The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan

 

Book Title: The Last Green Valley
Author: Mark Sullivan
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG-13, possibly R for war-time violence, Holocaust content, some language
Tidbit: The Martel family, seeking safety from the Russian Red Army, follows the Nazis from Ukraine amidst the final days of World War 2 and beyond.
Quote: "Can happiness be that easy? Finding little joys in the worst moments?" and "... in broken hearts and ruins, something always glows."

This is a book about miracles. 

It is based on the true story of the Martel family, German-Ukrainians who fled Ukraine as refugees at the end of World War 2 as the Soviet Red Army advanced. Having lived under Stalin's Communist rule prior to World War 2, Emil and Adeline Martel were determined never to do so again. So when the Nazis promised them protection if they followed with the Nazi retreat, they went, even though they did not believe in the Nazi cause. But when Berlin fell, they found themselves a people without a country living in less than ideal circumstances. The family would endure heartache, loss, and separation as they sought a better life in the West, hoping for a life of freedom in the last green valley of Adeline's dreams. 

This is a book about miracles. 

It is a book about great faith. 

And also a book about a crisis of faith. 

It is a book about despair. 

It is also a book about the indomitable spirit of hope. 

It put me on an emotional roller-coaster and tore at my mama heart. But then it also warmed my heart and drew my mind back to a book I reviewed a few weeks back titled Divine Signatures. I found myself wondering which parts actually happened and which were the fictionalized part, because miraculous is the only way to describe many of the things that happened (fortunately the author's note at the end answers some of this). And while the events may seem impossible, I believe they were possible; because I believe in a God of miracles. 

"Love life like it is a miracle every day, every moment, and dream in a way that helps others... "

 

The Way They Learn by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias

 

Book: The Way They Learn: How to discover and teach to your child's strengths
Author: Cynthia Ulrich Tobias
My Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Content Rating: G
Tidbit: A look at a variety of learning styles to help parents understand their children better.
Quote: "...each person is a complex and unique combination of natural strengths and preferences."

This was one of my backlist reads! My friend, who has home-schooled two of her daughters, shared it with me 3 or 4 years ago; because she knows I've considered home-schooling since before my oldest started Kindergarten. While we haven't chosen to home-school yet, it's always a possibility. So I was grateful for this read!

I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I chuckled a few times at the stories the author included (especially those about she and her husband who seem pretty much opposites). I also couldn't help seeing myself and my husband in a few of the category descriptions. And it explains SO much. 

To give you an example, I'm the kind of Concrete Sequential list-maker who adds items to my list that weren't originally on said list, but which I accomplished, just so I can cross them off. My husband optimizes EVERYTHING, including toilet paper, and I think it drives him crazy that my brain doesn't work that way.

That said, I love that she cautions us not to pigeon-hole ourselves or others, because though we may have certain dominant ways of learning and perceiving information, we still have aspects of other types. And we can learn other types too!

I just thought this book was a great look at different types of intelligences as well as different learning types. Now I'll try to notice how my kids learn best!

If I have any complaints, it's that I think it needed a little more editing checks.

I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, 79, A.D. by Lauren Tarshis

 

Book Title: I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, 79 A.D.
Author: Lauren Tarshis
Book Series: I Survived (this one is book 10 out of 21 currently published)
Reading Level: middle-grade
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: G (no concerns, though there are more mature themes present, such as slavery and gladiator violence mentioned)

I really love this book series! They are short (about 100 pages) historical fiction stories about kid characters who survive the various disasters. What a FANTASTIC way to introduce historical events to young readers. Home-schooling has long been a consideration for our family, and I feel like it may be coming sooner than later. I am almost positive this series will play a role in our history curriculum!

This particular book is about Marcus, a young slave boy in Pompeii. He was separated from his father, who was sold away 2 months before. In recent days, the city has been experiencing tremors and rumbling. While most simply endure the brief shakings and move on with life, believing its just the beast asleep in the mountain, Marcus has reason to believe there's more to it. When his dad miraculously arrives in the city as a Gladiator contender, his beliefs are affirmed. Now he must free his father and they must both escape before the "beast" inside Mount Vesuvius awakes.

Mario and the Stones by Katy Sloop Roberts

Book Title: Mario and the Stones
Author: Katy Sloop Roberts
Series: Luna and Fortuna
Reading Level: early middle-grade
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Rating: G

Superstitious Mario has broken a mirror and anticipates many years of bad luck. Mario is also grouchy and lazy, and the result is people shy away from him in every town. Hungry and bedraggled, he rests among olive trees. Thus he meets Luna, the owner of the trees; and her black cat Fortuna, who he studiously tried to avoid crossing. For trespassing, she requests he help her build a higher wall around her trees. She agrees to feed him while he works. Mario isn't very good at holding up his end of the bargain, but then, Luna and Fortuna have a few secrets too.

This is a cute and fast read, and it is full of great lessons to discuss with kids! Honesty, work ethic, integrity, choices and consequences... There are some great discussion starters here. My husband read this one a few weeks back, and he still talks to me about some of the things he found interesting in the book. 

I also love the inclusion of Italian words! What a fun way to introduce a language to young readers!

My daughter read this one and said she thought it was great!  I asked her what she learned from the book, and she said she learned being lazy doesn't pay.  She was also super excited to learn there is another book coming out all about Fortuna in April!

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Book Title: The Wednesday Wars
Author: Gary D. Schmidt
Reading Level: middle-grade and up (I'd recommend for upper-middle grade)
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG (no language or other concerns, but the content is a bit more mature as it is a coming-of-age type novel)
Tidbit: In this coming-of-age story, 7th-grader Holling Hoodhood tries to navigate his life with his work-obsessed father, his on-the-sidelines mother, his flower-child sister, and his teacher Mrs. Baker, who he is pretty sure hates him; while also figuring out life during the political unrest of the Vietnam War and Civil Rights issues in America.
Fun Quote: "I never thought being in seventh grade would mean so many death threats."

This book was nowhere on my radar until I saw a popular bookstagrammer share her top 10 most recommended books. I'm SO glad I stumbled upon that post, because this book is an absolute gem! I'm almost 100% sure it'll make my top 10 list for this year. I loved it!

This coming-of-age story follows Holling Hoodhood, a 7th grader at Camillo Junior High on Long Island. It's the Fall of 1967, and between the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, there is a lot of turmoil. But Holling's more immediate concern is how he going to survive Mrs. Baker's class on Wednesday afternoons when he is the only student who has neither Catechism nor Hebrew Class. Holling is pretty sure she hates him for that. 

Meanwhile, at home, he is trying to navigate the "perfect house," built by his architect father who can build houses but not homes; his high school sister who wants peace and not war; and a mom who watches from the sidelines. Yet in the middle of all this, Holling will learn about love, friendship, forgiveness, miracles, hope, and Shakespeare.

I can't even explain how much I loved this book. I laughed out loud so many times. And I FELT so much.  If you haven't read it, it is 100% worth your time. No content concerns, but it feels more mature in terms of understanding and relatability, so I recommend for 12 and up.

Moon Over Sasova by Christopher Shaffer

 

Book Title: Moon Over Sasova: One American's Experience Teaching in Post-Cold War Slovakia
Author: Christopher Shaffer
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG-13 for a couple instances of strong language and more mature themes

This book was a happy surprise for me! I bought it for two reasons: 1. because the author is a former boss of mine, and I like to support the dreams of people I know (and people I don't know too), and 2. I've never read anything about Europe post-Cold War, and the more I read about history, the more interested I am to learn about new things. 

This memoir is a collection of brief stories of the author's experiences teaching English in Slovakia for 6 months in 1993. This was less than 5 years after the Iron Curtain came down, so there were a lot of interesting things happening, especially to the view of an American. Though the focus is on Mr. Shaffer's experiences, I appreciate how he weaved bits of history and Slovak culture into the narrative. I feel like I learned quite a few things about Slovakia during the time when the people there were trying to break free from the communism way of life they'd been living under for so long. The author notes that there have continued to be changes for good in Slovakia in the years since his teaching stint in 1993 (he returned in 2007 for a visit). 

Perhaps it is because I know the author personally and could picture the events, but I laughed quite a few times. 

Chocolate Roses by Joan Sowards

 

Title: Chocolate Roses: A Jane Eyre Parody
Author: Joan Sowards
My Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG (no concerns, but not appealing to anyone younger than 18 most likely)

I don't generally gravitate toward romance books. And I didn't buy this book for myself. A very kind lady in my church congregation gave it to me, because she knows I love to read.  I stuck it on my bookshelf and mostly forgot about it. Then I tried to be cute for Bookstagram and read a romance for Valentine's Day. And stick with my goal to only read books from my tbr or my bookshelves. And this is how I ended up reading this book.

This book, which is said to be a parody of Jane Eyre, is about a young-ish chocolatier who is pining for one of her regular customers.  As the story unfolds, we learn his life is anything but convenient, and he's definitely not available. But somehow, our main character will find herself embroiled in the troubles of her dream-beau, and her life won't be so easy and predictable anymore.

Which can't really be said for the book.  It was quite predictable, and I had to suspend all belief while reading the story.  It's definitely for a Latter-Day Saint audience, but I felt the author's use of Latter-Day Saint culture was a bit (maybe more than a bit) over the top.

On the plus side: it's a super clean story.  There aren't any content concerns, and it could definitely be considered a palate cleanser between heavy reads.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

 

Book Title: Heidi
Author: Johanna Spyri
Reading Level: Middle-Grade/YA (grade 5 through 8)
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Rating: G

I'm 41 years old and this is the first time I've ever read this sweet Children's Classic! This was our most recent family read aloud. I thought it was wonderful! My husband and kids enjoyed it as well (though my 6 year old son wasn't as enthralled as my girls were).

Heidi is a little orphan girl whose aunt takes her to live with her grandfather, the crotchety old man the villagers all call Alm-Uncle, high up in the Swiss Alps. But Heidi's innocence and pure love change her grandfather and all who come to know her in both the Alps and in Frankfurt where she is later taken to be a companion for a young girl who is wheelchair-bound.

There were some laugh-out-loud moments, and a lot of sweetness. And while I don't think it's an accurate depiction of real life, I still think it's a wonderful book with so much goodness. I can see why it's considered a classic.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

 

Book Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Audiobook Performer: Del Roy
Series: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Reading Level: Middle-Grade (grade 5-7)
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Content Rating: G

I thoroughly enjoyed this middle-grade book!

Reynie, Kate, Constance, and Sticky are all very intelligent kids who never knew each other before they all passed Mr. Benedict's strange test - and who all happen to be orphans. But now they are the only hope to prevent the really bad thing that looms on the horizon. To fulfill their mission, they find themselves enrolled at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened in order to spy on Mr. Curtain and the curious things happening on Nomansan Island. But the mission is very dangerous, and they'll have to rely on each other if they hope to succeed.

The story was engaging and had a lot of depth. I definitely recommend! I enjoyed listening to it on audio and thought the performer did a fantastic job.

Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci

 

Book Title: Taste: My Life Through Food
Author:  Stanley Tucci
Audiobook Performer: Stanley Tucci
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG-13, possibly R for multiple uses of strong language
Tidbit: Stanley Tucci shares the stories of his life as it revolved around food from before his birth to almost-present day.

In this memoir, Stanley Tucci tells the stories of his life as they pertained to his culinary experiences.  The memoir is written mostly in chronological order, starting with a brief introduction of his parents and how they met and married.  The stories go right up through the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020.  

I listened on audiobook, and I liked that I recognized his voice from the movies in which I'd seen him in the past.  I did check out the hard copy for reference to the recipes he includes (which I think is a fun addition to his memoir).  

I started out really enjoying this book.  Some of his stories of his family, and the way he told the stories made me chuckle out loud.  About mid-way, though the strong language (particularly the F word) started being used quite a bit.  I may not have minded so much about that in the hard copy, since I can see it coming and skim over it.  But with an audiobook, I couldn't anticipate it, so I was stuck getting that full-force.  And he would often really emphasize and draw out the word, so that made it even less desirable for me.  And he also started coming across more snobbish and pompous as the book went on.  I wasn't expecting that, and I was kind of disappointed in it.  

So, while it was fun to hear about his life through food, it did lack some of the details I think would have been interesting, and there were a couple big things that didn't really work for me. 

The Island of Sea Women -- Lisa See

 Book: The Island of Sea Women
Author: Lisa See
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG-13 (maybe), but also maybe R (there is a section of violence that is haunting)

I'm struggling to rate this book.

I learned a lot about something I knew nothing about: the island of Jeju off the coast of mainland Korea, where women dive into the ocean to collect sea creatures to sell and eat to support their family. While this is no longer a common vocation there, it was once a way of life in this women-focused culture. This was fascinating, especially as it is so different from my own cultural history.

This book, it was easy for me to see, was meticulously researched. Because of that, the book felt very real to me. I felt like I knew these women and had an understanding (on some level) of the lives they led and the decisions they made. The story was very well-written. Prose-heavy, but still a decent amount of dialog.

One of my struggles with this book was that it was a very slow burn, at least for me. It took me over a month to finish it, and while that may have had a lot to do with timing of when I picked it up, it was also because I didn't feel invested in the story for a long time.

My other struggle is that it was very emotionally heavy. I was not expecting quite how much it would be. The novel spans over 70 decades and includes the impact of the various occupations of other countries in the people of Jeju. Some of the events were so horrific. My heart broke for Young-sook so many times.

I did love the way it ended. Even so, there was still such a sense of sadness and loss and regret. A good reminder that forgiveness, though sometimes excruciatingly hard to give, may be the thing that saves us from regret and more loss.

It was good. Just heavy.

Believing Christ by Stephen E. Robinson

Book: Believing Christ
Author: Stephen E. Robinson
My book rating: 4/5 stars
Tidbit: Uplifting and beautiful commentary on a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ.

"What matters is not how much we bring to the equation, but only that we can make the equation by entering into a covenant relationship with an infinite Christ, however great or small we may think ourselves to be."

This had been my Sunday read for the last couple months. So many beautiful insights about how Jesus Christ's all plus my best efforts (however minimal they may be) equal enough, always. And while I've always been taught this truth and believed it, something in the way it was presented in this book touched me in a new way. I feel such gratitude for my Savior and all He does for me. 

Desperate Passage: The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West -- Ethan Rarick

The story of the Donner Party: their beginnings, their journey West, their tragedy, and their salvation.

It was 1846, and going West to California was on many Americans' minds. Most weren't willing to uproot their families and themselves and start the arduous journey West across an unforgiving -- and largely unknown -- landscape. But some were. Among those brave enough to undertake the effort were the members of the Donner Party. They were a group better-off than many, as several of the families in the party were wealthier and had made preparations for the long journey. And yet, due to a variety of poor choices (some blatant and others innocent), the Donner Party became trapped in the Sierra Nevada during one of the most brutal winters in an already unforgiving terrain. And so for years the Donner Party was infamous for what occurred while they sat as prisoners to snow and wind, high up in the mountains. Their only hope lay in some of their own surviving the bitter weather to go for help.

***I never intended to read anything about the Donner Party. I mean, it's morbid, right? But then I discovered that this group was going West around the time many LDS Pioneers went West to Utah. I also learned that this group had some wealth and had been preparing for a while and therefore had pretty awesome provisions, all things considered. So I wondered: why didn't they make it? This piqued my interest, so I sought out a book with good reviews and put it on my to-read list. I learned a lot. There were times when the story of the Donner Party lagged a little, but overall, I was intrigued as I read. Horrified by some of the choices made along the trail (given that I know the outcome and hindsight is 20/20); haunted by what happened. As a mother, I can't help but imagine (and pray that I never have to know) the "what if" scenario. I really appreciated the author's statement that the members of the Party were people, just regular people, doing the best they could to survive. Haunting, indeed. But I learned a lot. And I appreciate that the author didn't create a gruesome, gory story.

The Hiding Place -- Corrie Ten Boom

Corrie ten Boom grew up in a house full of love with her three siblings, her parents, and several aunts. Bible-reading was a central part of daily life for the ten Boom family; as was love and kindness. Yelling in anger was not a part of their household. Service to others less fortunate, though they themselves were not wealthy and several members of the family even suffered from serious health issues, was a way of life for the family. And so it was that many Jews found refuge through the help of this family during World War II when Germany occupied Holland.

Corrie ten Boom, her father Casper, and her sister Betsie -- all three of them still living in Corrie's childhood home -- soon found themselves central to an underground effort to help Jews to safety. Over the course of many months, they helped to save many lives and witnessed miracles they were sure came from the Lord. But eventually, they were found out and all were arrested. What followed were horrors most can only imagine. Yet with faith and hope Corrie continued onward, learning the lessons she felt God would have her learn and helping the people she felt He would have her help. Through it all, she learned about love and forgiveness, and then she taught what she'd learned: that when God commands us to forgive, He also sends with the commandment the forgiveness, which comes through Him.

**I'll admit it did take me a while to get into this book. A couple of chapters. But once I got into it, I loved reading it and wanted to read more. Amazing true story about turning our hearts over to the Savior and how He can heal us. It was amazing to me how Corrie spoke so highly of her sister and acknowledged her own downfalls when I can't help but admire Corrie for her strength and faith. I have a lot to learn about how to be better as a person!

The Help -- Kathryn Stockett

Life was not easy for black women in Jackson, Mississippi, in the early 1960s. Life was predictable, though: a black girl would grow up to become a maid for a wealthy white family. She would raise white children, clean white homes, serve white women. Some were treated well. Most were not.

The rest of the nation was facing unrest about civil rights. Violence was spreading, and if you were a white person who sided with equality for all, you could expect serious repercussions. So when Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a wealthy white girl who herself was raised by a black woman named Constantine, approaches her friend's maid Aibileen with an idea, it is at a great risk -- though Skeeter doesn't know just how great the risk is. Aibileen does, though. As does her friend Minny, who eventually joins Skeeter and Aibileen in telling the true story of black women working for white families in the South. They share their experiences -- both the bad and the good, the heart-breaking and the joyful. Eventually, they all realize the risk they are taking as they join efforts to share truth. But they also feel strongly that it is a truth which deserves to be told. And so they tell it, despite the consequences.


***I loved this book. I watched the movie first, so I knew what was coming for the most part. But I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It is hard for me to imagine things as they were in the 1960s, but I have an appreciation for those who experienced those times; and I'm grateful the world has changed a lot since then. Because I know amazing women of all races and color, and I'm glad I've not been raised with the prejudices others had been.

Undoing I Do -- Anastasia Royal

Claire meets German Tobin and a whirlwind romance ensues. Within 4 weeks they are engaged, and she is head over heels in love. They share a passion for each other. But after 10 years and 2 children, their marriage ends. And Claire is left to pick up the pieces of her life. She is crushed at the loss. Destroyed by an event she didn't even want. And it takes all of her to survive every day and slog through a 4-year divorce before she can even begin to hope to heal and move forward.

***I may give this a little more than 2 stars, but not much. 2.5 tops. I added it to my to-read list several years ago when working at a library. I think the blurb inside resonated with me at that time in my life -- not so long divorced and still trying to move forward. But, though I could identify with SOME of what the protagonist describes, there were a lot of times I wanted to tell her to get over it and be a mom to her kids. Do I understand first-hand the pain of the death of a marriage? Absolutely. It is one of the greatest pains I've ever known -- and probably will ever know. But some of this character's behavior just seemed completely ridiculous to me in the wake of her divorce. Granted, it's fiction. But having read the author's little bio at the end, it makes me wonder if some of it wasn't based on her own life. In which case... Well, I wasn't impressed. It's another one of those "well, I finally got that one off my list" books.

Wild -- Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed (the last name one she chose for herself after her divorce) is a woman with many troubles. Her past is riddled with violence and instability with one exception: her loving mother. But when Cheryl is 22, cancer takes her mother from her as well, and Cheryl spirals into a self-destructive spin of drugs and immorality.

Finally forced to face who she has become when she realizes she has made a mess of her life, Cheryl can conceive of only one solution to mend herself: hike the Pacific Coast Trail. Alone. With little to no knowledge about long-distance hiking, and even less experience. But Cheryl is determined. And so she sets out on a life-altering journey through California and Oregon to find herself. And who she finds surprises her.


***It is hard for me to rate this book, honestly. I read it for book club and am anxious/nervous to see how discussion goes. Strayed has a gift for words. She weaves her past into the story of the trail so seamlessly, and I constantly wanted to keep reading. At the same time, though, I was appalled by much of it. The language was rough. And I cannot identify with this woman at all. So much so that I have a hard time feeling bad for some of what she went through in life. Not sure I would recommend this to others and don't plan to see the movie.

Fatal Voyage -- Kathy Reichs

When a plane crashes in the mountains near North Carolina, Temperance Brennan is called in as part of the DMORT team which is tasked with recovering the bodies, the wreckage, and piecing together the last moments of the flight to determine the cause of the disaster. With body parts strewn over several miles, it does not seem odd when Temperance -- along with the help of some coyotes, finds a severed foot quite a distance from the center of the search.

But that foot throws kinks into many aspects of the investigation and makes someone nervous enough that Temperance is slandered publicly and removed from her involvement with the crash investigation.

Determined to clear her good name, Temperance does not give up. But the more she digs, the more disturbing things start rising to the surface. Some of her associates are even killed; and Temperance is next on the list.


**Once the story got going, it was a decent read. However, it takes so long to get into the story (for me at least) that I become disillusioned with the whole thing and just can't wait to be done with the book, thereby diminishing my enjoyment of the story.

Allegiant -- Veronica Roth

Now that the factions have fallen and the truth about their society has been made known, a small group, including Tris and Tobias, seeks to fulfill the wishes of the originators of the experiment.  This group calls themselves the Allegiant.  And their plan is to defy the leadership of Evelyn Johnson and leave the city, hoping to help those on the outside as they have learned they were meant to do.

Though the plan is successful, and Tris, Tobias, and several others make it outside of the city, what they face turns their world upside down again.  They enter a world of "Genetically Pure" and "Genetically Damaged."  They learn about air travel and other modern things which had been hidden from them in the city.  And they find that they still don't know where the truth lies.  Being in the "real world" forces them to face new life-altering decisions -- and make decisions on behalf of those they left behind.


**Eh...  It was okay.  I mean, I committed to reading it when I continued the series.  But definitely not as fantastic a read.  Which is why it took so long for me to get through it.  I will say I liked some of the "morals" the main characters offer the reader toward the end of the book.  But there are also a lot of other subtle things I didn't like.  So, I'm glad I'm done with it and can move on to something else.  I may or may not read the new one:  FOUR.  Depends on how desperate I am for a book at the time.  But I feel no tie to it.

Insurgent -- Veronica Roth

Seeking safety with the Amity faction, Tris, Tobias, Peter, Caleb, Susan, and Marcus know the time they have there will be short. But before they make their plans to leave and head back into the city, their presence is discovered by the Erudite and the traitor-Dauntless; causing them to flee and seek refuge with the factionless.

There, Tris realizes that being factionless isn't as bad as she was led to believe; for the Factionless are strong in number and unity. And the Factionless leader has big plans for taking down the Erudite and the current factioned society. She seeks out Tobias and invites him to join her cause, telling him to become important to the loyal Dauntless so they will follow him.

Deciding they will need the help of the Candor, Tris and Tobias go to Candor headquarters and are subjected to their truth serum. Their deepest secrets and regrets are revealed, and before long, everyone knows Tris is Divergent. And so is Tobias. The Candor grant the loyal Divergent safety once they know Tris and Tobias were not involved in the simulation massacre of Abnegation. But their safety is short-lived. Because the Erudite and traitor-Dauntless launch an attack on Candor headquarters, injecting many there with a simulation serum which Jeanine can control anytime and for as long as she'd like -- a serum never before known among them. When Jeanine causes some to leap to their deaths with the threat of more if the Divergent don't give themselves up, Tris surrenders herself to Jeanine and her torture. Fully expecting her own demise, Tris learns as much as she can while imprisoned by Jeanine. But what Tris starts to learn is that there is information nobody could ever have imagined. Information that could change their entire world. Information Jeanine will kill over. And once she learns all she can from Tris about the Divergent, Tris will be Jeanine's next target.

*I definitely got sucked into this book and enjoyed it more than the first one. One complaint I have with both is all the childish drama. Tris and Tobias and their over-the-top arguments, etc. I realize it's written from the perspective of teenagers -- and is written for teens as the main audience. But I just get annoyed with how Tris makes huge mountains out of molehills a lot of the time. Otherwise, I enjoy the story and am looking forward to #3.