9 Books I Will Never Forget

We do not have a lack of reading material in the world. There are so many AMAZING books out in the world! I wish I had time to read all of them. I wish I could put one under my pillow ever night and wake up the next day having the entire book in my memory. Some I might want to forget. Some might leave me thinking about the story/characters/plot for the rest of the day.

For that last list, here are eleven books that I will never forget:

I loved the writing, the people and especially the slow-burn romance.

I lovedlovedloved the relationships in this story!

 911 was an event that shook the world. Millions grieved for the lost of lives in such a hostile act. This book tells the story of a people in Kenya who wanted give what little they had to the American people.

A heavy, enlightening, hopeful book about a mother and the ramifications of a single act of her son. 

I had no inkling of the misery the Chinese went through under Mao. The depravity, the deaths of scholars, teachers, poets; basically anyone smarter and more creative disappeared. Nien Cheng survived.

What if dragons didn't horde gold? What if they horded shoes...and poodles? I loved the way this story made me think differently.

 
Audrey was in the Netherlands when the Germans invaded. The people naively thought that they would be left alone, just like during WWI. They were terrifyingly wrong.

The story of the author's 10th great grandmother, who was tried and hung for being a witch in Salem. 
This story hurt my heart and made me wonder if I would be part of those who would condemn or be condemned?

The arrogance of man thinking he is the one to change people for the better good, but can't even grow squash because he is too quick to judge and believe he is God.

11 Books that will hook you from the opening line

 
Opening line:
One year after the fire, my doctor removes my mask and tells me to get a life." 

Not only does the opening line hook the reader, the rest of the story about this survivor is hard to put down.

Opening line:

"It was my aunt who decided to give me to the dragon."

We think we know so much about dragons and how they horde gold and treasures. But what about the dragon who hordes shoes? Or poodles? 

 

Opening line:
"Morning light shimmers on the apricot horizon as I stand at the place where my baby boy rests."

Oh, my heart. 

Set in Philadelphia, in the middle of WWI, and right before the Spanish flu epidemic. There is so much beauty and pain in the sentences this masterful storytellers weaves. 
 

Opening line:

"A ten-point buck and a dead body make the same sound when they hit the forest floor."

 What the?? Yup. This is a great young adult whodunit told from the killer's view point and the the AG intern.

Opening line:
"The day I came squealing and squalling into the world was the first time someone tried to kill me."

I call this a Civil War alternate reality, where the soldiers turn into zombies and the slaves learn combat and how to put the dead down. 

(I listened to this on Audible and LOVE the narrator!). 

Opening line:

"The summer is made for stoop-sitting

and since it's the last week before school starts,

Harlem is opening its eyes to September."

I know a lot of people don't like a book in verse BUT guys! This one is amazing! 

  Opening line:
"It was raining the day Suki came to the Palace of the Sun, and it was raining the night that she died."

Shapeshifter, Samurai and demons...what's not to like??

Opening line:

"My father took one hundred and thirty-two minutes to die."

Three things I loved about this book:
1. Relationships
2. Jonah Griggs
3. Ending

 

Opening line:

"I did not set out to ruin my sister's debut."

Basically, the main character meets family she's never met, makes friends with people she shouldn't have and finds herself in the middle of a revolution.

Opening line:

"The early summer sky was the color of cat vomit."

Oh man, that is a very visual opening. The whole book is visually written. And sometimes, being pretty isn't what you think it is.

Opening line:

"It took seven years to get the letter right."

My advice on this book: don't try and figure anything out, just read and enjoy. Then maybe reread once you figure everything out.

Do you have any suggestions for more amazing/jaw-dropping/stunning opening lines??

PRINCESS of the SILVER WOODS by Jessica Day George

When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse. The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all.

Last line:
""It's for mine.""

Sadness!
This is the last book of the princess series by Jessica Day George.
I enjoyed this latest installment! Petunia is 'accidently' kidnapped by bandits but secrets are revealed, hearts touched and Petunia is taken to the place she was headed before she was kidnapped.
But more secrets are revealed! So many people aren't what they seem but through it all Petunia isn't afraid, until the nightmares of King Under Stone return.
The princes need brides! And the princesses of Westfalin are who the princes are going to marry. Unless, the princesses and a few of their husbands can stop the Under Stone King and his brothers. I kinda expected the princes to hurry and marry the princesses once they were all underground. I would have liked the husbands/betrothed to have to break up a huge wedding. And maybe one of the bad princes could turn good and actually be able to go out in the sunlight.
Red Riding Hood shows up as does the wolf and the huntsman.


Rating: PG
V: Some fighting, shooting, stabbing
L: No
S: Kissing

Liked:
The whole series
Petunia


Disliked:
A couple of poor edits
A few loose stroytelling threads

4 STARS

Princess in Glass by Jessica Day George

The engrossing companion novel to Princess of the Midnight Ball, with a wicked twist on Cinderella.

Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other’s countries in the name of better political alliances—and potential marriages. It’s got the makings of a fairy tale—until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.

How does Jessica Day George write great stories over and over again? True, she's writing stories that all children know and are told as fairy tales, but Ms. George does it with great imagination and carefully plotted twists. Her characters jump off the page as real people and their lives are believable even if fantasy.
Princess in Glass is no exception.
Poppy is a princess that lived through a terrible fate of dancing every night in an enchanted castle. After a servant set her and her sisters free, Poppy, now 16, leaves her kingdom for another in a political attempt to being all the kingdoms together.
While there, Poppy finds a mystery, handsome prince, friends and her own inner strength. Plus, she has to dance though she vowed never to do so again.
I loved Poppy! She's spirited, flawed, funny and kind. She curses like a warrior thanks to her brothers-in-law (but the book never has the swear words), she can fight and shot a gun plus dance gracefully.
Every character has their own story and are believable. They only character that didn't get enough page time is the godmother. I would've liked to see more of her personality she I could be taken in by her.
Ms. George weaves a new story of Cinderella, cinders and glass slippers. Or Eleanora as she was known in the castles she was hired to work. Poor Eleanora can't cook, clean, wash or iron without catastrophe.
The story line of Poppy and Eleanora twists seamlessly together and both must show their strengths.
And in the end, the handsome prince must slip the glass shoe on his true love.
This book is one of my new favorite fairy tale retelling. I recommend it as a summer read-outloud book for your family.
Good job, Jessica! I'm waiting for your next book!

Rating: PG
V: Evil godmother
L: None
S: None