Belinda’s Book Nook Review: The Personal History of Rachel Dupree by Ann Weisgarber

December 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Rachel Dupree

Title: The Personal History of Rachel Dupree
Author: Ann Weisgarber
Copyright: July 26, 2011
Genre: historical fiction, African American history
Format: paperback Pages: 357

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

“An eye-opening look at the little-explored area of a black frontier woman in the American West.” —Chicago Sun-Times

Praised by Alice Walker and many other bestselling writers, The Personal History of Rachel DuPree is an award-winning debut novel with incredible heart about life on the prairie as it’s rarely been seen. Reminiscent of The Color Purple, as well as the frontier novels of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Willa Cather, it opens a window on the little-known history of African American homesteaders and gives voice to an extraordinary heroine who embodies the spirit that built America.

My Thoughts on The Personal History of Rachel Dupree:

I bought this book from Goodreads and was intrigued by the description. I knew nothing of black homesteaders.  I always enjoy historical fiction for teaching me while I enjoy the journey rather than a straight out history book.  So after finishing my last book, I thought I would pick a small book to fit in before the year ends and this book fit the bill.

The story focuses on Rachel who is living with her parents in the beginning of the story and cleaning house for a well to do African American woman.  I struggled with the mindset of her employer in how she treated Rachel and all of her domestic staff. It’s strange how she sees them “beneath” her despite that during this time period, African American’s aren’t treated well by many whites.  So for her to step on her staff’s pride unnerved me a bit.  There wasn’t much opportunities for men or women of color at this time. Either the slaughter house or joining the military for men and domestic work for the women.

I felt the author did a great job bringing you into the world of Rachel and seeing how her logic propelled her into to marriage and become a frontier women. I think she had good character development and the secondary characters were interesting too.

My heart ached often while reading this book because of the predicaments Rachel continually finds herself in and having no one to help her work through them was so sad.  The relations between the Native Americans in this book also saddened me. Of course I have the benefit of time, to be able to reflect and see the devastation the Natives’s faced when they were invaded. I know they were the original inhabitants of this country. But aI am deeply saddened by the way this book portrays the relationship between African Americans and Native Americans.  I don’t doubt it, I just don’t like it.

Overall, I found this to be a good book and fast read. I feel it’s worth the read to learn a little more about American history.

I gave this book 4 butterflies!

4ratingA

 

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Belinda’s Book Nook Review: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

November 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment

 

Athousandpiecesofyou

Title: A Thousand Pieces of You
Author: Claudia Gray
Copyright: November 4, 2014
Genre: science fiction, young adult
Format: paperback Pages: 357

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Every Day meets Cloud Atlas in this heart-racing, space- and time-bending, epic new trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure. 

My Thoughts on A Thousand Pieces of You:

Last night I finished reading A Thousand Pieces of You By Claudia Gray.

I meant to go to bed but you know when your almost done, you just have to see it through.  Waiting another day seemed cruel. So I stayed up and finished it.

This is my first Claudia Gray book although I currently own one other of her books but never read it.

I would classify this book as a Young Adult Science fiction. It was a light science fiction so for people who don’t particularly jump for joy at that genre, I think this would be a pleasant read.  It’s premise is around dimensional travel not to be confused with time travel.  For example, there are dimensions that run simultaneously with ours and in many there are other versions of us that exists.  Sounds a little crazy but I liked thinking about it while reading the story.

I enjoyed reading about the different dimensions and different versions of the main character, Marguerite. In one, she was a grand duchess in Russia. Of course there was a love triangle and I found myself routing for one guy over the other. But it wasn’t a lot of romance just enough to keep me pleased.

After getting about half way through this book, I realized it is a trilogy and this is the first which means I will be anxiously waiting a while.  I typically like to read trilogies either after all have been written or the final is coming very soon.  So a bit frustrated because I like to read them back to back.

I felt the pacing was good and really picked up about half way in and then I just wanted to plow through and see where it went. I like when that happens, getting pulled into the story.

Quotes on Love:

“I meant it when I said I didn’t believe in love at first sight. It takes time to really fall for someone.Yet I believe in a moment. A moment when you glimpse the truth within someone, and they glimpse the truth  within you. In that moment, you don’t belong to yourself any longer, not completely. Part of you belongs to him; part of him belongs to you…”

“Every me loves every you…”

I would definitely recommend reading the book but if you are like me, wait until they at least release book 2 so you don’t have to wait long.

I gave this book 4 butterflies.

4ratingA

Happy reading my friends!

Belinda

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Belinda’s Book Nook Review: Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy #3) by Sarah Rees Brennan

October 30, 2014 by 1 Comment

unmade

Title: Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy #3)
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Copyright: September 23, 2014
Genre: fiction, fantasy, young adult
Format: paperback Pages: 400

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.

Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.

This final book in the Lynburn Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end.

My Thoughts on Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan:

I heard about the first book in the series, Unspoken,  this past summer and I read the it in July. I loved it. You can see my review here. I couldn’t wait and rushed to read the second in the series, Unmade and again enjoyed the story.  Even all the way to the third book, I found my fascination with the idea of people being connected via their thoughts and feelings very intriguing. It could be sexy at times in the case of Cassie and Jared and down right awkward with Ash. It could also be invasive when you want private thoughts but I found it an interesting element in the story.

This third and final book in the series did deliver and I felt it was worth the read.  Cassie continued to be a strong character in the face of difficulty and still youthful in her inability to figure out Jared.  In the first book I used to get so angry with her logic when it came to him and then I realized the author is keeping her age appropriate in that regard while still providing her strength and bravery in all other areas.

I loved the secondary characters, Cassie’s friends, they have so much energy and really add to the story. I found myself laughing at times at comments from her friend Angela and her brother.  They all helped to bring the story to life.

The beauty of coming to books late, is that the wait for the next books in the series are little to none in some cases. So I find my late arrival to the table of some good reads works out great for me.

I enjoyed the books in this series a great deal and would recommend them. It was a fun read that held my interest and for that reason I gave it 4 butterflies!

Happy Reading friends!

Belinda

4ratingA

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Belinda’s Book Nook Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

October 22, 2014 by Leave a Comment

The5thWave

Title: The 5th Wave
Author: Rick Yancey
Copyright: May 7, 2013
Genre: fiction, science fiction
Format: ebook Pages: 497

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker.

Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

My Thoughts on The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey:

I kept on hearing about this book on book tube and thought that I might need to see what the fuss was about. First, I would like to say that I think of myself as a big fan of science fiction. I love finding science fiction movies to watch. I especially love to see a team work together to solve/overcome problems. I enjoyed movies like, Mission to Mars, Aliens, Terminator and many more. Last night, I just watched the movie, “After Earth” starring Will Smith and his son. I thought it was good too.  I like the ideas of science fiction writers and I love the mystery and thrills I get thinking of the possibilities.

So when I heard about this book and it came available on my library’s Overdrive system. I took it out and began the journey with Cassie the main character as she experienced each “wave” of the Others'(alien) invasion.  I really enjoyed how the author made you wait to find out what exactly what was going on and who the aliens/others were. It made me think about what we would do if we were invaded in such a way. And that is the thing I love most about science fiction is it tickles my curiosity and a lot of ‘what ifs’ find there way into my mind.

I felt the pacing of book was nice and he used multiple narrators to give you multiple perspectives which carried the book along nicely while filling in the pieces to the mystery. I found myself moving through this book very fast and when he would switch narrators it would be at the precise moment something momentous was happening and I felt compelled to keep reading.

I liked Cassie as the strong female lead at times I struggle with her strength at such a young age but then Yancey would incorporate some indecisiveness that I feel was appropriate for a girl her age and appeared more realistic.

There was some romance and at times a little cheesy but not enough to take away from the story. I do enjoy a little romance in stories and I think it was overall fine in this book.

I stayed up to finish this book and look forward to reading book two which was just released this September. I am not sure if this is a trilogy but I definitely enjoyed book one and look forward to reading the next book in the series called, “The Infinite Sea”.

This was a good size book but I went through it so fast which means it took me on the journey and I love that.

For these reasons, I gave this book 5 butterflies.

5ratingHappy Reading!

Belinda

 

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