Crossover

I saw that Crossover by Kwame Alexander won the Newbery Medal for 2015, so I checked it out from the library. It is about middle-schooler Josh, a star basketball player along with his twin brother Jordan. When Jordan gets a girlfriend and Josh's dad starts having health problems, Josh begins feeling isolated, and he learns some hard lessons along the way.

This was a quick read but a good one. The book is written in verse, and the author captures the story so well in this format. The characters were well-developed, and the plot was interesting. I enjoyed the book.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

Of Grace and Chocolate

My friend told me she got some books on clearance at Deseret Book (an LDS bookstore), so I borrowed Of Grace and Chocolate by Krista Lynne Jensen. It is about Jill, a young adult who works for a local publishing company and is writing a novel on the side. She has a pretty predictable life until her long-lost sister Evie shows up--bringing along a baby and crazy drug addicts on her trail. Jill finds herself in trouble and begrudgingly relies on help from Scott--a guy in her ward who broke Jill's heart when she was a teenager.

This was a fun read. I don't really read books like this, but it was a nice, light read. It was surprisingly action-filled and had some romance too. I liked how things came together and just enjoyed the read.

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

El Deafo

I saw El Deafo by CeCe Bell on the list of Newbery Honor winners for 2015, so I checked it out from the library.  This book tells the story of CeCe, a young girl who becomes deaf when she's four. With her huge Phonic Ear hearing aid and friends that never seem to last, CeCe experiences a lot of loneliness. But she imagines herself as a super hero (El Deafo) and doesn't give up on finding a friend who will like her for who she is.

This was a neat book. When I got it from the library, I was surprised to see that it was a graphic novel. I wasn't sure if I still wanted to read it, but after glancing through the first few pages, it caught my attention. It was an engaging story with lots of characters to love and hate. At the end, I realized that this book is a memoir based on the author's actual childhood--which made it even cooler. I really liked the "Note from the Author" at the end and her concluding words: "Our differences are our superpowers."

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

Parallel Journeys

I saw Parallel Journeys by Eleanor Aver at my friend's house and borrowed it.  It is the true story of two young people who lived in Germany during WWII and the Holocaust--Helen Waterford, a Jew forced into hiding and then Auschwitz, and Alfons Heck, a fanatic member of the Hitler Youth.  The author uses Helen's and Alfons's real words and experiences, alternating throughout the book, to present a picture of the nightmare of this time period.

This was a very fascinating book.  I love books about the Holocaust because I want to acknowledge what happened and remember those who suffered, even if it's only by reading their stories.  It is unreal to think of all that Helen and the other Jews went through.  It was also very interesting to read Alfons's point of view and see what it was like to have been a teenager brainwashed by Hitler.  I found out in the end of the book that Helen and Alfons ended up meeting many years later in the US and began public speaking together on their experiences. This was a great read.

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

The 5 Love Languages

I saw The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman on a shelf at my friend's house and decided to borrow it.  The love languages concept is something I've heard about a lot, but I had never read the book.  Gary Chapman, a marriage counselor, outlines in the book why marriages often do not last--that we don't speak each other's love languages.  He explains the 5 love languages (words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, physical touch) and how to strengthen your marriage.

This was a really enlightening book.  The author made a lot of really good points, and I totally believe what he shares.  A love language is basically how you feel love. So if you feel love from acts of service, but your spouse shows his love to you by giving words of affirmation, you won't feel as loved as you would have with acts of service.  The author explains that some people don't feel loved in their marriage, but if the spouse focuses on the correct love language, love returns.  It's simple yet totally makes sense.  I enjoyed the read and the personal experiences he shared and though it was a worthwhile book.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

Dust of Eden

I was looking for a book to read at the library and saw Dust of Eden by Mariko Nagai in the new book shelf in the children's section.  This book is about middle schooler Mina Tagawa whose life gets turned upside down in December 1941 when Pearl Harbor is attacked.  Just because her family is Japanese, her father is arrested, her classmates are calling her "Jap," and her family is eventually sent to an internment camp.  The book follows Mina during the difficult times that follow.

This was a great book and a super quick read. (I finished it during Emmeline's 1-hour dance class.)  This is another novel written in verse, which I've mentioned before is something I really like.  I also really like historical fiction, particularly books from the WWII time period.  The book was interesting and inspiring as I got to know Mina and her different family members and friends and saw how they handled the situations they went through.  Reading about the internment camps and the terrible way the Japanese were treated after Pearl Harbor just reminded me of the importance of kindness no matter what.  This was a beautiful read.

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

Mockingjay

I re-read Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins in preparation for the movie coming out and really enjoyed it.  I've reviewed it before on the blog, so I'm mentioning it here only for the purpose of keeping track of my reading.