Suggestions?

Do you guys have any great books you've read lately?  Now that I don't have a book club, I'm feeling a little lost.

Question About Ender

Okay, I just finished Ender's Game and I am wondering which book I should read next? Do I read Speaker for the Dead or Ender in Exile? I know the latter was written after the original series, but on Goodreads it lists it as the second book of the Ender series. What do you think?

The Paris Wife: A Novel

Written by Pauline McLain, this book tells the love story of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley.  I would give it at least 4 stars. It is a historical fiction novel and reads as if the events and dialogs could have happened just the way written.  I was so intrigued that now I am interested in reading more about Hemingway and maybe reading some of his books as well. I know I've read The Old Man and the Sea but I can't remember much about it. I just ended up picking this book up off the new books rack at the library and ended up getting lucky. I would recommend it if you are looking for an interesting historical fiction to read and if you want to read any real reviews about it you'll just have to head to amazon since I don't have much time to get into the story right now or just go get it from the library already.

Meghan's Review of "Save Me"

I read this book a few weeks ago before we left for Utah, so I may not remember exactly what I thought about it. The main character is a mother of two kids, an 8 year old and a 9 month old. The 8 year old has a birthmark on her face and therefore gets picked on and made fun of at school. The family moved to this new town so the daughter could start fresh and be at a new school with a no-bullying policy. At the beginning of the book, the mom goes to school to be a lunch mom one day to keep an eye on her daughter. She sees three girls sitting next to her daughter and one puts jelly on her face to make fun of her birthmark. As the daughter runs to the bathroom right next to the kitchen, the bell rings for the kids to go outside for recess. The mom goes over to the three other girls and starts talking to them about how teasing is just like bullying and that they need to be nice. The other lunch mom tells this mom that she shouldn't discipline and goes to tell a teacher outside about this other mom so the only people in the cafeteria are this mom and the three girls. All of a sudden there's a huge explosion in the kitchen and the mom gets knocked out. When she comes to there is fire and smoke and she realizes the kitchen just had an explosion. Two of the three girls are right next to her and the other one is running outside. The mom realizes her daughter is still in the bathroom right next to the kitchen that just exploded and has to decide whether she will run to her daughter, leaving these two girls there or if she'll take these two girls outside and leave her daughter. I don't think I'm giving anything away when I tell you what she did since this all happens in the first few chapters of the book. She ends up taking the two girls to the cafeteria door to a teacher that is ushering other kids outside and then runs back to the bathroom and breaks in to get her daughter out. They get her to the hospital and she's fine, but then the mom finds out that the girl who put jelly on her face ran back into the cafeteria and is now being rushed to the hospital in a coma. So, basically this story is about how this mom deals with how the other moms treat her thinking that she left this other girl to save her daughter. It's actually kind of infuriating and I wonder if people would really respond that way. The other moms really attack this mom for saving her daughter and really make it impossible for her to go anywhere, since they start yelling at her the second they see her. The story takes an interesting turn when the main character finds out there are factors to the explosion at this new school that seem like someone wanted to have it explode. Then it turns into kind of a murder mystery and gets a little silly. It was kind of interesting and an easy read, but it was a little unrealistic and the story got a little too complex about why the murderer wanted to cause the explosion. So, while I enjoyed it for what it was, I would probably only give it 2 1/2 stars since there are better books out there. Did I confuse everyone with my jumbled thoughts?

Shannan's Review of "Matched"

I read this book a month or so ago, but liked it and thought it would be one you would all enjoy. It reminds me a little of "The Hunger Games". It isn't quite as gripping, but still fun. The main character is a 17 year-old girl and the government controls everything, your occupation, who you marry, even when you die. The story is about her and dealing with being matched. I won't tell you much more, just give it a try. I think you will like it. It is also part of a series, but I think the next book won't be published until November of this year.

So the book is "Matched" by Allie Condie.

And does anyone have any great suggestions? I feel like I am dying for a great book, but haven't found one in a while.

Ideas for Book Club

Okay, girls. Are any of you still reading out there? I am trying to come up with a book for our book club next year (or I guess now it is this year!) and have no ideas. Anyone have any fabulous suggestions?

Finished Mockingjay

I finished Mockingjay a few weeks ago and just haven't posted about it. I actually liked it more than I thought I would since I heard a lot of people say they didn't really like it. I was a little confused at first because Collins kept referring to people from the Capitol that I didn't remember (it had been a few months since I read "Catching Fire" so I didn't remember all of the little details). I also found the part about what happened outside Pres. Snow's mansion confusing. It all moved so fast and I had to go back and read it a couple of times. I don't know if I really liked that Peeta seemed to come out of his negative reprogramming so quickly. At first it seemed like he'd never be the same and then a few chapters later, he is pretty much normal. But I'm glad she ended up with him instead of Gabe, although I think it was a little unreasonable that the reason she couldn't be with Gabe was that his weapon may or may not have been the one to kill Prim. That being said, I like the twist at the end and how she was able to change everything from just being the same. I thought Collins did a good job at planting doubt as to whether Pres. Coin would be better than Pres. Snow and I like that even thought Katniss hated Pres. Snow she could see that he was right about how things would just be the same. I like Hunger Games the best out of the three, but I'd have to go back and read the last two to decide which one I liked better. All in all, I wouldn't mind owning the whole trilogy someday.

Shannan's Review of "She Walks in Beauty"

I know we talked a little about this book, but I wanted to write my review in case anyone wanted to read it. It is called "She Walks in Beauty" by Siri Mitchell. The story is about a girl in the early part of the century in New York who is going through her debut, which is where the girls are presented to society in order to find a husband. It is a great story about being happy with yourself and not trying to be something you aren't. I would highly recommend it.

Mockingjay

Has anyone else read Mockingjay yet? I know Erin is reading it right now. Just wondering what anyone else thought about it. We had our book club discussion about it last night.

Shannan's Review of "Drowning Ruth"

I bought this book, written by Christina Schwarz, at the library on their 3 for $1.00 table. I didn't know anything about it other than the book looked fairly new and taken care of and that it had been an Oprah's book club choice. Usually that deters me from reading a book, since I am not an Oprah fan, but I bought it anyway.

That being said, I really liked this book. It is a story about two sisters and a tragedy that happens between them. You don't find out the answer to the mystery until the end of the book, and up to that point, you are given bits and pieces of the story and have to put them together yourself. The book is written from different characters perspective, as well as in third person, which gives it an interesting twist. I would recommend it and give it 4 stars.

Meghan Read "Hunger Games"

After hearing that so many people liked this book, I figured I'd give it a try. I really liked it (and Jay ended up reading it in about 2 days once I finished it and he really liked it.) I did think it was a little barbaric that the Capitol makes 24 kids fight to the death and broadcasts it for all of Panem to watch. It really bothered me that they made it seem like it was an honor to be a tribute by dressing them up and parading them around for all of Panem to see. The whole time they were in the arena I just kept thinking, "what would the Capitol do if they didn't all kill each other? Would the Capitol kill them off themselves?" I'm excited to read "Catching Fire" as soon as I can get it from the library. I thought it was very intriguing and was an easy read. Did all three of you read this book already? I can't remember...

Review of "Last Song"

I finally read a book! I know, it was a cheesy Nicholas Sparks book, but it was on the shelf right in front of me, and I kind of wanted a fast read. I've only read one other Nicholas Sparks book, "A Walk to Remember" and I saw "The Notebook" (edited version), but I get the feeling that all of Sparks' books have some sad incident in them.

Ronnie is a teenage girl who lives in New York and just graduated high school. She and her 10 year old brother are sent to live with their father for the summer to spend time with him since they haven't seen him in three years since their parents got divorced. Ronnie is a little rebellious and would rather be in New York going to clubs than spending time with her dad whom she hasn't spoken to for three years since she thinks he left them. She meets a few other rebellious teenagers the first day she's there but realizes they're trouble, and they continue to give her trouble the whole book. She also meets this handsome, charming guy that ends up liking her and she likes him. So basically it's about their relationship and their summer together. I won't give away too many details in case anyone wants to read it. A movie based on the book is coming out in the next few weeks with Miley Cyrus, but I can already tell that it won't be that close to the real story.

I would give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Moonraker's Bride

Okay, so I know that this is the last blog you are going to be reading right now, but I just wanted to say that I just finished Moonraker's Bride last night, and I loved it! I thought the main character, Lucy, was just a strong, amazing girl and I loved the romantic mystery angle. Thanks for the suggestion!

Did I ever post about

The Moonraker's Bride? If not, man I really should have. I totally forgot how much I loved it until someone brought up the title at bookclub tonight. Now I want to re-read it. It is out of print but so worth the read if you can find it. Set in the 1970's in China and has mystery, romance, a good plot and intriguing characters. You'll have to look it up online to find out more about it because I honestly can't remember but I do remember it being a really good clean engaging read.

By the way...

I did read "My Name is Asher Lev" and "The Chosen" in the last couple of months, and I have to say that I really enjoyed Asher Lev. It was sad, but I felt like the book really made me think and just use my brain. I grew to love Asher and even though I am far from an artist, I felt his uncontrollable desire to draw and create. I really liked it. The Chosen was good, too, although I didn't like it as much as Asher, which I know most people feel the other way. I don't know. Just thought you might all like to know! :)

Shannan's Review of "Life of Pi"

I just finished this book this morning. Erin and I were talking about it and I was commenting on how slow the beginning was. But once I got past that, I really enjoyed this book. The beginning talks about how this book will make you believe in God, but I never really got that. At first, he talks a lot about his family and the zoo that his father takes care of in India. He also talks about how he believes in Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddism. I thought that would be a theme throughout the book, but I didn't really find that at all, which I am thinking I must have not thought about it too deeply, or I would have seen religion in his experience. That experience, which I don't want to give away, is really what the book is about, and quite amazing to read. I really did enjoy the rest, once I got past part one. I would give this book 3 and 1/2 stars.

Shannan's Review of "One Thousand White Women"

I just finished another recommended book by Kaitlyn's teacher called "One Thousand White Women" by Jim Fergus. This book is a fictional story about a government project in the 1800s that begins when the Cheyenne Indians request 1000 white women to become their brides in order for the Indians to be able to integrate themselves into the white world. The government agrees and finds women from prisons and mental institutions who will volunteer for this program and in return gain their freedom. It is written in a journal entry format by May Dodd, who has been institutionalized for being promiscuous. She is not insane, only immoral, and so she signs up for the program believing that after the promised two years, she will be free to go back to normal life.

It is an interesting idea for a story. I did like the book, although there were a couple of sex scenes that were a little much. I would give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Shannan's Review of "The Lovely Bones"

So, this is our book for book club this month. I think they picked it mostly because the movie is coming out in a couple of weeks. I didn't really care for this book. The first chapter is disturbing. The main character of the book is raped and murdered in it, although there isn't a ton of details, you do get the picture. And then the rest of the book is told from her perspective in heaven. It deals with her in heaven a little, but mostly is about how she views her friends and family dealing with their lives after what has happened to her.

I didn't feel like the girls really had anything to do with her family, other than just watch them. She didn't really help them cope. And I felt like there were too many story lines that were ended abruptly. I didn't feel closure to a lot of them, I guess is what I am trying to say.

The girl does get a chance to be in a body again on earth, kind of like in the movie ghost, and she uses that chance to get it on with her first crush, instead of be with her family. I didn't really like that either. It was an okay story, but not great. I give it 2/5 stars.

Shannan's Review of "The Help"

This book was written by Kathryn Stockett, and was also recommended to me by Kaitlyn's school teacher. This is set in Mississippi in the 1960s, and is told from the perspective of three women, two who are black, and one white. I really enjoy stories from this era, so I really liked this book. It gives you a perspective of the relationships between blacks and whites, but also the way those relationships begin to change during this decade. I would recommend it and give it 4 stars.

Recommendations

I am trying to come up with a book to do for book club for my month next year. Does anyone have any suggestions? Have you heard of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"? I am thinking of that one, unless my friend choses it. What have you liked reading in your book clubs? What do you think about "My Name is Asher Lev" or "The Chosen" for book club?

Also, I heard of this new blog written by a girl who rates the books she reads for sexaul content, violence, and profanity. I checked it out and thought it was pretty cool. It is goodcleanreads.blogspot.com, just in case you might be interested!