#51 Orphan Train

I needed this book. After struggling through my last book this was a page turner. I finished it in just over 24 hours time.
Molly and Vivian would seem to be unlikely friends, Molly age 17 and Vivian age 91 they are placed together for Molly to complete 50 hours of community service. As they work together they find their lives have taken very similar paths.
From1854 to 1929 orphans from New York were loaded on trains and taken to the mid-west where families would pick children from the train to be farm hands, house help or the lucky ones were chosen to be raised and loved as their own. Vivian is not one of the lucky ones.
Molly has jumped from foster home to foster home and is about to be kicked out of her present one.
These two unlikely friends find that they have a lot to learn from one another.

Favorite quotes:

“I like the assumption that everyone is trying his best, and we should all just be kind to each other.” 

“So is it just human nature to believe that things happen for a reason - to find some shred of meaning even in the worst experiences?” 

“It is good to test your limits now and then, learn what the body is capable of, what you can endure.” - this quote actually made me think of Mandy :)

“you can’t find peace until you find all the pieces.

“you are only as interesting as you are useful to someone”

#408 Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult

 A little girl, Willow, was born with a brittle bone disease.  She broke her bones so frequently it became the norm of this family.  I think she said by first grade she had 75 broken bones.  Her disease caused conflict with the family as they couldn't pay all their bills, the mother was constantly stressed out and concerned when the next break would be, the older daughter felt neglected and didn't have any self-worth as all the attention went to Willow and the parents viewed things differently as well. 

Charlotte, the mother, decided to file a wrongful birth suit against her best friend, which also happened to be her obstetrician that delivered Willow.  I think the book was written to make the reader wonder, did she wish she had aborted Willow to avoid this lifestyle?  Or was it all about the money?  Did she just need the money to pay for Willow's care?  I never questioned any of these things, I knew it was the money.  I suppose this is typical Picoult fashion to make the reader think and wonder; was she justified to take her best friend to court, split her family up, make her an enemy in public's eye just so she could afford to care for her disabled child? 

I really disliked this book.  I felt the story redundant as it was told in 5 different point of views so each situation was shared over and over, but by someone else. However, never different.  I kept waiting for something big to happen and I never got it. 

I guess the idea of the book is to Handle with Care the things you truly love and care about. 

#319 Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins

This continues to be a pretty good series. A little more fleshing out of the key characters, and some good, solid action. I'm glad we got to see more of Gregor's family, and I expect at some point there'll be more than just Gregor and Boots visiting the Underland.

I'm impressed that, with this being a juvenile book, the author doesn't shy away from death. In a story like this, there are going to be some characters dying, and Collins makes sure the reader knows that, and knows the effect death has on those that survive. She handles it without a lot of blood and gore, but she makes no bones about the fact that these characters are gone, they're not coming back, and it hurts like hell for those left behind.

~Kris

Timeline - Michael Crichton #327

I have always been a fan of Michael Crichton books. I actually thought I had read all of his books but apparently this one I missed but thanks to Karen I got a chance to read it.

Most of Crichton's books I can just see being made into action movies. I sometimes wonder if he is imagining the movie as he writes. I don't think this one has been made into a movie but I would definitely go watch it if it was. I enjoy stories with time travel. Such a fun concept to imagine being a part of. But this book definitely shows the scary side of what would happen if you were a part of it. Can you imagine going back in time and realizing you were right smack in the middle of the black plague....scary! 

This book is about a group of scientist from the 14th century that must go back in time to rescue their professor that got stuck back there. It was quite the adventure. Being scientists these people started out thoroughly enjoying the learning of it but the reality of having to live during this time and carry out their task was quite scary. I don't want to give away too much but know it was a page turner!

-Read by Abby 3/27/15

#250 Matilda by Roald Dahl

I just picked this one up a couple day ago at the library and realized I have never read it.  What a great book!  I truly enjoyed it.  I'm a huge fan of Roald Dahl.  I think we share the same sense of humor.  One that can be seen as inappropriate at times, probably taken too far many of times (or too soon) and just odd, which I find likable in Roald Dahl's books. 

Matilda is a bright young girl that doesn't seem to fit into her family's life.  She is different than the rest of them and they, her family, feel she's the odd one when the reader quickly realizes it's the family that has the problem.  Matilda excels at school, makes friends, helps a teacher and develops real relationships there.  I believe most are familiar with this story and knows how it ends.  Matilda is much happier as well as other characters in the story.

Great read.  Enjoyable.  Glad Karen had this one on her list as I probably would have forgotten about this gem.

#320 Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

I read this to get away from the heavier fare I've been reading; it seems like lately I've read a lot of stuff that was hitting me hard emotionally or taxing my brain cells, and I needed a little break. And this book was light enough to give the break, while still having enough action and a strong enough plot to keep my interest.

The "questers' (Gregor's word) in this story reminded me of the Fellowship of the Ring in the Lord of the Rings - the group is made up of representatives from different races (or species), and there is mistrust (and some superiority) between members of the different groups. Collins does a good job of showing the different "personalities" of the different types of animals, while giving each of the separate members of those groups some individuality as well. I hope, in the next few volumes, she gives us a better layout of the geography of the Underland itself. (And yes, I do plan on reading more of this series!)

~Kris

#253 A Wrinkle in Time

I had a hard time getting into this book. I knew it was a classic, so it had to be a good story. I kept wondering why I couldn't get into it. I am not a huge fan of fantasy, I get lost in the made up words or names, my mind just doesn't follow things that don't make sense to me.
But for Karen, I struggled along...and so glad I did!!! The book started to pickup half way through and I then was able to follow the story line. It took me about 3 weeks of forcing myself to read the first half of the book, but only about 3 days to finish the last half.
This book is a great book on Good vs. Evil and is probably why it is a classic. Lots of great lessons in there.
some of my favorite parts:
"No, Meg. Don't hope it was a dream. I don't understand it any more than you do, but one thing I've learned is that you don't have to understand things for them to be." 

"Nothing is hopeless we must hope for Everything" -Mrs. Who quoting Euripides

"Like and equal are not the same thing at all"

"For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal"

"you mean your comparing our lives to a Sonnet? A strict form, but freedom within it?" "Yes" Mrs. Whatsit said. "You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you."