To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

9 Stars

I'm not sure why I have never read this. I remember classmates reading it in high school but I never did.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

9-10 Stars 

Summary (Amazon.com): A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

Wow. A deeply moving story about love and hope set in a completely hopeless world. I'm not sure I would recommend this to just anyone because it is a real downer and has some seriously disturbing images. That said, the writing is absolutely beautiful, feeling very personal and yet coldly distant at the same time. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time and one that I will stew over for years to come. I know that I will read it again someday. Perhaps I should go buy myself a copy. 

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

7 Stars

Summary (taken from copyright page): When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life.

I rarely cry in books, but this one had me sniffling a few times. Even though the language is simple (a children's book after all) you really get a sense of the feelings for Ivan and his friends. I was first afraid that the story would turn out too preachy or one-sided in regards to animal rights but you also feel for the human characters and understand the reasoning behind their actions. A quick and enjoyable read, I highly recommend this one.

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

7.8 Stars

After North America was destroyed, the people who remained founded a country called Panem.  It consisted of a capitol city and 13 districts.  The districts rose up against the Capitol's harsh treatment but lost the war.  To punish the residents of the districts and remind them who held the power, the Capitol founded The Hunger Games.  Each year, one young man and one young woman from each district was selected to participate in the hit reality TV show where only one of them would walk out alive.  That is, until Katniss Everdeen enters the arena and ends up inadvertently becoming the Mockingjay, the face and inspiration of the rebel uprising once again seeking to bring down the ruthless, dictatorial authority of the Capitol.

I am close to giving the trilogy an 8 but I'm not quite there.  My favorite was the second book, Catching Fire.  That may be because I already had a general idea of what was going to happen in the first book but I wasn't really sure where she would take the second.  For whatever reason, I didn't feel the emotion I should have during the first book.  I would give The Hunger Games 7 stars, Catching Fire 8 stars and Mockingjay 7.3 stars.  Somehow that averages to 7.8.  Lay off, math wizards.

They are easy to read.  All of you could read these in a day or two if you had nothing else to do.  They are interesting enough that they're worth reading once.  They are very violent but not in a disturbing, creepy way where you feel like the author is just trying to make people queasy.  The story would fall very short if it weren't extremely violent simply because of the material it deals with.  However, I think the author does a good job of tying in not just the outward violence, but the inner psychological struggles and interpersonal relationships.

And thus ends my brief foray into fiction.  Now I'm off to keep reading Steve Jobs' biography.  G'night.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

The picture is tiny because this is the only one I found of the version I read (Signet Classics)

10 Stars

From CliffsNotes (the first paragraph):  Jean Valjean, after spending nineteen years in jail and in the galleys for stealing a loaf of bread and for several attempts to escape, is finally released, but his past keeps haunting him. At Digne, he is repeatedly refused shelter for the night. Only the saintly bishop, Monseigneur Myriel, welcomes him. Valjean repays his host's hospitality by stealing his silverware. When the police bring him back, the bishop protects his errant guest by pretending that the silverware is a gift. With a pious lie, he convinces them that the convict has promised to reform. After one more theft, Jean Valjean does indeed repent. Under the name of M. Madeleine he starts a factory and brings prosperity to the town of Montreuil.

And that's all you get for a summary of the story.  The book is 1200 pages long so I'm not going to pretend that I can adequately sum it up for you.  All you really need to know is Jean Valjean is da bomb.  What do you know?  Maybe I can adequately sum it up.

Victor Hugo is known to wander in his writing but it is so amazing to watch him tie all the meandering together.  However, somewhere around page 800 or 900 I started getting mad at him every time he would go off into the woods of his literary mind to give more details about French history.  The action was finally picking up and I just wanted to know what was going to happen!  For this reason, I don't know if I would read the unabridged version again but I could definitely read an abridged version at some point.   

The story is fantastic, the characters are unforgettable, and the writing is stupendously brilliant.  If you haven't read it, you should.  So says I.

Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden

8 Stars

From the back cover: When Persephone Lancaster receives a marriage proposal from the ill-tempered Duke of Kielder, she refuses — and then reconsiders. The obscene sum of money he’s offering Persephone would save her family from ruin. With her characteristic optimism, she travels to the far reaches of Northumberland to wed a greatly feared stranger.

Lodged deep in a thick forest infested with wild dogs, the Duke’s castle is as cold and forbidding as the Duke himself, a man with terrible scars on his body and his soul. But the Duke’s steely determination to protect his heart at all costs is challenged by his growing attachment to his lovely and gentle bride. With caring persistence, Persephone attempts to pierce the Duke’s armor and reach the man beneath. Yet he cannot tolerate such exposure, and his repeated rejections take their toll. But when grave danger arises, the Duke realizes he must face the risk of revealing his true feelings or lose the woman he cannot live without.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Seeking Persephone, by Sarah M. Eden.  Ms. Eden is an LDS author and writes books set in Regency England.  This is the first book in a series based around the Lancaster family.  At only 280 pages it was a fairly quick read. Although it's set in Regency England, the descriptive language is not as difficult to read or understand.  It was sweet, clean, moved quickly and had interesting and witty characters.  I enjoyed the dialogue between characters, and insights into relationships.  I'm giving it 8 stars because it is definitely a chick book, and therefore won't appeal to all readers.  If you enjoy books from authors like Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, you'll probably enjoy this!

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

7 Stars

"The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights.  The chilling resolution:  Life in inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen.  Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their children "unwound," whereby all of the children's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end." ~ Taken from book jacket

"In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away.

In Unwind, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers' ideas about life -- not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive." ~ Description taken from Neal Shusterman's site, HERE.

I found that I actually really enjoyed this book.   I liked the character development of all of the main characters...it's told from several character's perspectives, so you don't feel like this book is about any one person.  It is a VERY thought provoking and interesting read.  And, also creepy...sort of a futuristic Dr. Moreau...with a twist.

I've only given this 7 stars on account of the creep factor.  The book is written for teens/young adults, but it's got some pretty serious stuff in it.  There are some fairly descriptive chilling moments, and the theme is definitely on the macabre-side, because of the 'unwinding' process and abortion/life issues.  If you're looking for an edge of your seat, sci-fi psychological thriller, this one's for you.