Priceless Reads

Love Wins

2012-01-17T19:12:00.000-08:00

This is probably the most "controversial" book I've read in a while.. and I loved it! Rob Bell answers some tough questions in an honest and open way. He asks that you put aside what you learned in bible boot camp, and really think about what the Bible says. This book will challenge your mind and heart, in a wonderful way.

The reason I'm writing this book review today is because I just saw a youtube video and it reminded me of this book in action. Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus. Go check it out!

One Day by David Nicholls

2011-10-14T19:31:00.000-07:00

It is very rare that I put a book down. But it's been over 2 months, and I still haven't had the desire to finish reading One Day. I picked it up because the book was made into a movie this summer, and I always like to read the book before seeing the movie. Maybe I got it backwards this time.

I wasn't expecting the British dialect which although isn't something I dislike, it turned me off in this case. I felt like the same situations just kept repeating themselves. After 9 chapters, and more than a third of the way through, I just lost interest. I guess it's the movie for me.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Foer

2011-09-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Everything about this book was unique and special including the formatting and layout of the pages and chapters. I love it when a book surprises me. Blank pages, photos, even a short flip book at the end, all made me look forward to turning the next page. Oskar Schell is a lovable boy who captivated my attention with his antics and ability to say things in a way that is both honest and thoughtful. Oskar, in his own way, deals with life after losing his father in the September 11th attacks. With the 10 year anniversary of that terrible day approaching, I would definitely recommend this story.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

2011-08-21T12:46:00.000-07:00

What if magic was real? Follow Quentin as he gets invited to join an elite magical college. Mature readers who loved Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia will enjoy this new series where magic abounds both in our world and the land of Fillory. The end of this first novel caught me by surprise, and I look forward to reading the next installment, The Magician King, which was released this August.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2011-08-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Help was a great summer novel. I've never been to "the south" and I felt like this book gave me a good idea of what it might have been like. The characters were endearing and the "good wins over evil" theme made this book so lovely to read. If you read The Help and want more, I recommend reading Cane River by Lalita Tademy.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

2011-08-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I didn't think I was going to like a book about a dog. First of all I have cats not dogs, and secondly, race-car driving has never interested me in the slightest. However, I liked this book so much more than I thought I would. From the very first chapter I fell in love with Enzo and his way of looking at the world. His ideas on how to be happy and what it means to live with morals were wise beyond his (dog) years. He even said some things that made me stop and think about how I live my life. Definitely worth reading.

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

2011-08-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

Is this story for real?
The book felt more like a magazine article than a novel. The story is written from memory of the father, Pastor Todd. I don't doubt that his son Colton had an out of body, heaven experience. What makes me turn my head in question is how closely his answers match the bible. Did his 4 year old really say those things? Although Burpo tries to assert that he never taught his son many of the things he mentions about heaven, simply the fact that he was raised on bible stories and living in and around the church makes me question. Did I enjoy this book? Yes, I read it in two sittings. Did I believe every word? I'm not sure.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

2011-05-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

I realize that I’m behind the crowd with reading this book, but I think it’s interesting that I started reading it on the day Osama bin Laden was captured and killed. I wish I had read it earlier. Everything about this fictional story of 2 remarkable women tugged at my heartstrings. I was outraged at the men for their treatment of women and girls, and was so touched by the ending. If you have never read a book about women of the Middle East, this is a great introduction.

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

2011-05-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

This book was not as good as The Other Boleyn Girl. It seemed to drag at the end, going back and forth between the three women: Anne of Cleves, Jane Boleyn and Katherine Howard. Although I loved finding out what happened to King Henry’s next wives, the novel itself fell short for me.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

2011-04-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

This book is like good braised meat. It cooks really slowly but in the end you have a tender and delicious masterpiece. I took my time with this novel, not just because it was rather long (over 600 pages) but also because I had to let each section sink in before moving on. Told in 4 parts, this novel is the story of Marion Praise Stone’s journey as a brother, son, lover, and doctor. As the story grew, elements of surprise and magic kept me hooked, and the ending brought it all together for a sweet finish.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

2011-03-31T16:44:00.000-07:00

The title of this book struck me first. Followed by the fact it was about the Japanese internment during WWII. I loved that it told a story about an old man and a child (him as a boy). However, I became disappointed about halfway through the book when I could easily tell where it was going and how it would end. It was too predictable for my taste, but I finished it. It ended just as I thought it would, no surprises. This would be a good book for a high school student learning more about the Japanese internment, but not as a novel for an educated adult.

Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

2011-02-10T16:04:00.000-08:00

Picoult novels never disappoint me. In this book, issues of divorce, affair, and stigmata take center stage on trial. I love how Picoult moves from first person to third person seamlessly, even within chapters. This story kept and held my attention the whole way through. I'm now only sad that I don't have any more Picoult novels here on the island to read!

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home by Rhoda Janzen

2011-01-31T09:21:00.001-08:00

There were several points in this book where I started laughing out loud. Rhoda Janzen tells her story with a great blend of honesty and word play. At one point, I was almost in tears from laughing so hard while sitting alone on my couch. Although I had to fight through some “academia” related paragraphs, there were so many other moments of pure enjoyment that this book earns a top recommendation from me.

The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

2011-01-31T09:13:00.000-08:00

More or less a sequel to Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen is another wonderful piece of historical fiction about the Queens of Egypt. This time told as a first person account from the aspiring Queen, the main character is well developed and easy to identify with. The story is filled with jealousy, trickery, politics, and love.

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

2011-01-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

A great recommendation from my mom, Nefertiti is a wonderful piece of historical women’s fiction. I love books about women in history, and this one hit the nail on the head. Told from the point of view of Nefertiti’s sister, Mudnodjmet, the story of the famous Egyptian queen is revealed from start to finish. It satisfied my love for strong women and also my enjoyment of stories that are told from start to finish. And what’s even better is that Moran has written several books about the Queens of Egypt, so if you like this one there are more to read!

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

2011-01-31T08:50:00.001-08:00

This novel was my first introduction to The Tudors, and it had me hooked from the start. I thought it was brilliant to tell the story of Anne Boleyn through her sister. I remembered that feeling of sisterly competition, and appreciated the honesty from the main character, Mary. I read most of the book on a 36 hour flight itinerary, and couldn’t have chosen a better time because I had the luxury of reading for hours on end. I now realize that this book is actually #2 out of 6, and I intend to start reading the others.

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

2011-01-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

I had really high hopes for this novel, considering how much I loved reading The Time Traveler’s Wife. It turns out that this was just a different kind of book. More ghost story than love story, the twin main characters in this book have a flatness to them that made it hard to connect. The story goes back and forth between several characters without really developing any one. I think I had my hopes set too high to really enjoy what this book was; good for a rainy day with a hot cup of tea and nothing better to do.

Enlightenment for Idiots by Anne Cushman

2011-01-31T08:28:00.001-08:00

Everyone needs a little chic lit from time to time. The main character in this book is believably dumb. You watch her go from one bad decision to the next, all the time hoping she pulls her act together. The book was actually longer than I expected, and in true chic-lit form has a happy ending. It is the perfect “lounging by the pool on a hot afternoon” kind of read.

The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans

2011-01-31T08:19:00.001-08:00

Hot fire fighters, a love triangle, and Montana. I’ve never read a book with quite this mix before, but it worked in it’s own way. Even though some parts seemed a bit far fetched, I couldn’t stop reading. If there was a “made for TV” genre of books, this would fit right in.

The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley

2011-01-31T08:01:00.000-08:00

Just like the first book in this series, Flavia de Luce embarks on an adventure to solve a mystery. Everything about her delights me. I think it has to do with her being a little sneaky while still maintaining her goody-girl image. The mystery in this story unfolds at a good pace, keeping you interested till the end.

I'm Back!

2011-01-31T07:59:00.000-08:00

My goal for today is to catch up on reviews for the books I've read since getting to the island. My appetite for reading hasn't slowed down, but I've spent more energy on my Priceless Adventure blog than this one recently. I'm looking to link up my two blogs and merge the Priceless empire once and for all!

Every Sunday by Peter Pezzelli

2010-10-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

A lot of life changing things have happened since my last post, nearly two months ago. Sadly, I have only finished one book in that whole time. It seems backwards that moving to a Caribbean island would have slowed down my reading pace, but boy has it! Not to worry, my appetite for books is coming back and I have the time to indulge myself.

Review:

I always love books that are original. The main character’s dead father narrates this sweet little story about an Italian family who puts their lives back together after his death. Not exactly chic lit, Every Sunday is more of a rainy day feel good read than anything else. This was the perfect book to help me get over jet lag and heat laziness.

My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

2010-08-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

If you liked The Time Traveler's Wife, read this book. Although more reincarnation than time travel, the story is written with the same transitions between past and present. A little confusing at the get go, the story unfolds in a beautiful way that makes you want more of the past and more the present at the same time. I love how the author switches between first person and third person when changing times. This is a love story between Daniel who has ability to remember past lives and his soul mate who does not. The ending felt a bit unfinished, but I wouldn't want to ruin it for you. Overall, My Name is Memory was an enjoyable read with an original story that left me wishing for more chapters.

The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

2010-06-09T21:29:00.001-07:00

I ordered this book from Scholastic for my classroom. After reading it, I realize that it is more suited for Jr. High or High School students than 4th graders. Although I think that younger students benefit from learning about the Holocaust, I think books more like Number the Stars are more age appropriate for 9 and 10 year olds. being sent to a concentration camp. The story told has a magical element of time travel, that she had a hard time selling to me. However, the purpose and story is there.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

2010-05-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

What a journey. This book was an emotional roller coaster for me. Even though I made the mistake of seeing the movie before reading the book, I enjoyed every minute of reading this wonderful story. Wow.