A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

(Summary taken from the inside book jacket) "'A Thousand Splendid Suns' is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan's last thirty years--from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding--that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives--the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness--are inextricable from the history playing out around them."

Oh, where do I even start with this book? It's awful. Well, like "Kite Runner," the writing is amazing, but the events that unfold are awful. I wanted so much to just put it down and stay in my ignorance, but I couldn't. I could not put it down. The things that happen to these two women are beyond my imagination. If one or two of those things happened to me I think I would crawl into a little ball and disappear mentally, yet these women found some (albeit small) joy in each other and the children. I kept thinking that it couldn't get worse, and then it would. It was extremely disturbing at times. It took me awhile to read it because I'd have to put it down and walk away until I could regain my composure. I still have haunting images in my head. I just kept thinking over and over how blessed I am. I have a wonderful husband who treats me with love and respect. He also treats all of our children with love and respect. I have a college education. I may wear whatever I want and go anywhere I want to. I love listening to music and do it often. I worship in the church I want to. My children were born in a very clean hospital with anything that might be needed readily available. If I want a drink of water all I have to do is turn on a faucet. The list could go on and on. I am so blessed. I am so blessed.

This book is not for the faint of heart. It is VERY hard to read. There is violence, war, profanity, rape, torture, death. And why did I read it? It is very well written and it just draws you in. I felt as if I were reading Mr. Hosseini's diary. I love his writing, yet I despise it. Although it is awful, I am glad I read it. I'm glad to be reminded of my blessings, and I'm glad to be reminded that the world is not at peace. There are evil people out there who don't care about anything except themselves. It's a hard lesson to learn. I am so blessed. If you liked "Kite Runner" I would recommend this book. His writing is truly amazing, it is just extremely difficult to read because of all the events that occur. I would not recommend this book if any of the above mentioned things are too disturbing to you.

Rating: R (Remember this does not necessarily follow the movie ratings, it is just my way of saying that children and young adults should NOT read this book.) War, violence, "physical intimacy," rape, profanity, death, murder.

Recommendation: College and up. Maybe a really mature high school senior, but I would suggest mom or dad read it first to see. It was hard for me as an adult to take it all in and not be overwhelmed, and in fact, there were times that I did have to put it down and walk away because I was so disturbed.

The Touch of the Master's Hand

The Touch of the Master's Hand by Myra Brooks Welch, Illustrated by Greg Newbold

The poem The Touch of the Master's Hand was written by Myra Brooks Welch in 1921. I have heard it before and have always enjoyed it. It is very touching and has such a good moral in it. It is great for teaching children not to judge others, for teaching them to find the good in everyone, including themselves, and for reminding them that people can change. This book was illustrated by Greg Newbold. He used the poem as  it appeared in 1936, and added his beautiful illustrations.

I love this book. Mr. Newbold did a fabulous job with the illustrations. I love the attention to detail and the old-time feel in each of the paintings. On the page when the violinist is playing the violin you can almost hear the beautiful melody coming off the page. The lighting and the placement of the bird and the village make you feel like you are there and can hear the music. The man at the end of the book looking up is filled with such hope and you feel like you want him to succeed. I will be reading this to my children many times in the upcoming weeks and years.

Rating: G (Completely clean!)

Recommendation: Great for all ages!

I definitely recommend this book to everyone. It is a good, clean, uplifting book that teaches a wonderful lesson and is beautifully done.

Cowardly Clyde

Cowardly Clyde by Bill Peet

I love this book! I love Bill Peet's books, and this is one of my favorite. I love that I can relate to Clyde. He is a very nervous horse who is the trusty sidekick of a brave knight. He runs away from his fears at first, but ends up proving himself in the end. I really enjoy Mr. Peet's illustrations. This book is a very fun read-aloud and it's also fun to read all by yourself. My nine-year-old saw the book out on the table and started reading because he likes it so much. It's fun for all ages. Mr. Peet is so clever and the stories just come to life on the page. I love that I can hope to overcome my fears as Clyde overcomes his. This is a great story to teach courage and determination.

Rating: G  (The picture of the ogre may scare some smaller children, but my kids aren't phased by it.)

Recommendation: Great for all ages.

Announcement!!!!

I am so excited! I have been asked to be an official book reviewer for MediaGuests.net!! (See the button underneath the ads on the left side of the page http://www.mediaguests.net/) They do online book tours of new books. Look for upcoming reviews of new books, author Q&A's, and maybe a give-away!

Tuesday

Tuesday by David Wiesner

"Let your imagination take flight"   ~David Wiesner

I love this book! There is no summary because I don't want to ruin anything! If you haven't read this to your children you need to, it is so fun! Let me just say there are only about 7 words in this whole book. It is basically a word-less book, so it allows for your imagination to run wild. Kids love inserting their own words or just looking at the beautiful illustrations. It is a "Caldecott" winner. It is also fun to have them write their own version of it after you read it. There are so many places to go with this book.

Rating: G

Recommendation: Great for all ages!

The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

(Summary taken from the inside book jacket) "Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan nonetheless grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara, member of a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them.  When the Soviets invade and he and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him."

This book is amazing. It's tragic and at times traumatic, but so well written. When I finished the book I felt as if I had just read Mr. Hosseini's diary. He grabs your attention at the very beginning and draws you into this story that pulls at your heart strings, makes you angry, makes you cry, and makes you very glad to have grown up in the United States of America. The plot has twists and turns and even though you may think you know what is going to happen, it still doesn't happen exactly as you thought. Mr. Hosseini's character development is right on. I felt so attached to these characters. His words just come to life on the page.

The events in the story are very difficult to read. I had to put the book down a few times and walk away because I was so traumatized. Even after putting the book down I couldn't get the images out of my head. It was really hard, but I kept going back. I was so involved I had to finish. I don't know how much is true about Afghanistan, like dates of invasions and if the Soviets or the Taliban did the things in the stories, but it sure makes you see world events in a different light. It puts a more personal side to events that happen around the world. I would recommend reading this book if you think you can handle the events that take place. It is so well written and there is a wonderful lesson to be learned. There are some happy moments in the book and the main character, Amir, learns a great lesson and learns to overcome his weaknesses. That is something we can all relate to and hope to achieve. I enjoyed learning more about Afghanistan and the way of life there, and some of their traditons.

Rating: R (Remember this does not follow the movie ratings. It is my way of saying this is NOT for children or young adults.) There is a rape scene and there are descriptions alluding to other sexual abuse. There is a horrible death by stoning scene. There are also war-time events that take place that are not for younger readers. There is also a lot of language.

Recommendation: College and up, in my opinion. Maybe a really mature high school senior could handle it, but I don't think I'd go younger than that. It's an amazing book, but very difficult to read because of the events that take place.

Grandpa's Teeth

Grandpa's Teeth by Rod Clement

(Summary taken from the back book cover) " 'Help, I've been robbed! It'sth a disthasthter!' Grandpa's teeth, handmade by the finest Swiss craftsman, are gone--stolen from his bedside table! Grandpa suspects anyone who doesn't smile widely enough to prove that their teeth are their own. Soon everyone in town is smiling--all the time--and their ghastly grins are frightening the tourists away. Can the culprit be caught before the whole town cracks up?"

This is a fun, great book! It is perfect for a read-aloud book. My kids love it, and my first graders loved it, because you have to read it as if you don't have any teeth. It's very funny. The kids laugh and laugh. The story is very cute and has a twist at the end. The illustrations are very well done and very creative. Some children don't know what dentures are, and so you need to explain that, but once they get it, they love it. I chose this book as my first children's book post because I think it is such a fun and creative book, and I think kids of all ages (and parents too) will enjoy this book. Happy reading!

Paranormalcy

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

(Summary taken from the inside book jacket) "Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal. Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. So much for normal."

After reading "Rebecca" I really needed something lighter and more fun, and this definitely fit the bill. I started with hesitation because a friend had told me she hadn't liked it, but I found it a surprisingly fun, easy, and quick read. I really liked the characters, especially Evie and Lend, and I felt like they were well-developed. It only took me a few hours to read, which was really nice, and I thought Ms. White did a good job with the story line. It had some fun twists and turns and everything you could want: action, romance, good vs. evil, and a mixture of every kind of mythical creature. It had some hints of "Twilight" and "Fablehaven" yet held its own. I did like the previous two books better, and think they are slightly better written, but this was easy and fun. I would recommend it if you want to read something that is easy and entertaining. I loved that it was completley clean! There wasn't any language and no "physical intimacy." There was some death of creatures and some violence associated with that, but there are commercials that have more violence than this book, so it's easy to recommend.

Rating: PG-13 (A few characters die and there is some minor violence associated with that. A faerie does kidnap Evie at one point and that scene is a little distressing, but she is able to get out of it okay. There is some kissing, but it's early teen-age kissing so it doesn't go further than that.)

Recommendation: 14-15 years and up. I think it's fine for mid-teens. I think girls would like it more than boys, but you never know. It may even be okay for a mature 13 year-old.

Rebecca

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

(Summary taken from the back of the book) "So the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter remembered the chilling events that led her down the turning drive past the beeches, white and naked, to the isolated gray stone manse on the windswept Cornish coast. With a husband she barely knew, the young bride arrived at this immense estate, only to be inexorably drawn into the life of the first Mrs. de Winter, the beautiful Rebecca, dead but never forgotten...her suite of rooms never touched, her clothes ready to be worn, her servant--the sinister Mrs. Danvers--still loyal. And as an eerie presentiment of evil tightened around her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter began her search for the real fate of Rebecca...for the secrets of Manderley."

WARNING: DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK (AND WANT TO)!
I haven't read a classic novel in awhile, and I have missed the beautiful language. I love Du Maurier's style of writing. I enjoy the attention to detail and how it just pulls you in. Her characters come to life and pull you in. However, with all of this, I didn't love the book. OK, well, I really liked it at first. Mr. de Winter intrigued me as much as he intrigued everyone else in the book. I cheered as much as anyone when she got to leave Mrs. Van Hopper. At the same time, I thought he was a complete jerk. He didn't tell her he loved her, he didn't get down on one knee, and he didn't kiss her when he proposed. And, he didn't do anything to prepare her for life at Manderley. He didn't buy her any new clothes, he didn't tell her where the Morning Room was, and he left her alone with Mrs. Danvers all day. And this girl (I don't think it's a good sign when I don't even know the main character's name.) drove me crazy! She wouldn't stand up for herself and change the handwriting on the desk labels, or put the flowers where she wanted them. The worst part though (STOP reading if you don't want to know the ending....) was that she still loved him after she found out that he murdered his first wife. She practically didn't care! Maybe I could see still loving him (????) but once I got over that shock I came to the end. What???  They drive up and find their house is burning to the ground, and that is how it ends??? I immediately reread the first two chapters and didn't find any answers. How long after the fire did they go to this hotel? How long had they been there? Had they traveled around or just found one place? Why didn't they rebuild? Why didn't they want to live in a house instead of a hotel? What happened to the staff, were they okay? Needless to say, I didn't love the ending. I did enjoy the beginning and middle of the book, and I enjoyed the classic style, but I didn't like the storyline at all.

Rating: PG-13 (Some profanity, a murder scene)

Recommendation: High School and up. It's a strange book. Reading about how someone murders his wife is not pleasant.

Worlds of the Crystal Moon #1 World of Grayham

Worlds of the Crystal Moon #1 World of Grayham by Phillip "BIG DOG" Jones

(Summary taken from the back book cover) "Fellow soul...I have been commissioned to deliver grave news. You are dead--a tragedy of a celestial war responsible for destroying the cosmos. Your soul has been without a body for more than 10,000 seasons and your spirit has been placed inside an eternal tome. This book is filled with mythical creatures and, like us, they are anxious to live again. While we wait, there are devious gods living on Ancients Sovereign. They are power hungry and seek to abolish free will. Their desire: control the new worlds created after The Great Destruction of Everything Known. With the theft of the Crystal Moon, chaos is imminent. Because of the Mischievous One's malevolence, the worlds which are to be our new homes may not survive. Yet, there is a glimmer of hope. Three beings have been spared the devastation. They are about to begin an epic journey to save our only chance at rebirth. Their failure to reunite the pieces of the Crystal Moon will be be our sentence to an everlasting nothingness. Allow me, your spirited storyteller, to share everything I know to be fact. Welcome to chaos. Welcome to the World of Grayham."

Wow, where to begin??  I was walking through Costco one day and I saw an author doing a book signing. I couldn't pass that up, right? So I stopped and talked to him. It happened to be Phillip "BIG DOG" Jones. Now, first off, his name just comes across as arrogant and self-consumed, but the book looked interesting and so I had him sign a book for me. He told me that he had published the book previously as an unedited first draft in hardcover and had gotten feedback from the readers and this was now the edited version and coming out first in paperback. Great! Love paperback! Browsing through the book I really liked the full color photos of the characters and places at the beginning. It is helpful to have pictures of the characters and a correct way to pronounce their names.

This book is 592 pages long. It's long, and it's not an easy read like a "Harry Potter" or even an " Eragon." This book is heavier like a "Lord of the Rings," and there is a lot of information to take in and keep track of, therefore it takes a long time to read. As you can tell, I haven't posted in a long time, and that is why, I have been reading a very long book. This book is fantasy and brings in magic, romance, action, adventure, mystery, and lots of mythical creatures. It took me awhile to figure out who everyone was and why they were there, but in the end it came together. Overall I liked it. Jones' writing is not of the same caliber as J.K. Rowling or Christopher Paolini, but it is good. Once you figure out what is going on (about the middle of the book) it gets better and the storyline picks up. I really like some of the characters and some of the character development is really good, but others not so much. There is a lot of gore and death in this book. The gruesome descriptions of how people die did not appeal to me. The character George likes to torture and kill people, and it's not pretty. He also uses lots of "colorful" language, which I also didn't love. He is a confusing character because he pretends to have a soft lovable side that I don't find at all believable. I like Sam and Shalee, but Shalee speaks in a southern accent and sometimes it's hard to figure out what she is saying. When Shalee becomes a sorceress her magic stick gives her moments of "satisfaction" when she accomplishes her goal, and I found it awkward. Luckily it stops after while. It's also hard to get used to talking animals and a talking book, but it works alright.

Overall I did like it and I have ordered the next one. I like that the next one is already out and in paperback. That is definitely a bonus. I would recommend it with the above warnings. It is entertaining but I can't say it's my favorite book. I will read the next one but I'll most like read a few other books in between.

Rating: PG-13 (There are some really gruesome deaths, and quite a bit of profanity when George speaks. There are murders and assassinations as well. There are also some "physical intimacy" scenes before marriage and after marriage.)

Recommendation: High school and up. With all the above I don't think it's appropriate for early teens.

I would recommend it if you're okay with the above warnings. It is interesting and entertaining and there are some good twists that keep you reading.