My Story

I saw that there's a documentary about Elizabeth Smart coming out early next year, and it made me realize I never read her memoir and always wanted to -- so I got My Story by Elizabeth Smart and Chris Stewart on audiobook from the library. The book description says, "In this memoir, Elizabeth Smart reveals how she survived and the secret to forging a new life in the wake of a brutal crime. On June 5, 2002, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart, the daughter of a close-knit Mormon family, was taken from her home in the middle of the night by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Elizabeth was kept chained, dressed in disguise, repeatedly raped, and told she and her family would be killed if she tried to escape. After her rescue on March 12, 2003, she rejoined her family and worked to pick up the pieces of her life. With My Story, Elizabeth tells of the constant fear she endured every hour, her courageous determination to maintain hope, and how she devised a plan to manipulate her captors and convinced them to return to Utah, where she was rescued minutes after arriving. Smart explains how her faith helped her stay sane in the midst of a nightmare and how she found the strength to confront her captors at their trial and see that justice was served."

This was an engaging and inspiring read. I remember when Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped (it hit close to home because she was a member of the same religion as me and I was also a teenager at the time) and when she was found. At times reading this book was sickening and upsetting, just learning all that she went through and picturing it from the perspective of my daughter who is the same age. I was also inspired by Elizabeth's ability to make the most of her circumstances and thrive in her life after. This was one of those books that I always wanted to keep reading.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Zarina Divided

I saw Reem Faruqi had a new book out, so I got Zarina Divided from the library. The books description says, "Zarina loves her life in Poona, India. She spends her days happily hanging out with her best friends, Geeta and Jahana, and playing with her three brothers. However, Zarina and her family are given unsettling news: Muslims and Hindus are to separate by religion. Hindus are expected to stay in India, while Muslims are expected to move to a new land, Pakistan. Zarina is heartbroken at having to move away from all she knows and loves, and after the frightening journey to Pakistan, she feels unsure that the unfamiliar country will ever feel like home. When an accident happens that leaves Zarina grappling with extreme guilt, she decides it’s best to attend boarding school far away, much to the protest of her mom. Will a fresh start at a new school give Zarina the chance to thrive in Pakistan, or will the divisions within herself and her family continue to widen?"

This was such a great read! It was a super quick read since it was written in verse (probably just took me an hour), but I loved the characters and the storyline. I didn't know much about the partition in India, so it was great to learn more--plus it was super cool that this was based on the experiences of the author's grandmother. I thought the author did a great job portraying the difficulties of the experiences surrounding the partition in a middle grade–appropriate way. This one was really close to loved it. I definitely would recommend this to others.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Lost Evangeline

I got Lost Evangeline by Kate DiCamillo from the library since it's the brand new third book in the Norendy Tales collection (not really a series since they're all different stories but they all take place in the same magical land). The book description says, "When a shoemaker discovers a tiny girl (as small as a mouse!) in his shop, he takes her in, names her Evangeline, and raises her as his own. The shoemaker’s wife, however, fears that Evangeline has bewitched her husband, so when an opportunity arises to rid herself of the girl, she takes it. Evangeline finds herself far from her adopted father and her home, a tiny girl lost in the wide world. But she is brave, and she is resourceful, and with the help of those she meets on her journey—including a disdainful and self-satisfied cat—she may just find her way again."

This was another beautifully written book, as Kate DiCamillo's books always are. I thought it was a sweet story with a character to root for and some fun adventures. I wished the ending had been more conclusive, but it kinda fit the vibes of the other books in this collection. I thought this was a nice, quick read.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Outrun the Moon

I chose Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee for my book club read for this month (since I've read two other books by the author and enjoyed them). The book description says, "Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty of Chinatown, San Francisco in 1906, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes. On April 18, a historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. Now she’s forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Though fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, Mercy can’t sit by while they wait for the army to bring help—she still has the 'bossy' cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenage girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?"

This was another good read by the author. I enjoyed the story and Mercy's assertive, go-getter personality. I thought the story had lots of fun plot lines to follow that kept me engaged, and I liked lots of great side characters (like Tom and Francesca). There were some sad things that happened but the book had a keep-moving-forward vibe that kept things positive. I learned a lot about the time period and the history related to the earthquake and what it may have been like for Chinese people living in San Francisco at that time.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Sing Sing Files

I have had The Sing Sing Files: One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a Twenty-Year Fight for Justice by Dan Slepian on my to-read list for awhile and so got it on audiobook from the library. The book description says, "In 2002, Dan Slepian, a veteran producer for NBC’s Dateline, received a tip from a Bronx homicide detective that two men were serving twenty-five years to life in prison for a 1990 murder they did not commit. Haunted by what the detective had told him, Slepian began an investigation of the case that eventually resulted in freedom for the two men and launched Slepian on a two-decade personal and professional journey into a deeply flawed justice system fiercely resistant to rectifying―or even acknowledging―its mistakes and their consequences. The Sing Sing Files: One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a Twenty-Year Fight for Justice is Slepian’s account of challenging that system. The story follows Slepian on years of prison visits, court hearings, and street reporting that led to a series of powerful Dateline episodes and eventually to freedom for four other men and to an especially deep and lasting friendship with one of them, Jon-Adrian 'JJ' Velazquez. From his cell in Sing Sing, JJ aided Slepian in his investigations until his own release in 2021 after decades in prison. Like Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy, The Sing Sing Files is a deeply personal account of wrongful imprisonment and the flaws in our justice system, and a powerful argument for reckoning and accountability. Slepian’s extraordinary book, at once painful and full of hope, shines a light on an injustice whose impact the nation has only begun to confront."

This book was SO GOOD. It was a super engaging story and just alarming to read about the unfair justice system so many people have had to face. The book reminded me of the vibe of Just Mercy (I thought that before seeing that it's also mentioned in the book description above) and just opened my mind to so many things, especially how broken the police and court system can be in some cases. I thought this was a really meaningful read that just reminded me that there is more to every story. I came away inspired by Dan's dedication to the cases he looked into and the resilience of the innocent men wrongly imprisoned.

* * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

I read Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty for book club. The book description says, "Armed with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre, Caitlin Doughty took a job at a crematory and turned morbid curiosity into her life’s work. She cared for bodies of every color, shape, and affliction, and became an intrepid explorer in the world of the dead. In this best-selling memoir, brimming with gallows humor and vivid characters, she marvels at the gruesome history of undertaking and relates her unique coming-of-age story with bold curiosity and mordant wit. By turns hilarious, dark, and uplifting, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes reveals how the fear of dying warps our society and 'will make you reconsider how our culture treats the dead' (San Francisco Chronicle)."

This was a really unique and enjoyable read. There were parts that were kind of disgusting or sad or whatnot, but it was also enlightening and fascinating and eye-opening. I learned about a topic I had really not given much thought to and found the book to be a fun listen. I think it'll be a fun book club discussion book, and it was also a fun one to read around Halloween time. I really liked the author's perspective and her opinion that death needs to be less hidden in our country and culture.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

Murder Among Friends

I love Candace Fleming as an author, so when I saw her book Murder Among Friends: How Leopold and Loeb Tried to Commit the Perfect Crime, I got it from the library. The book description says, "In 1924, eighteen-year-old college students Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb made a decision: they would commit the perfect crime by kidnapping and murdering a child they both knew. But they made one crucial error: as they were disposing of the body of young Bobby Franks, whom they had bludgeoned to death, Nathan's eyeglasses fell from his jacket pocket. Multi-award-winning author Candace Fleming depicts every twist and turn of this harrowing case--how two wealthy, brilliant young men planned and committed what became known as the crime of the century, how they were caught, why they confessed, and how the renowned criminal defense attorney Clarence Darrow enabled them to avoid the death penalty."

This was a pretty engaging book and of course, well written, like all of Candace Fleming's books. But I think just the content of this book was kind of upsetting, so the vibe just wasn't one I completely enjoyed. The boys were just so messed up that it was kind of disturbing to read about. I feel like sometimes books like this are fascinating, but this one wasn't as much for me. I did think it was well-organized and well-researched. I liked the connections to what the killers would have been diagnosed with in today's world.

Rating: * (1/3) = It was okay