John Adams -- David McCullough

The life of America's second President, John Adams. Beginning with his birth and early education (and what he thought he would do at first...) and culminating with his death in the same town in which he was born, this book covers all of the significant contributions Adams made to the start of this new nation, not the least of which was being "The Voice" of the Declaration of Independence (while Jefferson was "The Pen").


*** I really liked this book. I've been interested in John Adams since my childhood days of watching the musical 1776 with my mom. This book has been on my to-read wish list for some time, and I'm glad I finally made it a priority. I learned an immense amount, not just about Adams, but also about that period of history in the world. My eyes were opened to so many things, and I was amazed at how tumultuous a time it really was as our nation struggled to become one. The majority of the book was a very fast read for me, though hitting part III slowed me down a bit. But it picked back up and I was anxious to keep turning pages and soaking in more information. I read several excerpts to my husband, who said that is how he knows I am enjoying a book -- when I want to share it with him! So yes, if you have any interest in John Adams or the era of the Revolutionary War, I would recommend this book!

The Maze Runner -- James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up alone in a lift, almost the only thing he can remember is his own name. Thirty minutes later, when the doors of the lift open, he is surrounded by a large group of boys -- teenagers -- none of whom he recognizes. And he soon learns he is in a place called The Glade: the only safe place in The Maze. The more Thomas learns, the more disturbing his reality is. The Maze seems to have no exit. And it harbors horrifying creatures which are only too happy to kill anyone out in The Maze at night.

But after only one day in his new "home," things start changing. And little by little, Thomas begins to have feelings of familiarity about certain aspects of The Maze. While he cannot remember the details of his past, he senses a deeper connection with The Maze and the only girl there, who has suddenly shown up with the frightening message: that after two years of sameness, things are going to change.

Soon Thomas earns the right to be a Maze Runner. He hopes to help the Gladers find a way to solve the maze and return them all to the life they used to know. But some don't want to go back. Some have had memories of what they left behind in their old lives, and they would rather stay in The Maze. Some even seem to have memories of Thomas; memories that cause distrust.

But time is running out. The Ending has been triggered. And, like it or not, all Gladers will have to make a choice.

This was a good read. I didn't want to stop reading. There were some "eh" parts, and sometimes it felt a little rushed -- as though everything happened too quickly. But the story kept me going and I wanted to know what would happen next.

The Boys in the Boat -- Daniel James Brown

It was a long shot, but Al Ulbrickson, the head rowing coach at the University of Washington, was aiming at the 1936 Olympics.  After years of defeat, he was determined to see his boys win the gold.  And with that goal in mind, it was Ulbrickson's job to find the perfect crew.

For many of the boys who ultimately rowed in Ulbrickson's famous boat, the Olympics were a dream they never dared dream.  These were boys from poor upbringings; boys from small logging towns around Puget Sound.  Times were rough for most Americans during the 1930s, but particularly for young men such as these -- young men whose only choice was to work at hard labor to be able to pay for school. 

But once they started tasting victory, they, too, dreamed as did Ulbrickson.  And so they rowed their hearts out.  Hours upon hours and days upon days in weather so cold icicles clung to their oars, these boys rowed.  Over time, their crew came to rely completely on each other.  They were the boys in the boat.  And together, they could obtain their wildest dreams -- and Ulbrickson's.

***This book was amazing.  It is not one I would have picked up on my own.  But as it was a selection for the Book Club I joined this year, I read it.  And I am so glad I did!  I could not put it down.  Reading about the harsh circumstances of the United States in the 1930s as well as some of the individual stories of the boys in the boat, along with the interweaving of the preparations of Nazi Germany, my eyes were opened and my heart touched.  I learned a great deal.  And the most amazing thing is the endurance of the human spirit -- the determination to continue on.  A wonderful read I would recommend to anyone.

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.

Heaven is Here -- Stephanie Nielson

Stephanie Nielson had her perfect life: a handsome, loving husband; a beautiful home in Arizona; a supportive family; 4 beautiful children; a popular blog...

Then, on August 16, 2008, Stephanie, her husband, and a friend were in a terrible plane crash. Stephanie was burned over 80% of her body. The miracle was that she lived. Even though, at times, she wished she hadn't. No longer able to be the mother she longed to be -- and the mother she was before, Stephanie was crushed by her inability to do anything. Her children were cared for by her sisters while she and her husband Christian healed in hospitals a state away. Devastated by all she had lost, Stephanie felt incredible guilt for what she had done to her family.

Until a peace settled over her late one night. And she realized what a blessing it was to still be alive. Though she knew it would be hard, Stephanie determined then that she would conquer this trial. That she would, once again, be the mother her children deserved. That she would hope and dream and press on. And with her determined efforts, Stephanie does just that. Along the way she realizes that she is not her body, and that life is a gift.


***I'll admit, initially I was pretty sick of all the sugary-sweetness of her "perfect" life. It seemed a little "too perfect." But as I read on and read the experiences and strength and determination of Stephanie Nielson, I couldn't help but imagine how I would respond, had it been me. My heart broke for her when she told of initially seeing her children for the first time after her accident as I imagined how that would feel for me. And so, for me, the book improved vastly and I really enjoyed it and appreciate the strength of a woman whose trials have far outweighed mine. She is an example to me of how we can CHOOSE to be happy and choose to go forward, in spite of hardships. She is an example of great faith.

If I Stay - Gayle Forman

On a snow-dusted morning, Mia and her family pile into the family car and head to visit relatives. But they never arrive there. Instead, Mia sees the horrors of a car accident that left her parents dead and her younger brother Teddy in a hospital. Mia can't believe she wasn't harmed in the accident that killed her parents... Until she finds her own body and realizes she was. And she is seeing everything from outside herself.

While in the hospital, Mia comes to realizes she is still here because she gets to choose if she stays. And so Mia spends the following 24 hours remembering, pondering, and deciding. Does she stay with the friends, boyfriend, and hopes of the future (Julliard, graduation, possibly marriage one day)? Or does she let go and join her family, for before long, she learns she's even lost her little brother.

Only Mia can choose. And the choice is not an easy one.


***So this was a quick read. I just didn't like it. I didn't care for a lot of the behaviors condoned in the novel and felt irritated by a lot of it. I don't plan on reading the sequel.

Unbroken: a World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption -- Laura Hillenbrand

Louis Zamperini was a rabble-rouser in his youth, known in the neighborhood for beating kids up, stealing, and defying authority. Though he was nothing like his older brother Pete, Louis practically idolized him. And so, over time, and with the help of Pete, Louis eventually worked to channel his rambunctious energy into something more productive and less destructive: running. Louis had a talent for speed, and by the time he was 19, he was competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Though Louis did not go home with a gold medal, he knew the future was bright for him; so he set his eyes on winning in the 1940 Olympics.

But Louis would never run in those Games. The Games would be cancelled as a result of World War II; and Louis would instead find himself a bombardier in the Army Air Corps, flying over the Pacific in the war against Japan.

As part of the crew aboard the plane known as "Super Man", Louis was responsible for many successful missions. And like the others in the crew, he sometimes miraculously escaped serious harm and death in spite of the many precarious situations they flew into. Such was the case on "Super Man's" last mission -- the mission in which the crew's pilot Allen Phillips managed to nurse the plane home riddled with almost 600 bullet holes and multiple mechanical failures.

While "Super Man" would never fly again, and some of the plane's crew would be replaced due to injuries, the crew would not be so lucky. One day in May 1943, the crew was called up on a rescue mission and given "The Green Hornet" to fly, a plane in which none held much faith. And so it was, aboard "The Green Hornet" that Louis' luck seemed to run out. The plane went down over the Pacific, killing all but 3 of the crew. Louis, pilot Allen Phillips, and a crewman named Mac survived. With few survival supplies, the 3 men floated on rafts in shark-infested waters, hoping -- and eventually praying -- for rescue.

But rescue did not come. Instead, after nearly 50 days drifting at sea, surviving on raw albatross and tern, infrequent rain water, and the very rare fish, the rafts reached land. Only when the survivors realized they had landed on a Japanese-occupied island and began experiencing the horrors faced by Prisoners of War in Japan did they realize they would long for the days in the raft.

Over the course of the next two years, Louis and Allen Phillips would endure torturous beatings, starvation, interrogation, and humiliation. They faced guards full of cruelty who ignored the rules of the Geneva Convention regarding POWs, and learned just how much they could endure before they would break. It seemed the war would never end -- and if it did, that it would not be soon enough.

Still, Louis and many other POWs held onto the hope of America winning the war. Though beaten and practically broken, these men pushed through the horrors of being Prisoners to the Japanese. And one day, the war ended. Louis and his fellow POWs were able to return home. But their lives were forever changed. Their dreams were haunted, and sometimes, most cruelly, their waking hours were as well as they flashed-back to the horrors of the past. For Louis, who had tried everything he could think of to escape his nightmares, the only thing that released him from the grasp of terror was finding Christianity and realizing the worth of his soul. His dignity was restored, and he was able to face the future with hope and optimism once again.


***I knew, just by reading the prologue, that this would be an intense book. I found myself talking often of it to my husband. At once appalling and enthralling, this book is an amazing read. I feel Hillenbrand handled a lot of sensitive topics with tact. I was horrified, still, by all that the POWs were forced to endure. Sometimes shocked by the cruelties human beings are capable of inflicting. But the book held hope throughout. A great read, indeed. I am glad to have added it to my "read" library.