Written in Stone

Written in Stone by Rosanne Parry was recommended on the Provo City Library blog.  The book is about Pearl, a young Native American girl who is part of the Makah people.  They are whale hunters, but when Pearl's father is killed on a hunt and then the whales begin hiding from steam-powered ships, Pearl and her people are in trouble. Pearl must find a way to help protect her people and preserve their stories.

This was a nice read.  It had a super slow start, though, and I probably wouldn't have kept reading beyond the first few chapters except for the raving review the librarian gave on the Provo City site.  The book was described as "a fascinating, tender, totally respectful story of the Pacific Coast Indians, not to be missed."  So when I wasn't into the book at first, I knew I should maybe give it more time to see what the reviewer saw.  I was glad I kept reading because I became more interested as the book went on.  It was a sweet, tender story that captured the lives of Native Americans through the author's beautiful writing.  I also liked that the author's first job was teaching school on a reservation, so she really has a love and respect for Native American people.

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

Rooftoppers

I saw a review of Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell on the Provo City Library children's book blog. The book is about Sophie, who as a baby was found floating in a cello case in the English Channel after a shipwreck.  Charles Maxim, the bachelor who found Sophie, becomes her guardian, and they live a wonderful life together.  But when child services questions a single man raising a young girl reaching young-adulthood, Charles and Sophie run away.  They run to Paris, hoping to find Sophie's long-lost mother.

This was a really cute book. It was a quick read and pretty engaging.  Sophie and Charles were such well-developed characters, and it was really fun to get to know their personalities.  Several parts of their relationship at the beginning just made me laugh out loud, and they were just endearing.  The book focused less on Charles as the book went on, which maybe made me like the second half slightly less than the beginning.  But this was a beautifully written book, and I really enjoyed it.

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

Insurgent

I borrowed Insurgent from a friend to continue the Veronica Roth Divergent series.  This book again tells the story of Tris, a 16-year-old newly initiated into the Dauntless faction.  Now the five factions (and the unfactionless) are at the brink of war, and Tris must decide where she stands.

This was another good book.  It kept me interested in reading to find out what would happen.  There is a lot of action and good character development.  I had a little trouble keeping track of some side characters as the factions became less separate, and again, the book was a little depressing (lots of negativity, fighting, death, etc.).  But I enjoyed reading it and will try to borrow the sequel from a friend (since I am #257 on the library wait list).

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

Divergent

I've heard people recommend Divergent by Veronica Roth for awhile, and then I just saw a movie theater preview for a Divergent movie coming out--which finally motivated me to read the book.  Divergent is about a dystopian society that is grouped into 5 factions--each focused on a single positive quality.  When citizens turn 16, they take an aptitude test and find out their best faction match; they then choose whether to remain in their faction of birth or switch to another for life. Sixteen-year-old Beatrice lives in Abnegation, the faction of selflessness.  Her aptitude test turns up inconclusive--secretly marking her as Divergent.  Beatrice has to decide how--and why--to keep her secret as she discovers a new side of herself in a new faction.

This was a really good book.  The story was interesting, and it was very engaging and unique.  It turned out to be a quick read even though it was a long book--probably because it was semi-addicting.  I liked Beatrice and a character named Four and felt like they were really well-developed.  I really, really liked the book, but for some reason, I can't quite give it the "love" rating.  Maybe just because it had kind of a negative feel to the story overall; there was lots of violence and death and unhappiness, so maybe that vibe just kind of turned me away.  But I am still super excited to read the next book.  Hopefully I can borrow it from a friend because I'm #62 on the library wait list.

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

Gregor the Overlander

My teenage neighbor lent me Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins, telling me this was one of her favorite series and that she liked it better than the author's other famous series (Hunger Games). This book tells about 11-year-old Gregor who lives in NYC and has a less than ideal life after his dad mysteriously disappeared two years before. Gregor is in charge of watching his 2-year-old sister Boots all summer, and one day while doing laundry, they fall into an air vent and end up in the Underland--a land with humans who fly on bats, giant rats and cockroaches, and spiders. Gregor is immediately on a mission to first, survive, and second, get himself and Boots back home.

This was a really fun book. It was hard to imagine this as being the same author as Hunger Games just because it was so different. But I really liked the plot--once I got into it, it was fast-moving and exciting. The characters were all very endearing--surprisingly, I think a cockroach was one of my favorite characters. I like how the book ended, even though it is a series. I plan to continue reading the rest of the series.

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

Catching Fire (re-read)

I re-read Catching Fire so I could have it fresh in my mind before going to see the movie. I wanted to put it on here to keep track of my reads, but I won't do an official post about it since I did in the past--post here. I think I like this book more each time I read it. I thoroughly enjoyed the re-read.

The Fault in Our Stars

I had several people recently recommend The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and then a teenager at church lent me her copy.  This book is about 16-year-old Hazel, who is dying from terminal stage IV cancer.  It follows her life as she deals with her parents and her support group and when she meets a new friend--Augustus, a cancer survivor too.

This was a really good, addicting book.  It was one of those books that is not great to read when I am supposed to be hanging out with Emmeline because I am very distracted and want to keep reading.  The characters were very real and believable, and I became very engrossed in their stories.  It was a sad book (as can be assumed from the subject matter) but never got too depressing.  The only thing about this book is it has some language and a few bursts of questionable material in there. Normally I just put down books like, but this one was so highly recommended (including by young women in my ward) that I figured it wasn't going to be too bad so kept reading.

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

Heaven is Here

After listening to a General Conference talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland where he mentioned Stephanie Nielson, I became re-interested in her story. I looked her up online and saw she had written a memoir--Heaven is Here--so I checked it out from the library.  It tells of Stephanie's story--she was a young mother of 4 and a popular blogger when she was in a small plane crash with her husband.  The pilot was killed, and she and her husband survived but with burns all over their bodies.  The book chronicles her life before the crash (her life growing up, meeting her husband, starting their family) and then the crash and how her life changed after the tragedy.

This was a really inspiring book.  It was definitely very hard to read at times because of the difficulties that she went through, but she really showed how family and faith and hope can get you through times that seem impossible to overcome. Her life was really idyllic before the crash; she was the stereotypical young Mormon mom with a bunch of kids.  But I think understanding that life was important because it helped the reader better understand the devastation of the accident.  It was touching to follow her emotions from depressing and hopeless to the realization that there was still good and happiness in her life, even amid the terrible things she was going through.

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

PS--There is also a great "Mormon Message" on youtube that tells a little bit of her story.  I just watched it last night and really liked it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHDvxPjsm8E

Al Capone Does My Homework

I saw that Gennifer Choldenko had written a new Alcatraz story, so I found Al Capone Does My Homework at the library. This is the third book in a series following Moose Flanagan, a boy who lives on Alcatraz Island in the 1930s because his dad works at the prison.  In this book, his dad has been promoted to associate warden, which means that he is more at risk from problems from the inmates. Moose worries about his dad as well as his sister Natalie, especially when a mysterious fire starts in their home.

This was another great book.  I was just so engaged and by the end didn't want to put the book down.  I just love the kid characters in the book and their distinct personalities.  I love Moose and how protective he is of his older sister.  (Natalie probably has autism, but it is never really labeled in the book since it was the 1930s, when things like that just weren't understood.)  I just think this series is so fun--the time period and setting along with the fun plot twists and awesome characters.  It just makes for a great book.

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

Emmaline and the Bunny

I randomly saw Emmaline and the Bunny by Katherine Hannigan on a shelf at the library and was so surprised to see a book with my daughter Emmeline's name.  It looked like a cute book (an easier chapter book with some illustrations in there), so I told Emmeline about it, and we checked it out.  It is about a little girl named Emmaline who lives in Neatasapin where everything is tidy--but she doesn't like being tidy.  She wants a pet bunny, but bunnies are not allowed because they are too dirty.  But Emmaline is lonely, and she wants to find a way to get a bunny somehow.

I read this book aloud to Emmeline over a few days.  It's the first time I've attempted a chapter book with her, and she was actually quite interested in it.  (I only did attempt a chapter book because it was an Emmaline book, but now maybe I'll try again sometime.)  Each day when we read more, I just reminded her what had happened before, and I asked her some questions throughout to see how she was following it and to help her understand.  It was fun to read it with her, and she really liked the plot--a girl named Emmaline, bunny rabbits....that's about all it takes to interest a 3-year-old.  I didn't actually love the book that much though, which surprised me since the author's book Ida B is fabulous.  I think the book was just kind of random.  I also think I would've liked it slightly more if I didn't read it aloud because it had a kind of odd writing style that I think would have come across better in my mind rather than spoken aloud.  But I think it was actually a pretty good first chapter book to read to Emmeline.

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

The Spiderwick Chronicles

A 17-year-old avid reader who lives two doors down from me lent me her copies of The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DeTerlizzi and Holly Black. These 5 books follow Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace, three kids who move to a new house where some old relatives used to live. Once they arrive, they come across an old field guide about faeries and other creatures and realize that they are in the midst of these creature--who all want the guide book.

This was a fun series. It really seems like it should be just one book--but I think it was purposefully split into five, probably to make it more manageable for the young readers it is written for. The books were super, super quick reads with lots of action and well-defined characters.

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

Salt

I saw Salt by Helen Frost on the new-book shelf at the library, and something it said on the front caught my eye: "A Story of Friendship in a Time of War." Since I really like historical fiction, I picked up the book and then noticed that it was about the War of 1812--which like never has historical fiction books--so I decided to read it. This book switches points of view between Anikwa (a member of the Miami tribe) and James (an American whose family lives at the trading post). The two boys are friends, but when the war comes to their land, everything changes.

This was a really good book. It is beautifully written--the language and such is just very well done. The story is sweet and thought-provoking, and I think it well portrays the different sides of the story. It was a pretty short read and just a nice book.

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

The Elite

The Elite by Kiera Cass is the sequel to The Selection, which I read a few weeks ago.  This book follows 17-year-old America, one of the 8 remaining girls in the Selection, the competition to be Prince Maxon's wife.

This was another really fun and addicting book....kind of a light, fluff read, but a great one. It was almost not a good book to read because I had a lot of trouble stopping when I needed to stop reading.  I loved following the characters and reading to see how things would turn out.  The book was a little too gushy at times, but I can't complain too much about a chick flick. I am hoping the series turns out how I want it to, but I will have to wait until book 3 (which doesn't come out until next spring).  I'm excited for it!

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

Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust

The Provo City Library's blog of new books reviewed Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust by Doreen Rappaport last year, and I have had it on my to-read list ever since. It is a nonfiction book that tells the stories of many Jewish people who resisted the Nazis during World War II. The book jacket ends with, "These resisters answered the genocidal madness and unspeakable depravity that was Hitler's Holocaust with the greatest weapons of all--courage, ingenuity, the will to survive, and the resolve to save others or to die trying."

This was an amazing and inspiring book. The Holocaust is absolutely terrible to read about--it is unreal what Hitler and the Nazis and others did to Jews during this time period. I cannot even fathom the horror that so many Jews went through, and while the past cannot be changed, I am grateful that I can at least honor the memories of those who suffered and died by reading books like this. The stories in this book were inspiring--from people rescuing Jewish children to planning escapes to risking their lives for others, every story amazed me as I saw the goodness of people in the absolute worst possible times. 

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

Reached

I got Reached at the library to finish up the Ally Condie series. It follows Cassia and her friends as the Rising rebellion begins.

This was my least favorite in the series. It was a little slower of a read, and the conclusion seemed to drag on. It was also a little unnecessarily sophisticated at times (like describing medical things in a complicated way). I also was not happy with how the book ended. But, of course I wanted to finish the series, and I liked how things came together plot-wise. There were some clever twists and turns and fun surprises, so it was still a fun read.

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

Crossed

I picked up Crossed by Ally Condie (book 2 in the Matched trilogy) at the library and finished it in a day and a half. It continues Cassia's story, but this time, the book also follows Ky's point of view. As they both travel through the outer provinces, they search for each other and try to find out more about the Rising, the organization of rebels.

This was another super addicting book. I just had to keep reading constantly to figure out what happened. Again, though, I didn't 100% love it. It might have been the believability thing again--I often was interrupted in my reading by my own questions about whether it would have happened that way. I also think this book just had a lot of sad, negative things happening. There wasn't enough happiness to help me really love the book. But it was still a good book that I enjoyed reading. The plot and details about the Society and how it works are very engaging. And of course I already have book 3 from the library and will probably be finished very soon.

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

Matched

I have heard people recommend Matched by Ally Condie, and so when I saw it on a friend's bookshelf, I asked to borrow it. It follows Cassia, a 17-year-old in a dystopian society (comparable to those in Hunger Games, The Giver, and other such books). When there is an error in her "match" (who she is statistically best matched to marry), Cassia starts to question lots of different things relating to her society and its Officials and decides that she won't go down gently.

This was a really good book. It was very addicting, so I finished it in like 2 days because I just kept wanting to read to find out what happened. I liked the storyline, and I am excited for the sequel, especially because the book didn't really leave me hanging but just left me interested. I wasn't completely convinced by the book, though, in that I couldn't really understand Cassia's sudden obsession with Ky. (I won't elaborate on this since I don't want to give anything away if you want to read the book.) But, it was still a really great, engaging book.

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

The Help

A few months ago, a lady in my old book club was moving and getting rid of lots of stuff--the book The Help by Kathryn Stockett was among the things I took. I saw it on my bookshelf this week when looking for something new to read and started it. Two days later, I was finished. The Help is a novel about three women in the 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi--a young, white woman and two black maids--who come together on a brave and risky project.

Why have I never read The Help before now? This was a really amazing book. It was beautifully written, and the characters were distinct and interesting and real. It was a very inspiring book and gave me a glimpse of what life was like in a southern town leading up to the Civil Rights movement. The book kept me so engaged that it was hard to put it down (even when I should've...like when Emmeline woke up from her nap or when I should've been sleeping last night), and I thought about it all the time. It just kept a few elements of mystery in the story that I wanted to keep reading to figure out. This was a wonderful and beautiful book that helped me better understand the time period and glimpse the good and bad in the 1960s lives of black domestic help--who I consider to be really inspiring people.

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

Gathering Blue

Connor and I continued on our reading of The Giver series by reading book 2--Gathering Blue, also by Lois Lowry. This book does not follow the characters or world from The Giver (but subtly refers to Jonas toward the end). Gathering Blue is about Kira, a girl who was born with a deformed leg.  When Kira's mom dies, others in the village want Kira thrown out to the beasts since she can't contribute much.  But, the Council of Elders instead takes her in to use her gifts with threads to repair the Singer's robe.  Kira's new life is luxurious, but she soon learns more about the village where she lives and begins to wonder if she is really free.

This was another really good book.  I wanted to read it more often and more quickly, but reading together doesn't really allow for that.  :)  The characters were so easy to get to know because they were distinct and well described.  I loved all the side characters (Kira's friends) and was anxious to see how things would turn out in the story.  Some questions were left unanswered, but I think the series is going to tie things together in book 4.  Can't wait!

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

Imperfect: An Improbable Life

I saw Imperfect: An Improbable Life by Jim Abbott and Tim Brown recommended in the Washington Post one time and added it to my to-read list. It is a memoir about Jim Abbott, a baseball player (pitcher) who was an Olympic gold medalist and also threw a no-hitter as a Yankee. And, he was born with no right hand. The book tells his life story from childhood until his retirement from baseball--following the highs and lows.

This was a really good book! I was almost surprised that I ended up reading it all the way through because before I started, I thought I might get bored with it. (I was wrong.) It was interesting and inspiring. I had a decent level of baseball knowledge before reading it, but I learned more (but was also still confused by lots of the details sometimes). It was just really neat to hear about this guy's accomplishments and how he didn't let his disability define him.

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

The Selection

My friend Katherine recommended The Selection by Kiera Cass to me. It is about America, a teenager who is a Five in the caste system--meaning she has some food to eat (not as bad as the Eights), but her family never has leftovers. When the time comes for the prince to get a wife, America's family wants America to apply for the Selection--because if she is in the running, their family gets some extra money. When America surprisingly makes it as part of the Selection, she leaves behind her family and boyfriend in a competition for something she doesn't even want--or so she thinks.

This was a super engaging book. I read it super fast (although that could also be because we are an empty house with no Internet and so my time-wasting Internet time was instead spent reading). From the very beginning, I was pretty hooked into the story. It reminded me of several other books I read and enjoyed--just had parts of lots of good books (Hunger Games, Princess Academy, Uglies, etc.). Even though the book was sometimes a little cheesy or sometimes had a tell-rather-than-show explanation, I thought it was a fun story and a cute chick flick. The characters were great, and the story stayed in my mind after finishing it.  Unfortunately, it is Book One in a series, which I didn't realize until the end when I could tell the book was not going to be able to conclude in the few pages I had left. Bummer! I wanted to see what would happen, but I guess I will have to wait until book two.

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

Hattie Ever After

Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson is the sequel to Hattie Big Sky, a Newbery Honor book I read and loved years ago. This book is about Hattie moving to San Francisco trying to make it as a reporter. The book follows her adventures in trying to write stories as well as trying to uncover more about her Uncle Chester's past. And, of course, it follows her relationships with Charlie as well as Ned--a reporter she works with.

This was a really good book. I loved the characters and thoroughly enjoyed any parts having to do with Hattie/Charlie.  It was a fun plot, but it took awhile to really pull me in. The book was a little too historical for me at the beginning sometimes--seemed to take away from the story itself. But, it was a fun read with some good twists and admirable (and not so admirable) characters. It was also fun to get a glimpse of the time period and what life was like for women. I was really happy to follow Hattie in another story and would be excited to read a third book if the author wrote one.

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

The Giver

I read The Giver by Lois Lowry several times in my past (childhood then again in high school or college).  Lois Lowry has written several companion books to The Giver, including a new one called The Son.  I wanted to read The Son but figured I should re-read all the other books first.  So, I decided to start with The Giver.  Even better, Connor and I decided to read all these books together, so we read this one, reading aloud over the past week or so.  This book is about Jonas, who lives in a futuristic community that has embraced Sameness.  Their lives are pretty perfect--no pain or real emotions in their orderly society.  When Jonas is selected to be the next Receiver, he realizes that there is more to their lives than he ever knew.

This is such a great book.  It got more and more engaging, and finally last night, we just had to stay up late and finish it up because we couldn't put it down.  The book has great characters and is super thought-provoking and deep.  I love how it (like many good books) is both funny and sad.  (I even had to pass the book over to Connor to read a couple times when I got teary.)  I'm glad we re-read the book, and I'm looking forward to Gathering Blue next.

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

Theodore Boone: The Activist

I saw that John Grisham had written a new book in his Theodore Boone series, so I found it at the library. This one follows Theo, the son of 2 lawyers who is pretty smart about the law himself. In this story, politicians are supporting a new bypass that will go through the town where Theo lives, and Theo finds himself getting involved in the fight.

This book had a really slow start for me where it just seemed kind of slow and preachy, but it picked up about halfway through, and by the end, I got through it really fast. The end especially was exciting and fun to see what Theo would do with the information he had. The book got me a little nervous at times and also made me laugh. Even though sometimes I am not sure how completely believable the stories are, I think this is a really fun series.

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

The Great Unexpected

I saw The Great Unexpected in the new books shelf in the children's section of the library. It is written by Sharon Creech, a great children's book author, so it caught my eye. (I especially loved her book Ruby Holler, which I read with my fifth graders when I taught.) The book is about Naomi and Lizzie, orphans and friends who live in the small town of Blackbird Tree. Their town suddenly gets some odd visitors, and eventually the two girls are on a trip to Ireland where they get some big surprises.

This was a very well written book. It had great detail and fun, distinct characters. For some reason it didn't completely engage me, though, perhaps because I just seemed to be waiting for something big to happen. But it was a sweet story that also made me laugh aloud a couple times.

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

The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is another Newbery Honor book for 2013.  It is Ivan's story--Ivan is a gorilla living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall off of I-95 where humans come to watch him in his "domain."  Ivan spends his time with his friends Stella (an elephant) and Bob (a dog) and doesn't think much about life outside the mall until a new, young elephant named Ruby joins them there.  Ivan begins to think that perhaps Ruby deserves a better life than the one they have.

This is a sweet book and a very quick read.  It was a pretty average book at first, but as the book went on, the characters became more endearing, and the book became a little bit of a tear-jerker.  I especially loved Julia (the custodian's daughter) and her relationship to Ivan.  I found out at the end of the book that although this book is fiction, it is based on a real-life gorilla named Ivan who did live at a circus-themed mall for twenty-seven years.  The book is a great reminder of the humane treatment that all animals deserve.

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

Bomb

Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin is another 2013 Newbery Honor book.  It is the true story of the atomic bomb--how scientists found the idea and how Americans worked to build it and stop other countries from succeeding in the same task.

This was a really amazing book.  The book was immediately engaging, and it was so fascinating to read in such detail about a topic I knew so little about.  The book reads more like a novel than a informational book. It's incredible to read about how the government kept this so top secret and how many Soviet spies were among everyday Americans.  So many people did so much work to ensure that America would be the first to build an atomic bomb....but once it was built, it changed our world forever.  The book was very thought-provoking (and a little scary) in the end to realize what our world is capable of. It's hard to give it the "loved" rating because it is such a sad, scary topic, but it was a super good book, and I learned a lot. I am definitely interested in reading more of this author's nonfiction books.

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

Three Times Lucky

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage is a 2013 Newbery Honor book. This book is about 11-year-old Mo who washed ashore in North Carolina during a hurricane when she was a baby and has lived there in Tupelo Landing ever since. She's enjoying her summer helping at the cafe, hanging out with her friend Dale, and attempting to find answers so she can write her autobiography.  But then a neighbor turns up murdered, and a city detective is in town, and Mo and Dale decide to become detectives themselves to find out the truth.

This was a really fun book--well written with engaging and distinct characters.  It took me a bit to get into the book, but I'm not sure if that was my fault or the book's fault.  But, once I got further in, it was a quick, enjoyable read.  Mo was endearing, and I liked how the book ended.

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

The Glass Castle

I read Jeannette Walls's book Half Broke Horses awhile back and really liked it.  I'd recently been told that her first book, The Glass Castle, was even better, so I decided to try it out. The Glass Castle is the true story of the author's childhood.  She lived in a pretty dysfunctional family in the 60s and 70s with parents who moved around constantly.  Even though her parents were smart, loving people, Jeannette and her siblings were often without a home and without food, and her dad was an alcoholic. The book chronicles her growing up years and how she eventually finds her own way away from her parents.

This was a really interesting book.  It was incredible to read the type of things the kids in the Walls family went through...and to think that this little girl became a famous author is pretty amazing. I mean, things like eating butter for a meal because you're so hungry and it's all there is....or having a cardboard box as a bed.  It's sobering to think that there really are kids out there living lives like that. It was a pretty sad book but had plenty of comic relief and tender moments.  The book kept me interested, so I finished it pretty quickly and really liked it.  I actually liked her book Half Broke Horses better than this one, but it was still a really good book.  It did have some bad language and some mentions of sexual abuse, so I'd definitely categorize it as an adult book.

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

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel

I saw that Jeff Kinney came out with a new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, so I got it from the library to read it.  This book follows Greg as he looks to find a date for the Valentine's dance.

I have no clue why I keep reading these books, but I just can't help myself.  This book was still funny like usual, but I did feel like the series is getting a little old...lots of the same things.  Not much else to say about such a quick read.

* (1/3 = It was okay)