One Crazy Summer

I read One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia because it was one of the Newbery honor books for 2011. The story takes place in the 1960s and follows three young black girls whose father send them across the country to meet their mother for the first time. They attend a day camp sponsored by the Blank Panthers, travel to San Francisco to have an adventure, and try to get to know their distant, poet mother.

I really enjoyed this book. It was very well written with great details and entertaining and distinct characters. The three sisters were each so funny and unique, and I loved them as characters. The only reason I'm not giving the book 3 stars is that I wasn't wild about the story itself--just not incredibly engaging on its own.

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

Dragon Flight

I continued the Jessica Day George series with book 2, Dragon Flight. This book tells the story of another dragon war and Creel's part in what takes place.

This was another fun book. I probably enjoyed it a little bit less than the first one just because the novelty was gone. But, I did enjoy the new characters and how the book ended. I enjoyed following the friendships, romances, and adventures.

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

Anne of the Island

I'm continuing with the Anne of Green Gables series, reading Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery. This book follows Anne as she leaves home to head to college. She meets new friends, moves into an old cottage, and deals with marriage proposals.

This is just a great series. Anne is such a personable character; I feel like I know her well as I read the books. This was a fun book to follow her interactions with different characters.

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

Small Change

My mom gave me Small Change: The Secret Life of Penny Burford by J. Belinda Yandell for Christmas. It takes place in 1965, where Penny, without knowing exactly why, takes a nickel from her husband's pile of change on his dresser. He never does anything with the piles of change he brings home, so she starts quietly taking little bits of change each day. This decision ends up, as the book says, changing "the course of her life--and the lives of untold others."

This was a quick read and a nice story. The beginning was kind of sad to me, but I really liked how things came together in the end. I also liked the thought-provoking theme of the story.

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

Dragon Slippers

I saw on Facebook a friend's recommendation of Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George, so I decided to get it from the library. It's about a girl named Creel whose aunt gives her to a dragon in hopes of a knight's rescue. Instead, Creel makes a deal with the dragon to escape, winning a pair of shoes from the dragon's hoard. Creel then travels to the king's city to get a job as a seamstress, but soon strange things begin to happen as a result of Creel's shoes. Soon, it's up to Creel to find a way to save the kingdom.

This was such a good book! It's definitely my kind of book, so I'm thrilled that it's a series. The characters were super fun, and I just loved how the story flowed and how it ended. It was a feel-good, happily ever after book with lots of adventure.

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

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians

I read Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson after it was given to me as a gift by my brother- and sister-in law while I was recovering from surgery. It's about a boy named Alcatraz who is in foster care and always breaks things. It isn't until he meets his grandfather on his 13th birthday that he realizes that breaking things like he does is actually a rare talent in his grandfather's world. Alcatraz joins his grandfather and others to stop the cult of evil librarians who are taking over the world.

This was a fun book. It was interesting because the whole book takes place on one day--it just follows every detail of Alcatraz throughout the day. I enjoyed the characters and the unique story.

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

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling in preparation for the movie coming out. It is the conclusion of the series and tells how Harry goes about trying to defeat Lord Voldemort.

Of course, I loved this book, as I do every time I read or re-read any Harry Potter book. There are so many fun details, great characters, and just an exciting story. I love it all! It's particularly fun to watch the movie and realize how many more wonderful details are in the book, reminding me why reading is awesome.

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