13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Dear Readers,
So if you pay attention to when I post these reviews you would notice that I am posting this review only two days after the last one. Yep that's right. It only took me one day to finish this book, and one day to get around writing the review. I checked it out from the library the other morning and picked it up Friday night. I read until eleven thirty and then work up this Saturday and read for two hours and I was done. It really wasn't a hard read. In fact it was a very very very easy read. I posted in my last review that Brave New World was an easy read, and compared to Brave New World this book is children's play. Honestly this book is really easy.
But don't get me wrong! Just because it was easy doesn't mean it wasn't good! I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was an easy read that took you away from where you were. It was like a tinny vacation in a book.
Ginny receives a letter from her aunt, who ran away two years ago. Her family hasn't heard a word from her, and then one day out of the blue a little blue envelope comes in the mail. It tells Ginny to go to New York and there she will receive more instructions. Once in New York she is given a thick manila envelope with 12 little blue envelopes. Each letter contains a task from her aunt to complete. The letters lead Ginny on a wild adventure around Europe. A colorful parade of characters marches through out the rest of the book. Ginny breaks out of her bubble and meets new people. And of course like most teen novels, actually just novels in general, there is a love story. It is just another stereotypical teen book.
Something is to be said about those teen novel though. Most teen novels that are published today are honestly excrement. Paranormal Teen Romance? Fantasy up the wazoo? Really is that what the future leaders of this country should be reading? No not at all. Now don't get me wrong this book and many others are proof that I often pick up teen lit for a little light reading, but please steer clear of all the awful out there.
I have already said this but it is so true. This book was like a vacation. It was written well enough that I was taken somewhere else and allowed to live in someone else's shoes for a while. The book took me on a clear trip to some of Europe's major cities. The romance wasn't weird. The story line wasn't weird. The characters although corky were not weird. This book is a good teen lit. This book is the kind of book that future leaders of the world should be reading, not the gawd awful other stuff. So if you need to indulge yourself and go on a vacation without actually leaving your bed I would recommend picking up this book. If you like cute, happy ends, and characters who figure out their lives in a few short weeks then crack it open. If you want something more challenging then this might not be the book for you, but remember the title and save it for a rainy day.
Lindsey

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Dear Readers,
"O brave new world that has such people in it."
What is there to be said about Brave New World that has already not been said?
It was amazing. It is one of those books everyone needs to read. It is a classic. Wow! Thank you Aldous Huxley. Loved it! Read it! Must read. Fantastic. Have all already been said, so what more can I say. Can I say anything else that will convince you to read this book? Probably not, so I am going to explain to you why I loved it. Maybe, just maybe that will convince you.
I picked up this book not really knowing what to expect. I knew it was a classic. I knew it was one of those books that would screw with your mind and your ideas. But I had a vague idea that it was going to be hard to understand and completely out of reach. 
Well, I was wrong.
I read my fair share of classics, and some are hard, labor intensive, and very disappointing. Brave New World was nothing like that. This book was well written while still be accessible. It wasn't an easy read, but it wasn't extremely difficult. Now you know that it isn't to hard and you will be able to make it through without getting bored, but you  still don't know if you want to read. What is it about you ask? Why will it mean anything to me?
I am not even sure if I can accurately put into words what this book taught me. It was one of those books that made sense to me; that completely clicked with my brain and way of thinking. What I got from the book may not be what Huxley intended. What I got may not be what you get from it, but I will try to describe it.
In the Brave New World people are not born. Mothers and Fathers are a thing of the past. The family is no more. People are produced in test tubes. Conditioned from the moment the sperm meets the eggs. Their future is chosen for them, and they are brain washed into blindly accepting this future. Soft voices whisper while they are sleeping; telling them what class they are, what they are to do, and that they need to be okay with it. Everyone works for everyone else. Everyone is happy. Everyone.
In this futuristic society when you want something you get it. When you want someone you have it. There are no boundaries. There are strong bonds between people. There are really no problems. And everyone is lead to believe that. There is no God. There is no unhappiness. There is no anger. There are no reasons to be unhappy. You have everything you could ever want.
It is chilling. While reading I could not help but compare this book to other dystopia novels I have read. Particularly 1984. In 1984 the people are denied sex and happiness. There are controlled by fear, which is drastically different from Brave New World. The people in Brave New World have everything they could want and they do not want it taken from them. They want to stay happy, so they don't question things. They don't try to know more. They blindly accept the "facts" that where imprinted on their brains as children. Why would they need anything more then what they have?  Why would they need freedom to think and act when they are already so happy? Why would they need God when they already have Ford?
That was one of the things that really got me about this book. God was non-existent. The people did not believe in God. No need to when they already had everything they could ever want. No need when they were already happy. No need for God. Religion is really there to fill in the parts we are missing. Religion explains the unexplained. These people had no questions. All of their needs were met, so there was no need for religion.  It started me thinking about my reasons for believing. I cannot say I have all of the answers yet, but this book made me think more about religion than any Christian book I have ever read.
At one point some of the characters have the choice of going to a place where they can be different and thinking different things then the rest of society, and staying civilized and happy. Ignorance can really be bliss, and they had to choose between that bliss or the freedom to think for themselves.
The book has a lot to say about happiness, society, human kind, religion, and freedom. It does not answer question so much as bring up ideas for pondering. And even though it has already been said I will say it again. READ IT!!
Lindsey

Lost by Jacqueline Daveis

Dear Readers,

A friend of mine has been telling me how amazing this books is for years. She continually told me that I MUST read it. I finally picked it up, and I was not disappointed. For anyone who loves a good historical fiction that waves together fact and fiction in a manner that leaves you wonder which is which this book is a MUST!
While reading the book to story comes in two parts. Each chapter switches between the past and present. Esther, affectionately called Essie, works for the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory is main character of the book. At the age of 16 she has experienced more than many adults. At a young age her father died, and that same year her younger sister was born. Her mother hardly raised her sister, so the task fell to Essie. Zelda, which means luck, was a little ball of energy that kept Essie very busy.
The one event that separates the past from present in the novel is Zelda's death. At the age of 6 Zelda ran out into the street and was ran over by a cart. Esther refuses to face the fact the Zelda is dead, and she believes Zelda is just hiding and will come out soon. She lives her life around Zelda. The part of the novel before Zelda's death is filled with Esther's happy memories and stories of her times with Zelda. The part after is filled with Esther denying the truth. They weave in and out and you never know the whole story till the end of the novel.
Lost contains more then Esther and Zelda though. A new girl comes to work at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory with Esther. The new girl is quiet and hardly says more than two words to a person. But she seems lost. She seems as if she has something to hide. Esther befriends the new girl, Harriet. As her and Harriet become friends they both have a past they seem to be hiding. Esther continually refuses to acknowledge Zelda's death, and Harriet is build lies upon lies to cover up her past. There is also Jimmy. The attractive neighbor who has know Esther since she was young. Esther has grown up loving him. Saulie is Esther younger brother, who continually causes trouble. And Esther's mother, a stern strong women, is always in the background of Essie's mind. The characters are one of the amazing threads woven together to create this amazing story.
As with most historical fiction the theme was not really the main point of the book. That would go to a creative retelling of a few historical events messed together. As with many books, there is a section at the end of the book telling you what is fact and what is fiction. Fact vs. Fiction actually seemed to be one of the driving points of the novel. Many of the characters are forced to decide what is the truth and what is not. The battle between truth and not was more then just the historical fiction of the book.
I loved it, and I would highly recommend Lost to anyone looking for a good book. It is wonderfully written. It is one of the best historical fiction books I have ever read, so read it!!
Lindsey  

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

Dear Readers, 

An interesting title for an interesting book. Don't get me wrong, I loved it! It was just interesting. Not really what I expected. A friend recommended it (although I can't remember which friend) because it is about food and it is widely known that I am a food lover. And although I know you aren't suppose to judge a book by its cover I could not help looking at the cake on the cover and wanting to dive right in. It did not leave me hungry or disappointed! 

It starts out with Rose, the main character, as a young girl of 8. She was getting home from school and her mother decided to make a delicious lemon cake. She watched as her mother mixed together the eggs, butter, flour, and additional ingredients. She waited with anticipation as the lemony smelled filled the kitchen while the cake baked. Once out of the oven she couldn't wait, so she stole a chunk from the corner and smothered it with creamy chocolate frosting. As she hurriedly ate the bit of cake Rose tasted something more then just lemon and chocolate. She tasted sadness. From that day on she was able to taste the emotion of the cook who made her food. 

The rest of the novel follows Rose through the years. Most of the story happens in her peak years where remembers being especially afraid to eat food and taste peoples emotions. Those years were full of vending machine snacks and heavily processed food. She demonstrated courage when faced with cakes, cookies, and pies that I could never in a million years have. 

I really don't want to say to much more about the book because I really want you to read it and discover everything in the manner I did. All I can say is read it. It is amazing. It turns out a little unexpected, but you really get to understand why some people make the choices they do. Everyone has difficult choices and you need to learn not the judge people who have to make choices. What is good for them is not always good for you, and as Rose starts to realize this you are taken on an exciting and wonderful adventure filled with emotions cleverly portrayed as flavors. Then end of the book will leave you with a sweet taste in your mouth and a full stomach. So read it!!!! 

Lindsey 

P.S. There are amazing chapters in which Ms. Aimee very accurately portrays the passion I have for food. If you like eating at all this book is wonderful!! 

 

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Dear Readers,
Truth be told this is not my typical book. I do not really like the scary, dark, depressing books. It's just not my style. I don't like horror, and this book could almost fall into that category. It is one of those books you don't want to read when you are alone at home during the night.
Somehow though this book is good. I didn't hate it. I actually looked forward to reading it when I had the chance, and I thought about it in between readings. It wasn't to dark. It was more gray then black. The poetic nature of the writing helped mask the scary subject of the book. McCarthy really knew what he was doing when he wrote this creepy post-apocalyptic novel.
I have told you it is creepy, scary, not something you read at night, written about the end of civilization, and you are wondering why would I want to read this book. Well, hold your horses and don't judge a book by the cover. Let me get into the good parts!
You start out simple (truthfully you end simple too). All you know is there is a man and a boy traveling down the road. They need to get south before the winter. Where they start you don't know, where they end up you don't know. Their names you don't know. Their background you don't know. Really you know nothing. The simplicity of the plot allows McCarthy to focus on the amazing wording and descriptions in the novel.
My brother described this book to me a poetic, and I believe that description fits. All of the wording have a soothing, calming poetic nature to them. Even at the points where burned dead bodies are being described you still feel calm (the scariness comes after putting the book down and realizing that it might happen some day). The dialogue has the same repetition of a lot of poetry. The coloring, even though mostly gray tones, felt very poetic. It over all was kind of like reading free verse poetry, calming, distracting, and wonderful.
It was one of those books that after I finished it I wasn't really sure how I felt. I didn't really connect with characters because there wasn't much to connect with. I did enjoy the book as a whole, and I would recommend it to anyone. It wasn't to scary until after you stopped for the night. It has meaning and purpose if you are willing to think. It definitely is a chilling shot of what the future could look like.
Lindsey