Mistborn Series

Okay, I know I keep saying this....

 

...especially this year

 because I have read a lot of good books.

 

But this series....

 

You know it is a good series

when each book gets better.

 

And this series did just that.

Better with each book.

The good news with this series is that

there are three more books.

 

And I have heard it said that the last three books are

better

than the first three.

 

Whaaaat!?!?!

How is that even possible??

 

If you like fantasy and adventure,

you are going to love these.

 

No,

Really,

You are going to

LOVE

this series.

 

Spark

"Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" by John J. Ratey M.D.

Goodreads Summary:
Did you know you can beat stress, lift your mood, fight memory loss, sharpen your intellect, and function better than ever simply by elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat? The evidence is incontrovertible: Aerobic exercise physically remodels our brains for peak performance.

In SPARK, John J. Ratey, M.D., embarks upon a fascinating and entertaining journey through the mind-body connection, presenting startling research to prove that exercise is truly our best defense against everything from depression to ADD to addiction to aggression to menopause to Alzheimer's. Filled with amazing case studies (such as the revolutionary fitness program in Naperville, Illinois, which has put this school district of 19,000 kids first in the world of science test scores), SPARK is the first book to explore comprehensively the connection between exercise and the brain. It will change forever the way you think about your morning run---or, for that matter, simply the way you think.

My Review:
I loved the information from this book. I really don't think we understand the various ways and the amount of benefit that our bodies get from exercising. I know that I had no idea the effect exercise had on testing, depression, mental health, and ADHD.  I loved this book. It really is a book for everyone, young and old, the fit and the unfit, the energetic and the depressed. Read it. It's a good one.

A Man Named Ove

"A Man Name Ove" by Fredrik Backman

Goodreads Summary:
A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.

My review:
I loved this book. Who doesn't like grumpy old men? They say what they think without much filter. I love how this book was written. The more we read Ove's story, the more we know of Ove and Ove is not who he appears to be. Underneath his hard shell, there is a lot to love. This is definitely one of my favorites so far this year.  Ove stole my heart.

A Night Divided

"A Night Divided" by Jennifer A. Neilson

Goodreads Summary:
From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen comes a stunning thriller about a girl who must escape to freedom after the Berlin Wall divides her family between east and west.

With the rise of the Berlin Wall, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family divided overnight. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, to think forbidden thoughts of freedom, yet she can't help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city.

But one day, while on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Then, when she receives a mysterious drawing, Gerta puts two and two together and concludes that her father wants Gerta and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?

My Review:
I loved this book. I haven't read a whole lot about the Berlin wall and what all happened during that time. I remember when it came down, because it was during my lifetime. And I remember watching a movie about a family escaping in a hot air balloon, but that was it. This book gave a basic idea of what went on, but has piqued my interest to learn more. This is a great book for all ages. Kids, youth, adults. It shows that when a family is divided and freedom is taken, people will do anything it takes to get them back. I love the relationships in this story. Parent to child. Brother to sister. Friend to Friend. Loyalist to patriot. It is a great book.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

"The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards

Goodreads' Summary
On a winter night in 1964, Dr. David Henry is forced by a blizzard to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy. Yet when his daughter is born, he sees immediately that she has Down's Syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split-second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret. But Caroline, the nurse, cannot leave the infant. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child herself. So begins this story that unfolds over a quarter of a century - in which these two families, ignorant of each other, are yet bound by the fateful decision made that long-ago winter night. Norah Henry, who knows only that her daughter died at birth, remains inconsolable; her grief weighs heavily on their marriage. And Paul, their son, raises himself as best he can, in a house grown cold with mourning. Meanwhile, Phoebe, the lost daughter, grows from a sunny child to a vibrant young woman whose mother loves her as fiercely as if she were her own.

My review:
I really liked this book. It's about decisions. Some decisions stay with us for the rest of our lives. David kept his decision a secret. Caroline took his decision, made her own and raised his daughter, despite the challenges that faced her. Both were changed by their choices. Kim does a great job of letting us watch their lives unfold. There isn't a lot of language, which I appreciated. It is captivating and intriguing. If you are looking for a good read, look no farther.

Book: Someone Knows My Name

"Someone Knows My Name" by Lawrence Hill

Goodreads Summary:
Abducted from Africa as a child and enslaved in South Carolina, Aminata Diallo thinks only of freedom―and of the knowledge she needs to get home. Sold to an indigo trader who recognizes her intelligence, Aminata is torn from her husband and child and thrown into the chaos of the Revolutionary War. In Manhattan, Aminata helps pen the Book of Negroes, a list of blacks rewarded for service to the king with safe passage to Nova Scotia. There Aminata finds a life of hardship and stinging prejudice. When the British abolitionists come looking for "adventurers" to create a new colony in Sierra Leone, Aminata assists in moving 1,200 Nova Scotians to Africa and aiding the abolitionist cause by revealing the realities of slavery to the British public. This captivating story of one woman's remarkable experience spans six decades and three continents and brings to life a crucial chapter in world history.  

My Review:
I can't believe that I haven't put this book on  here yet. I read it earlier this year and loved it. I listened to the audio version and Adenrele Ojo did an amazing job. The book was so good that even if the reader wasn't amazing I would have been moved. I love the determination and positivity of Aminata Diallo. I cannot imagine being taken from my homeland and have my life sold away. Horrible. But Aminata is amazing. Just read the book and you will be inspired.

Book: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" by Scott Fitzgerald

Goodreads Summary:
"In 1860 Benjamin Button is born an old man and mysteriously begins aging backward. At the beginning of his life he is withered and worn, but as he continues to grow younger he embraces life -- he goes to war, runs a business, falls in love, has children, goes to college and prep school, and, as his mind begins to devolve, he attends kindergarten and eventually returns to the care of his nurse.

This strange and haunting story embodies the sharp social insight that has made Fitzgerald one of the great voices in the history of American literature."

My review:
I am not quite sure why the summary says "haunting." I thought the story was quite a fun read. It is a short fun piece of work. I found myself laughing at some of the silliness and the irony. If you have an hour or two you should try this book.  It's just plain fun.

"Wuthering Heights"

"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte

Goodreads Summary:
"Wuthering Heights is a wild, passionate story of the intense and almost demonic love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, a foundling adopted by Catherine's father. After Mr Earnshaw's death, Heathcliff is bullied and humiliated by Catherine's brother Hindley and wrongly believing that his love for Catherine is not reciprocated, leaves Wuthering Heights, only to return years later as a wealthy and polished man. He proceeds to exact a terrible revenge for his former miseries. The action of the story is chaotic and unremittingly violent, but the accomplished handling of a complex structure, the evocative descriptions of the lonely moorland setting and the poetic grandeur of vision combine to make this unique novel a masterpiece of English literature."

Photo found here.

My review:
I did not like this book. At. All. It was disturbing. And it never got better. I kept waiting for something good to happen or for something to change with Heathcliff. Spoiler alert. He doesn't change. I just don't see why this is a classic and why people love it.

Another Good Book: Their Eyes Were Watching God

"Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston

Goodreads Summary
'“A deeply soulful novel that comprehends love and cruelty, and separates the big people from the small of heart, without ever losing sympathy for those unfortunates who don’t know how to live properly.” —Zadie Smith'
"One of the most important and enduring books of the twentieth century, Their Eyes Were Watching God brings to life a Southern love story with the wit and pathos found only in the writing of Zora Neale Hurston. Out of print for almost thirty years—due largely to initial audiences’ rejection of its strong black female protagonist—Hurston’s classic has since its 1978 reissue become perhaps the most widely read and highly acclaimed novel in the canon of African-American literature."

My Review:
So the summary really didn't tell you much about the book. Janie is the main character and this book takes us on her live journey and gives us a glimpse into what it was like to live when she did. I really liked this book. I was lucky and was able to listen to it on Audiobook with a very talented reader. There's love, heartbreak, tragedy, and laughter. What more do you want. The book is really well written and so worth reading.

Book: Columbine

"Columbine" by Dave Cullen

 

Goodreads Summary
"The tragedies keep coming. As we reel from the latest horror . . . " So begins a new epilogue, illustrating how Columbine became the template for nearly two decades of "spectacle murders." It is a false script, seized upon by a generation of new killers. In the wake of Newtown, Aurora, and Virginia Tech, the imperative to understand the crime that sparked this plague grows more urgent every year.

What really happened April 20, 1999? The horror left an indelible stamp on the American psyche, but most of what we "know" is wrong. It wasn't about jocks, Goths, or the Trench Coat Mafia. Dave Cullen was one of the first reporters on scene, and spent ten years on this book-widely recognized as the definitive account. With a keen investigative eye and psychological acumen, he draws on mountains of evidence, insight from the world's leading forensic psychologists, and the killers' own words and drawings-several reproduced in a new appendix. Cullen paints raw portraits of two polar opposite killers. They contrast starkly with the flashes of resilience and redemption among the survivors

My review
I remember when this happened. It was horrible. This book helped to clear up some of the false stories that were relayed via the media. Not only that, we get a glimpse into the two boys who caused so much bloodshed. We get to hear, in their own words, what they were thinking at the time. This book is heavy. It is shocking and tragic and unbelievable and informative all at the same time. It is definitely PG-13 language. I wish there was a way to make sure that nothing like this could ever happen again.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass

Goodreads Summary:
 After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

My review:
Who doesn't like a good fantasy book. I am not usually into fantasy, but I guess maybe I am as all the fantasy books I have read lately I liked. The thing I love about this book is that you know who the obvious "bad" guys are, but you are left guessing until the end who the EVIL bad guys are. I hear that these books get better as they go and I can't wait to see if it is true.

Little Pink House

"Little Pink House: A True Story of Defiance and Courage" by Jeff Benedict

Goodreads Summary
Suzette Kelo was just trying to rebuild her life when she purchased a falling down Victorian house perched on the waterfront in New London, CT. The house wasn't particularly fancy, but with lots of hard work Suzette was able to turn it into a home that was important to her, a home that represented her new found independence.

Little did she know that the City of New London, desperate to revive its flailing economy, wanted to raze her house and the others like it that sat along the waterfront in order to win a lucrative Pfizer pharmaceutical contract that would bring new business into the city. Kelo and fourteen neighbors flat out refused to sell, so the city decided to exercise its power of eminent domain to condemn their homes, launching one of the most extraordinary legal cases of our time, a case that ultimately reached the United States Supreme Court.

In Little Pink House, award-winning investigative journalist Jeff Benedict takes us behind the scenes of this case -- indeed, Suzette Kelo speaks for the first time about all the details of this inspirational true story as one woman led the charge to take on corporate America to save her home.

My Review
This story is shocking and completely outrageous and true!! Sometimes....more so lately... our government and courts shock me! How does something like this happen? In America? In my lifetime? This book was so well written. You can't help routing for the underdog, Suzette Kelo and her neighbors because in this day and age she could be you!! And then what? What do you do when government over-reaches? Would you have the courage to stand? Enjoy the book!

Mr Darcy's Diary

"Mr Darcy's Diary" by Amanda Grange

Goodread's Summary:

Monday 9th September
""I left London today and met Bingley at Netherfield Park. I had forgotten what good company he is; always ready to be pleased and always cheerful. After my difficult summer, it is good to be with him again. ...""

"The only place Darcy could share his innermost feelings was in the private pages of his diary...

"Torn between his sense of duty to his family name and his growing passion for Elizabeth Bennet, all he can do is struggle not to fall in love.

"Mr. Darcy's Diary presents the story of the unlikely courtship of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy from Darcy's point of view. This graceful imagining and sequel to Pride and Prejudice explains Darcy's moodiness and the difficulties of his reluctant relationship as he struggles to avoid falling in love with Miss Bennet. Though seemingly stiff and stubborn at times, Darcy's words prove him also to be quite devoted and endearing - qualities that eventually win over Miss Bennet's heart. This continuation of a classic romantic novel is charming and elegant, much like Darcy himself.

"Pride and Prejudice has inspired a large number of modern day sequels, the most successful of which focus on the rich, proud Mr. Darcy."

My Review
Ahhh!!!  
Pride and Prejudice.
I recently read the book (I'm sad to admit for the first time) and it was….ahhh!!!!  Pride and Prejudice.
As awesome as the book and movie are, there are times when we have to get chunks the story second hand, some really important chunks. Not any more. Amanda Grange does a fantabulous (Yes, that is a word, Mr. Spellcheck!) job of filling in those gaps, in a very satisfying way. This book just makes me love Darcy even more. I love seeing things through his eyes. Many insights into the characters close to Darcy. PLUS, you get the extended version of the story, aka what happens in the Happily Ever. You are going to love this book!

A Book: Food: A Love Story

"Food: A Love Story" by Jim Gaffigan

Goodreads summary:
“What are my qualifications to write this book? None really. So why should you read it? Here’s why: I’m a little fat. If a thin guy were to write about a love of food and eating I’d highly recommend that you do not read his book.” 

Bacon. McDonalds. Cinnabon. Hot Pockets. Kale. Stand-up comedian and author Jim Gaffigan has made his career rhapsodizing over the most treasured dishes of the American diet (“choking on bacon is like getting murdered by your lover”) and decrying the worst offenders (“kale is the early morning of foods”). Fans flocked to his New York Times bestselling book Dad is Fat to hear him riff on fatherhood but now, in his second book, he will give them what they really crave—hundreds of pages of his thoughts on all things culinary(ish). Insights such as: why he believes coconut water was invented to get people to stop drinking coconut water, why pretzel bread is #3 on his most important inventions of humankind (behind the wheel and the computer), and the answer to the age-old question “which animal is more delicious: the pig, the cow, or the bacon cheeseburger?”

I love Jim Gaffigan! He is a clean stand up comedian who is known for his "Hot Pocket" routines. A couple years ago I read his book, "Dad is Fat" and loved it. So when I saw that he had another book, I bought it on the spot. And it did not disappoint. I bought the audiobook version, read by him. So worth it. I was laughing so hard as I commuted this week. Because it is clean, I am planning on having my kids listen to it on our next road trip. If you're looking for a light read, something that will make you smile, chuckle and bend over laughing…this is your book. 

A Book: The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag

"The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag" by Alan Brady

Goodreads summary:
"In 1950s English bucolic Bishop's Lacy, narrator Flavia de Luce 11, has a passion for chemistry and a genius for solving murders. Puppeteer Rupert Porson has his strings sizzled, his charming helper Nialla suspect. Astride trusty bicycle Gladys, she investigates Gibbet Wood madwoman, vicar, German pilot, and poisoned chocolates."

My Review:
I bought the audiobook for this and the first book and the reader was fantastic. I like this book better than the first one. Flavia de Luce is such a lovable character. Her obsession with chemistry and poison and her scheming against her pesky sisters simply endears her to any reader. And that is just in the background. I would recommend this series to anyone. Very enjoyable.

A Book: An Ember in the Ashes

"An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Goodreads Summary:
"Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

"Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

"It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

"But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

"There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself."

My rating and review:
I am not usually big into fantasy books. But I would have to say this is one of the best books I have read this year. It's written from both the views of Laia and Elias. I love the strength and humility of both characters. The story is captivating and I found that I couldn't put it down. It isn't a violent book, although there is some. But the language is clean and that is often rare these days.  I am not great at reviewing books and so this review does not do the book justice. But if you are looking for an exciting and captivating book, this is the one to get. You will not regret it!!


Linking up with Writer's Workshop this week. 

A Book: Austenland

"Austenland" by Shannon Hale

Goodread Summary:
Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined. 
Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen;or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

My Rating and Review
I love Shannon Hale. Her books are captivating. This book was a little different for me. It was entertaining and it kept my attention. It just wasn't my favorite. I just couldn't feel a connection with Jane, the main character. I wasn't really rooting for her or hoping things would work out. I guess I am cold hearted. Maybe, because for me, the whole premise was too far fetched. But, neither is Hunger Games and I loved that series. I am willing to give Austenland a 2 1/2 star rating. It's the best I can do.

Book Review: Between Shades of Gray

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Summary from Goodreads
 "Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

"Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart."

I love that this book looks at the other people who suffered during WWII. We know what happened to the Jews, but there were many others who suffered from cruel leaders. I loved that amid all the horrible things that were going on, Lina's mother was so kind and kept herself human, looking out for others. I love that not only did we get to see what Lina was experiencing now, but also were able to have glimpses into what her family's lives were like before the horrible. The only thing that I didn't like was that I felt the ending is a little abrupt. That being said but I would still recommend this book to anyone.

Have you read it? What did you think?