Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

This guest blogger I have known since I was about four years old. She and I grew up together and have been friends for about twenty-four years now. She is a stay at home mom to three children, two boys and a girl. Her husband serves our country in the airforce so they get to travel the world. They just moved back to the states from England. Enjoy her review! :)

Description-

Isabella Swan is forced to move from her home and mother in Arizona, to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father. Where everyone knows her name, like she's a celebrity, she tries to stay out of the light. Where reconnecting with her father makes for an interesting day job, one she'd rather not put too much effort into. Where getting reacquainted with a friend becomes something more. And her unconditional love for one, Edward Cullen, who she can't figure out to save her life. That is, until she does. And what she finds, will take this story, and the adventure you're about to embark on, to a whole new level!

The love for the book:

This was my first real read, ever. I hated books growing up, so when my sister-in-law came to me and told me how much I would love this book I decided to try it. Stephenie Meyer is a wonderful story teller. You feel like you're there, a part of this magical, mysterious, yet somewhat frightening adventure. As you learn about Bella, you also learn about her home life. The friends she comes to make. And Where life amongst humans actually exists, or so she figures out one dark night on her computer as she scans the topic over and over. Vampires. I love this book. 

This part was typed by me. :) Not Christine.

Why is it challenged?

In Australia and California people were concerned about the sexual content. I have to ask… what sexual content? Maybe they mean the sexual frustration because of the absence of sex. Also, one woman said she was concerned of the confusion of reality and fantasy for this book. “We wanted to make sure they realize it’s fictitious and ensure they don’t have a wrong grasp on reality,” says Helen Schutz. Hello! Vampires and other mythical creatures… yeah, it’s fiction.

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Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Synopsis: Grapes of Wrath was published in 1939 and follows the Joad family from Oklahoma to California in an effort to find work and make money during the great depression. Once in California they are faced with substandard working and living  conditions, bullied about and fall apart. A haunting depiction of the Great Depression and the madness that was running this country at the time.

I remember reading this book in eighth grade, not for a school requirement, but because my brother-in-law owned this and Of Mice and Men. He assured my mother that it was okay for me to read. At the time I only sort of understood, on a philosophical level, what I was reading. Without my knowledge, this book shaped the way I saw poverty and people. It, along with many others, (such as Les Miserable and No Promises in the Wind) gave me a perspective on why people might do things that seemed so completely illogical to my black and white world. I only read it the one time, never being required throughout high school or college to read it again. (Sad, right?) But when Linda asked me to pick a book that was banned at one point, I was surprised to find this on a banned books list. Since I had not read it in so long, I went to work!

Why it was banned: Originally it was banned because the California Farmers Association found it libelous in its depiction of their camps. Then it was touted as socialist/ communist propaganda. But the few wealthy left in this country at the time could not stamp it out! It went on to win the Pulitzer in 1940 and is listed as one of the best books in the English language. There have been attempts over the years to ban the book because of its vulgar depictions. (Getting my high school and college education in the South, I suspect this contributed more to why it was never on our reading lists!)

I won't deny that the book could be labeled as vulgar. There are several deaths, a couple of murders, a woman breast feeding a man to keep him from starving and a healthy amount of language. As I child, I did not remember the details of those aspects of the book. As an adult it was a slap in the face! It will be a time before I will allow my children to read it, but I think that everyone should read this book! Sadly, the world is an ugly place and ugly things happen. Turning a blind eye to it, trying to ignore it,or sweep it under the rug will not solve these problems. Bringing these issues to light, examining them, and trying to understand why it is happening is the only true solution. Steinbeck did not write vulgarity for the sake of vulgarity. He wrote to show the world what was happening and make people address the issues. As our country once again declines, I feel more than ever that my children will need to read this book one day!

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The Witches by Roald Dahl

This is the story of a little boy who lives with his grandmother. She is a fascinating woman who is great at storytelling and knows a thing or two about witches. She warns her grandson how to recognize a witch so he isn't destroyed by her since it's all witches' goal to rid the world of children and, well, he's a child. What happens when he sees someone and recognizes the signs? What if that someone is the grand witch of all the world? How does the young hero of this story react? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out.

 My 5 yo, 3 yo and I read this one together. They loved it! I read lots of reviews where they discussed how scary this would be for children. This wasn't scary at all for my kids. They loved it and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. The only thing that bothered me was the ending. The immediate story was over but it led to another story that wasn't finished. Almost like this could have been a series or something but it never was. My 5 year old was a bit upset. He wanted more. He wanted to find out what happened after The End. Overall though, it was an excellent book and the kids really enjoyed it!

Why is this book banned? Witchcraft!! There are curses put on children in the book and some felt it should be banned. I understand if you don't want your children to read it but my kids happened to LOVE it and they are 5 & 3. They thought it was pretty awesome.

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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Guest blogger for today -- my husband. :)

Summary:
To Kill a Mockingbird is the coming of age story of Scout Finch. Along with her brother Jem and Father Atticus, they traverse the tale of Scout's Growing up in the small town of Maycomb. Set during the great depression, Scout finds numerous ways to entertain herself and get into trouble. She has a mystreious neighbor, Boo Radley, who is protrayed as a menacing freak who hides his face from public, but in reality mends pants, leaves gifts in a tree hollow, and manages to save Scout and her brother from an attack. Her father is a court appointed lawyer whose newest defendant is a black man, Tom Robinson, accused of rape.  In order to do his job he has to overcome prejudice, disperse a mob, and pursuade a jury of racist white men that his client is innocent. Unfortunately that last task proves too much and Tom is sentenced to death. Scout, as a young woman must deal with all of this as well as the complicated emotions that come with them. In the end she finds out that her father and Boo Radley, a man she feared, are two of the most honest and brave men in the world.

Why it was banned:
To Kill a Mockingbird was banned by many different libraries and school systems mostly because of the topics it dealt with. Many claim the racism seen in the pages, while some others claim the sexual nature of the crime involved. Others use the profanity that Harper Lee uses. The most far-reaching ban comes from a New York school district where it was challenged as a "trashy, filthy novel".

My Thoughts:
The varied reasons for banning this novel is a stupid attempt by the uneducated masses that took offense to having their ideals questioned. Understanding the most of these bans took place as integration truly began is a slap in the face to this wonderful novel. Harper Lee wrote this as a way to question the then standing beliefs that were being questioned in the late 50's and early 60's. She meant this to be a treatise on relations and the conflict of her observations against those prevailing opinions. The arguments that this novel is profane and racist are inaccurate. The novel uses the then common vernacular and beliefs to illustrate the environment and place the reader in an uncomfortable position. This is because only in discomfort can we truly see ourselves for who we are and what we believe. In other words, to deals with topics that mire in filth, you have to get dirty.

There are stories and there are Stories. Very few novels have ever moved me as much as To Kill a Mockingbird has. This novel was the begining of my philosophy of understanding other viewpoints before dismissing them. While reading this I was placed into uncomfortable discussions that forced me to rise out of immaturity and frankly question viewpoints that society had and whether or not I agreed. I don't mean to say that this novel will change your beliefs but rather that it will make you question them to the point that if you don't change your ideals you will at least understand them, and by extension yourself, better. This novel needs to be a must read for anyone who considers themselves educated and / or enlightened. If you haven't read it yet, get it now. Really, go now. Don't keep reading, go get the book. It is free online for pity's sake. Go get it.

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

This guest blogger preferred to remain anonymous but I'd like to shout out a big THANK YOU to her for helping me out this week!! :)

Book Title: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Author: Mark Twain

Type:  humorously satirical boy-coming-of-age story set in the 1830s

Published: First published in England and Canada in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885

Summary: Huck’s father is the town drunk and the Widow Douglas, who becomes Huck’s unofficial guardian, tries to show him a good home-life and provide the care, nurturing, guidance and advice a young boy should have. Huck has never experienced that and has a difficult time adjusting. He decides to run away. He soon joins up with another runaway—Jim, an escaped slave. The book follows the travels and adventures of Huck, Jim, and the people they meet along the Mississippi River.

Although there are parts I find humorous and other parts that make me uncomfortable, I have always enjoyed the story—mostly because it is an escape. I would love to just live on the river and not have any expectations or responsibilities—for a while, anyway. Jim and Huck do become friends and I like that. Huck’s ideas or values he has grown up with and never questioned, undergo changes and Huck no longer sees Jim as property, but as a person and a friend.

Even when the book was first published, some libraries refused to carry it because of its “crudeness,” or “poor word choice,” or because Huck “not only itched but scratched,” which was considered obscene. Today, it is often criticized because of the depiction of Jim, a slave, and because of raciest terms used to describe African Americans and, to a lesser degree, Native American Indians. The words are there. They were in common use during both the setting of the book and the time in which the book was written. Huck doesn't know the words are wrong--that's all he knows. Jim’s character is true to his time and setting. He is a slave and he is depicted as such. He is not depicted, however, as ignorant or slow, but as a sensitive, caring person who is very capable of thinking for himself.

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Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

                                   My guest blogger today for Banned Book Week is Adelina. She is the owner of

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

About the book: Alice, who is bored sitting by her sister, gets intriqued when a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and holding a pocketwatch runs past her.  She gets follows the rabbit down a rabbit hole and into Wonderland.  While in Wonderland Alice received advice from a caterpillar, has a "Mad Tea Party" plays croquet with a Queen, and finds herself the only rational person in a courtroom.

My thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The tales Carroll created are fun to read, don't always make sense, and a nice break from the real world.

Why this book was banned:  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was banned for a time in Hunan, China in 1931.  General Ho Chein censored the book for it's human portrayal of animals. He feared that children would start seeing animals as equals which would be disastrous!

My thoughts: I find it funny when books are censored/banned. Especially for such a reason as this. It's a rare human that will read a work of fiction and take it seriously. Although I do believe we should treat animals kindly, I don't see anyone reading this book, and deciding that animals need to have a say in government, or have any of the same basic human rights. 

If you have read/will read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland then I also suggest Alice Through the Looking Glass. Another Lewis Carrol story that takes Alice on an adventure through her mirror. 

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Banned Book Blog Hop

Today is the start of Banned Book Week!! Hooray!! :) I will have a banned book review every day this week and a giveaway. Plus, it's a giveaway HOP which means there are lots of bloggers having giveaways. This Banned Book Giveaway Hop is Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and I Read Banned Books. Hooray!! Hope you're ready for a fun week.

My giveaway this week is one of my favorite banned books:

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Sebastian and Viola, twins, are separated in a storm. They both think the other is dead and must get creative in their ways to survive. This leads to some very humorous moments in the Shakespearean tradition. I love this book. It's my favorite Shakespeare play.

Why is this book banned you may ask? Because there is cross dressing. Yes, really, that is the reason. Some people felt it encourages homosexuality so it is now banned in some places. *shrug* I think it's an awesome story!
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Giveaway Details:
To enter giveaway please follow this blog then enter your e-mail below.
Last Day to Enter is 10/1/11.

Optional Extra Entries:
+1 Become my friend on Goodreads 
+1 Become a follower on Facebook 
+1 Blog or tweet about this giveaway.

Make sure you tell me which ones you did and provide links if necessary. Thanks and good luck! 


To enter all the other giveaways involved in this blog hop check below:

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M.O.D. By J.C. Allen

Genre: Thriller (?Ehh... sort of?)

Review: I read this book for my radio show review with Dawn Tevy on Angels and Warriors. I must admit, when I finished it, I had a three page long insult for this guy. But then I spoke with his mother on the radio and got his story and now... well, I feel bad giving him a negative review. But, I cannot lie to Linda's readers, so here is the truth. I did not like this book at all. (And that says a lot for a woman who cannot talk politics because they make her so angry!) Generally I try to find something good about a book, but I could not find it here. There were a lot of grammatical errors, the characters were flat. The massive contradiction in the story just rub me the wrong way. (One example: the internet hacking group, M.O.D., is fighting to get back to the constitutional rights of citizens; but has stolen money, weapons and other equipment from the U.S. for this purpose. Their members live in an Utopian society where people set their own work hours, choose what they want to do and get paid whatever they need to live. Very, socialist/communist society! And how does this jive with the Constitution?!?!?) The whole story is surreal and science fiction, at best. Which would be fine if it were not set in 2009! Hmm... but you get it, I don't like it at all!

Author: And here is why I am not totally bombing this book. The guy who wrote it is in jail, for a crime he claims he did not commit. He says his ex-wife set him up to keep him from getting custody of their two daughters. Now, I am not gonna weigh in on whether or not I think he is innocent or guilty, but the guy wrote this book (and about 20 others) on an old-school type writer. He does not have the same capabilities of research that are at the fingertips of most writers. And given that pens and pencils can be used as weapons in prison, I'm guessing he doesn't have a whole lot of access to those either. Which seriously limits the pre-planning phase most authors go through. Could I have done better under his circumstances? Mmmm... don't know, don't want to find out!

Rating ** Two Stars

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My desktop 9/17/11

Okay, before you watch this video know that my children were not obeying and that I said the Banned Book Week is Sept 4 but it's Sept 24th. That was at the same time that my children were not obeying so I'm going to blame it on them. LOL! :) Anyways... Happy Reading!!

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The Lost City of Z

Genre: Non-fiction

Review: This is a fascinating  study of one of the most amazing mysteries of the 20th century, the disappearance of British Explorer Percy Fawcett in his search for a "lost city" in the Amazon Jungle. It also discusses some of  the hundreds of people who have become obsessed with the story of the lost city and/ or Fawcett's disappearance and risked their lives to find both. The author, David Grann, is one such individual.
I don't usually enjoy non-fiction books as they tend to be dry and drab. Yet David weaves a remarkable story, building your own obsession with the city, the events going on at the time and taking a personal look into Mr. Fawcett, making us care about this time-lost individual and wonder what really happened.

The Author: David Grann is a journalist who has been working for The New Yorker since 2003. He has two books under his belt, The Lost City of Z and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession. He has earned several awards, been published in multiple papers and is an excellent writer. For more information, see his website at 
http://www.davidgrann.com/

Rating: **** Four Stars

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The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Genre: Young adult/Fantasy

Review: Alyss Heart, princess of Wonderland, suddenly has her life turned upside down when her evil Aunt Redd attacks Wonderland, causing chaos. Alyss escapes to a parallel world -- our world -- where no one believes her story and butchers her name to Alice. Only one person acts like he believes her and then messes up her story when he publishes it in a book! Join Alyss as she tries to find her way back to Wonderland and save her home before Red destroys everything she holds dear.

If you are a Carroll purist then I recommend NOT reading this story. However, if you like excitement, magic, fighting, adventure and an all around great story then this is totally your book. The story line is wonderful and a refreshing twist on the original. The characters are fun and real. I recommend this book. There is some violence.

This is the first of a three part series. The second in the series is titled seeing Redd and the third is ArchEnemy.

Author: Frank Beddor is a busy man. In addition to writing is also a champion freestyle skier, a film producer, stuntman, actor, and CEO of Automatic Pictures Production Co.

Rating: **** Four Stars

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The BFG by Roald Dahl

Genre: Fiction - Children's chapter book

Review: Sophie peers out of her window one night and spots a giant at her neighbor's window. He sees her, grabs her and runs off with her into the night. Lucky for her, this giant calls himself The BFG (The Big, Friendly Giant). Together, they come up with a plan to stop the other nine giants from eating the children of the world. Will it work?

My kids adored this book!! I am quickly learning that Roald Dahl's books are just amazing. Every single one of them have been fabulous and have my kids hooked from the beginning. This was adorable. I loved how the giant spoke with all his made up words. It was just TONS of fun!! I definitely recommend this book.

Author: Roald Dahl was born in 1916 and died in 1990. He's British and it's very obvious in his writing (I love it!). He became popular in the 1940s from both his children and adult books. He is most commonly known for James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In his career he wrote over 60 short stories.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

I also found the movie on youtube but I haven't watched it yet. I'm going to watch it with my kids. It may be fabulous or it may not. I am not reviewing that... just passing on the info that I found it. :) 

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You Don't Sweat Much for a Fat Girl by Celia Rivenbark

Genre: Non-Fiction/Essays/Humor

Review: This is a collection of essays the author put together to make light of life. She includes everything from cooking to talk show hosts, from reality television to elderly people and their bathroom breaks. She has no boundaries.
I found it to be very funny. I literally laughed out loud for most of the book. There was a lot of profanity and slang used in here. Some of the slang lost me. Ha! Yes, that's embarrassing but it did. I had to say things a couple of times or say them aloud to figure out what it was supposed to be. Also, there were a lot of jokes about television and I am not really a TV person, I am more of a book person (obviously). We don't even get any type of television in our house. The only thing we watch is Netflix so I was fairly lost on those topics. Yeah, that's embarrassing too. This would be fun for someone who is more into what's going in the world and doesn't mind the use of some profanity. The book wasn't completely engrossed in it but it was enough to make me uncomfortable but you can ask anyone I know and realize that it doesn't take much for that to happen. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I was just a bit lost for parts of it and cringed with the language but it was laugh out loud funny! :)

Author: She grew up in the country of North Carolina. After a few years of college she started working for the local newspaper and remained there for 8 years before moving on to bigger and better things. After 21 years she was married and pregnant and decided to stay home with her new baby girl. After about a year she began writing during nap time and has been doing it ever since. Her books are a collection of her columns.

Rating:  *** Three Stars

I received a complimentary copy through Goodreads Advanced Readers program for an honest review.

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The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Genre: Fiction/romance/historical

Review: Charlotte Beck is a feisty American young woman who is being introduced to British society in the 1800s and soon learns that her horse riding and gun shooting ways are frowned upon in the high European society. Her father wants her to find a husband and spend her days painting but Charlotte has other plans. She wants to go to a four year university and study mathematics to become a business woman. Her father agrees to allow her to go to school if she agrees to marry Alex Hambly, a young man whose family has lost all their money and Mr. Beck wants to help them out but only if he weds his daughter. The two do not like each other and their interactions are hilarious! They agree to this "ridiculous" plan with their own plan... annulment. Plans change... will they make it work or will the marriage be annulled? 

This is such a funny book. I enjoyed every word of it. I loved the relationship between Charlotte and Alex... Charlotte succeeds in embarrassing herself and her family but somehow schemes her way out of everything. Charlotte did annoy me a bit with her spoiled rich girl self but I still fell in love with the characters. Kathleen did an amazing job at bringing these characters to life. Apparently there are two other stand-alone books in the series that I now want to read. I loved this book!!

Author:  Y'Barbo is a tenth generation Texan and the mother of four children -- 3 adult boys and 1 teenage daughter.

Rating: **** Four Stars

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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Desktop Books for the week of 9/10/11

I realize that it's not quite the tenth but I'm not expecting anymore books this week so I thought I'd go ahead and put this on here!! :) I'm trying something new.... what do you think?

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A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner

Genre: Fiction/Historical

Review: Adelaide refuses to believe that her home, Holly Oaks, is haunted by her great grandmother despite the rumors of the town. After her grandchildren have gone off on vacation, leaving their new stepmom alone with Adelaide, events occur that cause Adelaide to question if there really could be a ghost. Join Adelaide as she learns the truth of what happened to her great grandmother, Susannah, during the Civil War and the truth about her home.

I absolutely loved this book. I read the second half of it in one afternoon. I just couldn't put it down. It was an amazing story of self discovery (no matter what one's age may be) and heritage. What amazing heritage this family had. That was my favorite part, learning about life during the civil war for a woman who had family on both sides of the armies. I laughed and cried during this amazing story that Meissner manages to bring to life with realistic, original characters and an amazing story.

Author: Susan Meissner was born in San Diego in 1961 and was the middle child of three. In 1980 she married her husband, Bob, who is the pastor of their church that they are both very involved in. She also enjoys writing groups, reading, family time, music, and traveling.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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The Bone House (Bright Empire Series Bk 2) by Stephen R. Lawhead

Genre: Fantasy-Adventure

Disclaimer: Imagine yourself on the 50 yard line of a football field. You are standing in the center of the field. Before you are four ropes with each end tied to the goalposts at each end of the field. In the center of these ropes is an impossible knot. You have to untie it. You can make out how the knot is shaped and even manipulate it a bit but without obtaining the beginning of each rope you cannot untie it. What are you feeling?

That is how about how I felt as I started this book. Before starting it I didn't know this was a sequel. I was tossed into the middle of an elaborate tale that was not written for the inattentive reader. Booksneeze has since rectified their mistake and sent me a copy of the first book, The Skin Map, which will be reviewed soon.

Review: After finding on part of the Skin map, in the first installment of the series, our traveler Kit Livingstone must quicken the pace if he is to restore the map of the multiverse. Along the way he encounters the dreadful Burley men as well as the astute and resourceful Mina, both of whom are fellow ley travelers. Unsure of where the map leads or the meaning of his quest, he only knows that he can't let the Burley men beat him to it. With flashes into the life of Arthur, The Man Who is Map, and side excursions into the beginnings of Archie Burley, the quest takes the reader to several exotic locations in a breathless attempt to reveal the secret of The Bone House.

Other than not having read the first book, The Skin Map, this book was an exhilarating read. Similar to coming up for air, I found the style of the novel to be so far above the drab novels that are so prevalent right now that it improved my outlook for the future of writing. With a vocabulary the rivals the SAT exam and college level spelling tests, Lawhead paints a vivid picture of not only the characters but also the environments which they visit.

While reading the picture that was painted was both enjoyable and clean. Although the method of time and space travel confused me, my own fault not the author's, I enjoyed the freshness of his vision. I cannot say that this will be enjoyable for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Note: If you do choose to read this book, be sure to read it in a distraction free zone. This novel reads so quickly that if you don't pay attention or reread then you will miss crucial elements.

Author: Lawhead was born in Nebraska in 1950. His childhood was spent around the U.S. and then he later earned his degree in Fine Arts and spent two years in school for theology. He started full time writing in 1981 and has since written many books. He and his wife, Alice, live in Oxford England and he is father of two boys.

Rating:  ***** Five Stars

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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A new giveaway!! *Child of Wrath by Daniel C. Tomas*

Giveaway ends Sept 30th and drawing will be on Oct 1. This giveaway is open to members of the US only.

Riley is a 15 year old boy who has always been called "the child of wrath". He didn't understand what people meant so he just shrugged it off, not giving it a second thought until one day his whole world turns upside down. His family is not who he thought, his home is not where he thought, and he suddenly has a mission to either be the destroyer or savior of the world. People continue to give him hints but nothing makes sense. Riley has to grow up quickly so he can do what he is destined to do.

Giveaway Details:
To enter giveaway please follow this blog then enter your e-mail below.
Last Day to Enter is 9/30/11.

Optional Extra Entries:
+1 Become my friend on Goodreads 
+1 Become a follower on Facebook 
+1 Blog or tweet about this giveaway.

Make sure you tell me which ones you did and provide links if necessary. Thanks and good luck! 

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Book Giveaway Winner!!

Congrats to Alecia E! You have won a free copy of "Where Will You Go From Here?" by Valorie Burton by using random.org's integer generator. :) Congrats!! I'll e-mail you soon with details. :)

 

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