Be the Change...

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
Ronnie thought her summer was going to be awful when she found out she was going to have to spend it with her dad. And it almost was. Someone she thought could be her friend during the summer, set her up so she was arrested for shoplifting, she refused to speak to her dad, and she didn’t think things could get much worse. But then she met Will, she fell in love and her summer completely turned around. But it couldn’t last forever. As the summer began to end, things once again took a turn for the worse. Will was leaving for school and he revealed his deep, dark secret that had been haunting him for over a year. Ronnie’s dad got sick and her life changed for good. I wasn’t sure how I would like a Nicholas Sparks book, but after having read one I understand why his novels are so popular. I will definitely be reading more after reading this. 

Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
This novel flashes back and forth between two different points in time. The first is Paris in 1942, during World War II. That bit tells the story of a girl named Sarah and how her family, a Jewish family, was taken during the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup. This bit of the war is overlooked in most history lessons and it is truly heartbreaking to read about what happened. The other part of the story is about Julia Jarmond. She is writing a piece about the roundup for the 60th commemoration and she discovers the apartment she is going to be moving into was owned by one of the Jewish families taken from Paris during the roundup. She is determined to find out what happened and what she finds out will change her life forever. Such a good book, so sad, but so worth the read.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
This novel takes place in the little town of Molching, Germany during World War II. It is told from the perspective of death and tells the story of Liesel Memminger a.k.a. “the book thief”. It tells all about her experiences during the course of the war and it truly is an amazing story. It took me a while to get into it at first but once I did I absolutely loved it!

House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Jacob Hunt isn’t your normal 18-year-old boy. He has been diagnosed with Aspergers and has a hard time connecting with the world around him. Suddenly he is on trial for the murder of his social skills tutor and his whole world gets turned upside down. The story is told from the perspective of 5 different people: Jacob, his mother Emma, his brother Theo, his lawyer Oliver, and the arresting officer Rich. The whole story gives you an indepth look at what it would be like to have Aspergers or to be dealing with someone with the disability everyday and it truly is an eye opener. Highly recommended! Any book by Jodi Picoult comes highly recommended.

Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon
Set in New York City in the 1970’s this book tells the story of Jennifer Parker. She was a brand new Assistant DA in Manhattan when the mafia decided she would be the perfect fall girl. The book tells how she fought to prove her innocence and then fought to make herself a credible lawyer in NYC. But she would once again be seen as the perfect person for the job when the Mafia needed something else done. I kept having to remind myself that the book was written in the 80’s and took place in the 70’s because of some of the things they did and the language they used but all in all it was a good book and I wouldn’t put it on this page unless I thought it was worth it, so check it out. 

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Set in the early 1920’s it tells the story of Ernest Hemingway when he first begins writing. It is told from the perspective from his first wife. She tells all about how they met, how they fell in love, and all about their time living in Paris together. It also tells about the heartbreak and lies and how everything went wrong in the end. It is a very different book, you may read it thinking the characters are crazy but it is worth looking into because it really was an excellent book. 

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The final book in the Hunger Games series, Mockingjay provides the perfect ending to the series. It tells the story of the rebellion sparked by Katniss. There is so much loss but a lot gained in the end. As I have said before the whole series is fantastic and worth reading. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to read in general.  

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The second book in the Hunger Games series, Catching Fire is as good, if not better than, the first. It tells about Katniss and Peeta on their victory tour and then continues on with the 75th Hunger Games. This book is so good it may in fact spark a rebellion. Highly recommend the whole series! It is excellently written and a fantastic story. 

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings series tells the story of the Fellowship of the Ring. Frodo and Sam are hobbits who set off on a dangerous mission to the land of Mordor in order to destroy the all powerful ring of Sauron. They are accompanied by an assortment of people including two of their kinsmen, a dwarf, an elf, two men, and a wizard. Another brilliant work by J.R.R. Tolkien, the story is broken up into six parts and three books. Another worthwhile read.  

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit tells the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit from the Shire who embarks on an adventure with dwarves in order to recover their gold. the encounter many different adventures along the way including imprisonment by elves, a meeting with trolls, and an encounter with a dragon. J.R.R. Tolkien is a brillant writer whose works deserve to be read. 

The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo by Stieg Larsson
While this book starts off extremely slow, I highly recommend sticking with it. It is a truly unique story that, given the opportunity, proves to be worth your time. It is a story that involves mystery, murder, hidden identities, corporate backstabbing, and so much more! Definitely something worth reading!!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Truly an amazing story of survival in the worst possible conditions. It is the fate of 24 youths to fight to the death each year in the Hunger Games, a twisted form of entertainment  put on by the Capitol in order to keep the surrounding 12 districts in line. The story follows one of the contenders, Katniss, on her journey through the Hunger Games. I highly recommend this to everyone looking for anything to read! It was amazing! I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, Catching Fire!!!  

Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo
An Amish family is brutally murdered in their home. Police Chief Kate Burkholder is working around the clock to try to find out who killed this seemingly innocent family. But what the police discover is something unheard of in the Amish community. It took me a while to get through this book but it was definitely good read. 

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Set in 1960’s Mississippi, this amazing novel tells the story of three women who take a stand. For generations African American maids hve been tending to the needs of white women and their families. Finally it is time for someone to speak up; to tell what it is really like working for a white woman in the south, in a time where racism is all to familiar. This was a truly amazing story and I think everyone should take the time to read it. I have never been so inspired by a book in my life.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Set in the early 1900’s the novel follows the story of Jacob Jankowski. Jacob was in school to be a vet when his parents were tragically killed. With nothing left for him at home, Jacob runs away and joins the Benzini Brothers circus. The novel tells about Jacob’s encounters while working on the circus, what the lifestyle was like, and also includes a love story that ties it all together. All in all it was a fantastic book worth reading.

Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark
A classic mystery novel by Mary Higgins Clark, this book begins with Jean Sheridan returning home for her high school reunion. There is one odd aspect to the reunion, however, when 5 of the girls at Jean’s school lunch table had died tragically throughout the years since graduation. And now another has gone missing. This is one of those novels that keeps you guessing until the very end with a villian who is genuinly creepy.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Hannah Baker committed sucicide. Too much had happened that she couldn’t forget and it became too much for her. But before she died she made a set of tapes, 13 to be exact. On each tape was one of the reasons why she killed herself and these tapes would not stay hidden. They were sent to the people on the tapes who had caused her the most pain, and Clay Jensen doesn’t understand why. Why is he one of those people when all along he just wanted to get to know Hannah better. This book is truely life changing, in my opinion. It is something everyone should read because it shows the impact you can have on another without even realizing it.

Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult 
The story follows Jane and Rebecca Jones as they travel from California to Massachusetts. They are running away from Jane’s husband, Rebecca’s father, after what seems like the final argument in the marriage. Not only does the novel tell you about the adventures Jane and Rebecca have while driving across the country, it also goes back and describes the events that led up to the final argument, along with a love story and tragic accident that come about as a result. Anything by this author is amazing and this is no exception.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson 
Ginny Blackstone loved her crazy aunt. But when she died Ginny was heartbroken. A few months after the funeral a letter arrived in the mail containing $1,000 in cash and instructions to fly to New York City where a package would be waiting for her, and then to hop on a flight to London. What Ginny didn’t know was that her aunt would be sending her on an adventure that would change her life forever. I have yet to read the sequel (The Last Little Blue Envelope) but once I do the review will be added.