Love Me

Love Me

Marcia Lynn McClure; Distractions Ink 2006

Summary: Jacey Whittaker couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t loved Scott Pendleton—the boy next door. She couldn’t remember a time when Scott hadn’t been in her life—in her heart. Yet, Scott was every other girl’s dream, too. How could Jacey possibly hope to win such a prize—the attention, the affections, the very heart of such a sought after young man? Yet, win him she did! He became the bliss of her youthful heart—at least for a time. 

Still, some dreams live fulfilled—and some are lost. Loss changes the very soul of a being. Jacey wondered if her soul would ever rebound. Certainly, she went on—lived a happy life—if not so full and perfectly happy a life as she once lived. Yet, she feared she would never recover—never get over Scott Pendleton—her first love.

Until the day a man walked into her apartment—into her apartment and into her heart. Would this man be the one to heal her broken heart? Would this man be her one true love?

My Review: This is a really cute sentimental book. Scott was the guy ever one dreams of. The hot jock who teases you, protects you, and just loves you. That one of the phrases that occurs most in this novel. "Just love me."  What I really like about this book is the music. It mentions specific songs like "Puupy Love" by Donny Osmond and "Love me" by Elvis. It was a short read and I really did enjoy it. 

Watch Out for: A whole lotta kissing!

Walk Two Moons

Walk Two Moons

By Sharon Creech; Scholastic 1994

"Don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins."

Summary: Salamanca Tree Hiddle, a thirteen-year-old form Bybanks, Kentucky, is traveling across the country to Idaho with her grandparents. Along the way she tells them the story of Phoebe Winterbottom, her disappearing mother, and the lunatic. Throughout the story, readers find out more about the story of Salamanca's mother and herself.   

My Review: I have been in love with this book since the 1^st grade. Salamanca is such a strong character. The road trip with her grandparents is hilarious! Huza Huza! And the character Phoebe is so funny because she is dramatic beyond all belief. The whole story with the lunatic really draws readers into the story and it keeps you on your toes. 

Watch Out For: Death, mentioning of murder, mild language, abandonment

Flipped

Flipped

By Wendelin van Draanen; Scholastic 2001

Summary: Bryce and Juli tell the story of their relationship. It all began in second grade when Bryce moves in across the street from Juli. Juli instantly has a crush on Bryce, who doesn’t reciprocate, and throughout elementary school he tries to avoid her. In middle school, they both start to realize Bryce’s flaws.  When Bryce begins to try to change, he starts to notice Juli’s good points. Their families and other things outside of them undergo several changes as well.

My Review: The chapters in this novel switch between both Juli and Byrce’s stories and their point of views with their interactions with each other. I laughed the hardest at Juli’s point of view because I can totally relate to her thoughts and actions. This entire book is hilarious because I believe all of us can relate to both of these kids.

Watch Out For: fights, crushes, thoughts of kissing.

Movie: 

Ella Enchanted (100th Book Review)

Ella Enchanted

By Gail Carson Levine; Scholastic 1997

Summary: Ella is blessed with the gift of obedience by the fairy Lucinda when she was born. Whenever Ella is told to do something, she must do it, including promising never to revel her terrible secret. When Ella’s mother dies, her father remarries and she is sent to finishing school with her nasty stepsisters, Hattie and Olive. Ella runs away in search of Lucinda to beg to lift the curse, Luncida refuses and Ella returns home and resigns herself to a life of drudgery. Prince Charmont is in love with her, but Ella knows she can never marry him because she could put him in grave danger. Can Ella liberate herself from this evil gift?

My Review: First of all, the movie Ella Enchanted is crap. It doesn’t do justice for the book. The book is straight up amazing. Ella is strong, determined, and very obedient. I love her cleverness she uses with everyone and to avoid obedient commands. I’ve always found this book to be hilarious and romantic. Prince Charmont and Ella letters and conversations are beautiful. This is a must read because all of us can relate to Ella is some way or another.  

Watch Out For: Captured by human-eating ogres, trickery, running away, death, evil stepmother and sisters.

The Bronze Bow

The Bronze Bow
By Elizabeth George Speare; Houghton Mifflin Company 1961

Summary: Daniel is a young Jew who has an intense hatred for the Romans. He lives with in an outlaw band in the hills where he works as a blacksmith and as a freedom fighter. When his grandmother dies, he must move to the village to take care of his sister, who hasn’t left the house since their parents died. While living in the village, he works as a blacksmith and secretly starts to recruit members for an uprising against the Romans. He finds the friendship of Joel and Malthace, twins, who make a vow to live and die for God’s Victory. There is miracle worker named Jesus who speaks and helps many people in the villages and Daniel wonders if this teacher may be the leader who will help him in his vengeance.

My Review:
WOW! This is such a well done book. It is in no way a
difficult read. It flows nicely and keeps you on your toes as you follow the life of this incredible boy named Daniel. Daniel is quite serious and determined to continually try to seek vengeance against the Romans. I felt so sorry for him most of the time because he was so full of hate.

Hate Vs. Love is a strong theme in this book. Daniel struggles between the two throughout this entire book.
Now the title of this book plays a part in the story. The bronze bow is a password that Daniel and his gang use to communicate. It is taken from a psalm of David. Hate can try to bend a bow of bronze, but the question is can love do the same thing? (Guess you’ll have to find out!)

The only thing I struggled with was the ending. I felt that it was rushed and it wasn’t the ending I expected at all! I was kind of hoping that there would be more to the story. But alas, it was an appropriate ending I guess. You decide for yourself if you like it or not.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book for all ages. It truly is an excellent read and the story is amazing!

Things To Watch Out For: Revenge, death, killings, religious, mentioning’s of demons, vows, a little racism, romantic tension, Hate, etc…

The Great Little Madison

The Great Little Madison

Jean Fritz;Scholastic 1989

Summary: During the 1800’s America was in a war with England. The only person standing up during these problems was James Madison, one of America’s founding fathers, who eventually earned the title “master builder of the Constituion,” at the Federal Constitutional Convection. He, along side with the other founding fathers helped shape the United States to beat the impossible.

My Review: I honestly had no idea how much James Madison did. I have always heard great things about George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, but James Madison has never crossed my mind. James Madison had a small voice and was small in size, but he truly cared for this country and did great things for it by voicing his opinion and putting himself out there. Throughout this book there are pictures of documents and portraits. I really enjoyed these because they are a part of history! This is a historical book so it can be challenging for those who are into fiction. It took me awhile to read this, but I pushed through and ended up liking it.

Watch Out For: Wars, revolutions, political debates, history.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

By C.S. Lewis; Harper Collins 1950

Summary:

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie move to a professors house in the country. While they are there they open a door in the wardrobe which leds to a world called Narnia. They discover the magic, an evil plot, and the Great Lion Asland. In a blink of an eye their lives are changed forever.

My Review: O how I wish I could travel through the wardrobe and into the land of Narnia! The atmosphere of this whole book is incredible. The descriptions of the land, the amazing characters, and the whole plot is astounding. I love the beavers, Mr. Tummus, Asland, the White Witch, and the Pevensie siblings all intertwin in the novel and make is a fabulous story to tell and tell again. 

 

Watch Out for:  Violence, torture, and a battle.

The Great Gilly Hopkins

The Great Gilly Hopkins
by Katherine Patterson; HarperTrophy 1978

Summary: Gilly is a tough kid. She wants top destroy everyone of her foster mothers so she can be reunited with her real mother. She meets her match with Mrs. Trotter, an uneducated overweight woman who only offers love to her foster kids. Will Gilly be able to be united with her real mother?

My Review: I truly enjoyed this short novel. Gilly Hopkins is one smart troubled girl. To watch her lash out with anger due to her past, makes this a sympathetic story. It is so sad to watch her struggle to deal with her situation in a foster home. I grew to love Gilly so much for her brilliant mind and actions. But knowing the pain that drives her behavior makes this such a touching and sad story. I must admit I was disappointed in the ending though, but I understood why it ended that way. So I guess you'll just have to read it to find out why.

Things to Watch Out For: Mild Language, bullying,rebellion, racism, and defiance of authority.