false 7 140 82 true 5852868 read 1 true 2078668 currently-reading 57 true 2078667 to-read 23 false 3373190 relief-from-the-real-world 10 false 5554585 ya 7 false 2546681 british-classics 4 false 2143049 children 3 false 2546680 non-fiction--ecology 3 false 2878140 jossey-bass-wiley 3 false 6474863 off-and-on-progress 1 false 9216561 abandoned 0 false 9149305 wishlist http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/68250810 to: Soul Enchilada (Hardcover) by David Macinnis Gill
bookshelves: abandoned, ya
I appreciate the author's attempt to write from the point of view of minority voices that are not represented enough in casual fiction. It seems like anytime a story comes from a non-white-male (so to speak) perspective, it's serious, heavy, and for older readers. So I was excited to read this funny, zany YA story. But it quickly became obvious that the storyline wasn't so interesting, the writing wasn't so great, and I found his representation of these teens almost offensively stereotyped. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76976580 Holiday Grind (Coffeehouse Mystery, #8) by Cleo Coyle
bookshelves: currently-reading
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64217084 to: The Help (Audio CD) by Kathryn Stockett
Incredible. My review can't do this book justice; you'll simply have to read or listen to it yourself.

The story draws you in and keeps your interest despite being quite long. I was often moved, but not with the usual cliches that can be pulled out when developing a story centered around race, social change, class, and the everyday joys/tragedies of life. Stockett takes time to develop the characters in a real way and weaves in an interesting premise along with humor to help lighten the heavy topic.

As for the AUDIOBOOK -- I highly recommend experiencing the book in this format. The readers do a fantastic job (there are 3 - one for each narrative voice) and are key in bringing this particular story to life since it's written to show colloquial pronunciation and it's structured as each woman telling her part of a continuous story. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80769845 The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Hardcover) by Junot Díaz
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80256060 to: Shiloh (Yearling Newbery) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80256049 to: My Brother Sam Is Dead (Point) by James Lincoln Collier
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80255876 to: My Father's Dragon (My Father's Dragon Trilogy) by Ruth Stiles Gannett
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/37748869 Amy's review of The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak

What a coincidence, I borrowed this from Alison today and am going to start it as soon as I finish listening to The Help (it's too riveting to interrupt). ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80255234 A Match Made in High School (Trade Paperback) by Kristin Walker
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80254619 Beautiful Creatures (Hardcover) by Kami Garcia
bookshelves: to-read
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