I guess every now and again I get into a mood to read something completely different from my normal reads. That explains what happened when I bought Riggs' book at Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago. I was drawn to the book by its cover--it shows an old photograph of a little girl, dressed like a flapper girl from the 20's, levitating. Who wouldn't be intrigued enough to read a book with a cover like that? I was hooked from the first page to the last, as I read this story that is a little bit mystery, a little bit horror, a little bit history, a little bit romance, a lot of fantasy, and in some ways similar to Harry Potter.
I am struggling to write this entry because even if I give a summary, I am afraid that I am going to ruin something. I guess if you are at all interested in the book, and you want to hear Jacob's story, or just want to read a book that will not bore you for a second (and you are into the fantasy/time-traveling genre), look it up on BN.com or Amazon and read the publisher's synopsis, who was written by a person trained not to ruin the plot for readers. That's not me.
What I will tell you is this...the book includes 44 real photographs as part of the story. These pictures were borrowed from collectors who scour flea markets and the like searching for unique pictures. They are are old photos, black and white, and they are the coolest things I have ever seen. At first you might think they are computer generated for the visual effect for the book, but they are not. They are real and each photo is documented in the back of the book. Riggs took these pictures and built a story around them, or perhaps the idea for the book came first and then he searched for just the right pictures to compliment the story. Either way, what a clever and unique way to craft a novel. In the words of one of my fave Harry Potter characters, "That was bloody brilliant." This is also Riggs' first novel, and I think it is an amazing, totally out of the box, first work.
Emily wants to read it. She's really into Fantasy and "normal" stories rarely hold her attention. She's excited to read a book about "peculiar children" and I am hoping that this might just re-energize her excitement levels about reading. With that said, I wondered at times who the intended audience was--it's not a children's story...it's just too scary in some places. But, I don't think it was made for adults either, although I think adults would appreciate the story. That leaves the 'tweens and the teens, and I think they'd love it, after they learn about WW2. (It just occurred to me to follow my own advice so I checked Amazon and the age range for the book is 14 and up. I guess I'm the "up.")
So, I'm now off to hand over this unique find to Emily and I am going to curl up on my sofa, watch it snow, and read Safe Haven (again) by Nicholas Sparks. I read it in January of 2010 and can't recall a bit of the book, even after reading my book journal. So, I figure I better re-read it before going to see the movie next month. Which I feel certain will make me cry, as all of his movies do.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Friday, January 25, 2013
Sunday, January 20, 2013
#3 One Mountain Away by Emilie Richards
I honestly think that once a year I stumble across a book that touches my heart and changes my soul. Last year, it was Home Front. This year, it very well may be One Mountain Away.
The story centers around several main characters: Charlotte, Ethan, Taylor, Maddie, Sam, and Willow. The first four are family; the last two are their friends. Charlotte is the character that connects all of the others. She has made some mistakes in her life and is working to correct them, mainly with her daughter, Taylor, so that she can finally meet her granddaughter, Maddie, a ten year old girl who suffers from epilepsy.
The story is written in alternating chapters, beginning with Charlotte's journal and then switching to a third person account of the story. I love reading Charlotte's journal entries. They are filled with emotion and thoughtfully reflect upon the choices she's made throughout her life. We learn why she is who is is, where she came from, why she's worked so hard throughout her life, why her marriage failed, why her daughter hates her, and why she so desperately wants to make things right.
I don't want to ruin the story and tell more than I should about any part of the plot, so if you will indulge me for a moment, I'll share why this book left me in tears.
I have come to a point in my life where I have finally been able to admit what's really important and what's not. I grew up thinking that a successful life is one filled with "stuff." The more stuff you had, the more successful you were. Cars, a big house, lots of kids...it all equalled success in life. Oh, how wrong I was. But when you live in a world that values things over people, it's hard not to think this way. But, I have been able to catch tiny glimpses into those "successful" lives over the past year and discovered how truly sad some of those "successful" people are. Stuff doesn't matter. People matter. And yet, it isn't until we are faced with some sort if life changing event that we are forced to confront this truth and to accept it. Charlotte had to. Lucky for us, we can learn from her fictional story before, God forbid, we ever have to face it in real life.
Personally, I haven't had to face what Charlotte faced, but I've had my own struggles over the past year and I am grateful that I am still here, living in my house, with my family still intact and still loving me. As I read the final 100 pages of this book this afternoon, sitting with my family as they watched a movie, I was brought to years. I was sad for Charlotte and Ethan, who found each other just a little too late. I was sad for Taylor who missed life with her mom for too many years. I was sad for Maddie who never knew her grandmother. But I was grateful that I learned the lesson Charlotte learned 12 years before she learned it. I learned it before my marriage failed, before my children left, and before I needed to work fast I make up for lost time. As I read the last page, the tears rolled down my face, as I said a silent prayer that one day Rob and I will meet again, when we leave Earth. I can't imagine a day without him, on this planet or otherwise.
Read One Mountain Away . Then love your family. Tell them every day that you love them. Keep your priorities straight. Be nice to others and don't hold revenge in your heart. Help people when they need it without forgetting that you need to take care of yourself first. This story is a good reminder of how we all should behave. I will carry a little piece of Charlotte with me from now on.
Happy reading, everyone.
:). Dodie
The story centers around several main characters: Charlotte, Ethan, Taylor, Maddie, Sam, and Willow. The first four are family; the last two are their friends. Charlotte is the character that connects all of the others. She has made some mistakes in her life and is working to correct them, mainly with her daughter, Taylor, so that she can finally meet her granddaughter, Maddie, a ten year old girl who suffers from epilepsy.
The story is written in alternating chapters, beginning with Charlotte's journal and then switching to a third person account of the story. I love reading Charlotte's journal entries. They are filled with emotion and thoughtfully reflect upon the choices she's made throughout her life. We learn why she is who is is, where she came from, why she's worked so hard throughout her life, why her marriage failed, why her daughter hates her, and why she so desperately wants to make things right.
I don't want to ruin the story and tell more than I should about any part of the plot, so if you will indulge me for a moment, I'll share why this book left me in tears.
I have come to a point in my life where I have finally been able to admit what's really important and what's not. I grew up thinking that a successful life is one filled with "stuff." The more stuff you had, the more successful you were. Cars, a big house, lots of kids...it all equalled success in life. Oh, how wrong I was. But when you live in a world that values things over people, it's hard not to think this way. But, I have been able to catch tiny glimpses into those "successful" lives over the past year and discovered how truly sad some of those "successful" people are. Stuff doesn't matter. People matter. And yet, it isn't until we are faced with some sort if life changing event that we are forced to confront this truth and to accept it. Charlotte had to. Lucky for us, we can learn from her fictional story before, God forbid, we ever have to face it in real life.
Personally, I haven't had to face what Charlotte faced, but I've had my own struggles over the past year and I am grateful that I am still here, living in my house, with my family still intact and still loving me. As I read the final 100 pages of this book this afternoon, sitting with my family as they watched a movie, I was brought to years. I was sad for Charlotte and Ethan, who found each other just a little too late. I was sad for Taylor who missed life with her mom for too many years. I was sad for Maddie who never knew her grandmother. But I was grateful that I learned the lesson Charlotte learned 12 years before she learned it. I learned it before my marriage failed, before my children left, and before I needed to work fast I make up for lost time. As I read the last page, the tears rolled down my face, as I said a silent prayer that one day Rob and I will meet again, when we leave Earth. I can't imagine a day without him, on this planet or otherwise.
Read One Mountain Away . Then love your family. Tell them every day that you love them. Keep your priorities straight. Be nice to others and don't hold revenge in your heart. Help people when they need it without forgetting that you need to take care of yourself first. This story is a good reminder of how we all should behave. I will carry a little piece of Charlotte with me from now on.
Happy reading, everyone.
:). Dodie
Friday, January 11, 2013
#2: Agenda 21 by Glenn Beck and Harriet Parke
Rob suggested that I read Agenda 21 , claiming that the story could very well be the prequel to The Hunger Games. That one comment intrigued me enough to read the book, which was a very quick read, but a very compelling read. Much like The Hunger Games, Agenda 21 appeals to both grown-ups and teenagers. Rob read it first, then I read it, and now Abigail is reading it. She thinks the story is a good one, although very strange and bothersome. Her review is spot on.
When you open the book, you get to step inside a government run community. No one is poor, no one is rich, everyone dresses the same, every one eats the same foods. "Citizens" do not marry, they are "paired." They pledge allegiance to the Republic and to the Earth. They spend their entire day, every day, walking to create power. Their every move is monitored. There is no paper, and, hence, no books (just kill me now). And, while people like my mother believe that there is no way that this could really ever happen, wasn't she surprised, as was I, to learn that Agenda 21 is a real UN document.
Now, the authors admit that this book is a work of fiction and that they have taken the idea of governmental control to an extreme. But, I think the warning that is reiterated time and time again in the book is what we all need to truly think about: that the laws were changed little by little and they were so little that no one really noticed what was going on until it was too late. Now, I could completely get on my political soap box about the ridiculous laws over soda size in NY and the recent study surrounding the best music for us to listen to while we drive (which one can only imagine will soon be the ONLY music can listen to while driving), but I will spare you the lecture. Instead, I challenge you to read this book, reflect upon our freedoms as American citizens, and think about how much governmental control you really want in your life. And, I encourage you to read the afterward of the book, where the real Agenda 21 is explored and quoted. Then, you can make your own decisions.
Personally, I would take the road that Emmeline traveled, right past the gatekeeprs, through the Compound, past the broken bus-box, under the hole in the fence, and straight toward freedom. No matter the risk, no matter the fear, freedom is worth it all.
Decide for yourself.
Happy reading,
:) Dodie
When you open the book, you get to step inside a government run community. No one is poor, no one is rich, everyone dresses the same, every one eats the same foods. "Citizens" do not marry, they are "paired." They pledge allegiance to the Republic and to the Earth. They spend their entire day, every day, walking to create power. Their every move is monitored. There is no paper, and, hence, no books (just kill me now). And, while people like my mother believe that there is no way that this could really ever happen, wasn't she surprised, as was I, to learn that Agenda 21 is a real UN document.
Now, the authors admit that this book is a work of fiction and that they have taken the idea of governmental control to an extreme. But, I think the warning that is reiterated time and time again in the book is what we all need to truly think about: that the laws were changed little by little and they were so little that no one really noticed what was going on until it was too late. Now, I could completely get on my political soap box about the ridiculous laws over soda size in NY and the recent study surrounding the best music for us to listen to while we drive (which one can only imagine will soon be the ONLY music can listen to while driving), but I will spare you the lecture. Instead, I challenge you to read this book, reflect upon our freedoms as American citizens, and think about how much governmental control you really want in your life. And, I encourage you to read the afterward of the book, where the real Agenda 21 is explored and quoted. Then, you can make your own decisions.
Personally, I would take the road that Emmeline traveled, right past the gatekeeprs, through the Compound, past the broken bus-box, under the hole in the fence, and straight toward freedom. No matter the risk, no matter the fear, freedom is worth it all.
Decide for yourself.
Happy reading,
:) Dodie
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
#1: Finding the Dream by Nora Roberts
Finding the Dream is the last of the Dream Trilogy by Nora Roberts and it was a very satisfying conclusion to the series. As I mentioned in the last blog from 2012, it's never a good idea to not have the final book in a series with you when you travel. I was left wondering for a couple of days how the entire story would play out and had wished that I had been smart enough to take this last book with me when I was traveling for the holidays.
Anyway, this last book is centered around Laura Templeton and she's a very interesting character. She's a single mom to two girls, divorced, but still a Templeton, so you can only feel so badly for her. Yes, it must be rough to raise two girls on your own, but when you have a live in house keeper and cook who are willing to make sure that the girls eat before being driven to their private school, how bad can your life really be? My heart does break for her, at times, like when her ex-husband tells her that he never loved her. But, when she meets Mick and her life suddenly turns around, that ex-husband and his mean behavior suddenly is easily forgotten. The romance Laura begins with Mick is a steamy one and if you are a horse lover or have a thing with barns, this is the book for you!
Besides the romance, Roberts does a great job of finally ending within the pages of this book the story with Seraphina, the young girl who threw herself from the cliffs because of a broken heart. Laura, Margo, and Kate have long searched for the dowry that was rumored to be left behind when Seraphina died. I won't ruin the tale for you but the ending to this part of the story is a great one.
As I have said before about Nora Roberts, her series books are fabulous and I really can get into them. They are light but not too light, seem to always have a great ending, and are filled with truly interesting characters. I'm sure for this reason, 2013 will see another Nora Roberts trilogy. After all, I read two of them in 2012!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Anyway, this last book is centered around Laura Templeton and she's a very interesting character. She's a single mom to two girls, divorced, but still a Templeton, so you can only feel so badly for her. Yes, it must be rough to raise two girls on your own, but when you have a live in house keeper and cook who are willing to make sure that the girls eat before being driven to their private school, how bad can your life really be? My heart does break for her, at times, like when her ex-husband tells her that he never loved her. But, when she meets Mick and her life suddenly turns around, that ex-husband and his mean behavior suddenly is easily forgotten. The romance Laura begins with Mick is a steamy one and if you are a horse lover or have a thing with barns, this is the book for you!
Besides the romance, Roberts does a great job of finally ending within the pages of this book the story with Seraphina, the young girl who threw herself from the cliffs because of a broken heart. Laura, Margo, and Kate have long searched for the dowry that was rumored to be left behind when Seraphina died. I won't ruin the tale for you but the ending to this part of the story is a great one.
As I have said before about Nora Roberts, her series books are fabulous and I really can get into them. They are light but not too light, seem to always have a great ending, and are filled with truly interesting characters. I'm sure for this reason, 2013 will see another Nora Roberts trilogy. After all, I read two of them in 2012!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
My favorite books of 2012
I ended 2012 a little shy of my usual goal of reading 52 books in 52 weeks. But, considering that I met my goal of leading a more balanced life AND I went back to teaching in the classroom, I think that 45 books is still a fairly good accomplishment. I do not plan to deviate from my goal of having a balanced life, so it is possible that I might not read 52 books next year either. But, I will be reading, and I will keep blogging about what I read.
I did take a few minutes to review this year's posts and to compile the annual list of my favorite books of the year. It always amazes me how I can re-read a post and recall how I felt when I was writing or how I felt as I was reading. Books are powerful. Words are powerful. I love them both.
So, here it is. The list of this year's favorites...
1. Home Front by Kristin Hannah
2. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
3. Where We Belong by Emily Giffin
4. Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate
5. Lone Wold by Jodi Picoult
6. The Fifty Shades trilogy by EL James
7. Blind Your Ponies by Stanley Gordon West
8. The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson
9. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
10. Blue Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas
If you can't find time to read a book a week, as I strive to do, read one of these titles. They are the ones that moved me, that spoke to me, that touched my heart. Maybe one of them will touch you too.
Happy Reading and Happy New Year!
:) Dodie
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