Book Reviews

I have read quite a few books this year.  I discovered that one can borrow e-books from the library straight to my Kindle which means I have access to a lot more books! And all for free.  I'm also part of a book club so that forces me read at least 1 book a month :)

*I just finished writing this post and I wrote a lot more than expected!  Feel free to read all, none, or pick and choose.  I put star ratings above each book!

5 stars
The Giver series (minus the last book):  I read The Giver in 8th grade and loved it. It's the story of Jonas who lives in the future in a community where there are no choices.  A council decides your job, what you wear, at what age you ride a bike, etc.  Jonas is selected to be the receiver of memories past (the man who gives him the memories is the Giver) and starts to view life differently.  I was delighted when this book was selected for book club and even more so when I learned it's part of a series.  I read the 2nd and 3rd through the library, but the 4th was unavailable. 

4 stars
The second book had a completely new cast of characters, set in a new location, but in the same dystopian future.  The third book is in yet another village, but brings together characters from both the first and second installments. 

While I enjoyed all three, the first is definitely the best!  It was written before the current fad of dystopian future youth novels (see The Selection, The Host, and Divergent) and truly unique.  It will make you think and be grateful for the agency we have today.

5 stars
Wonder: Also a book club book which I thoroughly enjoyed.  It's about a disfigured kid, Auggie, going to public school for the first time.  The book covers his 5th grade school year, the highs and lows.  While it's about a child with a physical disability, I believe anyone can relate to this book.  We all have insecurities and feel like outsiders at some point, especially in our school days.  However, Wonder shows that everyone can find acceptance no matter their circumstances because we are all wonderful in our own unique ways.  While it may bring you to tears at times, it is ultimately uplifting and you'll be glad you read it. 

3 stars
The Fault in Our Stars:  Hazel Grace is a teenager with cancer.  Her mom forces her to go to a cancer support group where she meets August and that's when the adventure begins.  This was an interesting read, but not one of my favorites.  I had a hard time relating to the characters, not just because they were terminally ill (and I'm not), but their personalities didn't quite seem believable.  I know difficult circumstances can bring out the best in people, but Hazel and August just didn't seem like teenagers.  Their vocab was way too advanced and they didn't act like teenagers.  I can't quite put my finger on what I disliked about this book, let alone describe it.  Something was off or missing. But it's apparently a very popular book because a movie is being made. 

4 stars
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: This has been on my 'read' list for a long time and I'm so glad I finally did.  It takes place in Seattle (which I love because I have lived in Seattle and recognize all the names and places) and switches between the past (1940s) and present (1980s).  Henry is a Chinese kid who lives in Chinatown in Seattle.  White people often think he's Japanese and since it's WWII his dad makes him wear a button that says "I am Chinese" and tells his son to stay away from the Japanese folks.  Despite this, Henry befriends Keiko the only other Asian kid at his school, and yes, she's Japanese.  In the present Henry is in his late 50s, his wife has passed away from cancer, and is telling his son for the first time about his experience during WWII and his Japanese friend who was taken away.  I loved the historical aspect of this book- it was fascinating and horrifying.  I did not know the Puyallup fair grounds were used as a temporary internment camp for Japanese Americans during WWII!  So yes, I would recommend the book.

5 stars
The Rent Collector: I didn't know what to expect for this book (also a book club choice).  It takes place in Cambodia where the main character, Sang Ly and her family literally live in a dump.  They survive by her husband rummaging through the heaps of garbage and selling what he can find.  An entire town exists at the dump where everyone is similarly employed.  Even more horrifying?  While the story has been fictionalized, the characters are real.  People actually lived (since the book was written a few years ago the dump closed down) in the Stung Meanchey dump and scavenge garbage for subsistence.  A major part of the book is Sang Ly learning how to read.  She learns quickly and discusses the stories with several of those passages appearing in the book.  Through these stories Sang Ly learns not just how to read, but about life.  She learns to think critically, analyze, and philosophize.  But ultimately, the message of the book is that you can find happiness anywhere.  Even in the dump.  In the most difficult of circumstances you can find love and joy.  At least, that's what I got from the book.  I highly recommend it!

Side note: The author is LDS so it's very clean (in the metaphorical sense).  The cast of characters are based on people the author's son met on his mission to Cambodia.   

4 stars
The Selection:  This was a quick and fun read.  This book is The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor.  Again, it's placed in a post-apocalyptic future.  The United States no longer exists, but the main character, named America, lives in Carolina.  People are now divided into 8 castes.  1 is the highest and wealthiest and 8 is the lowest.  America is a 5- artists and entertainers, so she's a musician.  Anyways- a prince chooses his princess through a Bachelor/Bachelorette like process.  35 girls between 16-18 from any caste are chosen randomly (not really) then go to the castle and basically date the prince.  America does not want to enter because she already loves someone else, but is persuaded to enter and of course is chosen.  It's rather cheesy at times, but I like the main character and it was nice, easy, light read after a denser, thought provoking book.  I'll be reading the next installment (I'm on the wait list for the library).

2 stars
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan:  I wasn't a big fan (pun intended) of this one.  It was interesting to read of ancient China, but ultimately depressing.  I don't mind sad or difficult books as long as they have a positive or at least hopeful ending.  It was well written and kept you turning the page, but so many awful things happened and it didn't get better.  I guess that's probably how women's lives were back in ancient China though! 

2 stars
The Host: Yes, by Stephanie Meyer, author of Twilight, which means I was constantly comparing the two and here's the result.  This was better than Twilight, but still not great.  I seriously hate the love triangles/squares of both these books, they're so ridiculous.  I literally roll my eyes when reading, but at least the main characters were likeable in this one.  I understand why these boys would be interested in Wanda/Melanie.  Wanda is infinitely kind hearted and forgiving despite terrible circumstances and Melanie is strong, independent, and loyal.  Whereas Bella is just annoying.  It's definitely a sci-fi fantasy book- aliens invading the earth and taking over human bodies.  The descriptions of other planets were just silly and completely unbelievable.  She tries to write a serious, complicated love story and then throws in these laughable descriptions of things that ultimately aren't relevant to the story except that the main character has been there.  Ok, I'll stop my rant now.  I will always have an intolerance for Stephanie Meyer since Twilight was compared to Harry Potter (they're incomparable!).  So why do I read her books?  I really don't know.  Moving on...

2.5 stars
Divergent: This is a very popular youth book and a movie is in the works.  It was ok.  Again, it's a post-apocalyptic, dystopian future and the main character, Tris (Beatrice), is going to change the world.  I didn't find the characters to be that likeable.  I also hated the violence.  Ok, yes there's lots of violence in the Hunger Games books (which I love) but it's out of necessity- life and death situations.  That's not the case in Divergent.  People brutalize others for their own gain or out of enjoyment.  There are 5 factions and at age 16 (I think) Tris leaves her peaceful, selfless one called Abnegation to join Dauntless.  Once there she learns to fight, wears new more revealing clothing (it's a big deal), and gets tattoos.  Not only does she learn to fight, but she likes it.  Tris is matched against different initiates to fight with, but she occasionally takes it too far because she's enjoying beating someone up.  I find the premise of the factions implausible and the book was predictable.  I knew what was going to happen, just not the specifics.  So will I be reading the sequels?  Yes.  I'll watch the movie too.  It's just how I roll. 

3.5 stars
Cleopatra's Daughter and Nefertiti:  I'm reviewing these two together as they're by the same author and I have similar things to say about them.  Both books are historical fiction, a genre I enjoy!  I was intrigued by the perspective Moran gave on famous ancient historical figures.  Often Caesar Augusts and Nefertiti are revered/glamorized but the reality is we don't know much about them personally (especially Nefertiti).  Moran paints them both in bad light. 

After defeating Marc Antony and Cleopatra, Octavian takes their surviving children back to Rome with him.  Selene (Cleopatra's daughter) and her twin brother Alexander spend several years living with Octavia, their father's ex-wife before Alexander is murdered and Selene is married off.  The book shows the brutality of ancient Rome and it's leaders. 

Nefertiti follows the story of Nefertiti, who marries the future pharaoh Amunhotep (later Akenaten) through the eyes of her sister, Mutnodjmet (no idea how to say that correctly).  Nefertiti is painted as a shallow, needy, power hungry individual.  It was definitely a different take on the Amarna period of Egypt than what I learned in school.  And very interesting. 

Each novel felt a bit long/boring in places, but overall enjoyable.  And just FYI- although these books are both about ancient Egyptians they take place thousands of years apart!


So what did I learn from all this?  I'm glad I don't live in the dystopian future or in the brutal past or in a 3rd world county and I'm happy to have my health.  My life seems pretty awesome compared to what these characters went through!  I'm glad I can read about the (fictional) struggles of others and learn from their hardships along with them rather than going through them all myself.