Kendrick

Kendrick by A. H. Holt

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I rarely read westerns, but we had this one and I decided to give it try.



I was pleasantly surprised. Kendrick is a warm, suspenseful novel with a bit of fun and romance thrown in.



Kendrick follows the story of Wayne Kendrick who pretends to be a gold prospector to investigate the disappearance of his close friend. They are some dangerous characters up on the mountain and Kendrick ends up having to deal with them all.



I was genuinely concerned about the characters. The story moved along at just the correct pace. I was never bored or overwhelmed.



I loved the resolution.



After reading it I read about the author and discovered that it was a woman...I should have guessed!!


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Fablehaven

Fablehaven (Book 1)" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170267540m/44652.jpg" border=0> Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
If any of you have been regulars to my blog you might have noticed that this book has been on and off of my currently reading list about 5 times.



I know, no one has noticed, but it has!



Anyway, I REALLY wanted to enjoy this. My kids loved it and it is an LDS author. But I just didn't get into it. Maybe it is just that fantasy is not my fave genre. I actually hope that it sit because it killed me to just give it 2 stars. Sorry Brandon!!



It is well written, but I just was not engaged by the characters. The kids kept breaking the rules.



Maybe that was the problem. I have 4 teenagers and am not entertained by kids breaking rules because they think the rule makers are doing it just to be random and mean.



Hmm... I may have hit on the problem!!



If you like fantasy I give you the hearty recommendation of Ella and Harrison, who both begged me to read Fablehaven.



If you are at your wits end with your own kids, maybe wait and read it when your grand kids are acting up!!ha ha


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Mystery By Moonlight

Mystery by Moonlight by Mary C. Jane

My review

This is one of the first mysteries I read and I still keep it on my bookshelf. I re-read it once every few years and am always so pleased with it.



It is sweet and scary and fun. This would be a great book for your 2nd or 3rd grader to get an introduction to mystery writing. (It reads like a Nancy Drew)

I love a mystery that I can completely put myself into. When it is set in a very realistic way, I completely immerse myself. It cannot be too scary or dangerous, or it does not enchant me the way I want a book to.

I have not even checked to see if this is still in print, My copy is from the early 80's.

EDIT* I just looked this up on Amazon and it is out of print. She seems to have been published mostly in the early 70's. You local library might have her books. There were a ton of them. Now I want to read more!!


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Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

My review

***SPOILER ALERT***

rating: 2 of 5 stars
I read this in one evening, so maybe I didn't give it enough of a chance but... it was so confusing. I felt like I had started in the middle and then bits and peices were left out.



I was especially confused when Simon was killed. And then my big question; How did they get on the island??



A plane crash? There was no plane. THey talked about a plane and a fire. Why were they all on the plane to start with. WHere were they and where were they going?



If someone has answers, PLEASE enlighten me.



I just didn't get it. ANd I think it is a classic. And I have no idea why it was on my bookshelf or where it came from.


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The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book by http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1221698.Neil_Gaiman">Neil Gaiman

Summary:

This is the story of Bod Owens. He was a toddler when his parents and sister where killed and he was taken in and protected by ghosts in the local graveyard. He is raised and taught by the residents in the cemetery.

As he grows he begins to learn of his history and yearns to spend time among the living. But life among the living is dangerous for Bod.

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had no idea what this book would be like and I was pleasantly surprised. I love when characters that are traditionally "bad" are shown being good.
The growth of the boy, Bod, both physically and emotionally is well thought out and interesting. I really cared what happened to him and wanted him to make good choices.

The part in the middle when he was in the desert was a little slow for me, but necessary for developing some of the other characters, so I didn't mind.

I would like top read this again sometime now that I know all of the twists and turns, to see what foreshadowing I missed the first time.