The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

This is another one of those books that I kept seeing over and over but never read.  Maybe it’s because the cover is pretty and that attracted me!  I’m not sure it was one hundred percent worth the wait.  The book is aimed at pre-teens and I think that if I were a ten year old girl, I’d be obsessed with the book and the series.  As I am not a ten year old (although I still act like it occasionally), I found the book to be entertaining but it lacked something.  

The story is about Emily, a twelve year old who lives on a boat with her mother.  Her mother is terrified of water and has never let Emily learn how to swim.  When her school provides swimming lessons, her mother gives in.  Emily is a natural in the water and for good reason.  She’s part mermaid.  The rest of the book follows Emily’s quest to find her father and figure out why her mother can’t remember a thing about him.  

I can’t put my finger on what was missing.  The character of Emily was great, she had a lot of personality.  I’m not sure if it was just too simple for me or what I was looking/hoping for.  Eventually I may get to the rest of the series but not right away.  I am curious as to the island they were referring to.  I would recommend it to girls in the appropriate age range.  I can see my nieces enjoying it when they are older.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

I was slightly disappointed by Sophie Kinsella's last book so I was hesitant to read Twenties Girl but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's a fun story that provokes some deep thoughts.

The story centers on Lara, a woman who is struggling in many areas of her life.  Her perfect boyfriend isn't so perfect, her business partner has abandoned her, and work isn't exactly pouring in.  To top it off, she has to go to her great Aunt Sadie's funeral, where Great Aunt Sadie's ghost happens to show up -with Lara the only one that can see her.   Sadie asks Lara to help find a necklace - and stop the funeral until she does. 

Sadie wants to have fun in her afterlife.  She wants to dance, flirt, and be playful.  Lara has a life to lead and work to do.  The odd pair finally work out a system to benefit them both, all while Lara searches for the missing necklace.

Twenties Girl is a book that will put a smile on your face while making you think about your own family and who and what is important to you.  Enjoy!

The Three Kings by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

 

The Three Kings by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez was really an interesting read.  By the description I thought it was going to be a light and fluffy romance novel but it was actually pretty light on the romance.  My overall thoughts on the book were quite positive but I have a few minor issues which I’ll get to in a moment.  

Christy is a very successful interior designer.  She makes a lot of money and has been able to “escape” the barrio and live a very different life than her Mexican American family.  I grew up -and still live- in an area with a huge Mexican population.  I recognized many of the stereotypes laughed about in the book because I do see them on a daily basis.  Christy makes sure that nobody thinks she is Mexican.  She is Mexican American.  I never thought about the difference before.  

Christy is recently divorced so of course her family wants her to get married again.  Her wonderful cousin, Maggie, invites three men to one of her family dinners.  The three Reyes cousins, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar all agree to take Christy on a series of dates at the end of which she’ll decide which she wants to continue to see.  They all open her eyes to who she has become and where she came from.  She learns important lessons from all three men and ultimately is a better person by the end.  

I learned some of the lessons along with Christy and I love that part of the book.  I love her realizations about her family and her background.  My only complaint is that I felt some parts were missing.  Somehow I missed her third date with Melchior which I assume didn’t happen but there was no mention of her cancelling.  I felt that parts of the story was disjointed.  Overall, I do recommend the story.  It’s really quite sweet.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

13 Little Blue Envelopes, by Maureen Johnson, is a story about discovering the world, and oneself.  When Ginny’s aunt passes away, she is surprised to receive an envelope with instructions for a trip to Europe.  She can only bring a backpack, no guides, no language books, no electronics - including cell phones, and no extra money.  

For someone like me, that sounds completely terrifying.  Ginny embraced it as well as she could considering she was seventeen years old.  That was the biggest hurdle for me to get over.  She was only seventeen and her parents let her go to Europe completely on her own with now way to contact her?  My parents never would have considered that.  

Ultimately, the tasks that Ginny must complete - all told in a set of thirteen blue envelopes, allow her to grow as a person, discover who her aunt really was, and learn about the world.  She faces challenges that would defeat a normal person but she did what she had to do and was better for it.  She survived.  

I highly recommend this to anyone who likes to travel -regardless of age.  It’s an adventure for Ginny and the reader as we wait to find out what her aunt has in store for her next. 

Truly, Madly by Heather Webber

Truly, Madly, by Heather Webber is a great book!  I was looking for something fun and witty to end the holiday season with.  I'm so glad I chose to pick up this book.  It's due to be released in February, 2010 and I highly recommend you pick it up.

The story centers on Lucy.  She comes from a long line of matchmakers but due to an electrical surge, she's lost her matchmaking abilities.  Instead, she can find lost objects by touching someone's hand.  She never embraces her gift as a gift, instead it's a disappointment to her that she can't follow in her family's legacy.  When Lucy's father leaves her in charge of the business for a couple weeks, she discovers that maybe her abilities are something special.  Lucy gets wrapped up in a missing child, a murder investigation, and a heavy flirtation with the PI in the office upstairs.   

The characters are completely enjoyable.  Even the pets are lovable with their fun little quirks.  There are at least two more books in the series and I can't wait to read them.  It's always nice to find new authors (to me) and a new series to look forward to!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to smile while reading a mystery.  It's recommended for adults or older teens as there is a bit of a love story.  Nothing explicit which is nice but a lot of kissing. . .

Thirsty by Tracey Bateman

Thirsty, by Tracey Bateman was not anything like I anticipated. The big hook is that it's a Christian vampire story. Kind of. Yes, there are Christian themes, but it's not preachy in the slightest. It was subtle and because of that it will reach a wider audience. Yes, there is a vampire -actually two, but the story was really about a woman and her struggle with addiction.

Nina is a recovering alcoholic just out of rehab. She's divorced and estranged from her children. To make a new start, she moves back to her hometown to live with her sister. Her daughter comes with her for the week in order to try to get their relationship back on track. While in her hometown, she faces her parents for the first time in years, along with an ex- boyfriend.

The vampire, Markus, provides a friend for Nina as she struggles in her first days out of rehab. The correlation between an addict and a vampire is definitely present as Markus' thirst for blood parallels Nina's thirst for alcohol.

Don't expect Twilight. This is not a romance novel. This is a book about fighting the past, finding forgiveness and moving into the future. This is an adult novel but would be appropriate for some older teens.

I'm giving away a brand new paperback copy of this book! If interested please comment to this post. . . right. . . here.

To purchase the book for yourself you can go to http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9780307457158

*This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Tribute by Nora Roberts

Tribute, by Nora Roberts, is another solid book by the author. The characters are enjoyable, the plot interesting, and overall it's a satisfying read. I'm a huge fan of Nora Roberts so I've read nearly all of her novels. I'm rarely disappointed.

Cilla is a former child star and granddaughter of one of the most famous actresses of all time. Janet Hardy is one of those actresses that after death became a legend but before her death was beloved. Cilla never met her grandmother but feels very close to her after moving to her "Little Farm" and renovating the neglected home. Add a charming neighbor with his charming dog and the stage is set for a romance.

Romance is only part of the story however, as someone really doesn't want Cilla to live in that house. She is threatened, run off the road, and terrorized by someone. With a mystery to solve, Cilla and Ford delve into her grandmother's past and try to figure out who may blame Cilla for her grandmother's sins.

If you are a fan of Nora Roberts, you've probably read this, but if not you should. I loved the character of Ford because he's a nerd and I can relate! If I have any complaint at all it is that I feel I have met the character of Cilla in other books. Ms. Roberts enjoys writing strong women but maybe they are all too strong? Maybe too similar? It seems that the men take on distinct personalities but the women are all the same. It's not a big complaint because I enjoyed the story but I just didn't feel there was anything new about the female lead.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

I've been reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard before bed. Nothing like a fairy tale to get you ready to sleep right? Well that was true about most of the stories. I'm a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I admit it, I can even be a tad obsessive about it.

I was pretty excited about the Tales of Beedle the Bard and even pre-ordered it from Amazon. I was a bit surprised that there wasn't a lot of commotion about this book. Maybe I just missed it.

The book itself is short, just 107 pages. There are five stories in the book and they are quite short. Each story is followed by commentary by Albus Dumbledore. That is by far the best part. Dumbledore was quite snarky and it made me laugh. The first story is "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot". This is a cute story about the importance of helping others. The second story is "The Fountain of Fair Fortune" and this was my favorite. It is a lovely little story about finding what you really want.

The third story was my least favorite. "The Warlock's Hairy Heart" was terribly disturbing. Not unlike some of the original fairy tales, this one was a bit bloody. If you are reading the stories to children, you might want to skip that one.

The fourth story was "Babbity Babbity and her Cackling Stump". It reminded me a bit of the story "The Emperor's New Clothes. But only at the beginning. The fifth story is "The Tale of the Three Brothers" which is the one that should be familiar to all who've read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. This tells the story of the Hollows, the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak.

Overall, I'm happy with the book. It's a little extra for Harry Potter fans. It will go on the shelf next to the books. The only disappointment I have is that it's just a quick little read. I'm waiting for J.K. to take on her next real novel. I look forward to what she has in store for us next.

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.

Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich

I finished Thanksgiving last night. I'm digging these quick Janet Evanovich books as bedtime books. They are light and fluffy and don't make my head spin when I'm trying to sleep. I'm glad I have several more to read. I'm also sharing them with my mother who is enjoying the quick reads as well. She's a much faster reader than I am so I have to stay a few ahead of her!

Thanksgiving is a cute book. It's one of the 9 fluffy romances that are being re-released. Thanks to a wayward rabbit, Megan Murphy, an artist, meets Patrick Hunter, a pediatrician. Sparks fly of course. When a young single mother leaves her baby boy with Patrick and who she thinks is "Mrs. Hunter", Meg and Pat are forced to work together to take care of the baby with their competing schedules.

The book takes place around Thanksgiving which is only a catalyst to get both families together to start planning the wedding. The only problem is Patrick isn't sure he's ready to get married and Megan doesn't want to get married. Ever.

It's not going to go on any "best of" lists but if you are looking for a book to read on the long drive to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving dinner, this is a good one. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving a few weeks early!

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.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audry Niffenegger

I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife and I loved it. It was funny, sweet, romantic, and heartbreaking all at the same time. It started off a little rough. I found myself going back to the chapter or section titles to check the ages. It was a bit confusing at times, but the puzzle was a lot of fun to figure out.

I like the idea of knowing my future. I don't believe in fortune tellers but if I were to see it for myself, it would be easy to believe. Clare knows who she's going to marry from the time she is a little girl. She doesn't have to worry about finding "the one". She knows it will happen, she just isn't certain when it will happen.

This book is a love story between Clare and Henry. Henry is a time traveler. He can't control where he goes, when he goes or how long he's gone so he's often caught in awkward situations. Clare meets an adult Henry when she is six. In real time, Henry is only fourteen but the older Henry who is already married to Clare, visits her. I know it doesn't make sense, but if you read it you will.

I don't know that I would have finished this book if I didn't fall in love with the characters. Henry and Clare show such an intense love for each other that you can't help but go along for the ride. They are quirky, intelligent, fun people who try to live a normal life under extraordinary situations.

I highly recommend this book. It's a wonderful love story.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Building up to the release of Breaking Dawn on Saturday (Woo hoo!), I thought I would go back and review the first three books in the series. I'm starting a day early because I plan to finish my current book tomorrow and should blog about that one then. I keep a journal - I mention it below my blog title- of the books I read. This journal goes back 2 1/2 years now and I wish I had started it when I were younger. It would be quite interesting to see what I had to say way back when. I don't write much in my journal, just the date, title, author and a few lines of my thoughts. I finished Twilight (for the first time) on Nov. 1, 2007. Here is my basic entry:

"Really, really good. I love a good non-scary vamp story. It is a great book. Can't wait to read more."

So, there you go. I liked it. The second reading was completed on Feb. 24, 2008. Here's what I said: "I know, I already read it but I needed to refresh my memory after reading the sequels. To say I love this book is an understatement." Yeah, it is. I love this book. I know I wrote about how it isn't quite at Harry Potter status but it could be. Just not quite yet. Let's see what happens when the movie comes out.

For those of you out of the loop (get in it now), Twilight is the story of a teen aged girl named Bella. She moves to Forks, WA to live with her father after her mother re-marries. At school, she meets an intriguing boy named Edward Cullen. Edward just happens to be a vampire. The resulting story is all about Bella's quest to be with Edward and Edward's quest to protect her. Sometimes he is protecting her from himself. One of the things I loved about this series is the fact that the vampire mythology has been flipped on it's head. It's very, very cool to read something new. No garlic, no crosses, no sleeping in coffins. No sleeping in fact. The movie will be out on December 12th and I know it's going to be a success with fans of the book, I only hope it brings others into the fold as well. Oh also. . . the actors are stunning. Really. I'm totally in love with a fictional character. Again.

For lots of good info on the release of Breaking Dawn and the Twilight movie, check out Twilight Moms.