Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

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Title: Anna Karenina

Author: Leo Tolstoy

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 636 pages

Published: 1998 (version I read); 1873 (original)

Publisher: Public Domain Books

Brief Synopsis: (taken from Goodreads) Married to a powerful government minister, Anna Karenina is a beautiful woman who falls deeply in love with a wealthy army officer, the elegant Count Vronsky. Desperate to find truth and meaning in her life, she rashly defies the conventions of Russian society and leaves her husband and son to live with her lover. Condemned and ostracized by her peers and prone to fits of jealousy that alienate Vronsky, Anna finds herself unable to escape an increasingly hopeless situation.

Set against this tragic affair is the story of Konstantin Levin, a melancholy landowner whom Tolstoy based largely on himself. While Anna looks for happiness through love, Levin embarks on his own search for spiritual fulfillment through marriage, family, and hard work. Surrounding these two central plot threads are dozens of characters whom Tolstoy seamlessly weaves together, creating a breathtaking tapestry of nineteenth-century Russian society.

My Review:

I give this book a 3 out of 5. 

This is a very, very long book. I think that's one reason it took me so long to finish it. Well, mostly it took me so long because I kept putting it aside in order to read other, shorter books. I did enjoy the story. Anna Karenina was a very tragic figure in the book, and the entire story shows the decisions she makes and the effects these decisions have on not only her but on her family members and friends. 

There was a lot of philosophizing and political talk that frankly bored me. That's why, even though I enjoyed the story, I had to lower the amount of stars I was giving it. I fully admit to skimming some of this in later parts of the story. If you have a month to sit and focus on one book, Anna Karenina is definitely worth the read. 

You can purchase Anna Karenina through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Anna Karenina? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Moonlight: A Melanie King Affair Part 3 by Lisa Sumi / T.M. Williams

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Title: Moonlight: A Melanie King Affair Part 3
Author: Lisa Sumil / T.M. Williams
Genre: Erotica / Contemporary Romance
Length: 54 pages
Published: 2013
Publisher: Half Light Publishing

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Everything has changed. Zach has left Melanie and now she wants him back. She made a desperate plea to her husband and his reaction shocks her. 

Then there's Rome. Will Rome make her stay in the arms of Warren for good or send her back home to fight for her marriage that has no signs of survival?

Melanie is torn between Zach and Warren. Sophia doesn't want to let Warren go and Warren doesn't want to let Melanie go.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This was simply breathtaking. The dilemma that Melanie was left with becomes more and more difficult for her to deal with. The decision she has to make is the toughest of her life. February 14th cannot come fast enough because Lisa has left us with the cliff hanger of all cliff hangers.

You can purchase Moonlight: A Melanie King Affair Part 3 through Amazon in Kindle format. 

Have you read Moonlight: A Melanie King Affair Part 3? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Alice Close Your Eyes by Averil Dean

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Title: Alice Close Your Eyes

Author: Averil Dean

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery

Length: 288 pages

Published: January 1st, 2014

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) With haunting prose and deft psychological insight, Averil Dean spins a chilling story that explores the dark corners of obsession–love, pain and revenge.

Ten years ago, someone ruined Alice Croft's life. Now she has a chance to right that wrong–and she thinks she's found the perfect man to carry out her plan. After watching him for weeks, she breaks into Jack Calabrese's house to collect the evidence that will confirm her hopes. When Jack comes home unexpectedly, Alice hides in the closet, fearing for her life. But upon finding her, Jack is strangely calm, solicitous . . . and intrigued.

That night is the start of a dark and intense attraction, and soon Alice finds herself drawn into a labyrinth of terrifying surrender to a man who is more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. As their relationship spirals toward a breaking point, Alice begins to see just how deep Jack's secrets run–and how deadly they could be.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

I won an advance copy of this book through Goodreads. 

I feel like I say this a lot, but...I could not put it down. Right from the beginning I was intrigued by Alice. What secrets was she hiding? Why was she in Jack's house?

Throughout the course of the novel, you learn Alice's secrets. In many cases, they don't come out and say what happened, you just sort of learn about them through short flashbacks as she tells her story. It starts out with Alice breaking into Jack's house looking for his "box" where he keeps his memories and tokens from the past. Jack catches her...then lets her go. As the story goes on, she becomes aware that he is stalking her right back. Eventually she agrees to have dinner with him.

From that point on, interspersed with hot sex scenes that consistently get more violent and dangerous, you learn more and more about Alice's past and why she really broke into Jack's house. As things with Jack progress far past what she ever intended, Alice begins facing her demons and learns things about herself that she never knew. 

The obsession ends on a dark, yet somewhat hopeful note. I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend you check it out when it comes out next month!

You can purchase Alice Close Your Eyes through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. ***Publication date is set for January 1st, 2014! 

Have you read Alice Close Your Eyes? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? by Henry Farrell

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Title: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Author: Henry Farrell

Genre: Suspense, Thriller

Length: 245 pages

Published: 1993 (version I read) 1960 (original)

Publisher: Carroll & Graf

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Baby Jane, a child star of early vaudeville, resented having to grow up in the shadow of her prettier sister Blanche Hudson, who became Hollywood's reigning love goddess. Now, some fifty years later, they are together and alone. And reality has toppled crazily into eerie fantasy. Blanche now finds she is growing old in the shadow cast by Baby Jane -- and a very sinister shadow it is.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

I'm going to admit that I didn't have high hopes as I started reading this book. I didn't know that I was going to start reading this at breakfast Saturday morning and end up spending the next two days finishing it in my spare time. I could not put this down. 

There are a lot of different points of view which makes it nice. You have the point of view of the Hudsons' neighbor, Mrs. Bates; Blanche's; Jane's; Edwin Flagg's; and even a few others. The way the book was written really had me hooked right from the start. It was also an extremely quick read. 

There are definitely some terrifying moments. The author did an amazing job building up suspense, making you believe one thing when later you find out something else really happened. Definitely worth the read!!!

You can purchase What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

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Title: Innocent Traitor

Author: Alison Weir

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 400 pages

Published: 2007

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) I am now a condemned traitor . . . I am to die when I have hardly begun to live.

Historical expertise marries page-turning fiction in Alison Weir’s enthralling debut novel, breathing new life into one of the most significant and tumultuous periods of the English monarchy. It is the story of Lady Jane Grey–“the Nine Days’ Queen”–a fifteen-year-old girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of the religious and civil unrest that nearly toppled the fabled House of Tudor during the sixteenth century.

The child of a scheming father and a ruthless mother, for whom she is merely a pawn in a dynastic game with the highest stakes, Jane Grey was born during the harrowingly turbulent period between Anne Boleyn’s beheading and the demise of Jane’s infamous great-uncle, King Henry VIII. With the premature passing of Jane’s adolescent cousin, and Henry’s successor, King Edward VI, comes a struggle for supremacy fueled by political machinations and lethal religious fervor.

Unabashedly honest and exceptionally intelligent, Jane possesses a sound strength of character beyond her years that equips her to weather the vicious storm. And though she has no ambitions to rule, preferring to immerse herself in books and religious studies, she is forced to accept the crown, and by so doing sets off a firestorm of intrigue, betrayal, and tragedy.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This novel was incredibly fascinating. It was beautifully written. Drawing on her vast knowledge of this era of history, the author does justice to a very tragic figure: Queen Jane Grey, who ruled for only nine days. 

I couldn't help but love the innocent Jane, feeling horror at the abuse she suffered as a child, the abuse she later suffered in her marriage bed, and every tragic thing that kept befalling her. A victim of her own birth and rank, Jane is trapped by society, her family, and others.

This was definitely an amazing book. It's not often that a fiction novel brings me to tears, but this one did. Definitely recommend it for any fan of the Tudor era. 

You can purchase Innocent Traitor through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Innocent Traitor? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by Washington Irving

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Title: Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories

Author: Washington Irving

Genre: Classic Literature, Short Stories

Length: 256 pages

Published: 1999 (version I read); 1819 (original)

Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) From the "Father of the American Short Story" comes a classic collection of well-loved tales sure to chill the faint of heart and thrill the brave-hearted. Ride with the headless horseman as he makes his rounds through "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," soon to be a major motion picture starring Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. Find out what happens when a lazy man falls asleep for 20 years and wakes up to a strange new world in "Rip Van Winkle." Dare to experience Gothic horror at its best in "The Spectre Bridegroom." With five gorgeously illustrated plates by Nenad Jakesevic, this celebrated anthology belongs on every family's bookshelf.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Everyone knows about the legend of Sleepy Hollow, the headless horseman, Ichabod Crane...They've even made a movie based on the legend, and most recently they've created a TV show based off of it. I've always known the loose basics of the tale, but never read the actual story. So I jumped at the chance to grab this off my library's shelves. 

I really enjoyed every story in this collection. Most of them were chilling, and even haunting. I could see myself curled up in front of the fire listening to someone tell these sometimes dark tales and feeling a cold chill go down my spine. 

Another bonus is that it was a super quick read (and thankfully not as dull as many classics can be), so you can easily read it in a day or two and move on to something else.

You can purchase Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories through Amazon in hard copy format. 

Have you read Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather

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Title: Death Comes for the Archbishop

Author: Willa Cather

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 304 pages

Published: 1927 (original); 1990 (version I read)

Publisher: Vintage

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) There is something epic--and almost mythic--about this sparsely beautiful novel by Willa Cather, although the story it tells is that of a single human life, lived simply in the silence of the desert. In 1851 Father Jean Marie Latour comes as the Apostolic Vicar to New Mexico. What he finds is a vast territory of red hills and tortuous arroyos, American by law but Mexican and Indian in custom and belief. 

In the almost forty years that follow, Latour spreads his faith in the only way he knows--gently, although he must contend with an unforgiving landscape, derelict and sometimes openly rebellious priests, and his own loneliness. One of these events Cather gives us an indelible vision of life unfolding in a place where time itself seems suspended.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

I just realized that I completely forgot to write up and post this review. Whoops!

This was an excellent tale of how a priest becomes Archbishop of a territory recently acquired by the United States. It really shows how Latour was able to spread his faith to the people of the region without disrespecting their native beliefs. 

The story starts out in Italy as a colleague of Latour's puts his name forward to several higher ranking Church officials as someone to take over this region. The remainder of the book follows Latour's time in New Mexico with the help of friends he makes along the way. It was an excellent story encompassing the forty years of Latour's reign as Bishop, and then Archbishop, of New Mexico. Definitely an enjoyable read.

You can purchase Death Comes for the Archbishop through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Death Comes for the Archbishop? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

White Noise by Don DeLillo

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Title: White Noise

Author: Don DeLillo

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Satire

Length: 326 pages

Published: 1984

Publisher: Viking Books

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) A brilliant satire of mass culture and numbing effects of technology,White Noise tells the story of Jack Gladney, a teacher of Hitler studies at a liberal arts college in Middle America. Jack and his fourth wife, Babette, bound by their love, fear of death, and four ultramodern offspring, navigate the rocky passages of family life to the background babble of brand-name consumerism. Then a lethal black chemical cloud, unleashed by an industrial accident, floats over their lives, an “airborne toxic event” that is a more urgent and visible version of the white noise engulfing the Gladneys—the radio transmissions, sirens, microwaves, and TV murmurings that constitute the music of American magic and dread.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

This was...bizarre. I don't think I've read a book this odd in a long time - probably not since I read Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk at the beginning of the year. Strangely enough, the oddity of the book is exactly what made me like it.

The conversations that take place throughout the book and even just the general narrative are stilted. This adds an extra layer of bizarre to the story - just sort of makes you keep thinking and wondering what other strange thing is going to happen. 

The story is told in the voice of the main character J.A.K. Gladney (or Jack) who is a college professor that lectures solely on Hitler. He tells about his strange life, his many wives, his children, his step-children, and his colleagues. These tidbits of information about his family and himself are interspersed throughout the whole novel.

The book is in three parts: Waves and Radiation; The Airborne Toxic Event; and Dylarama. The first part gives basic background information on the narrator, his wife, their family, and a friend of his. Throughout this you see hints of events to come: his wife is on some mystery medication, the family watches as a train spills a toxic substance into the soil and air. The second part delves into the evacuation that happens because of the toxic substance. And the third part draws to a conclusion the events after that toxic spill and what happens with the mysterious medication that Babette (his wife) is on. 

The most maddening part of this book was the sheer amount of denial the narrator is in. But considering his other issues, it just seems to fit with the whole scheme of things. All in all, this was a decent book and definitely worth the read if you enjoy bizarre stories.

You can purchase White Noise through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read White Noise? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

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Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Author: Ken Kesey

Genre: Classic

Length: 281 pages

Published: 1962 (original) 2002 (copy I read)

Publisher: Penguin Classics

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Boisterous, ribald, and ultimately shattering, Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the seminal novel of the 1960s that has left an indelible mark on the literature of our time. Here is the unforgettable story of a mental ward and its inhabitants, especially the tyrannical Big Nurse Ratched and Randle Patrick McMurphy, the brawling, fun-loving new inmate who resolves to oppose her. We see the struggle through the eyes of Chief Bromden, the seemingly mute half-Indian patient who witnesses and understands McMurphy's heroic attempt to do battle with the awesome powers that keep them all imprisoned.

My Review:

I give this book a 3 out of 5. 

This one was rough for me. While I did end up liking the book, I had to mark this as three stars because I simply had the hardest time getting into it. I don't know if it's because I've been really distracted lately or if it's because I just didn't like Kesey's writing style, but it took me until around Part Three before I started really enjoying it.

The plot is good. The story is from the point of view of a half-Indian patient who everyone believes is deaf and mute. When a new patient comes in, he eventually opens up to him (McMurphy) and everyone is surprised to find that not only can he hear but that he is smarter than anyone has ever given him credit.

McMurphy enters into a battle of wills with Nurse Ratched, the head of the ward. As McMurphy and Chief Bromden eventually learn, the other wards are not nearly as awful as theirs but the nurses on those wards can't do much to help them as Nurse Ratched controls who is hired and fired, by making simple suggestions to the head of HR, her friend.

All in all, it was enjoyable, once I got over the hump of not getting into it enough to read more than a few pages at a time. 

You can purchase One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Monthly Update - December 2013

I didn't get nearly as much read last month as I thought I would. And I'm two days late with this post. With the holidays things have been pretty hectic, so finding time to read has been tough. I'm hoping things will get pretty normal around here soon so I can really get through some books. Oh and as of this post, I have completed 119 books this year: one book from my yearly goal of 120. 

Here's what I'm currently reading:

• Anna Karenina (As soon as I finish this round of library books I have, I will be concentrating on this before I read anything else.)
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

What's coming up next:

• Alice Close Your Eyes by Averil Dean
• Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
• What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? by Henry Farrell
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by Washington Irving
• Innocent Traitor by Allison Weir
• White Noise by Don DeLillo
• y1 by Sherrie Cronin (won't be reading this until after Anna Karenina is finished)
• z2 by Sherrie Cronin (won't be reading this until after Anna Karenina is finished)

As always, if you have anything you'd like to see me read and review, leave a comment here or drop me an email!

Animal Farm by George Orwell

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Title: Animal Farm

Author: George Orwell

Genre: Political Satire

Length: 141 pages

Published: 1945 (original) 1996 (version I read)

Publisher: Signet

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) As ferociously fresh as it was more than a half century ago, this remarkable allegory of a downtrodden society of overworked, mistreated animals and their quest to create a paradise of progress, justice, and equality is one of the most scathing satires ever published. As readers witness the rise and bloody fall of the revolutionary animals, they begin to recognize the seeds of totalitarianism in the most idealistic organization and in the most charismatic leaders, the souls of the cruelest oppressors.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This was excellent! I am kicking myself for not reading it earlier in life. I could not stop reading it (which is a change from 1984 which took me forever to finish even though I was completely loving the plot). I found it amusing and terribly sad at the same time. It really shows how people (and animals) change when they are placed in positions of power. Definitely a must read for anyone who likes a good political satire.

You can purchase Animal Farm through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Animal Farm? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Title: The Scarlet Letter

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 272 pages

Published: 1850 (original) 2004 (version I read)

Publisher: Barnes and Noble Classics

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) America’s first psychological novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is a dark tale of love, crime, and revenge set in colonial New England. It revolves around a single, forbidden act of passion that forever alters the lives of three members of a small Puritan community: Hester Prynne, an ardent and fierce woman who bears the punishment of her sin in humble silence; the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, a respected public figure who is inwardly tormented by long-hidden guilt; and the malevolent Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband—a man who seethes with an Ahab-like lust for vengeance. The landscape of this classic novel is uniquely American, but the themes it explores are universal—the nature of sin, guilt, and penitence, the clash between our private and public selves, and the spiritual and psychological cost of living outside society. Constructed with the elegance of a Greek tragedy, The Scarlet Letter brilliantly illuminates the truth that lies deep within the human heart.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

The Scarlet Letter is one of those books that I've never read but I know and understand the majority of the storyline. (I've also never watched any of the movies made based off of the novel.) I've always managed to end up in the English classes in school that never read this book or a lot of the other classics. 

It is definitely a dark tale that shows a glimpse into a world that is not what we are used to today. The hardest part for me was the writing style, but I really try to ignore that with classics like this, as it's typical of the writing styles of the era in which the book was written. 

Warning!: the rest of the review has spoilers. I try really hard not to post spoiler so people can read the stories for themselves, but I feel this is an old enough book that has been made into several movies, that I can safely post a major spoiler. 

I did enjoy the story and felt heart-broken for both Hester and Pearl when the Reverend died. I was hoping they'd go off and be happy together elsewhere, but I should have definitely known better to hope for such an event. (Ever the romantic optimist...) I'm glad that Hawthorne added in the bit after the events on the scaffold that day to explain what is believed to have happened to Hester and Pearl. It was definitely nice to learn that they were able to have somewhat happy lives after they left New England.

If you're looking for a great classic to pick up, I'd definitely pick this one up.

You can purchase The Scarlet Letter through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Scarlet Letter? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

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Title: The Story of My Life

Author: Helen Keller

Genre: Biography/Memoir

Length: 400 pages

Published: 1902 (original); 2004 (version I read)

Publisher: Modern Library

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) The Story of My Life, a remarkable account of overcoming the debilitating challenges of being both deaf and blind, has become an international classic, making Helen Keller one of the most well-known, inspirational figures in history. Originally published in 1903, Keller’s fascinating memoir narrates the events of her life up to her third year at Radcliffe College.

Helen Keller’s story of struggle and achievement is one of unquenchable hope. From tales of her difficult early days, to details of her relationship with her beloved teacher Anne Sullivan, to her impressions of academic life, Keller’s honest, straightforward writing lends insight into an amazing mind. Like the original, this centenary edition of The Story of My Life includes letters Keller wrote to friends throughout her childhood and adolescence that chronicle her intellectual and sensory progression, as well as assistant John Macy’s commentary on her interpretations of her surroundings.

In addition to reprinting Keller’s long-lost original work, this edition contains excerpts from her little-known, deeply personal memoir The World We Live In, which give readers a detailed look into an otherwise unimaginable existence, as well as an excerpt from Out of the Dark, a political commentary Keller wrote during her years as a socialist.

Deftly edited and prefaced by scholar James Berger, this comprehensive anniversary edition celebrates a century of readers’ enthrallment with one of the most powerful figures in history.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

This was definitely a very interesting read. It's set out in three parts: Part 1 was Helen Keller telling her life story, Part 2 was a series of letters that she sent to friends and acquaintances, and Part 3 was a lot of supplemental information using letters from her teacher telling about how she taught Helen language, writing, history, and to speak. It was quite fascinating to learn about how Helen learned to do the things that come naturally to so many people. She was truly a very inspiring woman and very determined to be like everyone else and not be viewed differently.

You can purchase The Story of My Life through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Story of My Life? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Sun Gate by T.M. Williams

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Title: Sun Gate

Author: T.M. Williams
Series: Bohemian Grove Trilogy (#2)

Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

Length: 358 pages

Published: October 2013

Publisher: Half-Light Publishing

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) No one can be trusted in T.M. Williams’s heart-pounding new novel, Sun Gate. The second book in the popular Bohemian Grove trilogy finds Carter doubting everything she thought she knew while knee deep in the Peruvian jungle.

Carter, a descendent of the alien race Anunnaki, is in the fight of her life. The only one with the potential to communicate with the Anunnaki on their home planet of Nibiru, Carter’s survival hangs in the balance. She is being targeted by the Vaticates, also known as the “protectors of the faith,” whose existence relies on the suppression of the Anunnaki. Discovery of the Anunnaki would ultimately lead to the end of religion and faith, and the Vaticates will stop at nothing until the only link between this world and the Anunnaki is killed.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

I had been anxiously awaiting the release of the second book in the Bohemian Grove Trilogy, and boy, it did not disappoint. Much like the first book (Bohemian Grove), I could not put this down. It's been quite some time since I read the first book, but I was able to easily pick up the sequel and start reading without wondering "wait, what happened in the first book again?!". Usually I re-read all the books in a series when a new book comes out, but I figured this one was still pretty fresh in my mind and I'd be OK. I was right about that.

I loved watching Carter try to decide between Jack and William. I'm Team Jack, so it broke my heart every time he'd catch Carter and William "having a moment". The love triangle isn't the main focus of the book though. Throughout there were a lot of little clues and just enough danger to keep you yearning to read and learn more. I felt that it was easy to identify with Carter, and that makes the story much more compelling. I can not wait for the conclusion of the trilogy, especially after the shocking end to Sun Gate.

You can purchase Sun Gate through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Sun Gate? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo

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Title: Johnny Got His Gun

Author: Dalton Trumbo

Genre: War Fiction

Length: 309 pages

Published: 2007 (version I read)

Publisher: Citadel

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) This was no ordinary war. This was a war to make the world safe for democracy. And if democracy was made safe, then nothing else mattered--not the millions of dead bodies, nor the thousands of ruined lives...This is no ordinary novel. This is a novel that never takes the easy way out: it is shocking, violent, terrifying, horrible, uncompromising, brutal, remorseless and gruesome...but so is war.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

This is a pretty brutal story. It's written from the point of view of an American soldier who was grievously injured during WWI. First is his horrifying discovery that his left arm is missing...and then he keeps discovering the rest of the truth of his condition. Through flashbacks as he lays trapped in his condition, you learn the sort of guy Joe is, and about his family and friends. Eventually he manages to convey to military officials that he wants to travel the world so people can see what war is really like. 

Just reading each time he discovers something new about himself after he was shot was like a punch to the throat. I definitely felt a sense of pity for this man, who was conscious and aware, yet could not make the nurses and doctors aware that he was still mentally there. This is definitely a great anti-war novel and worth the read.

You can purchase Johnny Got His Gun through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Johnny Got His Gun? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka

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Title: When the Emperor Was Divine

Author: Julie Otsuka

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 144 pages

Published: 2003

Publisher: Anchor

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) On a sunny day in Berkeley, California, in 1942, a woman sees a sign in a post office window, returns to her home, and matter-of-factly begins to pack her family's possessions. Like thousands of other Japanese Americans they have been reclassified, virtually overnight, as enemy aliens and are about to be uprooted from their home and sent to a dusty internment camp in the Utah desert.

In this lean and devastatingly evocative first novel, Julie Otsuka tells their story from five flawlessly realized points of view and conveys the exact emotional texture of their experience: the thin-walled barracks and barbed-wire fences, the omnipresent fear and loneliness, the unheralded feats of heroism. When the Emperor Was Divine is a work of enormous power that makes a shameful episode of our history as immediate as today's headlines.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This was a sad glimpse into a part of American history that many people forget even happened. During WWII, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, many Japanese-Americans were rounded up and shipped to internment camps or arrested as suspected spies. The story follows a mother and her children as they were forced to leave their home and live in one of these camps. Their father is not with them as he was arrested by the FBI sometime prior and living in a prison camp in Texas. Definitely worth picking up!

You can purchase When the Emperor Was Divine through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read When the Emperor Was Divine? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

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Title: Bridge to Terabithia

Author: Katherine Paterson 

Genre: Children's Fantasy

Length: 191 pages

Published: 1977 (original) 2008 (version I read)

Publisher: Harper Teen

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Jess Aarons' greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in his grade. He's been practicing all summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new girl boldly crosses over to the boys' side and outruns everyone.

That's not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. Together they create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen, and their imaginations set the only limits. Then one morning a terrible tragedy occurs. Only when Jess is able to come to grips with this tragedy does he finally understand the strength and courage Leslie has given him.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This is a classic and most kids end up reading this in school. For some reason I think I was always in the class that did not read this. I've always known the gist of the story but do not remember ever actually reading it. This is a great story of imagination and a deep, lasting friendship. Definitely worth the read (or re-read), but keep the tissues nearby.

You can purchase Bridge to Terabithia through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Bridge to Terabithia? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

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Title: Defending Jacob

Author: William Landay

Genre: Mystery

Length: 432 pages

Published: 2013

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student.

Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own—between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive.

Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis—a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

I was going to give this 4 stars because it seemed to drag on a bit and it felt like it took forever to read (only a few days but I think I was coming down from a "book-a-day" craze since I was reading a ton of shorter books right before this). There were a lot of legal terms used since the narrator is a lawyer, but the author made sure that they were explained to the other characters who were not lawyers. He managed this pretty well, seamlessly inserting definitions of some of the more complicated terms without making it seem like he was solely explaining them for the reader.

Because of the ending, which was honestly a little bit of a shocker, I had to bump it up to five stars. After I finished the book, I realized that there were a ton of extremely subtle hints throughout the book that were placed to lead up to the ending. You don't even really realize that they're there until after you finish the book. This was a well-written, incredible novel. Definitely worth the read!

You can purchase Defending Jacob through Amazon in either hard copy or kindle format. 

Have you read Defending Jacob? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.