Wildflower Hill

This book had me going in both directions...I still can't figure if I should like this story or not. Okay, here it goes. I like the story. It reminds me of The Forgotten Garden. And probably a little similar to The Forgotten Garden there are a few parts that are a little "naughty" if you know what I mean (tee hee). That is what made me not sure how much to say I loved the story. I don't want anyone out there thinking I am a heathen. So, to end this silly paragraph...great story, a few short parts that just when you are ready to skip the paragraph or page you realize the romantic moment is over just as quick as it begun.

So the story...it a double layered story, which is always fun, spanning over 3 generations. Beattie is a young girl caught up in a group of friends that is more then questionable and finds herself pregnant with a married man's baby. (see I told you a little naughty). Like many young women who have babies too young and too unmarried life was very hard, she had to go through a lot of hardships...a lot. Over time and a very "unconventional" path Beattie finds a great amount of success, but even with all her success there was always a great amount of heartbreak she also had to deal with. Emma is Beattie's granddaughter and a prima ballerina. She is in an accident that injurs her knee beyond repaire and is forced into retirement...thus she finally gets what Beattie left her in her will. She is now forced to look at her life, what was important and what is important. And yes, there is romance for both Emman and Beattie, there are mysteries and there are answers. What more do you need in a story?

I wasn't a HUGE fun of how it ended...it was the kind of ending that left you hanging. GAH. I am not sure if the author wanted to be intriguing (probably), or of she just didn't want to write anymore so she left it up to the readers imagination. Either way, it was an abrupt ending and I like it when the story is really over and everything is resolved.

It was a good story...if you don't mind the handful of romantic moments then read it. If you liked The Forgotten Garden chances are you might enjoy this book as well.

GRADE: B-

Bluefish

Did you know this was a book about 13year old? Yeah, I didn't either. At first when I realized that, I was bummed. But I am glad I read this...even if it is about middle schoolers.

Travis has just moved to a new school and he didn't want to. He comes from a pretty rough past, parents both dead and Grandpa was an alcoholic trying to raise him. Pretty rough stuff. He gets to the new school and this weird girl who calls herself Velveeta for some reason seeks him out and they become friends. Velveeta lives in a trailer park with a drunk most the time mom and her best friend and neighbor passed away during the summer from a heart attack. He was an old man...not to be confused with a 13 year old. Both of these kids come from extremely troubled homes that are obviously effecting every other part of their lives. And then they end up in the same reading class with McQueen as their teacher. He is amazing. It is really too bad more teachers are more like him. As the two grow closer together and McQueen starts paying attention to what the kids need, rather than what they are doing. Things slowly start to change for the two middle schoolers.

It is a good book. One that teachers should probably read since it is a great example of what a teacher can and should be doing for a student. And also a good read for kids, we never know someones background until we take the time to learn about it and become friends with a person. You know that saying "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can't ever hurt me" that is a lie. Words can hurt deeper and more long lasting than any stick and stone. I think this book helps teach that lesson.

Grade: C

By Morning Light

I am not sure why I keep picking up Nunes' books. I like knowing they will be clean, but I find myself reading her books (and really a lot of LDS fiction for that matter) and rushing to finish it just so it will be over. They are a little cheesey, BIG conflicts seemed to be resolved in a matter of sentences, and well....I just don't enjoy them as much as I used to years ago. But they are clean and when I need something to read, I am drawn to LDS fiction for that simple reason.

So, By Morning Light was about a mother of 3 who had lost her husband 4 years earlier and pretty much was alive, but not living life. She was just going through the motions. Then the handsome mail man...and it all changed.

That is really the jest of the story. It is a nice simple read for those times when you don't know what else to read and need something.

Grade: D

Lost December

I love Richard Paul Evans. Can you tell? I wonder how many books of his I have read, and in fact usually his books I want to buy and keep for myself. His stories are clean, but not filled with Mormon lingo that I go nuts. In fact when I first started reading his books I didn't think he was LDS, just an author living in Utah.

Lost December is another great story and in true Evans style teaches a lesson all at the same time. Luke is one lucky kid, well besides his mom passing away at a young age, his life was pretty nice. He had a great dad that taught him to work hard and that people where important. His Dad owns Crisp's Copy (what you haven't heard of them?) and has plans to pass the business off to his son when the time comes. As the time drew near the good father encourage his son to get his MBA and experience life away from home and family (I think secretly Dad wanted a wife and grand kids).

Luke goes, falls in with a crowd no parents what their child hanging out with and decided to blow his father off. When his money runs out his friends disappear.

Sounds like a happy Christmas story huh? To be honest it could have be set during anytime of the year, this one just happens to end at Christmas time. And like most of Richard Paul Evans' books it is a fast read.

Grade: B

The Christmas Box Miracle

I think every year I pick this book up and forget what it is about until I get a few chapters into it and then I think "oh yeah this isn't what I thought it was."

It is more of a biographical of how The Christmas Box came to be and the real miracle it was in Evan's life as well as so many others. It is amazing to read about all the different things that happened during this process of publishing and selling Evan's book.

It does make me want to read the Christmas Box, which is at my mom's house. Maybe next year.

Grade: C

The Christmas Wish

This is the 3rd time reading this gem of a book. I have to admit that it was a little predictable...but I am pretty sure it because I know the story so well, not because of the story itself.

It is such a sweet story and a mystery all wrapped up in one great book. It is about a successful Realtor working in New York who comes back to his home town after his Grandfather dies. His Grandfather left him the family realtor's office, Will's plan is to simply hire someone else to run the shop and return to New York and make the big bucks. He moves back in with his Grandma during the Christmas Season and renovation of the office.
Since it was Christmas time Will was also going to need to get his sweet Grandma something special. When he couldn't think of something himself he asked her and she asked for no presents this year but instead to find a woman named Vivian. Grandma had been reading Grandfather's journals see and found a woman she didn't know. How could Grandfather?

And that is where the mystery begins. Who is this Vivian? And can

Will discover the secret in time for Christmas?

It really is a great book, just don't read it three times...then it becomes too predictable. AND how awesome is this? They made it into a movie with Neil Patrick Harris no less. Look at the movie poster...it is oosing with love and the Chrismtas Spirit. I mean really Netflix will be getting my next order...no doubt the movie is what legends are made of (which is why no one ever hears of it)

Grade: B

Chritstmas Jars

Hope grew up wanting to be a big time newspaper reporter, she had worked her tail off getting to the top and was just waiting for the BIG story that would put her there. She didn't have an easy life by any means, she was raised by a single mother and wasn't wealthy or close to it. One very hard Christmas she received a much needed anonymous gift when she was feeling very broken. She decided that if she wrote a story about the gift-giver then maybe that would catapult her to the top of the newspaper world. Her search changes her life forever.

This is another tear jerker for me. I love this story. It makes me want to be the Maxwell mom. Don't know who that is? Well, you had better read the story then.

I am loving this reading Christmas stories only. Of coarse I should probably clean my house before starting another book!

Grade: B+