Christmas Jars Reunion by Jason F. Wright


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I found this book to be just as good as the first. Our main character, Hope, has taken Christmas Jars to a whole new level. It's become more of a ministry. She has encouraged everyone in her community to take part of it, but loses sight of what is really important. The meaning of the Christmas Jar.

One of my favorite quotes in this book is 'One Jar. One Life. One Savior.' We are helped to remember that giving to those in need doesn't have to become a huge production. Once that happens, you lose sight of what the meaning really is. I loved the moral of this book. It's not about how manu jars you can fill or how much money is collected. It's about the blessings of giving to the receiver as well as the giver.

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The Awakening and The Struggle by L.J. Smith


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Alright, I only read the first book of the volume, The Awakening and it was too teenagery for me. More so that Twilight. I have been watching the tv show as well, andI find the show to be way better than the books.

About two brothers, Stephan ad Damon who have been vampires since the 15th century and have a very unhealthy, love/hate relationship with each other over a girl they both loved. The same girl who turned them into vampires. Now they are in the 20th century, book originally written in 1991, and Stephan is trying to blend in.

The main girl, Elena, is portrayed in the show as a down to earth, smart and sweet girl where as in the book she is portrayed and a stuck up snob. And I don't see either vsmpire, Stephan or Damon going for someone like that. Stephan is in love with her. He is prortrayed and calm, cool, has it together. In the book, he's a pansy.

I just could not bare to read another page. It follows the same somewhat storyline as Twilight. Stephan is a "vegetarian" and falls in love with a human girl, but not so needy as Bella. And Damon only wants human blood and wreaks havoc in the small town they have set up in. But the Twilight series is so much better than this series, as far as the book goes.I think I'll just stick with the tv show for now.

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The Shepherd's Song by Larry Barkdull


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was very uplifting and truly brought in the Christmas Spirit.

A poor, humble shepherd, named Joshua, is expecting his first child. His wife was lost two before and may lose this third one along with her own life. Joshua decide's to make the long journey to the temple in Jerusalem to pray and offer a sacrifice for his wife. Along the way he meets different people who who are in need during the horrid tax season. He gives of himself selflessly to those who are in need of his help.

On his way home, he encounters the angels who sing of Christ's birth and goes with the other shepherds to to witness the birth whike carrying his heavy burden. As soon as he witness's this birth and the sacred child, he is free of all burden as he holds this precious child.

It was so interesting to read this book taken from the perspective of a humble shepherd.

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Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I found this book to be very uplifting and inspiring. It's a wonderful read to help anyone get into the Christmas spirit.

A young reporter, Hope, has been given a wonderful gift that has blessed her lives in more ways than she could ever imagine. A jar full of money. Being the reporter that she is, she want's to get to the bottom of the Christmas Jar and write the story of a lifetime.

She come in contact with a family who has started th tradition on the Christmas Jar. She weedle's herself into their lives, portraying herself as a reporter for a local college. But instead of a story, she finds familial love and a family who takes her in as her own.

This is a short book and can be read in a few hours, but you need some tissues. It will pull at the heartstrings, but give you a warm feeling inside.

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The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like this book. For some reason, it just moved slow and I had a hard time getting into it. And there were some parts that dragged on. But I'm glad I pushed through and finished because I thought it was amazing. Especially the last few chapters.

Robert Langdon, famous Harvard professor, goes to Washington D.C. for a lecture and instead, in thronw into the craziest hours of his life. Dealing with a madman and trying to save the sacred secrets of the Mason's. He learns about the famous Masonic Pyramid and is persuaded to decipher the code of the pyramid to find the Lost Treasure of the Mason's. This adventure takes him and the reader on a wild goose chase all through America's capital. But when Langdon and the reader find out what the Lost Treasure really is, it comes as a shocking surprise and is nothing close to what is expected. It's better!!

I really liked how this book ended. Brown really got more into the religious aspect of the Mason's and other religions throughout the world. He talked about how as a society and world, we have found that we know longer need faith, beliefs, or hope. We have shut out God and all his greatness for the more materials things of life. And how because of how "wicked" society has become, they are not ready to here the goodness of God's words and teaching's.

I thought, in a lot of ways, this book had a really good moral to it.

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The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved the way this series ended. The Half-Bloods prepare all year for the biggest war to come which can end well or badly. Percy takes a bath in the River Styx which is the only way he can stand up to Kronos/Luke. He finally hears the prophecy that has been kept from him for 4 years and realizes what his destiny is. Though scary, he is prepared to help save Olympus. However, he is tempted, along the way, to open Pandora's box and release HOPE to the Titan's. We are also introduced to Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth who helps Percy along his way and shows him past vision's to help him with his decision's.

Throughout the book, Percy struggle's with his feelings, emotions, and the overwhelming feeling of saving Olympus, his family, and the girl he loves.

I'm sad to see this series end, but I truly enjoyed it. And like Harry Potter and Twilight, I'm sure it will be another series that I can read over and over again.

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The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
In this book, Percy finds himself having to help Annabeth fulfill her quest. Along with Grover the satyr and Tyson the Cyclops. Grover is still trying to find Pan, the Nature God. Luke, who has turned to the Titans, is helping the Titan leader, Kronos regain power and attack Camp Half-Blood. Which brings us to the Labyrinth. A secret maze under the USA and is made to confuse, fool, and drive those who dare search it go insane.

The quest is to find Daedelus, a famous Greek Architect who built the Labyrinth. And since Olympus and the Gods have come up to speed with the 21st century, so has the Labyrinth. We meet Queen Hera, find Percy and his friends on a Demon Dude Ranch, fight a giant, and other mythical monster's. The Labyrinth also makes time go by faster and can take you from Manhattan to San Francisco in a day.

This book also intorduce's Pan and Calypso, a beautiful woman who has been exiled to a secluded island. Percy learns about more of his powers which end up being pretty dangerous. He also helps Nico, son of Hades, help fight against the Titans. As well as a mortal, Rachel, who can see through the Mist and navigate the maze without becoming confused.

This book was filled with so many more adventures and greek mythology. I really enjoyed reading this book to the point I couldn't put it down.

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The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was probably by far the best in the series. In this book, Percy and his friends go after two new Half-bloods who are in grave danger. They fight a manticore and someone who calls himself "The General" of the tightens. We meet Artemis and Apollo, twins, Goddess of the Dawn who is also a Huntress and God of the Sun who drive's the most awesome chariots.

We find out more about Atlas, the man who held up the sky. And Pan, the God of nature. And we alos meet Aphrodite, Goddess of Love. I just love the way the Greek mythology is thrown in here. And how the Mount Olympus moves with Western Civilization. This is seriously not your textbook greek mythology.

Also, in the first books, it talks about how the Big Three Gods take an Oath never to have children with mortals after WWII. It just so happens that none of them kept they're word. So they say.

I really like how Riordan is turning Percy Jackson into quite the hero but allows him flaws and create's him to realize that even the best can fall.

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The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This one was a little slow at first, but it got better towards the middle. I really quite enjoyed it. I love how Riordan brings alot of mythical creatures to life and how they all entertwine with the Gods and mortals.

It was interesting to read how Percy and his friends have to recover the Golden Fleece to help rebuild the borders around Half-Blood Camp. And heal the pine tree that was once Thalia, the daughter of Zeus. On their way they fight off so many monsters and that the Sea of Monsters is in the Bermuda Triangle. They also run into an enemy, Luke, who wants Percy to collect the Golden Fleece for himself to bring the Titan Lord, Kronos, back into reform. We're also introduced into Tyson, a baby Cyclops, who is nothing like a full grown Cyclops. He would rather work with human's and half-bloods, instead of being mean and nasty. If you read the first book, you'll know that the Greek Gods and their kingdoms move along with Western Civilization.

I also liked how Riordan described Hermes, the God of Messengers, Travelers, Theieves, etc. One time you see him dressed as a jogger, when Percy first meets him, and the next time you see him dressed as a 21st century postman delivering a message to Percy from Poseidon. I just really enjoy reading how Riordan brings in Greek mythology with a 21st century point of view.

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The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was fun and humorous. It reminded me a little bit of Harry Potter, except it had Greek Mythology in there.

About a boy, Percy Jackson who is ADHD and dyslexic and can make things happen. His ADHD allows him to read ancient Greek. What he doesn't realize is that he is the son of a Greek God and a very powerful one at that. He goes to a camp after 6th grade for other "Half-Blood's". Children of other Greek Gods and Goddesses. He is sent on a quest to retrieve something very special that could cause a huge war amongst 3 of the most powerful Gods.

I thought it was fun to catch up on my greek mythology and how Riordan brings these mythical creatures to life with a 21st century twist. It was fun to read the description of the Underworld as well as Mount Olympus. I liked the description of the different Gods and how they looked as well as the description of getting to Mount Olympus from the real world. It was just a really fun book to read.

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Austenland by Shannon Hale


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If I could have given this more than 5 stars, I woud have. I will admit there were parts that were quite corny and cheesy. But being a hopeless romantic and the love I have for Jane Austen novels, I found myself falling in love with this book.

I loved how in some ways it read like a Jane Austen novel with a 21st century twist to it. A young woman who is given an all expense paid trip to London and live the regency life for 3 weeks. No email, no cell phone's, no electronics of any kind. She is there to kick the whole Mr Darcy obsession once an for all. She lives the regency lifstyle with the fashion, the style, the flirting, etc. However, she finds that once she relaxes, she will find her true love. So hopelessly romantic. *sigh*

And the thought of dressing up in regency attire and living a more simple life just appeals to me. Although, I don't think I could handle the corsets.

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Being Nikki by Meg Cabot


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I did not find this book to be as good as Airhead, but I still enjoyed reading it.

In this book, Em Watts is still dealing with being a teen supermodel and figuring out all this model stuff. But she is still secretly in love wit Chris who she was known since grade school. She also finds out she has a brother and a mother who goes missing. As she enlists Chris for help, she finds out that he has an evil scheme to take down Stark Corporation and is willing to help Nikki find her mother if she helps him bring down Stark from the inside. The mysterious part in all this, is that Nikki's mother takes off soon after Em/Nikki's accident. Or was what happened to the "real" Nikki really an accident?

The end of this book had quite a twist and I'm not sure if that helped my decision of how to rate this book. For me, the book moved a little slow, however made me anxious to find out what would happen in the end.

I'll have to wait for the 3rd book to come out to see what happens.

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Airhead by Meg Cabot


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I found this to be a really fun read. This book is more geared toward teenagers, so it was an easy read and easy to follow. But it brought back the good old days of reading Sweet Valley High.

Em Watts is a smart yet geeky girl. She's not into fashion, make-up, or hair. Her younger sister Frida, on the other hand is embarrassed by her sister. Em consider's the popular crown the 'Walking Dead' because of how little personality they have. Their like clones. However, after a freak accident at a store opening and the sudden death of a teen super model, Nikki Howard, Em, wakes up in the hospital a month later to find herself in the model's body. She has undergone a whole body transplant.

It's kind of fun to see the way Em adjust's to her new lifestyle, celeb friends, and fame status. However, she is told over and over how the new "Nikki" is a lot nicer than the old one. And now Em/Nikki now has to figure out how to get the guy she has been crushing on since 5th grade. Shouldn't be too hard for a teen super model, right? You'll have to read to find out.

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Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
In this novel, Anne becomes the principal of a high school far from her beloved Avonlea. She holds this post for 3 years while Gilber is finishing medical school. A majority of this book are excerpts of letters that she has written to Gilbert describing her time at Windy Poplars. She has several adventures and makes lots of new friends. She is somewhat of an advisor to those young and old that she becomes acquainted with. She also has to defend herself against the royal family of Summerside, "The Pringles".

I found this book easy to read but at time's a little to slow for my taste. I still gave it 5 stars for the reason that I love the stories of Anne of Green Gables.

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Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I think this is my favorite so far in the series. I loved how the love between Gilbert and Anne grew. The way that Montgomery wrote this novel was beautiful. Anne was determined not to fall in love with Gilbert and not be with him because he wasn't what she dreamed of. It was written so perfectly that not even the movie could have portrayed it better. I enjoyed reading about all the new character's and how Anne was loved by just about everyone she came across. I think my favorite part was when she went to college and she and some girlfriends rented a quiet little home together. It was like their own little sorority off campus. This was so vividly written that it made the reader use their imagination.

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Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am so glad that I have decided to start this series. I read Anne of Green Gables long ago, but never wanted to read the others because they were so different from the movie.

Anne of Avonlea show's Anne growing up, but she still has her queer ways. She is still getting into trouble. Selling a neighbor's cow in haste, convincing Marilla to adopt twins, and so forth. I love watching the love between Anne and Gilbert blossom even more. Nothing is said in words, but you can read it. I love Montgomery's
description's of the happenings in Avonlea as well as her use of so many adjective's. It just brings the story to life.

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Twenties Girl: A Novel by Sophie Kinsella


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this book. It was so fun to read and had me laughing out loud It also had moments where it touched my heart. Kinsella has a way of taking a story and making it into a fun ride.

Lara goes to her great-aunt's funeral to find that great-aunt Sadie has started haunting her because of a special necklace that has been lost. Thye fun starts from there. Sadie is so convincing, that she has Lara dressing in vintage 1920's clothing, asking a random stranger out on a date, breaking and entering, as well as beeing conniving. All for a dragonfly necklace. However, along this road, Lara find's out who she really is and what she is capable of doing and how strong she is as an individual. She come's to quite enjoy having Sadie around.

Kinsella also did very well describing the 1920's clothing as well as the look and era. I enjoyed allowing my imagination to run wild with this novel.

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Shanghai Girls: A Novel by Lisa See


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It has been a while since I have been able to give a book 5 stars, but I felt this book really deserved it.

Shanghai Girls is the story of two sisters in pre WWII Shanghai, or the Paris of Asia. Their family is well off, they're beautiful girls free to do as they please. They are modern and fashionable and happy. However, in one swoop, their lives change. They are set up in arranged marriage's and are to move to America. See tells the struggles of these two girls, Pearl and May, trying to leave Shanghai and run from their future, but eventually they arrive in a country where they are not wanted except by their husband's and family.

See write's of them americanizing themselve's in Los Angeles, their wait on Angel Island, and the sacrifice's they make to belong in America. Until Communism takes over China and every chinese immigrant is a suspect of communism and has the threat of being deported.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and found myslef engrossed in the story of these sister's as well as reading the real hardships of chinese immigrants wanting to live in America to make a better life for themselve's. It sadden's me though at how much they were discriminated against except even though Chinatown became quite the tourist attraction.

My favorite quote from this whole book was, "Parents die, daughters grow up and marry out, but sisters are for life."

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Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell


My rating: 1 of 5 stars
I can't honestly say that I READ this book because I didn't even finish it. For some reason, this book did not hold my interest. I felt that the author kept jumping from subject to subject to the point that I had to read section's over again. I'm sure it is a very good book, but for right now, not for me. I just can't handle when and author jumps around so much that it takes away from the plot. I realize that this is about her life, but it's supposed to be about the Julie/Julia Project and by the time I got to page 69, I didn't feel like I was getting that story. Maybe if I watch the movie, I might feel differently and pick it up again. I hope other readers have better luck with it than I did.

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Coraline by Neil Gaiman

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a very easy book to read. The book is about a little girl named Coraline who lives with her parents in a flat in England. She is a very curious little girl and her curiousity gets her into some trouble. She finds a door that just opens up to a brick wall. But one day it doesn't and she fnds herself in an alternate reality of her real life. She has a mother and a father, same neighbors, but everything is a little darker and scarier. Toys come to life and paintings of fruit some how get eaten with just a rotting apple core left. The starangest part for Coraline, is that her parents have shiny, black buttons as their eye's.



This book reminded me of a mix of Alice Throught the Looking Glass and Beetlejuice. However, it is very tame and a good book for a child reading on a 7-12 year old level.


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Behind Every Good Man: Helping Your Husband Take the Spiritual Lead in the Home by John Bytheway

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have to admit that I have never read any books by John Bytheway, but have listened to his talks. I thought this was wonderfulo book on becoming better wives and helping our husband's become better as well. He points out in this book that women in general in the LDS church ar distressed that more men are not taking the spiritual lead in their homes. Some of it is because we as women take the lead first without allowing our husband's to do so or do not involve him in alot of the daily decision makings. He gives alot of good pointers such as they was we talk, show our love and appreciation, the positive feedback we give, and they way we talk about our husband's when he is not around. This book is so short and only 126 pages and so easy. But what I loved the most was that it was the most simple advice ever because, as John Bytheway puts it, men are simple.


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The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this book. Like most of Kinsella's novels, it's funny and witty, but leave's you feeling good in the end. About a high powered lawyer in of London's top law firms who makes a huge mistake and run's away to become a housekeeper for an uppity couple in the country. She screws up at first, but learns to run a house and cook and finds that she quite enjoys cooking and cleaning. What I liked about this book is how the main character really finds herself and finds out what she wants from life and wants to do with her life. She finds happiness in the smallest of things. I like how she can make a life altering decision and still be happy. It was uplifting and feel good.



The couple she does housekeeping for cracks me up. They are so oblivious to anything outside their little world.


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Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I can't say that ths was my favorite Kinsella book, although, I did still like it which is why I gave it 3 stars. And I really liked the ending. I did find it interesting how Kinsella wrote a character who started out with no ambition and who didn't find herself very attractive. Then she wakes up 3 years later in a hospital, drop dead beautiful, successful, and with a Cinderella life but doesn't remember how she got there. At times, I found the story and plot to be a little weak and felt like it wasn't really going anywhere. But in the end, Lexi came out shining.



What I did like about his book, though, was the fact that the main character, Lexi, was able to take a really good look at herself and take stock of her life. What she did, how she got there, where she was going, and if that was where she wanted to end up. Kind of like we do with our own live's every once in a while. Even it takes a bump on the head.





(I do wish that Kinsella would not feel the need to use the F word so often.)


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Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really quite enjoyed reading this book. I found myself laughing out loud a few times. Kinsella knows how to take an ordinary girl and put her into the most unusual circumstances and then you have to keep reading to find out how she gets herself out.



I loved this Kinsella character, Emma Corrigan. She's funny, sweet, lighthearted, but seems to say more than she should. And it eventually gets her into trouble. But it also brings good things into her life which outweighs the bad. And when person, whom she spills her guts to, starts to confront her on lot of these 'secrets', she really starts thinging about what she wants and become's a stronger person. Althought, she does have to worm herself out of some awkward situations.



(I did love how she got her roommate, Jemima, in the end. That was pretty classic. You'll have to read to understand.)


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Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this book. I found this to be a little different from her other mystery novels, and I have read all of them.



In this one, Emily Wallace is a prosecutor trying a man for murder but is fighting with her inner feelings of his innocence. Her star witness is not exactly credible. What would you do if you were facing 10 years jail time? She is also a heart transplant patient and a war widow. Lives by herself in a small, New Jersey town next to an older man who she is not exactly sure is very credible as well. Whodunnit???



Clark adds alot more into this beside's a murder trial and trying to solve a mystery. I think I enjoyed this more than her other mysteries.


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Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I found this book to be very thought provoking and at times hard to digest. This book takes place in a small town in New Hampshire where a school shooting occurs. A young man who is taunted and bullyied throughout his childhood and adolescent years decide's he has had enough. Picoult takes you through the main character's and how their lives have been affected. But what I found interesting, was how she really pulls at your heartstrings with the parents of the young man and how they are suffering. They loved this boy from birth, unconditionally, and beat themselvels up for not loving him more and blame themselve's. It is very sad, but really makes you sit and think.



Picoult really has way of just giving you enough on one subject or character before switching to another character that makes you want to come back and read more.



***Warning*** If you are particularly sensitive to reading about how children are treated poorly, I would recommnend not reading this book.




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Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book is so much fun to read. The whole series is wonderful. In this book, Kendra and Seth find out what they are really made of and get to take their special abilities to a higher level. The are also given a chance to become closer as siblings. ****Spoiler Alert**** I love the magical knapsack and found it so interesting that it was easy to carry but inside was a whole room with al sorts of stuff in it. It was also interesting to see that one of there friends turned out to be their greatest enemy which was something I didn't see coming. I love how Mull makes his character's so endearing and easy to like. Even the bad one's.

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Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I think I enjoyed this volume far more than the first two. The frist two books had to build the characters, but were just as exciting.



In this book, Kendra and Seth had to save Fablehaven from a dark plague that made all the magical creatures evil. Seth has the ability to deflect magical fear and Kendra has the ability to talk to magical creatures and understand their language. They have to use their wits and abilities to save the preserve as well as their friends.



I find these book to be very imaginative and easy to read. I think these are good books for children as well as for adults. They are good books to take you away from the humdrum of everyday life and put you into a magical world where anything is possible.


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Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This second book in the series takes us back to Fablehaven with Kendra and Seth (the main characters). Fablehaven is a magical preserve and there is an evil society trying to destroy it. It's up to Kendra and Seth to help save it. It show's what they are really made of. I think these books are really fun to read. They're not as dark as Harry Potter and there are alot of humorous and feel good moments. I had alot of fun reading this and can't wait to see what will happen next.


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Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thought that this was a really fun book to read. It kept my attention and had my imagination going. I can't say I loved it as much as Harry Potter, but I thought that it had a really good story. The chaaracters were easy to like and root for.


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The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I found this novel to be very intriguing and beautifully written. It moves slow at first, but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down.



This novel takes place in two time periods. WWII and Post-WWII. Claire moves to Hong Kong with her husband in 1953 and finds a job for herself as a piano teacher for a very priveleged chinese family. She meets and finds herself in a love affair with Will Truesdale who happens to be a driver for this family. More involved she become's with Will, the more his past starts to resurface. His love affair with a Hong Kong socialite Trudy Liang, his time in a POW camp, the lies and things that were done to befriends the Japanese, who were the enemy, just to get ahead and survive. Eventually Claire finds herself mor involved than she wanted. She finds how past secrets not only ruin lives of those from the past but also of those of the present.



The more that the past and secrecy unraveled itself, the more interesting the book became. It was interesting to see how some would sell all that they had as well as their souls, so to speak just to survive war. As well as sell out your own governement and play whichever side best suited the need of the characteres.



Claire was written beautifully as someone who who could act innocent which helped other characfters to open up to her.


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Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
In this book, Rebecca and Luke are expecting their first child. Becky has to have everything for the new baby from the best pram down to 400 count crib sheets. Everything is perfect. Luke's job, Becky has the celebrity obstetrician that no one else can get into, a spot in British Vogue. Things couldn't be better. Than her world comes crashing down.



To her utter dismay, she finds out the this new doctor is Luke's ex-girlfriend who turns out to be a royal pain in the butt. She really is, as Becky puts it, a "cow". However, Beck is not about to allow Venetia, the doctor, interfere in her marriage even if it puts Becky in labor.



Then there are problems with Luke's company and Becky's employment as well. But in the end, Becky learns that nothing else matters or is more important than family and friends.



Sophie Kinsella has a way of drawing in the reader and falling in love with her characters. She has a way of touching their hearts but making them laugh out loud.


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Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
****Spoiler Alerts****



I truly enjoyed this book probably as much as the others. This book made me laugh and cry at the same time. It was very touching and, at times, pulled at the heart strings.



This book was kind of like Legally Blonde meets I Love Lucy. Rebecca Bloomwood is very bright, yet doesn't use alot of common sense. She is very fashionable but warm and caring. She meets her long lost sister who is very thrifty, frugal and for the environment. Rebecca's idea of being frugal is buying something because it come with a free gift. It's hilarious!! And she is also married to her love, Luke Brandon who sometimes has a hard time keeping up with her.



Some things that I loved was how Rebecca tried to become apart of Luke's company ad when Luke says no, she does corporate networking on her own. Kind of like Lucy Ricardo trying to be in all of Ricky's shows. Or, they come home from their honeymoon to find she has purchased loads of things that they don't need and finds out about the miracel of eBay. However, she accidently sells 12 Tiffany clocks that were gifts for her husband's new client. Then there is also the time that she climbs a very treacherous trail to go after her sister and she is not dressed for the occasion.


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Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have read this novel several times and never get bored of the story. I love how it shows a little girl given the opportunity to take her fate into her own hands and make a better life for herself. I loved reading about the different traditions and ceremonies that these Geisha's followed. Tea ceremonies, debut ceremonies, and even the bidding between men to be the first to take a new geisha's virginity. It's interesting to read about the training and pain that these girls go through from the time that they are young to become desired geisha's to entertain men. Also, they were known as artists and courtisans. They were not selling flesh but their talents and company. I could read this over and over.


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Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was so amazing. The love story between Edward and Bella became even stronger. It was interesting to see the things that there love had to battle in this book. As always, Stephanie Meyer was able to keep my attention and allow my imagination to run away with itself.


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The Host: A Novel by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was an interesting book. A little different from the author's Twilight series. This book was more of a sci-fi/romance/fantasy novel. It's about a group of "souls" who come to Earth and take over human bodies to make society more honest and safe. The main character get's involved with a group of rebel human's and ends up helping them survive and falls in love with the group of human's that's she is supposed to be afraid of. It starts out slow and your not really sure where the book is going, but it has some twists in it and turns out to be really good.


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New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love this series. I am so glad that I read this again. I am still Team Edward. I do remember how mad it made me that Edward left Bella in the beginning of the book to fend for herself. I found it odd that he felt that he was doing her a favor when it actually destroyed her. However, I did find it interesting that she was able to come around to her old self after spending time with Jacob. I did like how she was able to stay friends with Jacob even thought it was obvious he wanted more.



I enjoyed the parts where Bella did dangerous things to hear Edward's voice. You knew that he still loved her and wanted to be with her.



My favorite part is Italy when she ran after Edward to save him from getting himself killed. It just showed true love and how much she was willing to sacrifice for someone else. Edward is a true Romeo. He was unwilling to go one without the love of his life.



These books are cheesy, but I love the romance.


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Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the second time that I have read this book and I love it as much as the first. I think in alot of ways this is my favorite out of the series.



I love how in this book, Edward and Jacob are forced to work together even though they are mortal enemies. Bella is still being tracked down by Victoria who's mate, James, was killed by Edward. She figure's "a tooth for a tooth". Jacob and his "brother's" who are werewolves hate vampire's and are forced to work with Edward and his family to take down Victoria and all the "newborn" vampire's that she has created. I think it is great.



I love how selfless Edward is and want's nothing more than Bella's happiness. Especially since he has to make up for tearing her heart out in New Moon. He is also o.kay with her kissing Jacob and giving Bella the option to choose between Jacob andhimself. I know that Edward is only fictional, but he very secure in his feelings for Bella and I love that.



Stehpenie Meyer has done an incredible job ith these character's and has made it very easy for the reader to become sucked into the fictional world of vampire's, werewolve's, and fairytale love.


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Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the second time that I have read this book and I think I enjoyed it much more. I am also glad that I read it again before the movie came out.



I found it interesting that Bella was portrayed as someone who was clumsy adn always getting hurt and that Edward is portrayed as graceful and able to do anything perfectly. I liked how the author wrote them as being perfect for each other. Edward utterly worships Bella and Bella describe's him as a "Greek God". I loved how romantic the story is. And as silly as it seems, a vampire who is in love with a human, Stephanie Meyer has written him as the perfect man with his only flaw as being crazy in love with Bella, which could ultimately be dangerous for him.



*****Spoile Alert***** For those who have not read the books yet. I found it interesting that in the first book that Bella dreamed of Jacob turning into a werewolf and of being afraid of Edward being harmed. I knew that there was alot that I missed the first time aroung and I am glad I read it a second time.



This is for sure a guilty pleasure and I could read this over and over again.


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Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
At first, this book was hard to get into. I had a hard time getting past the way the author wrote the conversations between the different characters. But once I was able to do that, I really enjoyed this book.



About a girl, Janie, who doesn't see color and doesn't know she is black until she is older and sees a picture of herself. She is content to let others think what is best for her until she grow's up and finds out what she really wants. Love. She wants to be loved unconditionally and vice versa. She learns about love and it's heartache's, sacrifice's, joy's, trials etc. She learns that she can truly be happy if she allows herself.



I felt that Hurston really pulled everything together and brought her point home in the last chapter. I just found this to be a beautiful book.


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The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I thought that this was an amazing memoir. The author tells her family story with incredible enthusiasm.



This woman definately had a very interesting upbringing. Always moving around the country and going on adventures. Her parents were very well educated, but never wanted or worked for the finer things and comforts of life. They raised their children to be self-sufficient and no matter how hard things were, they still stuck together as a family.



There were some parts that I found sad and made me a little upset. But then there were parts that really made me laugh out loud. It's very rare when I allow myself to become that involved in a book.


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The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I thought this was an excellent novel about Queen Anne and King Henry. It was slow at first, but then it became a page turner. I have a little understanding of why King Henry was called a tyrant. It also had 3 beautiful love stories that were going on during the seduction of King Henry by Queen Anne. However, if you have or plan on seeing the movie, the two are not the same. The movie cut out alot of information, but was just as good in it's own right. The movie was short, sweet, and to the point. The book took a deeper look into the life of the royal court.


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Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This novel takes place in 1954, however, the author includes flashbacks from before Pearl Harbor. This novel revolve's around the trial of Kabuo Miyamoto who is accused of murder in the first degree. The author, however, takes a different perspective on the accused. Is he being justly accused for murder or because he is Japanese?



This book also looks back on the life of Hatsue Miyamoto and Ishmael Chamber's lives who, as children and youth, were secretly involoved and in love. But knew their love could not be revealed publicly because of their background's. Even thought the citizen's of San Piedro Island accepted the Japanese, they did not treat them as equals. Then Pearl Harbor happened and all American-Japanese citizen's were sent to work camps for fear that they were spies. Hatsue then falls in love with Kabuo and Ishmael become's bitter.



In all of this, I think the book revolve's more around Ishmael trying to found out who he is. Some parts were a little too deep and seemed to be too long winded. Also, I did not feel that the sexual activities of all the main chacter's did not need to be dwelled on. However, I found the story very interesting, but confusing as it kept going back and forth between the past and present


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Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This probably has to be my third favorit series. I am quite addicted to Shopaholic. The main character is just so easy to love.



Becky is marrying Luke, but is involved in two weddings for her. It's hilarious!! She is dealing with her soon to be mother in-law who is adamant on having a high society wedding in New York. This woman is pushy, mean, and as Becky would put it, a "cow". Then her mother is planning a quaint little English wedding. It's hilarious and amazing the lengths she will go to to have the perfect wedding. I laughed so hard in this book at all of Becky's little stunts and charades. However, at the end I was crying and truly touched.


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Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This one is just as good as the first one. Except this time, Becky Bloomwood takes on New York. She goes there with several prospects open to here to expand her career and the chance to become an american citizen and enjoy life with Luke Brandon.



However, Miss Bloomwood gets herself into even more trouble and can't seem to stop shopping. The famous Barneys and Saks Fifth Avenue and Sephora takes her by surprise. Things are great until her world come crashing down when the British tabloids attack her and make her a laughin stock of New York and England. But she picks herself up and decide's to make drastic changes which inclue her personal life as well as her choice of career.



I couldn't stop laughing at the extent and extereme's the author would put her character through. She makes Becky easy to like, love, and feel for during the good times and bad times.


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Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun read and I could not stop laughing.



This book takes place in London and centers around Rebecca Bloomwood. Rebecca finds herself in the worst financial situation but cannot help herself from spending. She even tries to cut back and budget and realize's she can't do that either. The funniest part is that she is a journalist for a financial magazine writing articles on how to manage your money. She just seems to find herself in one disasterous situation after another, which was a little too coincidental.Rebecca is sweet and fun, but when she realize's everyone thinks she is just a big joke, she shows London what she is really capable of. It reminded me a little bit of Legally Blonde. However, the author was able to pull me along and was able to keep my interest peeked to find out what Rebecca was going to do next.


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These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
WOW!!!! I loved this book. I thought it was beautifully written and it really draws in the reader.



This is a novel about Sarah Agnes Prine and her life in the Arizona Territory in the late 1800's. She was a tue frontier woman who wanted to be loved and a lady. She talks about her life traveling from Arizona to Texas and back again. The hardships in her life from loosing a brother and her father on the trail. Captain Jack Elliott is the head of the wagon train and Sarah sweeps him off his feet without even trying. Reading this book I kept picturing Captain Jack and kept comparing him to Rhett Butler, although, Sarah Prine is no Scarlett O'Hara. Sarah is kind, hardworking, but has a feisty streak. She loves Captain Jack with all her heart and their love story is so beautiful.



There were times I found myself crying and laughing. Sarah does not hold back her feelings and Captain Jack loves her all the more for it. Even though she is a rancher and a fair shooter, she has an unbelievable taste for knowledge. She is definately a woman after my own heart.



This book is wonderful and is a definate must read.


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