Sister Gee

Sister Gee,

The latest books are all under the July tab....

Thanks,

Hannah

Sins of the Fathers

Sins of the Fathers

By: Chris Lynch

Pages: 240

ISBN: 006074037X

Genre: Fiction

Setting: Suburbs of Boston Massachusetts

In this book we have three teens, Drew, the narrator and his best friends, Skitz, who fits his name, and Hector, that has a bit of an anger management problem. All three boys attend a Catholic school. Drew seems to be the middle man when everything happens. Skitz is the kid that doesn’t necessarily get things started but he helps make matters worse almost always. And Hector who is the teddy bear of the group has a hard time holding back a punch when something he doesn’t agree with is said. This book is really just a bunch of stories of their adventures with the Fathers at their school.

I was actually surprised how much I liked this book. When I put it down to work on something else I was left thinking about Drew and his buddies and what might happen next. I think it would be the perfect book to recommend to some boys that aren't the first to pick up a book, because they'd rather be out causing trouble like Drew and his pals.

A Dangerous Secret

A Dangerous Secret

By Ian Bone

Pages: 192

ISBN: 0385732104

Genre: Sci-Fi

Setting: This takes place in two worlds, New York City at a special high school made for future film people, Capra Video High School. It also takes place in the world of the Vidz.

Hamish is a typical high school freshman that just so happens to be going to the school of his dreams, Capra Video High. There is only one problem, he is the new guy. He doesn’t have many friends and like most new kids has something everyone can make fun of him for. Hamish has written a paper in which he says, “watching a good film is his favorite thing t do, because sometimes living in the film would be better than living the life he has.” Those words is what ends him up in Vidz. Hamish is elected to become first director. In this film he is the director, actor, and producer. Once he pushes play he enters an alternate universe that parallels real life. Now Hamish has the tasks of beating the bad guy and finding the three other directors. I liked this book because it had an equal balance between Sci-Fi and reality. I would recommend it to a struggling reader because it was an interesting read that wasn’t too hard to understand. And it is the first in the series so hopefully the student would like to keep going.

The Willoughbys

The Willoughbys

By Lois Lowery

Pages: 176

ISBN: 0618979743

Genre: Fiction

Setting: There wasn’t really a time frame set. It was in a home and eventually a mansion.

This book wasn’t about one person. It was about four children; Tim, the oldest and I am guessing he’s about 13 never really says his age, the twins Barnaby A and Barnaby B and with them I guess about 11, and the youngest Jane, I would put her at about 8. They are in a unique situation. Their parents hate them and they hate their parents. So they try to get rid of each other. The parents hire a nanny, she goes by Nanny throughout the book, and up and leave. The children work together and end up having a loving relationship with Nanny. If I say too much I give away the ending, so I’ll just say this, in the beginning of the book they find a baby on their doorstep. I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it for a road trip for a family that has children about the ages of the kids in the novel. It was a fun read.

The Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars

By: Gary D. Schmidt

Pages: 272

ISBN: 054723760X

Genre: Humor

Setting: Suburban New York

Holling Hoodhood who is the only Presbyterian in his 7^th grade class, causing him to spend extra time with his teacher Mrs. Baker. He is convinced that she hates him. He has theories that make you laugh, and you can kind of see his logic. That is until Holling’s favorite person is Mrs. Baker. It is Mrs. Baker that get’s him on the Yankee field with the players. It is Mrs. Baker that helps him win over his girlfriend. It is Mrs. Baker that helps him fall in love with Shakespeare. Holling figures out who he is in this novel. He discovers his love for his family and for the value of life. I will definitely be reading this one again. I will be recommending to others too. It goes to show that all it takes is one person taking a special interest in someone and theirs and yours can change forever.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

By: E. Lockhart

Pages: 352

ISBN: 0786838183

Genre: Mystery Fiction

Setting: Alabaster Preparatory Academy

Frankie is attending high school at a prep school. It is kind of like a school for the elite. She is a sophomore that is in to a senior who is good looking and adores her just the same. Matt invites her to a golf course party sparking her interesting in the basset hounds. It is a secret club that her dad was in and is still around. Soon Frankie is figuring things out behind Matt’s back, he won’t tell her anything so she sneaks around it. Before we know it Frankie is pulling the pranks and not taking the credit. Now I am being pretty vague because the details, in my opinion, make the book extra interesting. In the end Frankie fesses up in order to keep the Alpha from getting expelled but in the end it didn’t matter because his mom moved him away. The Alpha, who put Frankie through a few frustrating moments, writes Frankie an email, which ties the beginning of the book with the end.

I think that this book was the perfect balance between mysteries and love to keep me interested. I loved how it was girl that was coming up without awesome pranks to play. I think the best part is that she hid herself till the very end and did the right thing but fussing up to the whole thing.

First Part Last

First Part Last

By: Angela Johnson

Pages: 144

ISBN:1442403438

Genre: Fiction

Setting: New York

This is was an awesome story. The story of the man that should be a boy. He is a man because he is a father to a small little girl name Feather. He tells about his daughter’s mother and her role in the story. We don’t find out till the end why she isn’t taking care of Feather by himself. His parents are divorced and play a very different roles in helping him with Feather, his mother let him know he was a father and it was his job not hers to care for his daughter. His dad was a little more nurturing and willing to help with Feather. We learn about his best friends and how things were and how things are. Read it, it so worth your time. I am hoping to read the others this summer.

The Book Thief

The Book Thief

By: Markus Zusak

Pages:552

ISBN: 9780375842207

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: Germany during WWII

In this story we met death, first hand. He is our narrator. He tells us the story of how he met The Book Thief so many different times. Liesel Meminger has had an unfortunate being to her life. She is on her way to be dropped off to her foster parents’ house by her mother, when her little brother dies. Her first time meeting death and her first time stealing a book. Here is where the book thief is born. Liesel moves in with her foster parents who she eventually begins calling Mama and Papa. The war continues to get worse and Max moves into the basement. He moves into the basement because he is a Jew. Liesel and Max have a special relationship. It isn’t brother/sister or love it is a whole different state of understanding. He writes her two books. And they are added to her collection. Rudy, Liesel’s best friend is another driving force in her thievery. It comes something of a hobby for them, but it was really stealing to survive than anything at all. In the end the war is the main setting. I want to leave this one without details because this book takes a great effort to read because the reader has to think. So read it if you want to know if Liesel gets to meet death face to face; what happens to the family that hides a Jew; if Rudy and Liesel ever fall in love; and if you want to know about the interesting relationship between Max and Liesel.

I like this book. I felt at certain points it was a little drawn out. But I never really knew what was going to happen next. I was left guessing. I was always interested in Rudy, maybe because that is my grandpa’s name and I never met him. He was an immigrant from Denmark that had lived in Germany for a few years with my grandma. I felt connected to the book in a small way. I think in the far distance I may read it again when I have a few days to spare.

The Thief

The Thief

By: Megan Turner

Pages: 304

ISBN: 0060824972

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: A whole new place

This is story is about Gen and his adventure by force. He is recruited to find Hamiathes’s Gift. Gen is a Thief. It is his profession, it is his specialty, and this specialty is what gets him thrown in jail originally. Gen has bragged about being able to steal the King’s Seal and then being able to show it the next day in the same wine shop. Well he is caught after stealing the King’s Seal and he is thrown in prison. While in prison he is literally kept under lock and key. He is shackled at the hands and feet along with the waist.

Gen becomes accustomed to being in prison; he ate what little food he was given. His eyes adjusted to being in the dark at a constant state. One night Gen is taken out of the prison and is taken to the King’s magus. Here he is almost interviewed. He is evaluated and in the end given an offer. An offer he couldn’t refuse. He was offered a way out. If Gen helped the magus steal something, at this point he doesn’t know what he is stealing, he’ll be let free. So Gen, who can steal anything, goes for it.

Soon Gen was on his way out of the prison and he was blinded by the light of the sun. He is put on a horse which he isn’t very excited about and heads out of the kingdom. He, the magus and his helpers, Pol, Sophos, and Ambiades, go town by town toward their destination. Along the way we get a greater understanding for Gen’s history and for his love of food. It makes sense that all he wants is food and rest because of the lack of it from being in prison. Soon from hearing the stories it is revealed where they are headed. To retrieve Hamiathes’s Gift. So that Sonius and Attolia would combine kingdoms and become a much stronger kingdom.

After climbing up and down a mountain they arrive at the temple that holds Hamiathes’s Gift. Now Gen is put to the test now he has to get the Gift, which as it turns out, a whole lot harder than one would think. There had been multiple previous attempts to retrieve the Gift but all those that had tried before had died. Gen with the ultimate challenge ahead of him heads in for the first time. He gains an insight to the layout of the temple. But with no success comes out in a panic and without the Gift. The next night he goes in more prepared. This time he get’s measurements, but comes out again empty handed. The last try he goes in and will not come out empty handed and doesn’t but nearly dies in the attempt.

The next morning they head back to Eddis. This is no simple task. They run into problems on their way back. The same day they get the Gift they lose it after a brawl with the Queen of Attolia’s guardsmen. But head on their way back, the magus comes up with the plan that they will make a fake and because no one had seen it before it would be okay. So after a few days of running and stealing to eat and get horses, they come to the mountain. This is where Gen becomes fed up and parts way but first promises to slow down the guards that are following them. The rest climb the mountain and Gen stays behind. He fights and then wakes up in prison with Sophos and the magus nearby.

We find out that Ambiades was a traitor selling information and as Pol goes to push him off the mountain is pulled down with him. Gen was hurt badly in fighting off the guards. Luckily for Gen, the magus talks the Queen in keeping Gen for her own thief. So she moves him upstairs and begins to nurse him to health. Gen, however, has a better idea. After gathering the magus and Sophus, they break out of the castle. And head for Eddis. They run through the night. In the morning they’ve realized they’ve gone the wrong way.

They keep going however because it’s better than getting caught. They are being followed of course. The push through, soon they have a close encounter with the Queen’s guards again. They decide to cross the bridge that seems to appear magically. They out run the guards for a while, soon they come upon the entrance to Eddis. They walk straight into the guards arms. There is an unusual reaction. They are welcomed and not cuffed and taken away. When the Attiolian guard arrived they weren’t turned over.

Soon Gen wakes us in a bed surround by books. You hear the magus talking to a man about Gen. Gen is home. He puts himself together and goes to see his queen. He unties his hair and takes out the Gift. He gives it to her. He is the queen’s thief. Soon we find that Gen has a close relationship to the queen and this whole time he has set it up to steal the gift to give to his own queen.

American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese

By: Gene Luen Yang

Pages:240

ISBN: 1596431520

Genre: Graphic Novel, Humor

Setting: Alternate Universe

So this was first to me and a last. The story is about three different personalities. I say this cause one is a monkey king, another is a Chinese boy, and another is a white young man. This story drove me nuts. I laughed maybe twice. My boyfriend laughed a ton. Think it just wasn’t my type of humor. So to summarize the Monkey is a king of a mountain. In the first little story he tries to go to a dinner party but is turned away because he has no shoes. So he get’s shoes. The Chinese boy moves to a new town and has no friends, but in the end a Taiwanese boy moves in and has a transformer so they become friends. The white boy is new at the school and his very strange cousin comes for a visit. All three stories progress, lamely I might add; in the end the monkey is the dad of the Taiwanese boy and had sent for a test. The white boy was really the Chinese boy after he had make some deal with an old lady. But it ends happy with the Chinese boy liking being a Chinese boy. I’ll give the book this it tied up the book in the end very well.

Twlight

Twlight

By Stephanie Meyer

Pages:544

ISBN: 0316038377

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Forks, Washington

It’s true I fell in love with the Twlight series. I’ll admit it. Here’s the thing though. I read the books before they got all popular and its integrity was ruined for life. So let’s get into the synopsis. Isabella or Bella for short has decided to move to Forks Washington were 95% of the time it is overcast and nothing like Arizona were she has been living with her mom. She moved for the sake of her mother. She figures she’s doomed either way. Bella moves in with her father and through a series of events all caused by Bella’s misfortune ends up meeting a boy, who she is strangely drawn to, Edward. I guess because I don’t want to give away to much of what really happens in the book I don’t want to say more.

I first read this book about 4 years ago and have re-read it many times since. This was the first book that I couldn’t put down. I had to keep reading it sucked me in. I wanted to know more. And in the end I wanted to fall in love with my own Edward. I do have to say some warnings. This book isn’t for a young adult that has a hard time of separately a book from reality. Some of the behavior isn’t acceptable in real life and can be skewed.

Sister Gee

Sister Gee,

The ones from June are the newest books I've read. You may have to hit the older to see rest of the book reviews.

Thanks,

Hannah

Anne of Avonlea

Anne of Avonlea

By: Lucy Maud Montgomery

Pages: 206

ISBN: 1604598581

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: Avonlea, Canada

Anne of Green Gables returns. Anne has decided to stay in Avonlea and teach after her dear Matthew has passed away. Gilbert Blythe gave up the school in Avonlea so that Anne could stay and teach. Marilla couldn’t take care of Green Gables by herself so Anne gives up her scholarship and moves back home. The new school year begins and Anne is faced with new challenges of teaching new kids. She is faced with the challenge of the Pye family and many more students. Anne and her dear friends have started an Improvement Society, to help improve Avonlea as a whole. Anne has grown up a lot since first coming to Green Gables but she is still very much Anne. As always I love the book, I love the interest it sparks within me. I can’t wait to get to the next in the series. I look forward to the break between semesters I think I’ll find myself reading.

The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty

My Name is America: The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty; United States Marine Corp

By: Ellen Emerson White

Pages: 177

Genre: Historical Fiction; Vietnam War

Setting: The Vietnam War Hill 881N

The story of Patrick Seamus Flaherty, was a perfect follow up to War Is… Mighty Mouse as he fellow marines called him entered the Marines to follow in the footsteps of his father and his father’s father and so on. He also did it so that he could get college paid for. As we watch the transformation happen we see a child turn into a man. You see a child that is actually wishing for a fight begin to beg for the fight to end. You watch as the friendship grows between him and Bebop his bunkmate. He learns that there is more to life than football and cute girls.

I grew up reading the Dear America series, I love it. I still do. I love feeling like I am a part of the journey that each of the character takes. I felt the same sadness the they felt as they lost someone close or the fear when they were is situations that pulled them further and further from their dreams.

War Is...

War Is… soldiers, survivors, and storytellers talk about war

Edited By: Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell

Pages:266

ISBN: 9780763642310

Gerne: Non-fiction War

Setting: This novel is set throughout many different wars. It place during the war, before the war, and after the war showing many different aspects of the soldiers fight.

War Is… is a well done book. It tells the stories that many of us are too afraid to ask. I know I am. My best friend served for 18 months in Iraq, she’ll never be the same. I have seen my strong and unstoppable friend hit the ground after a ladle is dropped in the kitchen, I have witnessed her restless sleeping, and I have seen her lose many friends after switching branches of the military in order avoiding going back to war. This book opened a new light on life. I think for a young adult reader it could give new insight to a life that they take for advantage. The scary thing is the people that this book is targeted for are the people that will be someday making that choice one whether or not to enlist. I hope that it can shed some light on the situation for them.

Once Dead, Twice Shy

Once Dead, Twice Shy

By Kim Harrison

Pages: 232

ISBN: 9780061441684

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: The place between death and life

Madison is dead, well sort of. She has managed to escape death by stealing the dark angel’s amulet. Now she has to figure out how to continue living life dead. She also has to figure out how to not to live life protecting and telling time. She has to figure out if she is the good or bad guy, all while figuring out the regular stuff like how to deal with her dad and how to keep a relationship going while dead. Luckily for her the man she is loving on is okay with the whole her being dead thing. I am not much of a fantasy reader so this one was hard for me to get into but I could see how people would enjoy this novel. I guess that means I don’t have much to say about this one.

Stuck in Neutral

Stuck in Neutral

By Terry Trueman

Pages: 114

ISBN: 0064472132

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Setting: Shawn McDaniel’s Mind

This book was an interesting one. I loved reading it. It has a serious manner with humor at the same time. It is told from Shawn McDaniel’s point of view. You see Shawn has cerebral palsy. He has no control over any of the muscle in his body. This everything from his hands and feet to his eyes, he is totally dependent on his family. The hard part is his family has been told his entire life that Shawn is pretty much brain dead. He has no hope for the future he is stuck in time. He goes to school where is taught the same thing day after day. Here’s the kicker, Shawn thinks his dad is planning to kill him, and Shawn has the evidence to back it up.

The origanl reason I wanted to read this book was because of my last boyfriends, who happened to have cerebral palsy. He isn’t like Shawn, he has much more control over his body and is in great health. He doesn’t have seizures like Shawn, but I was hoping that maybe the book could give me a better understanding as to why my last boyfriend acted the way he did sometimes. And it actually helped a lot. I think this book would a great way to get special needs people a little more of a positive rap.

She Said Yes

She Said Yes

By Misty Bernall

Pages: 163

ISBN: 0743400526

Genre: Memoir

Setting: Colorado, Columbine High School, where two boys went on a shooting spree, killing 12 students and one teachers and injuring 21 others. The boys in the end took the guns on themselves and killed themselves.

This is the story of one of the students that was killed in the Columbine school shooting. It is told by her mother and re-lives the moments right before and after the death of Cassie Bernall. It was actually interesting to get the history of Nicole. You find out in the book that only a few years before Nicole was killed after being asked if she believes in God, with a gun to her head and saying yes, Cassie didn’t believe in God. If fact she was very deeply involved with witch craft. It was a startling change in the story that I wasn’t expecting. Her mother recalls her discovery of the involvement of months of hell and hatred from Cassie. I remember when Columbine happened. It was scary, for years afterward and I am sure today this event changed everything. I remember going on lock down after a gun was found on a person in school. I remember my sister being pulled out of school for the last 3 months of the school year because a boy put her on the top of her hit list. This book brought to life the real people that are effected by one person’s decision.

Zel

Zel

By Donna Jo Napoli

Pages:227

ISBN: 0141301163

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: An old village town that has Knights and village people and country folk.

Zel is a retelling of the story of Rapunzel. It is about a girl, that should be a woman that is taken captive by her mother after her mother sees that Zel is growing and falling for a youth. A youth is a young man that catches the eye of a young woman or vice versa. Zel’s youth is Konrad and Konrad’s youth is Zel. This story had me going through loops. I really never knew what to expect from it. I don’t want to give to much of the story away but I’ll give a bit of an outline. Zel and her mother go to the market twice a year. While in the market Zel goes to the smithy and enchants a horse, Meta, while Meta’s owner, Konrad, watches. There is something there. Konrad doesn’t know it but he has fallen in love at first sight. Zel leaves the village and the story takes a Cinderella turn on events. I enjoyed it and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys the retelling of stories that most American children grew up hearing.

Mr and Mrs Bo Jo Jones

Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones

By Ann Head

Pages: 202

ISBN: 0451163192

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Setting: The south in the 1960’s

July is just like every other senior in high school. She is excited for the future brings and is living in the moment. She has a boy that isn’t exactly her boyfriend but might as well be because of the amount of time they spend together. July and Bo Jo go to prom together and afterward end up going to the beach together afterward where they do what a lot of teenagers do these days. July is mortified afterward. She is disappointed in the “mistake” she made. She had prided herself on the fact that she was waiting till she was married to do any of those types of activities. As it turns out Bo Jo feels just as bad about the whole thing. But things get worse. July is pregnant. They make the decision to go across the state line and get married. The story goes from there. July and Bo Jo have to make decisions about school, where to live, the baby and so much more. The story ends in a totally different way than I thought. I did enjoy the book a lot. It was a good read and I found myself not wanting to put it done which is good because it isn’t broken up into chapters.

Love That Dog

Love That Dog

By Sharon Creech

Pages: 86

ISBN: 0060292873

Genre: Poetry

Setting: Classroom

I really enjoyed this one, not just because it was short but because of its humor. Jack explains to you that poetry isn’t for boys, he doesn’t even know it but he is telling his story through poetry. It is so well written that you are caught off guard when you realize what you’ve just is in fact poetry. So back to the story, Jack is a boy who is assigned to read and write poetry. It all fits. It all works. He writes about his dog in chunks and in the end you get a well written poem about the tragedy of his dog.

Emmett Till

Getting Away with Murder:

The True Story of the Emmett Till Case

By Chris Crowe

Pages: 128

ISBN:0803728042

Genre: Bibliography

Setting: Money, Mississippi in 1954

The story of Emmett Till is the beginning of the civil rights movement. Reading through this story you learn of the history of our United States. It wasn’t always peaches and sugar blossoms. Emmett Till was a black, fourteen year old when he left Chicago in the summer of 1954 to go visit his uncle in Money Mississippi. He was like most 14 year olds, he thought he was invincible and didn’t understand the rules completely. When he was bragging to his new friends in the south about how back home his “girlfriend” the picture he showed was a magazine cut out of a white woman. The boys got to talking and Emmett went into a store and talked to a white woman. It isn’t 100% clear what was said and exactly what happened but in this time things like that weren’t said. After the woman’s husband got wind of the incident he went after Emmett. He went to Emmett’s uncle’s house and beat on the door asking for “the boy who done the talking.” After taking him to the car and confirming that Emmett was the boy they drove off with Emmett. The next time Emmett was found he was so badly beaten that he was unrecognizable besides the ring he wore.

I think that this book was well written, it is the perfect introduction to the civil rights movements. Specially because Emmett was the same age as most of these kids that will end up reading this book. I like how it isn’t all words. He shows the pictures that he talks about. It helps make the story real and it starts to form questions in my own head. After reading the book I wrote my grandma asking her if she remembered the Emmett Till story. I called my dad and asked him if he’d heard of it. I ask all my friends. I get into deep discussions about the whole thing. It gives me a greater understanding for what I do have.

Catalyst

Catalyst

By: Luarie Halse Anderson

Pages: 231

ISBN: 0142400017

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Setting: Merrywater, Somewhere. The book never states a specific place but the name of the high school is Merrywater High.

Catalyst is about Kate or Katie depending on who is talking to her. Kate has a dream and her whole life she’s worked toward that dream of attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology or MIT. Kate is the daughter of Reverend Malone and big sister/mother of Toby. Kate’s mother passed away when she was younger of pneumonia. Kate’s mom attended MIT, so naturally with the love of science and her mom going there MIT was the perfect choice for Kate. The first part of the book you are strapped in and enjoying the ride of Kate waiting for “the letter,” you know the one that decides her fate, the acceptance or denial letter. It was in the later in Kate’s story. Kate now has to learn how to cope and figure out what else she is going to do seeing how she didn’t apply to any other schools.

This book was very well written. I found myself not waiting to put it down. It was nice to see that I wasn’t the only one that made the mistake of only applying to one school. Luckily for me it worked out. Unfortunately for her it didn’t. I would recommend this to any high school student so that they can learn the important message of service and planning ahead because life doesn’t always work out the way you want it to.

Incantation

Incantation

By: Alice Hoffmann

Pages: 166

ISBN:0316154288

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: Spain 1500

In Incantation Estrella DeMadrigal discovers the brutal reality of being a Jew. Her family has been keeping a secret from her since she was born and now at 16 she figures out the truth for herself. Estrella begins to notice her family is different after her neighbors are taken from their home and she sees her best friend, Catalina, stealing all that is left in the home. She starts to make the connections. Her family doesn’t eat pork. Her family doesn’t cross themselves like the others. Her family lights the candles in a certain order on certain nights. She makes the final connection when she visits her father’s grave in the middle of the night. After confronting her grandfather about it a whole new burden is placed upon her shoulders. It is now up to her to save her beliefs. With the help of her secret boyfriend, Andres, will Estrella be able to make it out alive?

I enjoyed reading this novel. So many times we don’t think about how there were “Nazis” everywhere. It happened in Spain and the execution of Jews was just as brutal as in Germany. It opened my eyes to heart ache that was put upon a young girl, not only did she have to watch her entire family get killed but she had to be brave enough to try and escape. I would recommend this to a young adult reading that is studying the Holocaust, so that his or her eyes could be opened to the world of discrimination that happened everywhere not just in Germany.

Nicole

Nicole

By: Jack Weyland

Pages: 196

ISBN: 0875797873

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Setting: It takes place in a suburban neighborhood

Nicole is a girl that is in the pep band and Josh is the high school athletic star. At the state championship game the search for an orange soda and a twist of fate bring them together. Josh is in the game to win and never says never, when Nicole refuses to let him buy an orange soda the game begins. Before you know Nicole and Josh spend the night talking in the laundry room. Josh can’t seem to keep Nicole off his mind and continues to push until Nicole gives in and opens the door to her life. Nicole has a brother, Richard, which is mentally handicapped. Things seem to be a little complicated when Josh brings his LDS religion into the picture but at the same time it somehow helps too.

I enjoyed this book more than I like most of Jack Weyland’s book because the role of the church isn’t so pronounced. It was a cute story of how sometimes faith and hard work pays off for the good of more than just you. I would recommend this book to my miamaid class if they were looking for a fun, quick summer read.

Gathering Blue

Gathering Blue

By: Louis Lowery

Pages: 224

ISBN: 0440229499

Genre: Dystopia

Setting: A slightly futuristic village but not because they live in huts.

Gathering Blue is about an orphaned girl, Kira. Kira’s fate is decided in the beginning of the book after her mother dies of an awful illness. Kira is chosen to fix the singers robe. Kira’s mother used to be the mender of the singers robe before she became ill. Kira’s mother taught her the trade. Kira’s talent seems to have an extra lace to it. Sometimes when she has a piece of fabric that seemed to form it’s self in her hand she feels like she has an extra guidance through this fabric. This is the story of Kira finding out the truth of the village she’s always know to be her home. Kira’s family becomes a boy named Thomas and a tike named Matt. These boys give her a sense of security in a world that, as it turns out, she doesn’t know at all.

I thought the book did a good job of grabbing your attention and getting you to continue to turn the pages of the book. It also did a good job of teaching there is always more to a story than just what is right in front of you. I’m not sure I would recommend this book. I would rather spend my time reading a different book.

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables

By: L.M. Montgomery

Pages: 256

ISBN: 0517189682

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: Green Gables, Canada

Anne of Green Gables is a story about a charismatic young girl named Anne. Anne is an orphaned that is adopted by Marilla and Matthew Cutbert. At first this mistake of a girl instead of boy seems to be horrific. Before Marilla knows she’s swept off her feet by Anne. Anne has a way of enchanting everyone she talks to. Throughout the book you learn of Anne’s relationships with everything. Anne has relationships with more than just people but with animals and plants and whole forests of trees. As you read you get the pleasure of watching Anne grow and prune herself into a young lady. To give more of a synopsis of the book would give away some of the secrets that you learn throughout the book.

I would recommend this book to any young adult girl. Through Anne there are multiple lessons learned. I’ve learned that criticism is good as long as you take it for what it is and help correct you actions. I’ve learned that optimism helps each day to be brighter. I’ve learned that a dare doesn’t always have to be followed through. This book is just a wholesome book that is worth taking your spare time to read, and that’s saying a lot because I’m not a big reader.

Alone Together

Alone Together

By: Jack Weyland

Pages: 231

ISBN:1590385756

Genre: Realistic Fiction dealing with Death

Setting: Madison, Duluth, MN and Josh, Muddy Gap, WY

Alone Together is a split story. Madison and Josh meet on their missions. Of course at the time they don’t know that someday they are going to fall for each other. Their last night on the mission Madison asks Josh to give her a blessing before she returns home, while Josh is giving her a blessing he has the distinct impression that someday he will Marry Madison. This is how the story begins. Then you are sent back in time to learn about Josh and Madison in high school.

You learn about Josh’s struggle with stuttering and the accident involving his best friend and sister, Hannah. You learn about the closeness of the siblings. You learn about Josh and Hannah and how they grow closer to the Lord through each other after being up rooted and moved across the country to the middle of nowhere to help their grandfather run his gas station. After the death of their grandfather they feel as if they have been sentenced to death in Muddy Gap, WY. You find the inspiration and motivation that Josh is given through his little sister heartwarming.

You learn about Madison’s struggle with weight and doubt in her own worth. She is given the opportunity to live a new life after winning a contest to have a make-over. After a series of unfortunate events Madison decides that popularity isn’t at all what she thought it was and gives up on that to serve people. She decides after helping one of her friends find the gospel that she will someday fill the role as a missionary.

The ending of the book is them coming together and adjusting to life “together.” I enjoyed reading the book. I did feel however that the points that Weyland were trying to get across a little bit obvisous and predictable. I did think that Weyland did a great job of showing families in a different way than we typically we aren’t hand roses and lily’s and everything is going to be alright. He also does a great job of showing us that we are all worthy fighting for.

Tunes For Bears to Dance to

Tunes for Bears to Dance to

By: David Cormier

Pages: 101

ISBN:0029035

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: A city outside of Frenchtown Massachusetts

Tunes for Bears to Dance to is written about a boy who is dealing with the death of his brother. He and his parents have moved from Frenchtown to a new city to get away from all the memories of Edward. Henry works in a store in town as a bender, he does the bending for the store owner that has a bad back. He stocks cans on lower shelves and picks things up for Mr. Hairston. Henry also lives across the street from a “crazy house,” is the way Henry puts it. Henry notices an old man that leaves each day and comes back each afternoon. This old man sparks his interest so Henry decides to follow him. Henry soon finds there are two sides to every story.

I enjoyed this short novel. It teaches a good lesson about how sometimes doing the right thing is the hardest thing. Henry learns about the old man and his past as a prisoner at a Nazi camp. He learns the truth of his boss. He learns to trust his gut feeling. I believe that this story shows that all teens struggle to make big choices in life. David Cormier does a good job of showing the turmoil that Henry goes through when his boss asks him to do the unthinkable.

rules of survival

the rules of survival

By Nancy Werlin

Pages: 360

ISBN:9780142410714

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Setting: Boston, Massachusetts

the rules of survival is written from the view of a big brother. Matt is writing to his little sister Emmy about their childhood with their mother. This story is about three children trying to survive their mother, Nikki’s abuse. The interesting part to this story is Matt. He has his own rules to survival. Matt’s goal each day is to protect Emmy. Matt opens the book by explaining Murdock. Murdock, is in a way Matt’s hero. Matt sees Murdock as his way out, he is the solution to the problems Matt is having with his mother. Matt never dreamt of Murdock dating his mom, but he does. And for a brief moment before Murdock sees Nikki’s true light Matt feels safe. The rest of the book is Matt’s, Callie’s and Emmy’s trail to survival from their mother.

I enjoyed reading this book. I was interesting to see abuse from the side of the abuser, at one point in the book Matt mention how it really isn’t that bad. Matt and his sisters lived life in fear of what their mother may or may not do next. Matt reaches out for help from his biological father but only gets rejected which helps give understanding as to why it took so long for Matt to finally get the help he needed to save him and his sisters. I think that this book would help the average reader understand that abuse it some than a beating that blinds or breaks bones, it is being put in a situation that causes fear and is unrightfully put upon them.

The White Darkness

The White Darkness

By Geraldine McCaughrean

Pages: 373

ISBN: 978-0-06-089037-7

Genre: Action/ Adventure

Setting: Antarctica

The White Darkness written from a Sym’s perspective. Sym, a typical teenage girl with her own quirks, some may say she isn’t typical but she is. Sym has her own interests and views and lives by them. Sym loves Antarctica or so she thought. Sym lives with her Mom and her “Uncle Victor”, who really isn’t her uncle but her father’s best friend. He took care of Sym like she was his very own. Uncle Victor tricks Sym’s mother and get’s her to Paris. There he tells her that they are going south for a few weeks. He reveals that south really means Antarctica. Naturally of course Sym is excited, she gets to go to a place that she only dreamed of going.

Once arriving in Antarctica she finds beauty in all of it. She learns of people through observation, because Sym is a shy individual and likes to keep to herself. Well, except when it comes to Sigurd. Sigurd, the son of a movie maker seems to take an interest in Sym and she doesn’t mind a bit. After the first week in Antarctica there is a change in the attitude of those who have visited the contentment. Before Sym knows it here Uncle is waking her up in the middle of the night for an adventure to find the hole that leads to the center of the earth, which is hollow. It has a happy ending.

I really didn’t like this book it was awful. I wouldn’t recommend it. I would much rather spend my time reading something else. I didn’t like this book because I felt like it took pages upon pages to explain something that could have been explained in a paragraph. I felt like the book was dull and when it was about to get exciting all excitement would die in a matter a few words.

Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen by Cathrine Gilbert Murdock

Pages 274

ISBN: 0618863354

Genre: Romance; Sports, Love

Setting: Red Bend, Wisconsin on the Schwenk farm.

Dairy Queen, a book written in first person is about D.J. Schwenk. D.J. is a 15 year old girl through a series of events has the responsibility of caring for the family's dairy farm. D.J.'s family isn't exactly a functional family. D.J.'s father is a stubborn man that is a little uptight about how things are done and tends to hover over D.J. while she is working on the farm. It is because of his stubbornness that got D.J. in this situation. Her mother is always working as a teacher and a principle, she isn't home very often and keeps to herself, but she loves D.J.'s father. D.J.'s older brothers Win and Bill are football players that no longer live at home. Not only do they not live at home but they no longer speak to the rest of the family. However Win and Bill are amazing football players, which as it turns out is good because football is all the Schwenk family lives for. Curtis, D.J.'s younger brother doesn't talk to anyone. He lives his life in silence all by choice. As mentioned earlier football is the Schwenk's way of life. Even their cows are named after famous football players. D.J. grew up running plays with her big brother, attending Red Bend football games, and hating Hawley, the rival football team.

D.J. has the whole summer of farming ahead of her, not all that exciting in D.J.'s mind that is until Brian shows up. Brian, Hawley's quarterback, was sent by a family friend Jimmy Ott to help D.J. out this summer. What starts with D.J. hating Brian leads to D.J. training Brian for the up coming season. And before D.J. knew it she was falling in love... with football. She makes a decision that'll change everything.

This is My Young Adult Lit Blog

Right now I am in a Young Adult Literature Class and for this class I get the horrendous task of reading 30 novels this semester. I know that it is going to be tough but I'm thinking it is going to be one worth doing. I am excited a little to tell the truth. For my class we were asked to writing a Reading Autobiography. I really liked this assignment so I thought I would share it with you...

I have fighting in a battle my entire life. My battle started very young when my older siblings were reading and I was struggling to put words together. I have had this love hate relationship with books since I can remember. Even now I am not sure that reading is my favorite thing to do that is unless it has a purpose. I loved reading my EMT manual, it served a purpose. It provided insight. Leisure reading was never was and still isn’t my favorite thing to do. I do however want to have that desire. I want the desire to want to learn and be edified by a book that wasn’t assigned for me to read.

The first book that I read with a sense of accomplishment was in elementary school. I am not one hundred percent sure which grade but the book, which I still own, “The Chalkbox Boy,” was given to me by a parent helper that helped me through the initial hump of reading. The next books came slowly and were usually assigned books. I was typically outside running around causing trouble opposed to reading.

When I was nine my parents moved my family from Utah to Wisconsin. One day my dad came home from Sam’s Club with three “Dear America” books. I loved them. I think the reason I enjoyed them so much was I could see the possibility of the stories happening in life. From there my “type” of book was born. I prefer to read non-fiction stories. I like the aspect of being able to take what I have read and use it for something else in life. This was true then and now. While in Wisconsin I was put through weeks of testing to put my learning on the appropriate level. My parents were told that when it came time for me to go to high school it would be in my best interest to go to a vocational training school because there was no hope of me ever going to college. I only found this out recently. School was hard and reading was even harder. I was separated from the rest of the class when it came time to read and do reading activities. I hated it and avoided reading.

At the age of 12 my family and I moved to Minnesota. The best part of my childhood was in Minnesota. I made it through seventh and eighth grade just reading the required reading. In Minnesota I did the same type of testing. This time however they pinpointed the problem. It wasn’t the comprehension of what I was reading but the time it took me to read it. It was so long therefore it took me so long to read it that I would lose interest and make up the answers so that I wouldn’t be left behind. Soon enough we had figured out what I had to do so that I could make strides toward loving reading.

In the ninth grade I had an English teacher that changed my life, Mr. Leisen. Mr. Leisen believed in me. He gave me reason to believe that I was worth those extra moments. I learned from him that stories are worth reading. We read “To Kill a Mocking Bird” in his class. To be honest I can’t completely remember the story line but I know that I enjoyed every class period. I will forever be grateful to Mr. Leisen for having faith in me.

Once in high school English class only intensified. I read and I read a lot. A lot of the reading was required but not all of it was. I began reading non-fiction novels like “Go Ask Alice” and “A Child Called It.” These books opened my mind to the future and where I wanted to end up someday. I don’t want to be a social worker or in that line of work but, I do want to help children. When I turned 15 I was diagnosed with Kyphosis, which is a curve in your spine. I was told that I was to undergo 20 hours of surgery and a month in the hospital. It was at that point in my life that I was introduced to Child Life Specialists. While stuck in bed recovering from back surgery, Mindy, my child life specialist would come in visit. She brought books and movies. Before I knew it I had burned through four or five books and it had only been a week. Since then books became a little more significant, they helped me get through one tough road.

After high school I came straight to BYU-Idaho. Here my very first semester I took Eng 111. I read “Tuesdays with Morrie.” I loved it. I took a Children’s lit class. This is when I was introduced to Stephine Meyer’s “Twlight.” I loved it. I ended up dropping out of college for two years. I continued to read and gain a better understanding for books.

So back to this war of books, I do enjoy reading but, I don’t at the very same time. I read but it takes me a great deal longer to read than the typical reader. I hope this class only helps urge to read grow larger inside of me. I am worried to say the least, 30 books is a lot but I know by the end of this I will be pretty impressed with myself and a little better versed. I know this class will not only prepare me for my future career but also to be a mother.

So it begins... I hope you enjoy this as much as I will.