The False Princess

The False Princess is, for sure, the BEST book (so far) for 2011. I kid you not. I loved this book from beginning to end. Last night I said up till midnight finishing it, that's HUGE. A sane mother doesn't give up sleep to read something she could read the next day during nap time. But I seriously couldn't put it down until I finished it and then after reading the very last word with a smile on my face I thought "I want to read that again!"

Nalia has reached her 16th birthday, she is also well prepared to someday be the queen. She has spent her entire life studying and learning to someday rule the country and to do so well. And then one day her parents, the king and queen, called her into their "office" to let her know that when the princess was born it was prophesied that she would be killed by her 16th birthday. So they had the real princess sent to a convent on the outskirts of town while Nalia simple stood in her stead "just in case." They informed her that know that the princess was 16 the fear of her being killed was gone and she could come home. Simple as that. Then the wizard (yes, there is magic in this book) lifted whatever spells had been cast so that everyone would believe she was the real deal. That very day they sent Nalia, whose real name as it turns out is Sinda, back to live with her only living relative. The end. Ha yeah right that my friends is only the beginning.

The author does such a great job with the character development that you actual care about what happens to the people in the book. You are happy when the evil people flub up and giddy when good wins out. I actually giggled out loud last night and woke up my husband. It is that good. This is a must read. I can't wait to see what else this author writes.

favorite quote: "for a girl who's supposedly got all this learning, you can be sort of stupid, Sinda."

Grade: A +

When the Calls the Heart

I was blog hoping around reading blogs and one blogger decided to read 10 books published during her birth-year. I thought that was a fun idea so I stole it. I looked it up online and found that most of the books written the year I was born were romance novels. Not really wanting to read those I wrote done the ones that interested me and head to the loverly library. I then realized that out the 6 books I picked only 1 was even at the library. So I got it. I knew it was be clean at least. Janette Oke is not known to write nasties.

This is a story about a young woman, Elizabeth, invited to leave the comforts of her eastern home and school to teach out west. After she awesomely snubs the super attendant's offer of matrimony (bahh haa) she is sent to the smallest town furthest away. She certainly had no desire to marry a westerner as try as she might she ended up falling in love anyway. But lest be honest I don't think she tried all that hard to NOT fall in love.

I was a little more than bummed when I realized that the sweet little love story I was excited for lasted about 7 pages. Don't you hate that. Anyway. It was still a sweet story. Not that best I have ever read, but certainly better than others. Amazingly enough this was turned into a movie and even more amazingly I kind of want to watch it. The guy she falls for is a Mountie and there is something about those uniforms that I just know will make it worth it. We will see.

Favorite Quote: "No man ever has kissed me--not for any reason," I threw at him. I would rather have been mauled by that bear that to be so--so indebted to you, Mr. Delaney!" I jumped from the auto and ran blindly across the ditch and down the pathway from I had just been rescued"

Grade: C+

Northanger Abbey

Cathrine is a 17 year old girl on vacation with her aunt and uncle in Bath. Her Aunt aunt is another one of my favorite characters-she says so many great things in this book, and when I say great I really mean I laughed out loud. Cathrine is able to meet and few different people and becomes friends with 2 different girls. Through both of these friends she realized the reality of true friendship and the joy of older brothers. I guess she also begins to understand the quality of a man as well. One of her new friends invites her home for a visit and they just happen to live in an Abbey. Cool? YES. Cathrine is very well read on non-fiction and believes Abbeys to hold alot of mystery and awesome chances for goosebumps.

This was a delightful story from beginning to end. Sometimes it takes me a while to fall-in-love with a Jane Austen book. But Northanger Abbey had me at, "No one who had ever seen Cathrine Morland in her infancy, would have supposed her born to be an heroine."

Favorite Quote: "At any rate, however I am pleased that you have learnt to love a hyacinth. The mere habit of learning to love is the thing; and a teachabelness of disposition in a young lady is a great blessing." and "A mother would have been always present. Another would have been a constant friend; her influence would have been beyond all other" and " 'Cathrine would make a sad heedless young house-keeper to be sure,' was her mother's foreboding remark; but quick was the consolation of there being nothing like practice."

Grade: A+

Forever

Wikipedia says: Forever... is a 1975 novel by Judy Blume dealing with teenage sexuality. Because of the novel's content it has been the frequent target of censors and appears on the American Library Association list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 at number seven.

NUMBER 7 out of 100!!! I would believe it. This story was extremely over the top descriptive. Too much. It is about a high school senior girl that meets and quickly falls in love with another senior boy. Their relationship takes leaps and bounds and they believe that their love is meant to last through the ages. In the end...the to committed teens found summer jobs in separate states with separate people surrounding them. You can guess the next part.

I think the actual story itself is fine. Blume shows that you can truly feel love for another person but that doesn't mean it is going to last forever. Especially at such a young age. The BIG problem I had with this book was all the sex. I mean seriously, there was a lot...way too much for a book about high schoolers. I must be naive (still) about what goes on at that age. I felt like she made it seem okay, and necessary almost. I was also bothered by the main character's parents. They gave her way too much freedom, making it seem almost as though they didn't care what she did in her personal life. Which is what is wrong with society today more than ever. Parent give way too much freedom and then wonder why kids do what they do.

Favorite Quote: "She introduced herself to Michael, then tapped me on the head and said, "this idiot is my friend, Kathrine. Don't mind her...she's a little strange." "I noticed," Michael said. He wore glasses, had a lot of reddish-blond hair and a small mole on his left cheek. For some crazy reason I thought about touching it."

Grade: F (for sexual content)

Emma

I have been wanting to read all of Jane Austen's books. I read and fell in love with Pride and Prejudice and I was so excited when the book group I am part of decided to read Emma. But let me tell you...the first half was hard for me to get through.

Emma is the youngest daughter to a very old man. She is determined not to marry to avoid ever leaving her aged father. So instead of searching for her own love story she tries to create matches with those around her. As it turns out she isn't very good at it. In the process a certain young gentlemen catches her eye and keeps it.

I found Emma to be a little obnoxious at first. After a while a started to find the humor in her ways. I also loved Mrs. Elton. Honestly, the story improved a great deal when she joined in! Such a great character.

Favorite Quote:" I cannot make speeches, Emma:"--he soon resumed; and in a tone of such sincere, decided, intelligible tenderness as was tolerably convincing.--"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. But you know what I am.--You hear nothing but truth from me.--I have blamed you, and lectured you, and you have borne it as no other woman in England would have borne it"

Grade: A-

From a Distance

This was another great page turner! It is nice to have a book that is purely entertainment...not a ton of deep thinking and that is this book. I have to admit that I read HALF of the book on a 5 hour plane ride, so at first i started it simply because there wasn't anything else to do while sitting in between to business men for too long.

This is a story of a young woman who travels west in search of the perfect picture that would land her a job at a newspaper and be the first woman to ever be hired for such a job! She in the process discovers a murder, meets a handsome stud! travels all over in the winter (brrr) and so much more. It is a happy ending story that made me smile more than once. It also was a religious story...which was a nice touch.

Favorite quote: "As long as you're still breathing child, you still got choices."

Grade: B

The Sunflower

What a great book...but I do believe most, if not all Richard Paul Evans books are pretty awesome. Yes, I will admit I love his books. They are quick reads, but not just because the books themselves are small...but the stories are so awesome that putting the book down is simply not an option!

The Sunflower is about an ER doctor who after a BAD night in the ER decided to give it all up and travel the world, this lead him to a small orphanage that he took over and met a pretty girl who had to get away from life...since her life had just involved getting dumped days before she was supposed to get married (rude I know) the two meet...need I say more?

It is a great story of the power of love and service. Read it.

Grade: A