The Lost Boy

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Ø Title: The Lost Boy

Ø Author: David Pelzer

Ø Genre: Adult Novel

Ø Rating: 4/5 stars

Ø Why I read this book: It has been on my reading list for years.

Ø About the Book: This is a true story about David who had been abused and neglected by his mother for years. It isn't until later in his childhood that his teachers step in and get him taken away  from his mother. David is then sent on his journey as a foster child, looking for love and acceptance. He is moved from foster home to foster home throughout his life, a lost boy in a sea of people.

Ø Recommendation: I believe David's story is one that can help foster kids realize that their is hope in the world. I believe that it gives people that have never been in the foster system a glimpse of what it would be like to feel like you are not cared for. It's a horribly sad and uplifting story.

The History of Love

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Ø Title: The History of Love

Ø Author: Nicole Krauss

Ø Genre: Adult Novel

Ø Rating: 3/5 stars

Ø Why I read this book: On my employers bookshelf

Ø About the Book: This book is about Alma, a 14 year old girl who is trying to deal with the daily struggles of growing up. She is trying to figure out who she is, deal with a mother who has withdrawn from the world, and a brother who thinks he is the one of the 36 most important people in the world. This book is also about Leo. Leo is an old man just trying to survive another day along with trying to not become invisible. Most importantly, this book is about the many kinds of love.

Ø Recommendation: This book jumped around a lot. I couldn't keep up with who was talking most of the time. There really didn't seem to be a lot of plot, but I guess it was supposed to be mirroring real life. Not a book I will read a second time.

The Book Thief

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Ø Title: The Book Thief

Ø Author: Markus Zusak

Ø Genre: YA/Adult Novel

Ø Rating: 5/5 stars

Ø Why I read this book: On my employers bookshelf

Ø About the Book: This book takes place in Nazi Germany and is narrated by Death himself. Death is tired of his job, but one individual has intrigued him. Through Death we learn of a little girl named Liesel. Liesel is illiterate, but steals a book while on the way to her foster parents' home. Through the efforts of her foster father, known to Liesel as "Papa" and the school system, Liesel learns to read. She steals more books when she has finished that one, but in Nazi Germany, words can be a dangerous thing. 

Ø Recommendation: I came to love the characters in this book, each of them coming to life on the page. You can see Rudy with his lemon-colored hair taunting Liesel after a soccer game. You can feel the tension build in the house as money gets tight. You can even taste Mama's awful Pea Soup. It is a touching, haunting book that you will take with you forever.

Strange Skies

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Ø Title: Strange Skies

Ø Author: Matt Marinovich

Ø Genre: Adult Fiction

Ø Rating: 2/5 stars

Ø Why I read this book: I found it in a bookstore and found the description to be interesting.

Ø About the Book: Strange Skies is a book about a man that lies to his wife about having cancer in order to get out of having children with her. Later, after cheating on his wife several times, he finds a woman and her child that changes his mind about children. That's about it to this book.

Ø Recommendation: The main character in this book is, to put it lightly, a Jerk-Face. Which made it hard to enjoy the story. Even until the end of the book, he does everything for himself. I did not like this book, and don't think anyone really would.

While I was Gone

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Ø Title: While I was Gone

Ø Author: Sue Miller

Ø Genre: Adult Fiction

Ø Rating: 5/5 stars

Ø Why I read this book: It was another bookstore find in a hurried "Grab something! The store is closed!" day. 

Ø About the Book: While I was Gone is a book about how a person's past can affect a person's present and future. Jo is a older woman as the book starts out, a veterinarian. One of her clients is owned by a man that she used to know. This encounter brings back memories of a past that Jo had tried to forget. Because sometimes the past hurts. The two of them then meet up several times, Jo attracted to the man that reminded her of her past. However, the encounter doesn't go the way she expected it to. In the end, her marriage of over 25 years is strained and put to the test, all because of a single encounter with this man from the past.

Ø Recommendation: I enjoyed this book. I could feel Jo's pain, her desperation, her loneliness. Her character is believable, a well rounded mess of an individual. And the book wraps up nicely.

A Lifetime of Secrets

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The Post Secret Website

Ø Title: A Lifetime of Secrets

Ø Author: Frank Warren

Ø Genre: Non-Fiction

Ø Rating: 5/5 stars

Ø Why I read this book: Was on my employer's bookshelf.

Ø About the Book: Post Secret is an amazing online phenomena. Individuals from around the world send Frank Warren their secrets on postcards. The pour out their soul, and he collects them in these beautiful books. A lifetime of Secrets starts out with secrets sent in from children. A memorable secret in this section was about how an individual waited for their Hogwarts Letter all day on their 11th birthday. Then the secrets started aging, college and young-adult secrets, mid-life secrets, finally moving on to secrets about individuals in the late stages of life. Each secret means something different to each person reading them. Some of them are sad, some of them complete a portion of you that you didn't know was missing. 

Ø Recommendation: I am starting to find this portion silly. I will recommend just about every book I read. "A Lifetime of Secrets" is a moving collection and is worth your time to peruse.  

The Door Within

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Ø Title: The Door Within

Ø Author: Wayne Thomas Batson

Ø Genre: Teen Fiction--Fantasy

Ø Rating: 4/5 stars

Ø Why I read this book: Another used bookstore find.

Ø About the Book: The Door Within is a typical story about a boy finding his way to another realm. I find many parallels to Christian beliefs in this story, but they are subtle. Adian joins the 12 knights of Alleble and goes on a quest. During this quest he gets separated from his group, goes into battle, and does some very cunning plotting. There is Dragons, some cow-looking things, and some interesting spiders. The first book in a series usually doesn't answer many questions, but this one wraps up it's own plot while just giving hints at the next book. 

Ø Recommendation: Yes. Read it. It is fantastic.