The Second Summer of the Sisterhood

I guess I didn't realize just how interested I was in the lives of the four main characters in this series when I read the first book but when I saw the second one sitting on the shelf at the library I couldn't help but pick it up. Even though there is a part that is a little to descriptive for my taste and made me blush and need to put the book down a few times before continuing. I really did enjoy this book and it was fun to see what happened to these four girls in this next book...it felt like revisiting old friends and seeing the new changes and growth that they have made. I would wait still wait before suggesting this book to any of my younger nieces. But overall a very enjoyable read.

Johnny Tremain

Johnny Tremain By Esther Forbes:
One of my favorite subjects is history. I love learning about history and the early days of our country including the Civil War is one of the many topics that fascinate me. So I can see why I was drawn to this book. Johnny Tremain is a name I have heard of but never really knew the story of. So I really enjoyed this book but I didn't much care for the ending...I could see leaving the ending where it was if there was a sequel to this book but I did some research and couldn't find a sequel. I think she really could have carried this book a lot farther. But maybe the reason why she didn't is because she couldn't find anymore information about what happened to Johnny Tremain and maybe this book had some sort of Epilogue that I missed explaining that. All in all a great read but the ending does leave you a bit high and dry.

The Undaunted

The Undaunted By: Gerald N. Lund


This book was amazing, I usually don't read books like this but WOW. A good part of my life I lived down in Southern Utah in a small town called Monticello. I also lived in Moab for a time and I have always known that those towns down in that area were settled by the Mormon pioneers but I never gave much thought about it. I have even seen the Hole-in-the-rock when I was boating on Lake Powell. But i have never really thought about how hard it was for them to cross from Escalante to Bluff. this book helped me to understand better the struggles, sorrow, faith and triumph of the Mormon pioneers as they try and make this journey. A lot of the families mentioned in this book were actual families who made this trek. Including one family who joined the LDS Church in Palmyra New York and came after a lot of persecution and being kicked out of their homes numerous times made it to Utah and established Salt Lake City. The thing that shocked me most was that at most of the places mentioned I have seen and been there myself not even realizing the events that happened here. This book has given me a deep respect for these pioneers and what they went through to establish homes and to help make Utah what it is today. If you would like to learn more about these pioneers there is a website at
http://www.undaunted-thenovel.com/ or if you would like to learn more about the Mormon pioneers or the LDS church please visit http://www.lds.org/ or http://www.mormon.org/

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants- By Ann Brashares:


I have heard a lot of things about this book and about the movie too, So I thought I'd give it a try. I loved all the different stories of the 4 best friends that make up the sisterhood. It was really easy to get lost in this book and to feel the same things that each of the characters feel as they struggle through a summer away from each other and go through some life changing and growth experiences. One thing that I didn't like about the book...One thing I feel is a growing problem in this country is the increase of underage drinking as well as how casually the younger generations today see and use profanity and sex and the 4 girls in this book didn't seem the exception. Although I do have to say that sexuality wasn't as big in this book but there was quite a bit of drinking and a lot of profanity that I feel wouldn't be a good example on some more impressionable young readers.

Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451, By Ray Bradbury:

"There must be something in books, things we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don't stay for nothing." - Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, Part 1

This book was required reading in my English class in High School, back then I didn't much care for the book...but I think it was because I was reading from a literal view. When I read books in High School I read for the story, so if a book had a double meaning I usually didn't pick up on it...occasionally I would but generally I just thought it was a good story or bad one. Well 10 years later I have noticed a huge change in the way i read books now, I search for more than just the story. So after more than 10 years I decided to pick up this book again (even though in high school I swore I'd never read it again.) I cant believe the message that this book has in it and even more than that but how much I can see our world now in this book. The cockiness and arrogance of people to think they don't need to think they just need to be and if they just need to be then why do something like read. Also the greediness for power in the government in this book. While I was googling the image of this book I found something interesting that explains this book really well...

Now I am NOT saying that this is what this country is like today. I just found this interesting from the books point of view. In the story Guy Montag, the fireman who burns book for a living to gain a curiosity for what he burns and then become a fugitive. He meets a group of men scholars, old college teachers, even an old reverend who are on the constant run. They have a small portable TV where they show Montag that even those the cops, news helicopter and even a robotic dog lost his trail when he jumped in the river they couldn't leave their viewers thinking there was a criminal still roaming free. So they pick some innocent guy who was walking down the street to be their new "montag" their new fugitive to capture for the sake of face. The second time I have read this book it really hit me and I could understand why so many others liked this story so much.

"I just want someone to hear what I have to say. And maybe if I talk long enough, it'll make sense."- Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, Part 2

The Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux, By: Kate DiCamillo:
Believe it or not I had never heard of this book till the movie came out back in 2008, then I heard that it was a book and thought of how fun it would be to read it. Well I finally got the chance and I loved it. This is such a cute story about this brave little mouse named Despereaux and the love that he has for a human princess named Pea. It also tells the story about an unfortunate girl named Miggery Sow and a rat named Roscuro. At first the book keeps each story separate till they all come together very nicely. A great book about bravery,love, forgiveness and keeping your dreams alive.

Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights, By: Emily Bronte:
This is one of those books that I have heard a lot about and it's a classic. This is one of those stories that most readers know about...except me. This I confess is my first time reading wuthering heights. It took me awhile to figure out my feelings about this read and I think I've come to a conclusion. Wuthering heights was a depressing, sad and frustrating story but I think I liked it. I don't think it's going to be one of those stories that I'll want to read once a year. But I did enjoy it, I couldn't believe that a story like that could actually end well, so I was quite pleased it did. I couldn't believe how it seemed like everything around heathcliff was so dark and dreary and basically anyone who somehow had a connection with heathcliff had their life ruined. Most of the things that happened could have been prevented...if the people would have just listened to Mrs. Dean.