It feels like forever since I lasted reviewed any books -- heck, it's been a long time since I've taken any time to read at all. I've been listening to a lot of audio books, but I've read all of them before, so nothing new there. I will say that Jim Dale does _an excellent job_ with the Harry Potter books. They're so much fun and I always walk away with a huge smile. I highly recommend them! Other than that, I've been listening to the Outlander books (a HUGE endeavor), the Janet Evanovich books, and I have the Twilight books in the queue. So yeah, I guess I'm getting my fix. That said, I have squeezed in a couple of books here and there.
GIRL AT SEA by Maureen Johnson
Young Adult
This book...well, to put it bluntly: I LOVED IT. It's an adventure story, having to do with the search for a bit of lost treasure. Clio, who is somewhat estranged from her father, is forced to spend her summer on a sailing expedition with him and his motley crew of assistants. It's got it all: Action, adventure, romance, and a totally witty voice that had me cracking up. I don't know how Johnson does it, but she really captures what it's like to be a teenager. Two big thumbs up on this one. It's light, fun, and really just a lovely read.
Buy or Rent? Buy.
LIVING DEAD GIRL by Elizabeth Scott
Young Adult
This book is powerful. Did I love it? Well, I liked it, was moved by it, but I wasn't IN love with it. It's the story of "Alice" who was kidnapped by Ray when she was ten. Guess I don't need to spell out what he does to her--the book does a good job of that for me. I bought this book because of my ideas concerning STOLEN. Figured I would see what's out there, and really just wanted to get a feel for what was being done/could be done within an abuse story.
I think this book had so much potential, but there was something that just didn't click for me. I've thought long and hard about it and I've finally decided it's because the entire book lacked one essential thing I wanted...Hope. I don't need a HEA, but I wanted at least one moment of hopt, to believe that things might be okay, and frankly, it wasn't there. Granted, it's a tough subject matter, and perhaps it's a naive outlook. But yeah, that's what bothered me about it overall.
That said, it's very powerful, disturbing, and definitely something well worth reading.
Buy or Rent? At the very least, you should rent it.
A CHILD CALLED IT by Dave Pelzer
Autobiography
Further research, here. This book has been around for quite some time, but I honestly had never heard of it. I was talking to a friend at work about LIVING DEAD GIRL and my ideas regarding STOLEN, and she recommended it.
It's truly horrifying, the things done to this young boy. I almost became numb to it, and it honestly scares me to think there are people out there who would do these things to his/her child. Egads, it's sick. And it's definitely not a light read that will leave you with a satisfied feeling afterward. But, I honestly think it's an important book to read. It's a good reminder to us all -- we need to trust our instincts. If we think a child is being abused, we all have a responsibility to speak out. If not, something like this can/will happen.
Buy or Rent? Buy.
I also read this random "my house was haunted" book that I wasn't all that happy with. It was poorly written, and so fantastic that I can't believe I paid good money for it. LOL. I've also started and stopped reading two different YA authors. One was new to me...and well, there was just something about the cadence of her writing that kept putting me off. Plus, the story just wasn't gripping me. I tried for about three weeks, but well, if I can't get into a book after the first 30-50 pages, I know I should just give up. The second was the second book by an author I tried out a while ago. I didn't particularly love her first book, but well, she's gotten HUGE reviews/sales for her books and I thought maybe it was just me. Well, apparently it is. LOL. I can't get into it, and I'm really glad I rented this second one. Seriously, I need a guidebook to understand her world building. This one I'm leaving to the heavens... Cuz. I. Just. Don't. Get. It. Guess I'm gonna have to live with that.
I've got some exciting picks in my TBR pile, but well, time is limited right now. The next set of reviews might be a while. (g) Happy reading to all of you!
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