February, 2015

"Down from the Mountain" by Elizabeth Fixmer        

Eva, a member of the Righteous Path cult begins selling jewelry in the local town.  As life on the compound grows harder, Eva begins to realize that the heathens aren't the evil monsters they have been made out to be.  When she is called to become the prophet's wife, she must decide if she will continue following the cult or escape.         

This was a fascinating book.  I would love to read a sequel.  Eva felt very realistic.  She was a very dynamic character.  I look forward to reading more from this author.

"Real Justice:  Jailed for Life for Being Black" by Bill Swan         

Professional boxer Rubin Carter was jailed for a triple murder.  Despite the evidence proving his innocence, he spent nearly twenty years in jail fighting for his freedom.  This is a quick read, designed to be a teaching tool for young adults.  I have mixed feelings about the effectiveness of the book for a diverse audience.   

"Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Soldier in Hitler's Army" by Georg Rauch         

Astounded to be drafted into the Nazi army, Georg makes no secret of his Jewish heritage.  His book outlines his time at the Eastern front, as he struggled to survive amidst the cold and hunger.  Using his intelligence and cunning, he is able to survive a Soviet labor camp and return home to his family.         

I haven't read any other WWII books from this perspective.  It was fascinating to read about his ironic stint in the German army.  Georg was a very clever individual and I found myself rooting for his survival.  Overall, well worth reading.

"A School for Unusual Girls" by Kathleen Baldwin         

After accidentally burning down her father's stables, Georgiana is sent to the Stranje House, a place parents send the worst behaved kids to be reformed.   However, Stranje House isn't entirely what it seems to be.  When Georgie is sent to work perfecting her invisible ink, she suddenly realizes that this is exactly where she wants to be.     

Although this was a quick read, it seemed to take Georgie forever to figure out what was going on.  Although she seemed to have some book smarts, the girl totally lacked common sense.  Overall, a good book for pre-teens, but not for me.

"The Secret of the Sevens" by Lynn Lindquist         

Talon attends Singer, a boarding school for underprivileged kids.  The Society of Seven, is a legendary secret society who allegedly murdered the schools founder before dying in a fire.  When Talon is chosen to enter the Society, he finds himself working on a number of tasks and clues with Delaney, a bookish girl.         

I really disliked Talon.  The only thing that kept me reading was Delaney, she was a far more interesting and dynamic character.  Talon seemed very stereotypical and one-dimensional.  Despite these criticisms, the book moved forward at a fast paced, drawing me into the story and mystery.  Not a bad book, but not one I would reread.

"Seeker" by Arwen Elys Dayton         

After a lifetime of training, Quin takes her oath, officially becoming a Seeker.  Seeker's are able to travel through time and space.  Once the Seeker's were a noble and honorable group, but Quin's father, the leader, uses his tools to murder and destroy for profit.        

I really disliked this book.  I thought Quinn was such a weak character.  John, a strong character was continually making poor decisions.  The only character that was even remotely interesting was Maud.  Overall, a bust.

"Tulku" by Peter Dickinson         

When Theodore's father's mission settlement is burnt to the ground, Theodore is the sole survivor.  When he is sneaking back into the blackened ruins, he encounters, Mrs. Jones, a botanist traveling across China.         

There was something that seemed completely childish about the writing style.  The characters were very stereotypical and really just caricatures of people.  Overall, a bust.

"The Thunder of Giants" by Joel Fishbane         

This book alternates between the life of Anna Swan, a giantess who worked with P. T. Barnum, and Andorra Kelsey, a giantess in 1937 who is recruited to play Anna Swan in a movie.  The author really ran the stories together, which wasn't don't very well or cohesively.  This was a source of frustration and irritation throughout the book.  However, I did find the ladies stories interesting, especially the circus aspect of their lives.  Overall, not a bad read.

"Rebel Queen" by Michelle Moran         

Sita works very hard to become one of Queen Lakshmi's elite female guards. Once she passes the strict testing process, she finds herself living in the palace.  A far cry from her village life.  She quickly realizes that not all of the guards are on her side, as she maneuvers through the politics of the palace.  When the British Empire decides to take over Jhansi, Sita is sent to England to speak with the Queen.  Ultimately, her efforts are futile and she returns to India.  When Queen Lakshmi is forced to war, she takes a few of her elite guard and raise an army.         

This was a well written and engaging book.  The characters and setting were fascinating.  I look forward to reading more books from this author.  Overall, highly recommended.

"Escape in Time" by Ronit Lowenstein-Malz         

Nessya is astonished to learn that her grandmother, Miri, lived through the holocaust.  When she begins snooping around, her Grandmother decides to finally tell her story.  Overall, I thought this book was a little juvenile for my tastes but would be a good learning tool for pre-teens.  

"We are Watching" by M. Stephen Stewart"         

Henry, the son of a famous astronaut who went missing, is a trainee technician.  When he repairs the neural link of a woman, he finds himself pulled into a mystery.  Although I thought this was an interesting concept, I grew a bit bored.  The characters were a bit stereotypical.  Henry, the rage-filled teenager, was very unlikable.  To top it all off, everything seemed too easy for the characters.  They would get themselves into jams, but easily extract themselves.  Overall, a bust.

"Buying Samir" by Kimberly Rae         

Jasmina, rescued from the India slavery scene by Christian missionaries, has left the safety of the mission to search for her brother Samir.  The last she saw, he was working in a quarry.  When she finds him, she is astonished to learn that he has worked himself up the ladder and is one of the top men in the slavery trade.  This was a touching and heartfelt book.  I really felt for Jasmina, as she tried to reunite with her family.  Overall, well worth reading.