Fame, Glory, and Other Things on My To Do List

Okay, this is the greatest book. I am not usually a big fan of Young Adult Fiction, but this one had me reliving High School and laughing out loud! The main character reminded me a bit of one of my best friends in High School Robyn. Mostly because of her nack to fill her life with embarrassing moments.

I just got to see West Side Story at Highland High School last month so it was fresh in my head as I read this book. I think that made it all the funnier as the characters in Fame, Glory and Other Things... put on a very unique version of West Side Story. Honestly I was laughing out loud so hard that I was crying and my nose was running!

Janette Rallison is definitely one I will seek out again.

Home Below Hell's Canyon

The Survivors

This book is a flop!
Okay so the first day I got this book from the Library, I read the first 200 pages without putting it down. It was riveting and nail biting. I actually said to Lance as we were getting ready for bed, " I don't want to quit reading, this is a great story."
Well morning came and the book failed miserably. It went from a subtle LDS Fiction with great action to a slow paced theological comment on a secret society of the pure descendants of the Nephites?. or something like that. Too Strange, Too Slow, Too Lame, and Too Convenient to keep up the original stories tempo. Which is all really Too Bad because Luke did have a good thing going.
FLOP

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

This novelwas very intriguing, disturbing and intense. It makes you question every move you make as a parent and look at all those tormented kids in high school with new open eyes.

Very Short Synopsis: A tormented 17 year old kid opens fire on his high school for 19 minutes after years of being bullied. The story follows his youth and his trial. The novel looks at the relationships between parent and child and different peer groups.

BUT... I would NOT recommend this book. It used the "f" word about 300 times and had several 'teen sex episodes.' I was looking for another novel by this author called My Sister's Keeper, but when the library did not have it in, I picked up this one. Picoult is a great writer and keeps you glued, but as someone who does not have a TV in my home and does not watch R rated movies, I was not prepared for the language and content.

The Operative by William Boyd Gardner

FBI operative goes undercover to save an FBI operative in Iran who has been captured.

It sounds more exciting than is was, but it had some interesting turns and a very slight rekindling love story between an estranged husband and wife.

I probably will not pick up another one by this author.

Echoes by N. C. Allen

Okay, not Mrs. Allens forte. She should stick to Historical Fiction.

She is a wonderful writer notheleless, so the story moved quickly and kept you interested. But it was a lot like reading a very clean Soap Opera. Amnesia, money, stumbling accross your identical twin that you didn't know you have, someone always trying to kill you, etc.

Not a bad read if you are looking for a fun almost thrilling, almost romantic read.

Letters for Emily

Loved this novel. In fact I don't even want to loan it to anyone because I want it for future reference. I have never reread a novel right after finishing it but his one I did. I flipped back the the first chapter and then for three nights read parts of it to Lance as he appeased my enthusiasm and drifted off to sleep.

It was beautiful and hopeful and uplifting. The kind of novel you will read and read again!

Through the Perilous Fight

10 10 10

This is the very best series I have ever read. I felt a little hallow when I finished it. I will miss the characters, their wisdom, strength, and growth. And I will forever have a deep respect for those who lived through the trials of the civil war on both fronts.

It was sobering and educational. I would recommend this series to anyone!

To Make Men Free

Pg 14 "It was ironic, he supposed, to be looking for peace while going to war, but the peace he sought was internal."

Wow. This series is easily one of the best I have ever read. Now I have only finished book 2 of 4 so that is a little premature, but wow.

When Lance and I sold pest control in New Orleans, LA several years ago, we went to tour a beautiful plantation home called Oak Alley. At the time, I was fascinated by the architecture and the perfect restorative condition of the main house. I remember reading a little about the slaves and viewing some of the outhouses, but now I would love to visit again with the history and viewpoint of this book in my mind. I know I would have an entirely different visit after reading this novel.

Allen, the author, spent much time reading personal narratives, journals and accounts of people who lived through the ever changing, dramatic years of the civil war and it is as if those people come alive again through her thoughtfully constructed characters. She is so devoted to historical accuracies that when, for the sake of the story, she changes events even slightly she notes the chapter and the actual history in the back of each novel.

I can't get enough of these novels and the second I finished this one was back to the library to pick up the third book.

Allen's eloquent and descriptive writing at times leaves you holding your breath, angry, tearful, shocked, proud, hurt, dismayed, downright gleeful and on and on.

The Sound of Rain

This is a fast cozy read that at times is a little to highschoolly and scripted. The authors favorite line between the two main characters is "Oh, Jayson" "I love you." And it never does get deeper than that. At times it moved so slowly that I found myself just reading the dialouge and skipping large portions of text.
With that rant out of the way, however, I did find myself liking the book in the end. I know I would have loved it in High School. The story was predictable and that is what made it cozy. One thing I loved about the book was Jayson's mother had an uncaning ability to talk her son through some of life's biggest trials with such maturity and strength of mind. I found myself thinking when Calista is in Highschool I might read this again and committ some of her advice to memory.
Although this is an LDS Author, there was only one mention of the LDS church and it was quickly dismissed. This is the first book of five in the story of Jayson Wolfe and my guess is the next book will delve into religion a little more.

I interupted the Faith of our Father's series to read The Sound of Rain bcause I couldn't get my hands on the second FOOF book for about a week. So I probably won't pick up book two of the Jayson Wolfe series untill I have finished the FOOF which is compelling and deep and very good.

Faith of Our Fathers A House Divided

Coming

The Rescue

This is the first Nicholas Sparks book I have ever read. He is also the author of A Walk to Remember and The Notebook, two of my favorite romance movies so I had high expectations as I began The Rescue. Late LDS Prophet, President Hinckley's wife once said when asked why her marriage was such a success, because she kept her expectations low. Maybe if that had been the case I would have liked this novel a little better.

The story itself was also just a little too dramatic and very predictable. The novel was fairly clean with the exception of a couple of intimate pages between two unweds. It seems like the story had far too many "special" moments. I love to love the characters and care about them, but I found the only characters that I loved were sub character Judy, the mom, and Kyle the 4 year old 'slow' son. I didn't care much for the two main characters.

Although I have to give it some credit, it made me cry once which says something about the authors ability to invoke some emotion.

Before the Dawn

Looking for a fast uplifting read that makes you feel fortunate about your lot in life? It's about Leah, an unlikely Relief Society President in the early 30s during the heart of the Depression. I love Leah because I identify with her character so much! I love Dean Hughes. He writes with exact historical accuracy and is an amazing writer. I love the way he thinks! This book I will read again.

It takes about 250 pages to even know what the book is about- a time machine and a river???- and I am not looking forward to the year wait until next summer when the next book comes out, but it was intriguing and kept me glued and then left me hanging... until next year! So to the avid Twighlight readers, this might be a good one for you, I think it was the author of Twighlight who reccommended it on her blog. Magnum is a first time author and her style of wrighting is a little rigid and her character's dialouge seems too scripted; maybee her next one will be a little more refined. I am interested enough to seek it out next summer.

Saboteur

I loved this novel, the only thing missing is a Volume Number 2. Not that it needs it, but because Hughes makes you fall in love with the story wishing it would never end. I am a sucker for Historical Fiction. I was going to minor in History, but found myself a little bored with the dry way it comes across in a classroom. Hughes spends a lot of time and effort to get things Historically correct. It's like you are listening to your Grandfather (if he was an amazing storyteller like mine was) tell the stories of his youth. Seeing World War Two through the characters eyes as if they actually lived it. Military Strategy, Battles, Home life all described as accurately as possible through an amazing story that will thrill you, make you cry, fall in love, and learn the history of our Country in a unique, interesting, and fun way.

Where Are You Now?

Okay, so I picked out this novel by Mary Higgins Clark because I so thouroughly enjoyed Just Take My Heart. This one, however was a let down. It's about a young man named Mack who mysteriously went missing when it seemed he had his whole life ahead of him. He vanished except for one thing... He calls every mother's day. The novel is his little sister's personal search to find him, but she gets herself in over her head. The ending was too sensational and the suspence lacked the momentum to carry me through the novel. I found myself annoyed by the ending and this will be the last novel I pick up of Clark's for a while

Just Take My Heart

So this book takes the cake. I haven't read anything for a very long time, but the other day, while visiting a friend Ms. Donahoo, I noticed that she had a children's book by Mary Higgins Clark on her coffee table. Clark was one of my favorite authors as a teenager but I hadn't read any of her novels for about 10 years. I was very surprised that she was writing children's books and it peeked my interest. Mrs. Donahoo had one of her latest novels in her personal library and graciously loaned it to me. I was hesitant to take it because I thought I had no time for reading anymore. After all I hadn't read a book since college.

Well, when I got home I flipped open and read the first page and then the next and the next. I was consumed in the story in a matter of minutes. It pulls you along its twist and turns, through a vicious legal battle where you fall in love with the prosecutor, Emily and fear her neighbor, Zachary, a psychopath murderer.

I love how that book embraces and explains the title of the book at the very end, griping you to the very last page.

This book I fully credit with bringing my love of reading back to the surface!