Svetlana's Reads and Views

Name of Book: The Good Father Author: Diane Chamberlain ISBN:  0778313468 Publisher: Mira Type of book: single parents, abandonment, death, bad decisions, 2004-2011, wealth, hypocrites Year it was published: 2012 Summary: A beloved daughter. A devastating choice. And now there's no going back. Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown made a choice: to raise his newborn daughter on his own. While most of his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home, changing diapers and worrying about keeping food on the table. But he's never regretted his decision. Bella is the light of his life. The reason behind every move he makes. And so far, she is fed. Cared for. Safe. But when Travis loses his construction job and his home, the security he's worked so hard to create for Bella begins to crumble...…. Then a miracle. A job in Raleigh has the power to turn their fortunes around. It has to. But when Travis arrives in Raleigh, there is ...

Fulfilling the requirement: The Q Letter of author's last name, alphabetically Summary: The first kiss occurred in a dimly lit hallway on the upper floor of Elwin Hastings's grand house. Louisa never saw it coming.... Of course, Anthony Stalbridge couldn't possibly have had romantic intentions. The kiss was an act of desperation meant to distract the armed guard from catching the pair in a place they did not belong. After all, Louisa Bryce, in her dull maroon gown and gold-rimmed spectacles, was no man's idea of an alluring female. The only thing the two interlopers have in common is a passionate interest in the private affairs of Mr. Hastings-a prominent member of Society whom they both suspect of hiding terrible secrets. Now, brought together by their ruse, Anthony and Louisa are united in their efforts to find the truth. Each has a reason for the quest. Anthony's fianc�e was said to have thrown herself into the Thames-but Anthony has his own suspicions....

Books I'm Reading: Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen 9/326 Jacob the Liar- Jurek Becker 115/266 The Living Reed- Pearl Buck 143/478 Once a hero...- Jillian Burns 62/217 The Song of the Lark- Willa Cather 16/417 The Foreign Student- Susan Choi 33/325 Tess of the d-Urbervilles- Thomas Hardy 12/390 Hakon of Rogen's Saga- Erik christian Havgaard 15/132 One friend to another- Elizabeth Feuer 15/167 The Starlight Crystal- Christopher Pike 28/195 The Tachyon Web- Christopher Pike 26/211 The Italian- Ann Radcliffe 25/289 Heavy Sand- Anatoli Rybakov 71/381 Ivanhoe- Sir Walter Scott 56/405 The Red and the Black- Stendhal 21/598 Series: The Story of the Stone- Xueqin Cao 5. The Dreamer Wakes 47/376 People Series- W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear 3. People of the Earth 117/587 The Storyteller Trilogy- Sue Harrison 2. Cry of the Wind 28/474 The Angels Trilogy- Lurlene McDaniel 2. Lifted Up by Angels 177/552 E-Book: The Good Father- Diane Chamberlain 53...

Name of Book: Lord of the flies Author: William Golding ISBN: 0-399-50148-7 Publisher: Perigee Literature Type of book: isolated, civilization vs wild, kids, middle school, British, savages, dystopia, survival Year it was published: 1954 Summary: William Golding's classic tale about a group of English schoolboys who are plane-wrecked on a deserted island is just as chilling and relevant today as when it was first published in 1954. At first, the stranded boys cooperate, attempting to gather food, make shelters, and maintain signal fires. Overseeing their efforts are Ralph, "the boy with fair hair," and Piggy, Ralph's chubby, wisdom-dispensing sidekick whose thick spectacles come in handy for lighting fires. Although Ralph tries to impose order and delegate responsibility, there are many in their number who would rather swim, play, or hunt the island's wild pig population. Soon Ralph's rules are being ignored or challenged outright. His fierce...

Name of Book: Chain Reaction Author: Simone Elkeles ISBN: 978-0-8027-2087-0 Publisher: Walker Publishing Company Part of a Series: Perfect Chemistry Type of book: heritage, Mexican male/Mexican female, chemistry, Peterson, gangs, young adult Year it was published: 2011 Summary: Like his brothers, Luis Fuentes is a risk taker; whether he's scaling the Rocky Mountains or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis is always looking for the next thrill. Nikki Cruz lives her life by certain rules -, don't trust a boy who says "I love you", boys lie to get their own way and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Then she meets Luis at his brother Alex's wedding and suddenly she's tempted to break all her rules. Getting Nikki to give him a chance is Luis's biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by the head of the gang that nearly destroyed his brothers' lives. Will Luis's feelings for Nikki be enough to stop him ...

Fulfilling the requirement: The C Letter for the title, alphabetically Summary: For Sarah Friedman, the chance to journey to the Southwest to buy Native Indian art for her family’s successful New York store comes at a time of personal transition. Determined to put aside romantic disappointments, she seeks new perspectives in the serenity of the vast desert landscape. Then her car breaks down near the home of a solitary artist on the Navajo reservation… After years of turmoil, Ben Lonefeather has finally gained control of his life. He devotes his days to his work and caring for the coyotes he rescued as pups. When Sarah Friedman shows up stranded, he grudgingly offers her a room. Their practical arrangement deepens into a connection that leaves them both passionately alive, profoundly changed…and shattered by circumstances that will separate them. As Sarah and Ben seek to build meaningful lives, they will be forced to choose between love and duty, commitment and freedom-and learn...

Name of Book: Rules of Attraction Author: Simone Elkeles ISBN: 978-0-8027-2230-0 Publisher: Walker Publishing Company Part of a Series: Perfect Chemistry Trilogy Type of book: rebel, perfect family, Mexican male/white female, gangs, interracial romance, sacrifices Year it was published: 2010 Summary: When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for the past year, he doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Colorado. When he meets Kiara Westford, a good girl totally unlike any of the girls he's usually drawn to, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she's too good for him. But will he put his pride aside when he realizes that being with Kiara might finally allow him to be his true self? Characters: In theory Kiara and Carlos should have been perfect for each other, but unfortunately I felt that Carlos's character was very undeveloped. Yes, he was extremely similar to Alex as in being a rebel, part...

Name of Book: Perfect Chemistry Author: Simone Elkeles ISBN: 0802798225 Publisher: Walker Books for young readers Part of a Series: Perfect chemistry trilogy Type of book:  young adult, Mexican male/white female, perfection, wrong side of tracks, interracial relationship Year it was published: 2008 Summary: When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real proble...

Fulfilling the requirement: The M requirement for the author's last name Summary: Happy Holidays! Bah humbug. "Happy" is not the way Leah Lewis-Hall would describe herself at the moment. She's spending her twelve days of Christmas in an Indianapolis hospital, while her mother is thousands of miles away on a honeymoon with husband number five. Leah went to the doctor with nothing more than a broken finger, but he ordered her to undergo some tests. Now she's stuck in the hospital, alone. Then Leah meets her hospital roommate, a young Amish girl named Rebekah, and her big family. Cynical sixteen-year-old Leah has never known people like this before. From Rebekah's handsome brother, Ethan, who can barely look Leah in the eye, to her kind older sister, Charity, the Amish family captivates Leah with its simple, loving ways. When Leah receives frightening information about her condition, her new friends show her that miracles can happen. And that sometimes an...

Name of Book: The River Knows Author: Amanda Quick ISBN: 0399154175 Publisher: Putnam Type of book: Victoria Era, 1800s?-1900s?, mystery, murder, suicide, nothing as it seems, romance, adult Year it was published: 2007 Summary: The first kiss occurred in a dimly lit hallway on the upper floor of Elwin Hastings's grand house. Louisa never saw it coming.... Of course, Anthony Stalbridge couldn't possibly have had romantic intentions. The kiss was an act of desperation meant to distract the armed guard from catching the pair in a place they did not belong. After all, Louisa Bryce, in her dull maroon gown and gold-rimmed spectacles, was no man's idea of an alluring female. The only thing the two interlopers have in common is a passionate interest in the private affairs of Mr. Hastings-a prominent member of Society whom they both suspect of hiding terrible secrets. Now, brought together by their ruse, Anthony and Louisa are united in their efforts to find the...

Fulfilling the requirement: The O Requirement for the title, alphabetically Summary: Set on the Nebraska prairie where Willa Cather (1873-1947) grew up, this powerful early novel tells the story of the young Alexandra Bergson, whose dying father leaves her in charge of the family and of the lands they have struggled to farm. In Alexandra's long fight to survive and succeed, O Pionners! relates an important chapter in the history of the American frontier. Evoking the harsh grandeur of the prairie, this landmark of American fiction unfurls a saga of love, greed, murder, failed dreams and hard-won triump. In the fateful interaction of her characters, Willa Cather compares with keen insight the experiences of Swedish, French and Bohemian immigrants in the United states. And in her absorbing narrative, she displayes teh virtuoso storytelling skills that have mad her one of the most admired masters of the American novel. Lesson learned: Sometimes through no fault of their own, ...

Fulfilling the requirement: The E requirement for the title, alphabetically Summary: Pretty, bright and born atop the social strata of the English village of Highbury, Emma Woodhouse has all anyone would want. But she is fated to become the victim of her own irrepressible willfulness. Because of hte recent marriage of her friend and governess, Emma fills the void in her life by attempting to "improve" Harriet Smith, a sweet, pretty 17-year-old of unknown parentage. Emma's good-hearted attempts to rearrange the lives of Harriet and other marriageable townspeople are then the incitement to the book's subtle, intricately constructed plot. Austen employs a sympathetic, gentle satire as she portrays the provincial townspeople-all of whom are good-hearted, but have their own particular streak of ridiculousness. Emma's father, Mr. Woodhouse, is deferred to by all, but maintains an absurd aversion to change and an overweening concern for maintaining what he cons...

Name of Book: I'll be Seeing You Author: Lurlene McDaniel ISBN: 0-553-56718-7 Publisher: Bantam Skylark Type of book: disfigurement, true love, 1990s, blindness, hospital,  loyalties, ugly duckling, young adult Year it was published: 1996 Summary: Carley Mattea never expected to meet a boy as handsome as Kyle Westin- certainly not in the hospital. Seventeen-year-old Kyle was blinded when a chemistry experiment exploded. His doctors don't know if he'll get his vision back, and he's deeply depressed. Sixteen-year-old Carley understands how miserable it is to be in the hospital. Soon Carley and Kyle become good friends. But Carley is keeping a secret from Kyle. She knows that boys like girls who are pretty- and she is not. Scarred by a facial deformity, she has, over the years, used her sense of humor to cope. But now that she's become so close to Kyle, she's worried that once his bandages are removed- if they are removed- and he sees her, it w...

Name of Book: Remember Me 3: The Last Story Author: Christopher Pike ISBN: 0-671-87267-2 Publisher: Archway paper back Part of a Series: Remember Me Type of book: science fiction, good vs evil, 1990s, white lady savior, greed, death Year it was published: February 1995 Summary: Someone did not like Shari Cooper writing her stories. Shari Cooper had died once, and then returned to Earth as a Wanderer -- a soul who had been given permission to take the place of another soul in a mature body. Shari has regained her memory of her previous life. More than that she has realized her purpose in returning to mortal life -- to write stories for young people to help them understand the immortal life that is to follow. Her talent is inspired, her destiny great, and it is not long before Shari and her books are known all over the world. Then one special night a story of incomparable beauty and mystery comes to her. An ancient tale that speaks of the origin of mankind and t...

Name of Book: Remember Me 2: The Return Author: Christopher Pike ISBN: 0-671-87265-6 Publisher: Archway Paperback Part of a Series: Remember Me series Type of book: Hispanic, drugs, Wanderers, life after death, cripple, purpose, discovery Year it was published: September 1994 Summary: Shari Cooper is dead, the victim of a murderous attack. She is on the other side, in a place of spirits, an eternal realm of light and love. But she is given a rare offer. To return to Earth without having to be reborn. Into the body of a depressed teenage girl. A transfer of souls, they call it. Shari is given a chance to be a Wanderer, and to do a great service for humanity. It is an offer she gladly accepts. Then she is back, in a human body. Yet she does not remember being Shari Cooper. At first she recalls nothing of the afterlife. Perhaps it is just as well. Not everybody on Earth welcomes Wanderers. Of the few who know of their existence, some want them dead. And others, the...

Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen SR: May 29th, 2012 FR: N/A Jacob the Liar- Jurek Becker SR: April 1st, 2012 FR: June 23rd, 2012 The Living Reed- Pearl Buck SR: May 1st, 2012 FR: N/A Once a hero- Jillian Burns SR: May 21st, 2012 FR: June 28th, 2012 O Pioneers!-Willa Cather SR: May 1st, 2012 FR: June 2nd, 2012 The Song of the Lark-Willa Cather SR: June 2nd, 2012 FR: N/A The Foreign Student- Susan Choi SR: May 28th, 2012 FR: N/A One friend to another- Elizabeth Feuer SR: June 1st, 2012 FR: June 28th, 2012 Lord of the flies- William Golding SR: June 1st, 2012 FR: June 16th, 2012 Tess of the D'Urbervilles- Thomas Hardy SR: June 1st, 2012 FR: N/A Hakon of Rogen's Saga- Erik Christian Havgaard SR: June 1st, 2012 FR: June 26th, 2012 Gone with the wind- Margaret Mitchell SR: February 1st, 2012 FR: June 14th, 2012 The Starlight Crystal- Christopher Pike SR: June 1st, 2012 FR: N/A The Tachyon Web- Christopher Pike SR: June 1st, 2012 FR: June 21st,...