Tag: book reviews

Salt to the Sea

Book by: Ruta Sepetys

Summary

A nurse, the head of a group of refugees, running for her life. A deserter, with a life once all planned out, running for his life. A young Polish girl, who was abused more than she was kept safe, running for her life. And a German soldier, faithful to his country and to his mission, hunting them all. These four are the product of the horrific world created by Adolf Hitler, a world where you could trust no one, a world where your race matters more than anything, and a war that turned everything upside down. Join Emilia, Florian, Joanna, and Alfred as they try to keep their secrets safe.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Reaction

Oh my goodness graciousness! What a book! This book was a romantic, haunting, and powerful story that will remind you of how much you have and how lucky you are. We often take so many things for granted, and I think its really refreshing to read narratives such as these. I have to admit, I read this book a little bit ago, but I can still remember almost everything in its plot because it was so memorable! If you like reading books by the author Alan Gratz, like I do, I would recommend this book for you!

Recommended Reading Age

I would definitely recommend this book for 13 and up. I read it at this age, and I thought it was the perfect time. World War 2 is a very controversial subject around the world, and I had just started getting into these types of books when I found Salt to the Sea. Again, I will say it is a very powerful and haunting book, so keep this in mind if you decide to read it.

Photo by Wendy Wei on Pexels.com
Seagulls were a prominent metaphor in Salt to the Sea.

Conclusion

Salt to the Sea is a book that displays characters who feel much fear, but who chose to be brave. It serves as a reminder about how lucky we are to be surrounded with all of our fortunes. And I don’t know how you yourself are doing, how your day is going, but if you read this book, I can tell you that you will never take your problems for granted again. The usual two links will be below (the link to buy this book on Amazon and the link to learn more about the author) and please have a fantastic rest of your day!

-your fellow book lover

Links

Find this book on Amazon here

Learn more about Ruta Sepetys here

Photo by Wendy Wei on Pexels.com

Happy Mother’s Day!

To all the beautiful and strong women out there…Happy Mother’s Day! We appreciate all that you do for us. You are always so kind and loving, and know exactly what to say. To my own mom…once again, thank you for all that you do. I love you so much! 💕 Have a great rest of your day, everyone, with the women who make your life special! Be on the lookout for a new read coming your way on May 15th! Cheerio!

About Books and Reading

Hey guys! Can you believe April is almost over? Crazy to think about right? I just wanted to post a little something about books to pick up your day and mine.

Books are an escape, something we can go to in times of need. Whenever I sit down to read, I’m able to take a deep breath and truly breathe. I love stories that make me cry, laugh, gasp, scream and love all at the same time. So I encourage you: for May, make a goal for yourself just to sit down and read once a day. Doesn’t matter what, for how long, or anything like that, just sit down and read. A lot of terrible stuff is going on in the world right now (if you look at the news, it’s super easy to get depressed) so I encourage you to escape in a book. Forget about all your problems and forget about the world for 10 minutes. I can promise you that you will so much more relaxed (unless you read a Stephen King book 😝) and it will really pick your day up.

Remember these words of wisdom for this week and face whatever comes your way with a book. Now, I will leave y’all with a poem I absolutely love. I will talk to everyone soon (because is almost May 1st!!) and have a great rest of your week!

-your fellow book lover

I Opened a Book

by Julia Donaldson

I opened a book and in I strode,

now no one can find me.

I left my chair, my house, my road,

my town and my world behind me.

I’m wearing the cloak, I’ve slipped on the ring

I’ve swallowed the magic potion.

I fought with a dragon, dined with a king,

and dived in a bottomless ocean.

I opened a book and made some friends,

I’ve shared their tears and laughter.

And followed the road with its bumps and bends

to the happily ever after.

I finished my book and out I came

the cloak can no longer hide me.

My chair and my house are just the same,

but I have a book inside me.

Happy reading!!! ❤️📚

April Reads: The Supervillain and Me

The Supervillain and Me by Danielle Banas

Summary

How would you feel if your brother was the most famous superhero on the planet? Abby Hamilton knows what it’s like to deal with this in the book The Supervillain and Me. Not only is her brother Red Comet, teenage heartthrob who takes down bad guys, her dad is also a local celebrity. He is the caring and interested mayor who is just as big of a celebrity as her brother. Ever since her mother died, Abby has felt increasingly alone. Between her two famous family members, no one really has time for her until one day the new supervillain in town, Iron Phantom, saves her from an attempted mugging. Abby knows that she should not meddle in this business, especially if he is a villain, but her curiosity gets the better of her. As she gets to know the person behind the mask, Abby is left wondering how the supposed bad guys can actually be good. As the two team up to take down a new threat, Abby is faced with a decision: either be framed as a wanted criminal, or stand on the sidelines as her city falls apart. Read the book to find out more about these action-packed adventures.

The cover of The Supervillain and Me

My Review

A hero has truly arrived! This book was such a light-hearted and fun read. Though the middle was a little slow, this took me little to no time to read because of the overall action packed narrative. Abby was going through a lot in her life and all it took was the town’s newest supervillain to help her through it. This was definitely a book that I will have no problem reading over and over again.

Recommended Reading Age

I would recommend this book for 13 and up. Though it was a fun read and a unique story, there was profanity in it. I, however, usually just skip over these words and keep reading right on through. I recommend you do the same thing if you are nervous about reading this book because of the inappropriate language.

The Iron Phantom’s identity is a mysterious secret that Abby has a hard time figuring out in The Supervillain and Me.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Conclusion

The Supervillain and Me was a great story that had me guessing until the very end. Though it did have profanity, I loved the story and characters that the author created. I challenge you to read this book this month if you are looking for a book that won’t let you down, no matter how many times you read it. The two usual links are down below: one to purchase this book on Amazon and one to learn more about this author and her books. Great reads this month guys! Have a great April and I will see you in May! Cheerio!

-your fellow book lover

Hannah’s Grade: 9 starts out of 10

Link to this book on Amazon here.

Link to learn more about Danielle Banas here.

Have a great rest of your April everyone!
Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

March Reads 2019: East

East by Edith Pattou

Summary

Rose is a northborn- a wild and free spirit- and loves to explore. She has to be active all the time, and with a large family like Rose has, its hard enough for one mother to keep an eye on all her children. Rose’s parents always knew she was special, but they didn’t expect that one night, a giant talking polar bear would offer to take Rose away in exchange for good health and fortune. Rose readily agrees and goes with the bear. He takes her to his mysterious castle where the servants aren’t allowed to talk to her and she doesn’t see much of the polar bear. But when Rose takes a risk and she ends up breaking the bear’s growing trust, how far will she go to get it back? Read the book to find out.

My review

East was a combination of Greek myths, Norse religion, fairy tales and Beauty and the Beast. I loved the way the author put a spin on some of these classic tales and made it her own. East was a long book, which made it even better. There were a lot of twists and unexpected turns. Just when you thought you knew what was going to happen next, something else would happen. I loved this book for so many reasons!

Recommended reading age

I think this would be a great book to read for people 11 and up. It was a fun story with whimsical feel, but it also contained some important lessons for all ages. I think that adults would have a very fun time reading this book as well.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The White Bear, as Rose called him, was a main character in the story East.

Conclusion

In conclusion, East is a heart warming story about a girl who leaves everything she knows to save her family. A great book, East leaves readers with a couple key truths that you will discover when you read the book. Below are the usual two links: one is to purchase this book on Amazon and to learn more about the author Edith Pattou. The second book in the series is called West, which also looks very good. Edith Pattou has also written many other books as well; go to the link below to learn more about them. As usual, if you have any constructive criticism on my blog, please do not hesitate to comment below. One thing I would love to get started is for y ‘all to start giving me recommendations so I can read and review some of YOUR favorite books. So long for now, until next time fellow book lovers!

Hannah’s Grade: 8 stars out of 10.

Links:

Purchase this book for your self on Amazon here.

Learn more about the wonderful Edith Pattou here.

Photo by Visit Greenland on Pexels.com

Just a wonderful picture to leave y’all with!

March Reads 2019: The List

The List ; written by Patricia Forde

Summary

What would you do if you could only speak from a list of 500 words? Ark is the last safe place on Earth; the rest is overrun by water. To make sure this never happens again, the wordsmith, a person who controls which words people can use, must keep a strict list of 500 words. If anyone speaks words outside of the list, they risk banishment, which guarantees your death. Letta is the new wordsmith after her master disappears. But when a mysterious boy shows up hurt on her door step and an anonymous tip suggests that her master can be saved, Letta finds herself in a very precarious position. Read the book to see how this story turns out.

My review

The List was a interesting book! I loved its unique story and brave characters. Letta never gave up, even when her odds of success didn’t look so good. I have to say, the book was a little heavy. By this I mean to say that Letta faced one problem after the next. It seemed as though she would never win! However, she had a lot of determination and never gave up. Also, these continuous problems kept me intrigued. I could barely put it down!

Recommended reading age

I would recommend this book for 10 year olds and up because it wasn’t a complex story. While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I did feel that I was a little old to be reading the book ( I just turned 13). All in all, it’s a great book!

Only 

Conclusion

The List is a fantastic book that makes you realize how much of a privilege it is to have free speech. Even today, many people around the world don’t have the ability and privilege to say what they want to say and when they want to say it. To all those people: hang in there. We are rooting for you. A entertaining story, The List was a quick and fun read. Below are two links: one to buy this book and the other to learn more about this fabulous author. Please comment below and give me feedback on my blog, my writing or my stories. I would love to hear all of it! Happy Reading everyone!

– your fellow book lover

Hannah’s Grade: 7.5 stars out of 10.

Links

Buy this book on Amazon here

Learn more about Ms. Patricia Forde here