Ready Player One is a cross between Hunger Games, the Matrix and the Big Bang Theory. Halliday, the creator of the virtual world, Oasis, issues a chal...moreReady Player One is a cross between Hunger Games, the Matrix and the Big Bang Theory. Halliday, the creator of the virtual world, Oasis, issues a challenge to all Oasis players that will result in riches. Wade Wyatt is one of 5 finalists in search of the prize and they all end up scrambling to stay alive, both in the Oasis and in real life. The 80s metaphors and trips down memory lane leave you feeling nostalgic (or feeling like a relic). If that isn't enough to capture your attention the intricate plot and detailed imagery that Cline provides should do the trick.(less)
A wonderfully written tale about a fantastical circus and intriguing characters. My main criticism is the abundance of detail that tends to slow down...moreA wonderfully written tale about a fantastical circus and intriguing characters. My main criticism is the abundance of detail that tends to slow down the story at times. The imagery was so clear and the characters story lines were intricately woven. It also doesn't hurt that the audiobook version is read by Jim Dale.(less)
Jason Wright thoroughly surprised me with the heartwarming story of Rex Conner. It took 17 seconds to turn his life upside down when tragedy hit. Inst...moreJason Wright thoroughly surprised me with the heartwarming story of Rex Conner. It took 17 seconds to turn his life upside down when tragedy hit. Instead of succumbing to guilt and regret he chose to live his life committing random acts of kindness known as 17 second miracles. His son Cole carries on this tradition by sharing Rex's story through informal classes for specially chosen teens. Cole's most recent class challenges him beyond expectation as they are drawn into the lessons of 17 Second Miracles.(less)
I had no knowledge of the language of flowers. This book truly piqued my interest as I learned how Victoria communicated with flowers when words didn'...moreI had no knowledge of the language of flowers. This book truly piqued my interest as I learned how Victoria communicated with flowers when words didn't suffice. (less)
I sometimes feel like I've read more than my fair share of stories about slavery, Jim Crow and the Civil Rights era but this book offers a unique and...moreI sometimes feel like I've read more than my fair share of stories about slavery, Jim Crow and the Civil Rights era but this book offers a unique and interesting take on black/white relations in Mississippi. The story starts in 2003 with Roxanne, a white woman, who finds herself with the task of creating an African American Tour. She calls on Grace, an elderly black resident, to help her identify historical points of interest. Grace and a cast of other characters call up memories from the 1930's to help tell the story of their town. Each person's memories help to complete the complex story and heal some festering wounds. (less)
I heard very good things about this book but I have to admit I was a bit hesititant to read it because it seemed so dreadful. It kept bringing back me...moreI heard very good things about this book but I have to admit I was a bit hesititant to read it because it seemed so dreadful. It kept bringing back memories of Lord of the Flies for some reason. I finally started it and was completely drawn in. Can't wait to read book #2. (less)
I'm so ashamed that I didn't read this book earlier in life...what a treasure! So glad I finally decided to read it...I have a feeling I'll be rereadi...moreI'm so ashamed that I didn't read this book earlier in life...what a treasure! So glad I finally decided to read it...I have a feeling I'll be rereading this title again soon. I'm looking forward to sharing Anne with my 8 year-old niece. Anne's too awesome to keep to yourself!(less)
Margaret Peterson Haddix has quickly become one of my new favorite authors. She adds interesting notes of paranormal/fantasy/sci-fi in her stories. Sh...moreMargaret Peterson Haddix has quickly become one of my new favorite authors. She adds interesting notes of paranormal/fantasy/sci-fi in her stories. She's a great storyteller with characters that draw you in. (less)
This is a very heartwarming, coming-of-age story about a very unlikely friendship between Dit (a white boy) and Emma (a black girl) in the early 1900s...moreThis is a very heartwarming, coming-of-age story about a very unlikely friendship between Dit (a white boy) and Emma (a black girl) in the early 1900s. Very well written and read (I listened to the audio version). (less)
This was a suprisingly wonderful read. The best book I've read so far this year. In a society that only permits families to have 2 children, Luke, the...moreThis was a suprisingly wonderful read. The best book I've read so far this year. In a society that only permits families to have 2 children, Luke, the 3rd child, lives locked away in the attic. He learns there are others like him and his world is turned upside down. This is a quick, thought-provoking read. Highly recommended.(less)
This was a pleasant surprise. I requested this from the library based on a review. By the time it arrived for me, I forgot about it. I was pleased to...moreThis was a pleasant surprise. I requested this from the library based on a review. By the time it arrived for me, I forgot about it. I was pleased to learn that Charlie "King of Pop" Popovich was a former Cincinnati Bengal player (being a Cincy girl).
This football driven story offers a very interesting and unique perspective on Alzheimer's and the effects it has on the friends and family of the Alzheimer's patient.
A great book for preteen/teen guys and fans of football and YA lit. (less)
This is the best book I've read this year. Told in three different voices, The Help provides a look at the lives of domestic workers during the 1960s....moreThis is the best book I've read this year. Told in three different voices, The Help provides a look at the lives of domestic workers during the 1960s. Two domestics, Aibeleen and Minnie, agree to team up with a young, white budding journalist, Miss Skeeter, to tell their side of the story. The three of them turns Jackson, Mississippi's domestic and socialite worlds upside down and off balance.
Stockett weaves a complex story that pulls you in within the first few pages of this novel. She shows how complex the relationship is between the help and the white women that employ them. An excellent read!(less)
Kim Reid's No Place Safe is an up-close-and-personal account of the Atlanta Child M...more(My review posted to Amazon.com)
Coming of Age in a Dangerous World
Kim Reid's No Place Safe is an up-close-and-personal account of the Atlanta Child Murders. Kim Reid was thirteen years-old when the Atlanta Child Murders began in 1979. Her world was turned upside-down as she and her younger sister adjusted to new safety measures that stifled the carefree life most children experienced when not under the constant threat of a serial killer. Her mother's role, as a Task Force investigator on the case, increased Reid's awareness beyond that of any child and most adults. Despite the dangers that lurked around her, Reid was able to enjoy, and in some cases, endure basic rites of passage common to all children: babysitting a younger sibling, puberty, making out at house parties, trying to fit in at a new school and holding down a part-time job.
Kim Reid offers a unique perspective of this event as a young teenage daughter of an investigator in No Place Safe. She exposes the full range of fear, anger, uncertainty, frustration and small pockets of joy that she, her family and the community felt throughout this time period. Her depiction of the city and suburbs of Atlanta is as alive and vivid as any human character she portrays. Readers will appreciate and applaud Kim Reid's ability to enjoy the basic beauty of life only seen through the eyes of a young person under very frightening conditions. Book groups will enjoy the the discussion questions available at the end of the book which touch upon a number of thought-provoking themes presented in the story. This book is highly recommended for anyone curious about the impact and influence of the Atlanta Child Murders on children of that era.
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