Review Blast! August Catch- Up Edition

I hate doing these quickie reviews but there comes a time when I realize I’m so far behind that I just need to get over 
myself and get it done.  So here you go. . .

Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen, was an excellent read.  The story was very real - nothing sci-fi, supernatural, or dystopian about it, which is rare with Young Adult novels these days.  The story was about a teenager, her sisters, and her attempt at holding her family together and deal with fall-out after a sexual assault led to rumors and misunderstandings.  This story tackles rape, anorexia, and depression amongst other themes.  It’s a heavy novel with a very real core.  Definitely worth reading.  I recommend it to older teens and adults of all ages.

Airhead, Being Nikki, and Runaway, by Meg Cabot, are the three books that make up the Airhead trilogy.  The story is very far fetched.  After an accident in a department store, Emerson wakes up to find her brain transplanted onto the body of a supermodel.  Emerson has to pretend to be Nikki while trying to remain herself.  The first book hooked me enough to keep reading but honestly I find them all a bit silly.  That darn Meg Cabot can always hook me into her stories, weird as they might be.  While I can’t wholeheartedly recommend them to adults, the target teen audience might enjoy the trilogy. 

I’m pretty well convinced that I’ve read Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry, before.  It’s a familiar story.  That being said, I read it again and once again found myself caught up in one family’s courage to stay together through the worst possible time, and another family’s bravery to help them no matter the cost.  It’s always worth a read - or a re-read. 

Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes is part of an ongoing series by Robin Jones Gunn.  The stories are stand -alone novels of women getting together and finding out more about themselves, and God, along the way.  In this installment, Summer heads to the Netherlands to meet her longtime pen pal Noelle.  The women had been great friends for years but had never met face to face.  Summer is escaping from a possible breast cancer diagnosis and Noelle is still running from a difficult relationship with her father.  As the two women share adventures, they learn that their friendship was meant to be and they both find healing.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Wither, by Lauren DeStefano, is one of those books that caught me from the start.  The concept alone was very interesting.  I seem to be attracted to books that disgust me with the general idea and then intrigue me the rest of the way through. 

The novel focuses on Rhine.  She's a teenager living in a futuristic America where an overload of genetic testing has caused the downfall of society.  In this future, men don't live beyond the age of twenty-five and women die at age twenty.  The desire to continue the population leads to kidnapping and polygamy.  Rhine is sixteen years old when she is kidnapped and taken to a grand mansion in Florida.  While she bonds with her sister wives and a servant named Gabriel, she longs for escape and finding her brother.

One of the things that really struck me about the book is that Lindon, the young groom, is as much a victim as the girls in many ways.  His first wife has died and he's controlled by his father.   While I like the blooming relationship between Rhine and Gabriel, I think that Rhine actually has an affection for her husband, even if it isn't love.

I really enjoyed the story and although it didn't end - a pet peeve of mine - it's the first in a planned trilogy so hopefully I'll find out what happened!  The characters were well formed and the setting was described in such a way that I can completely see the mansion in my head.  There are plenty of dystopian novels out there right now and this is a good one.  Enjoy it!

What My Best Friend Did by Lucy Dawson

What My Best Friend Did, by Lucy Dawson, is a story of a young woman dealing with a friend who is suffering from a mental illness.  It's fairly depressing as a whole and I had a hard time relating to it.  That's probably a good thing.

Alice is a young woman, living with her longtime boyfriend when she meets Gretchen.  She and Gretchen become fast friends and Alice finds herself pulling away from Tom, her boyfriend.  When she begins a flirtation with Bailey, Gretchen's brother, things start to fall apart.

Alice soon learns that Gretchen is suffering from bi-polar disorder and is not always rational, especially when off her medication.  Alice feels guilty and responsible for helping to care for Gretchen even though she is dealing with her own problems.

I didn't really care for any of the characters in this story, except for Tom.  Alice was whiny, Gretchen was manic, and Bailey was selfish.  Tom was the only one who seemed to be relate-able.  Maybe it's because I have not had personal experience with mental illness, but I found the story to be boring and annoying.  I wish I enjoyed it more.  The big reveal at the end was even a let down.  This is one of those books that I will forget quickly.

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

I confess that I struggled to finish Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen. It took me a very long time to get into the book. It didn't help that I read it at night and only a chapter at a time. That doesn't reflect on my thoughts at the end of the book though.

The story is about Colie. She's fifteen years old and spent her childhood as the fat girl. She'd recently lost weight with her fitness/nutrition guru mother but never got over the trauma of being teased. Colie's mother heads to Europe on a promotional tour and sends Colie to live with her eccentric aunt.

While at her aunt's house, Colie makes friends for the first time in her life. She is taught how to feel beautiful and gains confidence. She even learns that being different is not always a bad thing.

By the end of the book, Colie has evolved and I can imagine that she goes home stronger and more confident than ever before. This is a great story for girls with body image issues. It may focus a bit too much on being thin, but I think it leans toward being healthy.

One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

What is one amazing thing about your life?  If you were asked to share one amazing thing, what would it be?  That is the big question in the lovely book One Amazing Thing, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.  I immediately liked the premise of this book but didn't realize how much I really loved the characters until the book was over.  I miss them.  I wonder what happened.

The concept of the story is simple, nine people, most strangers, are trapped in a visa and passport agency after a major earthquake.  Seven are there to get their Indian visas.  Two work in the office.  With the ceiling threatening to fall in and the water rising, they face the fact that they may die.  To pass the time, and keep themselves sane, they each share one amazing thing about their life.  Their backgrounds are all very diverse.  Their stories for going - or leaving - India are varied.

Each story is captivating.  After Jiang, the old Chinese grandmother, tells her story, I wanted to know more.  I could have read a whole book just about her!  This continued with each character.  It's a wonderful book to read at the beginning of the new year.  All things seem possible and maybe we can find one amazing thing to share with someone this year.  I highly recommend this book.

Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant

Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant, is a story about rebellion and keeping the peace. An odd mix. The story centers around two women. Suora Zuana is a nun, and has been confined to the convent for over sixteen years. She has earned the position of Dispensary Mistress and also runs the infirmary. She is essentially the convent's doctor although that title would never be allowed her. Novice Serafina is a teenager, brought to the convent against her will. She is strong and willful. She is determined to leave the convent, wanting desperately to return to the man she loves. The two women forge a friendship that neither expected.

Sacred Hearts explores the politics of a sixteenth century Italian convent. The story takes place in a convent that is well respected and has great wealth. The convents would take the daughters of the wealthy and those with good names as they would receive a dowry, much as a groom would if she were to marry. The women were broken down into acceptance of their fate. Most would never leave the walls again.

I found the story to be completely enthralling and interesting. I know very little about convent life and I learned a great deal. The author took what could have been a preachy, dull story and turned it into one where the characters were important enough to want to know what would happen. Each of the nuns, whether they were old and infirm or young and spoiled, had secrets. Each had opinions that they were not allowed or encouraged to share. Each had desires, skills, talents, and gifts that they were only able to pursue with limits.

I highly recommend this book to fans of historical novels, women's literature, and to anyone who is interested in a life that few get to experience.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

I decided to re-read The Tale of Despereaux since it had been several years since I first read it and the movie is coming out in December. When I was teaching fourth grade, I regularly bought books for the classroom. Occasionally I would preview the book before putting it on the shelves. I still don't know why I ordered The Tale of Despereaux but it never made the shelves at school after I read it. I've treasured it ever since.

It's a very sweet story about a mouse, a princess, a rat and a servant girl. It's a children's book and yet I highly recommend it to everyone. Despereaux is a very small mouse with large ears who lives in the walls of a castle. He doesn't quite fit in with his mouse family and is a disappointment to everyone. One day he meets the Princess Pea who's mother had died after an unfortunate encounter with a rat. Through the different "books" we are introduced to Roscuro the rat, Gregory the jailer, and Miggery Sow, a servant girl who has had a very unfortunate life.

Mig wants to be a princess, Despereaux wants to be a knight, Roscuro wants revenge, and the Princess Pea wants a bowl of soup. I won't tell you if they get what they want. You'll have to read and find out.

I enjoyed this book as much the second time around as I did the first. If there's any problem with it, it's the slight distraction when the reader is addressed. There are several times when you the reader is asked questions about what a word means or if you remember parts of the story. It's not a horrible thing, just a little distracting at times. Don't let that stop you. You'll enjoy this little book, you really will.