The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury

 

The Christmas Ring  by Karen Kingsbury  196 pages

While searching for her family's missing Christmas ring, a military widow sparks a friendship with a handsome antiques dealer, who just might have the love and the lost heirloom she's been longing for.

I wanted to read this because the movie just came out.  I love that the beginning is set in World War II.  I thought it was going to be very predictable, but in the end I was surprised by what happened. 

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

 Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins - 390 pages

My name is Katniss Everdeen.
Why am I not dead?
I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans—except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay—no matter what the personal cost.

Opinion: Loved this book, too, though it's the most devastating. Suzanne Collins is such a great writer with lots of interesting social commentary. I always love a good ending line that ties the story together or delivers a punch and the last line certainly does that.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

 Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - 391 pages

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol—a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest that she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before . . . and surprising readers at every turn.

Opinion: Again, loved this book and the series as a whole. Catching Fire might be my favorite in the trilogy. 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - 374 pages

Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun. . . .

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Opinion: I love the movies and have seen them a million times, but this was my first time reading the books...I loved them so much it nearly hurts. The extra detail and getting to see more of what's going on in Katniss's mind really took the series to a whole new level for me, rather than just the movies.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

 The Princess Bride by William Goldman-414 pages

The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies and I've seen it several times. I've been wanting to read the book for a while and have extra motivation because we're reading it for our Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book to Movie Club. The book has a somewhat more serious tone than the movie. The movie is mostly silly fun. I would say that I still like the movie just a bit more than the book. I really enjoyed the book, though, and would give it 4 out of 5 stars. There is a sort of sequel/epilogue in this edition of the book, also, called Buttercup's Baby. I didn't like it as much as the main story, however. It's much more meandering than the rest of the Princess Bride. I really did enjoy finally reading the book after having seen the movie several times. 

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

 Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly-346 pages

This is the previously untold story of the women, specifically African-American women, who were computers for NACA (later NASA) at Langley in Hampton, Virginia. Dorothy Vaughan was one of the first to be offered and accept a position as a computer. Later, Mary Jackson and Katherine Goble (later Johnson) accepted a computer position at Langley. The women were part of West Computing which was the wing for the African-American women. They had to endure segregation and racism, especially in the early years of their employment. Mary Jackson would later become an engineer at Langley, leaving computing behind. All 3 of these women and many others would help send John Glenn into space in 1962. Katherine Goble Johnson also had a big hand in sending Apollo 11 to the moon and some of her calculations helped John Lovell and the other astronauts of Apollo 13 return home safely. This book is the inspiration for the 2017 film of the same name. I enjoyed reading this book, although it does lack a bit in the narrative department and gets bogged down in details occasionally. The epilogue is the best chapter, as far as narrative. It's almost as if she wrote it for those familiar with many of the people and the organizations and mathematics involved in these stories. I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars because of the importance of its story. It is an important history of many important, previously unseen contributions by African-American women at a time when segregation was the norm. This book does reinforce and extend my previous knowledge and studies of the Jim Crow era. The fact that African-Americans (and women) were not afforded the same rights and luxuries as their white (male, especially) counterparts time and time again until quite recently in the big picture is appalling. The fact that hotels and restaurants could and did deny service to someone based solely on their skin color is abhorrent. Separate but equal was never equal. It was really separate and unequal. The 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision set a horrible precedent for the following several decades of segregation. The women in this story overcame that segregation and constant reminders of its existence to make important contributions to United States history. 

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett-266 pages

This is the story of Mary Lennox, who as a young girl lives in India with her neglectful, selfish parents. An Ayah (Indian servant) attends to Mary's every need and Mary is kept out of sight of her parents and their friends. When tragedy strikes and her parents and Ayah all die of Cholera, Mary is sent to England to live at her reclusive uncle's (Mr. Archibald Craven) estate, Misslethwaite Manor. It is here that Mary finds a secret locked garden and slowly transforms from a bratty, selfish child to a mature young woman. She befriends Martha (her maid, sort of), Dickon, Ben Weatherstaff, a robin, and Colin Craven (her cousin). Colin also makes a miraculous change from a spoiled hypochondriac who lays in bed all day feeling sorry for himself to someone who is full of energy and runs around the secret garden. One thing in the book that I enjoyed that wasn't in any movie adaptation that I've seen is Dickon's and Martha's mom, Susan Sowerby. She plays a big role in helping Colin and Mary get well in the book and I enjoyed her character. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I have enjoyed 2 out of the 3 movie adaptations that I've seen, also.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

 Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - 331 pages, Audiobook - 11.5 hours

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This gritty and compelling novel tells the story of star-crossed lovers set in the circus world circa 1932.

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.

I'm not a huge circus fan, so this is not a book I would have chosen on my own. However, I'm very glad it was selected in our Book to Movie Club as I enjoyed it immensely. The book, told from Jacob's point of view while he was working on the circus and years later when he is in a nursing home, transports you into the world of circus trains.

A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron

 A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron - 336 pages (11 hours 20 minutes Audiobook)

⭐⭐⭐✰✰

Lucas Ray is shocked when an adorable puppy jumps out of an abandoned building and into his arms. Though the apartment he shares with his mother, a disabled veteran, doesn't allow dogs, Lucas can't resist taking Bella home.

As it becomes more difficult to hide her from the neighbors, Lucas begins to sneak Bella into the VA where he works. There, Bella brings joy and comfort to the patients.

After Bella is picked up by Animal Control because pit bulls are banned in Denver, Lucas has no choice but to send her to a foster home until he can figure out what to do. But Bella, distraught at the separation, doesn't plan to wait. With four hundred miles of dangerous Colorado wilderness between her and her person, Bella sets off on a seemingly impossible and completely unforgettable adventure home.

The book is told from the dog's perspective, and that made it feels a bit odd to me. This book was one our Book to Movie Club selections, and I must admit I liked the movie better. The dog's narration in the movie felt more organic than in the book.

Are You There God? It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume

Are You There God? It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume-176 pages

I wanted to read this with the movie coming out soon. Also, I wanted to read it for myself since it's been challenged a lot over the years. It's a coming-of-age story about Margaret Simon, a pre-teen who moves from New York to New Jersey. She has a good relationship with her grandmother on her father's side. They hang out a lot together and her grandmother makes her special sweaters. Margaret makes friends and joins a secret club with her new friends, Nancy, Janie, and Gretchen. They all want to increase their bust and get their period. Normal things for growing young women to think about. Margaret talks to God often, even though she doesn't practice any religion. She does, however, experiment with different religions during the school year for a personal school project. She goes to a Methodist church service and Jewish Synagogue/Temple service with her grandmother. Also, she goes to a Catholic confession but doesn't know what to say. I enjoyed reading this book and didn't find anything objectionable in it. 

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

 Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen-368 pages

Jacob Jankowski falls on hard times after his parents unexpectedly die in a car accident in the 1930s. He joins the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show by accident after jumping their train. This is a story about Jacob and his time with the Benzini Brothers circus where he meets Marlena and works as a veterinarian for Uncle Al and August. Marlena is married to August who is the leader of the animal Menagerie. Jacob and Marlena quickly become star-crossed lovers, but can't act on it for fear of August and Uncle Al. Events unfold somewhat slowly early but very quickly near the end and this has a fairly surprising ending. I liked this book, although some of the things that happen are pretty sad. I would rate this 4 out 5 stars, though.

A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron

 A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron-327 pages

Bella is a loving stray dog found living in a den with cats under a condemned house by Lucas. He lives in an apartment across the street from the condemned house and feeds the cats frequently. Bella immediately takes to Lucas and he takes her in even though it's against his lease agreement. Lucas lives with his mom, who is an Army veteran who struggles with depression and seizures. Bella twice recognizes oncoming seizures from Mom and saves her. Bella and Lucas build a strong bond and Bella views him as her person. However, Lucas runs afoul of the mean man building new housing across the street by continuing to feed and advocate for the cats still living in the den under the house. This man, Gunter, recruits an Animal Control Officer (ACO) to certify Bella as a pit bull. Pit bulls are banned in Denver, where Lucas lives. Soon, Bella is captured by the ACO and separated from Lucas. They're reunited only to be separated again. Bella is determined to get home to Lucas. Will she be able to survive the nearly 400 mile trek back to Lucas? I would rate this one 3 out of 5 stars.

Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1) by Michael Crichton

 Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1) by Michael Crichton-448 pages (mass market paperback)

Hammond and InGen, Inc. have secretly created a theme park/zoo full of dinosaurs. Strange animal attacks are happening all across Costa Rica by what are suspected to be lizards, but actually might be small predatorial dinosaurs that have escaped from Jurassic Park. An EPA agent shows up at a dig site where Dr. Alan Grant and Ph.D. student Ellie Sattler are uncovering a juvenile velociraptor fossil. He says he's investigating Hammond and his island off the coast of Costa Rica. Hammond and InGen plan to open Jurassic Park to the public in a year, but the EPA agent (and investors who send Gennaro) believe that there could be inherent danger lurking. Grant, Sattler, Malcolm (a mathematician who subscribes to chaos theory and is extremely arrogant), and Gennaro travel to Isla Nublar to investigate Jurassic Park. Hammond and his employees, especially Wu (the geneticist responsible for creating the dinosaurs) and Arnold (the chief engineer) believe the island and park to be totally under control. However, they turn out to be very, very wrong after another employee, Dennis Nedry, intentionally shuts down the security systems and power during a storm. Nedry created the computer systems for Jurassic Park and is disgruntled over his compensation, so he conspires with Dodgson (an exec at a competitor who wants to make their own dinosaurs) to steal some dinosaur DNA samples and smuggle them off the island. The dinosaurs break loose from their paddocks when the electric fences are no longer electrified and wreak havoc, especially the predators (velociraptors, tyrannosaurs, dilophosaurs, etc.). Things go very awry and Hammond and his employees are far from in control. Can they get the island back under control before it's too late? How many will die and/or get eaten by the dinosaurs? I really liked the book and I'm leaning towards liking it more than the movie based on it. I really like the movie, though, also. 

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg 395 pages Elderly Mrs. Threadgoode relates the story of her life and of her best friend, Ruth, who ran the Whistle Stop Cafe in Alabama in the thirties I love the movie, but I had never read the book. It was so interesting (of course the book is always better) to see how the details of Idgie and Ruth are different in the book. I loved the way the author described the charaters and the setting in that time and place. I could see it so much more clearly, than even in the movie. I loved meeting more of their family in the book. #bookisbetter #historicalfiction

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1) by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1) by Bryan Lee O'Malley-168 pages

I have seen the film "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" several times and I enjoy it. I saw these on the shelf at V-Stock at the South County Center and requested them through Evergreen instead of purchasing them. The movie is pretty true to the first book, but it also covers the second book (at least). One difference is that in the book Scott Pilgrim must face Seven Evil Ex-Boyfriends, but in the movie it's Seven Evil Exes, which include women. However, overall, the book and movie are both good and enjoyable. I plan to read Vol. 2 next (which is titled "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World"). 

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

 

        Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie-351 pages

        True to Dame Agatha's form of writing, there are many characters and alot of subplots.  Didn't          see the end coming so I enjoyed it very much.  She truly was a master at her craft.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams-216 pages

I found this Sci-Fi adventure/comedy very funny. The names are outrageous as is the improbable story. Mice really being pandimensional beings, an Improbability Drive, dolphins being smarter than humans (although some might actually argue this) are some of the outrageous plot points. My favorite passage though is when Arthur is saved by Ford from Earth's impending doom and reveals The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. When Arthur asks what the Guide says about Earth he finds out that it says only that Earth is "harmless." When he inquires as to whether the Guide has been updated Ford replies that it has. However, the update now reads "mostly harmless." I enjoyed reading this novel and I had never really considered reading it before this month's book to movie/tv challenge. 

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell - 214 pages

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is a truly heroic Viking known as the "dragon whisperer".  But it wasn't always so.  Once, Hiccup was merely a Viking boy worried that he would fail his Viking initiation by being unable to tame a dragon.

I love the first How to Train Your Dragon movie.  I think it is one of the best kids movies in the past years.  This is the book that the movie is based on -- although very, very loosely.  I enjoyed listening to the book on audio as narrated by David Tennant.  He is a wonderful narrator who used various accents / dialects to distinguish the characters.  I'm looking forward to listening to the rest of the series.

The Martian by Andy Weir - 387 pages

The Martian by Andy Weir - 387 pages

Mark Watney is stranded on Mars after an unfortunate impaling, and has to figure out how to survive being the first man to do nearly everything on the red planet.  Mechanical failures, food shortages, and physics debacles abound in this story of one man against absolutely no actual martians.

This book was full of wry humor, sarcasm, near death experiences, and ultimately an uplifting (haha, a little astronaut humor) message about maintaining a constructive attitude in the face of severe potato shortages and explosive decompression.  Sometimes veering into near-techno-speak, it was the kind of believable sci-fi that made me feel smart and space-saavy even though I'm not, and had me rooting for Watney all the way.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed - 336 p.

   Wild is a story of a single woman trying to find herself on the Pacific Crest Trail, or the PCT. I went between thinking that Cheryl Strayed is one heck of a woman or one complete idiot. This book illustrates she is both, but the "one heck of a woman" wins out. From rattlesnakes to bears, to dehydration and ice hikes, this story is insightful, funny, and tense.