Number the Stars

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Finished April 23rd, 2008

Rating: 9/10

Book Awards Reading Challenge Book #10




Barnes & Noble Synopsis
Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think of life before the war. It's now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews of Denmark are "relocated," Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one of the family. Soon Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission to save Ellen's life.


I read "The Giver" by Lowry last year for the Dystopian Challenge and loved it, so thought I would give this book a try for the Book Awards Challenge.

This is the 3rd book in the last 2 months that I have read that is set during World War II and was my favourite that I read. Lowry manages to take a very complex subject and write it in an elegant and simplistic nature which makes the message she is trying to convery all the more powerful. I really enjoy Lowry's writing style and am looking forward to reading more.

Baby Laughs

Baby Laughs by Jenny McCarthy

Finished April 21st, 2008

Rating: 8/10





Having a 2 and a half month old baby made me pick up this book. It was quite humorous as she describes all of the things moms go through during the first year. It was little crass at times but otherwise a quick, light read where you will find yourself laughing as well as nodding your head in agreement since it is easy to relate to as a mom.

Angela's Ashes

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

Finished April 18th, 2008

Rating: 6/10

Book Awards Reading Challenge Book #9



This book started out fast and furious as the author jumped right into it telling his life story. I wasn't too keen on the writing style at first however as I started to get further into the book I did enjoy it a little more.

I found myself comparing the book to a similar Memoir "The Glass Castle" where the family also struggles to make ends meet and whose father also has a drinking problem and spends his earnings (when he does have a job) on alcohol. I didn't enjoy this book as much as The Glass Castle due to the writing style.

The book ends when Frank is 19 so I guess there must be a sequel to continue his story however I don't think I will be picking it up anytime soon.

Suite Francaise

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

Finished April 10, 2008

Rating: 8/10

Book Awards Reading Challenge Book #8



It is very difficult to rate this book given it is unfinished as the author only finished 2 out of the 5 parts of the book. The author wrote the book during World War II and never had a chance to finish it as she was sent to one of the concentration camps and died shortly after arriving. From what I did read I enjoyed and based on this would have to assume that if the author had a chance to finish the book I would have liked the subsequent parts and ending.

March 2008 Reads

9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - Rating: 6
[Book Awards Challenge]

10. Eldest by Christopher Paolini - Rating: 8
[Book Awards Challenge]

New Authors Read = 1
Male Authors = 2
Female Authors = 0

Eldest

Eldest by Christopher Paolini

Finished March 31st, 2008

Rating: 8/10

Book Awards Reading Challenge Book #7




I was going to rate this book lower then the first book in the series however the last 50 pages made me change my mind and I decided to rate it the same. Most of the storyline is about Eragon's training with the elves however I didn't feel like I was learning anything new about the characters or the storyline until about the last 50 pages when a major battle takes place and some secrets are revealed. I liked that there was a second storyline going on besides Eragon's training with the elves which was about Eragon's cousin Roran which added to the plot and made me like the book better.