Spirit Bound (A Vampire Academy Novel #5)

If I haven't mentioned before.....I really hate the pictures on these books.  The people are not that hot and they are too old. 
Well, somehow I have submerged myself right into another love triangle.  I fall for it every time but I am getting REALLY tired of it.  Dimitri is still Strigoi and still alive after Rose failed to kill him.  She has returned to the Academy in time to graduate and become a guardian.  During this time she has promised Adrian to give a fair shot to a relationship with him.  The whole cast of gradutates go to court to await their new stations in life.
Rose has hatched a plan to use Lissa's spirit magic to somehow change Dimitri from Strigoi back to dhampir.  She needs information from the one person claiming to have already worked this magic.  This includes breaking an enemy out of a secure Moroi prison.
There are lots of side stories.  The book was entertaining as usual but by the time I reached the surprise ending and realized that this was NOT going to end the series I was.......perturbed to say the least.  I don't know how much more I can take of Rose not being settled in a relationship.  I want her to be with both Adrian and Dimitri......this seems to be a running theme in my life, er well, my literary life. 
The side stories were good.  The romance went up a notch.  The mysterious ending left me intruguied but praying that the next book will put an end to it all.  And finally, getting a little sick of the love triangle angle.

Rating 4  I will fully admit this is due to the emotion I felt over Dimitri, the gladness I felt over Rose and Adrian hooking up, and the intriguing ending.
Rating R  Very strong language for teen fiction including multiple uses of the F word, sexual situations, smoking, alcohol consumption by teens, contraception.

Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3)

Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) by Richelle Mead

Book three gets even darker for Rose.  She realizes that she might be taking some of the dark feelings that are conjured in Lissa when she uses magic.  It is nearing graduation and Rose is sent out to do her field test.  Instead of guarding Lissa, she ends up being Christian's guard (Lissa's social misfit boyfriend).  Rose's anger begins to get the best of her.  To make matters worse she starts seeing ghosts.  Having made her first Strigoi kills have only made her closer to the world of the dead.
When a huge group of Strigoi attack the Academy, Rose is faced with losing what she has waited so long for (or at least it felt like it) ....Dimitri.
I loved this book just as much as book two.  Rose has more depth and the psychological toll that it takes to put someone else's needs before your own.....always....is delved into.  Her friendships with other characters and her mother, play a larger role this time around.  And of course the romantic tension keeps building. Very bitter sweet.
Rating 4  Still not top notch lit. but I really did go for the wanting what you can't have aspect.
Rating R teen sex, alcoholism, violence, tense and scary.

Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2)

Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) by Richelle Mead

Rose and Dimitri come upon a Strigoi attack, the likes of which are never seen.  The attack sets off book two in this series.  Guardian are being brought in to reinforce the Academy over winter break.  Rose's estranged mother Janine (a famous guardian) appears on campus in time to set Rose off, just as the whole vampire culture is being shaken.  The Moroi are faced with deciding if they want to uphold tradition and let the guardians keep them safe, or should they learn to use their magic and help defend themselves?
Rose has little tolerance for what appears to be Janine's haughty ways and lack of maternal instinct.  Rose also has to face the fact that she can't have Dimitri and she should start looking for love elsewhere.  She begins seeing Mason, a close friend.  Mason and a group of other friends decide not to wait for the Strigoi to come to them.....they run away from the posh resort in Idaho, where Moroi families have gathered for safety.  Rose, of course, feels she must rescue them.
Rose seemed to come into her own in this book.  I admit liking this book better than the first one.  Rose's love life picked up, she became palatable, and the other characters rounded out better.  It turned out to be very entertaining and I immediately picked up book #3.
Rating 4  Not serious high quality literature, but still fun.
Rating R Swearing, violence, alcoholism, sexual aspects.

Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Rose is a dhampir.  She is half human, half vampire.  She is the guardian to Lissa, a Moroi or living vampire.  Rose protects royal Lissa from the Strigoi or vampires that are dead and have no magic.  Rose and Lissa have a psychic bond.  They attend an academy hidden in the forests of Montana.  The academy is for dhampir and Moroi. 

Rose and Lissa begin the book as escapees from the academy.  They are found by guardians and and forced to return.  Rose is taken under the wing of Dimitri.  He is a guardian in his early twenties that will also help protect Lissa and train Rose.

Rose and Lissa fled the academy when they realized Lissa had special powers that might endanger her.  Upon their return, they work hard to make their way back into the 'crowd' yet still keep secret their psychic bond and the healing powers that will make Lissa a target.

Rose has a strong personality which is sometimes very immature (which I guess makes sense considering the book is written for teens).  Sometimes I really liked that she didn't take any garbage and then sometimes it became old.  Lissa didn't seem deeply developed as a character. It kind of felt like a void there......she just sort of.......existed. There was back story which if told would have made a stronger book.  The setting and the author's version of vampirism made it worth reading  as pleasant entertainment.

Rating 3.5

Rating R  The book was very sexual for a teen audience, under age drinking, self mutilation, language.

Crashed

Crashed (Skinned trilogy #2) by Robin Wasserman

In the follow up to Skinned, Lia Kahn has left the home of her former family and is living in a compound/mansion with other mechs. Rights of the mechs' are in question as the Brotherhood become more vocal about how dangerous this new breed of people may be. When Lia's former friend Auden begins speaking out for the Brotherhood against the mechs, Lia is devastated.

Even though she has had no contact with her family in months, when things get tough, they pull through for her.

While living in the compound and trying to figure out or forget what she has become, Lia finally lets someone get close to her. She gets to know Riley.

Although I love the 'idea' of these books, I felt like this one was pretty flat. It took about three hundred pages to feel like I had finally reached the heart of the book. Before that there was too much emotional turmoil........you know the kind.........where you just keep rehashing something you can't seem to get over.

I was glad to see Lia finally have a friend. She felt much more angry in this book and I wasn't going for it.

I did however like learning more about the society after the big wars, and how the caste system had placed people in cities, corp-towns or rich suburbs.

Rating 2.5 I did like the book. It just took a lot of time to cover little ground.

Rating R For language, sex, some homosexuality, drug use (even though it was more like a download, you still understood that it was drug use).

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments Book Three)

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

In the conclusion of The Mortal Instruments series, Valentine is ready to take down the wards protecting the shadow hunter city of Alicante. Then he will allow it to be run over by demons in order to force the shadow hunter Clave to agree to his wishes. Valentine wants to create new shadow hunters and destroy the old ones. For this he needs the three mortal instruments.
Jace goes to Alicante with his family to the meeting of he Clave. The Clave has convened to determine how to fight Valentine.
Clary sneaks into the secret city with Luke. She is there to find the warlock that can help her wake her mother from the magically induced coma.
All Hell breaks loose literally and many are wounded and killed as Valentines demon army comes to destroy the city and its inhabitants.
Jace and Clary are able to uncover the secrets that will undo Valentine.

I am still loving this series. Also.....I am so proud of myself!! I actually figured out the twist before it was revealed. My distrust proved to be true. I am so happy. Even though the book ended in a way that I was truly pleased with, I felt like the character romance that I was rooting for had fizzled by the end. Lots of drama leading up to ..........eh okay. It left me wanting.

Rating 5 Yes I had a problem with the ending for Jace and Clary. However I do like that the rest of the events were wrapped up in a way that didn't go ON and ON and ON. Concise is nice. Still super funny and truly entertaining.
Rating PG 13 Death, destruction, demons, language, some heated romance.

The Templars

The Templars The Secret History Revealed by Barbara Frale

In recent years the mystique surrounding the templars has become popular thanks to author Dan Brown. The Templars is not another fictitious book. Frale is well educated in templar, papacy and crusade history. She works in the Vatican archives. Frale was able to use old and forgotten documents to put together this insightful book.

She explains how and why the templars were formed, to whom they answered, how long they supposedly lasted, their secret rituals, and how they finally came to an end.

The book read like a text book. The information was good and considering this was non fiction it did get dry. I had a hard time following the people and the time. She jumped around on the timeline because her layout was more topic based. Also at times I felt like a needed a diagram to figure out where the people belonged. I am not entirely familiar with far reaching Catholic history so I spent some time confused over what seemed like quick change of papacy and other leaders.

By the time I reached around pg. 150 I was able to keep it all straight but I think that is because the book stayed to mostly one time period and there were fewer historical players.

Rating 3 for the information but I would have to rate it lower for the confusion.

Rating PG Rituals include homosexuality and hazing.

To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

It has been ages since I read this book. It was definitely time to pick it up again. I remember liking it but I loved it so much more this time.

Scout and Jem live in Maycomb (a small southern town) in the early 1930's. They are being raised by their father Atticus and their black help Calpurnia. Atticus is a lawyer.
Scout and Jem meet Dill. A boy that moves to Maycomb every summer. They quickly become friends. They spend much of their time fixated on Boo Radley, the mysterious neighbor that never leaves his house and has become legend in their minds. The children make up skits about him, dare each other to enter his yard or peek through his windows. Once in awhile they find small gifts in a hollow tree, which they think are from Boo Radley.
As the years slip away, Scout and Jem are faced with the wrath of the small town as Atticus defends a black man accused of raping a white girl. Jem is turning into a young man and he always looks to Atticus as an example. Atticus tells Jem that defending this man is something he must do in order to live with himself.
As the trial approaches the children are accosted by one time friends and neighbors. Atticus is always wise and forgiving. He makes sure that Jem and Scout do not fight to defend him and do not speak unkindly to their accusers.
The trial plays out with Jem and Scout hiding in the balcony of the courtroom. Jem has a mind for law just like Atticus. He is convinced that the evidence proves Tom (the defendant) innocent of his charges. The jury returns a guilty verdict anyway.......despite everyone seeming to know that Tom is not guilty. Jem is bewildered and crushed. He cannot understand why the people of the town would let the accusation stand.
The father of the alleged rape victim is livid with Atticus for shaming him in court. He threatens to take revenge. Atticus however does not believe his threats will ever come to fruition once the anger ebbs away.
But Mr. Ewell bides his time and attacks Atticus' children on their way home from the Halloween pageant. In a wild turn of events their lives are saved by their legendary neighbor Boo Radley. Making their wildest dreams come true.

I cannot describe the emotions evoked by this book. I can see why it is so popular. As I read, I couldn't make myself understand how anyone could ever believe the things people used to believe about race. This book is so applicable even today, whether it is about race, religion or gender.

Rating 5
Rating PG Despite the accusation of rape it was never graphically described. I would probably read this to my nine year old or let her read it herself. Hard lessons must be learned. Well worth the read.

Wings

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel Sewell is fifteen and just beginning high school. For years she has lived in a small cabin at the edge of the woods with her parents. Laurel was home schooled there. Times are changing for Laurel and far more than she first suspects. Her family has now moved to a larger town where her father runs a book store and Laurel is entering public school.

Despite feeling out of place Laurel makes friends with Chelsea and David. David seems to be interested past the point of friendship and Laurel may be also. Just as she should be finding first love and well on her way through puberty, Laurel discovers the reason she has always felt different. She is a faerie. As her only close friend, David is the one she turns to. David and Laurel search for scientific proof of the amazing turn of events.

At the same time Laurel's mother is about to sell the family land that Laurel was raised on. When the new buyer comes to make an offer, Laurel has the sick feeling that he is not a good man. While helping her parents prepare their cabin and land for sale, Laurel takes off into the woods. As she sits playing her mother's guitar, Laurel is approached by a striking young man with the features of a model and oddly colored hair. His name is Tamani and he is able to answer all of the questions Laurel has about herself.

Laurel is quickly stuck between a sweet and tender relationship with David, a human boy, and a soul shaking, breath taking love with the faerie Tamani. Her feelings for both are mixed as they help her defeat the trolls that are ready to take over her family land. The land that she has learned possesses the gate to her old faerie world.

Wings is the first in a four book series and is also being made into a Disney movie. With the wave of fantasy literature now hitting the YA market, Wings is as fresh as the blossom on a faerie.

The love between Laurel and each boy is compelling. I want her to be able to have both! The faerie side of the story is bright and interesting, much less dark than recent YA books I have read.

Rating 5 Fresh take on fantasy/young love.

Rating PG Trolls come to a violent end. The romantic parts are clean.

Generation Dead

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

First off........I love the cover.

Teens all over America are returning from the dead. With so many 'differently biotic' stumbling around new ways of tolerance and rights must be navigated.
Phoebe and Adam (Goth girl and Lame Man) have been best friends and neighbors for year. Their high school has a good undead program and is attracting the undead from all around. Phoebe takes a shine to Tommy, one of the undead boys. Tommy joins the football team that Adam plays for. Attention is quickly drawn to Tommy and the rights of the undead are challenged.
By cover appearances you get the feeling this will be teen fluff and giggles over the 'corpsicles, wormburgers, zombies....etc.......'. Turns out that even though the language is timely, witty, and spunky, the core issues are not light reading. It is a new age battle over equality. Once the living die, their death certificate strips them of all the rights Americans take for granted.....even the right to go on living.
I would have loved it if the book delved further into the reason for the dead returning to life. It felt like a gaping hole not knowing what made the zombies tick......although I guess it leaves it open for imagination. The civil rights movement in a fresh way was definitely something to think about. Although you could surely see the tides washing ashore in the same paths taken by the former civil rights movement.....peaceable vs. violent.
By the end of the book I was surprised and sad. This was a great read. It was light enough verbally to still be a fun read despite the depth it touched on.
Rating 4.5
Rating PG violence

Zlata's Diary

Zlata's Diary by Zlata Filipovic

Zlata began her diary as any other fourth grade girl. She liked junk food, music and her friends. She seems incredibly well spoken for her age. Her world quickly changes from what most of us would find in our everyday life to having her home and country torn by war. War is raging in Sarajevo between Serbs, Croats and Muslims in the early 1990's. Friends and family flee the country or are killed during bombings and shellings.
Zlata is compared to Anne Frank. She is afraid her fate may be the same as Anne's. Because Anne had a name for her diary, Zlata decides to name her's Mimmy.
As I read through this diary, I felt like I was reading the stories of my own people. I couldn't fathom having my normal life ripped at the seams over night. Zlata and her family were starving by winter. They lost water and had to haul it in order to have it on hand. Many times electricity was lost for days and then later rationed to those with priority. Her parents went from a well educated happy couple to thin and terrified. Much of their time was spent hidden in the basement of their apartment building as the shelling raged outside. Family and friends fled the country in order to save themselves. As her early tween years passed, Zlata spent her time in the safer parts of her apartment, mostly her kitchen, or in spotty school attendance when there was no shooting. Where she had once had many friends, language and music lessons, she mostly only had her parents and close neighbors while Bosnia Herzegovina suffered under attack as the 'kids' (politicians) played at their games.
Striking and moving blow by blow of daily life in a war torn country. I would recommend for anyone to read this. Because she was so young, Zlata does not cover the reasons behind the war. She admits not understanding, only wishing for peace. During the same years covered by the diary, I was only a few years older. I cannot remember much from the political history of the time and will be reading more to find out. Having had family leave Yugoslavia in the early 1900's I felt like every picture or detail contained people that could have been me.

Rating 4.5
Rating PG The warring and violence although terrifying to Zlata was not greatly described in horrific detail and therefore not rated R. I would let my 9 year old read this.

When We Meet Again Children of the Promise Vol. 4

When We Meet Again Children of the Promise Vol. 4 by Dean Hughes

WWII is nearing it's end. The Thomas family anticipates reunion.

Alex is sent to army intelligence. He must drop in to enemy territory with a German ex patriot to find landing zones and heavy artillery that must be destroyed. He is successful, but when he tries to return to the Allies he is taken captive and his partner is shot and killed. Finally the Allied troops believe Alex and he is released. The war ends in Europe. Alex is sent home to Anna on leave. He cannot stay until their baby is born. He returns to Germany because he is fluent in German. He is to seek out Nazi and Gestapo leaders to be turned over for their war crimes. His son Gene is born in London. Alex is able to find Anna's father. He tells Papa Stoltz that he will continue looking for Peter, but that he should return to London and care for Anna and her mother and the new baby. Papa agrees but is reticent to give up on the search.

Anna is used by Allied intelligence to translate recordings of Allied spies from German to English. She hears Alex's voice. She fears for his safety and is angry that he would risk so much when he has a child on the way. She and Alex are reunited for a short time before the birth of Gene. She knows that the end of the war for Europe will not be the end of the war for Alex. With his skills, he will be left behind to attend to much of the damage and rebuilding.

Bobbi is on the Naval hospital ship The Charity. They are sent out to the Pacific Islands as the war there rages on. Her ship is bombed by a Kamikaze pilot. She and Richard are engaged but Richard is home in Utah having reconstructive surgery on his hands. He seems concerned that President Thomas has big plans for his family involving money and production plants after the war. Richard is afraid he will not be able to give Bobbi the same kind of life. Bobbi is upset because she wants Richard to fight for her and not care about income. Richard meets the Thomases.

Wally is still a POW in Japan. He works the Japanese mines. When Hiroshima has an atomic bomb dropped, the war ends in the Pacific soon after. The POW's are released. Many have built up anger towards their captors. Wally begins to feel bad for the general public of Japan. Once he has been able to get food for himself, he begins traveling around sharing what he has with the Japanese. Eventually Wally is able to make it out of Japan and home to America. He finally learns of Gene's death as he contacts his family. He and the other men wonder how deep the scars from being held captive and abused will run. They wonder if they will ever be able to act normal again.

LaRue befriends a boy in her class that is intelligent and easy to talk to but he doesn't keep up on current fashion. She leads him on with her friendship knowing that he could never be more to her because of his "coolness" factor. LaRue and President Thomas continue their power struggle. LaRue thinks that her father doesn't like her.

Once again I am loving this series. I feel like I have learned so much about this era. My favorite is the way that Wally still has such a deep urge to remain humane and spiritual despite the horror he is shown by his captors.

Rating 5

Rating PG war

Soldier Boys

Soldier Boys by Dean Hughes

Dieter and Spence are two boys caught up in WWII. Spence an American boy wants to prove his worth to those back in his home town. Dieter has joined Hitler Youth and wants to help Hitler wipe out the evil Americans and kill the filthy Jews.

Each boy finds that the glory of war is not what they thought it would be. They are starved, frozen and wounded. They see the baseness of humanity. As their lives are on the line and quickly coming to an end, they realize the hatred that they carry is not the men they want to be. Spence risks his life to help Dieter as he lay dying after battle. His kind and charitable hand is paid with the price of his own life when German soldiers gun him down as he drags Dieter to medics.

Quick tender read. Very reminiscent of Children of the Promise series. Great in helping understand history, current and future war events.

Rating PG violence, war
Rating 3.5

Far From Home Children of the Promise #3

Far From Home Children of the Promise Vol. 3 by Dean Hughes



The Thomases are still a war torn family. President Thomas is grating on my nerves with his holier than thou attitude.....but I also see where he is coming from.....sometimes. Sister Thomas is standing up to him......go Bea.

Alex is still in the heat of the battle near the front lines. It is winter 1945 and things are miserable for every soldier. Along with the battle the cold is tearing them up. Alex is freezing and fight for most of this book. He loses one of his men that reminds him of Gene........he finally has enough feeling left to cry. Alex finds out at the end of the book that he and Anna will be parents.

Bobbi rarely hears from Richard. She remains close to Ishi (an AJA in her ward) and her children as they also wait for news of Daniel, their husband and father. Bobbi finds herself tiring of Afton (her friend and roommate). Afton has found love in Sam, a Hawaiian. She leads him on for awhile knowing that he feels deeply for her but that she will not marry him because of their racial differences. Bobbi learns that Richard's ship has been sunk near the Philippines. She waits for so long to hear from him that she fears he is dead. Richard is finally rescued and sent back to the hospital at Pearl Harbor where Bobbi is stationed. He and Bobbi decide they do love each other and want to get married. Bobbi will soon be leaving on a naval hospital ship.

Wally is a POW in Japan. Conditions are still terrible for him. He is working in coal mines. The Japanese are under pressure to mine the coal and are horrendous to the prisoners. Wally and the other POW's suffer from extreme conditions, little food, disease, unsanitary situations, and the wrath of the Japanese. Wally struggles to get his hatred under control.

LaRue is only fifteen but acting much older. She has begun volunteering at the USO. She dances and flirts with the soldiers leading them to believe she is not just fifteen. Ned, a soldier from Hill Field falls in love with LaRue. Despite President Thomas' urging and harsh criticism LaRue cannot get enough of the attention she is attracting from the older boys. When Ned professes his love and asks LaRue to marry him before he is shipped out to the battle, LaRue has to come clean about her age. Ned is enraged but he loves her so much he asks her to wait for him while he is at war. She agrees to write to him but will not become engaged. She is also flirting like wild fire with the boys her age. LaRue begins to realize that she doesn't like what she is turning into.

The Stoltz's are separated. Anna and her mother are in London. Father has joined the Allied forces and is spying for then against the Nazi's in Germany. He is also hopeful that he will be able to locate Peter. Peter is caught by the Gestapo. He runs. In an effort to hide from then he finds that he must join the army even though he hates the Nazi's and what they are doing to Germany and the other nations. Conditions for the German troops fighting the Russians are horrid. Peter and the other boys are so young. They are freezing and starving. Peter and his last friend are sick and wounded. They finally make it to a hospital where Peter's friend Hans dies. Peter can take no more. He goes AWOL and joins fleeing refugees in hopes that he will not be caught. He is determined to never kill again even if it means forfeiting his own life.

This is another great addition to the already great series. I have loved watching Wally and the other POW's struggle with their determination to quell their hatred and find a way to forgive the Japanese. Also Alex and Peter are able to show that even though a nation may be wicked, not all of the people in the nation are. Despite desperate times and evil in the world, good can still be found in individuals.

Rating 5
Rating PG 13 War, violence, violent death, injury, hatred.

Shadow of the Giant

Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card

Card's final book in the Shadow series continues Peter Wiggins attempt to unite the world under a single government headed by himself, the Hegemon. Bean and Petra are trying to recover their stolen embryos, which have been implanted and are now babies.

Peter as Hegemon wants the earth united. He does not want to do this with force or violence. As the wars rage between the largest powers on earth, Russia, Asia, India and Islam, Peter waits to pick up the pieces, or to offer troops and safety to the countries that join the Free People.

Graff and Mazer are sending ships into space to create new colonies. Their love for the former Battle Schoolers or Jeeshmates, compel them to ask the still children if they will consider leaving the earth to be the leaders of new world colonies in space. This will also save earth from destruction because the members of Ender's Jeesh are now the leaders of warring nations. Many begin to see the sense and flee Earth to start over.

Bean and Petra are slowly finding their babies. Petra gives birth early and they realize that their new baby Ender has Bean's genetic key that will make him very small and very smart until he begins to grow into a giant, as Bean is now. The unchecked growth with kill Bean and the children carrying their father's legacy. Bean decides once all of the babies are found, he will take the ones with the genetic key and leave Earth with them. Petra does not know that she will be left with the normal babies alone on Earth.

Islam and Asia join forces through the marriage of Virlomi....goddess of India and Caliph Alai. This destructive marriage forces the hands of the warring countries and war across the Earth erupts at a greater pace.

The babies are all recovered. After Bean leads the FPE armies to victory, he is 'killed' in battle. He takes the afflicted babies, gives Petra a divorce decree, and leaves Earth. He awaits the genetic cure for his giantism. Petra continues leading an army until the wars cease and the world begins to unite under the Hegemon. Broken hearted over the loss of Bean and three of the babies she finally returns home to raise the remaining five. She finds Peter has a growing relationship with the babies because of her absence. Eventually she will marry Peter and have more children.

The Earth unites, except for America. Peter is Hegemon of the Earth. The Battle School children opt to leave Earth and head their own colonies, freeing the Earth from fighting over their battle genius.

Peter and Ender connect over ansible. They are able to talk about Peter's life and his driving desires and how they affect the way he treated Ender as a small child. When Peter dies, Ender writes the book Hegemon, and speaks for Peter.

Rating 4.5 This is one of my favorites of the Shadow and Ender series. I think it totally trumps the follow ups to Ender's Game. Heart wrenching and quick enough paced. I was able to give more attention to the war scheming.
Rating PG 13 Lust, war

Since You Went Away

Since You Went Away by Dean Hughes Children of the Promise Vol. 2

In this second volume of Hughes WWII series, the Thomas family is pulled apart by the raging war. Alex joins the army paratroopers. Bobbi joins the navy as a nurse. Wally is still a POW in the Philippine Islands. When Gene graduates from high school, he joins the marines. Alex's love, Anna fights the Gestapo and her family is forced into hiding.

President and Sister Thomas are having to face the realities of war. Their children are being called to the corner's of the earth and the Thomases are hoping that they will all live to be reunited.
Alex joins the army after hard thought about staying to run his father's parts plant. He becomes a paratrooper, with the army's promise of later moving to intelligence because of his German background. Alex has a hard time thinking of German's as the enemy. The other soldier's in the paratroopers doing like his soft heart and love of the enemy. Even Alex's leaders think he is not cut out for the elite group. Alex proves them wrong and finds himself quickly working his way up the ranks. He is dropped behind the lines just before D day to make way for the incoming beach landing. Alex with only a very small platoon is able to disarm four large weapons. Just days later, while trying to lead his men toward enemy fire, Alex is shot in the leg. He ends up in a hospital in London. There he meets Anna again. They are reunited for the short time Alex recuperates. They get to know each other and find they are in love as much as they dreamed they would be. They marry and have a short honeymoon before Alex is shipped back to the front lines.
Anna and her family find themselves stalked by the Gestapo. Kellerman, the agent that hated the missionaries is on a mission to ruin the lives of the Stoltz family. He comes to their apartment one day while Anna is alone. He attempts to brutalize her. She slashes his face deeply with a knife and seals the fate of the family. Kellerman will never stop until he has had Anna and killed her family. The Stoltz's go into hiding by running away to Berlin and seeking refuge with another LDS family. On the verge of being discovered they run away and live in a bombed out building. Finally, Brother Stoltz is lead by the spirit to find the identification of dead man. He uses these to get other legal papers and find a job. The family is blessed to get an apartment and through Brother Stoltz's government job, their own legal papers. They work and lead a quiet life, waiting for the day they are discovered by Kellerman. Brother Stoltz hates the Nazi's. He decides to join an underground network in order to help save the lives of Jews. The family takes in a small Jewish family to hide. The Stolzt's are found out. They escape, but the Jewish family is taken away. The Stoltz family is able to escape Germany, but in the process are separated from Peter (Anna's brother). He is left somewhere inside of Germany. Anna and her parents make it to England where Anna and Alex are reunited.
Bobbi is stationed in Hawaii. She meets Afton, an LDS girl. They become friends, room together and attend church together. While at church they meet an AJA (American of Japanese Ancestry). We learn of the Japanese Americans being interred in camps because they could be spies. They are then asked to fight for the country that has treated them so regretfully. Bobbi and Afton also meet Richard Hammond, a sailor and also LDS. Bobbi and Richard fall in love but Richard is not able to reveal his feelings because he is afraid there will be no future for he and Bobbi.
Wally is still being held as a POW on the Philippine Islands. He is subject to atrocity after atrocity; no food, disease, death, violence, brutality, and hard manual labor. He is loaded on a train at one point, with so many men there is no room to move. His friends die or he is separated from them, but still he has the grit and desire to continue on. Wally is always the one trying to help those around him. He is proving to himself that he is not the family quitter. He dreams of the day he can return home and show his father what he is made of. Finally Wally is taken to Japan.
Gene joins up as soon as he graduates high school. He is a sweet and kind boy that has been better at sports than even his older brothers. Gene doesn't want to go to war but he feels like it is his duty. He joins the marines and stays true to who he is, not becoming foul and corrupt like many of the soldiers. Gene is able to be with Bobbi in Hawaii for a short time before he sees battle. On his first day on the beaches of Saigon, Gene is shot down and killed. The family mourns greatly over knowing that they will never be a whole family in this life again.

This is my favorite book so far, in this series and in the series to follow. It is heart wrenching and also a historical feast. Fabulous!
Rating 5
Rating PG 13 War and its atrocities.

Rumors of War

Rumors of War Children of the Promise Vol. 1 by Dean Hughes

The first book in Hughes WWII series is Rumors of War. The Thomas family has made it through the Great Depression and WWI. Hitler is rising in power across Europe and Russia. He promises to strengthen the dying economy. In truth he is out to strengthen communism and wipe out the Jews.

Alex Thomas, oldest son of Al and Bea, is on a mission for the LDS church, in Germany. He is there for the conversion of the Stoltz family and their beautiful daughter Anna. He is also there for the rise of Hitler. Jews and foreigners are being persecuted, including missionaries. After witnessing many atrocities towards Jews, the mission is being closed. Alex and other missionaries must flee the country before the borders close and trap them. The Gestapo is after them.

Once home, Alex wants to return to college, but his father, President Thomas has other ideas. Strict and opinionated Al is investing in a parts plant that he wants Alex to run. Al knows he can make his son rich and keep him out of the war this way. Alex sees things differently. He can't let other members of his family and community serve without joining his own effort. He knows someday he may have to fight the Germans that he came to love. He and Anna promise to ride out the war and find each other.

Bobbi oldest Thomas daughter is engaged to Phil, the man of every girl's dreams. Every girl except for Bobbi. She finds one of her professors more intellectually stimulating. Finally realizing that she doesn't want to be Phil's 'little woman', she breaks off the engagement. President Thomas is furious, especially when he finds out that Bobbi is thinking of marrying her English Lit. professor, David. David is brilliant and right up her alley, but he does not share her faith. He encourages her to master in literature and become a professor herself. When things aren't going the way David wants, he takes another position in Chicago. Bobbi's heart aches for him and she decides to travel to Chicago to visit. She has a wonderful time and things that maybe she can live without David's dedication to the church. David finally sees how that would change Bobbi and tells her they should end the relationship. Bobbi returns to Utah with a broken heart. She strikes a deal with her father that she will become a nurse. Something that President Thomas finds worthy of her time. The war is really raging now, and after Bobbi's brother is caught up in the middle, Bobbi realizes she must join her effort. After graduation Bobbi plans to sign up with the navy.

Wally, second son in the Thomas family is not living up to the Thomas name, at least in the eyes of his father. Wally deems himself the family quitter. When he can't beat Alex in anything, he gives up. His grades drop and he feels depressed. The only thing he loves is Lorraine. And she doesn't want to love him back. Finally when Wally sees that he can't be the man Lorraine wants, he joins the air corps.

Wally is stationed in the Philippines. He is quickly rising in rank and living a life of leisure. Then Japan storms Pearl Harbor and the Philippine Islands quickly follow in a desperate take over. Wally becomes a true soldier over night as he and his men are sent on a death march across the island. The Thomas family back home is frantic. They see the world changing over night. Alex and Bobbi join the fray with the blessing of their father.

The history in this book is amazing and terrifying. Everyone I have spoken with loves this series even more than the follow up series The Hearts of the Children. I can't wait to immerse myself into history with personal perspective.

Rating 4.5

Rating PG 13 War time violence

Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451, the temperature books burn at. This is a futuristic book by Bradbury in 1950. The future held drug abuse, big screen T.V., war, the desire for happiness through entertainment and lack of choice, looking down on those with differing views. I think he was eerily correct.

Guy Montag is a fireman in 1990. Firemen in 1990 burn. They respond to alarms telling them of homes that contain books. When they arrive they spray on the kerosene and torch the place, people included if they do not leave the premises.

One night on his way home from the station, Montag meets his strange teen neighbor, Clarisse. Instead of listening to the little seashell in her ear and watching the walls (television takes up a whole wall and you can make every wall in a room a television), she likes to think, walk, and talk about things. Very strange and frowned upon. People are highly entertained by nothing and live without much of a choice because that decreases their anxiety. Clarisse grows on Montag and he begins to think about the things she says. He realizes that he isn't happy and my not be in love with his wife.

Arriving home from work, Montag finds his wife has overdosed on her crystals. He calls emergency and two men come, pump out her stomach and give her new blood. Good as new. This is such a common occurrence these days that a doctor doesn't even attend an overdose, just these plumber like men.

One night Montag responds to an alarm where an older woman refuses to leave her books. The firemen prepare to set her and her house ablaze. She sets herself on fire first. Montag begins to wonder what is so great about books that you would die for them. He grabs one, conceals it and takes it home.

Montag can't find Clarisse. He is told that she is dead and her family has moved on. He begins to realize how unhappy he is. He asks his wife if she can remember where they met. She has no recollection. He tells her she overdosed and she refuses to believe him. Finally in an attempt to break free of the discord with his wife and life, Montag shows Mildred (his wife) the book. He has saved The Bible from the flames.

Montag remembers an old man he met in a park once that might understand what he is going through. He seeks out Faber. The old man claims to be a weakling. He tells Montag that he didn't agree with the way the world was headed but that he did nothing to stop it. He tells Montag that he would like to help him now. He gives Montag the green bullet. An ear piece that he has invented which lets them communicate with each other.

Montag is sick. He is fevering with his disdain for life and its insanity. His chief comes for a visit and tells him that it happens to everyone. He also tells him that if a fireman were to take a book, he would have twenty four hours to look at it and then burn it himself. If he doesn't burn it, then the chief will come and burn it for him. Mildred freaks out. The chief sends the mechanical Hound to sniff out the house. The Hound hates Montag. If it catches him it will shoot him full of poison. It can smell the other books Montag has hidden in a heating vent.

Mildred's friends show up to watch the walls and drink. Montag wants to do something wild. He shows them a book and begins reading the poetry to them. They freak out. Faber tries to tell him to stop. Montag accuses them of the horrible things they have done with their worthless lives. They run out.

Montag returns to work. The chief gets very intense with him. They are called to an alarm. It is at Montag's house. Millie's friends have turned him in. Millie runs from the house and leaves Montag. Montag is forced to burn his own home. Then the chief tells him he is under arrest. The chief finds the green bullet. Montag turns his flame thrower on the chief and the two other firemen with him. He burns them. The Hound arrives and attacks Montag. Its poisonous needle shoots him in the leg. Montag burns the Hound. He takes off with his leg in pain. He returns to Faber. Faber tells him he will try to reach a printer that can copy The Bible. He gives Montag some of his clothing to cover up Montag's personal smell. A new Hound is after him and the Hound never fails.

Montag is chased by the police, the Hound, and the media. Everyone is told to open their doors and look for him. Montag escapes to the river. He puts on Faber's clothing. He floats downstream. Finally he comes to a camp along the railroad with other people that have left society. They all have books that they 'remember' in their minds. They hope that when society begins to change that they will be able to retell these books and bring them back to life. As the men let Montag into their midst, jets fly over. A new war has begun. The city Montag has just left is blown sky high. Montag can see the future changing.

Rating 4.5 Ray Bradbury did a great job of predicting future events!

Rating PG 13 Violence, murder, abortion as birth control, drug use

Shadow Puppets

Shadow Puppets by Orson Scott Card

The third volume following the former Battle School children.

Bean and Petra finally admit their love for each other, get married and implant an embryo. Bean doesn't want his genetic mutation to be inherited by his babies so they go through genetic testing. The doctor preforming the testing is none other than Volescu, the man that mutated Bean's genes. Of course all of the embryos except for the one implanted in Petra are kidnapped by Achilles.
Peter is finally figuring out that his parents aren't low on IQ points. They save him from assassination after he decides to steal Achilles from the Chinese. Peter and his family then go off planet to the old Battle School to bide time until it is safer for them to return to Earth.
Verlome begins an uprising by getting the small villages of people in India to start building a wall to keep out the Chinese, which have over taken their country.
Lots of warring. The Muslims begin to rise in power with a new Caliph, Alai.

I had fun with this book. I liked seeing the human side of Petra and Bean. I am glad that Peter is finally recognizing that his parents aren't idiots. The warring and scheming get to be more than my interests allow.

Rating 3.5 This book is as good as its predecessors, maybe even better during the parts about Bean and Petra, but I am tired of the world war.

Rating PG 13 War, War, war, war, murder

Zion's Trail Last Days Vol. 2

Zion's Trail by Kenneth Tarr

This is the second volume of The Last Days series.

Pioneer One, the wagon train from Utah, is on its way to Missouri. They are attacked by bandits, shot at, go through a blizzard, dust storm, raging heat, disease, death, and dissension. Satan even makes an appearance.

The Antichrist is rising in power along with his formerly polygamist prophet.

The saints are persecuted in every nation as the Antichrist tries to rid the world of religion.

There were actually many good points brought up about emergency situations, natural plants and herbs for medication, war, and natural disaster. I had a good time reading this book. I was also thoroughly depressed and freaked out.

This series seems like it needs at least one more book. From the information I have found, it doesn't look like there is one. The rise of the Antichrist, the Saints left in Utah, the Saints around the world, and the nut job prophet that communes with Satan..........all of their story lines drop off and we never know what happens. I would really like to read about the building of Zion once Pioneer one reaches Jackson County.

Rating 4
Rating PG 13 Lots of violence, Satan, rape, murder, gang violence, natural disaster, disease.