REVIEW--I Am Scout

Ok, where are all my To Kill a Mockingbird fans?  This is seriously one of my favorite classic books, which means I did a double take when I saw the YA biography of Harper Lee at my public library.  Harper Lee has been fairly mysterious over the last 50+ years--definitely not living like we would expect a famous author to be.  Little has been known about her until Charles J. Shields wrote an adult biography (Mockingbird) and now a YA version (I Am Scout).

• Standalone book (YA version of the adult biography Mockingbird)
• Nonfiction/biography

The Gist:

Despite the immense popularity of the classic To Kill a Mockingbird, little is known about the author Harper Lee.  She has led a very private life in both Alabama and New York and declined interviews and speaking engagements consistently.  This biography reveals her story, covering her life from childhood in Alabama to adulthood in New York, including her inspiration for her novel, her friendship with author Truman Capote, and her inability to produce a second novel.

What I Loved:

• So much research went into this book, and I felt like it was SO thorough!  There were interviews with so many of her classmates, neighbors, friends.  This book practically left no stone unturned. 
• I'm so glad that the book didn't just focus on TKM--it focused on Capote and his book In Cold Blood, the Hollywood adaptation of the movie, etc.  Gave a full-rounded view of Lee's life and career.
• Photos were included that really added to the reading experience.
• I left the book with respect for Lee.  Not just respect for her as an author and as a "hidden" author, but a respect for why she chose to live in a solitary manner.

What I Didn't Love:

• This book was written/published before Go Set a Watchman was either made public or released, so that was not even mentioned in the book.  And I'm so curious to know the truth behind the publication of that book.  Did Harper really want it on shelves or did she never want it published?  I'm so curious!

Four stars for me--an excellent read that kept me engaged (sometimes nonfiction doesn't!).  Excellent for all Harper Lee fans!

REVIEW: Positive

Happy Monday, everyone!

I know I don't read a lot of nonfiction, but after reading This Star Won't Go Out (see my review from last week), I moved onto Positive by Paige Rawl.  I was immediately intrigued by Paige's story because she is a local Hoosier with an incredible story--she was born HIV Positive.  What's even crazier, she didn't know about it until she saw it on a medical file chart!  And like Hoosier Ryan White 30 or so years ago, Paige also faced major bullying for her infection--and all due to the ignorance of those about it.

Paige is coming to visit my students in a few months--woo hoo!--so I couldn't wait to read her story.  Let's jump into the review!

 

•  Standalone
• Nonfiction/Memoir

The Gist:
Paige Rawl learned while peeking at her medical files that she was HIV Positive.  How did she become infected with HIV?  Her father unknowingly gave the infection to her mother, who then got pregnant with Paige.  But Paige grew up just knowing that taking pills at the same time every day was normal life for her, as were the frequent doctor visits.  So when she confided in her middle school best friend about her medical secret, she couldn't believe when she started getting bullied for it.  Like bullying to the extreme.  Enough to make Paige drop out of public school, enter a liberal arts high school, and reevaluate what it means to be who you really are and accept your whole self.

What I Loved:

• First of all, let's just take a look at that cover.  Oh my goodness.  Gorgeous. 
• I was so impressed that Paige changed the name of her middle school within the book.  Let's be honest--she could have slammed them for not responding to her bullying in any kind of appropriate way.  Many of us would.  But she takes the high road and changes their name.  Because it's not about putting their name through the mud and making ALL employees bad--it's about recognizing that ignorance still exists.
• Paige tells her whole story with plenty of photos, and she reveals her true feelings about her family, so-called friends, and her infection.  She doesn't hold back.
• I love that Paige wrote this at such a young age, because it keeps this message current and valuable to today's teens.

What I Didn't Love:

• I wish Paige had touched more on fears she may have, like getting cut in public or being intimate with her future husband.  She barely gives us a glimpse of this, but I hoped to go a bit deeper.

A really great read that reminds us that ignorance still exists and it is up to us to make sure we are all treated as humans.  I can't wait to meet Paige and introduce her to my students!

I know what Paige's favorite pattern is--hint hint, animal!--so I'll be designing an outfit for her soon!

REVIEW: This Star Won't Go Out

I first heard about Esther Earl, like so many of us did, from John Green.  Inspired by the anger he felt at Esther's young death, he finished The Fault in Our Stars and dedicated it to her.  I was eager to read her book, a collection of her words and thoughts leading up through her funeral.

But let me tell you a little about Esther if she's new to you.  Esther was only 16 in 2010 when she passed away from cancer.  She left behind a YouTube channel filled with her quirky yet mature personality and a family that missed her immensely.  So they took Esther's diary, letters, and sketches and combined them into This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl.  

You have to prepare yourself when you read a book like this; you know it won't be a fast, cheery read.  You want to savor each detail, knowing that they represent a lifetime lost too soon.  What was even more interesting (even emotional) for me was that I listened to it on audiobook and Esther's parents read part of the book.  It takes a book to a whole new level when a person so involved in a life partakes in the reading.  So let's jump into the review:

 

• Standalone book
• Memoir/Nonfiction

What I Loved:

• The reader of this book was amazing!  I've watched Esther's YouTube videos and I think the reader captured her personality perfectly.  And hearing Esther's parents read parts of the story added such depth to the emotion of the story.  
• Speaking of Esther's parents reading on the audiobook, the actual recording from the funeral was used; readers hear Esther's father speaking at the funeral with the audience vocal reactions.  A breathtaking moment of listening to the story.
• Esther is raw, honest, and herself.  She doesn't make her story "pretty."  She is completely upfront with how she's feeling about her life, death, and everything in between.
• I left this book feeling inspired to appreciate every moment I have, but I also felt like it was okay to be sad, annoyed, and even angry.  This is a book that makes you feel.

What I Didn't Live:

• Like I mentioned earlier, this isn't a book that you breeze through.  You have to take it in stride, knowing you'll be laughing and sighing within pages of each other.
• And in addition to not breezing through the book, you have to understand as a reader that you know from the get-go what you're going to get with this book.  Esther didn't take a surprise trip, make a jaw-dropping discovery, write something profound, etc.  In other words, Esther was a normal girl and you will read about how her life was normal despite her having a cancer diagnosis.  You will read the journals of a girl leading up to her death.  And you must be prepared for that.  

Three heels for me--a solid, emotional read that gives you exactly what you expect!

I hope you read Esther's words to keep her star from going out, to remember that sometimes our lives are taken just way too early.

REVIEW--My Story by Elizabeth Smart

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

I'm not a huge nonfiction reader, but when I do read nonfiction, I love to read about people's lives.  Especially people that have crazy things happen to them.  Like Elizabeth Smart.  I mean, goodness--what a crazy, unpredictable turn her life took!

I was really intrigued when I saw that Elizabeth had written her side of her story.  She was so quiet when she was rescued from Brian David Mitchell (and who wouldn't be?! She was 14 and had been attacked daily for 9 months!) and did very few interviews.  So I was interested in getting her point of view and opinion--and boy does she give them!

So let's jump into the review!

• Standalone novel
• Nonfiction

The Gist:
 Elizabeth writes about her experience of being kidnapped by Brian David Mitchell, a religious fanatic, and his wife, Wanda Barzee.  She was literally taken from her bedroom on June 5, 2002 and held captive for 9 months.  She was repeatedly raped and psychologically broken down, but her faith kept her going strong until her rescue.

What I Loved:

• Elizabeth is very honest.  When I've read memoirs like this in the past, it seems that the writers spend a lot of time talking about forgiveness and moving on with their lives.  And while that is very commendable, I often find it a little unrealistic.  Smart, however, often writes that Mitchell is "evil" and "the devil" and has absolutely no problem hiding her disdain for him.  I appreciated that honesty.
• She gives many details--in fact, I didn't feel like I missed out on much.  And she covers all bases of her life--before her kidnapping, during, after, etc.  I really felt like I got the full story.
• This is her story (like the title states) and Elizabeth sticks to that.  She doesn't switch back to her parents' point of view (you can read their book to get that story) and instead focuses only on her experiences.  And that's what I wanted as the reader.

What I Didn't Love:

• There were no photos in the book.  This seems to be a trend in nonfiction, but I want the photos!  I know I can look them up online, but as I was reading I wanted to see Mitchell and Barzee or see the tent Elizabeth had to sleep inside.
• It was never made clear who contacted the police when Elizabeth was rescued.  I'm guessing it was someone from Walmart, but again, it's never fully stated.
• It was a little mundane at times...I felt like I read every single day of her captivity, which made it difficult to pick up at times.  But I'm sure that's part of experiencing what Elizabeth suffered.  

My favorite quote:

"My next wife will be called Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz Rebeckah Isaiah," he said.

Holy cow, I thought.  That's a worse name than Shearjashub.

"Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz was a son of Isaiah," he explained.

Another boy's name for your new wife!  I wanted to say.  What is going on inside your head?

"It means 'plunder speedeth, spoil hasteth.'"

No, it only means you're stupid.

A good read!  Depressing for sure but nevertheless very interesting.  Four stars!

*Out of respect to Elizabeth's story, I won't be designing an outfit based off this book.

I'll be back this week with a home design that I think has added some "style" to our home!  See you back here soon!

REVIEW--Rapture Practice

Happy Monday, everyone!

I'll admit--I was a little hesitant to read Rapture Practice by Aaron Hartzler.  I was assigned to read it for a committee and when I first read the description, I thought "Oh great...a Christian bashing book that just wants to be controversial."  Yes, I am a Christian, but it's more than just that.  I just hate reading nonfiction books that tear down others' beliefs (whatever they may be).  But I was SO pleasantly surprised by this book that I'm reviewing it much earlier than I expected (I had some others ready to go first but I've put them on hold)!  And now I want to meet Aaron Hartzler just to talk more about his story.

So enough of the anticipation--let's jump into it!

 

• Standalone novel (although I TOTALLY want a sequel!)
• Nonfiction

The Gist:
Aaron Hartzler grew up in a VERY conservative, fundamentalist Christian home.  He wasn't allowed to listen to secular music, go to the movie theater (even to see a "good" movie because there might be previews for "bad" movies), look at girls on magazine covers (even fully-dressed girls), etc.  He wanted to be an actor, which was fine to his parents as long as he acted in churches or taught in Christian schools.  And while Aaron was ok with these rules/standards as a child, he started questioning them as a teen...and eventually started questioning his parents' beliefs in general.  And he had to choose--to fully obey his parents as their child or risk punishment by making his own decisions.

What I Loved:

•  This book made me laugh, gasp, huff, and roll my eyes.  I was with Aaron in every situation and fully felt a whole range of emotions.  In other words, I was totally invested.
• I could relate to Aaron's story--even though I wasn't raised in a home like his.  But I have had certain rules that I didn't fully like and I've been with my friends when they've had to follow very strict rules.  I've been in churches that have discussed what movies you should definitely NOT see (and I felt like I should've worn a disguise when I DID go see one) or what books you shouldn't read.  My husband's family didn't approve of trick-or-treating or Halloween in general.  So I understood Aaron's dilemma.
• I wasn't bored once with this book, and sometimes nonfiction can drift a little too much for me.  
• Hartzler alludes to the fact that he later in life came out as a gay man, but he kept is very clean and "safe" in the book (which, as a school librarian, I really appreciate!).

What I Didn't Love:

• I think this is a compliment, because the only thing I didn't love was that I want to know so much more about Hartzler's relationship with his family today.  He's now a gay actor (and not in church plays)  which I'm sure is a big let-down to his parents.  So I want to know the rest of his story!!  Sequel, perhaps?  Please!!! 
• And I want photos in the book, too!  I'm dying to know what Aaron's family and friends looked like.  

Favorite quote: "We may be the only house in Kansas City that doesn't have a television set, but we've got something better: my mom."

A really enjoyable read...and very thought-provoking.  Four stars for sure!

 I'll be back tomorrow with an outfit inspired by this book!   See you then!

REVIEW--One Step at a Time

I'm back!!!  Wow has it been a crazy few weeks, so I'm glad to get back to a normal routine again!  And that includes blogging, too.  :)

So today let's get going with a good-old review.  I recently read One Step at a Time by Josh Bleill, a former Marine and now community spokesperson for the Indianapolis Colts.  I'm actually hoping to have Bleill come to my school next year to speak with students and staff about the experiences he wrote in this book.  So let's get to it:

 

•  Standalone novel
• Nonfiction

The Gist:
After 9/11, Josh Bleill knew he wanted to serve his country.  So he joined the Marine Corps Reserves in 2004.  He was sent for a tour of duty in Iraq in 2006, where he lost both legs in an IED explosion.  In this book, he discusses this incident and how he learned to move past his injuries (both physical and mental).  He was later hired by the Indianapolis Colts, his favorite NFL team, where he currently serves as a community spokesperson.

What I Loved:

• For me, this is a hometown story.  Although I didn't grow up in Greenfield (where Bleill lived), I also grew up in a small Indiana town and could relate to Bleill's growing-up stories. 
• It's a very inspirational story--Bleill could very easily live in depression and self-pity because of all that he's been through, but he doesn't.  A great story for students to hear!
• I was afraid that Bleill was going to start with a LOT of background about his upbringing and young life, but he doesn't.  He jumps right into the main story for you, and I really appreciated that!

What I Didn't Love:

• I know Bleill isn't a professional writer, but he did have a ghostwriter for this book.  And honestly I wasn't very impressed with the ghostwriter.  The writing seemed basic and even elementary at times.  This is a book you read for the information, not for the writing style.
• At one point Bleill talks about how he waited to tell his family that he had joined the Marines.  And he says "I told myself I hadn't broken the news to them yet because I wanted to tell the entire family at one time.  My other sister, Julie, lived in Fishers, Indiana, and my parents lived 40 minutes from her in Greenfield.  And I lived all the way in Indianapolis, right in between them.  Getting all of us together at the same time from such great distances was hard to do--or at least it is when you don't want to do it."  I know this are very well, and describing 40 minutes as "great distances" was pretty silly to me.  We live in the world of automobiles, not horse and buggy...that's not a great distance at all. 
• Bleill writes MULTIPLE times about how great the Marines are and how they are such a family.  And I'm sure they are and I TOTALLY respect the Marines.  Just got a little repetitive after awhile.

My favorite quote:  "I didn't mind going back to California, especially not after living through another Indiana winter."  Amen, Bleill.  Amen.

So a good read for the inspirational story of Bleill's time in the Marines, but not a great example of writing style.  I'm really looking forward to having my students read this (and hopefully meet Bleill!).

I'll be back tomorrow with a Marine-inspired outfit!  And then I'll have my own outfit post up soon!

REVIEW--Balancing It All

Any Full House fans out there?  C'mon, you can admit that you were glued to your TV on Friday nights for TGIF!  I definitely was, and Full House was one of my favorites.

I've kept up with Candace Cameron Bure since she's returned to acting in the last few years (she took a break to raise her three children) and just enjoy her all around--she's adorable, stylish, an unapologetic Christian, and just real.  I love following her on Twitter and reading her blog posts.  In fact, my friend Ariel and I traveled a year-ish ago to see Candace speak at an event and I got to meet Candace and have this cool T-shirt signed:

It's a great addition to my office!

So I was really excited when I saw that Candace had written her second book, Balancing It All: My Story of Juggling Priorities and Purpose.  It's basically Candace writing down the answers to the question she is constantly asked: how do you balance everything--being a mom, wife, actress, Christian...?  I read the book in two days, which is super fast for me.  So let's jump into the review, shall we?

 

Cute cover, don'tcha think?

The Gist:

Candace Cameron Bure is often asked how she balances being a mom, wife, and actress who loves to shop, work out, and share her love of Jesus.  How can she be strong in everything with limited time during the day?  In this book, she answers that question by targeting specific parts of her life that she's had to learn to balance.  She honestly discusses her marriage, parenting, and womanhood and how she keeps it all from overwhelming her.

What I Loved:

•  Candace doesn't play it safe in this book.  She's willing to talk about her faith, the ups and downs of parenting, and the lessons she's learned through her marriage.  In fact, she even sparked a little "controversy" on her recent book tour when discussing her passive role as a wife--and she didn't back down from discussing it!  I appreciated her candor in this book, because it's just so easy for Christians to lay low in Hollywood (and in life in general).  
• I remember that some readers criticized Bure's first book for having quite a few fan letters expressing their love of Candace and Full House (when it seemed a little over the top).  Bure keeps this book focused on the overall topic and really downplays her fame.  So I really appreciated the focus of this book.

What I Didn't Love:

• Because I'm a Candace Cameron Bure fan, I know a lot about her.  Like I said, I've seen her speak in public and I'm an avid Twitter follower.  So there were some parts of the book that I already knew about her--I'm very aware how she met her husband, when she first started taking her faith seriously, that she spent her first years of marriage as a stay-at-home wife and mom.  And while I understand that she had to include some of these details, I felt like I'd heard them a lot before now.  It made me really appreciate the stories that I didn't know about her, though!
• I'll admit it--I don't know if this topic required an entire book.  I felt like I had the gist of what Bure was trying to say by the middle of the book.  I thought some parts, like discussing picking your child's school, were very spread out just to make more pages in the book.  As a reader, I think I only needed a few sentences to know what she meant.

A fun read for me since I'm a Bure fan and a fairly quick read, too!  I give it three stars!

Tomorrow I'll be sharing an outfit from my own wardrobe--an outfit for how to look like you've got it all together even when you don't feel like it!  I'll share some of my favorite accessories to use when you need to look balanced!  See you then!

REVIEW--Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

Hello, friends!

Snow, sickness--we're all feeling ready for Spring!  But sometimes that's the best time to read a book, right?!  

Today's book review is on Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin.  This book is totally out of my comfort zone in that it's nonfiction.  And I just rarely read nonfiction (unless it's a biography).  But I had heard great things about this book AND I wanted to read more about the key "players" involved in building the atomic bomb.  So let's get right to it:

• Standalone book
• Nonfiction

The Gist:
This book starts with a German chemist's discovery that uranium atoms can split at two.  This discovery led to a scientific race to build an atomic bomb and control power in WWII.  The U.S., the Soviet Union, and Germany were in a literal race, knowing that whoever built the bomb first would win the war.  The Soviets sent spies to the U.S., Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Einstein sent a letter to FDR, and secrets were everywhere.  

What I Loved:

• I literally had no idea how many people were involved in building (or stealing plans for building) the atomic bomb.  This book was very well-researched--the best word to describe it is thorough.     
• The format of the book.  There were photos at the beginning of each section that showed key players, settings, situations; this added a lot to the reading of the book.
• I love narrative nonfiction because it doesn't read like a textbook.  I appreciated that this book so often read like a story.
• The ending was haunting--as it should be!  We're definitely not free from atomic bombs, and the book made them perfectly clear.
• There were so many perspectives and characters that it was very interesting to see the various points of view.  I especially enjoyed reading about the man who flew the plane that bombed Hiroshima; I'd always wondered about his opinion of the event.

What I Didn't Love:

• Although I loved all the points of view, there were SO MANY people involved that sometimes it was overwhelming.  It was hard to keep everyone straight (at least to the novice of me).
• I was told that this book read like a high intense spy novel, so I expected I read that I couldn't put down.  But even though it is nonfiction, it wasn't a thriller for me.  It was me reading history--enjoyable, but not edge-of-my-seat. 

My favorite quote: "It's a story with no end in sight.  And, like it or not, you're in it."  (The last lines of the book)

So an enjoyable read for those interested in history or those wanting more knowledge of the atomic bomb.  I give it three high heels.  Now let's just hope that everyone keeps their bombs inactive...right?

I'll be back soon with an outfit inspired by WWII, since that's the time period of this book.  See you then!