternate realities. Some of my favorite episodes of my favorite TV series, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Stargate: SG-1 (yes, I'm a nerd), have to do with parallel universes or alternate realities. I love the one where Worf keeps popping in and out of different realities and then at the end thousands of Enterprises appear from parallel universes. I love the part with the crazy Riker who says something like, "You don't know what it's like back there...We won't go back!" There's a clip on youtube that I tried to embed but I couldn't get it to size down small enough so you'll have to link to it if you want to see it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67YFR-wmgjc

Anyway, this was a fun book that we all enjoyed.

Rating: 1.1.1 Clean read.

"Heinz 57" posts

2011-03-12T11:46:00.003-07:00

Thursday morning I was out running (what a gorgeous day that was) and I was thinking about my blog. I was thinking about how behind I am in reviewing and how I still really want to review all those books but I don't remember them that well anymore, especially any potentially offensive material. The problem with giving ratings to books based on their content is that I can easily make mistakes if I don't remember the book very well. I've been wondering how I could classify this kind of review, which may not be completely accurate, so my readers can be a little forewarned. "Catch-up" reviews was a name I'd been thinking about for a while but I didn't really like it. So while I was running along thinking about "catch-up" my mind went to ketchup. From there it went to Heinz and then Heinz 57. I'm sure I have close to 57 books to review so I'm going to categorize them as "Heinz 57" posts. It may be pretty silly but I'm going with it.

One of the reasons why I keep blogging

2011-03-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

I know I've been pretty hit-and-miss over the last year in blogging. Sometimes I wonder if I should just quit but one of the reasons I keep doing it is the Utah Book Bloggers. We got together for another social last weekend and it was so fun. This is the 5th time we've gotten together and the 4th time I've attended. I was one of the originals. Here we were the first time:

Only 2/3 of these were bloggers, one was an author (James Dashner), and the rest were spouses. On Saturday night there were around 60 people including several published authors (Bree Despain, Emily Wing Smith, Rick Walton, Sheralyn Pratt, Cory Poulson, Lisa Mangum, Jaleta Clegg), soon to be published (Brodi Ashton and a couple others I'm sorry I don't remember) and lots of aspiring writers. I sat next to Penelope from Reading Fever and her sister Latu, Lisa from The Book Worm's Library, Alison from So Many Books So Little Time, and Sheri at Belle's Book Blog. We had a great conversation over dinner about books (of course) and blogging and I really enjoyed getting to know them.

After dinner we each introduced ourselves. I wished that I'd had something a little more witty to say instead of, "I'm Kim and I blog at Good Clean Reads." We were doing the introductions quickly since there were so many people. There wasn't really applause at the end of each introduction but I was surprised that I got a few claps when I said I was from Good Clean Reads. I don't know if they were applauding the blog (seems unlikely since I don't post much these days) or just applauding the name of the blog since so many people there appreciate a "clean" book. I guess I'll never know but I must say it does motivate me to be a more consistent blogger.

I have to mention my appreciation to my favorite peeps who have been there from the beginning. Natasha at MawBooks, Suey from It's All About Books, and Cari from Book Scoops. Another favorite is Becky from One Literature Nut who has helped in the organizing of the last few socials. At the end after almost everyone had left we all sat there talking. If they were feeling anything like me they didn't want to leave the feeling of book passion?, magic?, obsession? (whatever you want to call it) that had been there. There's a real comraderie among book lovers. Maybe that's why I feel so close to my friends in my book club.

So to all of you bloggers, authors, and aspiring authors who attended this winter's social, I send out a great big THANK YOU!

Oh, if you want to see some pictures check out Maw Books or It's All About Books. Natasha and Suey are always the ones with the cameras.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

2011-03-05T13:25:00.005-07:00

Genre: YA fiction, realistic

Published: 2003, 224 pp.

Source: Audiobook, Netlibrary

Review: 4/5 stars

Bryce and Julie become neighbors when Bryce's family moves in across the street at the age of seven. The story is told through the alternating voices of Bryce and Julie from the time they are both in 2nd grade until 8th. Bryce tells us his story of his annoying, clingy neighbor while Julie describes how Bryce's blue eyes and glossy hair make her heart melt. We learn about their family relationships and their perspectives on the world. I came to really like them both but I especially liked Julie.

I listened to Flipped as an audiobook and I really liked it. I was slightly bored in the beginning but once I got into the story I was hooked. I loved how hearing the same story from two points of view helped me understand what was really happening. Sometimes I wanted the story to just keep going and I didn't care about the two points of view because I really wanted to know what was going to happen next. This book reminded me of that old Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Perkins movie, He Said, She Said. I loved that movie and I really liked this book. My daughter (11) read it but only thought it was okay. She was expecting more romance and was disappointed, but I thought it was great. There were a lot of really good insights that she just couldn't quite appreciate at her tender age. :) I haven't seen the movie made from this book yet but I definitely want to.

Rating: 1.1.2 There were a few words that I found a bit crude and vulgar but probably aren't considered real profanity.

Laurie Viera Rigler's Jane Austen Addicts

2011-02-08T11:53:00.002-07:00

Genre: Jane Austen fan fiction
Published: Confessions--2007, 304 pp., Awakenings--2009, 289 pp.

Source: Library

Review: Confessions 2.5/5
Awakenings 3.5/5

I read Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict in 2009 but I never wrote a review for it. Then just recently I found Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict and remembered that the first one had a strange ending that I needed to have cleared up so I checked it out and read it. I hadn't enjoyed Confessions as much as I wanted to but I still wanted to read Awakenings and I'm glad I did. It was more enjoyable and helped me like the first one a little more, too.

In these novels the two Jane Austen addicts magically switch places. Jane Mansfield is a young woman living in England in the early 1800's and has read and become obsessed with Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, the only two books that have been published at the time. Courtney Stone lives in modern day LA and is obsessed with all things Jane Austen. Confessions is Courtney's story of waking up in Regency England. Very fun concept but Courtney is such an obnoxious and annoying character that I found it hard to care what happened to her. Jane's story of waking up in modern day was much more enjoyable for me. I liked her and the funny situations she got into much better. Awakenings also answered some questions that were left at the end of the first book.

Ratings: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict--2.1.1 It's been a long time since I read this but it seems like there was a little bit of sexual content maybe even enough to warrant a 3 rating.
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict--2.1.4 I was afraid that there might be some sex in this one but it ended up being fairly mild. There is a smattering of profanity with one f-bomb.

Mr. Darcy's Secret by Jane Odiwe

2011-02-07T13:11:00.005-07:00

Genre: Regency romance, Jane Austen sequel

Published: Feb. 1, 2011, 368 pp.

Source: Advanced Review Copy from Sourcebooks

Review: 3.5/5 stars

I've been impressed by the two books by Jane Odiwe that I've now read. She has a nice style that's Austenesque and I really appreciate that she conveys the love and passion between her characters without going behind closed bedroom doors. There's often too much sex in Austen sequels that I don't like.

That being said, the stories haven't been quite as compelling as I would like. Though I have enjoyed her books, Mr. Darcy's Secret and Willoughby's Return, I can't say that I've been blown away by them. They are fun, light reads though and are nice when you have a hankerin' for some Austen men. :) It seems like I have heard that Lydia Bennet's Story, also by Odiwe, is particularly good. I fear that I'm a little burnt out on this genre right now so I will try reading that one some time in the future.

In case you want to know a little about what happens in this book here's a short teaser:

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth arrive at Pemberley newly married and ready to begin their new life together. Elizabeth meets the Derbyshire high society and deals with their gossip and expectations. Mr. Darcy deals with the challenge of Georgianna's entering society and finding proper suitors. They both must learn what it means to be married and to trust one another.

Rating: 2.1.1 Pretty clean. Sexual content is only implied.

Jane by April Lindner

2011-01-16T20:37:00.002-07:00

Genre: Realistic fiction, YA fiction?, Retelling

Published: Oct. 2010, 384 pp.

Source: Library

Review: 4/5

I enjoyed this modern retelling of Jane Eyre. I thought that Jane Eyre would be too unrealistic set in modern day because times have changed so much but I think that April Lindner figured out a way to make it work. With a "Mr. Rochester" character who is a legendary rock star and the "Jane" character as a reserved and sheltered nanny, the classic story plays out pretty well.

This book was shelved in the Young Adult section, which makes sense, but it always bothers me when a YA book includes as much bad language and sex as this one did. While I enjoyed this book, I would have a hard time recommending it to many people. There are about a dozen f-words and a couple of sex scenes that weren't overly explicit but definitely more graphic than I think is necessary. I have to classify this one as a "read at your own risk" book.

Rating: 4.1.5 Two moderately explicit sex scenes between unmarried people and a dozen f-words with a smattering of other profanity scattered throughout.

The Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Nielson

2010-11-15T14:57:00.004-07:00

Genre: YA fiction, Fantasy

Published: 2010, 304 pgs.

Source: Personal library (I first read a borrowed copy but then bought my own)

Other info: Local author, book club selection

Review: 4.5/5 stars

I don't know if it stems from some personal fantasy of my own, but I'm a sucker for this kind of story. I'm talking about the stories where the plain, insignificant girl becomes a great heroine of a fantastic tale. The kind in which a girl who doesn't think much of herself comes to realize how wonderful and important she is. I love books like Jane Eyre and Precious Bane. All those Regency romances in which the little spinster snags the heart of the handsome rake are my guilty pleasures.

When one of the ladies from my book club suggested Forbidden Sea because she knew the author and thought that she would come to our discussion, I have to admit that I was skeptical. I really didn't think I would like a "mermaid" book. What I discovered as I started reading was that this was not a book about mermaids as much as it was a wonderful coming-of-age story of an interesting and lovable heroine. The book hits the ground running as fourteen-year-old Adrianne is out on a stormy beach searching for her missing younger sister when she encounters a beautiful but sinister mermaid trying to kidnap her sister. The story unfolds from there as she tries to figure out the mystery of the mermaid and why she wants her sister, Cecily, while at the same time trying to take care of her family which depends on her despite her young age. There's adventure, unrequited love, mystery, and all the makings of a great story.

Sheila Nielson did come to our book club and it was so fun. She is awesome and I'll tell you all about it in another post. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of YA fiction. After I came home so excited about our book club meeting my husband decided to read it and he really liked it, too.

Rating: 1.1.1 A perfectly clean read. The mermaids are even fully clothed! :)

No Going Back by Jonathan Langford

2010-10-31T17:32:00.008-06:00

Genre: LDS fiction
Published: 2009, 312 pgs.
Source: Review copy from author/publisher
Review: 4.5/5 stars

In the first chapter of No Going Back by Jonathan Langford, fifteen year old Paul tells his best friend, Chad, that he's gay. Both are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which teaches that any sexual relations outside of marriage between a man and woman are morally wrong. Paul struggles with his desire to stay a faithful member of the church and the attraction he feels for other boys while Chad struggles with having a best friend who is gay. We also get the points of view from their parents and how this affects them.

I really, really liked this book. It was not always comfortable to read but I grew to love the characters and really sympathized with the struggles they each had, including the parents and church leaders. I often found myself thinking, "Is this really the way teenage boys think, act, and feel?" I definitely have a new perspective on what it means to be a young man and the issues they face, whether they're gay or straight.

Same-sex attraction is not an easy topic to discuss but I think that Langford has written a story that most people will be able to identify with. The book is heart-breaking but also hopeful and I hope that many people will read it. I recommend this book but I do it with a warning. The language is edgy, definitely PG-13, as the teenagers speak the way teenagers often do. There is also a little sexual content that is not described but is a bit uncomfortable. I hope this doesn't keep too many people from reading the book because it is very insightful. As a member of the church, I felt that he did a good job of representing the Church's teachings and views but he does not claim to speak for the Church (which is how it should be).

Rating: 3.1.3 The 3 for sexual content is not because of the description but because it is homosexual in nature.

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

2010-10-24T19:50:00.000-06:00

Genre: Ya fiction

Published: 2009, 213 pgs.

Source: Library

Review: 3/5 stars

The Chosen One is the story of 13 year-old Kyra who is part of a fictional polygamist group. She is "chosen" to become the seventh wife of her 62 year-old uncle. Carol Lynch Williams does a fantastic job of drawing the reader in and telling this disturbing tell of abuse and corruption. About half way through, after a particularly awful scene of child abuse, I almost put the book down but then decided to continue. As I finished, I turned to my husband and tried to tell him a little about it and I started bawling. I pray that the real polygamist groups out there are not as bad as this one. It was so painful for me to read that I have a hard time recommending it, but it is well written and hard to put down.

Rating: 2.3.1 There is some discussion of sex relating to what will be expected of the main character when she is married. The scenes of abuse are not terribly graphic but are heart-wrenching, particularly in the case of a very young child.

The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen D. Randle

2010-09-13T20:49:00.001-06:00

Genre: YA fiction
Published: Originally 1995, this edition 2009; 224 pgs.
Source: New acquisition for personal library

Review: 5/5

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Utah Book Bloggers Summer Social. I never blogged about it (and I probably won't at this point) but it was a lot of fun and it was great to meet more bloggers and authors and be reacquainted with others. We had a book swap and I was lucky enough to end up with The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen D. Randle. For the book swap we just laid out all the books and then everyone took turns picking one out. There was the opportunity to "steal" a book from someone who has already chosen. I was standing next to Bree Despain, author of The Dark Divine and when it was her turn she said, "If no one wants this book then I'll just take it back. It's really good." Hearing her say that was push I needed to be able to decide. I "stole" it from her, and I'm glad I did. Thank you, Bree.

I have to say that the title and the cover turned me off of this one to begin with and it was only Bree's high recommendation that got me to read it. Having read it, I now understand the cover and title and I think they fit very well. The story is told by Ginny who has just moved across the country with her family. It's a huge adjustment for her but she soon makes friends in her new high school and neighborhood. On her first day in her new high school she becomes fascinated with a strange boy who many kids have called "the Alien" for years. I'm not going to say anything more about the plot because I think it is very interesting to watch the story unfold and I don't want to spoil anything. Let me just say that it is compelling and moving and I couldn't put it down. Fortunately, I didn't really need to on the day that I read it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and definitely recommend it.

Rating: 1.2.1 I've already forgotten what kind of content was in this book but I remember thinking as I read it that it was remarkably clean. There may be a little profanity that I don't remember and perhaps some innuendo but I think it was quite clean.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

2010-09-05T20:40:00.003-06:00

Genre: YA Fiction, Dystopian

Published: Aug. 2010, 390 pgs.

Source: Personal library

Review: 4/5 stars

I've had such a hard time deciding how to review the final book in this incredible series. Suzanne Collins is brilliant. Even though I didn't like Mockingjay as much as the other two books, I still think Collins is an amazing author. The trilogy is put together so well. We know the characters--we love some and we hate others. Even though Katniss is so flawed and imperfect, I think most of us loved her. I'm reminded of another female protagonist from a very popular series. I know many people, including myself, who just wanted to slap Bella half the time. Though there were times in this series that I wanted to shake Katniss to help her see the truth, it was usually out of love and concern for her, not because she drove me crazy with her internal dialogue.

Having said all that, I couldn't quite give this book 5 stars because it just was too painful. I understand why Collins wrote it the way she did. I applaud her for her courage to make the hard choices. I just expected it to be more hopeful. Instead it was just--real, too real.

Time for spoilers. (I have my doubts that anyone who hasn't read the book would be reading this review, but just in case. )

***Do not read this section if you have not read the book yet. ***

I just want to mention a few things. Finnick's ending was one of the hardest parts of the book for me. I did not expect that at all. Annie needed him. It was not fair for Collins to take him away from her. (I know, I'm taking this way too seriously.) His death affected me more than Prim's.

Some people have criticized the "rushed" ending. I don't really see it that way. This was Katniss's story and by the last chapter she was done. She barely cared about anything so it wouldn't have made sense to have all the proceedings after the assassination detailed through her eyes. I guess she could have been present at the trial but she didn't care enough. She was ready to die. Her part in all the politics was done. Since this was a first person narrative, we couldn't have gotten an accurate assessment of what was going on anyway because she wasn't entirely mentally or emotionally stable. That's my take on it.

I think the very ending when she goes back to District 12 and the epilogue were incredible. "Real or not real." Perfect!

***End of spoilers***

Rating: 2.4.1 Definitely some sexual references but slightly obscure. The violence was pretty close to being too much for me. I had thought about letting my 11 year old start to read these books soon but after reading Mockingjay I won't let her for a few more years. Thank you Suzanne Collins for not using any profanity when it could have been easy to put in.

Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler

2010-08-20T16:03:00.004-06:00

Genre: Literary fiction, Women's Lit

Awards: Pulitzer Prize for literature 1989

Published: 1988, 336 pgs.

Source: Personal library

Review: 4.5/5 stars

I don't know if this is a book I will go around recommending to everyone I know, but I personally loved it. It is a very quiet book without a whole lot going on. In fact, the story starts on one Saturday morning as Maggie and her husband, Ira, begin their 90 mile trip to the funeral of a friend. The book ends that night so it covers a matter of hours of their lives but as they recall different memories you get a pretty good picture of their entire lives. I don't know if it would be a page-turner for other people but it was for me.

Maggie and Ira were so real to me as I read this book. They aren't perfect. Their strengths and weaknesses become more and more evident as the day goes on. There are funny moments, sad moments, frustrating moments, and heart-warming moments. It reminded me of real-life marriage and I usually see marriage either idealized or demonized in novels.

Has anyone read this book? I'd be very interested to hear your opinion. It could be that I just read this one at the right time and it doesn't speak to everyone the same way.

Rating: 2.1.2 There are some mature themes and one scene that starts to go in a sexual direction but stops. This book also contains some mild and infrequent profanity.

The Road Home by Ellen Emerson White

2010-08-14T20:41:00.003-06:00

Genre: YA, Historical Fiction
Published: 1997, 469 pgs.
Source: Personal library, (received in book swap at Utah Book Bloggers Party from Angie of Angieville)
Review: 4/5 stars

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been in a reading rut for a while. I just haven't had much desire to read. I'm hoping that this book has pulled me out of the rut. I believe it has.

Rebecca Phillips enlisted with the Army as a nurse to run away from some problems at home. She didn't know that going to Vietnam would make all her problems worse. The book is divided into two parts: the War and the World. The first half describes the horrors of war with honesty and feeling. In the second half Rebecca tries to recover from the experiences that she endured.

I quite enjoyed this book. I really liked Rebecca's character as well as the other supporting roles that make up the story. I must give a disclaimer though. Just because this site is called Good Clean Reads does not mean that all the books I review are "clean". This is definitely one to "read at your own risk". The subject matter is Vietnam and it's gritty. The language could be worse but it is definitely strong. The descriptions of wounded soldiers are done tastefully but there is a lot of it. I think White manages to describe the atrocities without being gratuitous but it is still not easy to read.

The Road Home is definitely not for everyone, especially those offended by profanity and vain references to Deity. I normally stay away from that myself. But in this case, I still really enjoyed this story of a young woman's experience in war and recovery from the horrors she faced.

Rating: 2.3.5 There were some sexual references but nothing explicit. Violence is plentiful due to the war setting. There were 3 or 4 f-words and lots of other profanity including vain references to Deity.

I'm back

2010-08-13T13:27:00.002-06:00

A few months ago I just kind of took an unscheduled leave of absence from the blogosphere. Nothing really happened in my life--no births, deaths, moves, or any of the other major life changes. I guess I just needed a little break. It wasn't just from blogging either. I actually didn't even read as much as I normally do. I've been in a bit of a reading rut and even the books I did read I didn't enjoy as much as I might normally have. For example, I recently read These is my Words for my book club. I know it's a favorite of many people but I didn't really like it that much. I think it was a case of the wrong book at the wrong time. Anyway, I'm hoping that I'm ready to read and blog again. I think I am. If I still have any readers out there, thanks for being patient with me.

Wonderful Site for Finding Clean Reads

2010-04-29T14:01:00.002-06:00

I've had such a hard time keeping up with blogging lately but I wanted to let you all know about a really great website that lists rated books called Rated Reads. Cathy Lim is a newspaper book reviewer so she reads a lot of the latest releases. She's sorted all of these books into the following categories; None, Mild, Moderate, and Off My Charts to describe the level of offensive material. This is a fantastic resource for those of us who want to limit the amount of junk we put in our heads through reading. I am amazed at the number of books she has reviewed. If a book has come out in the last few years and it was at all popular, you will probably find it in her archives. Thank you, Cathy, for your great service.

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson

2010-04-23T09:14:00.005-06:00

Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Newbery Medal

Published: 1980, 244 pgs.

Source: Personal library

Reason: Shelf Discovery Challenge

Review: 5/5 stars

I'm not sure exactly why I loved this book so much. There were parts that I thought were strange or even inappropriate. The crush she has on a certain character in the book is so strange and weird I could hardly believe it. But I decided to just kind of look over that and love the book anyway. Sara Louise Bradshaw and her twin sister Caroline live with their parents and grandmother on a small Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Louise is a tomboy and Caroline is a golden child with a beautiful voice and everyone adores her. The story is told from Louise's point of view and is both funny because of her great sense of humour but also very sad because of the angst that Louise feels towards her sister.

When I was growing up there were three of us sisters, 3 1/2 years apart. Even though we didn't dislike each other like Louise seems to dislike Caroline, there was plenty of jealousy. I really felt like I could identify with Louise's feelings even though I could also see that she brought on most of her misery herself. My sisters and I did the same thing to each other, comparing ourselves and always coming up short. Another reason I probably liked this book so much was that I was feeling under appreciated as a mother at the time so while I read, I just threw myself a big ol' pity party. Boo hoo for me! ;) Of course, the pity party has to end but sometimes it feels good to attend for a while.

Rating: 2.1.2 The 2's are for the weird, inappropriate crush and the way she describes her feelings and it seems like there may have been just a little bit of Biblical type profanity. (I'm not sure if I remember that right.)

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

2010-04-04T17:06:00.004-06:00

Genre: Historical fiction, YA, Newbery

Published: 1958, 256 pgs.

Source: Personal library

For: Shelf Discovery Challenge 3/6

Review: 4.5/5 stars

This is another of those classic YA books that I should have read growing up but didn'teven know about. I wish that someone (my mom, a teacher, a friend) had steered me toward some of these wonderful books that I've now found as an adult. I did read some good books as a teenager but I also read a lot of garbage. At least now I can hopefully help my daughters read good books as they grow up. This is a book with a strong female protagonist who does what she knows is right and follows her heart. A great book for young girls (11 and up) that also teaches about early American history. I loved the characters, the story, and message of this book.

Rating: 1.1.1 I can't remember anything objectionable.

Our Epilepsy Story

2010-03-25T18:41:00.011-06:00

This is our little guy, Aaron. He's four years old and is such a sweet little boy. He loves trains, cars, tractors, airplanes, basically anything that moves, has wheels, and makes sounds. Aaron likes to watch TV and movies. He loves people and will give just about anyone a hug. He can only say two words, mama and bus (he actually only says "bu" but we know what he means), but he can sign about 100 words. Aaron has epilepsy. My hope is that by sharing our story more people can learn about epilepsy because there are so many people affected by this disorder in many different ways.

My pregnancy and delivery of Aaron where completely normal. He was a very content little baby with no apparent problems. He developed pretty normally (maybe just slightly behind) until he was about 8 months old. That's when we first noticed that sometimes when he was lying on his stomach, his head would drop down and hit the floor. For a while we thought he was kind of throwing a tantrum or that he was just losing control for a second because he was just a baby

and he needed to learn how to control his muscles. Sometimes when he was lying on his back his arms would come up towards his body, kind of like the startle reflex, and I can't help but wonder if he'd been doing this for a long time but we thought it was just a reflex. He's our fourth child but we still didn't think this behavior was that strange. As he started to scoot around and start to crawl we noticed that it wasn't just his head but his arms were giving way as well and it was happening more frequently. By the time he was 9 or 10 months we thought there was something wrong but when I mentioned it to the pediatrician he said we should watch it. He asked me if he was thrusting his arms, head, and body forward over and over like a jackhammer (infantile seizures)but it wasn't anything like that. Anyway, I thought, this couldn't be seizures because that's when a person falls on the floor and convulses for a few minutes. What Aaron was doing lasted less than a second.

At the same time he was having these strange movements, Aaron was also having recurring ear infections. We kind of figured that there was a connection. He got tubes in his ears when he was 11 months and once asked the nurse if the loss of muscle control and the ear infections had any connection. She talked to the doctor and suggested that maybe he was holding his breath and passing out for a second. By this time, he was having these episodes a couple dozen times a day and I also noticed that he'd stopped progressing in his development. He wasn't babbling at all or making any attempts at sounds and though he was crawling he wasn't moving forward from there. At his one year check-up I convinced the doctor that something should be done but I didn't know what. He got us in for an EEG which measures the electric impulses of the brain. Within a week we had the results--everything looked normal. What! That was good in a way but I was now certain that there was something really wrong. I let it go for a couple of weeks but decided to try to get one of his episodes on tape so we could show the doctor and we also tried to record how many he had and at what times. It wasn't easy because they were completely unpredictable but I was finally able to do it. I got a video of three episodes one night while he was eating dinner. I'm going to show you these so you can get an idea of what they looked like. At this point they were a little worse and lasted longer than they had in the beginning. He was having as many as 50 a day. (When you watch the video please ignore the family dynamics going on in the background.) :)

I'm showing this video because I think it's important for people to recognize that there are so many different types of seizures. If I had known that then maybe it wouldn't have taken so long to get Aaron diagnosed and start his treatment.

Our pediatrician again was able to quickly get us in to see a neurologist as Primary Children's Hospital and as soon as he saw the video he immediately went to look at Aaron's EEG results again. He said that at first glance it did look normal but when looked at carefully he could see those split second seizures. He ordered another EEG to confirm before starting Aaron on medication.

I just have to take a second to talk little about the EEG. It is an experience in and of itself. We needed to have Aaron sleep deprived so they could monitor his brain's electrical impulses as he was going to sleep so he was pretty cranky already. Then they put 24? little nodes all over his head, then wrapped it up with gauze so none of them fall off. Here are a couple of pictures:

He actually was such a trooper and he had to go through this whole process twice, beside the MRI, ct scan, blood draws, and urine tests that he also had to endure. All of these tests came up with no answers to why he was having seizure so they say it's idiopathic which means there's no known cause or in other words, "We're too big of 'idiots' to understand what's going on." :) I'm actually totally kidding because I know they do what they can but it is frustrating to not know why our sweet little baby is suffering this way.

We started on one medication that seemed to reduce the seizures quite a bit for a while but not in the long run. Then it was another medication that didn't work and which we realized, once we got him off of, was keeping Aaron in such a fog and probably making him dizzy that his development was really slow. About a month after getting him completely off that second medication, Aaron started taking his first steps at 21 months old.

Two more medications later, we finally have his seizures under control. When he was two we started him on a medication that he wasn't able to take until that age because of the risk of liver failure (scary, huh!) in children under two years old. It seemed to do the trick in combination with two other medications (#1 and #3). He's now on two medications and we were hoping to get him down to just one but our attempts to wean him off of one have been unsuccessful. He started having a few break through seizures so we'll just stick with the two for now.

Aaron is such a blessing to our family. We have learned so much through him. He goes to special-ed preschool which he loves. He has great teachers and he continues to make progress even though it's very slow. He's developmentally delayed in all areas but his speech is the most delayed. It's so good that he can communicate to some degree with sign language. His fine motor skills aren't really good so his signs are hard to understand but I can usually figure it out.
He loves people and recognizes those he knows and loves best even from a distance. There are many people that when he sees them, he'll squeal loudly and run over (in his funny little way) to hug them. He can be a trouble maker because he has the mentality of an 18 month to two year old but he's the size of a four year old. He gets into EVERYTHING it seems and because he's taller than a two year old he can reach even more stuff. But we still love him.

I know this has been a super long post but on this Purple Day I really wanted to share our story of how epilepsy has affected us. There is so much to learn about this disorder. There are several different kinds of seizures and they look dozens of different ways. Most people have heard of grand mal, or tonic-clonic as they're now called, but there are so many different kinds. Aaron's have been called myoclonic but when I read the description of myoclonic seizures it doesn't seem to describe what he has. Besides the differences in seizures, doctors don't even quite understand why or how the medicines work. There are dozens of medications and they do the best they can to prescribe the one that will work for a certain type of seizure but it seems like sometimes it's a guessing game.

Thanks for reading and be sure to wear purple today in support of the millions who deal with epilepsy.

Epilepsy Awareness--Purple Day March 26th

2010-03-23T15:54:00.005-06:00

Cari over at Bookscoops is hosting a mini-challenge in honor of Purple Day, an international day to promote epilepsy awareness held on March 26th. She's written a beautiful post about her reason for doing this--her daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy 5 months ago. She and I talked about it at the Utah Book Bloggers Winter Social because she overheard me tell someone that my son has epilepsy. I am so thrilled that she's taken the effort to promote Purple Day and I will try to do my part as well.

Here's how the mini-challenge works: (Taken from bookscoops.com)

"There are number of ways to participate in our first annual Purple Day Challenge and because we love to promote literacy we are combining both reading and Purple Day starting on March 21st and ending on March 31st. While our blog focuses on children and adolescent literature we are inviting anyone to go purple!!!! So that means any person, book blogger or blogger who wants to promote Purple Day may participate. To make this easy on you (and us) choose any or all of the following.

Post the Purple Day Button on your blog starting on Sunday March 21st through Saturday March 27th and write a post promoting Purple Day. Please note we have received permission to use the Purple Day logo as part of this challenge. If you choose this option you must read and agree to the copyright notice on the Purple Day website by using the logo you are stating that you have read and agree to their terms of use. Two sizes of buttons are at the bottom of this post.

Read a book about epilepsy and post a review. For a list of books for children go to Epilepsy.Com.

Read a book by or about a famous person with epilepsy and post a review. Cari’s daughter’s favorite so far is The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story Behind Bob and Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors, which also is a Cybils winner for 2009. Some names you might know are Harriet Tubman, Alfred Nobel and Charles Dickens and more recently actor Danny Glover, football player Alan Faneca and track star, Florence Griffin Joyner known as Flo Jo. For a more complete list visit The Epilepsy Foundation or if you’re a fan of Wikipedia see the List of Famous people with Epilepsy, which to be honest seems to be the best documented list we’ve found so far.

Read a book that promotes self-confidence and acceptance in children and post a review. Suggested books so far with a very appropriate title, Purplicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann and Little Skink’s Tail by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein.
If you or a family has dealt with epilepsy write a post sharing your experience.

Wear purple on March 26th and tell people why you are wearing purple.

Click on the link to watch the 60 Minute Special on Epilepsy and write about the things that you learned in a blog post, or if you don’t have a blog put it in the comments for this post.

Have an idea not listed above submit it and we’ll give you another entry. Cari’s niece is making 600+ purple ribbons for her school. So if you think of something put a comment in the comments below.

For every entry we receive, Cari will donate 25¢ per entry for a total of fifty dollars to a non-profit organization that works towards epilepsy awareness and/or research and Holly will match Cari’s donation. Multiple entries are possible. One entry equals doing one of the seven items listed above."

I've now posted about the challenge, I will wear purple on Friday and will get my kids to do the same, I hope to review a book or two about epilepsy or by someone with epilepsy, I will watch the 60 minutes special and report on it, and I will be writing a post on Friday to share my son's story. (The time period for the challenge is March 21st-31st)

I would encourage you to go to Cari's post and do what you can for this good cause. She has a lot of great information about this disorder and how it affects so many people, as well as several links to find more information.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

2010-03-14T13:59:00.007-06:00

Genre: YA fiction
Published: Originally 1970, this edition edited and republished 2001
Source: Library
Review: 3.5/5 stars

Warning! **This review contains spoilers**
I remember reading this when I was about 12. I thought that if my mom knew what this book was about she'd be mad that I was reading it. I also remember it being much worse than it actually is. I could have sworn there was something about m**turbation in it (must be in some other book I guiltily read in my growing up years), but there was nary a hint of such things. I was so pleasantly surprised that I quite enjoyed reading this book and thought that I would pass it on to my daughter who will be going through the Maturation Seminar in her 5th grade class later on this month. Now as I'm thinking about it, though, there are a few things that I wouldn't want my 10 1/2 year-old reading about. I didn't like them talking about the older boys "feeling" Laura Danker (the tall early-developing girl in the class). I especially didn't like the way they talked about the teacher, Mr. Benedict, staring at her. That wasn't really the case, from my perspective, but one of the girls sensationalized things and put distorted thoughts into her friends heads. Actually, now that I think about it, anything that came out of Nancy's mouth, I didn't like. I hope my daughter doesn't have any friends like her.

The other part that I didn't care for is the treatment of religion. This idea that you let a child choose their religion when they grow up doesn't make any sense to me. It's too late by then. I could be wrong but it seems like it would be a rare thing for someone to grow up with no religious influence and then, when grown, decide that they will now welcome religion in their life. On another side, it bugged me that two of the few very religious people in the book were shown to actually be total jerks.

Now, having thought through all this, I think I will give this book to my daughter to read next year when she's in the sixth grade and then discuss it with her when she's done. I think that could be a good experience for both of us.

Rating: 2.1.1 I gave this a two on the sexual content because I think there are some underlying sexual tones that a parent should be aware of.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

2010-03-10T20:20:00.005-07:00

Genre: Middle grade, fantasy/sci-fi, Newbery Medal

Published: 1962

Audiobook

My review: 2/5 stars

My husband had been telling me for years that this was a book he had read growing up that he loved. I picked it as one to read for the Shelf Discovery Challenge because it seemed like I was one of the few who hadn't read it yet. Well, I can now say that I've read it and I can check another Newbery Medal winner off my list but I can't say that I liked it. It just seemed a little silly to me. Meg, the main character, was a little too whiny but maybe that was just the way it sounded since I listened to the audiobook. However, Madeleine L'Engle, herself, was the reader so it seems like she would portray her the way she intended.

Since I have the book Shelf Discovery, I decided to see what Lizzie Skurnick had to say about it. She seems to really like it. She identifies with Meg and likes her "bullheadedness". She says that she's read it 18 times. Hmmm. Probably an exaggeration but I don't think you'll catch me reading it twice. I think it probably depends on what age you are when you read this for the first time. What are your thoughts?

Rating: 1.1.1 Nothing offensive to me.

Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark

2010-03-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Published: 2009, Audiobook

Source: Library

Review: 2.5/5 stars

I've read a lot of Mary Higgins Clark and there was a time when I would have said that she was one of my favorite authors. I don't know if she doesn't have "it" quite like she used to or if I'm the one who doesn't "get it" anymore. Just Take My Heart is Clark's latest bestseller in which a much loved star of the stage is murdered and her husband is blamed. Emily Wallace is the Assistant DA whose job it is to get a conviction. This is more of a courtroom drama than the usual Mary Higgins Clark fare so I'll give her credit for branching out but it just wasn't that compelling. The audiobook kept my attention and I was interested in the story but it fell a little flat. The ending was pretty predictable and even cheesy. If you want to read any of Clark's books I would try some of her earlier works. I remember them as being smart, suspenseful, and unpredictable. This one doesn't quite measure up.

Rating: 1.2.2

The 5 Star Review System

2010-03-04T15:15:00.003-07:00

I'm really frustrated with the 5 Star review system. I was just looking over my list of books on Goodreads and I've noticed that most of the books I've read lately I've given 4 stars. I feel like it's a real cop-out for me. This is what I'm thinking when I review books:

1 star means a book is just awful. I've only given a few books that rating. I gave The Lovely Bones 1 star early on in my book reviewing career and I realize now that it was unfair. I judged it more on the language and violence that I found offensive more than the actual story and content. I should probably go back and re-evaluate it with more objectivity.
2 stars means that I just didn't like it. It wasn't for me or the writing wasn't great or poor execution. I haven't given very many of these ratings either.
3 stars means that I liked it okay. Didn't think it was great but wasn't bad either.
4 stars means I really enjoyed it. Most books seem to fall into this category. I'm really not that hard to please.
5 stars means that it was amazing. I loved it.

So the problem is that there are really only 3 ratings I usually give a book--a 3, 4, or 5. So when I give a book a 4 star review it feels a little like a cop-out because it's just a middle of the road, sitting on the fence, straddling the line type thing. I don't give out many 5's because I'm too afraid to. What if something even better comes along? If I've been giving out 5 stars willy-nilly then what do I do for this exceptional book? Aaaarrrgghhh! The stress!

I know a lot of people deal with this issue by just not giving starred reviews. I don't want to do that so I wonder if I just need to down-grade everything a bit. Maybe some of my 4 stars should be getting 3 stars but I don't feel nice doing that and I try really hard to be nice. Maybe I need to go back to doing the half-star thing but that doesn't work on Goodreads. I'll probably never find a perfect solution but if any of you have figured it out I'd love to hear about it.

Utah Book Bloggers Pary--Winter Edition 2010

2010-03-02T13:00:00.003-07:00

If there were no other perks (which there are, but if there weren't) to being a book blogger, the Book Blogger parties would make it all worthwhile. I had so much fun at the get-together on Saturday night. There were about 50 people there including bloggers, a few spouses, and authors. We gathered at Golden Corral since our group is now too big to meet at someones house. At first we kept ourselves pretty segregated--bloggers together and authors together--but eventually after everyone had filled their tummies we started to mingle more. I had dinner at a table with Suey from It's All About Books and Allison from So Many Books, So Little Time. I had met Suey at last year's party and it was fun talking to her again. It was my first time meeting Alison even though I had seen her around the blogosphere many times before. I also got to meet Melissa from One Librarian's Book Reviews, Angie from Angieville, Becky from One Literature Nut, Caitlyn from All Things Print, and a few other's I'm not really remembering now (sorry). Of course, I was also reacquainted with Cari from Book Scoops and Natasha from Maw Books. All of these bloggers are so amazing. They are all in a tier above me when it comes to blogging but I really appreciate their kindness and inclusion of me in their group.

My favorite part of the evening was meeting the authors. I was so nervous about it. I really didn't know if I'd get up the nerve to go and talk to any of them. Shannon Hale was sitting at the table just behind me but I was so starstruck that I couldn't get myself to go and talk to her. After dinner she was so gracious to start mingling. I think Natasha may have pointed her in my direction because she knew how much I wanted to meet her--thanks, Natasha! James Dashner was quickly drawn into the conversation as well and I was in heaven. I'm reading his book The Maze Runner right now and it's very good. Have you ever been in a situation where your blood and adrenaline just start pumping so hard that your insides feel like they're going to burst but you're not in a position where you can show all that pent up emotion or you'll look like a total idiot in front of two really cool authors who are both so funny and charming that you feel like you might collapse and die? Well I have and I'll tell you it's both frightening and exhilarating. James has the kind of dry sense of humor that I just love and I hope I didn't laugh too much and look like a fool. I want to be just like Shannon when I grow up. She is so funny and smart and we had such a great conversation about The Actor and the Housewife. Here's a picture with them:

Here's another picture that Suey (or maybe it was her husband) took. Thanks, Suey.

I'm glad to see that my face isn't quite as red as it felt like it was.

Here's another picture that I borrowed (stole) from Suey. Thanks again.

Back Row: Alison from So Many Books, So Little Time, Suey from It's All About Books, Natasha from Maw Books, me, Cherylynne from Critiquing the World, Shannon Hale, Michelle Teacress , Ann Cannon. Middle row: Cherylynne from Critiquing the World and Cari from Book Scoops. Front row: Karen from Typing With My Toes, Melissa from One Librarian's Book Reviews. (Cherylynne and Karen were two I forgot about earlier. You both are darling. So sorry I forgot.)

Special thanks to Natasha from Maw Books, Suey from It's All About Books, and Becky from One Literature Nut for putting this whole thing together. You are amazing.

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas

2010-02-27T12:05:00.001-07:00

Genre: Historical fiction
Published: 2007, 320 pgs.
Source: Personal library
Book club selection

Review: 4/5 stars

Ellis is a small fictional town in Colorado that has some big changes coming to it as Sandra Dallas begins her novel Tallgrass. It's 1942 and after the devastation at Pearl Harbor the United States government is rounding up all Japanese Americans living on the west coast and relocating them to internment camps situated more inland. It's a dark time in American history and we see the darkness in some of the characters of this novel as well as the goodness and enlightenment of others. The story is told in the voice of 13-year-old Rennie and she describes how she is affected by the Tallgrass internment camp that is built near her family's farm on the outskirts of Ellis.

We read this book for book club last month and everyone really liked it. The characters are wonderful; you feel like you know them and one book club member said that she missed them when the book was over. That is high praise indeed.

If you're looking for a book to learn more about conditions in the internment camps then this isn't the book you'd want. The camp is definitely a major part of the story but it's more about how it affects the people on the outside rather than the inside.

Rating: 2.2.2 Tallgrass includes some mature themes but I didn't find anything offensive. There is some violence and a little barnyard language (if I remember right). Sex is an issue but is not described.

The Men of Austen

2010-02-26T18:16:00.003-07:00

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted regularly. I'm very behind on on reviews already and my goal for 2010 was to keep up better this year. I'll see what I can do. I'm probably only 5 or 6 books behind (if you don't count last year's books) so I can definitely catch up if I just take the time to do it.

In the mean time I wanted to share this fun poll that I found on the Masterpiece Classics website. It's called "The Men of Austen" and you choose your favorite man from Jane Austen's books. There is a small picture of each character from the movies but the really fun part is the factoids about each one. Some of them come directly from the books, for example, Mr. Darcy's "turn-ons" include "fine eyes, good manners, women versed in music, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages." Other factoids come from the movies. Under "Games and Exercise" for Edward Ferrars is listed "horseback riding and splitting logs" (I like that scene in the movie when Edward is cutting wood in the rain). But the best part of the whole thing is how their income is compared to today's money. It really puts their situations into perspective. Mr. Darcy's 10,000 pounds a year is compared to $6 million dollars in today's money. Edward Ferrars' 100 pounds a year is roughly $60,000 today--definitely enough to live on but would be considered inadequate by others of the upper class
If you love Jane Austen like I do you'll have to check it out.

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

2010-02-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

Genre: Romance, historical fiction
Published: Originally 1928, re-edition Feb. 1, 2010, 325 pgs.
Source: Review copy from the publisher, Sourcebooks

Review: 4/5 stars

The Masqueraders is full of love and adventure. It has a slightly different setting than the other Heyer novels I've read as this one is set around 1750, just after the failed Jacobite rebellion. Brother and sister Robin and Prudence Tremaine were part of the rebellion just as they have been part of many schemes and adventures during their lives wandering all over Europe following their father. Now they are returning to London incognito, Robin playing the part of a lady and Prudence as her gentleman brother, while they wait for their father to come for them. High adventure ensues including mistaken identity, sword-fighting, duels, falling in love, highway robbery and more.

This is a fun book with interesting characters and lots of adventure. I knew very early on who would fall in love with whom but it was a fun ride getting to that conclusion. Georgette Heyer has yet to disappoint.

Rating: 1.2.1 Includes some violence but not graphic.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir by Bill Bryson

2010-01-27T19:58:00.002-07:00

Genre: Memoir

Published: 2006

Audiobook, 6 cds

Review: 3/5 stars

Even though I considered abandoning this book a few times, I ended up enjoying much of this audiobook. Bill Bryson tells stories of his childhood in the '50s and '60s growing up in Des Moines, Iowa. His memories seem remarkably clear for events that occurred when he was only 5 or 6 years old. It seems like many of these stories must have been exaggerated and enhanced a bit but they do make for pretty funny stuff. I laughed out loud many times.

There's also quite a bit of history including the testing of nuclear weapons, the witch hunts for communists, and the opening of Disneyland. These parts were interesting to some degree but could also get a little lengthy. He always somehow made these tangents applicable to his memories but they could have been a little less detailed.

This was an interesting view of a slice of life in America during the 50's and 60's. There were several laugh-out-loud moments but I didn't care for the spattering of harsh profanity and his sometimes obsessive quest to get his hands on pornography. If it weren't for those things I could recommend this book but, sadly, I can't. Also, if I had been reading this book instead of listening to it I think I probably would have abandoned it. It wasn't really compelling even though it did have some funny parts. I know this review is flip-flopping quite a bit so here are a couple of good reviews if you're interested.

Rating: 3.1.5 Includes several f-bombs.

Publishing in today's world?

2010-01-27T08:24:00.002-07:00

Mallard Fillmore, 27 Jan. 2010

I thought this was pretty funny. Thought I'd share.

Mr. Darcy's Story by Jane Aylmer

2010-01-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

Genre: Jane Austen fan-fiction, romance

Published: 2006, 288 pgs

Review: 4/5 stars

If you're expecting any kinds of twists or turns in this novel told from Mr. Darcy's perspective, then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. This is a very faithful account of Pride and Prejudice. I haven't read P&P for a few years so I may be mistaken but this felt the closest to the real thing of any Austen fan-fiction I've read. The story was followed faithfully and the flow and wording rang true to me. There were some instances when I thought that the A&E film version may have served as inspiration for the way Jane Alymer interpreted some of Darcy's thoughts and feelings, but overall I was impressed with the way she stayed true to the original.

Rating 1.1.1 Good, clean read.

While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky

2010-01-15T11:30:00.006-07:00

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Published: Feb. 2009, Audiobook (5 cd's)

Source: Library

Review: 3/5 stars

This is another of the many audiobooks I pick up at the library. I like to listen to audiobooks while I'm cleaning and doing other mundane jobs around the house but, unfortunately, there isn't always a lot to choose from at the library. As I started listening to While My Sister Sleeps, I thought to myself that maybe I should be reading more of these mass market books because I was really enjoying this one. The story is mainly about family relationships, especially between mother and daughter, and what happens in this particular family when tragedy strikes. One of the sisters is a world-class marathon runner so I especially liked that aspect since I really like to run and have run a couple of marathons myself.

The book started out pretty good and I was really enjoying it but by the end there was just too much. Too many issues, too many side stories, too much crammed into one book that just seemed unnecessary. Even with it's problems, though, I did enjoy this as an audiobook. Easy listening with an engaging story. I would definitely try another Barbara Delinsky audiobook.

Rating: 2.1.2 I don't really remember anything objectionable, just some mature themes. I'm sure there was some profanity but I don't remember noticing it much.

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Abigail Reynolds

2010-01-11T07:00:00.002-07:00

Genre: Romance, Austen fan-fiction

Published: Jan. 2010, 288 pgs

Source: ARC from Sourcebooks

Review: 4/5 stars

Description on Goodreads:

In this sexy Jane Austen sequel, Elizabeth Bennet accepts Mr. Darcy's first marriage proposal, answering the "What if...?" question fans everywhere have pondered
" I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry."
Famous last words indeed! Elizabeth Bennet's furious response to Mr. Darcy's marriage proposal has resonated for generations of readers. But what if she had never said it? Would she have learned to recognize Mr. Darcy's admirable qualities on her own? Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy follows Elizabeth and Darcy as they struggle to find their way through the maze of their prejudices after Elizabeth, against her better judgment, agrees to marry Darcy instead of refusing his proposal.

I should have paid attention to the "sexy" adjective used to describe this Pride and Prejudice sequel before I read it. That is a very apt description for the detailed sex scenes towards the end of this book. Having said that... I really liked this book. I am embarrassed at how quickly I devoured it soon after receiving it in the mail from Sourcebooks a couple of months ago. By the time I got to the objectionable scenes, there was no way that I could set this book aside (they are in the last quarter of the book). While I don't think Reynolds always captured Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth's true characters, her story of their marriage and struggles to find happiness with each other is compelling and quite a page-turner. Reading this book reminded me again of what a hopeless romantic I am. I am ashamed but I've decided to just be open and honest about it. :)

Rating: 5.1.1 Two detailed sex scenes; it is within a married relationship but it is detailed.

Final post of Bloggiesta

2010-01-10T18:33:00.003-07:00

It's the end of Bloggiesta for me and here's my list:

~~2009 Year End Review~~
Archive list by title (posted but not complete)
Archive list by author (posted but not complete)
Favorites list
Catch-up reviews from last year
~~Review of ARC Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy~~

I decided that it was better to go ahead and post what I had finished with my archives rather than waiting. Now that it's posted, maybe I'll feel more inclined to work on it.

Bloggiesta has been good for me. I'll have to plan better for it next year.

Natasha wants a few stats so here they are:
Hours spent: 6
Comments: 4?
Mini-challenges: 0 (Just didn't get around to that)

Rory Gilmore Challenge

2010-01-10T13:47:00.003-07:00

I'm excited about this challenge. I've looked at this list on List of Bests for a while now and this challenge is just what I need to push myself to work on it. It's an ongoing challenge so there aren't any deadlines and that's a definite plus for me. Here are the books that I've already read and I'll add the rest as I read them.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandar Dumas

Emma by Jane Austen

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Wicked by Gregory Maguire (abandoned due to objectionable content)

Archive of Reviewed Books by Author

2010-01-10T10:16:00.002-07:00

Here is a limited archive sorted by author. More will be added with time.

Margaret Campbell Barnes--The Tudor Rose 2.2.1

Alan Bradley--Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie 1.2.2

Dan Brown--The Lost Symbol 1.4.3

Agatha Christie--4:50 from Paddington 1.2.1

Evil Under the Sun 1.2.1

Murder at the Vicarage 1.2.1

The Mysterious Mr. Quinn 1.2.1

Nemesis 1.2.1

The Secret Adversary 1.2.1

And Then There Were None 1.2.1

Suzanne Collins--The Hunger Games 1.4.2

Daniel Defoe--Robinson Crusoe 1.3.1

Sean Dixon--The Last Days of the Lacuna Cabal Unfinished-not rated (probably 5.3.5)

Neil Gaiman--The Graveyard Book 1.3.1

William Golding--Lord of the Flies 1.3.2

Amanda Grange--Mr. Knightley's Diary 1.1.1

Shannon Hale--The Actor and the Housewife 2.1.2
Book of a Thousand Days 2.2.1

Rapunzel's Revenge 1.1.1

Georgette Heyer--Devil's Cub 1.1.1
Ninni Holmqvist--The Unit 4.1.4

Shirley Jackson--Haunting of Hill House 1.2.1

Ingrid Law--Savvy 1.1.1

Gregory Maguire--Matchless 1.1.1
Juliet Marillier--Wildwood Dancing 1.2.1

The Light, the Dark, and Ember Between by J.W. Nicklaus 1.1.1

Jane Odiwe--Willougby's Return 1.1.1

Alan Paton--Cry, the Beloved Country 1.2.1

Abigail Reynolds--Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy 5.1.1

Michelle Richmond--The Year of Fog 3.1.5

Mary Lydon Simonsen--Searching for Pemberley 3.1.3
Nicholas Sparks--Nights in Rodanthe 2.1.2

James Alexandar Thom--Follow the River 2.5.2

Linda Urban--A Crooked Kind of Perfect 1.1.1

Edith Wharton--Ethan Frome 2.1.1

Mary Webb--Precious Bane 2.2.1

Archive of Reviewed Books by Title

2010-01-10T09:53:00.002-07:00

Here's a partial archive. I'll add to it as I can.

Numbers

4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie 1.2.1

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale 2.1.2

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale 2.2.1

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban 1.1.1
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton 1.2.1

Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer 1.1.1

E

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie 1.2.1

Follow the River by James Alexandar Thom 2.5.2

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman 1.3.1

Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson 1.2.1
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 1.4.2

The Last Days of the Lacuna Cabal by Sean Dixon Unfinished-not rated

Lord of the Flies by Wlliam Golding 1.3.2

The Light, the Dark, and Ember Between by J.W. Nicklaus 1.1.1

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown 1.4.3

M
Matchless by Gregory Maguire 1.1.1
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Abigail Reynolds 5.1.1
Mr. Knightley's Diary by Amanda Grange 1.1.1
Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie 1.2.1

The Mysterious Mr. Quinn by Agatha Christie 1.2.1

Nemesis Agatha Christie 1.2.1

Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks 2.1.2

Precious Bane by Mary Webb 2.2.1

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale 1.1.1

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe 1.3.1

Savvy by Ingrid Law 1.1.1

Searching for Pemberley by Mary Lydon Simonsen 3.1.3

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie 1.2.1
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley 1.2.2

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie 1.2.1
The Tudor Rose by Margaret Campbell Barnes 2.2.1

The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist 4.1.4

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier 1.2.1
Willougby's Return by Jane Odiwe 1.1.1

The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond 3.1.5

2009, Year in Review

2010-01-09T22:38:00.000-07:00

You would think that by having a blog about the books that I read that I could easily put together a post about how many and what kind I read last year. I don't know how everyone else blogs but I do it so haphazardly that it's like every other unorganized mess in my life. So I'm going to make an effort to give some stats on my books of 2009 but don't quote me on any of it. :)

Total books read: 72
Books finished: 68

Audiobooks: 29 (It surprised me as I started counting these. This is close to half of the books I read this year. )
Young Adult/Middle Reader: 20
Book club: 10 (2 of the 12 were read last year)
Jan.--The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis
Feb.--The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Mar.--The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Apr.--My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
May--The Miracles of Santo Fico by D.L. Smith
June--Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
July--The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer, Annie Barrows
Aug.--Precious Bane by Mary Webb
Sept.--Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Oct.--And Then There Were None Agatha Christie
Nov.--Follow the River by James Alexander Thom
Dec.--Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton

Favorites:
Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis
My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
Precious Bane by Mary Webb
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (I never reviewed this one?!)
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

New authors (to me) that I'd like to read more from:
Janette Rallison
Chaim Potok
Elizabeth Gaskell
Mary Webb
Alan Bradley
P.G. Wodehouse
Alan Paton
Suzanne Collins

Bloggiesta

2010-01-09T20:24:00.006-07:00

I had really good intentions of participating in the Bloggiesta this weekend. I have so much work to do on my blog that I thought it would be a great time to get some things done. Unfortunately, life happens and I didn't make arrangements well enough to deal with it. I'm still hoping to get a little done tonight and tomorrow so here's a list of some things I want to work on.

~~2009 Year End Review~~
Archive list by title
Archive list by author
Favorites list
Catch-up reviews from last year
Review of ARC Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy

I know that the archive lists will take a long time but I hope to at least get partial lists up this weekend.

Matchless by Gregory Maguire

2010-01-04T12:56:00.005-07:00

Genre: Short story

Published: Nov. 1, 2009, 112 pgs.

Source: Library

Review: 3/5 stars

Gregory Maguire has taken the rather dark tale of "The Little Match Girl" by Hans Christian Andersen and has added a little light. This story was first heard on NPR and was written as a read-aloud Christmas story. It's a tragic story but feels a little less so as Maguire puts his spin on it. I wasn't very familiar with the story of "The Little Match Girl" when I read this book and I wonder if I would have enjoyed it more had I known the original tale better. It takes only 15-20 minutes to read so it's definitely worth the time. It really is a lovely story but I finished it feeling like I wanted a little "more". I'm not even sure what "more" I wanted but I wasn't completely satisfied. Has anyone else read this? I'm interested to hear what you think.

Rating: 1.1.1 As my mom used to call a good cleaning job--spic 'n' span clean.

Blogging Goals for 2010

2010-01-01T20:50:00.004-07:00

I really like New Year's. It feels like a fresh start. I know that every day, every hour, every moment can also be considered a fresh start but New Year's feels like the freshest of the fresh starts. :)

I've been thinking a lot about my blog lately and have wondered what I need to do with it. I wish that I could be more consistent and blog at least every other day, if not more, but I'm just not sure that will ever happen. Part of me wants to be more committed and try to make this a "successful" blog (getting way more than the 20-ish hits per day that I get now) and part of me wants to just not worry about it and post whenever I feel the urge, even if that's only once a month. Either way I feel like I need to make some goals for this new year. Here are some of the things I've been thinking about:

I want to read my own books this year. I have so many books and I keep passing them over for books I see at the library or books I read about on others' blogs.
I want to read the classics and modern classics that I've always meant to read but have never gotten around to.
I want to post reviews for all the books I read this year. I don't think I wrote reviews for half of the books I read in 2009. I'm going to do much better this year.
I want to find a way to simplify the review process. I'm not sure exactly what I mean by that but I want to come up with a way to write about the books I've read but to do so in a way that won't stress me out. It may not seem like it to you because my posts are pretty simplistic but most of the time I agonize over how to write my reviews. I'm not a good writer so I really stress over each word, phrase, and sentence that I write. I've seen some examples from other blogs that I may copy to help me write my posts more easily. I will try to get permission from those bloggers first before I copy their format. (Do you think that's proper blogging etiquette or should I not worry about it?)
I would like to make my book blog a little more personal. I started out with a separate book blog and personal blog but I haven't written on my personal blog in over 6 months and I don't really want to start again now. I'd like to bring a little more of my personal life into this blog but I don't want to over-do it either.

So that's what I've been thinking about. I know most of them aren't quantifiable goals but they are the things I would like to work on in the coming year. I also want to add a few features that will take some time but will hopefully be available soon:

List of favorites
Archive of all books by title
Archive by author
Archive by rating and review
New look and layout

Lots of work to do. We'll see how it goes. Many thanks to all of you who have read my blog this past year and here's to hoping this next year will be even better.

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

2009-12-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Genre: Realistic fiction

Published: Published 1948, 320 pgs.

Book club

Review: 5/5 stars

I read this book in a very short time period because I procrastinated but I really wanted to finish it before book club. I wish I had had more time to savor it because it is a beautiful book. Cry, The Beloved Country tells the story of Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo as he travels to Johannesburg in search of his sister and son who have not been heard from in many months. The setting is South Africa in the 1940's, a time of change and great racial tensions. It is a beautiful tale of compassion and forgiveness as well as a heart-breaking story of hate and prejudice. The dialogue is so simple and straight-forward but I found it to be profound and conveyed such feeling and meaning. I think this book is wonderful for learning more about the struggles of South Africa but is also very pertinent to our lives today.

Rating: 1.2.1 There are some references to prostitution, mild descriptions of violence, and some mild profanity (Biblical in nature).

Forgive my self indulgence

2009-12-29T12:32:00.007-07:00

I hope you don't mind if I do a little advertising for my husband and ultimately our family. My husband has been building an iPhone App business for over a year. Most of the apps that he's built have been for clients but just today he put out his first game! We're really excited and have high hopes for it. The game is called MatchTunes. It's basically a game of memory but instead of matching pictures you match music clips that come from your own iTunes library. You can match the same clip or different clips from the same song depending on the settings you choose. For more advanced levels of play you can also match songs that are on the same album or songs by the same artist. We've played it many times in testing and it really is fun, especially the two player mode. If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, I hope you'll check it out. You can get to it by going through the link from the compan y website to iTunes or just search for "MatchTunes" in the App Store from your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Here are a few screen shots:

It really is fun. I hope you'll check it out.

Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

2009-12-28T10:15:00.006-07:00

Genre: Regency romance
Published: Originally 1932, this edition--1 Nov. 2009
320 pgs.
Review book from Sourcebooks
Review: 4.5/5 stars

Whenever I read a regency romance novel I realize again what a hopeless romantic I am. It comes as a surprise because I'm really quite a practical person, but something about the story of a reprehensible rake changing his life and habits all for the love of a sensible, intelligent girl gets me every time. I know that in real life that kind of thing is completely unrealistic. I would never believe in the real world that a promiscuous womanizer would completely change and become faithful to one woman because he finally found someone he couldn't live without. Give me that unrealistic story in the form of a regency romance, especially a Georgette Heyer novel, and I will swallow it hook, line, and sinker. It's pretty pathetic, I know, but it's my weakness.

As I began reading Devil's Cub I thought I may have found an English rogue that I wouldn't like. The Marquis of Vidal seemed too wicked and objectionable even for me. The heroine, Mary Challoner is so clever, sensible, and unassuming, however, that as she falls in love with the Marquis I can't help but do the same. It really makes no sense to me, this attraction I have for these literary men since I'm not at all attracted to "bad boys" in real life. My husband is about as straight-arrow as they come.

This latest Heyer novel made me want to pick up another immediately. It was predictable yet completely enjoyable with a fast paced story line, clever dialogue, and interesting characters.

Rating: 1.1.1 Includes some mild innuendo, mild violence, and a little language but not enough to warrant a 2 rating in my opinion.

Searching for Pemberley by Mary Lydon Simonsen

2009-12-13T13:42:00.001-07:00

Genre: Historical fiction, romance

Published: 1 December 2009, 496 pgs.

ARC

Review: 3.5/5

Simonsen's Searching for Pemberley is not your typical Austen sequel. Set in England after World War II, Maggie is an American working in London when a sight-seeing trip to Derbyshire leads to a friendship with a couple who believe that Jane Austen based her novel, Pride and Prejudice, on real people. The story is multi-generational, includes a few different love stories, including Maggie's, and is a history lesson on both World Wars. I've read a few reviews that have called it a "leisurely" read and I think that is a perfect word for it. The story behind the people who were allegedly the inspiration for the Darcys, Bingley, and Bennets is slowly laid out as the main story about Maggie and the couple, named Jack and Beth Crowell, and their family, unfolds.

I quite enjoyed this book. I have to admit that it was pretty slow going at first and it was probably about page 100 before I started to really like it. Sometimes there seemed to be too many characters to keep track of and I'd come across someone's name and think, who is that? I enjoyed the journal entries written by Elizabeth Garrison and the letters written by William Lacey who were supposedly the real Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. However, that part of novel was not extensive and the story mainly dealt with Maggie, her love interests and the Crowells. I thought their story was interesting and I really liked the information about the wars and conditions in England during and after the war. I learned quite a bit from that and I appreciated the obvious research that Simonsen had put into writing the book.

Overall this was a pretty good story with interesting characters. I didn't really like the direction it went with the morality/religion/pre-marital sex issues that were brought up so I wouldn't recommend this book for teenagers. It definitely has adult themes.

Rating: 3.1.3 This book contains many sexual situations but not explicit and graphic. Also contains plenty of barnyard language (I didn't think it was excessive, though).

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

2009-12-02T14:51:00.006-07:00

Genre: YA fiction, fantasy

Published: 2007

Audiobook

Review: 3.5/5 stars

Wildwood Dancing is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Jena is the second of 5 sisters who live with their father in a castle in Transylvania. Each full moon the sisters pass through a portal to go dancing with creatures of the Other Kingdom.

I enjoyed this book but thought it was a little too predictable and a little too long but this could be because I listened to the audiobook version. The narrator drove me a little crazy because she spoke in a little girl's voice. Maybe because of the voice, Jena seemed a little whiny; and for being such a smart girl, she could be a little clueless. Overall, the story was interesting and enjoyable. I know a lot of people loved this book. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read it. Maybe I'll try it again in a few years.

Rating: 1.2.1 Includes a little violence.

Follow the River by James Alexander Thom

2009-11-30T21:02:00.005-07:00

Genre: Historical, Based on a true story

Published: 1981, 406 pgs.

Bookclub

Review: 3/5 stars

Mary Ingles was kidnapped by Shawnee Indians from her home in a Virginia settlement in 1755. She was nine months pregnant at the time and would soon give birth along the trail as she and the other hostages were taken back to the Shawnees' village. I hope I'm not giving too much away to say that she eventually escapes and attempts to return to her husband.

This is definitely an inspiring story of a very courageous woman but I didn't really enjoy that much. It was interesting but there was too much graphic violence for my taste. That wasn't the main reason for my lack of enthusiasm though. I can't quite put my finger on it except that it was too long and drawn out. I started feeling like I just wanted it to end.

Rating: 2.5.2 Several sexual references, lots of violence including some inflicted on children and animals, mild profanity.

Willoughby's Return by Jane Odiwe

2009-11-16T16:05:00.004-07:00

Genre: Romance
Published: Nov. 2009, 352 pgs.
ARC
Review: 3.5/5 stars

Most Jane Austen "sequels" that I've ever seen are about Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Willoughby's Return: A Tale of Almost Irresistable Temptation continues the story of Marianne and Colonel Brandon. As the title suggests, Willoughby comes back to the neighborhood and stirs up a little mischief for Marianne. The story is predictable and a little cliched at times but I enjoyed it. I wish that Eleanor had played a bigger part in the book but it was fun to get to know Margaret and Marianne a little more (as seen through the eyes of Jane Odiwe). Marianne has matured and grown a little more sensible but she is still very much the old romantic Marianne. If you like Jane Austen sequels, this one would be a fun choice.

Reading this story about Marianne and wishing that there was more about Eleanor made me wonder about what other people think about these characters. When I read or watch Sense and Sensibility, I'm all about Eleanor and Edward. Marianne is just a side story that I don't care about very much. She kind of bugs me, to be honest, but I love everything about Eleanor. What do you think about Marianne and Eleanor?

Rating: 1.1.1 Very clean read

Confessions

2009-11-07T18:27:00.013-07:00

For some reason I've been thinking a lot lately about the books I'm ashamed to admit that I've never read. Are there books that you feel like everyone has read except you? Or as a book blogger can you admit to never having read some of the greats? I've decided to make my confessions here.

The one I'm most embarrassed about is To Kill a Mockingbird. I saw the movie in high school but I've never read it and I'm not sure exactly why. I even own a copy but I keep putting it off. What is wrong with me?

The next one is The Scarlett Letter. I did take English in high school but we never had to read this one. We read A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain which I didn't really like but we didn't read my next two confessions.

I've never read Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn either.

There are several children's books that I haven't read either. Charlotte's Web and A Wrinkle in Time are two that come to mind but the one that I'm really afraid to admit to never having read is...

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

2009-11-04T19:18:00.004-07:00

Genre: Horror fiction

Published: 1959, 256 pgs

Review: 3/5 stars

It's hardly fair for me to review this book. I read it over several days in such small snippets that I don't think I really got the true effect. The story is about a group of four people who go to the alleged haunted house named Hill House to do research on paranormal phenomena. This is the only book of this genre that I have ever read (according to my recollections) so it's hard to compare to other similar books but I would guess that this is much more subtle than other horror fiction out there. I found myself more creeped out in the very beginning just in anticipation of what might come than I was when strange, ghostly things started happening. I didn't really enjoy this book but I did think it was pretty interesting. I think I may read it again in a few years when I can devote some solid chunks of time to reading so I can get in the mood and really feel the tension build.

Rating: 1.2.1 Quite a clean read, but dark.

RIP Challenge Wrap-Up

2009-10-31T21:31:00.004-06:00

I set my sights a little too high for this one but that's alright. While I set the goal to read 4 books for this challenge I was only able to finish two. I'm in the middle of two more but I'm not going to make it. Here was my original list.

1. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (re-read)
2. Turn of the Screw by Henry James
3. Dracula by Bram Stoker
4. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
5. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
6. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
7. Another book by Agatha Christie
8. Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

I'm in the middle of The Haunting of Hill House and I'm listening to Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier that I think counts because it has vampires in it. I'm enjoying both of them and hope to have reviews for them soon.

This has been a fun challenge and I look forward to next year.

Shelf Discovery Challenge

2009-10-30T09:10:00.004-06:00

I found another challenge that I'm afraid I have to join. It is based on the book by Lizzie Skurnick called Shelf Discovery: The Teen Classics we Never Stopped Reading. It is a book that Publisher's Weekly calls an "omnibus of meditations on favorite YA novels that dwells mostly among the old-school titles from the late '60s to the early '80s much beloved by now grown-up ladies." The challenge is to read 6 of the novels written about in this book.

Here's the schpeel:
The Shelf Discovery Challenge will run for six months (November 1, 2009 - April 30, 2010). To join me in this challenge, all you need to do is grab a copy of SHELF DISCOVERY and pick out what six books you want to read (of course, you can read more than six!) Then, after you read a book, just write a "book report" to share your thoughts with others!
Sign Up: Grab the challenge button at the top of this page and write a post detailing what six Shelf Discovery books you are going to read within the next six months (you always have the option to change your original list -- I'm flexible like that!) If you don't already have the book, you can browse the table of contents here.

There are several books on the list that I've been meaning to get to so this is my list (for now).

The Westing Game
Jacob Have I Loved
Are You There God? It's me, Margaret.
Bridge to Terabithia
Wrinkle in Time
The Witch of Blackbird Pond

I think this will be very fun. Thanks to Booking Mama for a great reading challenge.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

2009-10-27T21:24:00.005-06:00

Genre: Mystery

Published: 1939, 173 pgs.

Review: 4.5/5

This was our book club's choice for October. In the past we've chosen books like Frankenstein and Rebecca for their spookiness value. And Then There Were None is pretty creepy too. The story unfolds as 10 very different individuals are brought together on an island. It's a little like the movie Clue but without the comedy aspect. We did something really fun for this meeting. We told everyone to read up through the epilogue but not to read the very last section, a letter to Scotland Yard. By doing this we could read the whole story but not find out "who dun it". Then at book club we read the last ten pages that tell what really happened. The idea was really fun but in actuality almost everyone, for some reason or other, had found out who the murderer was. Even though it didn't work out perfectly, I think it was a great idea.

The book club discussion was definitely not as uplifting as our meetings usually are. We talked about crazy people and murder and how a person can get to the point of committing pre-meditated murder.

If you like mysteries I really recommend Agatha Christie--unpredictable, sometimes humorous, and always clean.

Rating 1.2.1 Includes violence but not graphic.

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

2009-10-23T17:00:00.004-06:00

Category: Classic, Adventure
Published: 1719
Review: 4/5

I missed book club when they chose the next 6 books. When I heard that they had chosen Robinson Crusoe, I thought, "Okay?" Then I started reading it and by the time I was 20 pages in, I thought, "Who the heck suggested this boring book?" I was actually glad we were reading it because it forced me to read a classic that I may never have read otherwise. By the time I got to page 50 and came across a great quote I realized that this book was definitely worth reading even if it was boring and repetitive. Here's the quote:

"Upon the whole, here was an undoubted testimony that there was scarce any condition in the world so miserable but there was something negative or something positive to be thankful for in it; and let this stand as a direction from the experience of the most miserable of all conditions in this world that we may always find in it something to comfort ourselves from, and to set, in the description of good and evil, on the credit side of the account."

About half way through it starts getting interesting and by the time I was finished, I thought it was pretty good. Robinson Crusoe is considered one of the very first English novels so I feel inclined to forgive Daniel Defoe for the problems that exist like repetition and a implausibility. I really liked the lessons of repentance, endurance, faith, hope, and man's relationship with God. I did read a version that had been modernized a bit so that spellings, punctuation, and capitalization are presented in a way consistent with modern English grammar. Others in my book club who read a more historically accurate version were a bit distracted by the old grammar. If you choose to read it, you might try to decide which version would be better for your enjoyment.

Rating: 1.3.1 Contains violence.

Mr. Knightley's Diary by Amanda Grange

2009-10-22T20:35:00.002-06:00

Category: Romance

Published: 2007, 304 pgs.

Review: 3/5 stars

As is probably obvious, this book is Mr. Knightley's version of what happened in Emma by Jane Austen. I'm not sure what else to say about it. It was a so-so read for me. I liked it and I never considered abandoning it, but it never got me really excited. I did quite enjoy Mr. Darcy's Diary by the same author but I have a real weakness for all things Darcy, so it's pretty hard for poor Mr. Knightley to compete. Emma is also not my favorite of Jane Austen's works so that doesn't help either. Reading this has made me want to watch the Gwyneth Paltrow version of Emma again. That Mr. Knightley is so much better looking than the other.

Rating 1.1.1 Nothing objectionable.

The Tudor Rose: A Novel of Elizabeth of York by Margaret Campbell Barnes

2009-10-18T21:12:00.004-06:00

Category: Historical Fiction
Published: Originally 1971, Re-published 1 Oct. 2009, 336 pages

Review: 4/5

The Tudor Rose had a bit of a slow start for me. I don't know if that was the books fault or my own because I just wasn't in the mood for it. In the end, however, I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel about Elizabeth of York. I visited London when I was a senior in high school and I vaguely remember the tour guide in the Tower of London pointing out a room where two young princes had been imprisoned to allow someone else to take the throne. That story is in this book. It also gives a lot of history that leads up to the other two Margaret Campbell Barnes books that I've read, Brief Gaudy Hour and My Lady of Cleves. This is fascinating history. I wonder how accurate it all is but it sure lends credence to the adage, "Truth is stranger than fiction." I don't think the story and writing always flows really well and at times I got confused about people and places but I still really enjoyed this book in the end. All of Margaret Campbell Barnes' books have been that way for me--a little hard to get into but in the end, worth the read.

Rating: 2.2.1 Contains some talk about sex in general and has a little bit of the violence associated with battles and war.

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

2009-10-17T21:10:00.004-06:00

Category: Fiction

Published: 2009, 352 pages

Review: 4.5/5

I liked this book way more than I expected to. I had read a few reviews that made me think that I wouldn't like it. It might have been for that very reason that I was so pleasantly surprised. I laughed out loud so many times that my husband said, "I'm going to have to read that book!" He wasn't around though when it made me cry like a baby. The story is completely implausible but it still highly entertained me. It also made me think about marriage, motherhood, friendship, service, and love. This may sound stupid, but this book made me want to be a better mother and wife. It's a little cheesy and cliched at times but I didn't mind because most of the time I loved it.

Rating: 2.1.2 There are some innuendos and "barnyard" language.

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

2009-10-14T19:31:00.004-06:00

Category: Juvenile Fiction

Published: 2007, 224 pgs.

Review: 5/5

What a charming, sweet book! I picked it up this morning just to read a little something before I started on other pressing matters and before I knew it I was completely drawn in by this funny, sweet 10 year old girl. I couldn't put this book down. I loved getting to know Zoe Elias and her family and friends. Linda Urban has perfectly captured the voice of a young girl with dreams and frustrations. I love the way Zoe deals with life and I'm so excited to give this to my 10 year old daughter to read.

Rating 1.1.1 A "perfect"ly clean read!

The Tudor Rose by Margaret Campbell Barnes

2009-10-13T11:55:00.003-06:00

Category: Historical Fiction

Published: Orginally 1971, republished Oct. 1, 2009, 336 pgs.

I haven't quite finished this book yet but since I received it is an ARC and it has recently been released, I wanted to tell you about it. The Tudor Rose is about Elizabeth of York, the daughter of King Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth Woodville. As I have read these books by Margaret Campbell Barnes I have been amazed at the immorality, greed, conniving, and deceipt that went on in the English monarchy back then. It helps me appreciate again the amazing democracy we live in today.

This book has been really interesting so far and I definitely want to finish it. I wouldn't say that it is compelling because I have had a hard time getting through it but it is a great way to get a history lesson. I'll let you know my final thoughts about it when I've finished.

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale and Nathan Hale

2009-10-07T19:47:00.006-06:00

Category: Middle grade, Graphic Novel, fantasy

Published: 2008, 144 pgs.

Review: 3/5 stars

This is not your mother's Rapunzel story, it's Rapunzel with a wild west flavor. I thought this was a cute book but I didn't love it. I'm not sure the graphic novel is for me. I found myself annoyed when I had to infer the intended meaning by looking at the pictures. I know. That's the whole point of a graphic novel--the pictures are supposed to tell the story and the words are just there to assist in the telling. I personally prefer words that paint the picture in my head.

I don't know if I'll read very many more graphic novels. But before I completely write off this genre, are there some out there that I shouldn't miss out on?

Rating: 1.1.1 I can't remember anything offensive

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

2009-10-06T13:58:00.005-06:00

Category: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction
Published: 2009
Audiobook

Review: 3/5 stars

Dan Brown is finally back with a new book and I'm curious to see how many people will be disappointed. I listened to this on cds and I'm glad I did because I think I would have had a hard time getting through it otherwise. It wasn't bad, it just didn't captivate me like The Da Vinci Code did. I was into the 5th of 14 cds when I realized I was pretty bored so far. That is not what I expected. Also unexpectedly, Robert Langdon kind of got on my nerves. His scepticism was just too much for me.

Rating: 1.4.3 Includes the kind of violence you would expect in this genre. Scattered profanity but no f-bombs.

Two new challenges

2009-09-24T21:09:00.003-06:00

I've not been very successful with challenges in the past but that's not going to stop me from signing up for these two.
The first is the RIP IV (Readers Imbibing Peril). I've seen this challenge around in past years and thought, "Hmm. That's not really for me." As I looked into it this year I discovered that it is actually perfect for me. I thought it was just about reading scary books but the following genres are all included: mystery, suspense, thriller, dark fantasy, gothic, horror, and supernatural. I'm not into dark fantasy or horror but I can definitely enjoy all the rest. The challenge began Sept. 1 and ends Oct. 31. I've chosen to read 4 books from the following reading pool:
1. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (re-read)
2. Turn of the Screw by Henry James
3. Dracula by Bram Stoker
4. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
5. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
6. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
7. Another book by Agatha Christie
8. Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
I don't know if I'll be able to read 4 of these but I'm going to give it a shot.

The other challenge I'm joining is the Countdown Challenge 2010. Here are the rules:
1. The goal of this challenge is to read the number of books first published in a given year that corresponds to the last digit of each year in the 2000s — 10 books from 2010, 9 books from 2009, 8 books from 2008, etc. The total number of books required, therefore, is 55.
2. This challenge lasts from 9/9/09 through 10/10/10.
3. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed and your lists may change at any time.

My biggest obstacle with these challenges is keeping myself organized enough to finish them but I'm excited about them both.

Precious Bane by Mary Webb

2009-09-23T15:16:00.008-06:00

Category: Historical romance, classic
Published: 1924
Review: 5/5 stars

I believe that Precious Bane by Mary Webb may be the best kept secret in the world of literature. It could be the most beautiful book I have ever read. I think it is a love story that should be remembered and loved by generations but instead is not very widely known. This may be because it is not an easy book to read. The book is written in the voice of Prue Sarn, a country girl living in Shropshire, England around 1820. She tells the story in dialect and it is not easy to understand. I think I was pretty lost for the first couple of chapters until I started getting used to the language. I had to look up several words and I found that looking them up online was easier because often times the words were spelled differently than they are now or they were obsolete words that aren't used anymore. A regular dictionary wasn't much help in those cases. It didn't take too long though to get caught up in this wonderful story.

Most books I've read that are set during this time period are mainly about the upper-class people or the very poor. Precious Bane is about the working class people, the farmers mostly and other townsfolk and I learned more about their traditions and superstitions. These things play a big role in the story.

I've purposely not said much about the storyline because I think it's best to just let it unfold to the reader. It is not easy reading but I believe anyone who puts in the effort to read this wonderful book will be richly rewarded.

Rating: 2.2.1 There are not any descriptions of sex but there is a little sexual content. There is also some violence including cruelty to animals.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

2009-09-21T20:52:00.007-06:00

Category: Historical, Cozy Mystery
Published: 2009, 374 pgs.
Review: 4.5/5 stars

I picked this book up by chance at the library because I thought I had seen that one of my friends on Goodreads had read it and it had also won some kind of award. What a delightful surprise it was. It's 1950 and Flavia de Luce is an 11 year old who lives with her two older sisters and her father on a large but run-down estate in England. Flavia is such a fun character. She has an unusual obsession with chemistry and in particular, poisons. Even though this is not a highly suspenseful mystery and it took a little while to get going, I still loved it. Flavia is a quirky and hilarious amateur sleuth. I was so excited to discover at the end of the book that the author is writing a series of Flavia mysteries. I highly recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers.

Here are a couple of quotes that show Flavia's personality:

"As I stood outside in Cow Lane, it occurred to me that Heaven must be a place where the library is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. No ... eight days a week."

"Anyone who knew the word slattern was worth cultivating as a friend."

"It is not unknown for fathers with a brace of daughters to reel off their names in order of birth when summoning the youngest, and I had long ago become accustomed to being called 'Ophelia Daphne Flavia, d*** it."

Rating: 1.2.2 Content includes a little violence since this is a murder mystery and some barnyard swear words. (A friend of mine used that term "barnyard language" recently. I think it's a great description and will be using it in the future. Thanks Julie C.)

The Light, the Dark, and Ember Between by J. W. Nicklaus

2009-09-09T14:31:00.006-06:00

Category: Short stories

Published: 2009, 176 pgs.

Review: 3/5 stars

The Light, the Dark, & Ember Between by J.W. Nicklaus is a collection of short stories with themes such as love, loss, redemption, humour, death and more. I was interested in this book because I thought the cover and title were intriguing. I wanted to like it more than I did. The stories were usually uplifting and positive but I'm just not sure I'm a big fan of the short story. There wasn't enough time for me to care about the characters and that seems to make a difference in whether I like a book or not. The nice thing about it is that you can easily sit down and complete most of the stories within 10 minutes. You can also skip around since none of the stories are related to each other. It would be a great book to have on hand for those times when you are waiting for the doctor, your kids, or whoever else makes you wait.

Rating: 1.1.1 Pretty clean through and through. There may be a biblical swear word here and there. I don't really count those.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

2009-08-30T20:53:00.002-06:00

Category: YA or middle reader, Newbery Medal, Fantasy

Published: 2008, 307 pgs.

Review: 4/5 stars

The 2008 Newbery Medal winner, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is not quite what I expected. I'm not sure what I did expect but it wasn't what I got. I was surprised by the first chapter and the descriptions of the murders that take place. It seemed a little too much violence for a middle grader reader but once we got past that first chapter I felt much more comfortable with it. The book tells the story of Nobody Owens and how he is raised in the cemetery by ghosts and other frightful creatures. It's a fun story but is creepy at times. It's original and I can definitely see it in the form of a Tim Burton film some day.

Rating: 1.3.1 Like I said, I thought some of the violence was a little much for a kids' book. I would preview it before I let just any child read it.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

2009-08-26T22:10:00.005-06:00

Category: Juvenile fiction, Newbery Honor

Published: May 2008, 342 pgs.

Review: 4/5 stars

Savvy by Ingrid Law is a sweet book about a girl and her journey to discover her own special gifts. I enjoyed this book but I'm afraid it didn't quite live up to the hype that I had read about it. It has a good message with a lot of interesting and likable characters and the story is original. I'm not sure what was missing for me but I still recommend reading it. I think I was expecting a 5 star book and for me it just didn't quite make it there.

Rating: 1.1.1 It's been a while since I read it but I don't think there was anything at all offensive in this book. My 9 year-old daughter really liked it.

The Last Days of the Lacuna Cabal by Sean Dixon

2009-08-06T10:46:00.004-06:00

Category: Fiction

Published: March 2009, 352 pages

Review requested by publisher

Unfinished

I was interested in reading this book because it was about a young women's book club. The Lacuna Cabal Montreal Young Women's Book Club is quite different from others. They meet everyday and they try to act out the book in real life. This premise sounded pretty interesting to me but I'm afraid I finally just put it down. The foul language and sexual nature of the book was just a little too much for me. I feel bad about not finishing it since it was a review book from the publisher. I will say that even as I was deciding to stop reading the book, I found myself wanting to keep reading just a few more pages to see what was going to happen next. Even though the characters were so strange, quirky, and with completely different values from me, I was interested in them. This book wasn't for me but I imagine that many others could enjoy it.

The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond

2009-07-21T11:00:00.006-06:00

Category: Adult fiction

Published: 2007, 369 pgs.

Audiobook

Review: 3.5/5 stars

In the first chapter of The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond we meet the narrator Abby Mason, a photographer who is engaged to a man who has a 6 year old daughter, Emma. While Abby and Emma are walking together on the beach the unthinkable happens, Emma disappears. Abby tells her story of guilt, heartbreak, longing, and searching that she endures.

I enjoyed this book. I thought it was insightful and interesting. However, at one point one of Emma's shoes is found and she describes it as a tiny size 3. Anyone who is very familiar with children would know that a "tiny size 3" fits a 1-year-old not a 6-year-old. When I read that I immediately knew that the author doesn't know children very well and didn't take the time to find out the shoe size of a young child. That put me off a little and I think it tainted my view of the book. I realized later that the book really wasn't about a child as much as it was about a woman who loves a child and that little mistake doesn't invalidate the rest of the book. The Year of Fog did make me really think about the lives of so many families that have missing children. The news follows them for a week or two and then we don't hear much about them unless more information becomes available. I can't imagine what a living hell it would be, but this book gives a pretty good description.

Rating: 3.1.5--I can't remember what's in this very well. It seems like there were a couple of sex scenes that were a bit descriptive but not too bad. I do remember that there were several f-words scattered here and there.

Book Club Report: Ethan Frome

2009-07-17T18:10:00.007-06:00

Spoiler Warning: This post is a short recap of my book club's discussion of

Ethan Frome. There will be spoilers.

I don't have a whole lot to say about this book club meeting. I honestly just don't remember very much except for one conversation. That discussion had to do with justification for having an affair. One member of our book club used to belong to another book group and they had read Ethan Frome. Her book club was similar to ours in that it was comprised of mostly conservative, religious women. When they discussed Ethan Frome she had been surprised at how many of them thought that Ethan was completely justified in having an affair with Mattie Silver (not that they really had an affair but it was the direction they were heading) because Zenobia was such an awful wife. I think we all agreed that no matter how terrible a spouse is there are other ways to lawfully and morally get out of the situation without having an affair. I can't really blame Ethan for wanting happiness with Mattie but I don't believe he was justified in his actions. What do you think?

This book is really so tragic. I wouldn't say that I admired Ethan as a person but I did like him and felt bad for him. He had so many dreams and he was on his way to fulfill them when responsibility and duty brought him back to his dismal fate. He stood by his family when his father was ill and then while his mother was dying and then tragically he proposed to a woman he didn't love because he was afraid of the loneliness. I think that is where it all went wrong. If he hadn't asked Zeena to marry him then he may have been able to sell the family farm and go be an engineer like he wanted. But in a brief moment of impulse, he tied himself to a tragic future. However, we all make mistakes and some of them are big ones like Ethan's but we just have to make the best of things sometimes. I was just talking to a friend who is going through some rough patches right now and she was telling me how she had been told by a well-meaning loved one that we can choose to be happy, no matter our circumstances. When her friend heard this advice she suggested, "Yes, we can choose to be happy but that doesn't take away the suckage." It's very true and Ethan had plenty of "suckage" in his life. Hopefully we can all learn to choose happiness and avoid the misery of the Ethan Fromes of this world.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

2009-07-03T21:49:00.003-06:00

Category: Classic, literary fiction

Published: 1911

Review: 4/5 stars

As I was reading Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton I wondered why it was a classic. It wasn't until I finished it and was able to look at the whole picture that I realized it's beauty. I don't know how to describe it without giving away too many plot points so I will just say that it is worth the read. I read this for book club so I will post a Book Club Report soon and talk much more about the book then.

The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

2009-06-23T14:02:00.004-06:00

Category: Sci-Fi/Fantasy?

Published: 2009, 272 pgs.

Review: 3.5/5 stars

Set in a not-so-distant future in Sweden, The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist is a novel about what might happen if society decided that a person's contribution to the nation became more important than the individual himself. Dorrit Weger begins her story as she is being placed in the unit, a facility where childless individuals who reach the age of 50 or 60 are taken to be used in humane medical and psychiatric tests. They have very nice accommodations and want for nothing in the way of physical comforts but they are essentially guinea pigs. They live there in the unit with no communication to the outside world and participate in different medical trials until they make their final donation, such as a liver, lungs, heart, etc.

I had a hard time putting this book down. I just really wanted to know what was going to happen. I liked and cared about the characters. I did have a few problems with the book though. For one, it just was too implausible. The way everything was described it seemed like the unit could exist now rather than the future. There was talk of DVDs and CDs and the technology just wasn't futuristic. For me that made it feel so close to present day that I couldn't accept that a government or a society would allow this kind of treatment of people. If something is placed far enough in the future than it seems more credible to me and I can swallow the premise better. I think I didn't get into the story quite as much as I would have liked to because it just wasn't believable to me. That being said, I did like the book. I have to warn you though that this does not come even close to qualifying as a "good, clean read."

Rating: 4.1.4 There are several descriptions of sex that I felt were gratuitous and unnecessary. I really don't mind if there is some sex in a book (you may find that hard to believe considering the premise of my blog) but it never has to be described as thoroughly as it is in this book. There were also two instances of very harsh language and a smattering of lighter profanity.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2009-06-15T21:53:00.006-06:00

Category: YA, science fiction

Published: 2008, 374 pages

Review: 5/5 stars

I started this book one evening last week and forced myself to put it down to go to bed. The next morning I picked it up again and couldn't put it down until I finished it that afternoon. The kids did whatever they wanted and the house was a crazy mess when I finally came up for air. It's been a long time since I've been that engrossed in a book. It was so much fun.

I'm not going to bother telling you much about this book. I've seen reviews for it everywhere and I don't remember anyone not liking it. It has everything a page turner needs; love, hate, danger, politics, death, and much more. I can't wait for the next book coming in September.

Rating: 1.4.2 The violence in this book is a little rough at times. The whole concept is pretty disturbing. Not for the faint of heart. (It's kind of funny that the nudity in this book didn't bother me like the nudity in Book of a Thousand Days. In this book it seemed fairly natural but in the other it seemed weird to me. I might be crazy.)

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

2009-06-07T22:10:00.001-06:00

Category: YA, fantasy, romance

Published: 2007

Review: 4/5 stars

After I finished reading this book I felt stupid when I read the book description on the inside of the jacket cover. It describes the book as a retelling of a Grimms fairy tale "reimagined and reset on the central Asian steppes." Duh! I had spent the first chapters imagining the characters as blond-haired and blue eyed. Then even when there were some sketches of people who looked Asian I had a hard time changing what was in my head. But I should have known from the beginning when it referred to the leaders of the people with the title of Khan that this story was set somewhere like Mongolia long ago. It also calls some areas of the land "the steppes." I think I would have enjoyed this book a little more if I'd had the right pictures in my mind.

I know a lot of people have loved this book and although I enjoyed it a lot, I didn't love it. I think I expected too much because I had heard so many great things about it. I do recommend it but it didn't grab me like I wanted it to.

Rating: 2.2.1 There were a couple of places with nudity that I thought were a little weird. Maybe I'm such a prude that I can't even read about nudity without feeling a little uncomfortable.

Coming soon

2009-05-29T21:22:00.002-06:00

I can't believe what a crazy month this has been. I am so behind on reviews but I'm determined to get them posted. Here's what will be coming soon:

Reviews:
The Graveyard Book
Book of a Thousand Days
Inkheart
Inkspell
The Miracles of Santo Fico
plus many more...

Book Club Reports:
The Alchemist
The Wednesday Wars
My Name is Asher Lev
The Miracles of Santo Fico

List of 25 of my own books to read before the end of the year.
Lists of award winning books that I have read or plan to read.

There's so much to write about. I don't think I will be able to write very long or even very good reviews for the books I've read lately but I just need to get them done. Thanks for your patience with me.

My Own Book Challenge

2009-05-06T18:09:00.002-06:00

My parents were here last weekend. We were in Costco when I was browsing in the book section and told my parents how I was addicted to books. My dad said, "I know. You have books all over the house. You'll never read them all." Well now all I want to do is prove him wrong (even at 35 years old I want to do exactly what he tells me I can't do). I haven't really joined many challenges this year so I'm going to start my own challenge--read my own books as much as possible. Hmm...I think I'll challenge myself to read 25 by the end of the year. That will put a decent dent in my stacks and then maybe I can finish reading all my books by the end of the 2010. I feel good about that. I will have to put this off for a little longer because I have a couple of books from the library right now that I've waited months for so I don't want to get back on the waiting list.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

2009-04-26T18:09:00.003-06:00

Category: Modern Classic, Fiction
Published: 1954
Audiobook
Review: 4/5 stars

This is another one of those books that is hard to review. I could give it anything between 3 and 5 stars. I recognize that it is regarded as a classic and I think the distinction is well deserved. I wouldn't say that I particularly enjoyed it, though. I'm glad I listened to it but it is rather a disturbing story. The audiobook I listened to was read by William Golding himself, and I quite liked that about it. In the beginning he tells a little bit about how the book came to be and then he starts reading and it feels like you are sitting there in the room while he reads from the book. He doesn't use different voices for the different characters; he just reads it and reads it well. There is a short interview at the end that is also very interesting. While I was listening to the book I found myself thinking that I just wanted to get it over with but once I was done with it I was very glad to have read it. I finally decided on 4 stars even though my personal enjoyment of it was more like 3 stars.

Rating: 1.3.2 There are some scenes of violence along with disturbing images and a little bit of mild profanity.

DI Treasures

2009-04-22T16:57:00.002-06:00

Hello, my name is Kim...and I'm a book addict. (I would say I'm a bookaholic but I don't actually partake of bookahol. Hee! Hee!) My husband has been working out of our home for almost a year building up a new company. We're doing a little better financially now but things have been pretty tight for a while. I've tried to cut back on a lot of things and I've been moderately successful but one thing that I haven't been able to control is my book addiction. I find my car automatically driving to the DI (Deseret Industries-a local thrift store) and I end up inside scouring the shelves for books. I don't need them, I haven't even read many of them but I can't seem to help myself. When I went yesterday I found some real treasures that I'm excited about and I need to commit myself to reading them soon.

My favorite find is Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza. It is in pristine condition. Rarely do I find books that look this good at the DI. I listened to this book on cds last year and I'm so glad to own it now.

I also found copies of Anna Karenina, Tess of the D'urbervilles, Great Expectations, and Jane Eyre. I'm always glad to find good copies of classics. I'm also excited about The Maugham Reader that I found. It's a collection of books, stories and plays by W. Somerset Maugham. I've been wanting to read The Painted Veil ever since I read Shelley's review last year. I almost forgot Davita's Harp by Chaim Potok. That one is another must read after last month's reading of My Name is Asher Lev.

I know I probably need to stop buying books and after such a successful trip maybe I can hold myself back for a while. We shall see.

Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks

2009-04-21T21:45:00.005-06:00

Category: Romance

Published: 2004

Audiobook

Review: 3.5/5

I enjoyed this audiobook. It was my first Nicholas Sparks novel and it was pretty much what I expected--fluffy, romantic, kind of sad, a bit contrived--but over all it was an enjoyable read. I will probably read another Sparks book when I'm in the mood for this sort of thing again.

Rating: 2.1.2 This is a guess because I can't remember the details well. There is unmarried sex but it is only referred to, not described, as I recall. There was probably some profanity but nothing very strong.

Masterpiece Classics--Little Dorrit

2009-04-19T10:47:00.006-06:00

Has anyone been watching Little Dorrit on Masterpiece Classics. I've really been enjoying it. I had never even heard of the book Little Dorrit before so I wasn't anxious to watch it, but once I got started, I've loved it. I think Claire Foy as Amy Dorrit is wonderful and I love Matthew Macfadyen (Mr. Darcy in the Kiera Knightly version of P&P) as Arthur Clennam. Did you realize that the villian is played by Andy Serkis who was Gollum/Smeagol in Lord of the Rings? He does such a good job because he seriously creeps me out. I'd like to read this book sometime soon. I think others must have the same idea because the copies at my library are all checked out and there is a waiting list.

I was watching the most recent segment of the mini-series when my husband came into the room. While I was watching I made a few sounds of annoyance and aggravation at the way some of the characters were acting (if you watched it you probably know what I'm talking about). Finally I said, "I can't believe these people!" My husband asked why I watched it if it bugged me so much. I said, "Because I know it will all work out in the end." I'm assuming that's the case but I'm pretty sure I'm right. Some people may call Charles Dickens sentimental but that's alright with me. I know I can count on things being pretty neat and tidy at the end.

My Agatha Christie Kick

2009-04-08T21:28:00.009-06:00

Last fall I listened to my very first Agathie Christie book, And Then There Were None. Since then I have listened to another half a dozen mysteries by Christie and I look forward to more. Here they are:

Little did I know when I picked up this book on cd from the library that I was being introduced to Agatha Christie by what is considered one of her very best books. I don't know if that is good or bad. It's good because it made me want to read more but it's also bad because nothing since then has quite measured up. I loved And Then There Were None. What an amazing plot! Such a fun mystery and it kept me guessing until the very end. It was a little hard to listen to as are all of Agatha Christie's books because there are so many characters but I was able to sort them out pretty quickly. I would recommend reading this one rather than listening to it but I still loved it as an audiobook.

Review: 5/5 stars

These next books aren't actually books. These are the BBC radio dramatizations of the books, Murder at the Vicarage, 4:50 from Paddington, and Evil Under the Sun. They were each only about 2-3 hours in length and were full cast productions. They gave me an idea what it would have been like before TV, and the family gathered around the radio to listen to a show. I quite enjoyed them. I don't know how much of the books was taken out to shorten it down so much, but it felt like all the necessary information was presented fully and well. Vicarage and Paddington are both Miss Marple mysteries and Evil is a Hercule Poirot mystery. Miss Marple makes her very first appearance in Murder at the Vicarage so it could be a good place to start if you are interested in Miss Marple mysteries. At first I preferred the Hercule Poirot books but Miss Marple is growing on me.

Review: 3.5/5 stars

Nemesis was my first Miss Marple mystery and it was an interesting one. An old acquaintance of Miss Marple's asks her to do her amatuer sluething but doesn't tell her who was murdered or any of the circumstances of the case. He puts her into a situation and then she, in her odd ways, digs up a mystery and, of course, solves it. (That's not giving too much away, is it? :) ) Review: 4/5

The Mysterious Mr. Quin is a collection of twelve short mysteries. While each mystery is a separate story there are two characters that have a part in the solving of each mystery. Each story adds to the overall effect of the final conclusion. I enjoyed this one but started getting bored towards the end. I think there were just a few too many stories. Review: 3/5

The final Agatha Christie novel I listened to was The Secret Adversary. It was different from the others because it was more of an espionage story rather than a murder mystery. I liked it in the end but I like the murder mysteries better.

Review: 3.5/5

These books are all wonderfully clean and fun books to read. I'd recommend them to anyone who likes mysteries and also for those who like to read about England and its people and society.

Well Seasoned Reader Challenge Wrap-up

2009-04-04T20:06:00.004-06:00

This is the first challenge that I've come even close to finishing so I'm feeling a little proud of myself. I didn't actually finish it in time though. The challenge ended on March 31st and I finished my last book on April 2nd. It was such a fun challenge and I think I need to sign up for some more challenges now. The three books I read were:

1. The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis

2. Still Life with Rice by Helie Lee

3. My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

All three were really good but I liked Asher Lev the best. Thanks Melissa for hosting this great challenge. I will definitely be back next year.

Paralyzed plus a blog award

2009-04-04T18:58:00.005-06:00

I have an unfortunate character flaw. When I have a lot to do and I feel overwhelmed, I end up becoming paralyzed and unable to do anything. This happens with housework all the time. I slack off a little and things start to pile up and before I know it the house is a complete disaster. Instead of just digging in and cleaning it all up, I usually end up reading or watching TV all day and it just gets worse. It's like I don't know where to start so I just don't.

I feel that way about my blog lately. I have so many books to review, including several from last year, that I've just started avoiding the computer. Of course the situation just gets worse because during the time away from the computer I've added another half a dozen books to that list of titles that I need to review.

My point is, I'm sorry for the lack of activity on here lately. During my absence I received a very appreciated award from Sharon. She was so nice in giving me an "I Love Your Blog" award. She is a children's and teen's librarian and has a fantastic blog over at SherMeree's Musings.

I'm supposed to pass this award on to 7 other blogs that I love. I'm so bad at this kind of thing but I'm going to give it a try. I probably won't do 7 though.

My favorite book blog is probably ChainReading. I have been reading it since I first stumbled into the blogging world. Shelley has great concise reviews that don't give too much away, a wonderful variety of books, and she seems like the kind of person I would love to live next door to. I wish we could be in a face-to-face book club together.

Suey at All About Books is a blogger whom I've actually met. She's a very consistent blogger and seems to have a ton of energy. She reads a lot of everything and I really enjoy all her posts.

Jeanette is another favorite that I've been reading for quite a while. She reviews a lot of classics, children and YA fiction, and non-fiction and fiction alike on her blog A Comfy Chair and a Good Book. I admire her for her wide range of interests and her inclusion of so many non-fiction books. I need to follow her example.

That's all I have time for right now. There are so many more great blogs out there that I really enjoy but if I don't post this soon, I won't post it at all.

Here are the rules to keep the award moving:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

2009-04-02T20:43:00.005-06:00

Category: Fiction, Historical, YA

Published: 1972

Review: 5/5 stars

I loved this book! Asher Lev, a young Hasidic Jew, tells his story of how be became a great artist and how his gift and the choices that he makes effect the people in his life. I am not an artist but there's a part of me that wants to be one. The way the author, Chaim Potok, describes the drive that Asher has to draw and paint and create is just amazing and makes me wish I had that talent. I could hardly put this book down and it wasn't because the plot was driving me to the finish. I was just fascinated by the characters, the culture and religion, and especially Asher and his relationships with his family and others whom he cares about. I've really enjoyed the books that I've read recently about Jews. I will have to find some more. Any suggestions?

Rating: 1.1.1 I don't remember anything very offensive in this book. It seems like there may have been a little light profanity that I didn't really notice very much. There are some fairly mature themes though and I think an immature teen wouldn't really appreciate this book. Highly recommended.

It's a Mall World After All by Janette Rallison

2009-03-12T09:53:00.003-06:00

Category: Young Adult
Published: 2006
Review: 4/5 stars

I read this book about 6 weeks ago. I have to admit that I don't remember much about it. If that tells you that it's not a very good book, then so be it, but I do remember thinking it was a fun read. The main character is funny and has a pretty good head on her shoulders. This is the kind of book that I will give to my 9 year old daughter to read in a few years. I've seen that Janette Rallison has a lot of books out so I think I will read some more from her. This isn't great literature but it is definitely enjoyable.

Rating: 1.1.1 I can't remember anything objectionable in this fun YA book. Check it out.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

2009-03-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

Category: Modern classic, romance, suspense
Published: 1938, 380 pgs.
Review: 4/5 stars

Our book club read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier back in October with the idea that it was a good one for Halloween. Although it's not especially creepy, there is a sinister feeling to the book. I guess that's why Alfred Hitchcock turned it into a movie. I had tried to read this book when I was a senior in high school. It was an assigned book for my English class and most of the class was struggling to finish it. The night before the test, everyone came to my house and we watched the old Hitchcock version in hopes of getting enough out of it to pass the test. I'm from a really small town and my English teacher's house was just down the block and around the corner. I have a sneaky suspicion that she knew what we were doing. I can't remember what happened with that test. I think I did alright thanks to the movie.

So, this time around, I really read it. And I did enjoy it. I'm not going to say anything about it because if you haven't read and you want to someday, it's better if you don't know anything about it. There is one quote that I just love. I think I can share it without giving anything away.

I am glad it cannot happen twice, the fever of first love. For it is a fever, and a burden, too, whatever the poets may say. They are not brave, the days when we are twenty-one. They are full of little cowardices, little fears without foundation, and one is so easily bruised, so swiftly wounded, one falls to the first barbed word. To-day, wrapped in the complacent armour of approaching middle age, the infinitesimal pricks of day by day brush one but lightly and are soon forgotten, but then--how a careless word would linger, becoming a fiery stigma, and how a look, a glance over a shoulder, branded themselves as things eternal. A denial heralded the thrice crowing of a cock, and an insincerity was like the kiss of Judas. The adult mind can lie with untroubled conscience and a gay composure, but in those days even a small deception scoured the tongue, lashing one against the stake itself.

I can completely identify with that feeling and I think it is so beautifully written. Fun read.

Rating: 1.2.2 (I can't remember exactly what is in this book. There may be a little light profanity and a little violence, thus the 2 ratings.)

A Child's Journey Out of Autism by Leeann Whiffen

2009-02-28T11:35:00.003-07:00

A Child's Journey Out of Autism by Leeann Whiffen will be released by Sourcebooks next week. When I was asked if I wanted to review this book I had no idea that it would be so personal for me. I am so glad that I've had this opportunity.

The book is written by Leeann Whiffen whose second child, Clay, was diagnosed with autism when he was around 2 years old. Whiffen tells her family's story with honesty and candor that I really liked and appreciated. She talks about how she was in denial for a while, how she couldn't say the word "autism" in connection with her son. She also talks about how she looked at friends' normally developing children and feeling bad that her son seemed lost inside this little body that couldn't call her "Mama" and wouldn't look her in the eye. Leeann and her husband, Sean, did everything in their power to help their son with alternative treatments and therapies. Because these treatments were not covered by insurance, they proceeded at great financial risk but knew that they had to do everything they possible could to try to reach their son who seemed to be slipping away more each day.

I found this book to be so hopeful and inspiring. It was so personal to me because although my son doesn't have autism, he does have a significant developmental delay caused by a seizure disorder. I could identify with the struggles that she had in taking care of a much loved son who can't speak to you and who can't do the things that other kids his age can. This book gave me hope and I think it would give hope to all parents who have a child recently diagnosed on the autism spectrum. I think that any mother could enjoy this story of a mother's love and determination to help her child. For me personally, it also helped me to appreciate what I do have; a beautiful loving child who can communicate through some sign language and who loves to give everyone hugs and kisses. I think the emotional disconnect of autism must be the hardest of all to take.

Rating: 1.1.2

Category: Non-fiction

Published: Mar. 1, 2009 336 pages

Review: 4/5 stars

Still Life With Rice by Helie Lee

2009-02-22T18:42:00.003-07:00

Rating: 2.4.3
Category: Memoir
Published: 1997, 320 pages
Review: 4.5/5 stars

Still Life With Rice by Helie Lee is the kind of book that can be a little difficult to read. The accounts of suffering due to war and child abuse are hard to read but without them the book would not give an accurate account of a strong, brave, faithful woman.

This book is written by Helie Lee but mostly in the voice of her grandmother. In the first chapter Helie writes about her frustration with her mother and grandmother who think that Helie has become too Americanized and should be more Korean. Even though she disagrees with them she decides to go back to Korea where she was born. There she meets relatives who revere her grandmother and she can't quite understand why. She decides to find out more about her family history and that is how her grandmother's story comes to be told in this book. After the first chapter the narrative switches to the voice of her grandmother and it begins with her birth in what is now North Korea.

I've mentioned before that I was a missionary in South Korea so this book was especially dear to me. I wish that I had known more about Korea's history before I went over there. They are a very humble but strong people and after reading this book, I can understand why. Though this book doesn't always seem to be really well written, I thought the content made up for it. I really enjoyed learning more about the history and culture of this divided nation but the truly compelling part of the book was the relationships of the family members.

I have friends that have told me that they just can't read a book with child abuse in it and if that is the case for you, I don't recommend this book. That part is just in the beginning but it is heart-breaking, so be forewarned. If you liked Wild Swans or The Good Earth, I highly recommend this book. I thought about both of them as I was reading Still Life With Rice.