Not a Princess

 

 

Not a Princess by I.D. Gallagher

 

(Summary taken from amazon.com)

"So you've met Mr. Right, your very own Prince Charming.
But what if you're Not A Princess?
Susan, an average girl from the North of England, is getting ready to marry the man of her dreams, BJ, with the melodious voice and eyes the colour of melted chocolate. Perfect, in every way.
And then she realises he is not who she thought he was.
Will she ever fit into his world?
Is there going to be an Happy-Ever-After?"

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I loved this book! Need I say more? Ms. Gallagher pulled me in from the beginning. I loved her writing style and the tone of the book. It was easy to read and follow, and kept me turning the pages. It flowed well and continued to keep my interest. The character development is really good and I felt like Susan was my best friend. I felt like I was right there with her. I related well to Susan. Oh, and I would LOVE to have her closet! I really liked B.J., V.J., and Victoria. I also liked Mary, Quinn, and Miriam. There was just enough mystery to make me keep reading, but not enough to make it too dramatic. There was a point when something happened in the storyline that was a little corny, but I just kept on reading. In another book I may have rolled my eyes and put the book away, but in this book it just fit and worked fine. (Sorry, I don't want to ruin the surprise!)

This book definitely ended too soon. I was not ready to be done with Susan yet. I kept trying to turn the page on my Kindle to see if there was more, but unfortunately there wasn't. The author is from England and so there were some words that I had to guess the meanings of, but it wasn't enough to really confuse me or anything. It was kind of fun learning some English words.  I loved that this book was clean! There wasn't any language or "physical intimacy" scenes. There was some kissing, but even that wasn't too detailed. There was a discussion of maybe after the wedding what to expect that night, but the actual word was never used and it was quite vague. They also discussed sexual purity before marriage. That is almost a quote and that is as far as it goes. It's not in-your-face either. It's not like a political or judgemental statement. There is a murder in the book, but it is tastefully done (if that is possible). It doesn't go into a lot of detail, you just read more about the emotions and reactions following it.

I really liked this book and recommend it with the previous warnings. I would say it is an actual Young Adult approved book!

Rating: PG-13 (A discussion of sexual purity and about waiting until the wedding night, a murder)

Recommendation: 13 and up. As always, I would recommend that a parent read it first to make sure it is appropriate for his or her child.

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Night of the Purple Moon

Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer

(Summary taken from the back book cover) "Space germs wipe out virtually everyone who has passed through puberty....For months, astronomers have been predicting that Earth will pass through the tail of a comet. They say that people will see colorful sunsets and, best of all, a purple moon. But nobody predicted the lightning-fast epidemic that sweeps across the planet on the night of the purple moon. The comet brings space dust with it that contains germs that attack human hormones. Older teens and adults die within hours of exposure. On a small island off the coast of Maine, a group of teens and children struggle to survive in this new world, but all the while they have inside them a ticking time bomb--adolescence."

Just thinking about this actually happening freaks me out. Can you imagine? I can't imagine my ten-year-old having to take care of his siblings and fight for their survival. Crazy. I liked this book. It is an interesting and different concept, which is good, and it definitely gets your attention. I felt so bad for these children and wished I could help them. Mr. Cramer's character development is really good, and I felt like these kids lived in my neighborhood, like I have always known them. I can't imagine having to bury my friends like they did. They took it surprisingly well and did a pretty good job of keeping life as normal as possible. I liked how each of the kids kind of ended up with a specialty, just like adults do. The book is well written and flows well. The story is captivating and draws you in. It's a fast, easy read.

I didn't like the language in the book. I like to live in my dream world and think that children ages 14 and younger shouldn't use bad language. One of the worst offenders was an old man at the very beginning, and I was disappointed. This book is about children this age, and yet, I am not going to allow my ten-year-old to read it. Mr. Cramer took a book that could have been great for the late elementary school readers as well as the early junior high kids, and made it inaccessible to them because of some language.  It wasn't filled with language, but enough that I'm uncomfortable recommending it for elementary age kids. It also ended quite abruptly, and left me hanging, but it is a trilogy, so what do you expect? Of course I'll need to read the next one because I have to see what happens to these cute kids!

I liked it, though, and would recommend it with the previous warning.

Rating: PG-13 (Language)

Recommendation: 14-15 years and up. As usual, parents should read it first to judge for their children.

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Coming Home

Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher

(Summary taken from inside the book jacket) "This is a novel to be savored, a curl-up-under-the-covers kind of old-fashioned reading experience hardly anyone knows how to write anymore. In telling the story of Judith Dunbar and her loved ones, Rosamunde Pilcher writes with warmth, wisdom, and clear-eyed insight about every family. This is a totally involving story of coming of age, coming to terms with both love and sadness, and, in every sense of the words, Coming Home."

This is a really long book. There are 728 pages in the version I read. I did enjoy it, though. I haven't read a "classic-type" book like this in a long time, so it took me about 150 pages before I got into it and could read it a little faster. The language is beautiful. I loved the descriptions and pictures that Ms. Pilcher paints with her words. I could almost smell the sea and feel the cool breezes.The character development is well done as well. I love Judith and feel for her. It felt like she could be my cousin or neighbor. I love Nancherrow and the people that live there. I also really like Aunt Lavinia and Judith's aunts and uncle. The story is about Judith's life growing up and how her family and those around her are affected by the war, and how they each end up "coming home." It has a cozy feeling to it, and it does make you feel like you are home. It's familiar.

I didn't like the transitions at all, however. You'll be right in the middle of a story with one character, then there is a little symbol on the page and all of a sudden you are reading about someone completely different. It threw me off every time. It takes a second to figure out who you are reading about and what he or she is doing. I also thought it ended quite abruptly. For having 728 pages I thought it needed about 30 more to finish it. There is some language in this book, including the "f" word a few times. There is also quite a bit of promiscuity. For some reason I had in my head that people living at the time of WWII wore chastity belts or something. Hahahaha. Nope.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I don't know if it is considered a classic, but it has a "classic-type" feel, which I enjoyed because I haven't read one in so long. I would recommend it with the previous warnings.

Rating: PG-13+ (Language, "physical intimacy," and some war atrocities.)

Recommendation: 18 and up

Linked Through Time

Linked Through Time by Jessica Tornese

(Summary taken from the back book cover) "Fifteen-year-old Kate Christenson is pretty sure she's about to experience the worst possible summer at her grandparents' rural farm in Baudette, Minnesota. Without cable, cell phones, or computers, she is headed for total isolation and six tedious weeks of boredom. Until the storm. A freak lightning accident has Kate waking up in 1960. But she is not herself. She's the aunt she never met but has eerily resembled her entire life. Thrust into living a dirt-poor, rural farm existence, Kate struggles to make sense of her situation--a boyfriend with a dark side, a "townie" who steals her heart, and the knowledge that 1960 is the very summer her aunt drowns in the local river. But was the drowning an accident or a suicide...or something much worse?"

This book was a fun surprise. I really enjoyed it. I like Ms. Tornese's writing style because it is easy to read and flows well. Her character development is well done and she hooked me almost from the very beginning. I really liked Kate and her dad, and I really liked Sarah and her siblings. If I had older brothers I think I'd want them to be like Sarah's. They had their moments, but for the most part they were loving and protective. I felt for Kate as she tried to figure out what had happened when she woke up in the past, and as she tried to get used to everything that had to be done. It would be hard to jump into someone else's life.

There were some great lessons to be learned in this book as well. Some of them included: a hard work ethic, learning to live without technology, not taking the things we have today for granted, and loving your family and watching out for them. Also, being a strong woman who can say "no" and get out of an abusive situation. Kate (Sarah) is a good role model for today's girls. She knew the situation was out of hand and knew she needed to get out of it. And, I love that she did it thinking of her aunt.

There was a little bit of language, here and there, but the worst of it was the domestic violence and the abusive boyfriend. There were a couple of attempted rape scenes that were difficult to read. There was also the murder of a character. Overall, though, I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters, the story, and the lessons learned.  I would recommend it with the previous warnings.

Rating: PG-13+ (A little bit of language, domestic violence, attempted rape, and the murder of a character)

Recommendation: 16 and up. As with any book, parents may want to read it first to see if it is appropriate for their child. A mature 15 yr-old may be ok with the attempted rape scenes, while an immature 17 yr-old may not be.

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Deep Connections

Deep Connections by Rebecca Graf

(Summary taken from an email the author sent me) "It is the story of a woman who finds herself falling in love and being stalked at the same time. She has no idea why the stalker is obsessed with her. The man she is falling in love with risks his life to protect her. As the stalker becomes more obsessed, more deaths occur. It is only when she discovers why she is the target that she realizes that she has to make a decision that will impact everyone around her. A sacrifice is demanded of her."

This book is full of romance, action, suspense, sacrifice, and surprises. What could be better? Although the premise of the book is somewhat violent and a little graphic, I really enjoyed it. Ms. Graf's character development is really good, and I felt like Brenna was my good friend. I also liked the whole Lightfoot family. The evil in the "bad guy" just oozes from him. I did not like that guy at all, in fact, I could say I hated him. He creeps me out just thinking about him. And his purpose in stalking Brenna is pure evil. I liked the chemistry between Brenna and Slaton, and felt bad for poor Eaton.

This is not a story to read by yourself at night, in a dark and quiet house. Believe me, I tried it, and I actually got a little nervous. It has a good amount of suspense and scariness, and I just couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened.

There are a few typos and grammatical errors in this book, but I got an advanced copy, so they may have been fixed by now. They definitely didn't stop me from reading it. There is language, violence,   death, and attempted rape. Some of the scenes are quite graphic. With all this, I still really liked it. There are enough happy and light-hearted parts that it make it enjoyable to read, and they make you really care about what happens to the characters.

Rating: R (This does not follow the movie ratings exactly, it's just my way of saying it is not appropriate for younger readers.) There is language, violence, the deaths of a few characters, and a couple of attempted rape scenes. The choice she needs to make is also a very grown-up decision.

Recommendation: 18 and up. I recommend it to the correct age group. It is not appropriate for younger readers. As with anything, if a parent is worried, she should read it first to see if it is appropriate for her specific child.

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Book Review] Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Photo Credit: goodreads.com

Ender's Game

by

Orson Scott Card

Blurb (from www.hatrack.com):

"Andrew "Ender" Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. The result of genetic experimentation, Ender may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human life. The only way to find out is to throw Ender into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast. But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway almost as long. Ender's two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. While Peter was too uncontrollably violent, Valentine very nearly lacks the capability for violence altogether. Neither was found suitable for the military's purpose. But they are driven by their jealousy of Ender, and by their inbred drive for power. Peter seeks to control the political process, to become a ruler. Valentine's abilities turn more toward the subtle control of the beliefs of commoner and elite alike, through powerfully convincing essays. Hiding their youth and identities behind the anonymity of the computer networks, these two begin working together to shape the destiny of Earth-an Earth that has no future at all if their brother Ender fails. Newsday said of this novel "Card has done strong work before, but this could be the book to break him out of the pack." It was. Ender's Game took the sf world by storm, sweeping the awards. It won both the Hugo and Nebula, and rose to the top of national bestseller lists. Copyright © 1985 Orson Scott Card"

My Review:

Wow. I knew this book was sci-fi when I started reading it, but I didn't have a clue as to what it contained. It is very heavy. It is full of action and violence, with war, and with some deep intellectual thinking. As a mother I hated it. I hated it because I have a six-year-old, and I can not imagine letting someone take her away to space to train for war. I can't imagine being ok with never seeing her again. And then seeing how they treated him at six years old. I know these are very smart children, but they are still children, and I think they should be treated as such. To allow these children to treat each other this way, in fact to engineer it to happen that way, is awful. They had so much stress and responsibility at such a young age that it made me sick.

As a reader, though, I did like this book. It is very well crafted and written. Besides the higher up officials that speak at the beginning of certain chapters, in a different font, the character development is really good. I felt like I knew Ender inside and out, and I remember from my own childhood meeting people like his friends in the book. I never really knew who to trust as his friends, but I think that is part of the draw of the book. The higher up officials become more well-known as the book goes on, and they, too, begin to come to light. There are many twists and turns that I didn't expect in the book, and it definitely made me want to keep reading. It was a bit of a slow read for me, but it wasn't for lack of motivation, it just isn't an easy read. There are military terms and physics, and things like that, that require thought before going on. I was very surprised by the twist at the end. You know me, though, I tend to just read and not really think about what will come next. The very end with the giant (you'll understand when you have read it), was a bit of a stretch for me, but I guess it was fitting.

There is a lot of language in this book. I was hoping it would be good for my ten-year-old, but no such luck. Along with the language there is a lot of bullying and violence and death (it is a war). Also, I don't think he would understand it at this point anyway. He'd like the video game aspect of it, but wouldn't understand the physics or the intellectual arguments. Mr. Card correctly predicted many things, and it was kind of creepy. For example, the nets on the computers and the portable desks that had something similar to email on them (today's tablets). Crazy! I do recommend this book with the previous warnings. It is geared more toward boys, I think, but I'm glad I read it. I don't know if I'll read the other books in the series, though.

Rating: PG-13+ (Language, violence, death, war)

Age Recommendation: 14 or 15 and up. I'd suggest parents read it first before allowing their children to read it. Parents know their children best and can tell whether a child could handle it or not.

*This post was first published on 8/29/12, and was updated on 1/4/18.

The Earth Angel Training Academy

The Earth Angel Training Academy by Michelle Gordon

(Summary taken from the author's website) "When Head of the Earth Angel Training Academy, Velvet, receives a call from an Elder on the first day of term, she knows that the new class will be unlike any other she has taught.

While experiencing the most tumultuous time of her very long existence, Velvet must remember her buried past, and open her eyes to the future so that she can prepare the Earth Angel trainees for the toughest missions of their existence - to Awaken the humans before the world ends.

Time is running out..."

I didn't know what to expect with this book, but I really enjoyed it! It is very different from everything else I have read lately, and that is a bonus in and of itself. Ms. Gordon's writing style is light and fun and easy to read. The character development in this book is really good. I fell in love with Velvet, Aria, and Amethyst right from the beginning. I love the names of the characters as well. Some of the characters are a little hard to relate to, like the ones that are shaped as shapes (like rectangles), but it's fantasy, right? So you just find yourself going with it and in the end it works. Ms. Gordon has created a very fun place to live. I would love to be able to snap my fingers and change the decor in my house or transport myself from one area to another.

The really great thing about this book are the lessons taught, and the fact that it really makes you think. No matter what your thoughts are on heaven or what happens when you die, this book makes you think. Are there really people in heaven trying to help us here on earth? Did we know some of the people around us before coming to earth? How do we become "awakened," as she calls it, or how do we remember who we really are? This book is a fun and light-hearted way to make you think about those things. Even though the questions may be deep, the storyline is mostly light and fun. There are a few heavier moments, but everything ends up happily.

There was some language in this book, which I thought didn't really fit in. I mean, can you picture angels swearing? I don't know. I thought it was awkward and took a good story for kids to read and made it not kid-friendly. Not only that, I just didn't think it fit in the storyline. There was a kind of suicide scene.  It was a little different since she was already dead, but still a heavier part in the story. There was lots of talk of love and some times when you knew things happened but they were never described.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I do recommend it with the previous warnings. I thank Ms. Gordon for allowing me to read and review her book.

Rating: PG-13 (Language, suicide, and some innuendos)

Recommendation: 14 and up. Like any book, you may want to read it first to make sure it is appropriate for your child.

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Vote For Me! (Please!)

Hooray! An unknown fan nominated my blog for skinnyscoop.com's Top 25 Book Blogger Contest! I'm honored to be on the list with so many great book review blogs. If you could please vote for me I'd really appreciate it! I'd love to be on their Top 25 list! Simply click here and scroll down until you see my picture and my name "The Readathon." You do need to sign in, but you may sign in with Facebook so you don't need to set up another profile if you don't want to. Thank you so much!!!

Tiger's Quest

Tiger's Quest (Book #2) by Colleen Houck

(Summary taken from the inside book jacket) "Kelsey Hayes's eighteenth summer was crazy. The kind of crazy that nobody would ever believe. Aside from battling immortal sea monkeys and trekking the jungles of India, she fell in love with Ren, a 300-year-old prince. When danger suddenly forces Kelsey on another Indian quest with Ren's bad-boy brother, Kishan, the unlikely duo begins to question their true destiny. Ren's life hangs in the balance--and so does the truth within Kelsey's heart. Tiger's Quest, the thrilling second volume in the Tiger's Curse series, brings the trio one step closer to breakin the ancient prophecy that binds them."

I really liked this book. I didn't love it as much as the first one, but I did really like it and am glad I read it. If you liked the first one you should definitely read this one. Like the first one, the whole premise is kind of corny, but you know what, you just go with it and it's entertaining. This is a great book to read when you don't want to think, you just want to be entertained. It is part "Indiana Jones," part "Twilight," and part fairy tale. It's a fast, easy read, and is clean! It's a great young adult book. There is an occasional kiss, but that is about all.  It's fun and well written. I like Ms. Houck's writing style because it flows well and is easy to read.

I like the characters in the story. Kelsey is a strong character, which I like, but she is also human. She does have a little bit more of Bella (from "Twilight") in her in this book, but not enough to make you crazy. It's more of a real, or natural, side of her. You learn a lot more about Kishan in this book and that was fun. He's quite the character. Mr. Kadam I really like, and Ren, of course. I think girls will like this series more than boys will, but there are some action/adventure parts that boys will like too.

Rating: PG-13 (Once again, not for content, but it's probably better for a little older young adult.)

Recommendation: 14 and up. Yay! A true young adult book!

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Pulling Up Stakes

Pulling Up Stakes by Harriet Kimble Wrye

(Summary taken from the back book cover) "Atop Mt. Kilimanjaro, psychologist Harriet Wrye felt a millennial call to "pull up stakes" in her life, as she did with tent and llama stakes each day whenever she and her husband backpacked in the high Sierras with their llamas. Inspired, she closed her Los Angeles psychoanalytic practice of thirty years, they leased their house at the beach and set out on an odyssey into the "back of beyond." Creating a sabbatical away from the familiar, her journey became a life-changing spiritual pilgrimage that led to a deep practice of letting go of assumptions, habits and patterns, and stepping into freedom."

I didn't know what to expect from this book and ended up liking it. There were some aspects of the book that were exciting and tense, some that were scary, some that were quiet yet profound, and some that were easy to relate to. However, there were also some parts that were too personal (and should have been kept in a personal diary), some that were way too long and drawn out, and some that I couldn't relate to at all. Ms. Wrye is definitely a great example of staying healthy and fit and active as you grow older. She had some incredible experiences that I know I will never experience, and it was interesting to learn about the different parts of the world that she visited. I will never be able to visit all of those places, so it was wonderful to learn about them and the people that live there. I could relate to a lot of what she was trying to let go of. I too have a lot of anxiety that I would love to let go of, and even though my children are still young, I could totally see myself trying to control them in their teenage years. It was good to be able to learn from her experience with that. I too worry about my husband and his safety and health. I know I tend to pack everything "just in case" and so it would be good to shed some of that and know that I would be fine with less.

Even though we are very different, she and I, we both share a love of family and feel that family is everything. We come from very different backgrounds and live very different lives, but as mothers we can connect just because we love our children and want the best for them, and want them around us. I'm glad I was able to take some of these things away from the book. I think it is amazing how fit and active she is as she grows older. I would love to be that healthy and fit in my 60s and 70s.

There were some aspects of the book, though, that I just had a hard time getting through. I would have been happy if it had been 200 pages shorter. She threw in a few political comments, and you know me, that is not my favorite thing in nonpolitical books. I found it hard to relate to some of her experiences. I did, though, learn a lot about living in the moment and finding joy in the journey and in the everyday, not just in reaching the destination.

I would recommend it because it was interesting learning about the different places she visited and people she met there. She had some really good insights and she is a great example of staying healthy, fit, and active as you grow older. She and her husband area also good examples of keeping your marriage vibrant and healthy.

Rating: R (This does not follow the movie ratings, it is my way of saying that it is not appropriate for younger readers.) There was language, including a lot of "f" words. She and her husband definitely love each other, and she doesn't describe these moments, but she tells you that they were there.

Recommendation: College and up. I don't think younger readers would get a lot out of it. I don't think it would interest them, and I don't think it is appropriate for them.

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.