The final book in the trilogy by NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING author Jennifer Nielsen!! Yes!! Notice how I can't just use one exclamation mark and would enlist multiple others if only there was enough room? I adored this book, reading it with a headlamp in my hand (yes, I know how contradictory that sounds) on a road trip into the wee hours of the morning. The suspense was so great that I literally squealed aloud in anticipation at one point and my alarmed sister asked me what was wrong.
And then I sighed with happiness upon reading the conclusion and was just SO happy. I didn't know how the main character Jaron was going to get out of the mess he was in this time and I can tell you I was more than pleasantly surprised. I was thrilled!
War has come to Carthya on many fronts: some nations have turned their backs on their former good relations, while other countries are cruelly lustful for power. There's no hope that King Jaron and his friends can possibly win when the odds are so decidedly against them. But they will try anyway. Thus, there are rescue attempts, imprisonments, and a princess on the run. There is death and the hope for something beyond this life. There is loyalty found only in love and friendship. And there is a whole lot of wit. I LOVE wit, especially in a young man who has every reason to be angry or give up, but chooses to live and be happy instead. Not only is it such a powerful message for readers of all ages, but it makes a story about war more meaningful. I often dread war stories. I feel like authors will use battles to make a story lengthy and dramatic and I am pushing to get through the novel. There was none of that here, though. Everything had a purpose. There is so much at stake for the characters, so much to live for, even when everything is falling apart around them.
And the ending! Did I mention the ending? There is so much to talk about, so much to love. So much to read! So, off you go! To the bookstores and libraries, everyone!
Appropriate for ages 14+
"I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday." This first line hooked me. Granted, I generally don't read books unless the first line (or at least the first page) hooks me. But it is not just the writing that I enjoyed about this book--as good as it is, I would say that the writing comes secondary to Malala herself. What a beautiful, inspiring, and powerful young woman she is.
If you haven't heard her story yet, Malala Yousafzai is a sixteen-year-old Pakistani who, against all odds, has become a proponent for education, particularly for girls and women. For some people in her country, this is unacceptable. But Malala speaks out, and her family, especially her father, is her constant support and stays by her side. One day, however, because she fights for education, a member of the Taliban shoots Malala in the face.
And yet she has lived to tell the tale.
This book wasn't a page turner for me, but I think that helped me to know Malala better. What an interesting perspective she has! The Middle East is something I feel like most Westerners no little about--at least I know this is the case for me. To hear about it from a young person, someone who loved Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and enjoyed speaking in debates at school makes the history of Islam and her country relatable. While the history of these things has many facets and can be perplexing to an outsider, after finishing this autobiography, I not only knew more, but I came out a better person. And what is reading for, if not that?
Appropriate for ages 16+
The Mindful Writer. Doesn't it just sound therapeutic? This is a way to start out the new year, people, whether or not you consider yourself to be a writer (but especially if you do).
I read this book for a creative writing class last semester. STOP! Come back! Just because I read it for school does not mean it put me to sleep. Quite the opposite. In fact, I consider this to be my bible for writing. Here's why:
To begin with, it approaches everything a writer needs to consider, such as why we write, what stops us from writing, and where inspiration comes from.
But it involves more than that. This book helps you learn how to live. Now, don't misunderstand me, here. You have been living for a considerable amount of time, you say as you read these words, and why would you need a book to tell you how to continue on with your existence? You have been doing just fine. And I'm sure you have. But this book is all about the moment. Live in the moment. Observe. Write it down. See what you can create. And it does this without feeling like you are going through a yoga session and without feeling like you are reading a textbook.
This book is a gem. I loved it. No, I LOVED it. Notice the use of capitalization. I loved how Dinty W. Moore approached the subject, with you, as the reader (or fellow writer) as his equal. Take a step into his mind and see what you come out with, what words of wisdom you can snatch from these pages that will shine through the creases of your fingers, just waiting to be molded in your palm in a way that only you know how.
Now, take a step back. Admire the brilliance of those words.
Don't they take your breath away?
Appropriate for ages 16+
It is November. The skies are burdened with clouds and you have just kindled a fire in the fireplace while your bloodhound stretches out his paws to warm them, and there is only one natural thing in the world to do.
Read Blackmoore.
Even if it is not November and the skies are sunny, and the air conditioning is causing your hair to stand on end, and you have never owned and never will own a pet...
Read Blackmoore.
And then cry because you have to wait a wretchedly long time to read Julianne Donaldson's next novel.
Kate Worthington will never marry, but has her sights set on India and the escape from her life it offers her instead. Her mother, however, has other plans. Before Kate will be allowed to travel to India, she must receive and reject three marriage proposals. Off to Blackmoore, if Kate can only acquire the help of her friend Henry Delafield, she should be well on her way to freedom.
This book reminded me a bit of Jane Eyre. The symbolism of birds and cages are prevalent, the scenery is that of the moors, and the house is spooky, but that doesn't mean it wasn't original to our heroine Kate. I also loved the depth of the characters in this novel. Their relationships were realistic and had substance to them, and there were chillingly beautiful moments in the story where I simply had to pause to breathe.
Be warned, though: Kate's a stubborn character. And since she's stubborn, everything might not wrap up quite so tidily as you would expect. But I adored this novel, and only lamented that I had to wait sometimes days at a time before I had the chance to pick it up again.
Appropriate for ages 18+
It has been ages since I posted! Alas, sometimes homework does get in the way of blogging, but here I am at last, and with a book to review, at that! Yippee!
I was really looking forward to reading Longing for Home by Sarah M. Eden, as it is only the second book published in Shadow Mountain's new Proper Romance category. The first, of course, is Edenbrooke, by Julianne Donaldson, which, to put it mildly, I love. So, without further ado...
Katie, a resilient, stubborn Irish woman haunted by the potato famine of 1845 has a debt to pay (though the debt itself is supposed to be a secret, so my lips are sealed - or should I say my fingers are?) and moves to the desert of Wyoming to build a future for herself.
And you better believe there are a couple of charming western/Irish gentlemen she meets on the way. Now I have your curiosity piqued, don't I?
I had a couple of issues with this novel, though. The story just wasn't quite believable enough for me. Besides her past, Katie didn't struggle much if at all with her new life, hindering her overall development and making it harder to connect with her.
Then there was the ending. For chapter upon chapter I was waiting and waiting and waiting for the climax to happen and then...
...there's a sequel. Yup. Normally I love sequels, but this was a pretty long novel, folks, and when the climax promises to come not now but later... well, I was a trifle disappointed.
However, I know many people have enjoyed this story. I believe on the back of the book Julianne Donaldson herself described the novel as "heartwarming," which is true. It's a nice, comfortable story, though in many respects it just didn't work for me. But perhaps you'd like to give it a shot.
Appropriate for ages 18+ (though it's clean enough for younger ages, I think the story itself would appeal more to an older audience)
There is so much to love about this book. Don't be scared off by its description: Doug Swieteck may have an abusive father, his brother's life may be devastated from the war in Vietnam, and his family may have moved to a small, dinky town in New York that he absolutely hates, but I promise you one thing...
...You. Will. Laugh.
Not only that, but you will laugh hard.
This ought to be impossible, considering the subject matter, but think otherwise! Since Doug is our narrator, we see the world through his eyes, and so what normally might be considered inappropriate for young readers is handled with tact and care. The result is enlightening.
But it gets better. Schmidt brings art into the picture, here - the art of John James Audobon, to be exact, connecting the emotions in the paintings to the emotions of the characters. Not only is this cleverly done, but with each chapter you come away more educated than the last.
Then, reader, there is the prose. I've heard it said that Schmidt's prose is flawless.
It is.
There were sentences that took my breath away and gave me chills, so that I simply had to read them again and again in order to drink up the words.
Wit, art, history, and the journey of many characters, whether or not they all get what they deserve. A companion novel to The Wednesday Wars, this is a story that, my dear reader, can only be described as fantastic.
Appropriate for ages 14+
How would you react if you knew you were beautiful to the point that it made your sister green with envy? How would you change if you knew you were going to rule an entire kingdom (in this case Sparta) one day? For Helen of Troy, this is her reality. Then again, maybe she doesn't have so much power, because the Fates have already mapped out her destiny: she will marry, become queen, and raise children. Simple.
Or not.
As a young girl, Helen questions everything about her world, and while she has her faults, she's also funny and kind. This translated into a strong character as she grew up, and I loved being given the opportunity to get to know her.
Besides that, there was also an interweaving between Greek mythology and the perspective of a girl with an independent spirit, which I thought was the best part about Nobody's Princess. Though I've never been a fan of Greek mythology, it's integral to Helen's life, and I didn't mind - even enjoyed - reading about it because I liked Helen and wanted to understand how she saw the world.
However, the ending stopped too abruptly for me. Even though there's a sequel, it felt a little empty, and I needed more closure.
That aside, there are so many great things about this book! Helen is strong and happy to let herself grow. She has a wonderful family and wants to travel the world. Helen's dreams became your dreams, and I respect and admire Esther Friesner for helping me to experience all that and more.
Appropriate for ages 14+
