Sunday, April 13, 2008

Peace Like a River

Peace Like a River
by: Leif Enger

Beautiful writing. I am not sure why it is called Peace Like a River. It is not a fast paced book. It is from the perspective of an 11 year of boy. His mother ran away years ago, his father is an interesting man. He loves his father, brother, sister. Very loving and strong family. It is set in 1962 in Minnesota.

It is about family, love, faith, right, wrong, choices. I would recommend it. I thought the writer really got into each character's voice.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

The Next Thing on my List


The Next Thing on my List
by: Jill Smolinski
This book was light, fluffy, a bit dorky, not the highest reading level. I got it from the library, so I just read it! It was fast and easy. Sometimes those are nice books to read.
It is about a girl who means another girl, sadly, the one girl dies and the other girls finds her "List of Things to do Before I am 25". She decides to complete the list for her. The fiction ensues.
It made me wonder what would be on my list....

This is How it Happened


This is How it Happened
by: Jo Barrett
I quite enjoyed this book. Funny. It is present tense, then flashbacks, then present.
It is about a bad break-up, how it happened, why.
It WILL make you want to find the perfect, yummy brownie recipe and eat them.

The Rug Merchant


The Rug Merchant
by: Meg Mullins
I enjoyed this book because it was about a totally different world than I know. The man is from Iran, his wife still lives there. He is saving money to bring her and his ailing mother over to America. He lives in New York City. His wife is back in Iran taking care of HIS sick mother and sending him rugs so he can sell them in New York.
Very interesting. Some sexual content, so beware....just read those parts with one eye open...they aren't THAT bad....hmm, maybe they are.
I enjoyed all the relationships with all the different types of people.

Ask Again Later


Ask Again Later

by: Jill A. Davis
Interesting in that it is an odd book. Odd "chapters - meaning no chapters really, just segments, thoughts. So the pace is different.
It is about her relationship with her parents, good and bad, making better, dealing with crisis. I would recommend it, but be ready to enjoy a different way of writing.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

This is a question for Julie . . .

When do you read? Have you stopped watching TV at night? Do you sleep less? How are you reading all these books. And when is it quiet enough in your house for you to enjoy a book????? Aren't you tired at the end of the day? I am impressed with your repertoire.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Sensational Sasaffras Springs


THIS IS KYLIE!
This sensational book was my school's booktalk book
The book is about a kid who is 10 or 12. At first he reads this book about a person who explores the world looking for special things. The boy thinks there is nothing special about Sasaffras Springs, so his dad challenges him that if he can find 7 wonders of Sasaffras Springs by the end of the week then the boy will get a train ticket to visit his aunt in another state.
It is a great adventure for the boy.
I really liked this book. I reccomend this book to everybody! It would be good for Candice to read aloud to her class too.

Monday, March 3, 2008

The Appeal


The Appeal
by: John Grisham
Kerry and I both read this book, neither one of us loved it. It was ok. You can have a great discussion in the end, when you are done - is this stuff really true???
It was one of his worst books. No real peaks.
He tells an interesting tale of State Supreme Court judges that get voted in, as opposed to appointed. What that means to the state, laws, appeals.
I wish the book was better. You should read it, it is interesting information, the end of the book gets better. Just know that it is not a great Grisham book.

Remember Me?


Remember Me
by: Sophie Kinsella
This is not part of the Shopaholic series.
The Shopaholic books are light and funny, easy. This book was much heavier, kind of frustrating and a downer. In the end, it redeemed itself, but it was frustrating to me....I just would have solved the problems in a different way, hmm.
I liked this book fine too, didn't love it.
The premise is interesting....a woman wakes up in a hospital, it is 2007, she has forgotten about the years from 2004 to 2007. She is a totally differnt person in 2007 and it takes some time for her to figure herself out. She had a car accident and hit her head causing her amnesia.
I think I will look for Dawney's book, The Bread givers at the library now.

Ask Again Later


Ask Again Later
by: Jill A. Davis
She was a writer for the David Letterman show. This is not her first book.
It is a different syle of writing, no chapters....she writes her story with subject heading. It took some time for me to get used to, but in the end I liked the book, didn't love it.
The girl has a bad relationship with her mother and father and it is about repairing those relationships all the while trying to get her life/self in order and to find her own happiness.