WONDER by R.J. Palacio

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

Hardcover, Books for Young Readers, 315 pages

Published February 14th 2012 by Knopf

First line:
"I know I'm not an ordinary ten-year-old kid."

This is a story that grade school children should read or have read to them. It teaches tolerance, kindness and inclusiveness.
August, or Auggie, was born with a cleft palate and or facial deformities. His mom homeschooled him but in this 5th grade year, they (parents and son) decided to mainstream him. Of course they are all worried. The principal asks a few students to be Auggie's friends and show him around school.  The kids are typical in their reactions and responses to him: shock, surprise, bullying, meanness, ignorance. For the most part, they try to help him and soon Auggie finds he has a couple of good friends.
Through most of the book I was having a hard time sympathizing with Auggie. Perspectives and characters were on the extreme ends, it seemed. Maybe to help middle graders really grasp what is being taught?  As I read I felt talked down to a bit but I think I understood better why as I read.
My favorite scene was the camp scene.
I also enjoyed the chapters that were told from a different perspective.



Rating: PG
V: No
L: No
S: No

Liked:
The Journey
Teaching without preaching

Disliked:
The beginning

3 1/2 STARS

ALL OUR YESTERDAYS (Cassandra Chronicles #1) by Cristin Terrill

You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

Hardcover, 368 pages

Expected publication: September 3rd 2013 by Disney Hyperion

First line:
"I stare at the drain in the center of the concrete floor."

3 things about this book:

1. Time travel
2. List
3. Triangles

Time travel blows my mind. This book wasn't too much over the top trying to explain what time travel is all about. James is smart, talented and driven. He has lost too many people in his life and wants to find a way to change the past. Time travel is the answer since he has come up with a formula.
Marina and James have been neighbors, and friends, since they were young. Marina wonders how long she's been in love with him. And what she will do to protect and help him. Even going back in time to save him. Armed with a list of... I can't tell you because it would spoil the story. :)
Finn is a friend of James. Marina doesn't like Finn because he makes James attention divided between the two of them.
But the past can change a person and the future isn't always kind. Some say a monster and a saint lurks inside of us all, but it's the one we feed that thrives. This story shows clearly how greed and love and pain can change what we were because of the beast we feed. Love triangles, futuristic triangles, and plot triangles weave throughout the book. I liked how it didn't take until the end of the book to figure out the bad guy.
It was hard to put this book down. This book is not a standalone but it wasn't a cliffhanger. I felt the ending was solid.


Rating: PG 15
V: Fighting, someone getting tazed, threatening to kill,
S: kissing
L: Some swearing, a couple of "F" bombs

Liked:
Interesting storyline
Finn

Disliked:
*sigh* it's a trilogy


4 STARS
Thanks, Netgalley

THE ORIGINALS by Cat Patrick

17-year-olds Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey Best grew up as identical triplets... until they discovered a shocking family secret. They're actually closer than sisters, they're clones. Hiding from a government agency that would expose them, the Best family appears to consist of a single mother with one daughter named Elizabeth. Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey take turns going to school, attending social engagements, and a group mindset has always been a de facto part of life...

Then Lizzie meets Sean Kelly, a guy who seems to see into her very soul. As their relationship develops, Lizzie realizes that she's not a carbon copy of her sisters; she's an individual with unique dreams and desires, and digging deeper into her background, Lizzie begins to dismantle the delicate balance of an unusual family that only science could have created.

First line:
"My part is first half."

How would you like to be a set of triplets who were identical but you really weren't triplets but three different people who had to act/dress/date like one person and really you were a clone?
That's what I thought.
The mind reels with the possibilities and implications of illegal human cloning. In this story, many lives are touched, and torn, by this science.
There are three girls whose mom have taken them deep into hiding to get away from "them" meaning the government. In order to protect the girls, they have to act like one person. One person doesn't stand out but three do, obviously. One girl takes the morning shift and goes to school for a few periods, the next finish school and the third goes to night school.
Then there is the mystery of how or who created them. And why?


Rating:
V: No
L: No
S: Kissing

Liked:
Unique story

Disliked:
Hurried or let down ending? I can't decide.

ANDY SMITHSON: BLAST OF THE DRAGON'S FURY by LRW Lee

From the After Life, ten-year-old Andy Smithson’s relatives initiated a curse 500 years ago. Now they no longer agree it should continue and one is willing to sacrifice Andy’s life to end it. Unaware of the disagreement and with no say in the matter, Andy is unexpectedly and magically transported from his home. He finds himself in the Land of Oomaldee, facing mortal danger at every turn as he seeks to find a scale from a rare red dragon, the most ferocious of dragon species, to break the curse and save his life.

First line:
As soon as Imogenia died, the spirits that manage new arrivals escorted her to the terminal just inside the cemetery grounds in the land of Oomaldee."

 Dragons, magic and time travel. This book has everything a middle grade reader, especially a boy, will love!

OUTPOST (Razorland #2) by Ann Aguirre

Deuce’s whole world has changed.

Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn't fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.

To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide.

Hardcover, 317 pages

Published September 4th 2012 by Feiwel & Friends

First line:
"I woke to the cold kiss of steel on my throat."

I'm not sure why I picked this series up. I'm not really a zombie person. I haven't really enjoyed the zombie books or movies. I think I'm drawn to the worlds in Ms. Aguirre's stories and how each place functions and survives, their rules and order.
Deuce was born underground in tunnels. It was a harsh environment. In order to survive you had to be able to literally look death in the face. You had to be able to kill. Deuce became a Huntress at fifteen. Her job was to patrol for Freaks (zombies) and kill them.
Something happened and Deuce and her hunting partner, Fade, had to leave the Enclave and go Topside. They had obstacles and adventures and almost died and were saved and in OUPOST, they live in a town called Salvation.
In Salvation you don't have to fight to live. Everyone has a house and plenty of food. Behind their wood walls, they feel safe from the Muties (zombies). Deuce tries to fit in. She's given dresses to wear and her foster mom, Momma Oaks, braids her hair. And Deuce is expected to go to school. But Deuce isn't cut out to be a girlie girl or sit quietly in a school room. She is trained to fight and that is what she wants to do. BUT their are townspeople who think Deuce is trouble and bringing sin and punishment on their town. 
Deuce grows and changes and becomes better throughout the story, especially in matters of the heart. She has a lot of hard choices to make too but she stays true to her character. There was some parts that she kept going over and over how she's an outcast and she's trying to fit in; it got a little annoying but nothing major.
Fade and Stalker are interesting characters and it was intriguing to read about them and their choices.
And the zombies! Interesting, interesting. I really can't wait to see how this series ends with HORDE this October.

Rating: PG 15
V: fighting zombies, blood and gore, brutal killings
L: No
S: lots of kissing

Liked:
World building
Duece
Momma Oaks
A good second book in trilogy

Disliked:
Constantly reminding reader of her being outcast


4 STARS

JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta

Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham 17, finally confronts her past. Hannah, the closest adult she has to family, disappears. Jonah Griggs, moody stares and all, is back in town. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future.

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

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

Told in two narratives: one earlier, one twenty-two years later,  I was emotionally drawn into the story of five kids tied by tragedy and of Taylor Markham. I was also confused in the beginning trying to figure out where everyone fit in but it worked. I loved it.
First person was a good choice for this story. Taylor had a strong voice and emotions. I loved her tough girl persona and her weaknesses. All the characters were strong and weak. Ben, Raffy, Santangelo, Jessa, they are in our schools and neighborhoods. And best friends. After reading this I wanted a group of best friends, like Tate and Narnie and Jude had. Jude. Love that name and character (Jude Law might be influencing my love of the name). 
Jonah was not the typical boy with a dark past character. He does have a dark past but he is also vulnerable and sweet. I liked the way he took care of Taylor.
So many books feel rushed at the end but this one built up and finished well--all loose ends tied up, almost all the stories were told and finished up.

I have to admit I was moved to tears a couple of times reading this book. This doesn't happen to me often. There were also plenty of times that I giggled.

Rating: PG 16
V: No
L: Swearing
S: Kissing, reference to sex

Liked: 
Generational mystery
Cover significance 
Jonah Griggs
Relationships
Solid ending

Disliked:
Swearing

4 1/2 STARS

JACOB OF AVONDALE by P. Craig Packer

 The king’s servant, Jacob, makes a shocking discovery in a secret room. What he finds could change his life forever. Witness the transformation of a commoner into a conqueror in Jacob of Avondale.
As Jacob reached the top of the staircase with the tray of soiled food still in hand, he heard a strange whispering coming from the room near the far end of the hall. In all of the years that Jacob had been a servant in the castle, he had never seen the inside of that room. He saw the court jester standing near the far wall with his back to the door. The little man seemed to be profoundly captivated by something and was whispering in an eerie, monotone voice.

The tyrannical reign of King Humphrey and Queen Millicent has inspired growing discontent among the people of Avondale. Few hold out hope for any change.

The king’s servant Jacob, an orphan who’s seen little beyond the castle walls, makes a shocking discovery in a secret room. What he finds could change his life and the future of Avondale forever. Jacob’s newly acquired treasure launches an epic journey for him and his friends, Princess Catherine, Raoul, and Elizabeth.

To restore the kingdom to its former glory, he’ll need to locate the five missing components of an ancient artifact. Along the way, he must defeat ferocious beasts, summit mountains, and journey to the depths of a vast and frigid lake if his expedition is to be successful.

But is a lowly servant up to such a task? Witness the transformation of a commoner into a conqueror in Jacob of Avondale

First line:
“You pick that up right now!” echoed the queen’s voice from down the long, dimly lit hallway as she disappeared around the corner.


Rating:
L:No
V:Some fighting
S:no

Liked:

Disliked:

CLOCKWORK ANGEL(The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Orphan Tessa Gray, sixteen, crosses the ocean from New York to find her brother Nate in Victorian London, her only possession a clockwork angel necklace from her mother. She is ignorant of her power to transform; the Dark sisters are not. They kidnap her for the Magister, who wants to marry Tessa and claim her power.

Shadowhunters, warriors of angel blood, battle demons and keep the peace in the Downworld of vampires, warlocks and other supernaturals. Orphan teen Shadowhunters Jem, Will, and Jess rescue Tessa and agree to help save Nate. Vengeful vampire Lady Camille Belcourt and her current lover, warlock Magnus Bane provide entrée to the Magister's secret Pandemonium Club.


First line:
"London, April 1878. The demon exploded in an shower of and guts."

How? How does Ms. Clare keep me reading her books? Sigh.

Rating: PG 13
S: No. Tensions
L: No
V: Fighting, intense images of death and paranormals

Liked:
Will
Jem
 

Disliked:


4 STARS

THE ROSE THRONE by Mette Ivie Harrison

Richly-imagined fantasy romance from the author of Princess and the Hound, a tale of two princesses--one with magic, one with none--who dare seek love in a world where real choice can never be theirs. For fans of Megan Whalen Turner, Catherine Fisher, and Cassandra Clare.

Ailsbet loves nothing more than music; tall and red-haired, she's impatient with the artifice and ceremony of her father's court. Marissa adores the world of her island home and feels she has much to offer when she finally inherits the throne from her wise, good-tempered father. The trouble is that neither princess has the power--or the magic--to rule alone, and if the kingdoms can be united, which princess will end up ruling the joint land? For both, the only goal would seem to be a strategic marriage to a man who can bring his own brand of power to the throne. But will either girl be able to marry for love? And can either of these two princesses, rivals though they have never met, afford to let the other live?

First line:
""Princess Ailsbet, you father demands you attendance at court this morning," said Duke Kellin of Falcorn, bowing."

This is a story of magic and romance and palace intrigue. Two princesses, from two different kingdoms might be the only chance the countries have of uniting, both in their magic and their lands. Both are betrothed and one falls in love with the wrong man. 
The story is told from two different view points: Ailsbet and Marissa. One has the appropriate magic and one supposedly has none. How will this affect relationships?
This is a quick, clean read. The characters were pretty well written. I wanted to slap the prince or at least put him in time out; the king is a bully; both princesses are strong and weak in their own ways. Kellin could have been fleshed out.
I could not understand the magic system for a long time. I wish that would have been explained a little more.

Rated: PG
V: Poisonings 
L: No
S: Kissing

Liked:
Duke Kellin

Disliked:
Trilogy


3 STARS


 

THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS (MISTER MAX #1) by Cynthia Voigt

Max Starling's theatrical father likes to say that at twelve a boy is independent. He also likes to boast (about his acting skills, his wife's acting skills, a fortune only his family knows is metaphorical), but more than anything he likes to have adventures. Max Starling's equally theatrical mother is not a boaster but she enjoys a good adventure as much as her husband. When these two disappear, what can sort-of-theatrical Max and his not-at-all theatrical grandmother do? They have to wait to find out something, anything, and to worry, and, in Max's case, to figure out how to earn a living at the same time as he maintains his independence. This is the first of three books, all featuring the mysterious Mister Max.

 

Hardcover, 1st ed, 400 pages

Expected publication: September 10th 2013 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

First line:
"On a bright Sunday morning in the early years of the last century, a bellhop from the Hotel Excelsior knocked at the front door of 5 Thieves Alley, the home of William and Mary Starling of the Starling Theatrical Company, and their son, Maximilian."

A rollicking good story with mystery and solutions.
Max's parents left him while they went to live in a palace and perform. Well, Max was left accidentally. Luckily, Max's grandma lived just behind the Starling's home and was there to help Max not be a loner at the age of twelve.
Middle grade readers will enjoy this book with Max as the main character. His partner later in the book is Pia and she's a fun and fast-talking partner to Max who isn't a detective but finds solutions to problems.
Max's parents are well-known actors and own their own company and theater. When Max is left to almost live on his own, he has access to his father's costumes and acts the parts that he has seen so many times. When he needs to be a detective, he wears a certain costume or when he needs to look the part of a teacher, he wears those clothes that suit the situation.
And Max is able to solve several mysteries with his quick thinking and smarts. It was fun to try and guess the outcome of the mysteries. This is why I know middle grade readers and up will enjoy this book. It might also be fun as a book to read out loud.
This is the first book in the series and has a cliffhanger.

Rating: G
V: No
S: No
L: No

Liked:
Max
Solutions
Cover

Disliked:
Adults who couldn't see past Max's costumes (I do realize this is MG and will appeal to MG readers)
Cliffhanger

Thanks, netgalley!

4 STARS

MRS. POE by Lynn Cullen

A vivid and compelling novel about a woman who becomes entangled in an affair with Edgar Allan Poe—at the same time she becomes the unwilling confidante of his much-younger wife.

It is 1845, and Frances Osgood is desperately trying to make a living as a writer in New York; not an easy task for a woman—especially one with two children and a philandering portrait painter as her husband. As Frances tries to sell her work, she finds that editors are only interested in writing similar to that of the new renegade literary sensation Edgar Allan Poe, whose poem, “The Raven” has struck a public nerve.

She meets the handsome and mysterious Poe at a literary party, and the two have an immediate connection. Poe wants Frances to meet with his wife since she claims to be an admirer of her poems, and Frances is curious to see the woman whom Edgar married.

As Frances spends more and more time with the intriguing couple, her intense attraction for Edgar brings her into dangerous territory. And Mrs. Poe, who acts like an innocent child, is actually more manipulative and threatening than she appears. As Frances and Edgar’s passionate affair escalates, Frances must decide whether she can walk away before it’s too late...

Set amidst the fascinating world of New York’s literati, this smart and sexy novel offers a unique view into the life of one of history’s most unforgettable literary figures.

Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: October 1st 2013 by Gallery Books (first published September 10th 2013)

First line
"When given bad news, most women of my station can afford to slump onto their divans, their china cups slipping from their fingers to the carpet, their hair falling prettily from its pins, their fourteen starched petticoats compacting with a plush crunch."

Three things about this book:
1. Depressing
2. Bleak
3. Edgar Allen Poe


Franny's husband has left her alone in the world with no money and two children. A dear friend invites Franny's little family to live with them. Someone in society has decided to put on artistic gatherings where rich and poor alike can mingle and enjoy educational presentations. Franny goes and there she meets the mystery author of "THE RAVEN" whom everyone raves about.
Franny soon falls in love with "Eddie" who happens to be married. It seems he shares her affections. And while they try to be discreet with their outward demonstrations, many see through their hidings, even Poe's wife. 
Ms. Cullen had a good way of keeping the reader wondering about the sanity of the main three characters. I was also pulled in by the literary scene in New York 1845. Franny drops names through out the story from this era (like Louisa May Alcott), which I thought was fun. But overall, this book is a bit depressing. No one really gets what they want.
The ending was sad but justified.
Readers have to remember that this story is fiction, so take it all with a grain of salt.

Rating: PG 17
L: No
S: Kissing, affair
V: No

Liked:
Interesting story

Disliked:
Ending
Depressing

31/2 STARS

Amazing August Author Event!

I think I'm going to start my Christmas shopping early (hope to see you there!):

NOWHERE GIRL by A.J. Paquette

Luchi Ann only knows a few things about herself: she was born in a prison in Thailand. Her American mother was an inmate there. And now that her mother has died, Luchi must leave the only place she's ever known and set out into the world. Neither at home as a Thai, because of her fair skin and blond hair, nor as a foreigner, because of her knowledge of Thai life and traditions, Luchi feels as though she belongs nowhere. But as she embarks on an amazing adventure-a journey spanning continents and customs, harrowing danger and exhilarating experiences-she will find the family, and the home, she's always dreamed of. Weaving intricate elements of traditional Thailand into a modern-day fairy tale unique unto itself, Nowhere Girl is a beautifully rendered story of courage, resilience, and finding the one place where you truly belong.

First line:
"For the first time in days, I hear voices."

Luchi is born in a Thai prison to an American mother who is hiding from her past. Her mother dies and Luchi has to go into the world, by herself (that was disturbing to me. A little girl, alone in Thailand??). But the warden's son takes her to Bankock, where Luchi claims her family lives. There are obstacles along the way, which are sometimes conventiently taken care of.
People also showed up who helped and hindered Luchi. And sometimes that help was convenient too.
The ending felt too quick and, uh, well, convenient. It was a happy ending.
BUT this is a good book! Ms. Paquette has a beautiful writing style. I did enjoy it and I know middle grade readers would enjoy it as well.



Rated: PG
V: No
S: No
L: No

Liked: 
Book Cover
Luchi's growth

Disliked:
Last confrontation
Ending
 
3  STARS

HOW TO DELIVER A TED TALK by Jeremey Donovan

How To Deliver A TED Talk" is a complete guide for creating presentations that inspire others through your story. Based on intensive study of the most popular TEDTalks, this step-by-step playbook shows you how to select your topic, craft your narrative, master your delivery, and refine your design.

First line:
"Spread your ideas"

Good book with tips to help anyone deliver a good and motivating talk. A quick read.

Thanks to netgalley

4 STARS

SAVING WISHES (THE WISHES SERIES #1) by G.J. Walker-Smith

For Charli Blake, being seventeen is a tough gig.
She's been branded a troublemaker, her reputation is in tatters and she's stuck in Pipers Cove, a speck of a town on the coast of Tasmania.
Thankfully, it's temporary. Her lifelong dream of travelling the world is just months away from becoming reality. All she has to do is ride out the last few months of high school, which is easier said than done thanks to a trio of mean girls known as The Beautifuls.
When Adam Décarie arrives in town, all the way from New York, life takes an unexpected turn. His arrival sets off a chain of events that alters her life forever, convincing her of one thing. Fate brought him to her.
Saving Wishes is the story of a girl who doesn't quite fit the life she's living, and the boy who helps her realise why.

First line: 
"Alex, my brother, sometimes calls me wicked."


Charli wants to leave her home as soon as she graduates. The island she lives on is too small for her adventurous soul. She doesn't see herself as talented and yet, one of her pictures brings a stunning man, Adam, to the island.
Adam and Charli hit it off quick and hard and fast. Too fast for me. Adam seemed to stablize Charli even as you tried to resist the pull.
Charli's brother has taken care of her since their mother died. He owns a diner where Charli and her friend work. 
Charli made a big mistake when she was younger and some of her peers won't let her forget it. And they are jealous of the attention Adam is giving to her. 
All of these plots weave in and out of the story as we read about Charli, her actions and decisions. And her best choice comes at the end of the book. She makes an unselfish/selfish decision. 



Rating: PG 16
S: innuendos, kissing, making out,
V: bullies
L: A few words

Liked:
Charli's spunk
Book cover


Disliked:
love at first sight
Weird familial twist
Trilogy

Thanks to netgalley for the copy

2 STARS 

HOOKED by Liz Fichera

When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.

But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.

But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile...

GET HOOKED ON A GIRL NAMED FRED.

First line:
"I believed that my ancestors lived among the stars."

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. 
Fred is your typical girl who feels she is not special and no way could any boy fall for her. 
Ryan is the typical hot boy who everyone loves. He's also a star player on the school golf team. 
Their two worlds intersect when Fred is invited to play on the all-boy golf team. And she's good. Better-than-all-the-boys good. Which doesn't fly for the other teammates.
And, she's a Native American who lives on the reservation, or rez, in a trailer and who's dad is the groundskeeper for the local golf course.
I really enjoyed reading about Fred and her heritage. I love how her friends and family watched over each other and took care of each other. 
Ryan's life is the contrast to Fred's.
I enjoyed some differences with this YA romance compared to others:
1. Fred was a girl.
2. Fred's passion was golf, and she was good.
3. Fred was Native American.

Fred was an intriguing character. But Ryan had the most growth I think. He stood up for Fred several times. I wish we could have read more about Ryan and Fred's relationship and their interactions.  A few times as I was reading, I thought of Romeo and Juliet.

The top book cover can really throw someone off reading this book so I included the other cover, which I'm not really a fan off because I can't tell what's going on...


Rating: PG 16
L: Yes. Swearing throughout (one girl likes to use the "F" word)
S: Kissing, making out
V: Fighting, bullying


Liked:
Fred
Golf themed story
Setting


Disliked:
Racism
Romantic relationship not more developed

Thanks for netgalley for the galley

3 1/2 STARS



 

THE MAN FROM SHENANDOAH by Marsha Ward

Carl Owen returns from the Civil War to find the family farm destroyed, his favorite brother dead, food scarce, and his father determined to leave the Shenandoah Valley to build a cattle empire in Colorado Territory. Crossing the continent, Carl falls in love with his brother's fiance.

First line:
"The gaunt-featured young man with the lanky build choked down the last of his moldy bread, then got to his feet and climbed atop the stone against which he'd been sitting."

I've been wanting to read one of Marsha's book for a long time! She is such a sweet person and I feel a connection to her in that we lived in the same small town in Arizona. 
Marsha's got a good handle on setting and dialogue set in the time of the Civil War. Carl left his family to serve in the war and when he got home, things had changed. Instead of being able to settle down, Carl's dad is ready to leave for Colorado and start a business he has no idea how to run. Add to that the fact that his dad has also got him a fiance, the journey will be interesting. 

Rated: PG
V: some fighting
L: No
S: Some kissing

Liked:
Setting
Carl
Ellen
Cover

Disliked:
Meddling dad :)

3 1/2 STARS

REALITY ENDS HERE by Alison Gaylin

With a major crush on an adorable pop star, annoying younger siblings, and a mom and stepdad who are too strict, Estella Blanchard is a typical teenage girl-except that her daily struggles are plotlines on the reality show
Seven Is Heaven, which relentlessly documents her life as the older half-sister of sextuplets. Estella's an Oscar-worthy actress at hiding her true feelings from the camera.

However, she can't outrun the spotlight when she receives a Christmas present from her biological father...who died ten years ago under mysterious circumstances. Blamed for this "sick prank," Estella is placed in an unorthodox support group for troubled child stars-including a twenty-three-year-old has-been, a backstabbing drama queen, and a super-cute (but very off-limits) boy bander. And, as weird as the group is, when a creepy paparazzo starts stalking her, claiming that her dad is actually alive, Estella's going to need their help to uncover the truth and stay alive.

First line:
""It happened again," said my sister Gracie."

I'm not a watcher of reality TV. I'm really not except, like, Storage Wars or Duck Dynasty and those only a few times a month. I often wonder how those on the shows fare outside of the show. 
This book gives a glimpse into one girl's life on and off a reality show. Estella is the oldest of seven, the other six are sextuplets. The step dad decided they would make a great reality show and Estella's life has been turned upside down, espeically now with ratings down. Now someone is setting her up to boast ratings...or are they??
I liked this quick, clean read. Full of intrigue, mystery and romance, I think many young readers will also enjoy this book. It has reality show stuff, teen stars and big TV/movie names. 

Thanks, netgalley

Rating: PG 13
L: No
V: No
S: No

Liked:
Estella

Disliked:
Quick conclusion


3 1/2 STARS

A REUTRN TO VIRTUE by Elaine S. Dalton

When Elaine Dalton's oldest son left for his mission, she wanted to do something that would help her develop some of the same kind of discipline and self-control that he was learning as a missionary. So she decided to run a marathon.
Now, years later, she has taken her experiences and insights related to running and woven them into an analogy for an attribute and value she feels passionate about: virtue.
"I have embarked on a journey to reinstate the word virtue into our vocabulary and our lives," Sister Dalton writes. "We call for a social reform, but what is really needed is a moral reform — a call for a return to virtue." As we run life's race, it is virtue, meaning purity and power, that will sustain us through the long miles.
A Return to Virtue is an invitation and a guide to running well the marathon that we call mortality. "Give it 100 percent," says Sister Dalton, "and one day we will be hugging each other and celebrating — victorious — at the finish line!" 

First line:
"Several years ago, I qualified to run the Boston Marathon."

Good, uplifting LDS book on virtue and modest. It's not just about the clothes, but it's also about attitude and what is in your heart. Where can a virtuous woman be found in this world? In the mirror. We all can strive to be virtuous and examples of modesty to those around us.
This book is full of stories, thoughts, experiences and scripture.

A couple of my favorite quotes from the book:
"When you were baptized, you left the world and entered the kingdom." Elder Hales

"Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is non more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue with an understanding of why she should do so, who honors and respects her body as a thing sacred and divine, who cultivates her mind and constantly enlarges the horizon of her understanding, who nurtures her spirit with everlasting truth." President Gordon B. Hinckley

4 STARS

THE EMPEROR'S SOUL by Brandon Sanderson

A heretic thief is the empire’s only hope in this fascinating tale that inhabits the same world as the popular novel, Elantris.

Shai is a Forger, a foreigner who can flawlessly copy and re-create any item by rewriting its history with skillful magic. Condemned to death after trying to steal the emperor’s scepter, she is given one opportunity to save herself. Though her skill as a Forger is considered an abomination by her captors, Shai will attempt to create a new soul for the emperor, who is almost dead.

Probing deeply into his life, she discovers Emperor Ashravan’s truest nature—and the opportunity to exploit it. Her only possible ally is one who is truly loyal to the emperor, but councilor Gaotona must overcome his prejudices to understand that Shai’s forgery is as much artistry as it is deception.

Brimming with magic and political intrigue, this deftly woven fantasy delves into the essence of a living spirit.

First line:
Gaotona ran his fingers across the thick canvas, inspecting one of the greatest works of art he had ever seen."

I'm pretty sure I've never read anything of Brandon's this short. Not even a prologue. :)
 In Shai's world, any object or person, can be rewritten. Their 'soul' can be manipulated to resemble or become something it isn't. Shai is given the task to rewrite the Emperor's soul and bring him mentally back to life. Many of the leaders come to her and ask her to write a back door to the Emperor so they can control him and the kingdom.
Shai has one hundred days to study the Emperor's life through journals and interviews. Then she has to make sure the 'soulstamps' work for which she will apply them to the Emperor.
It was fun to read this book. I enjoyed to smarts of Shai and the intrigue of Gaotona. And the magic was cool. 
This book is up for a Hugo award for novella.


Rating: G
V: No
S: No
L: No

Liked:
Shai
Gaotona
Storyline
Book Cover
Short ;)
  
Disliked:
Nothing

4 STARS