Insurgent (Book Two of Divergent), by Veronica Roth

Insurgent
Book Two of Divergent
Written by Veronica Roth

“Insurgent, he says. Noun. A person who acts in opposition to the established authority, who is not necessarily regarded as a belligerent.” -- Insurgent (Book Two of Divergent), by Veronica Roth

First of all, if you haven't read Divergent, the first book in this series, go read it, and then come back here. If you read this review before you read Divergent, you'll be disappointed because this review does contain spoilers from the first book.

We begin Insurgent with a "barely holding it together" Tris after the unexpected death of so many of her people. Both her parents sacrificed themselves to save her. Thousands of Abnegations died at the hands of those Dauntless who were being controlled by the Erudite. She was almost killed, and was forced to shoot one of her best friends to save herself and stop the simulation.

Insurgent is fraught with misunderstandings and betrayals that keep the plot moving at a much more rapid pace than you saw in Divergent. There is a lot going on, but it was still easy to follow. Tris is forced to make decisions in Insurgent that are even more difficult than killing Will was. Throughout the course of the book her relationship with Tobias (also known as Four) is tested as they tackle situation after situation that plague their society after the simulation. Both Tobias and Tris must reach a new understanding of one another if they want their relationship to survive. Tris must learn to trust her instincts and her very unique brain in order to figure out who is trustworthy and to find out what the truth behind the simulations really was.

I loved this second book of the Divergent series. The first book was good, but it was in Insurgent that things really started to get interesting. And the ending left me wishing I had held off on reading Insurgent until closer to the publication of the next book, which hasn't been named yet. Roth is a talented writer and her dystopian society is intriguing. I am anxiously awaiting the next book, which I have heard won't be out until sometimes in 2013. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she finishes it sooner rather than later.


 

City of Glass (Book Three of Mortal Instruments), by Cassandra Clare

City of Glass
Book Three of Mortal Instruments
Written By Cassandra Clare

“And now I’m looking at you,” he said, “and you’re asking me if I still want you, as if I could stop loving you. As if I would want to give up the thing that makes me stronger than anything else ever has. I never dared give much of myself to anyone before – bits of myself to the Lightwoods, to Isabelle and Alec, but it took years to do it – but, Clary, since the first time I saw you, I have belonged to you completely. I still do. If you want me.” -- Jace, City of Glass (Book Three of Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clare

This is the third book of the Mortal Instruments. If you haven't read the first two you should probably stop right now, because this review will inevitably spoil the earlier books for you if you haven't read them. I have thoroughly enjoyed the entire series thus far, and I definitively recommend it. (Click here for the review of book one)

Clare has done it again. She kept me at the edge of my seat throughout the latest saga of The Mortal Instruments. We began pretty much, right where the other book left off, with Clary desperate to get the cure for her mother, and Clary and Jace seemingly destined to disagree on whether or not they should ignore their feelings for one another. Can I just say that I have been tortured with them throughout the series thus far, as they battle between their feelings and what they feel is acceptable? I just ache for them when I see how heart wrenching their determination to behave like they are just siblings because they believe they are doing what is right. I have come close to tears over and over again as I read about their struggle. To have finally felt real love just to have it jerked away. And even though you know their love is "wrong", you just somehow want it to be different.

In City of Glass, Clare once again reveals more unexpected plot twists that leave you amazed and shocked. New characters are introduced alongside the regulars that we've gotten to know in previous books. Clare continues to dive more deeply into the past of the Clave and the main characters personal histories. We also continue to see the growth of Jace, Clary, Isabelle, Alec, and Simon as they navigate the normal teenage problems as well as those that are specifically tailored to their, shall we say, unique characteristics.

I cannot recommend this book and this series enough. It's an awesome read, cover to cover, just like the first two were. I'm anxiously awaiting getting my hands on the 4th book.

Rebecca's Promise (Book One of Adam's County), by Jerry S. Eicher

Rebecca's Promise
Book One of Adam's Country
Written by Jerry S. Eicher

I have loved Amish fiction for awhile, and at one point I was told that Eicher was a good writer of Amish Fiction. I wasn't disappointed. 

One thing I absolutely loved was that Eicher was not afraid to assign some really controversial points of view to his Amish characters.  Usually in Amish fiction the most "out of line" a character gets is perhaps listening to music or dating a Mennonite.  There were several characters in Rebecca's Promise that really broke the mold of Amish stereotype and I absolutely loved it.  I loved how much more human Eicher's characters were because of it.  I also loved that these weren't shunned amish, or amish teens on their Rumspringa.  These were full fledged baptized members of the Amish community who were behaving in these highly questionable ways.  It was really cool to see an Amish book take that kind of twist.

I was slightly disappointed by a few plot twists, but I enjoyed how he left it open for the next book in the series.  His unique characters are enough to bring me back for more.  I will be reading the next book in the series soon.

Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir), by Jenny Lawson

Let's Pretend This Never Happened
(A MostlyTrue Memoir)
Written by Jenny Lawson

“I am the Wizard of Oz of housewives (in that I am both "Great and Terrible" and because I sometimes hide behind the curtains.)"--Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir), By Jenny Lawson

Warning, if you do not have a great sense of humor, and are one of those very respectable types, this is not your book. You will be offended and will not understand the humor. If you're more like me, and you enjoy the occasional journey into a wild and wacky irreverent memoir, then this is the memoir for you. I'm dying to hear what others think. I loved it from the first page, all the way to the last. I look forward to her next book.

I first learned about Jenny Lawson, when a friend turned me on to her totally unrighteous, totally hysterical, totally amazing blog, The Bloggess. Jenny is phenomenal. I have loved her blog since day one.

She is just this totally unique, charismatic, nutty character that you can't help but loving. Her humor astounds me. The things she comes up with just literally make me laugh out loud. In fact, I raised quite a few eyebrows at the gym Friday when I was attempting to ride the stationary bike and not fall off while attempting to hold in my giggles. Her blog is always funny, and the book is even funnier, which I would not have thought possible.

In the book Jenny tells you her crazy story of growing up with her quirky family and their ridiculous hijinks that have shaped who she is. You get to hear all about Victor, her husband, who is just this regular everyday guy who happened to fall in love with Jenny. Even her years of teenage angst have their moment in this memoir. What I loved most about this memoir is how through the humor I felt like I really connected to Jenny. I felt like she and I had more in common than I knew. Each of us has a little of Jenny Lawson in us.

That's what she said!

Silence (Book One of The Queen of the Dead), by Michelle Sagara

Silence
Book One of The Queen of the Dead
Written by Michelle Sagara

"She wanted to scream at her father, and screaming at her father was something she'd done, in one way or another, since she was the age of the baby in Allison's arms. But it wouldn't help anything, and it wouldn't change anything." Emma, Silence, Book One of The Queen of the Dead, by Michelle Sagara

I was so excited when found out I'd won an uncorrected proof of this new book for free as a Goodreads First Read Giveaway. I am always excited to try out new authors and read new books.

This was only the second time I've encountered a series dealing with necromancy, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the less gothic morbid take that Sagara took on the subject in comparison with the other series I had read (Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong). It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the scarier version I'd previously been exposed to, but I always get excited when an author takes the road less travelled.

The hodge podge cast of characters in Silence also reminded me a lot of the group of teens portrayed in the House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast. I have not been able to tear myself away from the House of Night novels, even when a few of the books had less exciting or less believable plots, because I had to know what happened to the close knit group of friends next. I love how each of the characters has several unique traits that lend the group something special and allow them to accomplish the unimaginable together. At the core of this friendship is a loyalty that allows them to get through just about any obstacle and come out on the other end, still friends. I look forward to seeing the unique characters Sagara introduced in Silence, in the future Queen of the Dead books, and seeing that side plot of their friendship as it grows and changes throughout the series.

The title of the next book in this series has yet to be released, to the best of my knowledge. I will be keeping my eyes peeled though, because now that I've met this group, I can't wait to find out what happens next. Sagara made sure to leave you with the slightest tidbit at the end of Silence to leave me in anxious anticipation.

Some Assembly Required, by Anne Lamott & Sam Lamott

Some Assembly Required
Written by Anne Lamott
With Sam Lamott

“Everything was coming together by coming apart . . . It is the most difficult Zen practice to leave people to their destiny, even though it's painful - just loving them, and breathing with them, and distracting them in a sweet way, and laughing with them . . . if something was not my problem, I probably did not have the solution.” ― Anne Lamott, Some Assembly Required

Well I'll be honest, I picked up this book to read off the new release shelf because my best friend just had her first baby and I, understandably, had baby on the brain. The idea of reading the story of someone else's take on this time period sparked my interest. I'd never read any other books by Anne Lamott, although I have since learned that she is an established writer and actually wrote a book about her son's young life after he was born. So this book, Some Assembly Required, was almost like a sequel or Part 2 to her earlier work (Operating Instructions).

I found myself laughing and smiling at Anne's theatrics. She reminded me of myself in a lot of ways, aside from the fact that I'm a staunch atheist and she very obviously has a close relationship with God. But she was funny like me, crazy like me, and a little warped, like me. She had no trouble laughing at her own idiosyncrasies and no trouble admitting to herself when she was being irrational and unreasonable. Sometimes allowing herself to continue on that vein, and other times reining it with the help of those around her.

Something that makes Anne's character so real is her day to day struggles and desire to take the right path. She tries to be humble and kind and generous, but still succumbs occasionally to the selfishness that makes her human. She loves with her whole heart, but can still be petty sometimes. That is what made this such a fantastic story. I think anyone who has had a baby or become a grandparent for the first time can understand the frustration and humility that those roles entail. I may have to take a journey to the past and try out the first book, Operating Instructions, to see if I like it as much as I liked this.

The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer

The House of the Scorpion
Written by Nancy Farmer

“I always say the truth is best even when we find it unpleasant. Any rat in a sewer can lie. It's how rats are. It's what makes them rats. But a human doesn't run and hide in dark places, because he's something more. Lying is the most personal act of cowardice there is.” -- Matt, The House of The Scorpion, Written by Nancy Farmer



The House of the Scorpion is basically a philosophy book disguised as science fiction dystopia. It chronicles the story of Matt, a clone of a powerful Opium drug lord. It tackles many of the complicated questions that scientists and even layman are asking themselves, now that cloning is a definite probability. There was a time when these serious questions could be avoided, because the ability to create a clone seemed far into the future. This is no longer the case. Now, your own personal views on cloning aside, this book tells one version of what could happen, were scientist allowed to clone human beings. It gets you thinking, and asking all the right questions to come to a better understanding of what cloning could mean for science, for medicine, and for humanity.

I thought that Farmer did a good job with this controversial topic. She managed to create characters that you cared about, and I think it will open the eyes of many who may have had very linear ideas about cloning and other scientific advancements and allow them to see a bigger picture. I'm still not sure, after reading her book, how Farmer feels about these scientific discoveries. I think it's wonderful that she could keep her own viewpoint out of the way of the story and let the story speak for itself. That was my favorite part of the story.

I have to admit that, while entertaining and thought provoking, I was lured away for a few days in the middle of the book by something else that was a little more interesting and fast paced. But I wouldn't call the book boring, by any means. If anything, taking a break and then returning may have made me appreciate the story even more, after allowing my mind to stew over it a bit.

I was also impressed when I read that there will be a sequel and that the reason it's taking so long is because Farmer doesn't use any outlines or anything like that, because she allows the story to build itself, so to speak. I thought that was a fantastic idea and may incorporate it into my own future writing projects. I have never enjoyed writing once I figured out what was going to happen. It seemed like if I knew the rest of the story it was no fun to write. Perhaps if I start writing at the beginning and just see what happens, I could actually finish a book one of these days. So I leave The House of The Scorpion inspired to write my own book, and looking forward to the sequel.