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.

The Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich

The Rocky Road to Romance, by Janet Evanovich, is a quick and breezy book.  It's full of fun characters and situations.  When Daisy starts working for Steve as a traffic reporter, she gets herself in all kinds of messes.  She struggles to find her footing in the job and when she witnesses something she shouldn't, she finds her life in danger.

If you are looking for a quick read with a cute story, you can't go wrong with this.

The Lord of the Rings; The Return of the King, By JRR Tolkien

I have officially finished Lord of the Rings; The Return of the King! Officially! ** I can't believe it's over. I'm kind of sad. Well, not really. I'm quite happy to be moving on to other things.

JRR Tolkien was a literary genius in how he created his world. He didn't just place characters in a fantasy land, he came up with time lines, family trees, Middle-Earth history, and a whole language. It boggles the mind. I am a struggling writer -struggling to get the words out -and I have no idea how someone can do what he did. I find myself lost in thought, plotting my own characters, but they live in the real world. I wonder how Mr. Tolkien spent his day. I'm sure there's info out there on his life, I just haven't pursued it.

A few posts back I mentioned how reading the trilogy was torture for me but at the end of every book, I loved it. That continued to be true. I was sad that it was over. I wanted to continue with life in the Shire. I want to know more about Merry, Pippin and dear Sam. I didn't quite cry, but I came close.

Let me gush over Sam. For one thing, he was masterfully played by Sean Astin in the film. Genius casting there. The last half of this book was Sam's story. It had started out as Frodo's. Frodo had the ring, it was his job to destroy it, and everyone else was supporting. By the third book, Frodo was lost. The ring had taken him away and he was but a shell. The story was told through Sam's eyes and it was beautiful. Sam was the one who kept them going. His devotion to his Master Frodo is as lovely as any tale of friendship there is.

After three years, I've completed the trilogy and met a goal. It feels good. The books can sit on my "Favorites" shelf and truly be favorites. On to the next book!

**Not including the freakishly long appendix. Not reading that. Nope.