Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix

So. I finally finished #5. I have to say it was the hardest for me to get into. I hated how there was NOTHING good for so long. I just felt discouraged reading it, thinking, how can this possibly get worse. Then it would. I was particularly disturbed by the Umberidge detentions and how Harry felt ashamed and didn't' want to tell anyone.

The books are getting dark. It's not the witchcraft and dark magic that bother me, it's the good versus evil. I just like for the good guys, especially kids, to have a resourse. It just felt like Harry was being isolated from any kind of support and that upset me.

I know I'm naive. I realize there are lots of people in horrible situations, I'm just not sure I want to read 1,000's of pages about it.

That said. I did enjoy the unraveling of this book at the end. I'm still a fan of the characters. I feel like I finally know them a bit better. They are filling out and becoming less of cartoons to me. I think J.K. Rowling is an excellent writer.

I prefer the more concise length of the first couple books. I think the same story could be told a bit quicker. I am still frustrated by the limits and limitless of the magic. There are no rules, so you never know what they will or will not be able to do with magic.

OK. I'm off to start #6, and I think we're going to see the movie tomorrow night.

Oh, and about the movies. I've seen 2, and I'm not sure how anyone could follow what was going on if they hadn't read the books. But I do think they are well done.

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

I really enjoyed this book. I think Kate DiCamillo is a great writer, but both The Tale of Despereaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane seemed a little dark for kids. That being said, I really liked them, and so did my boys.

Winn-Dixie has some sad elements, but to me was much lighter than the others. The story is sweet, and really does show all the nice things that happen to Opal because of finding her dog. I enjoyed reading this aloud to my boys, and I think they liked it too. The characters are great, the dialouge between them is great, and the overall message of the story is great.

I've decided that I always enjoy when the main characters are a mixed-matched bunch.

This is a short, sweet, nice book.

Beauty by Robin McKinley

I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it. It is young adult fantasy. It is a sweet and magical re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. If you like fairy tales, you will like this book.

I especially liked that everyone was nice. Beauty has two sisters, and they are nice. Her dad is great, and even the Beast is nice from the beginning. I liked the descriptions of the enchantments, and enjoyed the writing style. That being said, I didn't LOVE this book. I think it's nice, but I think I would have enjoyed it more about 20 years ago. I read The Blue Sword by the same author in junior high and I remember liking it a lot.

Here are a couple examples of her writing style:

"Firelight sent a warm glow through the windows, and left golden footprints in the garden."

"..although I privately thought that our family already had more than enough virtues personified."

Harry Potter Continued......

So I've finished 2 & 3, and I'm a little way into #4.

I enjoyed both 2 and 3, and was actually kind of scared at the end of #3, and stayed up too late to finish it. Which is always a sign of liking a book for me. You know, it's worth giving up sleep for. I think both of these books kind of followed a similiar story line. You knew who to be suspicious of, but not sure why. Then the bad guy didn't end up as bad, a couple twists, etc. But I think both are good stories. I have to say the element I really didn't like was Dobby. I think the whole concept is annoying and unpleasant. I guess that's the point, but I'm not thrilled to see house elves back in the story line in Goblet of Fire.

I have to say I'm having a hard time keeping my enthusiasm going for this book. I'm just not that interested, and as they keep adding more characters and layers it's not helping. My son has assured me that he really like #4, and he just finished reading it for the 4th or 5th time, so I'm trying to go on his word. I don't think I'll be able to finish these monster volumes in time for the new movie to come out in a week. So I might be re-thinking my plan.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I'm going to assume I'm the last person on the planet to read these books. I've always thought I would get around to them, but when I heard the movie this summer was going to be PG and I could take my boys, I decided it was the perfect time! (I haven't seen the movies yet either.)

So, I liked and would recommend this book. It is filled with action and adventure. I like the voice and style that J.K. Rowlings writes in, I was a little nervous about that. But I love that after spending years being under appreciated and mistreated, that Harry finds out he is a hero, and had loving, courageous parents.

Also, I love the type and spacing that is used. The very helpful last page told me it is 12 point Adobe Garamond, I hope they are all the same.

I was a little annoyed that some things weren't resolved, like how did Malfoy get out of the forest? Stuff like that bugs me.

I loved when Dumbledore tells Harry to "use the proper name." That they both felt the same way about it.

And finally, this fantastic explanation, "..to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever." Beautiful.

I can't wait to continue the story!

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

Did anyone read Interpreter of Maladies? It's been a few years since I have, but I remember liking it. I also remember some of the stories were really sad. Although each dealt with a family or character that was either born in India, or born in America to first generation Indian immigrants, many of the themes were universal.

Unaccustomed Earth is the second collection of short stories that Jhumpa Lahiri has published. She also wrote a novel in between, that I haven't read yet.

I really liked these stories. Again there are some tragic parts. In fact, the last three stories are "part two" and all relate to two characters, and culminate with them being reunited after 30 or so years. I wish these had been the first three, because I didn't like the ending and thought it was a sad way to finish up a book.

So the things I did like. Lahiri has a great way of making her short stories feel like a novel. They don't feel like a chapter or a short snippet. Each has complex characters, most of whom I liked, and thought provoking ideas and themes. Some were more relatable than others, and again they are all about familes who have immigrated to the United States at some point from India. I have to say it did make me want to learn more about the culture, but the importance is not limited to a sort of culture study. Not at all. I loved that I could sit and read a complete story in one sitting, but I would be just as excited to start the next one.

These are well-written stories. I want to describe them as smart, but I'm not sure what a smart story should be.

One theme that I liked was how the third generation, the grand children, seemed to help bridge the gap. Not just grandchildren I guess, but children in general. Most of the stories have a sweet element even if they also have a lot of sadness.

There was one particular part that sadly sounded familiar:

He's talking about how he and his wife's energy is now "devoted not to doing things together but devising ways so that each could have some time alone, she taking the girls so that he could go running hin the park on her days off, or vice versa, so that she could browse in a bookstore" It goes on, but you get the point.
I highly recommend this book. I hope you'll like it too.

(Oh and there are a few moments of PG-13.)

Three Cups of Tea

This is a really good book. I had heard a lot about it, and finally took the time to read it. I couldn't put it down, and am completely fascinated by Greg Mortenson's work. While I admire what the co-author Relin was trying to do in adding background and poetic descriptions, they were a little distracting to me.

The story of Greg wandering into a tiny village in Northern Pakistan, making a promise to build a school, then going back to California and working hard and ultimately giving up his old life to make this happen is amazing. It is entertaining and captivating all by itself. I did appreciate the background into the different villages, religions, and nationalities, but I'm still confused.

However today as I read an article about refugees in Pakistan, I had a frame of reference. It wouldn't have caught my eye a week ago. But words like "Kalashnikov rifles," "Pushtan," and "Peshawar," now have meaning in my mind. That being said, the conflicts and poverty are very hard to comprehend.

More than any other book lately, I want to talk about this one. Luckily I know enough people who have read it. I'm having a hard time knowing what to post! So I'm going to resort to lists.

What I thought was AMAZING:

• How Greg Mortensen completely gave up his life of climbing to become a school builder. He didn't look back.
• The story of Greg meeting and marrying his wife is almost unbelievable, but very sweet.
• The hospitality of the Pakistani people. The way that they fix food and serve tea, then ask the questions.
• The timing of Greg's work is so incredible, that he was there before the "madrassas" were springing up all over the place.
• I love how his wife believes in him and has personally sacrificed so much for her husband to keep his work going.
• When Greg is able to go back and double the salaries of the men who have served so long and hard with him!

What was frustrating to me:

• It is always hard for me to keep characters and vocabulary that are in a foreign language straight when I read. I don't take notes the way I did in college, so there were times I would get characters confused.

• I'm still hung up on him not taking the government's money. He did it because he wanted to protect the people he worked with. Obviously, he can do more work without having to be accountable to or babysat by the US government. BUT, if the whole point is that increasing education opportunities is the best way to fight terrorism, the government is going to need inside help. The troops can't accomplish what Greg could, they wouldn't have the contacts, the experience, all that. SO this has caused me to think a lot about it. Reading a book like this, you start to think, it should be so simple. I know it's not, and I keep thinking of HOW things could be accomplished.

And again that's why this story is so amazing. Greg saw a need and then did everything he could to fix it. Over and over again. His dedication is totally inspiring.

I recommend this whole-heartedly. I've heard a few people saying it was too boring, and I think that's because some of the details and background might seem tedious. I was so fascinated by the character, and wanted to see what he would do next, that I read it pretty quickly.

Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

I was thrilled to discover that Lisa Lutz had written not one, but TWO more books about the Spellmans. I finished up the second one this weekend and was not disappointed. I'm not going to go into detail, because if you haven't read the first one it won't matter much.

I think this was just as good as the first one. I did actually figure out more of the mysteries, but they were still creative and suspenseful. Mostly I enjoy these books because they are funny, entertaining, and the characters are likable and well-developed. David plays a smaller role in this one, and there are some sad events.

One line I particularly liked,
"After my teeth cleaning and reminder of my all-around mediocrity, I needed a stiff drink."
I don't drink, but I could substitute "a stiff drink" with a fattening treat. Needless to say, I can relate.

Also the on going theme of the ex-Olympians cracked me up.

This time the book jacket describes Izzy as "part Bridget Jones, part Columbo."

I enjoyed this book, I recommend it (again, note that there is some interspersed swearing), and I'm equally stoked to read #3!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I completely recommend this book!

I loved it. This story is told through letters between a writer in London and some friends that live on the island of Guernsey. It is not choppy at all, and the characters are endearing. Do I say that too much? It's such a huge enjoyment factor for me. My only complaint is that I had no idea the age of a few of the characters. Like was Elizabeth in her 40's or 20's? Dawsey, Isola, no idea.

My mom was telling me recently how she loved reading books that taught her about a different time and culture. I was thinking that I don't always love books like that. But THIS book gives a really good perspective of the aftermath of WWII. From several perspectives.

One thing I LOVED was that it does not gloss over the horrors these people faced in the war, but it doesn't dwell on them. Everyone is trying to find joy, and the book feels very hopeful. I think it is very successful in dealing with tragedy. It made me think of many aspects of war that, hopefully, I've never been exposed too.

Yet, it is not purely informative and historical. There is a rich story of Juliet, and her finding happiness. There is a nice romance or two! I love the blend of great old friends, and brand new friends that feel like kindred spirits.

I loved the voice and the style of this writer. I'm so sad to hear that she died. But how great, and in the spirit of the book, that her niece finished the process for her.

There are some great statements in this book:

"That's what i love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you into another book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It's geometrically progressive--all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment." I love this because that is why we read, for "enjoyment." And who hasn't been lead on a treasure hunt from one book to the other.

And going right along with that, "We clung to books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us." This is how I feel as a mother of young children. Lot's of my time is spend in the mundane, and doing things I'm not crazy about. Reading reminds me of my other self: who I used to be.

This book is funny, but doesn't try to be witty at every turn. After hearing of her friend's broken leg, she writes to his sister about her "tiny infant of an idea," and says, "In honor of Sidney's leg, I'm going to coddle it and feed it and see if I can make it grow." Hilarious.

I loved how the book unfolds in the letters through the simple statement, "I'll tell you a story about..."

From the author's Acknowledgements in the back, "I hope, too, that my book will illuminate my belief that love of art--be it poetry, storytelling, painting, sculpture, or music--enables people to transcend any barrier man has yet devised."

I kept hearing about and seeing this book. It's great, read it!

Updates on a few books....

So I haven't been reading as much. I got a new sewing machine, and I've been a sewing maniac.

I did finish the Griffin and Sabine books. I read them quick, and I did like them. Hayley I'm glad to hear you loved them. I think I liked the idea of the books more than the actual story. They are much more about the artwork, and mysticism, than about an actual story. That's how I felt. Especially the second trilogy. It got too mythological and symbolic for my taste. But still cool to look at.

I also read the final book of Ember. The Diamond of Darkhold. I really enjoyed it. I think it was a fitting end, and again, I really enjoy the characters of Lina and Doon. When I read The People of Sparks, I kept wanting someone to go back to Ember to salvage what they did have. Things just seemed so desperate. So I was glad to have that issue resolved in this novel. I give the whole series a thumbs up.

So I'll be reading again soon I'm sure.....thanks for not giving up on me!