Remarkable Creatures

I thought that this book was really interesting. It is by the same author of Girl With a Pearl Earring and I thought it was really good. It's about two women that live in Lyme and they are fossil hunters in the early 1800's. I really liked finding out this little bit of history because it's about two real women, women that I'd never heard of. These were women that were ahead of their time. I would definitely recommend this book!

The Scorch Trials

This book is the second in a series by James Dashner. This book continues the Maze Runner series. The test continues with Thomas and his group as they travel through the Scorch. They encounter a number of trials before they can receive the cure to what can turn them into Cranks. If you read the first book, you;ll have to read this one too. Thomas and his friends will be tested.

Behemoth

This was the second book in a series by Scott Westerfield. This was really good (like the first book, Leviathan.) I would recommend this to anyone that read and liked the first book. It continues the story of Alec, the Clanker, and his friend Deryn, a Darwinist airman. Their adventure continues as it takes them to new places where they meet new people.

The Alchemist

This was a really good book! It's about a shepherd boy that has a dream that he will find treasure at the Great Pyramids. He begins his journey and learns so much along the way. I thought that this book was really insightful into what our goals are as well as why we may deviate from our ultimate potential. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

It's Like This, Cat

I just finished this one about a young boy that live in Manhattan. He experiences many things and meets a lot of different people. Dave's cat, Cat, also experiences many fun adventures with him. This was a cute book with a lot of fun stories. I'd recommend it for sure!

The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963

This was a really good book by Christopher Paul Curtis. It's about a family in Flint, Michigan that makes a trip to visit their grandma in Birmingham. There are lots of fun things that happen to the Watsons, told by Kenny. I really liked this book. It's funny and it also teaches some great principles.

Clockwork Angel

This was a really good book. It is a new series, Infernal Devices, by Cassandra Clare. It is also a prequel to her series Mortal Instruments. I liked the story of this book. It was a really interesting plot and included all of the mystical creatures we all love: vampires, warlocks, etc. and some that were new to me. This is a story of adventure and mystery and even a little love. I would recommend it. (Now I need to read the Mortal Instruments series.)

One Day

I just finished this book this morning. I must say that I thought that is was a very interesting idea for a story. It's about two friends - beginning on the day that they graduate from college. The idea of "One Day" is that the entire book consists of that one day for the next twenty years, telling their story. There is romance, sadness, success, despair, politics, a little bit of everything. I liked the story, but it does have some language that is a bit frustrating.

A Vintage Affair

I like this book pretty well. It's a quick read and pretty good. This actually made me want to shop for vintage clothing or something like that. (It'd be fun, wouldn't it?) But then it actually became a little bit daunting with how MUCH vintage fashion that there is. Anyway, I'm rambling... It won't change your life or anything, but it's a good romantic story if that's what your looking for.

The Violin of Auschwitz

I thought that this was a good, simple story. Any WWII story can be really inspiring. This one is about a man that is forced to make a violin for the commander of a concentration camp. This is a good, but serious story.

When You Reach Me

This was a really good book! I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone. It has a great storyline: a number of mysterious things happen to Miranda and those that surround her. She is making new friends, reading a pretty great book , and helping her mom prepare for the $20,000 pyramid. Everything ties together in a surprising way for the reader in the end. What a creative story!

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

This was a different book. I'm not really sure how much I liked it. I think the writing felt like a dream to me (or something.) It is about a girl that starts tasting what people are feeling through food. When she tries her mothers lemon cake, she can taste the immense sadness that her mom doesn't show, but feels. Kind of a downer, huh. I guess it felt a bit coming-of-age-ish to me (which I don't usually enjoy) and maybe I just didn't "get it." If you do, will you fill me in?

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

I really enjoyed this book. This is a mystery with a very quirky main character. I really like the way that the author wrote this. I was really interested in both the characters and the plot. I couldn't figure things out either. I needed Flavia (a 10 or 11 year old chemist) that is trying her darnedest to solve a murder. I would definitely recommend this one!

Deadly Little Secret

This was an okay book. It's about a girl, Camelia, that befriends Ben, a boy with a special gift - psychometry. The book seemed a little juvenile (I do recognize that it IS a young adult book) in a way that bugged me. I can accept some far-fetched plots, but this was too much for me.

Mockingjay

This was the third and final book in the Hunger Games series. I liked this book, but didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the first two. This book has a little bit different plot line and feel to it, which, for me, was too slow. I guess that I just wanted the excitement and fast-pace that the first books offered. This wasn't quite on the same level as them.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

This was another fun novel by Seth Grahame-Smith (Same author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters.) I liked it, but not quite as much as the others I've read by him. This was written as a "history," and since I actually read a history of Abraham Lincoln (Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin - very good by the way) it felt a little slow for me. Also because it was written in a historical fashion, it couldn't be quite as funny as I felt the others by him had been. Again, very creative and different from any book you've read before.

Eat Pray Love

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I actually did like it. Obviously, there were some things in it that I disagreed with (mostly religious) but I thought that there were some really good insights for me. For me, I thought that the discussions on prayer and meditation were valuable (general meditation, not the super intense stuff.) These were things that I think anyone would benefit from. Mostly I took from this book the importance of true introspection and finding that balance between all that is expected of us as women. I would recommend it I think. You just have to be able to take from it what will be of value to you personally.

Rose in Bloom

This is the sequel to Eight Cousins. It too, was a really sweet story; a continuation to what happens to Rose and her cousins as they get older. Rose goes abroad and returns mature and ready to save the world. I love how uncle Alec teaches Rose responsibility and goodness/kindness. He would be great to learn from. Seriously.

Eight Cousins

I just finished this super sweet book by Louisa May Alcott. I don't know why I'd never read it before, but I really liked it. It's about Rose, a sweet little orphan girl, that moves to the "aunt-hill" and is surrounded by seven of her cousins, all boys. If you liked Little Women, you'll like this on as well. It's a really sweet story to read.

Brava, Valentine

This is a follow-up to Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani. I listened to this on CD while sewing like a mad woman. I liked this story as well as the first, especially since it had the ending that was missing (for me, anyway) in the first novel. If you love shoes and fashion, this is a great book for you. I liked it!

Home Safe

This was another freebie from Barnes and Noble. I haven't read anything by this author, but I actually liked this book pretty well. It's about an author that has a bit of writer's block in the aftermath of her husband's death. It made me want to be able to write well. I like creative writing, however I don't seem to have anything to say when I need to. The main character in this book teaches a writhing class. It made me feel so terrible at the stuff! I guess my thought process could improve some!

Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma

If you like the other Mysterious Benedict Society books, you'll like this one as well. It's a fun story that follows the Mysterious Benedict Society on another adventure. They are again in a tangle with Mr. Curtain and have a lot of exciting things that happen. We learn a lot more about some of the characters as well. This is surely a fun one!

Lucia, Lucia

I really liked this book about a young woman in 1950's New York. She has to decide between a career (in fashion) that she loves, and a marriage and a family. It also includes a great Italian family. I thought that it was a sweet story and really liked it. I would recommend it for sure!

The Help

The Help was an excellent book. I had heard so much about it and couldn't wait to read it. I put it on hold at the library and was on the wait list - number 253! I thought it was a lost cause. I was just on the verge of buying it when I got the e-mail that I could pick it up. It was worth it. What a great story. It is about the relationships between white women and their black maids. I was flabbergasted at the attitudes that people could have - and that they could so blatantly demonstrate! The early sixties must have been an interesting time to live. Being from where I'm from and growing up when I have, it's really difficult to believe that this could have been the way things were. This book really opened my eyes to racial discrimination.

One Shot

I just finished this book (also free on my nook.) It was a pretty good book. It had a unique main character - Jack Reacher, former army police officer, come to save the day. There are a number of other books in this series. This story was pretty action-packed and interesting. I would recommend it!

Storm Front

We got a nook not too long ago and I've been a little wary of it so far. Jed just loves it and I still love old school books and such - you know? Well, Barnes and Noble has been offering some free books for the nook each week for the past few weeks. (Of course, it's the first book in different series just to get you hooked and then you'll buy the following books.)

Storm Front was just one of those free books. It actually sounded interesting, so I read it (on the nook - it's a pretty handy little thing!) This was a pretty good book. I thought that it was a really interesting plot. A wizard advertising in the yellow pages in Chicago? Where else would you find a story like that? I would recommend it, but it does have a little language. I just really liked the voice of the main character. It is different from anything else I've read before.

Standing in the Rainbow

I really liked the first Fannie Flagg book that I read (Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.) So, I decided to read this book by her as well; and I really liked it. I thought that it was really a cute story about Elmwood Springs, a small town in Missouri. It follows the characters from the 1940's until 2000. I just thought that it was a really sweet story. It was a fun read!

The Forgotten Garden

I really liked this book. It is the ultimate family history search. It's about a lady, Nell, in search of who she is after she is told that she was (adopted?) if you can call it that. Through three different story lines: the Authoress, a writer of fairy tales in early 1900; Nell, an antique dealer in Australia; and Cassandra, Nell's grand-daughter the reader finds out who Nell is and where she comes from. I thought that it was a really sweet story and it kept me interested all along.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

I have waited a LONG time to read this book and it did not fail me. I thought that it was such a sweet story! As many of you know, it's about a boy that befriends a boy (in striped pajamas) who ends up being in a concentration camp. It's a great way to discuss this terrible time in a different way and through a child's eyes. I look forward to seeing the movie (I've waited to see it until I could read the book first.) Everyone should read this one!

I am The Messenger

This is the second book that I've read by this author. (The first being The Book Thief.) I really liked this book as well. It has a little bit of risque (?) stuff in it for a young adult book. I thought that it was really interesting and entertaining! It really has a message that is important and a little inspirational I thought. I would recommend it.

Becoming Jane Eyre

I just finished Becoming Jane Eyre by Sheila Kohler. It is a fictional account of what may have been the circumstances of Charlotte Bronte surrounding the writing of Jane Eyre. It is based somewhat in fact, but the author suggests what may have been Charlotte's thoughts and feelings when writing the book. I thought that it was a really interesting book. Since Jane Eyre is my favorite book of all time, I was really interested in reading this (possible) story about her life.

The Book of Lost Things

This book was recommended to me by a coworker. It was interesting. By journeying through another land, a young boy finds out what is really important to him. In order to return home, David has to go to the king and find The Book of Lost Things. On his quest, he meets a knight, fights loups (A wolf-man type of thing), runs into seven dwarfs and the grouchy lady that bosses them around, as well as many other characters (including the crooked man). It fuses fairy-tale with coming-of-age. It was pretty clever in that way.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

I know, it's been a while, but I've been in a bit of a reading "slump." Although I really liked this book, it took me a little while to get through it. This is the type of "coming of age" story that I really like. It tells about a period in Francie Nolan's life, but like many "coming of agers" (I just made that word up), it doesn't get weird and Francie accomplishes great things. It's really a sweet and inspiring story.

Going Bovine

Wow. I hated this book. I have this problem called not being able to not finish a book that I've started. I just wouldn't recommend this - unless you like hallucinogenic stories. This was just one strange story. Also, another beef that I have is that it's a young adult book, there's a ton of terrible language. I also hate it when there's too much of an author trying to talk like a young kid. (the "lingo.") Totally annoying! (It also looks like it got some kind of award - but I'm not sure why!)

House Rules

This is the newest book by Jodi Picoult. I thought that it was really interesting (as usual.) It's about a boy with Asperger's that is convicted of a crime. It was really interesting to think about the way that a disability could be perceived as well as the potential problems that someone like this could face. Another thought-provoking book.

The Magician's Elephant

This was a really sweet story by Kate DiCamillo. I felt like it was a fairy tale almost. It's a story about a little boy in search of his sister and an elephant that just wants to return home. These come together to help each other (as well as some other fun characters.) This is a definite recommendation must read.

Woods Runner

I just finished this new book by Gary Paulsen. It's about a young boy in Revolutionary War America. I really learned a lot about that era and that war in this novel. I couldn't imagine living during that time period and during the Revolutionary War. So many lives were lost during that time. Wow! I'm grateful for the willingness of those men.

The Viper's Nest

This is the seventh book in the 39 Clues series. I learned about South Africa as Amy and Dan search for a clue in Pretoria. (It even helped me with a crossword puzzle - the Boers!)

In Too Deep

This is book #6 in the 39 Clues series. This book follows the Cahill kids as they travel to Australia and Jakarta. Again, I learned a lot!

Beyond the Grave

This is book four in the 39 Clues series. I listened to it while driving to and from work and Salt Lake. It was pretty entertaining.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Wow, what a great book. Mom and dad both read this, so I decided to read it. It was a really interesting story about a young Chinese boy and a Japanese girl that become friends during World War II. I always thought that the Japanese internment camps seemed so terrible, but I'd never thought about the relationships between other Asian groups of people. I was also unaware of the differences between Chinese and Japanese at the time - they were also at war (and had been for many years.) This was a really sweet story. I would absolutely recommend it.

Viola in Reel Life

This was a great young adult book! It's about a young New Yorker that is sent to a boarding school in South Bend, Indiana. She's just not sure if she can survive there. I would recommend it. It was a sweet story and a quick read!

The Sword Thief

The third book in the 39 Clues is The Sword Thief. This one takes the reader to Japan and Hong Kong with uncle Alistair. Again, more adventures with the Cahills as they search for the great powers to be found. They even get a little help from their distant cousins.

Book of a Thousand Days

This was a really sweet story from Shannon Hale (author of Princess Academy and the Books of Bayern.) It's about the adventures of a young noblewoman and her maid. Together, they're locked in a tower for seven years and the maid, Dashti, records daily what happens to them. It's a Grimm fairy tale retold. I've always loved fairy tales!

One Flase Note

This is another book (#2) in the 39 Clues series. We continue following the Cahills on their journey to find the 39 clues. In this, they have more adventures and travel to many new destinations while learning a little more about Mozart.

The Maze Runner

This is a really interesting book. It's about a community of boys that have had their memories "wiped" and they are living in the middle of a maze. If they can figure out the maze, then they hope to be able to figure out who they are and what's going on. I found myself really interested early on in this book, wanting to figure out what would happen if they could escape. I would recommend this one for sure!

The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte

This was a pretty interesting book that places Charlotte Bronte right in the middle of a mystery that puts her and her family's lives in danger. She has all sorts of adventures trying to help solve a murder. Considering the fact that Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time - therefore making Charlotte Bronte one of my favorite authors of all time. This book really just made me want to learn more about the actual life of Charlotte Bronte.

Ciao Bella

I thought that this was a great book. It's about a Canadian woman married to an Italian that is a member of the resistance during WWII. The war has just ended and an American soldier turns up at her house. She doesn't know whether her husband is alive or not. It's a sweet story about love and about forgiveness. Plus, it makes me want to go to Italy!

The Maze of Bones

This is the first book in the 39 Clues series. I had read another (maybe the sixth?) and wanted to read the series. It's a fun story about a family that is in search of great power. There are thirty-nine clues that will lead there and only one winner. This story follows two kids that are underdogs in getting those clues. They follow the clues all over the world, and I look forward to seeing what happens to them.

Marcelo in the Real World

I thought that this book was really interesting. (Although it has some language that I didn't appreciate!) It's about a teenage boy that has something close to Asperger's syndrome. He has to leave his world where he is comfortable in order to work in the "real world." This leads to many new experiences and adjustments in his life. It's really interesting to read his point of view in this story.