Front and Center

Front and Center by Catherine Murdock, the final installment in the Dairy Queen series (or so the author says, though I'm convinced she may right another one). This one isn't my favorite in the series, but definitely an enjoyable read.

In this installment, D.J. has the daunting task ahead of her of apply for colleges, which petrifies her. Not only does she NOT want to be seen as a "big deal" in sports, but she sure as heck doesn't want to advertise her talent to college scouts and coaches. This book focuses on D.J.'s battle to break free from her awkwardly shy shell as well as how she learns to live after a breakup (and possibly gain a new boyfriend on the side).

This wasn't my favorite book of the series, but I did enjoy reading it, and watching D.J. grow up and learn how to get rid of her fear of greatness. For what it is, this was definitely a good wrap-up to the series, though I would love for Murdock to write another book, just to keep the fun going!

Falling Angels

So by now you should have read my blog post spotlighting Tracy Chevalier, and why she's amazing. Obviously, this is going to be a positive review. So I'm jumping right into things.

This book is set during the end of the Victorian era, at the cusp of the new century, and opens up with the death of Queen Victoria. Kitty Coleman is a Victorian housewife who has nothing to fill her days, and obviously feels like her life lacks purpose. As Kitty, her husband, and their daughter Maude attend a memorial service at their local graveyard for the Queen, the Coleman's run into their graveyard next door neighbors, the Waterhouse's. Their daughter Lavinia is Maude's age, who through the story's development, becomes Maude's best friend. Though this book is told through the viewpoints of (roughly) 10 or so character's points of view, the main focus of the book is of the growing up of both girls. We see them caught up in the melodrama of being a girl on the throes of becoming a young woman in Victorian society, deal with loss and sorrow in a hypocritical age, reliving Suffragette marches, riding the waves of scandal, and understanding what it means to be a friend. The book is full of double standards, hypocrisy, melodrama, real drama and nostalgia, and should be read immediately. The genius of writing the story from several character's viewpoints only shows how capable Chevalier is at mastering the art of storytelling.

Not only is the story original and beautiful, but the writing itself is passionate and full of intrigue and romance that can only be found in one of Chevalier's books. I definitely recommend this book and advise you to read it tonight, cuddled up in piles of blankets. Chevalier's books have always left me wanting more, and this one was nothing different; after you finish this book, I'm sure you'll want to go and pick up a couple more of her books. My advice: give into the urge!

The Great Train Robbery

The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton- This was my first Michael Crichton novel, and I must say that I got sucked in pretty quickly. I had to read this for my Victorian lit class- and I know you're thinking, "Chelsey, how could this be for your Victorian lit class when it is CLEARLY written by a well-known contemporary author of pure fiction?" And my answer for you my friends is this: Crichton wrote this historical fiction novel about the Great Train Robbery of 1855 in England. So yes, it does seem odd that I read a Crichton novel for my Vic. lit class, but it also makes sense, no?

I won't go too much into the plot because there are so many subplots and main plot threads that go on that it's hard to explain it in one simple paragraph. But I will say that this is about one of the biggest and greatest robberies of all time- no one thought that it could be done (and as you get farther into the novel you can't believe that it's possible also). Crichton does an excellent job of immersing readers into the Victorian world and mindset- every other chapter is a further description into how the Victorian society is run and what each fact of history means to the story.

I gotta tell you- I was against reading a Crichton novel that was supposedly Victorian when all I've ever thought of Crichton has been contemporary, but he really pulls it off. Definitely read this if you're looking for a glimpse into the past, wanting a good mystery or an adventure novel, or are just looking to be surprised ( in a good way) in the overall subject matter and content. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!

The Revolution of Sabine

The Revolution of Sabine by Beth Ain was stunning. Not only is the cover beautiful, but the writing is beautiful and engaging as well. Though this book is shorter and smaller, the content within packs a powerful punch.

Sabine Durand is the daughter of one of the upper aristocratic families in Paris (though her mother tries just a little too hard to be "cool"). Sabine is 16 and so fittingly, only ever thinks of wearing pretty dresses and attending parties, hoping that her mother will eventually stop making a fool of herself. When her mother throws a party for the upper class of Paris welcoming Benjamin Franklin to their shining city, Sabine begins to realize that there may be more to life than pretty ball gowns, being born into money, and marrying the man her parents have set for her.

After radical thoughts begin to stir in Sabine's mind, she winds up following Michael, her long lost childhood friend, to a salon where she meets Franklin. With their heated discussion of politics, Sabine learns to think for herself and contemplates getting out of her predetermined status quo. But what will her parents say when they find out that she has rekindled her "dangerous" relationship with the rakish Michael? And what will happen to Sabine's fiance, once he's realized that Sabine does not intend to be a doting wife? (Well, if you read the book, you'll find out!)

A fun historical fiction read that left me wanting more. This is definitely a little gem of a book.

The Luxe

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen: it's good- trust me. Just read it. Though the plot is somewhat predictable and none of the characters seem to be all that likeable, I LOVE this book. I can't wait to read the second one because it's just that good. Godbersen did a FANTASTIC job writing this story and for her first try, she was highly successful.

The Luxe has been called the Gossip Girl series of it's time: it deals with New York Manhattan socialites during the 1899 turn of the century, equipped with all the drama and husband-grabbing as any novel faced with competitive high-society "friends". The book opens with the death of Elizabeth Holland, the brightest society girl of the bunch, and proceeds to go back in time to tell of how Elizabeth came to be dead. We quickly find out that Elizabeth is the perfect product of her society (except for the trysts that she has with the stableboy), that her best friend Penelope Hayes may have had her hand in Elizabeth's death, and that Henry Schoonmaker, Elizabeth's betrothed, may have been having an affair with Elizabeth's sister Diana. Obviously this book is not lacking in plot. This is definitely a fun "romp" through Manhattan's society that I'm sure is still thriving and just as interesting now as it was over 100 years ago.

Though the story took me a couple pages to get into due to the overload of names and people, I quickly found myself being sucked into the story. The funny thing about the book is that even though the different storylines are engaging and you want to keep reading through all forms of distraction, all the characters are unlikable. What I mean is that they ARE likable, but there's still a level of disgust and apathy that you end up feeling for each character- it's weird really and hard to explain. To get what I'm talking about you just have to read it. Although I feel somewhat apathetic towards the characters, The Luxe is one of the better books that I've read recently, and find myself thinking about often. I have the sequel, Rumors checked out, and I can't wait to finish what I'm reading and read it. I hope it's as good as the first.

A Kiss in Time

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn was one of the best books I've read this year- I may have read other things that were good or okay, but this book was amazing. You know the book is good when you find that you've turned so many pages that you haven't even realized it because you're so caught up in the story. This is the second book I've read by Flinn (the first being Beastly), and I have to say that she does three great things with her writing: she executes the male voice to a "t", she creates a realistic modern day fairytale story, and her writing is so modern and such a great example of the teen voice that it doesn't seem like you're reading but that you're talking to someone.

This novel is told through two different character's narration: Jack, the typical teenager who was sent (against his will) on a tour around Europe with his best friend Travis, and Talia, the (spoiled) Sleeping Beauty-esque princess who ends up pricking her finger on a spindle, sending her entire kingdom into a deep sleep for about 200+ years. Jack and Travis end up stumbling upon Talia's kingdom, and her, when they break away from their boring tour guide to look for a beach, which has the potential to have nude girls. Jack doesn't know why he suddenly has the urge to kiss the beautiful sleeping princess, but once he does he regrets it: Talia is annoying, ungrateful, and used to being pampered. But once Talia comes to and realizes that nothing awaits her in a kingdom that no one realizes exists, she decides to hitch herself to Jack, in the hopes that she can convince him that he is meant for her and is her true love.

I absolutely LOVE this book- it's funny, clever, and was a great spin-off of Sleeping Beauty. I definitely recommend this book- in fact, I'm planning on buying it soon.

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell was one of the best books I've read in a long time. I never really thought to pick this book up, simply because I'm somewhat out of my children's lit phase and am currently in a YA lit phase (and am now moving onto adult lit- I'm growing up, sad!), but I was told it was good, and so thought, "What the hey?" Definitely one of the better decisions I've made in a while.

So this tells the story of Emmy, a very good and somewhat boring girl who likes to sit by the class' pet rat because he isn't good at all. One thing is out of the ordinary though: Emmy can talk to the rat. What seems like just another story about a good little girls turns into a crazy adventure into the rat's (aka Ratty's) life. I really can't tell too much of the plot because it will give away basically the whole plot, but I can tell you that Emmy has an evil nanny Miss Barmy who is horrible and tries at every turn to keep Emmy aloof from potential friends, and remaining as a good girl. But why? This is the question that lingers as you continue reading, and is crucial to the plot. I loved this fun little romp through the eyes of Emmy and her rat. I loved this so much that I'm planning on reading the sequel, Emmy and the home for Troubled Girls. This is definitely worth buying and reading- I hope you enjoy it!

Dragon Slippers

So I just finished reading Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George. Wow! What a great read! I've been meaning to read it for a while now, but never seemed to take the chance to sit down and read it. (I'm sure that attending the Provo Children's Book Festival helped me finally kick the bucket and start it because I met Jessica Day George and remembered how great of a writer and storyteller she is). I was slightly skeptical of the story just because there are so many kids of books out there that have to deal with dragons (and I've read a lot of them) and just reading the inside flap kind of turned me off. Yet I pushed through my prejudices and discovered a little jewel of a book.

Creel is an orphan that lives with her aunt and uncle in a poor farming town. To cut the costs of all the children her family has to take care of, her aunt decides to give Creel to the local dragon in hopes that she can then have the wealthy lord's son rescue and then marry Creel. Plans don't go exactly as her aunt had mapped out for Creel, and the next thing you know Creel has made a friend in the local dragon and has decided to make her way in life by becoming an apprentice in The King's Seat (the country's capital). Unlike other dragon stories, George has created dragons that have hoards of unique objects, and not of gold- some dragons hoard stained glass windows, tapestries, shoes, and even dogs. Before Creel leaves the dragon she's just encountered, she ends up with a pair of odd blue sippers from his personal hoard. Through a series of events Creel learns just how magical these slippers are and what she can do to use their power to save their country.

This was a really fast read, and an enjoyable one to boot. I've loved all of George's books so far, and Dragon Slippers didn't disappoint. To tell you the truth, as Mormon children's authors go, I like her a lot better than Shannon Hale; I'd take Dragon Slippers (and most definitely Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow) over The Goose Girl any day. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, and the "trequel"as well. (Alright, so I made up a word. What I really mean is that I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel to the second book, or the third in the series thus far).

The Boston Jane Series

The Boston Jane Trilogy:
An Adventure
Wilderness Days
The Claim



I love these books. I can't tell you how much I love them, but I do. A lot. And the funny thing about them is that I never planned on reading them until a fellow staff member (thanks Sheila!) recommended them to me. This has to be one of my all-time favorite series simply because it's filled with romance and history and a main character that's full of sass and adventure.

The storyline for all three books is that Jane (who is actually from Philadelphia and not Boston) leaves her father and Philadelphia in the hopes of marrying a man that she has had a crush on since he apprenticed with her father, a doctor. He leaves her to become a doctor in Washington (state), and Jane, being the "dutiful" girl that she is, believes that she should follow him to become his wife. What ensues is a fun adventure for Jane of a ridiculously long ship ride to the other side of the country (we're talking going around the base of Southern America!), crazy climate, and a fiance that is nowhere to be seen. I don't want to tell you anything about the other two books because what I write will give away the plot that is set up from the first book, Boston Jane: An Adventure. These books are amazing and too much fun. I definitely stayed up late into the night reading all of them.

Just a note of caution: if you find yourself having a hard time getting through the first book, DO NOT DESPAIR! The first book took me a while to get into, but once you get to the part where Jane is on the ship traveling to Washington, things pick up. Also, the first book was my least favorite- they become better with each new book. Another side note: the second and third books are out of print, so try buying them from a second seller on amazon.com or through a used bookstore.

Paper Towns

Paper Towns by John Green was interesting to say the least. I enjoyed the original format of the story, the witty characters, and the humor that was laced throughout the framework of the book. The main premise of this book is that in one way or another, the entire story revolves around the character Margo Roth Spiegelman. So to get things started, the story is told from the point of view of Quentin Jacobsen, a senior in high school who has been in love with Margo since they were kids, who just so happens to live next door to him. After recounting stories of how odd Margo is, she shows up in the middle of the night outside Quentin's window asking him to join her in a night of revenge filled escapades. What follows is an interesting evening where we get another perspective of Margo that even Quentin didn't know existed.

Once Quentin and Margo both go home after their joyous evening of fun, Quentin can't help but think if Margo will talk to him at school tomorrow, share their inside secrets, or even acknowledge his presence (she is a popular girl after all). Once Quentin gets to school he realizes that Margo isn't there- no biggie, he'll just wait to talk to her later at home. Hopefully she has another night of madness planned. However, four days pass and no one has seen any signs of Margo. The cops are called but her parents aren't worried seeing as this is her 6th or so attempt to run away. They think she'll come home when she wants to, but Quentin isn't so sure- especially when he finds a clue that references the night that they both spent together, which seems to be left specifically for him. What follows next is Quentin's attempt to find Margo, along with his best friends, through the chain of clues that she's left him, hoping that he can bring her back to him when she's seemed to fall off the face of the earth.

I really enjoyed reading the first half of this book, and parts of the second half as well. There were a lot of hilarious parts where I found I had to reign back my laughter because my roommate was asleep in the next bed. The middle of the story, the part where Quentin is trying to connect the clues and find Margo was a little slow, and parts of the story where he's looking for a specific clue could have been edited- it took too long to find Margo through her clues. I know the story is supposed to be somewhat realistic, but Quentin is seriously obsessed with finding her- it would have been nice if Green would have sped up the process to either make it seem like Quentin isn't obsessing over Margo, who seems really odd and wacky, or have him give up at some point.

The ending was not what I expected at all, and looking back, wished that Green could have come up with another ending. Once you find out what happens, it's kind of a letdown. Other than that, the story is enjoyable, and worth reading.

Practical Magic

Practical Magic has entered the realm of books on my favorites list. I just finished reading it a week ago and loved it even more than I would have if I had read it at another time during the year because it's a good summer read. The subject of magic and love and the descriptions of the East Coast surround you and transport you to the Owens' front yard.

To try to sum it up, this book is about the Owens women who have been branded by their little town as witches (which is not entirely untrue)- Gillian and Sally Owens were forced to live with their two Aunts when their parents were killed in a fire that destroyed their home. Though the girls are sisters, they could not be more unlike each other (in all things except for their beauty). Sally is dependable, rational, and cautious while Gillian is hell on wheels, a flirt and lazy. Through each girls' experience we learn about the Owens women and why it seems that trouble is always just around the corner for them. The girls quickly learn that in the Aunts' home, as long as they are kept alone to do their work, they can do whatever they want, which launches Sally into the role of a homemaker and Gillian into her role of spoiled brat (who leaves a wake of exes in her path).

The ideas of magic and love are tossed around throughout the novel, and as the book goes on we read how each sister approaches love: Gillian is stuck in an abusive relationship that she can only get out of with the help of her sister, and once Sally's husband dies, leaving her alone with two daughters (who just so happen to be mini-replicas of herself and Gillian), she bans any form of love that comes her way. If anything, this novel teaches us about love and magic, and what happens when we refuse to recognize either. I loved this book, and I loved it so much that I'm definitely considering reading it every year at about this time.

The Firm

The Firm was my first introduction to John Grisham, and let me tell you- his writing is powerful and his storyline and characters are vivid and capturing. I loved this book, and at times, found myself on the "edge of my seat" with the action. The Firm tells the story of Mitchell Y. McDeere a 20-something fresh out of Harvard Law School who is recruited by the law firm Berdini, Lambert, and Locke out of Memphis to work for their firm. If you've seen the movie, it's pretty much the same only I feel like there's more action (in the literal sense and the metaphorical) in the book. I don't want to give too much information away it you've never seen the movie, but I will say that as Mitch is working 90+ hour weeks, he finds out some secrets about the firm that have the potential to ruin the rest of his life. With the power of knowledge that these secrets give him Mitch is forced to choose to do what is right (in the law's eyes) or maintain the status quo.

If you're looking for a thrilling read, definitely choose this book. However, it was intended for an adult audience and so there are some "adult topics" that may be a little questionable. Other than that The Firm is excellent and a book that sealed Grisham as a bestselling author.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins renewed my fervor in late night/early morning reading. Let me tell you- it's been a long time since I've read anything this good. Prior to reading Hunger Games, I felt as if I was in a reading rut. Almost all of my reading selection for a couple months previous to Hunger Games consisted of material that was "so-so" and felt like nothing special. Then this little book came along and it punched my senses alive. So to kick off this summary, here goes (it may get a little confusing though, but stick with it):

The best way to describe this book is that it's a combination of these key elements: gladiators, reality tv, and Lord of the Flies (with a little love story thrown in). I know this sounds like a recipe for disaster, but Collins did an amazing job of creating a melting pot of a story. So for some back story: Katniss (yes, that is the name of a girl, and try not to let her name send thoughts of "cat piss" into your mind like it did for me) is the main character living in a world of chaos. The story is based in a futuristic version of the US with the country being separated into 12 districts each monitored by the capital (set loosely in the Rocky Mountains) with the first district being the closest to the capital, and then the second next to that, and so on. Each district specializes in a certain occupation with the first district being the most lavish and the twelfth getting the lucky job of mining coal. Katniss is one of the lucky children living within the 12th district, fighting a rough war against starvation for herself and her family.

The world is like this and set up into districts that the government could care less about because decades ago all the people tried to revolt against the capital and stage a coup that backfired and resulted in the Hunger Games that is meant to keep each district in line. Every year the hunger games take place, which consist of a boy and girl ages 12-18 from each district being selected to compete on live tv to fight for their lives. Everyone is required to watch the games, even those whose children are fighting for their lives. The winner of the games is essentially the last person standing, and that individual gets riches and wealth not only given to their family, but showered upon their district for the entire year (which includes food-the most important thing for district 12 since they have little).

Katniss ends up being selected to participate in the games and is whisked to the capital to begin "training" for tv interviews, skill appraisal, and national appearances a week prior to the games starting. Since Katniss has had to poach illegally from the capital's forest for game for her family, she's skilled with a bow and arrow which ends up marking her a higher ranking contender for when the games are to start.

I don't want to give anything else away because it would give away too much, but know that this book sucked me in with its premise and the feelings of hopelessness and the struggle for survival that the contenders have. Collins is an excellent writer and did a great job of setting up an eventful story. Though the content may seem a little "adult" with the idea of fighting to the death, the story is definitely appropriate for younger teen or tween readers. I've recommended this book to anyone I can and I hope you pick it up at your local library or book store (though you may be put on a waiting list for it because it's being endorsed by Stephenie Meyer).

East of the Sun, West of the Moon

This Norwegian fairy tale is one of my favorites and I've read two versions that have been good spins on the classic tale. Edith Pattou's East and Jessica Day George's Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow both tell the same tell, but are different in many ways that you wouldn't think that they were originated from the same tale, except for of course the key elements that claim it as the classic. Both books were entertaining, and I recommend them to everyone. It's refreshing to read a fairytale once in a while that hasn't been slaughtered by Disney (not saying that Disney ruins everything, they just enhance/create new stories). When I read both books I couldn't help but finish them once I had started. Though I pretty much knew how both were going to end (it is a little predictable because it's a fairytale and so you know it's going to have a happy ending) but it's the journey that it took to get to that happy ending.

Just in case you were wondering, the basic gist of the story is that the main character is the youngest of several children, born to a family that is struggling to survive. As she grows up she learns that something greater is awaiting her in her future, which is about the time that a great white polar bear shows up at her front door demanding that she live with him. Realizing that her destiny is awaiting, and with the prodding of her parents to embark (due to the bounteous riches she and her family will gain if she goes) she decides to leave. She ends up in an elaborate castle with anything and everything she's ever wanted, though at night when she lies down to sleep, a man gets into bed with her (not like THAT) and sleeps beside her. She is plagued by the mystery of who the man is because it's too dark to see him each night, and each morning when she wakes he is no longer there.

I don't want to tell anymore of the story because if I do I'll give the second half of the story away, but just know that both books are phenomenal and great reads.

I'm On the Fence About This One

My friend came into work the other day and returned the book Dairy Queen, which I then asked if it was any good. Her response took a couple seconds, and then said (more or less), "Yeah...it was okay. There's nothing too special about it; I didn't really think it was good, but then there were times as I was reading it that I found I couldn't put it down. I mean, I knew that it wasn't that great, but for some reason I couldn't stop reading it. I guess that means it's good." I was intrigued and so instead of reading all the other books that were (and still are) piled on my desk, read this one instead. I found that her recommendation of this book pretty much sums it up. To give you a brief synopsis of what it's about, here goes: a girl who has 2 older brothers who play football, and a younger one who is destined for NFL greatness is set among a dairy farm in Wisconsin. She (D.J.) is forced (for lack of a better word) being the only one in her family who can milk the cows and take care of the farm due to her father's bad hip and her brothers' star careers in sports. As the book goes on D.J. ends up training the star quarter back of the rival high school's football team all summer and learns how to overcome her social awkwardness, inexperience with boys (other than her jock brothers), develops a voice (in the literal sense; she rarely talks), and learns to embrace herself and try out for her high school's football team. The first half of the book was mediocre, but once D.J. made the decision to try out for football, things picked up. My friend's opinion of the book sums up perfectly how I felt once I finished it. However, because the second half of the book showed promise, I'm now reading the sequel, The Off Season. I know. Go figure.

Books I Can't Put Down

Adult Books
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory
The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier
Angels and Demons (which is so much better than The Da Vinci Code) by Dan Brown
Women of Genesis series by Orson Scott Card

Teen Books
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
Snow by Tracy Lynn
The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan
Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli
Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
Maximum Ride series by James Patterson
Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley by Ann Rinaldi
Anne Frank and Me by Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld
Alanna series by Tamora Pierce

Kids Books
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
From the Mixed-Up Files of Ms. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
Chasing Redbird by Sharon Creech
The Giver series by Lois Lowry
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley
The Lightning Thief series by Rick Riordan
Shabanu series by Suzanne Fisher Staples
Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White

All of these books or series have either made me read them until the wee hours of the morning and/or have made me angry at the person who made me stop reading them to answer their quesiton/unimportant task they need me to accomplish. All of these books are phenomenal and heave resonated with me look after I put them down. I'm sure there are other books like that that have had the same effect on me, but I just can't think of them right now.