The Land

The Land by Mildred D. Taylor is the book of the month for the book club I'm in.  It's a prequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, a book I read back in middle school.  It's the story of Paul-Edward, the son of a black former slave and her white owner.  Paul, growing up in the 1880s, finds himself caught between two worlds.  While his white father and brothers accept him, educate him, and love him, the rest of the white world is not so kind.  However, the black community often dislikes Paul because his skin is so white and the advantages he received.  The book follows Paul-Edward from childhood through adulthood as he tries to follow his dream of owning land just like his father.

This was an AWESOME book.  I was just completely enthralled and didn't want to stop reading.  I loved following the story and the characters, and it was just felt so real.  (Actually, the reason it felt that way is probably because the story is based real experiences in the author's family history, which makes the book even more fascinating.)  I loved getting a glimpse of what life was like between whites and blacks during this time period.  This was just a wonderfully written, fabulous story that made me smile, get choked up, and think hard about the way our country used to be.

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

Bigger than a Bread Box

I saw a review for Bigger than a Bread Box by Laurel Snyder on Provo City Library's blog of new books out.  It's about 12-year-old Rebecca whose parents' disagreements lead to her mom taking Rebecca and her brother to Gran's house in Georgia so Mom can "think things through."  Rebecca is furious at her mom for making them leave her dad and is trying to adjust to their (hopefully) temporary stay in Georgia, including going to a new school.  One day Rebecca finds a bread box in Gran's attic and realizes that it grants wishes--anything she asks for suddenly appears, as long as it fits in the bread box.  Rebecca is loving the magic she's found until she realizes that it's not exactly what it seems.

This was a good book. I felt like Rebecca was a really believable character, and I really liked how the book seemed more like a realistic fiction book--just the magic of the bread box thrown in there to make it a little fantastical.  The book was well written and a really nice story that kept me interested.  I wasn't wild about the ending, but I still enjoyed the book.

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

Kisses from Katie

My husband's aunt recommended this book to me, and my mother-in-law gave it to me as a gift for Mother's Day since my library didn't have a copy.  Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption by Katie Davis is about Katie, who, after her senior year of high school, put off college to go on a mission trip to Uganda.  She was so moved by what she experienced in Uganda that she knew it was her calling to stay there.  She established a nonprofit organization to feed and educate hundreds of Ugandan children, all while teaching them about Jesus Christ.  Katie also, little by little, adopted 14 children who had no where else to go and now cares for them in Uganda while running her ministry.

This was an incredible story.  I'm rating it as "liked it" because I liked the book, but the organization seemed a little scattered sometimes.  But, I LOVED the story.  Katie's experiences are just amazing--she shares her deep religious values and how she has just accepted God's will for her in her life.  She's given up everything she had in America (family, friends, college opportunity, material things) to live in Uganda and care for so many--all because she knows it's what God wants her to do.  It's amazing to read about how she constantly seeks God's help in her life to know what He would have her do; her spiritual strength is inspiring.  It's also really amazing to read about all the lives she's touched through her desire to just help one person at a time and to just LOVE.  I'd highly recommend this book.  Read more at her blog at kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com or watch this little movie:

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

Palace Beautiful

I saw Palace Beautiful recommended on Shannon Hale's blog and thought it sounded like a good book.  It's about sisters Sadie and Zuzu who move to a new town and find an old journal in a secret room in their attic.  Along with their new friend Bella, they begin to read the entries in the journal and learn about a girl named Helen who lived through the influenza epidemic in their town (and the world) in 1918.  The girls become enthralled by the story and try to find out if Helen survived.

This was a cute story that sparked enough curiosity that I finished the book.  But, I felt like the writing style itself wasn't great.  I felt like a lot of the book was kind of predictable or cliche.  It reminded me of English teachers who say to "show not tell" in your writing because this book seemed to do a lot of telling where I felt like showing would've made it a stronger book.

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

Princess Academy (re-read)

I decided to re-read Princess Academy by Shannon Hale because the sequel is coming out in a few months.  This book is about a girl named Miri who lives in the mountain village of Mount Eskel, far from the palace.  Then one day a messenger comes to their village, announcing that the priests have predicted that the future princess will come from their town.  Soon Miri and the other girls are sent off to a princess academy to prepare to meet the prince.  When danger comes to the academy, Miri has to find a way to use her talents to save her friends.

This is just a wonderful book.  Shannon Hale is a fabulous writer, and her books are just so engaging and beautifully written.  The setting and characters were just described so well that I could really imagine what was going on in the book.  I love the whole plot and just everything about the book.  I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

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