The Proving by Beverly Lewis REVIEW

Summary:

After five years as an Englisher, Amanda Dienner is shocked to learn her mother has passed away and left her Lancaster County's most popular Amish bed-and-breakfast. What's more, the inn will only truly be hers if Mandy can successfully run it for twelve months. Reluctantly, Mandy accepts the challenge, no matter that it means facing the family she left behind--or that the inn's clientele expect an Amish hostess! Can Mandy fulfill the terms of her inheritance? Or will this prove a dreadful mistake?

My Thoughts:

At first this book was a bit confusing since it switched narratives without warning. However, I truly enjoyed reading this novel.

It's very understandable why Mandy left the Amish life--the boy she was courting and her sister were seeing each other in secret. It's quite astonishing how her mother scolded her for being upset rather than her sister for doing something she shouldn't have done. These things made her leave her home, never wanting to go back.

She returns only to run the inn until she could sell it, but she ends up mending her relationship with her sister and deciding to stay and join the Amish community.

My Rating: 5 stars

All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry REVIEW

Summary:

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years later, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family.

Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who's owned her heart as long as she can remember--even if he doesn't know it--her childhood friend, Lucas.

But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever.

My Thoughts:

I was, at first, concerned about reading this because of the mixed reviews: many positive but a lot of negative ones, too. However, I'm glad I read it anyway.

The book is written in second person, so it can be hard to follow the story at first. It's also written as letters or a journal from Judith to Lucas. It also seems like it's set in the past? But I'm not really sure, since no dates are mentioned.

First thing that stood out to me: only about half of Judith's tongue was cut out, so she could learn to speak again. She eventually does speak again, but not early on because her mother doesn't want her to.

To be totally honest, I really dislike Judith's mother. I can understand being shocked/unsure of what to do, but eventually she should have accepted Judith as she is, but that doesn't happen.

The way this book is written is that you get bits and pieces of info on what happened before and during Judith's disappearance, but you don't get the whole thing until the end of the book, when she finally speaks up about what really happened.

I really, really enjoyed reading this book despite the fact that there were lots of depressing parts of it.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

The Enemy by Charlie Higson REVIEW

Summary:

When the sickness came, every parent, police officer, politician--every adult--fell ill.Only children under fourteen remain, and they're fighting to survive.

Now there are rumors of a safe place to hide. And so a gang of children begin their quest across London, where all through the city--down alleyways, in deserted homes, underground--the grown ups lie in wait. But can they make it there--alive?

My Thoughts:

You probably noticed I read The Dead (book two) before this, not knowing it was a part of a series. And although it could work as a stand-alone, this book kind of clears up the backround story of what happened before then.

It was a very well written book. In my mind, I could see everything happening. There were enough details for you to picture the story without using too much. Also, it was interesting how adults could stay human if they stayed inside--and became cannibals (fattened up and ate children) so they could have meat. Not to mention the author's willingness to kill off a very beloved character--several, actually.

The story was pretty captivating, too. I don't usually read zombie books, but these are some of the best I've ever read.

I'll most likely check out the other books in this series, too, at somepoint.

My Rating: 5 stars

Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines REVIEW

 

Summary:

During the week, Lyn lives in a big house in Cambridge and hangs out with friends in Harvard Square. But over the weekend, she cheers her father on as he gears up for neo-gladiator competition--a high profile televised blood sport that rivals the NFL. Lyn's father is the top player in the league, and the paparazzi that have always swarmed him have started to dog Lyn's every move. All this fame comes with another price--Lyn's family lives with the constant presence of violence, uncertainty, and a strict cultural code set by the Gladiator Sports Association. When a skilled young fighter slays Lyn's father, the GSA imposes an unthinkable sentence--Lyn must marry her father's murderer. Though her mother has made a career out of marrying into Glad culture, Lyn is prepared to do whatever it takes to claim her independence. Even if it means going into the arena herself . . .

My Thoughts:

This book was very different than other books I've read, and a lot different than I thought it would be. Lyn is actually for nonviolence, and doesn't care much for Glad society/culture. And her brother, Thad, is special needs, and can also tell the future, as he predicted their father's death a year before it happened. Lyn is determined not to marry her father's murderer, and to take care of her family herself, even after her mother commits suicide.
There's no action until the end, and that's when Lyn starts to fight the murderer instead of marrying him. And despite telling a family friend NOT to bring Thad to the fight, they do, and he gets injured trying to get to Lyn. That's about when the book stops, and the conflict/fight was supposed to carry on another time, but as far as I know, there's no sequel.
Yes, the author doesn't use quotation marks, which is a bit confusing, but not too confusing to make me stop reading. The Glad rules are kind of stupid and unnecessary, but I guess that's what happens with a society like this. The only problem I have with this book was the lack of successful end of conflict, and a few things that could have been explained more.

My Rating: 5 stars

A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White REVIEW

Summary:

Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins who helped her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they are no longer pickpockets--instead they focus on high value items and have learned how to blend into upper-class society. Rosemary is beginning to question whether she can continue in this life when she's offered the challenge of a lifetime--determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to Britain or to Germany. After all how does one steal a family's history, their very name?

As Europe moves ever closer to World War I, rumors swirl around Peter Holstein. Awkward and solitary, but with access to the king, many fear his influence. But Peter can't help his German last name and wants to prove his loyalty to the crown--so he can go back to anonymously writing a series of popular adventure novels. When Rosemary arrives on his doorstep pretending to be a well-credentialed historian, Peter believes she's the right person to help him dig through his family's past.

When danger and suspicion continue to mount, both realize they're in a race against time to discover the truth--about Peter's past and about the undeniable attraction kindling between them.

My Thoughts:

First, I'd like to correct the summary: Rosemary pretends to be a librarian, not a historian.

Next, I'd like to say how hard it was to put this book down: very hard.

At the beginning the story is interesting but then for a bit was boring; however it got very exciting later on.

What's funny is that Rosemary is there to prove him guilty of being loyal to Germany but actually ends up proving him innocent. And falling in love with him. And also marrying him.

Peter is trying very hard to hide the fact that he writes novels under a pen name because a lot of people hate him because they think he's guilty.

I will definitely look into reading more of this series when the next books come out.

My Rating: 5 stars

**I received this book from Bethany House Publishers for review. Thank you!**