Soldier Boys by Dean Hughes

At the age of fifteen, Dieter's blind devotion gets him promoted from Hitler Youth into the German army. Dieter's determined to prove his allegiance and bravery all costs.

Spence, just sixteen, drops out of his Utah high school to begin training as a paratrooper. He's seen how boys who weren't much in high school can come home heroes, and Spence wants to prove to his friends and family that he really can be something.

Their worst fear was that the war would end too soon -- that they wouldn't get the chance to prove themselves. But when they finally see the action they were hoping for, it's like nothing they could have ever imagined.

There are a lot of Young Adult books out there that appeal to adults but I don't think this is one of them. This one really is for younger kids. maybe preteen/early teenagers. It had a lot of information in it but not a whole lot of depth.

I liked how the story was told from the two point of views. It was really interesting to read from both the American side and the German one. I think the book gave a pretty realistic look at what it would have been like for a young man during WWII, from both sides.

The story is well written and interesting but the ending felt very abrupt. We spend 200 pages reading about the goings on in these boys lives and then it only took 30 pages to wrap it all up. Plus, it is very sad.

Soldier Boys is a quick and easy read and I am glad that I read it even if it wasn't all that great.

3 out of 5 stars

BUY IT HERE:Soldier Boys

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde's madcap farce about mistaken identities, secret engagements, and lovers' entanglements still delights readers more than a century after its 1895 publication and premiere performance. The rapid-fire wit and eccentric characters of The Importance of Being Earnest have made it a mainstay of the high school curriculum for decades. 

Cecily Cardew and Gwendolen Fairfax are both in love with the same mythical suitor. Jack Worthing has wooed Gwendolen as Ernest while Algernon has also posed as Ernest to win the heart of Jack's ward, Cecily. When all four arrive at Jack's country home on the same weekend—the "rivals" to fight for Ernest's undivided attention and the "Ernests" to claim their beloveds—pandemonium breaks loose. 

Only a senile nursemaid and an old, discarded hand-bag can save the day!


This little gem is hilarious. I never knew something written over 100 years ago could make me laugh so hard! It is full of amazing one-liners and witty banter. I found at least one quote on every page that I wanted to share. Plus, it is a very quick read. Something fun and easy to brighten your day.

Because there isn't much else to say about this other than READ IT, I am going to share just a few of my favorite quotes.

“All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does, and that is his.” 

“If I am occasionally a little over-dressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-eduacated.” 

“To be natural is such a very difficult pose to keep up.”

“To be born, or at any rate bred, in a hand-bag, whether it had handles or not, seems to me to display a contempt for the ordinary decencies of family life that reminds one of the worst excesses of the French Revolution.” 

“Now produce your explanation and pray make it improbable.” 

I will stop there. Really, just go read it. It's worth it.

5 out of 5 stars

BUY IT HERE:  The Importance of Being Earnest

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

This is a hard book to rate. I loved it and I hate it. I loved how emotional it became and the thoughts it brought with it. I also hated the thoughts it brought and how unfair it was, over and over again.

In the beginning I hated Sam. Hated her. She is the epitome of a spoiled mean girl. That is the point, though. You are supposed to hate her in the beginning. She is supposed to be terrible. You can't become good if you are already good from the start.

I really appreciated her growth throughout the book. As I was reading and thinking about what I would do in that situation I came to the conclusion that I would act pretty similar to her. There would be confusion, then anger and rebellion and then, finally, peace and understanding.

What really makes this book is not the characters, though. It is Oliver's writing. It is beautiful and descriptive and so real. It has been 7 years since I was in high school and I didn't even have the kind of experience that was in this book, but she was still able to bring me back there.

The end is one that you have to sit back and think about after you are done. I finished it hours ago and haven't stopped thinking about it. It moved me. I may have shed a tear in the end, too.

I think this book is worth reading. Read it, if for nothing else, to remind you how precious every single day is and how for every single one of your actions there is a reaction.

Read it. Think about it.

4 out of  5 stars.

BUY IT HERE:Before I Fall

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.
Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life. 

I, like many people in this book and in real life, had never heard about the events of July 16, 1942 in Paris. We all know a lot of terrible things happened during WWII and this was another horrific event to add to the rest. The thing that makes it even worse is that the French refused to acknowledge their participation in the roundup, and death, of 11,000 Jews, 4,000 of which were children.

There are two parallel stories being told in this book. One is Sarah's. She is only 9 years old in 1942 when the French police come to her family's door to take them to the Velodrome d'Hiver, where they were jam packed together for days in sweltering heat with no food or water, and then off to concentration camps. The other is Julia's, an American journalist living in Paris who is given the job of writing an article for the sixtieth anniversary of the Vel d'Hiv roundup. The chapters go back and forth between the two stories for about half the book and then it is just told from Julia's point of view.

Sarah's story is compelling and heartbreaking. I devoured the pages containing her story. I loved the history lesson in it. I had to know what happened next. Julia's story, on the other hand, was great in the beginning but quickly started feeling contrived. Once we stopped hearing Sarah's side the book became too much like chick-lit instead of the compelling Holocaust book it could have been.

While de Rosnay's writing is great there were several aspects of the book I just couldn't deal with. I couldn't believe Sarah's parents reactions to the big event (I refuse to spoil anything) in the story. I cannot believe, even with being as scared as they obviously had to be, that they would do nothing. I can't. Also, I got tired of hearing about how American Julia was. Oh, and don't get me started on the character of Bertrand.

I think this would have been a much better book if it focused more on Sarah rather than Julia. It was a decent book, though and while it got slightly predictable, I really did love the ending. It's no The Book Thief  but I still recommend reading it even if it's just for the history lesson.

3.5 out of 5 stars

BUY IT HERE:Sarah's Key

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal War is over, and Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most important of all—Clary can finally call Jace her boyfriend. 

But nothing comes without a price. 

Someone is murdering the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her. His mother just found out he’s a vampire and now he’s homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side—along with the power of the curse wrecking his life. And they’re willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he’s dating two beautiful, dangerous girls—neither of whom knows about the other...

This is book #4 of the Mortal Instruments series. I have mentioned these books before in my review for Clockwork Angel, the first of a few prequels to this series. I didn't enjoy reading that book before but it actually was fun knowing things from Angel while reading this book.

Back to City of Fallen Angels. This was my least favorite book in this series. I struggled with it but I kept reading because I enjoy Clare's writing. It draws you in. I liked reading more about Simon, too. I always loved him.

I have seen this one compared to Twilight because of  Clare and Jace's relationship. I agree completely. It's full of self-loathing and angst. They were nothing like the people I fell in love with in the beginning of the series.

I just didn't find this book necessary. I don't think anything said in it absolutely needed to be said. I think Clare was grasping at straws to put a book together just to make her fans happy. The plot was filled with holes, the villian was weak and it got very confusing at times.  CoFA did not live up to my expectations and did not do the rest of the series justice.

Of course I will still read the next one.

2.5 out of 5 stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel s story is about to be completely rewritten.

This is one of those rare books, for me. One that you absolutely cannot put down but force yourself to because you just don't want it to end. I made myself set the book down from time to time, not just because I had to do things like eat and sleep but because I just didn't want to finish it quite yet. I still read it in two days.

This book hurt me. It was painful to read. First it hurt because I was laughing so hard and then smiling so much. Then it hurt because I was crying so hard and my heart was truly broken. Like I said, it hurt.

The Fault in Our Stars is by no means a groundbreaking cancer book but it is so beautifully written that it feels more personal than any other I have read. I have heard a lot of people complain about the way Hazel and Augustus talk. That they don't "talk like normal teenagers." But they aren't normal teenagers. They have been through hell and back. Hazel is 16 years old, has stage IV cancer, has her GED and is attending college. That isn't normal. So I think they spoke exactly how they should have. All I could think while reading some of their quips and conversations is that I really wanted to know these kids! They were written exactly as they should be.

This is a book that I know I will reread several times. I actually borrowed it from the library but I am going to go buy a copy today. I find no flaws in this book, except that it made me lose sleep. I recommend this book to everyone. Just don't read it before bed because you will not get enough sleep if you do.

5 out of 5 stars

BUY IT HERE:The Fault in Our Stars

If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster

Amish-zombie-teen-romance author Mia and her husband Mac buy and renovate their first home in the Chicago suburbs that John Hughes' movies made famous. Along their harrowing renovation journey, they get caught up in various wars with the homeowners' association, meet some less-than-friendly neighbors, and are joined by a hilarious cast of supporting characters.

This book was bad. I had to force myself to finish it.

It started off cute enough. The whole thing is Mia's inner dialogue. She is cute, funny and quick witted but the novelty wears off real quick. There is a reason why we don't speak everything we think. Everyone does not need to know every tiny thought we have. Yet, the author must have think that's not true.

The story is filled with an endless supply of pop culture references, which unless you are a big John Hughes fan (who isn't?!), read People and watch a lot of HGTV, you probably won't get most of them. Also, most of these references are in the form of footnotes. I hate those footnotes. They were overused and unnecessary.

It got an extra star from me for the humor, there were times where it was really funny especially some of the Stephanie Meyer jabs, and the fact that she thought up a series of books about Amish Zombies. That is just brilliant. I would read those.

Overall, a very bad book. If you do choose to read it, read it soon. Before all the pop culture jokes become outdated (some of which already have.)

2 out of 5 stars

BUY IT HERE:If You Were Here: A Novel

The Girl Next Door by Brad Parks

Reading his own newspaper’s obituaries, veteran reporter Carter Ross comes across that of a woman named Nancy Marino, who was the victim of a hit-and-run while she was on the job delivering copies of that very paper, the Eagle-Examiner. Struck by the opportunity to write a heroic piece about an everyday woman killed too young, he heads to her wake to gather tributes and anecdotes. It’s the last place Ross expects to find controversy—which is exactly what happens when one of Nancy’s sisters convinces him that the accident might not have been accidental at all.

It turns out that the kind and generous Nancy may have made a few enemies, starting with her boss at the diner where she was a part-time waitress, and even including the publisher of theEagle-Examiner. Carter’s investigation of this seemingly simple story soon has him in big trouble with his full-time editor and sometime girlfriend, Tina Thompson, not to mention the rest of his bosses at the paper, but he can’t let it go—the story is just too good, and it keeps getting better. But will his nose for trouble finally take him too far?

This was a fun, fast paced read.

Parks's writing is solid. He pays great attention to detail without getting boring and his characters are well developed. I loved the main character, Carter Ross. He was witty and fun. For me, his voice didn't fit with the physical description given, though. I kept picturing someone entirely different while reading.

The only reason this book didn't get 5 stars from me is because it is unbelievably predictable. I had it all figured out by the middle of the book.

The book was good. I found myself giggling in a lot of places. I actually thought, while reading, it was very much like Evanvich's Stephanie Plus series, which is odd since I have never read those books. I have heard a lot about them and they seem to be pretty similar.

I just found out this is the 3rd book in a series. So now I have to go find the others and find out what else happens with Carter Ross.

4 out of 5 stars

The book comes out tomorrow March 13, 2012 but you can order it here: The Girl Next Door: A Mystery

Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith

Leo Demidov is no longer a member of Moscow's secret police. But when his wife, Raisa, and daughters Zoya and Elena are invited on a "Peace Tour" to New York City, he is immediately suspicious.

Forbidden to travel with his family and trapped on the other side of the world, Leo watches helplessly as events in New York unfold and those closest to his heart are pulled into a web of political conspiracy and betrayal-one that will end in tragedy.



This is the last book of a trilogy by Smith. I love, love, loved the first, Child 44. I liked the second, The Secret Speech. Agent 6 was, by far, the worst of all three. I didn't like this one much.

Smith brought out my fascination for this period of time in the USSR with Child 44. All of his books are filled with horrifying facts of life then. That and the great writing are the only things this book had going for it. It had the facts but none of the suspense or grit of the first book.

I had a hard time getting into this one. I thought it was because I was sick but once I started feeling better I still couldn't get into it. The whole thing dragged. I could barely make myself care about the characters that I loved and cared about in the other two books. The huge time jumps drove me crazy, too.

I highly recommend reading Child 44. Tom Rob Smith is a fantastic writer. I can't wait to read what else he comes out with. I just hope it's more like his debut novel.

2 out of 5 stars

BUY IT HERE:Agent 6

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

'As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me ...' Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine's life.

I don't remember how I heard about this book. All I remember is that when I did, I knew I had to read it.

The book reminded me a lot of Memento (the movie, as I have not read the book...yet). Almost immediately you are brought into this big mystery. I was sitting there the entire time trying to figure it out. I had the ups and downs that Christine had, I was even doubting myself when she did. My mind was going through all sorts of crazy scenarios that could solve Christine's mystery. I love when books do that. When they mess with your head a bit and truly bring you into the suspense.

It was written well. The fact that you know only as much as Christine does makes it more thrilling. It very easily could have ended up repetitive and annoying but it wasn't at all. There were parts that I didn't think were necessary. Parts that I thought, would someone really write that down in their journal? Even if they were amnesic, is that necessary? There were only a few of those parts, though.

Toward the end I did have it figured out but I still think it was played out nicely. My only gripe about the book is the ending. I think it should have been a big emotional thing but it ended up being rushed and neatly packaged. I wanted a bit more out of it. I wasn't all that thrilled with the main character, either, but that got pushed aside by the great writing and suspense.

Overall, it's a pretty good book!

4 out of 5 stars

BUY IT HERE:Before I Go to Sleep: A Novel