The Hunger Games

By: Suzzane Collins 5/5

The distopia future of the United States, after an uprising against the government control, cities where closed off and forced under a strict regime. There were 13 separate “Districts” though the 13th was over taken by the government as a show to the other 12 to instill fear in the people.  This is the story of a world where youth between the ages of 10 – 18 in each of those 12 districts get chosen to fight to the death in the Capitol city as a show that is broadcast nationally.

Thus is the story of Katniss, the girl who is running her family of her mother and her younger and fragile sister. Katniss is a hunter, more specifically a bow and arrow hunter that she learned from her dad. Katniss chooses to go, which is a rarity on its own, instead of her young and fragile sister. From her district the boy that is chosen is Peeta a boy that Katniss knew from her class.

They go to the State of Panem and are given an entourage that makes them ready for opening ceremonies, and they are a hit. They are paired together, given interviews and given coaching by the District 11 town drunk.  They are entered into the staging area of the games that is controlled by a board, and it is every man for himself… or is it?

Surviving is the name of the game, and it is truly based on what human race can do to live.  There are bonds that are made that are meant to be broken… and what can Katniss do… killing a human is much different than killing an animal? Or is it?

These games push people to their brink, those that have been training their whole lives from Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4 as Careers to those that had no other choice… like Rue. There are friendships that get formed and lies, and struggle.

This books makes us question what we are capable of doing when your life is on the line… it makes us question how much power can the government have, and will this be the end of society that we know. The society that is so based on multi media they can not function. The society of different levels…. Follow Katniss in her struggle for survival and what she does in The Hunger Games.

Three to Get Deadly

By: Janet Evanovich 4.5/5

This time Stephanie is out to get the local “Uncle Mo” who owns a candy shop. Turns out it is not so easy as she almost gets kill while breaking and entering in said candy shop.  As it turns out, much like her life, she gets involved in another serious case!

Grandma Mazur is there to help, and Stephanie decides she needs a make over.  Stephanie is establishing herself and her name as a bounty hunter especially after catching Kenny Mancuso and Joe Morelli. This time she has more friends and has new tactics under her belt, but no loaded gun.

Two for the Dough

By: Janet Evanovich 4.5/5

Stephanie is off on another adventure, this time to capture Kenny Mancuso who skipped bail after shooting his co-worker in the leg. In the meantime more people show up dead and missing. Stephanie gets herself mixed up again in a larger case that the Police Department and the Feds had been trying to track down. There is an investigation on stolen weapons from an Army Base that Kenny Mancuso used to be stationed at.

With the help of ex-prostitute Lula, now sidekick to Stephanie, crazy Grandma Mazur who has a fascination for dead people and funeral parlors,  and of course the two leading men in Stephanie’s life Ranger and Morelli, can Stephanie keep herself alive.

One for the Money

By: Janet Evanovich 4.5/5

Set in the smoggy backdrop of New Jersey we meet, Stephanie Plum, a late 20s, early 30s honest, haphazzard, and ecclectic girl with a hamster. We meet Stephanie's crazy family, including Grandma Mazur who is by far the best comedic relief since the nurse in Romeo and Juliet. Stephanie used to be a buyer in women’s lingerie and the job went kaput… so she blackmails herself a job with cousin Vinny. Cousin Vinny owns the Vinny Plum Bonds Company and she is working on the biggest case yet, capturing Joe Morelli the cop. Stephanie wants Morelli for multiple reasons, not just the $10,000 bond that he is worth, but he is the guy who took her virginity and was “the one that got away”.

Through many turn of events, and funny accolades we learn how Stephanie Plum does on her first FTA that jumped bail… and she goes on to uncover a larger crime than just a cop that is running away from the law.

The Help

Kathryn Stockette 4.7/5

Well I have to say best character is Cecila! I really did enjoy this book. I didn’t know what it was about, and had I read the back cover I would have been a little more aware. Taking place in 1962, during the “separate but equal” era, it was in a southern voice and from the perspective of the black female. Great perspective on the views of what it must have been like to be a maid in Mississippi during that time.

There are of course many colorful characters, from the doughty Elizabeth Leefolt, to the haughty Hilly Holbrook, to the smart and ingenious Eugena “Skeeter” Phelan, and of course the two main voices Abileen Bates, and Minny!

It is very moving to see the relationships between women and then the relationships between white women and women of color. There were many funny parts, including the pie, the toilet scenes (toilets take on a huge them in this book), and of course the whole Ceclia mess!

I would 100% recommend this book. I bet this would be a great high school reading book.

Oh No We're Going to Die

3.5/5




Typical Alaskan Book, where a true blooded Alaskan, Bob Bell, gives you his stories of the great outdoors of Alaska. No one can doubt how much Bob Bell loves this state, and how much he appreciates nature. He is the rough and tough kind of guy, the Cessna flying, shot gun carrying, quirky and funny guy!


I really enjoyed reading this book, even if the book is written in the story telling way, where you feel like you are reading his mind, verse a book. Once you get past the style of writing, you enjoy the beauty of his stories. From being surrounded by 8 bears in the woods at night with his shot gun in the tent, to doing water skiing off a canoe with a salmon (my favorite)!

It also is a reality of how harsh Alaska can be, no one seams to believe that just beyond the boarders of Anchorage is a vast wilderness that will KILL you. Alaska the almighty state has taken many and is always trying to add more to her list. Bob Bell had many close encounters and he shares those with funny anecdotes and a serious underlining warning of the Alaskan Outdoors.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

By: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows 4/5

On the Story:
Interesting story, unexpected in the nature of the topic (I would have known if I read the back -YES). I give this book the 4 stars because maybe I am tired of the WWII stories. For a while in the late1990s there was a huge move to put out many books and movies with the same topic. I am not dismissing the importance of the topic and the gruesome things that happened.

This book has many interesting characters, and unexpectedly is written in letters back and forth.  Juliet and her alter ego Izzy are the main writers of the story, focusing on her friendship with the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.  The main draw is Juliet's stay on the island to write a book on reading during the Nazi occupation of the British Guernsey Islands. Here she meets fantastic characters: Isola - the looney postion maker, Dawsey- the silent brooding guy, Ameilia - the older motherly figure, Kit, and most importantly Elizabeth.

There are other characters, such as Sydney and Sophie and Mark, and they all play an integral part of the story at large. So why place the story on the island? Yes historical fiction, and learning about an occupation that you don't hear very much of. This I appreciated than stories in Berlin or the French occupation. I also think that the book setting made the war feel differently, and it was a different war for those people - or at least I can assume. There were different interactions between the islanders and Nazis. Can anyone truly imagine the isolation of that island and the unrest of not knowing? Is that any different than any other country and their lack of communication during the war.

 

This book is unlike other books, because maybe it is not as harsh, it certainly has humor in it, including the pig roast and the two drinking buddies story.

So what is the author trying to say?!?!!? Was it easier to write the story in letter form so that you can get a better sense of each individual's belief and background? Maybe.... I feel like I know Juliet better because it is from her own hand that I am reading. I feel like understand Elizabeth's character because  of how everyone viewed her. What if in the truth, Elizabeth was a conniving person that wanted to use everyone and it was her appearance that the islanders really knew. We never know. 

The ending... yes it was like many fictional books and I wished it had more more real.

SPOILER ALERT.

I wish she didn't get with Dawsey and have Kit as her own kid. It would have been more real if she and Mark got married and he whisked her off to America. I feel like life is harsh and it shouldn't not have ended as such a happy fairy tale.