The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

This is a spur of the moment book/series review, but this is my favorite series of all time. I figured I need to somehow spread the word about these wonderful books. Andrew Peterson is a talented story teller. His books are full of humor, lovable characters, and frightening never-before heard of creatures such as toothy cows and thwaps. The books are not just all fun and humor, but offer a beautiful and sacrificial story about growing up and assuming the responsibilities we've been given in life. Janner, Tink, and Leeli have much to learn, but will teach readers much more in the end.

There are four books all total, and although the first book starts out slow, the story only climbs from there. This may be the only series I've read where each book is better than the one before it. The books are extremely clean and are appropriate and enjoyable for almost any age. I personally hope to read them out loud to my kids someday.

Five Stars!

If you want to read more about each book, here's a link to the website: http://wingfeathersaga.com/books-2/

Between Shades of Gray

Summary--
In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina is preparing for art school, first dates, and all that summer has to offer. But one night, the Soviet secret police barge violently into her home, deporting her along with her mother and younger brother. They are being sent to Siberia. Lina's father has been separated from the family and sentenced to death in a prison camp. All is lost.

Lina fights for her life, fearless, vowing that if she survives she will honor her family, and the thousands like hers, by documenting their experience in her art and writing. She risks everything to use her art as messages, hoping they will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive.

It is a long and harrowing journey, and it is only their incredible strength, love, and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive? (from  http://www.betweenshadesofgray.com/ )

Pro's--This book is the type that leaves you feeling as if all the air has been knocked out of your lungs. How could you ever enjoy comfort again without thinking of this story? It is a impacting story about a small nation, caught between several world powers all of who do not care what happens to the tiny country on the edge of Russia. This book was well written, realistic, and endearing.

Con's-- As a warning this book can be graphic but a mature reader would not be upset by it. Also, though  I do not remember any, there may be a very minor amount of language.

Five Stars. Ages 13 and up.

The Underland Chronicles

When I first discovered The Underland Chronicles at my local library I was very pleased. Seeing that they were written for a young age and fantasy I assumed they would be interesting, like Suzanne Collin's other books, The Hunger Games, but probably less depressing. At the end of book one I decided they weren't as light weight as I had anticipated. By the end of book three I knew they were not going to end happily-ever-after. By the end of book five, the end of the series, I was entirely convinced that Collin's was incapable of writing something which does not make me cry. I tried to tell myself that I was just grieving for a rat, a bat, and a cockroach, and aside from that they were completely fictional but... I felt like bawling anyway.

Meet Gregor, an eleven year old New York City kid with two sisters, a haggard mother, and a bedridden grandmother. Gregor is just your average kid with an unaverage secret: His father went missing two years ago and though neighbors whisper, Gregor knows he would have never left the family. Then one day, Gregor takes his two year old sister, “Boots”, down to the apartment building's laundry room and watches in horror as his baby sister falls head over heals down the laundry duct. Making a mad grab at a falling sandle, Gregor too, drops through into a land of giant bugs, rodents twice his size, bats as large as small airplanes and...nearly see-through humans called the Regalians. Thinking his life could not get much more horrifying Gregor soon learns that he has a bigger purpose in the Underland than simply rescuing his sister. An ancient Regalian prophecy, carved into the palace's stone wall seems to point to Gregor as the human's savior, a person referred to in the writings as “the warrior”.

My opinion:

Book 1/Gregor the Overlander: Why can't the Regalian's just let the poor kid take his baby sister home?But no, they claim he is the “warrior” and therefore has a purpose in the Underland. The book is interesting and, despite the fact that it's fantasy, it is surprisingly realistic.

Book 2/Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane: And Gregor is back in the Underland, a place he never wanted to see again. Things are not all peachy there either and Gregor is sent on a mission to fulfill another prophecy. That book ends on a cliff hanger. Gregor is disgraced, nearly everyone he loves is either missing or in fear for their lives and I can not wait to get to the library and get book three.

Book 3/Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods: Gregor knows he has to go back to the Underland, this time to save all mammals, not just the humans. But his understandably frazzled mother flatly refuses. She insists that they are moving to Virginia and away from a place that could kill her children. When a rather forceful escort it sent to the Overland she finally agrees to let Gregor and Boots descend again, on the condition that she accompanies them. Things start getting desperate however when she herself contracts the dreaded plague known as “The Curse of the Warmbloods”. By the end of this book I was thinking it was time Collin's ramped up the story line. It was beginning to feel drug out.

Book 4/Gregor and the Marks of Secret: Wish granted. Gregor sneaks off on a “picnic” which quickly turns into a long and dangerous adventure. Oh, and while Collin's is hitting the climax of her story she decided to add in a tiny bit of romance...between two twelve year olds. Granted it is a minor part of the story and despite their age they are given the responsibility of an adult but still, it is rather ridiculous. The book ends with a reference to a prophecy which foretells Gregor's death.

Book 5/ Gregor and the Code of the Claw: I read this book in just a few hours. Everyone you love dies. Well, not quite everyone, but the book ends leaving you mourning for at least one human, several rats, a mouse or two, one cockroach, and multiple bats. And while we are feeling depressed, Gregor and his whole family now have PTSD.

Overall I enjoyed these books immensely. Collin's is a fascinating writer and very true to life. As much as you want the books to end happily-ever-after, they can't. Some final, and traumatic thing must decided whether Gregor stays in the war torn Underland or returns to the questioning Overland forever. Naturally the horror of that event, as well as many other things both Gregor and his family have now witnessed scar them forever and they are left with nightmares, unpredictable panic attacks, and overall weakness of mind and body. A rather sad end but I felt that is was fitting. It had to happen that way or the rest of the books were seem trite and like a childish fairytale.

The only things I did not care for were the occasional references to evolution and the romance. Aside from that the books had zero language and nothing inappropriate. They are written for young tweens but enjoyable for all ages, even my nearly sixty year old mother is currently sucked into them!

Four Stars; Recommended for ages 10 and up.

The Lions of Little Rock

Summary:
"Everything's changing for twelve-year-old Marlee.  Her brother's gone off to college and her sister's moved out of the room they've shared since Marlee was born.  To Marlee, who's not much of a talker outside her family and who doesn't have many friends, it feels like her whole world's falling apart.

On top of all that, she's starting middle school and has to break in new teachers - teachers who don't yet know Marlee doesn't talk.  It's not that she can't talk.  She just doesn't.  At least not until she meets Liz, the new girl at school. Liz is everything Marlee wishes she could be: she's brave, brash and always knows the right thing to say, especially to the resident mean girl, Sally.  Liz even helps Marlee overcome her fear of speaking.  But when Liz leaves school without even a good-bye, the rumor is that Liz was really a colored girl caught passing for white. Marlee decides that doesn't matter. She just wants her friend back. And to stay friends, Marlee and Liz are even willing to take on segregation and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.

Set in 1958, Kristin Levine's novel weaves a moving and heroic tale of friendship and shows us how Little Rock finally found its voice and became whole again."

Pros:  This book is a quick paced, adventurous read.  Kristin writes in a manner that instantly catches your attention and holds it the whole way through.  She makes the point that people are people, to be valued no matter what color their skin is.  This book is an intriguing story of how two girls overcome the stigma of an entire town and have the courage to do what's right, in spite of the trouble it brings them.  I really like how she used 1 Peter 3:14 as a theme throughout the book, even though it isn't technically a Christian fiction book.

Cons: The two girls have a black feather that they pretend gives them courage, kind of like in the movie Dumbo.  They also have what they call "magic squares", but I think they are just like sudoku puzzles; they don't use them for magic or witchcraft or anything like that.

Overall, this book was very good; I would recommend it!  For ages 12 and up. 

Moods

  Moods--Louisa May Alcott

Summary-- Sylvia Yule falls in love. Then she finds out that the man she loves is engaged. Her heart goes through a thousand "moods" which finally culminate in her hearing through the grape vine of his marriage. Deciding she was not in love with him but that he was simply a friend she accepts his best friend who previously purposed. They get married but on their honeymoon, the former man finds her, discloses that he is not married and not be aware that she is, asks for her hand. A dramatic scene ensues leaving her to struggle with the thought that perhaps she had not really loved her husband when she married him and that maybe she still loved this man. Things continue to escalate until she is on the verge or divorcing her husband and marrying his best friend. Instead she decides that she will do neither. She can never love her husband but should not marry her lover because they aren't matching personalities. She sends her husband abroad, still morning for her and simply waiting to be called home. Finally, she calls him. He arrives home and she tells him that she still does not love him, she still loves this friend, and that she called him home to be with her when she dies. Then she follows through leaving her perfect husband to grieve for the loss of an emotionally unfaithful wife.

Pro's-- This book gave me an inside view of a woman's tormented mind. She made a mistake, and how was she supposed to correct it? It was an interesting character study.

Con's-- (Phew, where do I start?) The bottom line is that I did not like this book. I was shocked that Alcott would write it and disgusted with the ending. Sylvia was not a person I connected with. She was foolish in every way and for the life of me I could not understand why Mr. Moore wanted to marry her. Finally, when Sylvia discovered she had married the wrong man I hate her reaction. She allowed his best friend and her lover to stay, knowing that it would be a temptation. She allows him to tell her she married the wrong man and should divorce. And worst of all, she hides everything from her husband until a freak circumstance reveals the truth. Getting counsel to try and love her husband she (in my opinion), pretends like she has tried and found that she can't, he is only a friend.  I do not believe that if she really tried she would have found it at all impossible. Mr. Moore was perfect. He gave everything to please her and demanded nothing. On the other hand, her lover demanded everything to please himself and gave nothing. Then, the last and crowning insult: she calls her husband home from abroad where she has banished him, to tell him, in so many words, that she still does not love him but wants him to take care of her as she dies.

I was not pleased to have read this book and beginning it with no previously knowledge of the contents was astounded. I will give Alcott the fact that she never exactly says she agreed with Sylvia's choice. In fact she made Sylvia so upset by the whole thing that she literally worries herself to death.

Two Stars.  Ages 15 and up.

Find a Stranger, Say Goodbye

Find and Stranger, Say Goodbye--Lois Lowry

Summary--Natalie Armstrong, an attractive, happy teenager about to enter college, sets out to discover the parents who gave her up at infancy.

Con's--though there is an immoral relationship in this story it is dealt with pretty carefully. However  I was upset to find many other entirely needless off color comments and conversations. There was also a bit of language.

Pro's--I am not adopted but if I were think I would be just like Natalie. I could identify with her struggles, her desire to find her mother/parents and her reaction when she did. The story is very realistic and I was drawn in immediately.

This book is a toss up for me. I wouldn't exactly recommend it due to much of the content but the story line was wonderful...I can only inform a potential reader of the pro's and con's and let them decided for themself.

Ages 16 and up. 3 out of 5 stars.

Chasing Jupiter

Scarlett Blaine's life in 1960s Georgia isn't always easy, especially given her parents' financial struggles and the fights surrounding her sister Juli's hippie lifestyle. Then there's her brother, Cliff. While Scarlett loves him more than anything, there's no denying his unique behavior leaves Cliff misunderstood and left out. So when he wishes for a rocket to Jupiter, Scarlett agrees to make it happen, no matter how crazy the idea might be. Raising the rocket money means baking pies, and the farmer's son, Frank, agrees to provide the peaches if Scarlett will help him talk to Juli. The problem is, Scarlett really enjoys her time with Frank, and finds herself wondering if, someday, they could be more than friends. Just as she thinks everything might be going her way, Cliff suffers an accident that not only affects the rocket plans, but shakes Scarlett's view of God. As the summer comes to an end, Scarlett must find a way to regain what she's lost, but also fulfill a promise to launch her brother's dream. (from Amazon.com)

Pros: I absolutely loved this book! Such a sweet story line! However, it will not end exactly how you want it to. The author does a good job of making this story seem real. It's the most hear-warming, heart-breaking story all at once, and you will not be able to predict the end. This is actually the first teen book in which I've related to the main character. She doesn't want to grow up, and the funny thing is, she's actually one of the most grown up people in her family.

Cons: It may have just been me, but it took the first chapter or two to get used to the writing style. Also, at one point the preacher's wife gives the main character some advice I didn't exactly agree with. I mean, telling a teen girl who is not old enough to consider marriage to tell this older young man her feelings, I'm just not sure it's wise.


Ages 13 and up. 5 stars

The Visitation

Summary:  The sleepy, eastern Washington wheat town of Antioch has become a gateway for the supernatural—from sightings of angels and a weeping crucifix to a self-proclaimed prophet with an astounding message.
The national media and the curious all flock to the little town—a great boom for local business but not for Travis Jordan. The burned-out former pastor has been trying to hide his past in Antioch. Now the whole world is headed to his backyard to find the Messiah, and in the process, every spiritual assumption he has ever held will be challenged. The startling secret behind this visitation ultimately pushes one man into a supernatural confrontation that has eternal consequences.

Cons:  The only thing I didn't like about this book was that I didn't agree with all the religous views held by the main character in the book.  That annoyed me to a certain degree.

Pros:  I really enjoyed this book.  It was a page turner and even managed to creep me out just a bit (and, in my opinion, that is a hard thing to do when it comes to books).  I liked how the main character was not a perfect person but was struggling like everyone else.  However, he was a character that I easily came to like.

Overall, I would give this book five stars.

Recommended for ages 17 and up.

The Centurion's Wife (Acts of Faith Book 1)

Summary: 
This is the story of Leah, a young Jewess of mixed heritage trapped in a vortex of competing political agendas and private trauma. Caught up in the maelstrom following the death of an obscure rabbi in the Roman backwater of firstcentury Palestine, Leah finds herself also engulfed in her own turmoil facing the prospect of an arranged marriage to a Roman soldier, Alban, who seems to care for nothing but his own ambitions. Head of the garrison near Galilee, he has been assigned by Palestine's governor to ferret out the truth behind rumors of a political execution gone awry. Leah's mistress, the governor's wife, secretly commissions Leah also to discover what really has become of this man whose death and missing bodyis causing such furor (from amazon.com).


Cons: The main things you could point out as problems with this book (and I only noticed them on my fourth  read) are that you might not get into the book until you read the first two or so chapters (I honestly don't remember having this problem, but it is possible someone else could ) and it does move a bit slow at times.  Also, (and this doesn't actually count as a con) if you do not enjoy books that are set in the time period of the Bible and that involve some Biblical characters, then you will not enjoy this one.

Pros:  This book brings the time right after Jesus's death (and the early church) alive.  I find it easy to forget how the people in the Bible were real people, and that there were other real people that they interacted with (I'm sorry if that sounds strange).  Also, the authors of this book are very talented at bringing the land of Israel to life.  For years, this book has been one of my favorites to read and read-read. 

Note:  This is the first book of three of the Acts of Faith series.  While I will not write book reviews on the other two, I will mention that they were just as fantastic as this one and that I would highly recommend them.

This book easily gets five stars.  Recommended ages 15 and up.

This Present Darkness

Summary:
Ashton is just a typical small town. But when a skeptical reporter and a prayerful, hardworking pastor begin to investigate mysterious events, they suddenly find themselves caught up in a hideous New Age plot to enslave the townspeople, and eventually the entire human race. The physical world meets the spiritual realm as the battle rages between forces of good and evil.


Cons:  I can honestly say, that I can't think of anything negative about this book.  However, one must keep in mind that when someone writes about the spiritual realm, they are only speculating.  And that is all that this book (and I think the author) meant to do.  The author is simply throwing out an idea of how it might be. 

Pros:  Frank Peretti does a masterful job of weaving a tale involving the spiritual realm.  The story is fascinating and suspenseful and the writing style is magnificent.  Besides that, the reader is given a glance into the spiritual side of things making the book even more interesting and unique.   

I would give this book five stars.  Recommended for Ages 17 and up. 

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

  Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet--Jamie Ford

Summary--Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery: the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As Henry looks on, the owner opens a Japanese parasol.

This simple act takes old Henry Lee back to the 1940s, at the height of the war, when young Henry’s world is a jumble of confusion and excitement, and to his father, who is obsessed with the war in China and having Henry grow up American. While “scholarshipping” at the exclusive Rainier Elementary, where the white kids ignore him, Henry meets Keiko Okabe, a young Japanese American student. Amid the chaos of blackouts, curfews, and FBI raids, Henry and Keiko forge a bond of friendship–and innocent love–that transcends the long-standing prejudices of their Old World ancestors. And after Keiko and her family are swept up in the evacuations to the internment camps, she and Henry are left only with the hope that the war will end, and that their promise to each other will be kept.

Forty years later, Henry Lee is certain that the parasol belonged to Keiko. In the hotel’s dark dusty basement he begins looking for signs of the Okabe family’s belongings and for a long-lost object whose value he cannot begin to measure. Now a widower, Henry is still trying to find his voice–words that might explain the actions of his nationalistic father; words that might bridge the gap between him and his modern, Chinese American son; words that might help him confront the choices he made many years ago. (copied from Amazon.com)

Pro's--I really liked this book. It was well written, it was history and most of all it was about something I was not very familiar with so I learned from it. I knew that the internment camps during WWII were sad but I had never come face to face with just how ridiculous they were until I read this book. It was an eye opener!

Con's-- The only thing I didn't like about this book (spoiler warning) was the romance between Keiko and Henry. I understood that there had to be some strong and lasting connection for the children but I thought Jamie could have at least made them older.

All in all I would recommend this book for ages 13(an advanced reader since after all it is adult fiction) and up. Five stars.

The Willoughby's

Summary--The Willoughby's—Timothy; his twin brothers, Barnaby A and Barnaby B; and their little sister, Jane—are old-fashioned children who adore old-fashioned adventures. Unfortunately, the Willoughby parents are not very fond of their children, and the truth is that the siblings are not too keen on their parents either. Little do the Willoughby kids know that their neglectful mother and father are hatching an evil plan to get rid of them! Not to worry—these resourceful adventurers have a few plans of their own. But they have no idea what lies ahead in their quest to rid themselves of their ghastly parents and live happily ever after.

Con's--It seems to me like every author, no matter how good, always has at least one book that falls completely flat. I would say this is Lois Lowry's. The book was not badly written but the story line was absurd and un--enjoyable. First of all you have the warped and very unrealistic parent child relationship and visa-versa. That to me was the worst part. Spoiler Warning!! Then at the very end you have the creepy idea of the children making a ritual of going and looking at their dead parents annually. The whole book seemed warped and unnatural. I think she was trying to make it funny but to me it was just messed up. I wouldn't really recommend this book though I would never say don't read it.

Pro's--This is Lois Lowry we are dealing with here a so the book was very well written. Even though I didn't like the story I will be the first to say that it was well written and the idea was very unique as well.


Ages 10 and up. Three stars.