The Queen's Fool

The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory

By the author of The Other Boleyn Girl, comes this book, which takes place after Henry the VIII.  His daughters......Mary from his first wife, Kathrine of Aragon, and Elizabeth from his sordid mistress and second wife, Anne Boleyn, are at battle over the crown and fighting over the religious tone the country should take.

The story is told through the fictional character of Hannah Greene.  Hannah is a young Jewish girl, chased from her Spanish homeland when her mother was burned for being a Jew.  Hannah and her father finally end their terrible flee from persecution, in London.  Hannah's father is a book printer/seller.  When it is discovered by Sir Robert Dudley (vying for position for religious freedom) that Hannah has the 'sight', Hannah is begged as Queen Mary's fool.  She is pulled between the sad and stoic Queen Mary and her beautiful and dangerous half sister, Princess Elizabeth as they value Hannah's ability to see the future. 
Hannah is living the dangerous life as one of 'The People' in hiding.  She must not forget the old ways, while living the life of a Christian in a court where she could be slaughtered for her beliefs.  Hannah is betrothed to Daniel Carpenter, another Jew.  She must grow up and decide whether Daniel's faithful love and her heritage are more important than her girlish desire for Robert Dudley and her allegiance to a queen that is destined to fail miserably.

I loved the historical aspect, the religious themes, and the romance.  The book does open with a rather descriptive sexual scene but really tames after that.

Rating 4
Rating PG 13  sexual scenes

As Long As I Have You

As Long As I Have You Hearts of the Children Vol. 5 by Dean Hughes

The end of the war finally comes for the Thomas family. Everyone except poor sweet Gene returns home to Utah. Even the Stoltz family is brought to America. At first the book seemed to be wrapping up nicely. Then we come to find that the boys (Alex, Wally and Richard) have varying degrees of PTS (post traumatic stress).

Wally makes it home first. He is shipped around to different hospitals. He is fattened up, checked for diseases, and vaccinated. When he returns home he quickly learns to enjoy life again. He seems even better than the old Wally. Much deeper. Lorainne by some miracle is only engaged, not yet married. Once she sees Wally, she knows that she still loves him. Wally and Lorrainne are engaged and married quickly. Wally begins working for President Thomas as the family parts plant. His life seems set and happy.

Bobbi is the next to return. There are moments that are incredibly tense and weird feeling between Richard and Bobbi. She wants him to want her. (Who doesn't?) He is still suffering with feelings and flashbacks from being blown to high heaven by a Kamikaze pilot. They finally marry and they still have a stiff, strange relationship. At one point Bobbi has a miscarriage. Richard has been working for President Thomas so that he can give Bobbi the lifestyle he thinks is important. Finally Bobbi can't take anymore weirdness and confronts Richard about his pent up feelings and the fact that she thinks he does not enjoy his job. Richard tells Bobbi about some things during the war that he never wanted to share with her. He also agrees to go back to college and do something with his life that he will truly enjoy.

Peter shows up in the same German LDS branch that Alex has just been given a calling in. He finds that Alex is now his brother-in- law and that his family is still alive. It may have been a little contrived and tightly wrapped up at this point, but I am glad that Peter was able to reconnect with his family. Peter is reunited with the Stoltz family and moves to America with them. They live in Salt Lake where President Thomas has made jobs for Heinrich and for Peter. He has also provided a house and a car for them. Peter does not like America as much as the rest of his family. He does not learn the language as quickly either. He wants to return to Germany and help rebuild it. He also has fallen in love with the young daughter of the family that took him in and saved his life.

LaRue is growing up and becoming more serious. She doesn't date and she doesn't seem to care for clothing as much as she did in the past. High school is ending for her and she is able to receive a scholarship to a college out East. President Thomas is concerned for LaRue. He is afraid that once she leaves the valley, her faith with subside and she will be brainwashed by the liberal thinkers she meets. LaRue wants to leave for this reason. The more she ponders, the more she wonders if her faith is really strong enough. She has many doubts which become strikingly more evident when she talks with her friend Cecil and her younger sister Beverly. LaRue hopes that leaving the family will make her rely on her own faith more.

Alex is the last to return home. He has a very hard time adjusting to being a father of a one year old that he has never met. He realizes that he has hardly spent any time with Anna. President Thomas wants to put Alex right back at the head of the family business but Alex has other ideas. Alex suffers with anxiety and anger from the horrors he saw and feels like he committed while in the Army. He refuses to say anything about what occurred while he was away. He is angered that anyone would think he is a hero. Finally Wally and Richard help Alex begin talking about some of the things that are plaguing his mind after Alex freaks out at the plant where he works. Alex realizes that they do understand him and that he can speak to them frankly about his fears and regrets. He gets closer to Anna and his baby Gene. He and Anna are soon expecting another baby. Alex decides that he may stay with his father's business and later enter politics.

If felt like the story wrapped up fairly neatly. I am sure some people find that not really true to life, but there is another series to follow this one. I like feeling like most things have been resolved. I really loved this series and felt like I learned a good deal of history while coming to love the characters.

Rating 5
Rating PG war stories of the violence that occurred to the soldiers.

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.

Ready or Not

Ready or Not by Meg Cabot

This is the follow up novel to American Girl. Sam is still dating the First Son and being a teen ambassador. This time Sam's conundrum is whether or not to have sex with boyfriend David. She is also publicly supporting the Presidents new Family agenda. The agenda includes ratting out young girls to their parents if they are seeking contraception. Sam mistakenly announces that she has said yes to sex during a televised town meeting held at her high school. Although Sam has not agreed to be sexual with David, everyone including their families think she has.

Sam is called a slut at school. The popular girls try to ostracize her. Sam's popular sister Lucy stands up for her. Many others in the school join in and Sam finds that she has more friends than she thought.

Sam has been invited to Camp David with the First Family for Thanksgiving. She thinks that David has invited her in order to have sex with her for the first time. She decides that she is not ready. She then finds that David truly invited her just to invite her and had no other plans. Let down and a bit angry she then decides she is ready for sex and 'jumps his bones'. She feels that she has come to the realization that sex did not change their relationship. She also learns that her popular sister, although having had a steady boyfriend for a long time......has not had sex.

I was a bit surprised to have this book revolving so much around the choice to be sexually active as a teen. While I am semi glad that someone as broached this subject, I was not thrilled with the outcome. Sorry Sam, but sex changes everything. Also as a book geared toward young teens I was not at all happy about other sexual tips garnered in this read.

Rating 2 I did have fun reading it, but I didn't like the message to the target audience. I know that is a totally personal opinion.......... but that's the whole point of posting.

Rating PG 13 contraception, sex, sexual acts, language

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.

All American Girl

All American Girl by Meg Cabot

Samantha Madison is a fifteen year old girl, attending a prep school in D.C. She is an all black wearing, art loving, one friended, Gwen Stefani obsessing, popularity hater. Despite all of that she is quite likable. When her German grades drop and her parents find out it is because she spends her time drawing pictures of famous guys and selling them to popular girls, they enroll her in art classes. They feel like she needs a creative outlet, but Sam feels like it is a punishment.
Sam's sister Lucy is a cheerleader at the same prep school. Her boyfriend Jack is a trench coat wearing artsy guy. Sam is secretly in love with Jack. Jack cautions Sam not to let the art classes strip her of her creativity.

Sam attends her first art class. She meets David. David seems oddly familiar, but Sam can't place him. She draws her first picture, which she is sure is better than everyon else in the class. When the instructor critiques at the end of class, Sam is upset to learn that she did not follow the directions given, which were to draw what she saw. Sam drew what she knew instead and she can't figure out the difference. Taking Jack's advice and feeling angry and embarrassed, Sam decides to further buck the system and skip the next class. She ends up in a music store for the entire time. As she leaves to catch her ride home, Sam notices a weird man from the music store. Just then, a presidential motorcade arrives. The president steps out and heads for a nearby bakery. The weird guy from the music store whips out a gun and fires. Sam jumps on his back and takes him down. He breaks her arm in the fall. Sam has saved the president's life.

As Samantha recovers from her injury, she meets the president and his family. David from art class is the president's son. Lucy takes the opportunity she has been waiting for and gives Sam a makeover for her press conference. Sam instantly becomes popular. She and her sole friend Catherine are invited to a party given by Sam's former friend and recent enemy. Catherine is desperate to go and invite a 'boy'. She has been seriously sheltered by her parents and teased for the clothes they make her wear. Catherine begs Sam to give her the chance to fit in. Sam agrees purely for Catherine's sake. Sam decides to invite David to the party. She wants to be friends, but she is also using David to wake Jack up to what he is missing.

David and Jack get in a fight about art. It becomes clear to David that Sam likes Jack. Despite Sam being a teen ambassador to the U.N. and attending a dinner with the president's family, Sam and David can't overcome their opposite feelings.

Sam is put in charge of an art competition for the U.N. The pictures are to depict what the artist sees out of their window. Jack feels like he is a shoe in with Sam as the judge. Sam finds another picture that she loves, but the president and press secretary feel is controversial. Sam begins to understand what her art instructor meant when she said draw what you see and not what you know.

Sam attends more art lessons in hopes of befriending David again. While there her art improves greatly and she learns to really 'see'. She finds that Jack might not know what he is talking about.

Finally Sam realizes that she loves David, not Jack. She gives a news interview about the art contest and her feelings about whom the real winner should be. At the end she professes her feelings for David. Soon they are together. Sam begins to realize there are more important ways to make a statement about life than by dying all of your clothes black.

Fun, clean story! I liked watching Sam evolve. She also really changes her relationship with her sister. Lucy sticks up for her by breaking up with Jack when Sam and Jack fight over the winner of the art contest. I loved seeing the importance of family relationships brought out. I also really liked that even though there were differing backgrounds and social groups, they were played down and we were able to see that they don't matter as much as we give them credit for.

Rating. 3.75. Fun book, entertaining.
Rating PG attempted murder, injury, clean romance.

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.

A Clockwork Orange

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

In this edition of A Clockwork Orange, the last chapter is added, which was original to the British book, but taken out of the America version.

The language in this book is a mix of Russian, English and invented slang.

Alex is a teen (Nadsat ......or Russian numbers 11-19) hoodlum with a gang of other boys. Society is over run by the likes of these boys. They spend time in bars, getting high, street fighting and committing heinous crimes against society. Alex likes to shoot up and then listen to classical music. He hallucinates and gets all worked up.

Alex is the leader of his small gang. He at times feels threatened by the other members and beats them up.

The boys beat up an old man coming from the library. They go out into the country and break into a house. They knock around the husband and tear up the book he is writing (A Clockwork Orange) and rape his wife. The final act that puts Alex in prison; the boys go to an older, wealthy part of town where they plan a break in. They want to steal goods from the home. They are unable to gain access through the front door so Alex climbs into an upper story window. By now the old person living there has called the police. Alex comes downstairs and eventually knocks the elderly in the head with a statue. She later dies, solidifying Alex's time in prison. As the police arrive, Alex's buddies chain him up and leave him because he beat them up earlier.

Alex spends two years in prison. (He is committed to a fourteen year term.) He plays the music on a stereo in the prison chapel. He is housed with many other men in one cell. Finally he beats up one man for laying on the same bed. The man dies and the government decides they must do something about the over crowding. They use Alex as a guinea pig in their new treatment.

Alex is taken to some new buildings on the prison grounds. They tell him he will be cured of doing evil and returned to society within two weeks. He gets very excited. He is shown to a nice room that he doesn't have to share. He is given good food and what the doctors tell him are vitamin shots because he is malnourished. Then he is taken to watch movies. He is strapped to a chair and his eyelids are held open. Alex is made to watch graphic violence with classical music. The 'vitamin' shots make him ill. He is conditioned by the government to become ill at the mere thought of violence. When he is able to become ill without the medication and only violence, he is returned to society.

Alex goes home and finds his parent's have rented out his room to someone else. He wanders the streets, goes to a bar, gets high. When he comes down from the high he is suicidal. He can't even think of ending his own life without becoming sick from the violent images in his head. He decides to go to the library and find out a way to kill himself without violence. At the library he runs into the old man that he and his friends beat up on the streets years ago. The old man attacks him along with the other old men in the library. The police come. Alex sees that one of his old gang and one of his enemies have become policemen. They take him out to the county and beat the tar out of him and leave him there. Alex wanders until he just happens upon the house where he and his friends beat the husband and raped the wife. He stumbles to the door and is taken in by the man. The man recognizes Alex from the newspaper article about the government's experiment. He gives Alex food and a place to sleep. He does not realize Alex is the person that broke into his home over two years ago. Alex and his friends would wear masks when committing some of their crimes. The man also named Alexander tells Alex that he will call some of his friends and they will use him as an example that the government has gone too far in taking the will of a person away. The friends come and take Alex to an apartment where they lock him in. By now, because of some of the things Alex has said, Alexander has identified him as one of the people that raped his wife which lead to her death. Alex falls asleep on the bed and wakes to some of his favorite music playing in the next apartment. Unfortunately for Alex he is now conditioned to become violently ill at the sound of this music because it was used during the graphic scenes he was forced to watch. He cannot escape the sound and gets sicker and sicker. Finally he throws himself from the window. The fall is not enough to kill him. He ends up in the hospital.

The government sees that they have gone too far with their experiment and 'cure' Alex, or return him to his former state. His parents come and tell him he may come home. He goes back to his old life and forms a new gang.

The final chapter, formerly left out of the American version; Alex is out with his new gang and begins to feel depressed. They want to go out and cause harm and chaos but Alex doesn't feel like it. The other boys go about their business and Alex goes out for some tea and milk. He sees Pete a member of his old band of friends. Pete only nineteen but newly married to a lovely girl. Alex and Pete talk for a minute. Pete and his wife leave to go to a party. Alex begins to realize that he is not depressed, at the ripe old age of eighteen he is just maturing out of his violent stage. Now he thinks he should begin looking for a wife so they can have a baby.

I loved this book. At first the language threw me off, but you figure it out quickly. (There is a Nadsat Glossary if your book doesn't contain one.) The violence is terrible but strikes a chord. I liked the controversy that it put forth about how far to go to 'cure' society of its many ills. I truly thought about this because of the socialism that is ever creeping nearer under the guise of 'government help'. Honestly, even though I know it is wrong to take someones will away........I was really glad that they did it to Alex. He was a beast.

The book became a little far fetched for me towards the end. The fact that Alex just happens to show up at the same location he committed a crime years ago and the victim and he form some kind of relationship....felt a little contrived. Also the fact that he was repaid with violence by just about everyone he crossed was a bit over the top. And finally his turn towards good by growing out of violence? In some sense most people mature and grow out of some of their youthful mistakes but I'm not sure about growing out of violence to the degree.

Rating 5 I totally recommend this book, BUT...........

Rating R violence, rape, language, drug use, murder.

World Without End

World Without End by Ken Follett

The epic follow up of Pillars of the Earth. World Without End is also set in Kingsbridge........just two centuries later. The Cathedral has been built and the town has prospered since the first book. Now all new characters take us through the religious and medical themed book. In this male and Catholic dominated society, women are treated like cattle........or witches. The church crushes anything in its way in the name of God. I can see why people hate organized religion.

Caris is the town wooler's daughter. She wants to become a doctor but settles for learning from the town apothecary, which turns out that she learns a whole lot more than she would have at university. She also revitalizes the town with her wool dying techniques. She is in love with Merthin the town builder. They spend most of their lives pining for each other.........and most of that is Caris' fault. She doesn't want to be the slave to a husband and family but she still wants Merthin. She even goes as far as having an abortion when she becomes pregnant with his child. Caris finally decides she wants to marry Merthin and on the eve of their wedding is tried for witchcraft by her cousin the Prior of Kingsbridge.......Godwyn. Caris is forced into the service of God and becomes a nun in order to save her skin. Through the cloth she is able to serve the town with her medical skill. The plague attacks the village and kills many but Caris learns much. Finally she is able to free herself from the priory and marry Merthin. They build a hospital that she can run properly without the heavy threat of the priory stopping her from using logic instead of myth.
Merthin witnesses a mystery as a child. The mystery is connected to the King and a knight turned monk. The mystery follows him throughout his life. Because Merthin's parents are in debt they strike a deal with the priory. They will be cared for by the priory and give their boys up.....Ralph to be trained as a knight and Merthin to train with a carpenter. Ralph becomes an evil, raping, murdering animal and Earl of Shiring. Merthin becomes a famous builder and travels to Florence to learn amazing techniques which he brings back to Kingsbridge. Merthin is able to see out his destiny and build the tallest tower in England as part of Kingsbridge Cathedral. He becomes the town leader.
The Priory goes through some changes. After many years of heavy handed, back stabbing, scheming done in the name of God the plague kills the evil Prior Godwyn. He is replaced by the soulless Philemon, Godwyn's former lackey. Finally after much tightrope walking, logic, and truth.........Caris and Merthin are able to get the village removed from the rule of the church and put under the rule of the King. This makes more money in taxes for the King and the town is able to flourish when the priory isn't taking all of their money. Finally the mystery witnessed by Merthin is discovered by the right people and with this power Merthin is able to gain a new and sympathetic prior for Kingsbridge. Philemon is sent packing!
Gwenda, the poor unfortunate soul. She becomes friends with Caris at a very young age. Gwenda's father is a landless laborer, which means most of the time he's a thief. At one point he sells Gwenda to a band of outlaws. She is to be their prostitute and her father gets a cow in exchange. The law allows this because Gwenda is not an adult, therefore she is the property of her father. Gwenda is able to break free from the band of outlaws with only one rape and one murder to count. She is desperately in love with Wulfric a sweet and devoted boy two years her junior. Wulfric is engaged to another girl, whom he adores. When she is assaulted by Ralph, Wulfric breaks Ralph's nose in her (Annet) defense. Ralph makes Wulfric pay for this the rest of his life. Wulfric is not given his father's land after the plague wipes out the whole family.......leaving only Wulfric. Annet then marries another. Wulfric is heart broken. Gwenda woos him ending up pregnant and a landless laborer. Wulfric and Gwenda marry and live a life of misery, unable to own their own land. Gwenda tries in vain to persuade Ralph to give Wulfric his land back. Ralph is the one to impregnate Gwenda but neither Ralph or Wulfric know. Years later their child Sam, having the same evil disposition as his biological father, catches Ralph attempting to rape Gwenda AGAIN and kills him. Freeing the family of the tyranny they have lived with for years. Wulfric gains his land back because Ralph had no one else to work it.
This review could end up as an epic itself! The book was so long and miserable at times. I couldn't stand the Prior or the evil committed in the name of God. Caris made me want to run screaming. She caused so much grief for Merthin but she was also a good and strong character.
Rating 4
Rating R murder, rape, violence, war, sex, disease and distress.

Shadow of the Hegemon

Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card

The Bugger war is over and the children taken into space for battle school have returned to Earth (2170 AD). Bean is with his new family in Greece. Locke (Peter Wiggin and Ender's brother) has had Ender exiled from Earth so that when war on Earth begins Ender won't be fought over by the leaders there.
Now that the Bugger threat is over, it is time for Earth leaders to fight over world dominance. The children that fought with Ender, or Ender's jeesh are now considered to be the optimal battle minded people on the planet. In quick succession they are all kidnapped, except for Bean. Achilles is back and he wants Bean dead. Just before Achille has the Delphinki family blown to bits, Bean realizes what is about to happen. The family makes it out of the situation alive, but Bean must go into hiding. He and Sister Carlotta run off and try to stay under Achilles' radar. While in hiding they go to meet Locke. They convince Peter to come out under his real name so that eventually he can be trusted by other governments and eventually become Hegemon. With Locke's help, Achille is shown for the nutcase he is and all Battle School children are released except for Petra. Achille keeps her as he travels from Russia to India to begin a world wide revolution which he hopes to win. He plans attacks on Asian countries and secretly plans to join forces with China.
Bean goes to Thailand to try to head off some of Achilles' attacks. While there he learns from another Battle School graduate....Virlomi, where Petra is being held. Petra is with Achille. He takes her everywhere and leaves her no way to contact anyone. At one point she is able to beat Achille up but this probably just seals her fate.
Bean makes his own small force in Thailand just like the one he was over in Battle School. They train in as many ways as possible. Finally Bean is able to save Petra, but Achille is set free and is taken to China by the Chinese leaders.
Sister Carlotta is killed by Achilles. She leaves a letter for Bean revealing his genetic heritage and Anton's Key. She tells Bean he will be lucky to make it to the age of fifteen. Bean decides he will never marry and have children. Just as Bean makes this vow for his life, Petra tells him she has feelings for him and offers herself up.
Locke reveals the treachery of China. He is made Hegemon over the world.

Rating 4.5 I really think I like this series better than the original Ender series!
Rating PG 13 murder and mayhem

So Much of Life Ahead

So Much of Life Ahead Hearts of the Children Vol. 5 by Dean Hughes

Hans and Elli are engaged. Then the Stasi demote him after Rainer is imprisoned and tells the lies about Hans that they want to hear. Hans feels like he can't ruin Elli's life by keeping her hanging on waiting for him. He also doesn't want to marry her because he won't be able to provide for her. He is the counselor in his branch presidency. But his faith is tested as everything he has hoped for is ripped away. His father comes to him and tries to talk him into having more faith and moving ahead but Hans feels like he has no hope. Finally in a last attempt to break him, the Stasi call him in and threaten him. Hans fears he will be taken back to prison. He can't stand it any longer and tells them exactly what he thinks of the way things are being run in the country. He waits and waits to be taken back to prison, but instead is promoted. He and Elli can finally marry. They do. His faith is restored and he realizes that he should have listened to Elli all of the times she told him that they needed to go forward in faith and that doors would be opened to them. By the end Elli is pregnant and a counselor in the Relief Society. I would have liked to find out what happened to them in the years later when a temple was built in East Germany........even before the Berlin Wall fell.

Gene is not the same Gene as before Vietnam. He is no longer self confident, upbeat and kind. Danny is afraid of him and although Emily loves him she is having a hard time living with him. He has finally gotten off of the pain killers but he is angry and depressed. He begins writing articles about Vietnam and then current politics which are picked up by magazines and newspapers. He decides to return to college for a degree in journalism. He reports on the Watergate proceedings. Finally Emily can take no more of his anger and bottled up emotion. She and Danny leave. Gene's father Alex and his uncles Wally and Richard try to get Gene to talk about his fear, anger and nightmares. They know this is the only way for him to heal. He refuses. Someone takes offense to an article written by Gene. When the man confronts him Gene goes crazy and tries to kill him. Gene is put in the VA hospital psyche ward. Emily comes to be supportive. She wants him to get better. She finally tells Gene that she is seven months pregnant. Gene wants to get better and begins therapy. By the end he and Emily have their second child and Gene is doing better. I didn't get the feeling that he had completely recovered though.

Kathy is inspired by her Aunt LaRue coming home from the east and marrying a BYU professor and getting pregnant. She finally begins dating but can't stand anyone she goes out with. At long last she throws herself at her old high school boyfriend, Marshall, hoping to convince him she has changed. Marshall has some things of his own to figure out and Kathy thinks things between them will never work out. They eventually get together, marry and buy an old house in Heber. They decide the best way to change the world is to become involved in their community and the lives of their children.

Diane finally tells Greg she cannot ever see them together again. Greg's reaction only reinforces that decision. Diane finishes college and becomes a teacher. Her home teacher is in love with her and they begin spending a lot of time together. Finally she must tell him that she is not in love with him. She raises Jenny alone.

The patriarch of the family, Grandpa Thomas dies.

I didn't like this book as well as some of the previous ones. Maybe because I really want happy endings and all of the loose ends to be tied up.........which never happens in real life........but I like it in my literature.

Rating 4
Rating PG

Take Me Home

Take Me Home Hearts of the Children Vol. 4 by Dean Hughes

Hans is still being stalked by the Stasi. His old college roommate Rainer shows up at his door. Rainer says that he never ratted Hans out, but now he wants Hans' help getting out of the country. Hans turns him away. His life is improving little by little and he fears the government will come down on him for having any contact with Rainer.

Gene is in the jungles of Vietnam. It is a complete nightmare. He is shot in the leg during one recognisance mission. He is not injured enough to be sent home. Most of his team is injured or killed so when he returns to duty he is made a sergeant. Eventually just as his days of duty are counting down he is gut shot by the Viet Cong. He has surgery and returns to the States. He must undergo many more surgeries and has a colostomy bag until his final surgery when his intestines are reconnected. He has a hard time with anger and flash backs. He cannot connect with Emily and Danny.

Kathy joins the Peace Corp. and goes to the Philippines. She is depressed to find out that Filipino's are a layed back people and she feels like she has no hope of changing the families in her barrio. She tells everyone including the mayor and principal of the school she teaches at, what to do. It isn't until she begins going to church that she understands the only way she will see change is to love the people. She begins to regain her testimony and becomes the branch choir director.

Diane has Jenny, her baby. Greg is still mean and cutting. He beats Diane up. She leaves with Jenny but returns after Greg and their bishop convince her to try again. Diane finds an inappropriate letter from the female student in Greg's class. She brings it to Greg's attention. He freaks out. Eventually Greg hits Diane again and she leaves for good. She flies home to Utah and begins divorce proceedings. She lives with her parents. Greg doesn't pay child support. Greg's parent's come to visit Jenny. The do not know why Diane has filed for divorce. She tells them. Then she decides to try to improve her life and returns to college. She gets good grades. Greg tries to woo her back.

I really enjoyed this volume of Hearts of the Children. It was good to see Diane stand up for herself and protect her daughter. She realizes that there is more to life than looking cute. I'm glad that she didn't fall for Greg's manipulation for very long. I am finally beginning to like Kathy. She is starting to realize that anger and violence isn't the way to change. She regains her testimony and starts to love those around her instead of judging everyone. Gene just saddens me. It was an eye opener to find out what kind of hell the soldiers were going through in Vietnam only to come home and have their own country turn on them. Hans is finally beginning to see some light in his life and realize that he stayed in East Germany because that is what God wanted him to do. He becomes a leader in the church.

Rating 4.5
Rating PG for violence

How Many Roads (Hearts of the Children Vol. 3)

How Many Roads by Dean Hughes

Gene and Emily are just getting married. Gene is still in college.
Diane and Greg are engaged and getting married. Diane is learning that Greg is manipulative.
Hans is in prison in East Germany. The government is trying to get him to confess to helping Bernt in his attempted escape and to tell of the other people that were involved.
Kathy is still at Smith College but is starting to become less angry and always wanting to fight.

Gene and Emily get pregnant on their honeymoon even though Emily is on the pill. She is not happy. She wanted to finish college and have time alone with Gene. She does not want him to go to Vietnam. She wants him to try to get a delay or have his father Alex try to get him out. Gene refuses to take the easy way even though he can't bear leaving his new family. Gene is drafted soon after his son Danny is born and he has graduated from the U. He goes to Vietnam and ends up being a LURP. His job is to go out and scout to tell the other troops where to go. His first mission, he is paralyzed with fear. One of the men with him is seriously injured. He drags the man to the helicopter.

Diane and Greg move to Seattle for law school. Diane gets a job selling clothes in a fashionable store. Greg is gone all of the time. He belittles Diane constantly. Diane is soon pregnant. She and Greg have a daughter Jenny. Greg spends a lot of time at school with his study group and alone with a woman from the study group. At one point he grabs Diane harshly and pushes her against a mirror. She wants to leave but doesn't have the guts. All Greg cares about is that she is ready for sex at bedtime. He keeps promising that he will spend more time with Diane but he never does. Diane stumbles upon 'The Feminine Mystique'. She really begins to wonder what her life will be like when she is no longer a trophy to Greg.

Hans is miserable in prison. No matter what he says he cannot convince the government that he never saw anyone but Bernt during the attempted escape. He is put in a cold dark prison room. They take his Bible. He cannot even lie down during the day. He cannot move around too much....no exercise. He is bribed with a visit from his family and the offer to be able to relocate to America. He does not break. He refuses to go to America and leave his family. He feels the Holy Ghost and knows that even though he is miserable, he made the right choice. Finally the man that has been questioning him begins to like him and believe that he tells the truth. Hans is given a small apartment and a job. Basically he is on probation.

Kathy finally graduates from Smith. One of her professors has a thing for her. They become close. He brings up existentialism. Kathy begins to wonder if this is the answer to her feeling like she cannot deal with being a Church member any longer. Her family pleads for her not to give up on the church. Finally she agrees to keep praying and reading her scriptures. She is able to feel the Spirit at times. She tells her professor that she cannot let go of God. He basically makes fun of her. They both decide to join the Peace Corps. They are sent to different areas. Kathy goes to the Philippines. She learns a lot. She realizes after a visit from some of her students that she has been asking the wrong questions all of her life. This seems like a real turning point for Kathy.

I am enjoying these books the more I come to know the characters. I suffer with Gene and Emily as he goes off to war. I want to strangle Diane when she doesn't leave Greg (well I wanted to strangle her for marrying him in the first place). I get disgusted as women's lib moves more to the forefront of their thoughts. I know that sounds wrong. I am so appreciative for that movement but the pendulum swung to far to the other side. That is the part that I don't agree with and I can see it coming for these women. I pray right along with Hans that he will someday be free and happy. And I am finally coming to appreciate Kathy a little more. I hope she finally comes around and realizes that she can do so much more without vicious anger.
Rating 4.5
Rating PG war violence, violence against women