The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner By: James Dashner

This is a book that I have heard about but logged it away as a read it someday but then forgot about it. I saw the movie on Amazon and remembered the book. I always like to read the book before I see the movie, I feel the movie can make more sense that way. :) This book did not disappoint. If you like the Divergent Series or the Hunger Games I think you'll enjoy this book. It kept you curious, confused and wanting to know more right to the last page. I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to moving on to the next book.

The main character Thomas found himself not knowing who he was or anything about his life. All he could remember was his name. He was now in a glade with hundreds of other boys ranging in age and surrounded by a giant maze with menacing creatures called grievers. He starts to make friends and find a place for himself in the glade, but then everything changes.

The Austere Academy

The Austere Academy By Lemony Snicket

I always start reading these with the best of intentions. After awhile I remember that I haven't finished these books and I start to wonder what happens next. So I pick up the next book and usually get through it fairly fast. But almost always without fail around the middle of these books I think "Nothing ever good happens to these poor kids. Why am I reading this?" I have been trying to get through this series for the past 5 to 8 years, and I have to say it has gotten worse since I have became a mother. Not the story, the story is very well written. I just know that nothing good has ever or will ever happen to these kids and it just baffles me that I keep reading. Has anyone else had this experience with these books?

Bye 2015. Hello 2016

So I was really close to completing my goal of 20 books in 2015. At the end of the year though I did feel a little burned out. So this year I am going to lower my goal for a couple reasons, I want read this year for the enjoyment of reading and not to try and read a lot; ( I hope that makes sense) I am going to try and get back to school this year too. So I see more textbook reading in my future than anything else. So my reading goal for 2016 is going to be 10 books. Also I found this fun reading challenge on facebook:

I think it would be fun to follow this as a guideline for this next years reading challenge. So I wish everyone a happy, healthy 2016.

Happy Reading! :D

I Have Lived a Thousand Years: Growing Up in the Holocaust

I have lived a thousand years growing up in the holocaust: By Livia Bitton-Jackson

As a young 11 year old girl; Livia was only dreaming about her schooling and how she longed to go to Budapest to study. WW2 was raging all over the world, but Livia only knew her small village, her family and her schooling. But rumors started to circulate and things started to change. Their village was sent to the ghetto and then 13 year old Livia was introduced to Auschwitz. Being separated from her father back in the ghetto, once again her and her mother were separated from family. Livia watched  as her brother was sent with other men to an opposite side as she followed her aunt and mother with hundreds of other women, as they we sorted and re-sorted into the concentration camp.

I don't know why; but I love learning about the holocaust and especially reading the survivors stories. Each new stories gives a behind the scenes account of what these people suffered through during this horrific time in our history. I am inspired by their courage, strength and above all their faith. Like any of these survival stories I always feel changed after I read their experiences and a sense of reverence always washes over me. I never feel like I do these books justice in my reviews. But then again, its hard to convey the experiences I  have while I read these historic accounts and its even harder to explain the impact it leaves on my heart and soul. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning the stories of these wonderfully strong people., who are the survivors of the Holocaust.

Meet Felicity

Meet Felicity By: Valerie Tripp

Ok so I know what your thinking. I have been reading all these historical non-fiction and pretty intense style books, why would I read this kids book?
These books were some of my favorite growing up. I couldn't get enough and then I found out there was dolls (which my parents would :( never buy) with accessories. Yup I was one of those little girls who LOVED the American Girl books. I couldn't get enough of the books. I have the set that looks like this...

Last night I decided to try and get my daughter interested in these books. It didn't work; I think I have to wait till she's a little older. But starting to read this book brought back a rush of memories and before I knew it I had read the whole book. :) It was a lot of fun and very nostalgic to re-read.

The Goose Girl

The Goose Girl By: Shannon Hale

This is a book that was suggested to me by a few people. I felt like I have been reading a lot of books with heavy topics lately and wanted something a little lighter. Something where I could just get sucked into the story and not have to think to much, just enjoy. This book definitely delivered! 
Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree was born with her eyes closed. It was 3 days before she opened them with the help of her Aunt. She spent most of her childhood with her aunt learning about and ancient language that most people didn't believe in. People Speech, Animal Speech and the very VERY rare Nature Speech.
Ani's juvenile years were spent learning how to become the queen of Kildenree until the sudden unexpected death of her father the king. The queen (Ani's mother) then announced to the kingdom that her brother would be taking the crown instead of her, she was to be married to the prince of their neighboring kingdom to secure peace between the two kingdoms. Crushed Ani packed her things to make the 4 month journey to her new home, but on the way was betrayed and left to fend for herself in a foreign land.

There is so much more I want to say about this book. Shannon Hale does a fantastic job taking the old Grimm brothers fairy-tale and breathing new life and detail into it. Giving the characters a deeper personality base and helping her reader to relate and connect with the characters on a more personal level. I am so happy that I read this book. I really enjoyed it and could see myself coming back to this story and group of characters.

Night

Night By: Elie Wiesel

I thought I had read this book when I was younger, but after watching a documentary with Elie Wiesel I realized that I didn't recognize some of the stories. So I decided to read it and see if any of it came back to me. I realized that a story like his I definitely would have remembered.  I don't know why but I love to learn about the holocaust and especially reading the stories from the survivors. Elie Wiesel gives a narrative after the story, he talks about the original story and a few of the things that were taken out of the English translation because they publisher thought it was to personal. It kinda made me wonder, out of his whole story that he is telling why they decided to take just a few simple passages out when he is clearly telling his own very personal story and account of what happened to him. The version I read also included his acceptance speech of the Nobel peace prize, where he stated that as he was accepting this prize he could feel the presence of the people who didn't survive the camps. He said that he could especially feel the presence of his father, mother and little sister. He talked about how he wanted to continue to tell his story so that the memory of what happened doesn't become like myth and that people wont forget what happened to the Jewish people.
I really loved reading this story and learning about what happened to Elie. For anyone interested in the holocaust and the stories of the survivors this is a MUST read.