Julie Graves (gravesok) - Norman, OK (424 books)

Julie Graves gave

to:

Eclipse (Twilight, #3)
by Stephenie Meyer

read in July, 2008

My rating:

I went through and re-read this series. Wow! It is just as good the second time around. I cannot wait now for Breaking Dawn to come out. I am on pins and needles trying to figure out what Stephenie Meyer will do in Breaking Dawn with Jacob, Edward an...more

Julie Graves gave

to:

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip
by Jordan Sonnenblick

read in February, 2012

My rating:

Peter and his best friend AJ are the best baseball pitchers for their team. Their pitching skills are going to take them far. When Peter is pitching, AJ is catching then when AJ pitches then Peter is catching. They are quite a duo. That is until Pete...morePeter and his best friend AJ are the best baseball pitchers for their team. Their pitching skills are going to take them far. When Peter is pitching, AJ is catching then when AJ pitches then Peter is catching. They are quite a duo. That is until Peter messes up his arm and is told he can no longer pitch~EVER.

This does not seem to be Peter's year. Not only can he no longer pitch, but he is also starting his freshman year of high school. Also, there seems to be something disturbing going on with his Grampa. Peter's Grampa is a famous photographer. He has taught Pete everything he knows about cameras and taking the perfect picture. When his Grampa seems to miss the most perfect shot of all and then up and gives Pete all of his equipment Pete knows there is something terrible going on. His Grampa also seems to be frequently forgetting things.

Pete's mother insists that he enroll in an introductory photography class. Since he can no longer play baseball then she feels he needs to be in a "club" of some sort. Pete meets Angelika in class. They are soon put together as partners and things start to look up for Pete. Even though Pete has always told his best friend AJ everything he somehow can not bring himself to tell AJ about not being able to pitch again. The only one he really talks to about that is Angelika. She encourages him to not only be honest to AJ about his arm, but also to talk to his parents about what is going on with his Grampa.

Once again I love the emotions that Jordan Sonnenblick explores in his stories! Peter's relationship with his Grampa is so special and you feel for him as he watches his Grandfather fade into the world of Alzheimer disease. You feel for Pete in his awkward 9th grade self wondering what he is going to do with his life now that he can't play baseball. You admire AJ and Angelika for being Peter's best friends and helping him through his emotions. I have to say that once again Jordan Sonnenblick was able to bring a smile and tear to my eye in Curveball The Year I Lost My Grip.

I received my copy as an ARC from ALA in January.(less)

Julie Graves gave

to:

Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride
by Sandra D. Bricker

read in February, 2012

My rating:

More weddings are being planned at the Tanglewood hotel. This time around Sherilyn(Emma Rae's best friend from college) has been hired as the new wedding planner for the hotel.

Sherilyn and her fiance Andy have moved back to Atlanta, both with new job...more

Julie Graves gave

to:

Blue Moon Promise
by Colleen Coble (Goodreads Author)

read in February, 2012

My rating:

Lucy Marsh is on her own trying to raise her young brother and sister. When circumstances become dangerous for this young family Lucy finds the only thing she can do is accept a proxy marriage to Nate Stanton.

Henry Stanton is Nate's father. He has co...more

Julie Graves made a comment on Eve ~ His Swordmaiden's review of The Rook (The Patrick Bowers Files, #2)

"My daughter just finished all of them and she said they were pretty intense."

Julie Graves voted on a poll

If you were to ever get stuck inside an elevator for three hours (or more ;), would you rather be wi...more

she voted for I don't think I want to get stuck inside an elevator...

Julie Graves gave

to:

I Hunt Killers
by Barry Lyga

read in February, 2012

My rating:

"What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?"

That's the teaser on the back of this book. Of course it had me hooked!

Jazz is no ordinary teen, although he knows how to act like one. But when you have been raised by the world's most horrifi...more"What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?"

That's the teaser on the back of this book. Of course it had me hooked!

Jazz is no ordinary teen, although he knows how to act like one. But when you have been raised by the world's most horrific serial killer it is hard to be "normal". Especially when your dad has taught you everything he knows in order to groom you as his successor.

"Dear Old Dad" is now behind bars. Jazz really is trying to lead a normal life now. He has a girlfriend, he's in the school play. But Jazz' life is anything but normal. He lives with his crazy gramma, trying to keep the child welfare people from sending him to a foster home, his best friend Howie is a hemophiliac, and he lives in fear of becoming just like his father.

When a woman is found dead in a field with 3 fingers missing Jazz knows right away that another serial killer is on the loose. Unfortunately he can't get the law enforcement to agree with him before another murder is committed. Jazz joins forces with the police to catch the murderer. Jazz knows how a serial killer thinks and he wants to prove to himself that he is not like "Dear Old Dad". But it's a fine line he is walking because he understands the cravings to see a person's last breath seep out of them.

This is one of those books where I wish I had half hearts to give out. I would have given this a three and a half rating. I vacillated between really liking it and "it was just okay". I really liked the suspense of the story and the not knowing who the killer was until almost the very end. I disliked that this is a YA book. The theme was pretty horrific and sometimes goes into some gory details about what the killer did to his victims. Surprisingly the author kept the language fairly tame. I was offended by his use of Jesus, and g** d*** but other than that there really wasn't a lot of language, maybe because the theme was harsh enough?

I Hunt Killers is published by Little Brown and will be out for sale in April 2012- I received my ARC copy at ALA in January.(less)

Julie Graves voted on the list Christian Fiction Books That Would Make Great Movies!!!

Julie Graves gave

to:

Always the Baker Never the Bride
by Sandra D. Bricker

read in January, 2012

My rating:

This book made me laugh out loud! I love a story that can do that. The dialog between characters was so witty and filled with humor. A very entertaining read.

Emma works in a bakery for a cranky boss. Emma has just won the prestigious Passionate Palet...more

Julie Graves is currently reading:

Always the Designer, Never the Bride
by Sandra D. Bricker

My rating:

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Julie Graves gave to: Eclipse (Twilight, #3) by Stephenie Meyer read in July, 2008	My rating:
I went through and re-read this series. Wow! It is just as good the second time around. I cannot wait now for Breaking Dawn to come out. I am on pins and needles trying to figure out what Stephenie Meyer will do in Breaking Dawn with Jacob, Edward an...more
21 hours, 58 min ago · see review
Julie Graves gave to: Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick read in February, 2012	My rating:
Peter and his best friend AJ are the best baseball pitchers for their team. Their pitching skills are going to take them far. When Peter is pitching, AJ is catching then when AJ pitches then Peter is catching. They are quite a duo. That is until Pete...more
21 hours, 59 min ago · see review
Julie Graves gave to: Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker read in February, 2012	My rating:
More weddings are being planned at the Tanglewood hotel. This time around Sherilyn(Emma Rae's best friend from college) has been hired as the new wedding planner for the hotel. Sherilyn and her fiance Andy have moved back to Atlanta, both with new job...more
Feb 10, 2012 06:37pm · see review
Julie Graves gave to: Blue Moon Promise by Colleen Coble (Goodreads Author) read in February, 2012	My rating:
Lucy Marsh is on her own trying to raise her young brother and sister. When circumstances become dangerous for this young family Lucy finds the only thing she can do is accept a proxy marriage to Nate Stanton. Henry Stanton is Nate's father. He has co...more
Feb 08, 2012 03:57pm · see review
Julie Graves made a comment on Eve ~ His Swordmaiden's review of The Rook (The Patrick Bowers Files, #2) "My daughter just finished all of them and she said they were pretty intense."
Feb 08, 2012 11:13am · see review
Julie Graves voted on a poll If you were to ever get stuck inside an elevator for three hours (or more ;), would you rather be wi...more she voted for I don't think I want to get stuck inside an elevator...
Feb 08, 2012 11:07am · take the poll
Julie Graves gave to: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga read in February, 2012	My rating:
"What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?" That's the teaser on the back of this book. Of course it had me hooked! Jazz is no ordinary teen, although he knows how to act like one. But when you have been raised by the world's most horrifi...more
Feb 03, 2012 04:58pm · see review
Julie Graves voted on the list Christian Fiction Books That Would Make Great Movies!!!
Feb 03, 2012 03:26pm · like 1 like · Julie's votes · everyone's votes · vote
Julie Graves gave to: Always the Baker Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker read in January, 2012	My rating:
This book made me laugh out loud! I love a story that can do that. The dialog between characters was so witty and filled with humor. A very entertaining read. Emma works in a bakery for a cranky boss. Emma has just won the prestigious Passionate Palet...more
Jan 31, 2012 07:26pm · see review
Julie Graves is currently reading: Always the Designer, Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker	My rating:
Jan 30, 2012 03:13pm

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