Book of the Week

DIVERGENT
(July 30, 2012)

 

I liked this series by Veronica Roth.  It was much better than the matched series by Ally Condie, but not quite as good as Hunger Games.  It has the same futuristic government type of theme.  I would recommend reading these.  I like the humor between the characters, which I have found from reading this year that some authors are really good at it, and others just aren't.  I love a good
sarcastic chemistry between the lead characters.  This has that.  It is also very fast paced.  


INSURGENT
(August 6, 2012)

 

I cannot decide which book I like better.  I think the first two books in this series are equally matched and are great for different reasons.  Read them if you liked Hunger Games...you will like these.  The only bummer is that I have to wait a year for the third book to come out!

 


THE ACTOR AND THE HOUSEWIFE
(August 13, 2012)

 
Ugh.  That's what I think about when I think of this book.  Don't read it.  I feel kind of bad saying that because who I am to judge, I'm not an author.  But this book was so pointless and not even interesting.  It was not fast paced.  It was not beautifully written.  It was just boring and I didn't like the characters.  I started reading it because I found a recommendation for it online but I would never read it again.


AUSTENLAND
(August 20, 2012)

 

Double Ugh.  I did not like this book either.  It is another book by Shannon Hale, and I did not like it either.  It had the same writing style as The Actor and the Housewife. 



THE GOOSE GIRL 
(August 27, 2012)

So, the whole reason I started reading Shannon Hale books is because I had heard that Goose Girl was so great.  While I was waiting for Goose Girl to come in to the library, I read Austenland and The Housewife and the Actor.  I did not want to start Goose Girl after reading those two.  It took me a few days to get motivated but after I did I LOVED IT!!!  Seriously.  I think everyone should read this book.  It is what it is, so I don't want to talk it up.  But, it is positively charming.  It feels like you are reading poetry and it plays out exactly as you would imagine.  Sometimes I just don't like surprises.  I would read this book again.   

 

THE SECRECT LIFE OF BEES
(September 3, 2012)

 

I loved this book too!!  I like books with characters that struggle in life but then reach happiness.  It was a book about compassion and hope. I would recommend this book.  



THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY
(September 10, 2012)

 

Everyone has said that they love this book.  I loved how it was written.  I loved that this book consisted of a bunch of letters written back and forth to the characters in the book.  I loved the main female character in this book, Juliet Ashton.  So classy and eloquent in speech.  She always sought after the more noble things in life.  When I think of her and the way she spoke and conducted herself, I think of strength and beauty.  However, I did not love this book.  I probably wouldn't read it again, except to read the letters that Juliet Ashton wrote. 


FRECKLES
(September 17, 2012)

 

My mom recommended this book to me.  She reads it every year.  I can see why.  It is full of good Christian values.  The main character, Freckles, is so pure that everyone loves him.  He is orphaned but by the end of the book he has a father and the girl of his dreams.  I would recommend this book.


PUMPKIN ROLL
(September 24, 2012) 

 

I had a friend that read a few of these books, so I decided to try them for myself.  I think older women would love these books--the culinary mystery series, as they are called.  There are a bunch of them.  The lead characters are in their 50's or 60's I think.  Basically bad things happen and the lead Character, Sadie Hoffmiller, goes to drastic measures to solve the mystery.  It is a little unbelievable but she does include recipes throughout the book.  They tie into the novels because Sadie loves food and loves to cook food and will talk about food she is cooking that day.  The recipe will then be included at the end of the chapter.  I have yet to try these recipes but they look good!  

 

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE
(October 1, 2012)

 

I liked this book as much as the Pumpkin Roll.  I'm sure every book in the culinary mystery series will have the same tone and feel.  There is a hot chocolate recipe in this book that I am dying to try.   

THE UGLIES 
(October 8, 2012)

 

My sister-in-law and I decided to read this series at the same time and I think we both didn't love it.  It starts out very interesting and the writing is good.  But by the end of the series it's just dumb.  It felt like the author was just trying to stretch out the story as long as possible to make as much money as he could.  The series didn't need to be as long as it was.  It could have been written more concisely and at a faster pace that is typical for a futuristic government type of book.  The concept of the series is interesting.  It is about a civilization that starts out ugly and then when they reach a certain age they have a surgery performed that make them pretty.  The uglies and the pretties are separated from each other and everyone can't wait to become "pretty".  But once you do become pretty, your brain is altered and it makes you not able to think for yourself.

THE PRETTIES
(October 15, 2012)

 

 I liked this one better than the Uglies, but would not recommend even reading the first two books because the last two in the series are so dumb.  
 
THE SPECIALS
(October 22, 2012)

 

  
Not a good read.  Don't even bother.   

THE EXTRAS 
(October 29, 2012)

Definitely not a good read.  The fourth book doesn't even have the main characters from the first three books until the last few chapters.  A whole new story was started (lame!) and basically they try to build a civilization on the moon.  
  

ENSIGN: OCTOBER GENERAL CONFERENCE EDITION
(November 5, 2012)
 

 
LOVE IT!!  READ IT!!


SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE
 (November 12, 2012)

 

I didn't love it.  I probably will not read another book about Flavia De Luce.  It was almost interesting...but not quite.  I feel like it took too long to get to the point of the book.  Flavia's life wasn't interesting enough to me to have to read a whole book about it.  By the end, I didn't even care what the mystery was and who was going to solve it.  I just wanted it to be over.   

BOOK FAILS:

There was so much swearing in this book that I couldn't even get past the first couple of pages.  I think she would be so funny if she wasn't so crude.

 

Book of the Week

  

OUT OF THE DUST

(June 25, 2012)

This book was written in free-verse poem style and I really liked it.  I thought the words were beautiful and the story captured just how hard it was to live in the dust bowl during the depression. 

MATCHED

(July 2, 2012)

This new series by Ally Condie is good.  It is a quick read and feels a lot like the flow of Hunger Games.  I would say the story is a mesh of Hunger Games and The Giver.  It left me wanting to read the second book to find out what happens. 

CROSSED

(July 9, 2012)

The series lost a little bit of it's steam with book 2.  There was a lot of information and not enough suspense.  I would talk about this book with my sis-in-law and we would always say, "If the author only added this, or changed that little part, or led up to it more..."  It was still enough to get me to want to read the third and final book due out in November.  I think it will be her best one of the three.

LADDIE

(July 16, 2012)

My mom recommended this book and it did not disappoint.  Stratton Porter LOVES to give TONS of detail about NATURE which is slightly annoying...but besides that it was really great.  It is full of goodness.  There is nothing bad in this book.  It is an interesting story and the characters in the book are full of integrity and are close to God.  I loved that.  My mom also recommended Freckles by the same author and I have enjoyed reading it thus far.

CHRONICLES OF NARNIA

(July 23, 2012)

I am reading this series to my kids.  Thanks to a recommendation from a friend.  They LOVE these books!!  This is a great series for parents who want to read to their kids every night. 

Book of the Week

INHERITANCE

(June 4, 2012) 

This was the fourth and final book in the Eragon series.  And I liked it.  The third book was probably my favorite.  I loved Roran's character and storyline.  I liked that good conquered evil. It felt like the author threw in a bunch of answers to questions he started earlier in the series at the very end of the book just to tie up loose ends. 

THE WEDNESDAY LETTERS

(June 11, 2012)

I liked this book but didn't like everything about it.  I liked the storyline between Malcolm and Rain.  I think the horrible thing that was uncovered by the letters was a little unbelievable and how quickly all was forgiven was equally unbelievable.  I would have loved this story more if the focus was just Malcom and Rain.  It felt like the author couldn't figure out the focus of the book.

OUTLIERS

(June 18, 2012)

I really enjoyed this book.  I think everyone should read it. 

Book of the Week

PERSUASION
(May 28, 2012)

This is my favorite Jane Austen book.  I love Jane Austen by the way.  I've read this book before but it's been a couple of years and I wanted to read it again.  I am in love with "movie love" and think this book portrays that. 

Book of the Week

BATTLE HYMN OF THE TIGER MOTHER
(May 21, 2012)

I liked this book.  It was very controversial when it first came out and because of that I always have wanted to read it.  It is interesting to see the difference between Chinese parenting and western parenting (as she calls it in the book).  I think her methods are harsh but at the same time her children are amazingly talented geniuses. :) 

Book of the Week

HEAVEN IS HERE
(May 14, 2012)

How could I not read this book?  I've read Stephanie Nielson's blog and love it.  And I loved this book too.  It is what it is.  It's basically a journal of her life right before and up until a year after her accident.  I love that she loves, love. :)  If that makes sense.  She loves her husband.  She loves her children.  She loves God.  It is made clear in this book.  I kind of wanted to know why the plane crashed though (didn't you?!!).  And there was no clear answer in the book.  Also, this book emphasized to me the importance of human interactions and support from family and friends.  She had so much support around her, like a little cocoon of love. 

Book of the Week

MAY 2012 GENERAL CONFERENCE ENSIGN
(MAY 7, 2012)

A few years ago our Relief Society presidency challenged the women in our ward to read the entire General Conference Ensign.  I've read  every General Conference edition since.  I love knowing that we have prophets in our day and age.  The same as it was in the Bible.  I love reading the words and knowing from them that God is real. That He has a plan.  That He loves His children and that through Jesus Christ we can all return and live with him again someday.  When I have days that are hard, that message is sometimes the only thing that can get me through. 

Book of the Week

NUMBER THE STARS
(April 30, 2012)

My son, Trevor, read this in his 3rd class.  He loved it.  I love Lois Lowry and wanted to read it for myself.  I'm glad I did.  I just really like her writing and this book actually had a nice complete finish to it.  It is a book about the Holocaust and the effects of it in Denmark.  It is amazing the bravery and compassion that some people possess.  I think they were able to smuggle over seven thousand Jewish people out of Denmark and into Sweden to safety. 

Book of the Week

MESSENGER
(April 23, 2012)

I really love the way Lois Lowry writes.  I love her style and what she chooses to write about.  Her concepts are always deep and meaningful.  I love that.  I don't love her endings every time, though.  This book would have been SO GOOD had she not stopped writing it in the middle.   The plot was intriguing and different.  The character development was going so well, and then...nothing.  It is as if she ran out of time or energy to finish this book and all of a sudden it just ended. There is so much more to this story that I felt was left unanswered.  But maybe that was the point...I don't know! 

Book of the Week

STAYING TRUE
(April 16, 2012)

I really do like personal stories.  My mom sent this book to me.  It was interesting to read about real struggles and see her overcome them.  I think she wrote this book for herself.  (she may have even said that in the beginning of the book...I can't remember).  But I felt it was a way for her to let everyone know what type of woman she is beyond what they saw of her being married to a politician.  I think she felt like she needed to get it out there that she was a good wife and a good mom.  I hope it brought her peace. 

Book of the Week

THESE IS MY WORDS
(April 9, 2012)

I REALLY liked this book.  I will read more from this author.  I didn't love the ending.  (spoiler) I like things to end happy and this one just didn't.  I liked the flow of this book.  It was easy to get through.  I liked the way the author took the main character and made her go from uneducated to highly educated rather seamlessly.  I liked the main character and I am in love with "movie love" (the kind that can only happen in fairy tales) and this book captured that.

Book of the Week

THE BEAN TREES
(April 2, 2012)



I liked this book. I thought it was interesting and was a quick read. It reminded me that the world is hard but there are people from all walks of life who are good and generous. I liked the personality of the main character. The author, Barbara Kingsolver, also wrote the Poisonwood Bible which was recommended to me as a good book to read a few years ago...I'm interested in reading it now.


SAVING CEECEE HONEYCUTT
(April 9, 2012)


I really enjoyed this book. It was just sweet. I liked it better than The Bean Trees that I had read the week before. I think I am a sucker for happy endings. Especially ones that begin with a sad story. I loved that the beginning of this book was set in Ohio, close to where I live. I knew all the cities that were mentioned and that made it fun to read. I am also a sucker for southern living. Seriously, I should have been born in Savannah, Georgia. It's seems so full of beauty and charm.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

EYES LIKE MINE
(March 26, 2012)



I loved that this story's message was based around LDS pioneer history. It made me want to read more about the early pioneers in our Church's history. In fact, if anyone has suggestions let me know.

The book itself is ok. It isn't very funny, it isn't life-changing. It just is what it is...just a touching book dealing with hard topics.

Book of the Week

BRISINGR
(March 19, 2012)

I LOVED this book. Do I think it is worth it to read the first two books in this series to get to the third? Not necessarily. But I really have liked this book the best so far out of all of them and I can't wait to read book 4! One big huge pet peeve from this series is Saphira. I skipped over the short chapters where the author had her narrate. Her whole personality is just silly to me. In my opinion, dragons are supposed to be strong no matter what gender, and making her into a silly girl isn't doing the series any favors.

Book of the Week

ANGELA'S ASHES
(March 12, 2012)


This is a memoir about the Irish-American author Frank McCourt. I was not a huge fan of this book. I finished reading the book thinking that there was no point to it. He didn't state what he did to overcome his horrible upbringing and I wanted him to. I wanted there to be a point to his book other than him just telling us about his life.

Book of the Week

YEARNING FOR THE LIVING GOD
(March 5, 2012)

"I felt overwhelmed with joy and gratitude that he would feel I was worthy to serve. I was finally in a position to do something to prove to the Lord that I adored Him, that I had become aware of Him, that I had changed my life, and that I was willing to do everything I
could to build His kingdom."
F. Enzio Busche

Just one of the many quotes that I loved from this book. I feel this same way often.

I loved this book. It was basically a book that contained all of one man's life miracles. It was a testament to me that miracles still happen and that God is aware of us and is more powerful than a human being can comprehend. There were stories in this book that I read and re-read because they were so magnificent I had to read it again to believe it. I felt the Spirit while I read this book and many stories brought tears to my eyes. I would want everyone to read this book.

Book of the Week

THE BLESSING OF A SKINNED KNEE
(February 27, 2012)



I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I thought it would be hard to get through, but it wasn't at all. I love this book. I've owned it for a year and didn't want to read it until I could internalize it. That said, I highlighted half the book and loved what I learned. I love that the author used truths that she found through her faith to teach us how to be better, more effective parents. I love that. I love that she took a year off from her career to immerse herself in Judaism. I love that she was determined enough to do that. And, I love that through her secular and religious education, she became an instrument for good in the world. I will probably refer back to this book often.

Book of the Week

THE GIVER
(February 20, 2012)


I know I said I wouldn't read any kid books anymore for a while, but this book caught my eye while I was at the Library. I've heard this title tossed around over the years and remembered the positive feedback I heard. I think it is heavy for a children's book. I think it is sobering. I think it is thought-provoking as an adult. I think it is interesting and I have thought about the book's themes many times since reading it.

I compared the concepts in the Giver to a measure of what Christ had to experience. You'd have to read the book to understand what I am saying, but it made a little more clear to me what Christ felt as he took on the pains of the world. (SPOILER) The giver in the book takes on every memory from every person in the world that has ever lived. Good and bad. The giver starts by sharing really great memories...sledding in the snow, a boat ride, but then reveals harder memories that involve intense emotional and physical pain...and the giver feels it all.

There are two other companion novels to The Giver that I want to read, Gathering Blue, and The Messenger.

I would love to talk to someone about this book!!

Book of the Week

Eldest
(February 13, 2012)



I liked this book a little better than the first. The author added three separate stories into this one and that makes the book move more quickly and becomes more interesting to me. I think the book is good. Not great. But good. Other YA fantasy books that have been recommended to me are: the Chronicles of Narnia series and Mistborn. I'm excited to read these in the future sometime when I'm ready to revisit fantasy.

Book of the Week

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
(February 6, 2012)

I love doing a book challenge because people are so willing to give me recommendations. I LOVE this! I find books that I never would have thought to read but really like. This was one of those. Although it took me 150 pages to really get into it, I thought it was charming. I really enjoyed the main character, Major Pettigrew,and his willingness to cross social boundaries and live life the way he wanted to. I would use the word "sophisticated" to describe this book. I loved the dry, intelligent wit. It was slow at times, but it is cute and light.