The Lightning Thief

By: Rick Riordan

THIS IS NOT AMANDA!!! I am her younger sibling doing a guest report! This is the first book of a really good series. It is like the next Harry Potter, but Greek god style. Before I started reading these books, my mother would have to tie me to a chair and force me to read. When I was reading this series, she actually had to ground me from reading and take the books away so I would go to bed. It is about how Greek gods interact with humans and have children called "demigods." This word stands for "half-god, half-human." It kept me wanting to read more because the way he wrote was fantastic. There are many Greek gods, but this story is about Percy Jackson, Son of Poseidon. Be ready for adventure, mythical creatures, and a book of nonstop action that will make you not want to put it down!

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Other Books by Rick Riordan:

Sea of Monsters (2nd book)

The Titans Curse (3rd book

Battle of the Labyrinth (4th book)

The Last Olympian (5th book)

The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity

by Wm. Paul Young

This book is all the rage in Cedar Rapids right now, and it took me about a month before I could get my hands on a copy. When I finally did, I couldn't put it down. I started reading it around midnight last week, and had it finished by three in the morning, knowing full well I had to be out and about at eight later that morning.

The humor in the novel is apparent right from the beginning, also present are undercurrents of sadness and anger. The latter two become more pronounced early on, and remain through the rest of the story. However, they aren't really defeating- it's more active and hopeful, driving and impressive.

Mack Philips' daughter was abducted several years before the introduction, and through flashbacks, the reader learns about the changes that take place as a result of the kidnapping. Told from Mack's point of view, the novel is a roller coaster of emotion as he is forced to face his grief and anger and learn forgiveness. Certain themes in the book also invite the reader to examine her own faith as well as many ideas about religion, politics and society that seem innate.

I didn't find the book predictable. There is a kind of uncertainty that left me wondering whether or not I would be given a happy ending. I knew that it would be bittersweet, regardless of the circumstances, but I wasn't quite sure if I would be satisfied with the finale. Young's writing is powerful and it gave me my own 'Aha!' moment as I was immersed in Mack's struggles.

There were times when I thought my tear ducts would just explode, and suddenly the situation called for laughter instead of tears. It made me consider a little more deeply my impressions of God and the Trinity, because the presence of God is not what you expect. I think I also learned a little about courage- facing your worst nightmare or biggest fear, and finding new faith through that. It was encouraging also, because the book reinforces my belief that God is good and can always make love and life come from bad experiences.

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Letters From Rifka

by Karen Hesse

I read this on my first morning back from school. Rifka is a young Jewish girl who flees Russia with her family in the midst of religious persecution during the onset of World War I. She writes letters to her cousin in book of Pushkin that she reads to maintain her faith and strength. Rifka overcomes many obstacles so that she can live in freedom with her family.

The book is targeted at older elementary readers, but its themes stand fast to older readers also. Emotionally, it is very compelling, and it challenges the reader to acknowledge events in the past that are perhaps difficult to face. Hesse draws upon her great-aunt Lucy's own journey from Russia to America and uses fact to drive the plot and themes in the novel.

The writing is also very refreshing because it evokes a setting and important themes without becoming unnecessarily wordy. It is very innocent, and seems like the writing of a young girl. I loved the book because it was so gripping. Although I am a crybaby during parts of most books I read, I felt more personally involved in this one, as if I actually had a reason to be crying. I enjoyed exploring things and ideas I was already familiar with from Rifka's point of view. Certain things like bananas...or chocolate seem different when you experience them through the eyes of someone who hasn't ever had them before.

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Other Books by Karen Hesse:

Out of the Dust

Stowaway

Brooklyn Bridge

Phoenix Rising

Witness

Chapter One: In which I begin my journey

Last night I dreamed I was standing on a wooden porch facing the sea. It was stormy, and I was pacing back and forth, waiting for somebody. The light from the house stretched hardly further than the rail of the porch, and in the distance, beyond the sand, the black waves were rolling into darkness. 

I was impatient, looking back into the warm glow from the kitchen. I wrapped my bare arms around my shivering body and turned back to the ocean once more. That's when I saw him- Edgar Allan Poe, emerging from the depths of the water, walking toward me. And I knew he was the one I had been waiting for.

And would you believe that's when I woke up? What a letdown- one of the greatest American authors, and I don't even get to talk to him? Then again- I suppose I was lucky enough to see him. Not everybody can dream like I do.

I think though, that's because not everybody reads like I do either. Yesterday I read two books. The Man Who Was Poe by Avi, and True Believer by Nicholas Sparks. That accounts for the beach and house, and the appearance of Poe. 

But where did I get the idea that he was going to send me a message? After some very deep soul-searching, I arrived at this conclusion: Because I read a book a day and then some during the summer, it is my duty to tell the world what is good and what isn't, what should grace personal bookshelves and what should be... quickly returned to the library and whited-out from the booklist.

So here we are. Because I'm not picky about the books I read (except for romance novels- Sparks is about as far as I'll go in that genre), you can expect reviews of a conglomeration of books. Right now, for example, I am catching up on all books my mother is giving the third-graders in her class to read, so you'll learn a lot about children's bestsellers... pretty self-explanatory, I say.