Book 2 of 2014

I"m on track for my goal of 24 books this year--2 a month!

The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen D. Randle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was recommended as somebody else's favorite book of all time. And I guess if I had read it in high school it might have been my favorite book too. This is a quick read and it kept my interest throughout the whole book. The book itself was great, the ending I'm not sure about. SPOILER ALERT: And as a mother I'm not sure how I would feel about my daughter with Michael. See, from my perspective nobody just gets better--it takes years and years and a person so traumatized would have lifelong scars. And really, that whole family was a bunch of red flags.

Yes, entertaining. Yes, quick read. Yes, engaging. I would recommend this to high schoolers in my life.





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Icy Sparks Book 1 2014

Icy Sparks by Gwyn Hyman Rubio

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


If I were giving letters grades this would be a B/B+. I read this book because I found it in my daughter's closet and it looked interesting. I had no idea it was an Oprah pick--that actually would have turned me off.

I read this very quickly although this is not a quick read. This book has three stages--Icy's young life, her teenage life and I did like how human and real and "teenage" Icy was; and her later teens and into early adulthood. The teenage years were written very realistically. The ups and downs and confusion. I was disturbed by the "catholic" teacher. Was she really that cruel or was that Icy's memory of her? At times I was confused on whether this was written as a memoir or as a story.

And I didn't even mind the come to jesus ending. I felt like that was natural for the time and for Kentucky.

All in all, a good read.



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What a great time we had in Dayton with Leisy and family. Here we are with Kent and Miss Metta at the Columbus Zoo Lights. It was actually a nice day and one of the few times we got to see Kent. Miss Metta lives in this hat--wears it to church and to bed. I love how eccentric she is.

Thanks Leisy for inviting us and for taking a great pic!

Book 1 for 2014

The Forgotten by David Baldacci

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Great airplane read--makes the time go by really fast. I read this in a day and it's not a short book. I like the main character, John Puller. I wasn't sure if this Army guy book would appeal to me but there were plenty of intelligent and strong women in this book.

There are a few sex scenes which felt like they were thrown in for marketing or movie purposes.





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See Sam Go!

Congrats to my friend Sam Bracken.  

How a Georgia Group Is Helping Foster Teens Take Back Their Lives

Trying to hit my 2013 book goal!

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Rosamunde Pilcher is one of my favorite guilty pleasure authors. I love the way she weaves people's lives and stories together but I just didn't love this book. I like Elfrida fine except that I could not for the life of me figure out why she would leave her life to live with a man she barely knew--and a poor man at that.

I didn't like either how the teenager's (I can't even remember her name now) mother and grandmother threw her away. The lack of family cohesiveness was weird. Cousins were great friends but siblings and children were throw aways.

And the lack of conviction in Elfrida's life, other than doing all her life what she wanted to do for herself, was off putting.

Trying to tie in a church and religious perspective simply did not work. Why bother if morals don't matter?

The really truly best part of this book was the detail and description of Scotland countryside. So this book isn't necessarily bad, just not good.



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Bad Book

Devious by Lisa Jackson

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I would not have finished this book except it was the only book I had while on a trip.  This was my first Lisa Jackson book and it is probably my last Lisa Jackson book. This was far too contrived and silly.  If I were Catholic I would be offended by this representation.

Way too many contrivances that never tied together.

And finally, if an orphanage were about to be torn down they would not simply destroy the records in the basement. Really?

Sorry other Lisa Jackson fans but this was lame.



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