Solomon’s Oak is a lovely novel of three wounded people who find each other.  Glory is a recent widow in her late 30’s that is trying to keep her head above water financially while also feeling buried by grief.  Juniper is a fourteen year old who has been abandoned by her father after losing both her mother and sister.  She is in foster care and living with Glory.  Joseph is a wounded former police officer who is trying to recover from a horrific injury.  

The three find each other and form a type of family.  The story is moving, frustrating, and terribly realistic.  It takes place somewhat locally and it’s fun to read about places I know of and that are part of my community.  I can’t say that I love the story or was blown away, but I will say that it’s good.  There’s nothing wrong with it.  It’s slow moving and emotional which can be frustrating for me if I’m not in the right mood!  I do recommend this book though.  The characters will stay with you.

Hero by Perry Moore

I didn’t read Hero, I listened to the audio book, and I loved it.  Thom Creed is a super hero.  His powers are new, not quite controlled, and he is on probationary status with The League.  He’s also gay and a teenager.  All those things mixed together cause a bit of angst.  

I love superheroes and I think that Thom makes a great addition to the genre.  He’s growing and learning, becoming more powerful all the time, and is scared to tell his father that he’s gay.  He’s so absolutely human.  He wants his father’s approval so badly and I think many of us can relate to that feeling.  

The book is emotional, hilarious, and exciting.  Pretty much everything that a good book needs.  I definitely recommend Hero highly.  Just a note, it’s a young adult book but really should be read by older teens.  The language can be raw at times and there is one scene that might not be appropriate for younger readers - even though it’s very tame.  

I’d like to mention that the audio book was read by Michael Urie and he did a fabulous job. 

Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon

Don’t Breathe a Word, by Jennifer McMahon,  is a story that grips from the start.   The introduction of a missing child is one that strikes fear into anyone who has loved a child.  Lisa is missing and her brother, Sam, is just as much a victim.  He grew up always wondering what happened to Lisa, never knowing that the truth was very close.  

Phoebe, a broken woman herself, is in love with the now adult Sam.  They are planning a future together when Sam gets a call from someone who claims to be Lisa.  The story really gets going as deception and memories of literal fairy tales are brought to the forefront.

The novel is cleverly written.  We get to know Lisa and her story before she disappears.  She believes in fairies and her fairy king who will make her his queen.  Sam never does believe but when things start spiraling out of his control, he has to question the truth.   The twists and turns the story takes, kept me very interested and although the ending was disturbing, it made sense.  It’s definitely worth a read.

The Sweetest Thing by Elizabeth Musser

The Sweetest Thing, by Elizabeth Musser, is a story of friendship despite differences. It’s a story about how a life of faith can be tested and how a tragic loss can change a life, sometimes for the better.

Perri is a daughter of privilege. She grew up in Atlanta, in a community more or less immune to the depression plaguing the nation. At least that’s what Perri thought. Mary Dobbs is a teenager who has watched her family struggle her entire life. As the daughter of a pastor, she fully believes that God provides, because she’s experienced it in her daily life.

When Dobbs moves in with her aunt in Atlanta it is to give her the chance for a different kind of life. She meets Perri and after a family tragedy, becomes the one friend that Perri can really count on. The two girls experience highs and lows with Perri slowly growing in her relationship with Christ at the same time Dobbs begins to lose her faith, when old family secrets are revealed.

One lesson to take away from this book is that even in the darkest times, one little bit of God’s love, no matter what form it takes, can pull you out. I recommend this story to anyone who needs a reminder of that.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarity

I thoroughly enjoyed What Alice Forgot, by Liane Moriarity. It is an extremely well written novel about getting second chances and a fresh perspective. The novel flowed easily, even with three different stories being told. The focus was on Alice but I was just as moved by Alice’s sister, Elisabeth, and her story.

The story is fairly simple. Alice hits her head during a spin class and when she comes to, she can’t remember the last ten years of her life. She believes she is pregnant with her first child while in fact she is a mother of three and is in the process of a messy divorce. The Alice who wakes up is very different from the Alice who went to the spin class that morning. She doesn’t remember her children and doesn’t know why she and her husband are separated.

What the author does so well, is make us, the readers, care for the “new” version of Alice. She’s naive and sweet. She is encouraging and not bitter. The “old” version was frazzled and angry. While she may have had her reasons, I couldn’t help but hope that she would never get her memory back. I’ll remember this story for many years and have already passed the book along to another friend. I’m sure she’ll love it too.

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

I almost gave up on The Distant Hours, by Kate Morton.  It was moving slowly, I just wasn’t in the mood, and the book was too long.  That’s what I thought anyway.  I’ll tell you upfront that I am totally happy that I kept with the book.  It is long, and it does move at a slow pace, but everything fits and the story is satisfyingly wrapped up in the end, with most of the mysteries being resolved.  

The story begins with Edie discovering a part of her mother’s life that she had never known.  As a young girl, Meridith was evacuated to the countryside during World War II.  During this time frame, she lived at Milderhurst Castle with the odd trio of Blythe sisters.  The novel jumps time frames, with the modern focusing on Edie discovering the secrets of the house, the sisters, and the mystery revolving around Mr. Blythe’s famous novel, “The True History of the Mud Man”.  The flashbacks to the past are narrated by Saffy Blythe, her twin sister Percy, and the young Juniper Blythe.  

The author does a wonderful job of making Milderhurst come alive, both during the war and in more modern days.  Each sister has their own dreams and secrets and yet you can feel the fierce protectiveness they have for each other and as a reader you know they would stick together, through anything.  When all is finally resolved, it all clicks and makes so much sense.  While parts are disturbing, and I may have a few nightmares about the Mud Man, I really feel that the story was completely satisfying.  I definitely recommend it, even if it takes you a while to read!

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

I was reluctant to jump back into the world of Twilight with an unfamiliar character so it took me a long time to read this book.  I enjoyed it quite a bit!  The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is a short little book about a minor character in Eclipse.  Bree is one of the newborn army sent to distract the Cullens while Victoria went after Bella.

Because I've read Eclipse, and have seen the movie, I know how Bree's story ends so that made the whole thing a little difficult.  She's a smart little vampire who thinks about more than her next meal.  I also liked the character of Freaky Fred and would like to know more about where he went and how his story continued.

If you've read the Twilight saga, you might as well read this one.  It fits in nicely and gives a different perspective.

Family Affair by Debbie Macomber

Family Affair, by Debbie Macomber, is one of those quick, light reads that are good to fit in between big serious books. That being said, sometimes they are too quick and too light.

Lacey is recovering from a painful divorce and moves into a new apartment. Her neighbor is relentless in pursuing her but she wants nothing to do with him. Through a series of misunderstandings, the two finally connect.

This book is a re-print from an original publishing date of 1994. I definitely see a difference in Ms. Macomber's writing style and quality of work. It's cute but there is very little substance.

Another Response to Little Ellie Claus

*Spoiler Alert* 

If you don't want to know how the story ends, please skip this post and go down to the next, where there is a nice mild review. 

You know how some books stick with you, good or bad?  Some books I read, put away and don't really think much about.  Others seem to stay with me and Little Ellie Claus, by James Manos Jr. has.  Not in a good way.  I keep thinking, and thinking, and thinking about this story.  I thought about writing a letter to the author but I can't find an e-mail address. 

Here's my problem. . . I'm adopted.  I was adopted at birth and my parents are amazing.  They have done nothing but love and support me my entire life.  If, at age eleven, my birth parents had come back into my life, there is absolutely no way my parents would have just waved goodbye to me.  There is no way I would have let them. 

In Little Ellie Claus, Ellie finds out that she is adopted (not formally or legally, but essentially she was adopted).  She's only eleven years old but she immediately takes off for New York to find her birth mother.  There was nothing pointing to a strained or difficult relationship between Ellie and her parents.  She was raised by Santa and Mrs. Claus!  What could be bad?  When Ellie finds her birth mother, she bonds with her immediately and after some drama, she says goodbye to the parents who raised her so she could stay with the mother who was forced to give her up many years earlier. 

I can't imagine that the author really understands how adoption works, not the legal aspect, but the emotional bond.  Ellie was an infant when Santa took her in.  She had no memory of her birth mother, so why the instant bond?  I find it all very disturbing and frankly the ending ruined the book for me.  That's all I have to say.

Little Ellie Claus by James Manos Jr.

Little Ellie Claus, by James Manos Jr. has been sitting unread on my shelf for quite a while.  I was determined to read it this year.  Lucy and Peter are young, in love, and setting off on an adventure.  With all their pets in tow, they head to New York in 1933 where Peter has been offered a job.  When things don't work out quite like they hoped, they struggle along with most of the country, in the midst of depression.

I feel that almost everything else I put in a summary will ruin the story, so I'm going to refrain.  There were a few things that I loved about the story.  The basic idea was really great and I knew from the beginning that something I didn't like was going to happen.  It worried me and I considered putting the book back on the shelf.  I did plod through and I found a lot of joy in the story.  Peter and Lucy were great characters, with a lot of life and warmth.  Santa and Mrs. Claus were joyful and fun loving, just as Santa should be. 

I did not care for the character of Henry.  I didn't get it.  He confused me and was way to excitable.  He wasn't necessary to the plot.  I also had a problem with the very end.  Without giving anything away, I am an adoptee and I don't feel that the end was handled very well.  It just wouldn't happen.  Very hard to be specific without giving things away!!!

I think the book is worth a read.  It's pretty short and could be read fairly quickly.  I would go in knowing that some characters may annoy you and that the ending is a bit rushed.

Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber

Call Me Mrs Miracle, by Debbie Macomber, is the second Mrs. Miracle book.  It's a sweet, predictable story but I did find that I enjoyed it more than expected.  The story centers on Holly, a woman struggling to stay afloat in bad economic times.  She recently took custody of her eight-year-old nephew, Gabe.  Holly's brother Mickey has been deployed to Afghanistan and Gabe has nowhere else to go. 

Holly meets Jake Finley, son of the head of Finley's Department Store.  Jake and Holly have a very instant attraction and with a little help from one of Jake's employee's, Mrs. Miracle, they grow close.  As in the book Mrs. Miracle, several characters come together for a nice happy ending, despite a bit of drama. 

I'm not always a huge fan of sticky sweet books but I'm trying to embrace them this December!  While I think the whole story was rushed and that the so-called drama, really was anti-climatic, I was happy with the end.  I'm sure Mrs. Miracle will be back next Christmas with another family to help. 

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Finally!  I've been on a hunt for a young adult novel that was satisfying, and I finally read one!  Infinite Days, by Rebecca Maizel, is yet another vampire story.  The good thing is that it's new and different - at least to me.  The story is about Lenah, a 500 year old vampire who becomes human again - as a sixteen year old high school student.  She tries to find her place at the exclusive boarding school she's attending, while getting used to being mortal. There is danger lurking as her coven eagerly awaits for her awakening, unaware that she is human.

One thing that I appreciated about this novel is that Lenah wasn't terribly sorry for her life of murder and viciousness.  She accepted it.  She wasn't tortured by her past -at least at first.  I appreciate that she wasn't a tortured soul.  Lenah's romance with Justin was a bit rushed and didn't quite feel genuine to me.  I'm hoping that in the future books in the series, he will become more defined, and that we will learn what he's truly about.  I found myself quite suspicious of him but at this point there is no reason for that.

I definitely recommend this book to fans of the supernatural.  As I prove, you don't have to be a teen to appreciate a good young adult book.  I do recommend this for older teens as there is a bit of violence and a fairly casual attitude toward sex.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

The Host, by Stephenie Meyer, has been sitting on my shelf for a long time. I purchased it last spring - right before I broke my arm. It quickly became apparent that reading a hardcover - and a big hardcover at that - was not going to be possible with only one good arm. I tried. I propped it on my cast, tried putting it on my lap, and finally just gave up. It went back on the shelf and paperbacks became my friends.

I'm very happy to say that I finally read it. Guess what? I loved it! It took me about 50-75 pages to really "get it" but after that I just sailed along.

The Host take place here on Earth but an Earth that has been overtaken by an alien species. They are a parasitic species, they need hosts. Here on Earth, it's human hosts. The story is about one of those aliens - called souls - who is implanted into a human named Melanie. What they don't expect is that Melanie doesn't leave. Her spirit is still very present in the body. As the soul, Wanderer, attempts to assimilate to life in a human body, Melanie convinces her to try to find her family.

It sounds confusing, and at first it was. By the end, it all makes sense. Trust me on this. While it sounds like a science fiction book, it's really not. It's a book about humanity, love, and friendship. I found it disturbing at times, but in a good way. How do I as a human, want Wanderer, the parasitic alien, to succeed? I liked Wanderer and wanted a happy ending for her.

This is Stephenie Meyer's first book for adults that has nothing to do with the Twilight series. That being said, it's appropriate for teens in my opinion. There isn't any bad language and the love scenes are very chaste. I would recommend it for anyone who likes to look at the world in different ways.

Dewey by Vicki Myron

Dewey is the story of a little cat who was found in a library drop box one freezing morning in Spencer, Iowa. With the love of his "mama", Vicki, and the other library staff, he thrived and lived in the library for a long nineteen years.

This is an interesting book for me to review because I'm torn. I was a big emotional mess by the time I finished the book. I have trouble with animal stories. I went to see Hotel For Dogs a few weeks ago and cried through the whole second half of the movie. Yes, that's right. I cried. At a movie for kids. About a hotel for dogs. I'm very ashamed. With that said, I knew from the start of the book that I would probably cry at the end. I did.

The fact that I cried is a good thing in respect to the book. It means that the author was able to tell the story of Dewey in such a way that I became emotionally attached. It also made me want a cat (dumb allergies).

My only problem with the book, was the repetitiveness. I felt that while the story was mostly linear there were some moments where I felt I'd read something before. The book explains why Dewey was such a special cat over and over again. I enjoyed reading about Dewey's new adventures as he explored his home, his daily routine, his pickiness regarding food, and other aspects of his life. I don't know how many times it went over the fact that Dewey would attend meetings and choose a lap to sit in. That's just one example of what I feel was repetitive.

What I'm trying to get at was that the book rambled a bit. Maybe that's all right though, it held my interest and like I said, I did grow to love the cat. I'm glad I read it. I'd be interested to hear what others thought. If you are a cat lover, I'd check it out.

Teaser Tuesday

Today's teaser comes from Dewey by Vicki Myron. Dewey was a library cat who after a rough start in his life found a home among the books, staff, and patrons of a small town library. So far it's a sweet story - a true story- about a cat who made a difference in many people's lives during a rough economic time (can we relate?).

From page 105:

I'd look for five minutes, then start calling his name. "Dewey! Dewey!" A dark library can feel empty when you're bending over between the stacks and looking through rows of books, but I always imagined Dewey somewhere, just a few feet away, laughing at me.

The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore

Well, The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore is quite a ride. I remember way back when I read Fluke I made the comment "that was the oddest book I've ever read." Well, it might now be tied with The Stupidest Angel. It was a good book and a lot of fun. It's Christmasy in a kind of messed up kind of way.

The story begins with introductions to all the various characters. We meet Lena, a divorced realtor with a very stressed relationship with her ex, and we meet the ex, Dale, a not-very-well-liked drunk. We are introduced to Tucker and his pet fruit bat Roberto, Theo the constable with a marijuana habit, and Molly a former "B" movie star who slips into her character "Kendra the Warrior Woman" when she's off her meds.

I don't want to give the plot away but let me just mention that it involves an accidentally dead "Santa", a boy who has a Christmas wish, an angel who wants to grant that wish (and eat marshmallows), a crazy woman, and a bunch of brain eating zombies who crash a Christmas party. Yet it's still heartwarming. Go figure!

The only complaint I have is the "bonus chapter". The version of the book I picked up was the 2.0 version and there was an extra chapter in the back involving a serial killer. It wasn't necessary at all.

I enjoyed the book, it just made me shake my head a bit. It also made me laugh, which is what counts. I knew it would be funny and it was. I'm guessing that if I were to pick up another Christopher Moore book I would again make the comment "that was the oddest book I've ever read."

Three Cups of Tea

I finished Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortinson and David Oliver Relin today, on the way home from Disneyland. What a contrast of worlds. I was riding north on these crazy busy freeways surrounded by cars. Once I hit Ventura, I was able to look out and see the Pacific Ocean out the left window, and huge buildings out the right. Between Ventura and Santa Barbara I noticed how green things were even though we'd had little rain. There are houses right on the beach with palm trees and sunshine. It was a really lovely day for a drive.

After closing the pages of Three Cups of Tea, I was a bit humbled by what I have. I have an education, clean clothes, lots of food, telephones, satellite TV, computers, a car and countless other things that I feel are necessary. They aren't. They are necessary to me and millions of other people but could I live without it? Sure, all but the food. I'd survive. I'd keep breathing.

Greg Mortinson is an American hero. Really and truly. You should all read this book. Three Cups of Tea is about Greg Mortinson and his attempt to change the world. After a failed try at climbing K2, he found himself lost in a village in Pakistan. He was humbled by the kindness of the town and shocked at what he saw. The children only had a teacher a few days a week and yet would still go to "school" which wasn't even a building, just a clearing. Greg promised that he would be back to build a school.

He only needed a little over $12,000. Not that much when you think about how much a school would cost in the United States. He had nothing. He was barely getting by, sleeping in his car and trying desperately to raise the money for the school. Through a series of fortunate events, he went back to Pakistan and started his journey. Eventually he helped co-found the Central Asia Institute and has currently built over 78 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

I had no interest in reading this book because I thought it was about Middle Eastern politics and I'm not a political person. My beliefs fall directly toward the middle of the conservative and liberal spectrum. I was also worried that it was a religous book that would conflict with my Christian faith. It wasn't. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book was more about the people, and that's what I wanted to read about. I've been touched and moved by this book. I recommend it highly and urge you to look around you, be blessed by what you have and say a prayer, to whatever God you pray to, that people like Greg Mortinson be allowed to continue their missions.

For more info on the book or the Central Asia Institute, click on the picture of the book.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

I finished Breaking Dawn on Saturday. It took me until today to process everything. That and I didn't have time to blog while obsessing over the Olympics.

I really loved this book. I've read the reviews, I've read the reasoning behind people's disappointment. I don't get it. I understand that every person is entitled to their view but I hope that every reader is making their own decision and not jumping on the proverbial bandwagon. If my friend hates the book, I must hate it too! That's the wrong way to read/watch/experience anything. Make your own judgements, I'll respect that. Respect me now.

Warning. . . There will be spoilers. I can't discuss my thoughts without them so stop reading now if you don't want to know.

I loved that Stephenie got the wedding over early. This was fairly significant but such a minor thing in the scope of the book. Bella was in her own world and seemed to float through the preparations, just handling them, not experiencing them. It wasn't until she saw Edward that she realized it was what she wanted.

The honeymoon was not graphic, keeping with the fact that these books are young adult. Some wanted a graphic scene but a few destroyed pillows and a broken headboard get the point across. I did get a bit mad at Edward at this point. His need to protect Bella was irritating when she obviously wasn't worried. It all worked out though.

Then there's the pregnancy. . . This is when some readers really got mad. I thought it was exactly right. One of the themes through all the books was human experience. Edward wanted Bella to have as many human experiences as she could. He forced her to go to the prom, he wanted her to go to college, he wanted her to marry him. They never thought a baby was possible, so that was one experience they were both prepared to give up.

Some critics thought that Bella was too young, never wanted a baby, etc. . . Yes she was young but she was prepared to stay that age forever. If she were going to have a child, it would have to happen while she was young. Nobody thought it was possible so why would she worry about birth control? As for never wanting a baby, how do we know? It wasn't on the top of her list but as soon as she found out she wanted that baby. She handled it maturely and maternally. She knew this might be her only chance to have a child and she was prepared to sacrifice it all.

Then there's Jacob. . . I loved his point of view. He grew up a lot, standing up for what he knew was right. It was refreshing to not have to go through the pregnancy in Bella's head. I thought it was very poignant for he and Edward to be the ones to deliver the baby and save Bella's life. His determination to bring Charlie back into her life was impulsive but it worked. As for imprinting, I thought it was perfect. He had always had a bond with Bella. Now we know why. I hope that the next books she writes (after Midnight Sun) will be Jacob and Nessie's story.

The only thing that barely disapointed me was the final showdown with the Volturi. It dragged on a bit with a lot of talk and little action. That's my only complaint because frankly I didn't want anyone to die.

This book took over the last week of my life. It exhausted me to read but I loved it. Thanks for the ride Stephenie.

I've Got It!

I picked up Breaking Dawn this morning and have started it. I read for about an hour but other responsibilities have kept me busy. So far so good. I'm a little peeved at Edward at the moment but I'll get over it. I realize that on some message boards they are slamming it but I don't get it. I haven't finished the book. I'm nowhere close, but I am at a point where I can see why some people are saying "huh?" I feel the need to defend Stephenie's vision. First of all, it's her story to tell. If she wanted her characters to go through what they are going through, then they should. She created them. She knows what's going on better than we do.

As an amateur writer, I hope that someday I can write something where people get so involved that they are angry with the outcome. Stephenie should be proud of shocking people. How many of us were happy with the way Deathly Hollows ended? I still know people who are livid about it. I wasn't. It was JK's story to tell. That was how her story ended.

I've read some things today where people were comparing Breaking Dawn to fan fiction. Interesting concept. For one thing, I think fan fiction probably became so popular because people were not happy with how their favorite character's lives were going. We can wish all we want but it's still not our story. Stephenie didn't write fan fiction because she's not the fan, she's the creator. She can do whatever she wants with her characters. We are just lucky to get to enjoy them.

Bottom line, stop complaining! You'll get over it. It's only a book, it's only fictional characters. Sit back and enjoy the ride!

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

By this time tomorrow I will have had my hands on Breaking Dawn. I'll have read the end because I'm totally a cheater. I read the end of Deathly Hollows too. I just can't help it. Tonight I'll review Eclipse, the third book in the series. Again, I stress, read these books in order! I can't imagine someone reading Breaking Dawn without having read the others. Don't do it! If you are new to the series, grab Twilight first. you won't regret it.

Back to Eclipse. . . I think this is my fave so far. It had romance and action. It was interesting to see the dynamic between the werewolves and the vampires play out. I loved when they worked together. Bella is as always the central character. This is her point of view. We learn more about Rosalie and why she seems to dislike Bella. We also know more about the werewolves.

My quote from Feb. 14, 2008 (how sad is it that I spent Valentines Day reading? Ok, not that sad, really just typical): Amazing! Heartbreaking. I just love Edward so much. Very powerful."

It was a powerful book. It made sense of New Moon and wrapped up the issue with Victoria. I'm sure that Bella's life won't be easy come Breaking Dawn. Will she be changed? Will she choose Jake? I hope she doesn't choose Jake. We'll see!