Book Blog: The Color of Light - Karen White

This book was listed on some recommended booklist that I saw a while back. It is about a mother, Jillian, who returns to an island she spent summers at as a child and teenager. While she has great memories of the island summers, there is also the mystery of the disappearance of her best friend Lauren. She hopes to make peace with her past and find a place for her and her children to live simply. But when Jillian's daughter starts talking to an imaginary friend named Lauren, and Jillian reunites with friend Linc who was blamed for Lauren's death, all kinds of secrets come out. I can't really say much more because it will give things away.

At first I was weary of the whole ghost-related part of the story, but I actually really liked this book. It's like Nicholas Sparks meets murder mystery, but none of the main characters die in the end (I hate that about Nicholas Sparks books). This book had great characters that I could really picture as real people and I wish I could meet some of them if they were real. I got so invested in the story that I couldn't put it down. This is a great beach or pool read.

Coming soon

I love when movies are made of books that I loved. Here are a couple that come out soon!

The Help (based on the book by Kathryn Stockett)


This one comes out August 10.

Sarah's Key (based on the book by Tatiana de Rosnay)


Online it says this is out on limited release in the US today, but it doesn't appear to be showing anywhere in my area. Hopefully it gets here at some point, otherwise I'll have to wait for Netflix.

I highly recommend these two books if you want to read them before the movies come out!

Book Blog: Summer at Tiffany - Marjorie Hart

This was another war-time story (a memoir actually) but it was quite different than the last one I read. After reading such a tragic story, this one seemed almost silly. This was the memoir of a woman who spent a summer in New York City with her best friend during college. Their plan was to get a job at one of the fancy department stores and get a discount, but they ended up somehow getting a job at Tiffany and barely getting paid enough to get by. I have never been to NYC, but if I get there I will for sure want to stop at Tiffany. It's still in the same building as it was back in 1945 and it sounds like a magical place.

It's funny to read how innocent college girls from Iowa were back in the 40's! Despite wars being fought in Europe and the Pacific, these girls had quite the summer full of sightseeing, dating, and seeing celebrities. Since this is a memoir and based only on one summer, there is not much of a plot. However, it is a nice quick read as long as you appreciate the girly things in life. If you are familiar with the movie stars, musicians, and fashion of the 40's it would be much more entertaining.

Random note: I had no idea a plane had crashed into the Empire State Building in 1945 due to foggy weather.

Book Blog: Those Who Save Us - Jenna Blum

I am glad I picked this book up at the used book store. I actually heard the author speaking on the radio the other day and was excited because I was in the middle of her book. She had enormous success with this book, especially in book clubs, and I see why. This is the story of a mother and daughter that lived in Germany during WWII. It switches back and forth between the mother Anna's life at the start of the war, during, and shortly after the war, and the present (1997) life of the daughter Trudy. Trudy as an adult is a history professor and begins a research project to learn about the lives of Germans during the war. She knows that she and her mother were there at the time, but has very little memory of their experiences. Unfortunately her mother cannot let go of the memories, nor will she speak of them. While much of this book is heartbreaking, I enjoyed following Trudy's discovery of German life at wartime and the discovery of her mother's secrets.

Another reason I liked this book is because the latter sections are set in Minnesota and places described in the book are familiar to me. Not many books or movies are set in Minneapolis, so it was fun to read it and be able to picture the locations and the weather conditions.

I have not really studied much about WWII since high school, with the exception of my history class in France, but that was brief and mostly French focused. With the Holocaust being the most talked about topic from the war, I had not spent much time thinking about what life was like for non-Nazi Germans at the time. Many people blame them for standing by and not doing anything to stop the atrocities, but this book gives insight into the lives of women particularly who simply were just trying to survive and protect their children. There were those who helped hide Jews, provide food to the camps, etc. but those people and others were put in impossible situations where they sometimes had to choose staying alive vs starving to death or being shot point blank in the face. It's easy to say that you would choose the "right" thing, but would you really be able to when put in that situation?

After reading this book I did gain a new perspective on the time and the effects it had on the German population, as well as the Jewish population. Reading the account of Anna's view of the concentration/work camps from the outside is terrifying without even thinking about what was happening on the inside. Today, I visited the El Paso Holocaust Museum to continue my exploration of the subject. The museum is very well constructed and informative, I recommend it if you're in the area. I am thankful that I did not live in that time period, and I pray that nothing as horrible as the death of 11,000,000 innocent people ever happens again.

Book Blog: The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford

I just finished this book this morning, and it was a great read. I had a little trouble getting into to it at first as it was another that switches between time periods, but I loved it in the end. It was heart breaking and heart warming at the same time. Henry, the main character, is a young Chinese boy living in San Francisco and is attending an all white school. He soon is joined by a Japanese American girl and they become good friends while working in the school kitchen together. Not long after, tensions rose between the US and Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and Japanese families were sent away to internment camps, much to the satisfaction of Henry's father.

This is the part of World War II that I, and a lot of others I'm sure, tend to forget about. The fact that over 100,000 Japanese American people (and also German and Italian) were removed from their homes and sent to live inland in large camps fit for prisoners is just unimaginable to me. While many of the people were second generation Americans (like Keiko in the book), they were still feared to be spies or in cooperation with the Japanese. It is interesting to me that studies on racism and discrimination are typically centered on African Americans in the South, but as seen through this story, there are many other groups that have historically been discriminated against within the US, and other instances of clashing cultures, and today I am proud to live in a country where a person of any race, color, or religion can be respected as an American. I know we still have a long way to go, but I pray nothing like this would ever happen again in this country. It almost seems silly that anything like this could happen now, but at the same time that I say that, discriminatory events of a similar nature are still happening around the world.

The Japanese internment separates Henry from his best friend Keiko for much longer than they had thought. Henry has to learn to deal with the distance, only occasional letters, and learn to live as the one left behind where everyone else's lives seem to go on as usual...sounds like a familiar life to mine right now. Reading this, I related to the heartache, the uncertainty, the fear that Henry was going through, but it also made me thankful for the superior circumstances of my own separation. The one I love was not taken from me practically unannounced and for no apparent reason, he is not being treated like a prisoner, I hear from him at least every few days, and I know when he will return. These are the simple positive things that I need to remind myself when I'm struggling with the deployment. It's a daily struggle, but there are still things to be thankful for, things to learn, and I know that my husband is serving our country and protecting the freedoms we are lucky to have.

Book Blog: Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen

Ever dream of running off and joining the circus? Well, that's not exactly what happened for the main character of this book, but that's where Jacob found himself. I got this book for free from Military One Source (check out the free books they have for military families in the library section) because I had heard the name several times, but never really knew what it was about. Then I found out that they're making a movie of it, as they have done with  many of the books I have read lately, so naturally I need to read the book before it comes out. I love that Reese Witherspoon is going to play Marlena, but not so happy that Robert Pattinson of Twilight fame is playing Jacob. I'm not a fan of Twilight and don't really see the appeal of this Pattinson guy, especially as a creepy, pale, obsessive vampire. Maybe he will be more attractive in this role...

It's too bad I read this book over about a month and a half span of time (husband was home so I didn't read much). I would not have had such a wonderful distraction I would have burned through this book much faster. It was a love story full of betrayal and violence, and an interesting look into the train traveling circus' of back in the day. I'm not really sure what else to say about it because it's kind of just a crazy intense string of events, but you should check out the book or the movie when it comes out. I'm curious to see if they leave things out in the movie.

Book Blog: The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

This was another book that I just pulled off the shelf not knowing what it was about. I had heard the name many times, seen it on booklists for years, but never knew anything about it. It was a little hard to get into right away because it was like reading a fairy tale bible story, but it actually turned about to be another spiritual read for me. A boy goes on a journey to find a hidden treasure and along the way he meets people that help him learn valuable lessons about faith, life, and love. I think the appeal of this book is that the lessons can be pretty universal depending on your religious views, probably why the book has been translated into 56 languages. The ones that stuck out to me are that you should never give up on your dreams, true love lasts despite time and distance, you should live life one day at a time and not worry about the future, you should constantly be seeking and living God's Will for your life, and that God can be found in everyone who believes in Him. I recommend reading it, it's an interesting story and not like the typical fiction that I normally read, and it's full of great reminders about the gift of life.

Book Blog: God Strong: The Military Wife's Spiritual Survival Guide - Sara Horn

I had heard good things about this book and my mom found it for me at a book sale. I think this book has actually helped change my life. Every military wife should read this book. I am new to military life, but we all go through similar struggles, things that other people don't always understand. The challenges we face may seem impossible and sometimes we feel like we can't do it, we can't live this way, but we do it because we love the amazing men in our lives and we want to support them in serving our country and helping others.

I have been praying a lot lately for patience and peace with the decisions my husband and I make, and peace with what comes our way in the future. This book has been a great addition to the prayer and attempt to really give my heart to God, letting go of my worries and trusting that my life will go according to HIS plan. It is always helpful to hear stories from other wives about the strength that they find in God that allows them to be a strong military wife, a strong woman. And it's even better to be reminded of God's promises - that he is always with us, that he has a plan for our lives that may be unknown to us. The titles of the chapters lay out these promises well:

My Strength Comes from God
Fear Blocks My Focus
I Am Not Alone
Superwomen Get Grace Too
God Is in Control
God Knows My Hurts
I Can Have Joy Despite My Circumstances
Worship Lessens My Worries
I Find My Hope In Christ

So often we feel like we know these things, but we don't actually trust in them. No matter what kind of life we find ourselves in, no matter what kind of struggles we go through, God is always there and we can find joy in any situation because of that. My whole outlook on military life has taken a turn for the better. While I still don't like the thought of deployments or being away from my family, I know that I will be ok. I'm trusting that if that's the way our lives go, it's because God has a bigger plan for us. My husband is very passionate about serving his country and helping people, and although military life is not the life I would have chosen for myself, I am blessed to have such a giving and loving husband who enjoys serving others and I am so grateful to have him in my life. I need to focus on the blessings I have been given and not give in to the fear and worry. I will continue to pray for God to strengthen me into a supportive wife, a faithful servant, a woman who is God Strong. With all the inconsistency and uncertainty that comes with military life, we always have one constant.

Book Blog: Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

I just finished this book last night and I'm not really sure what I think about it. It was one of those that I just impulsively grabbed off the shelf at the bookstore because the cover caught my eye. The back said nothing about the story, yet for some reason I felt drawn to it. It was a first person narrative that was composed mainly of memories so there was not really much of a cohesive plot line. Since I didn't know what it was about it took me a while to figure out what was going on. The story is about these children that were created as human clones to provide organ donations to "normal" humans with cancer and other diseases. They were raised in a sheltered boarding school environment, taught to do artwork, and eventually became carers and then donors. However, despite their sheltered upbringing, they still experienced relatively normal childhoods and adolescence, it was more just shrouded by a sense of mystery and unanswered questions.

I had a hard time with the seemingly lack of plot throughout the book, there was some but it was slight and slow moving. You have to read through the end to really get completely what was going on, and to really be able to step back and think about the depth of the point of the story. It's not really about the plot, it's more about the character's perceptions of reality and destiny. And also about how they and the project they were involved in was perceived by the regular world and their guardians that raised them. Now that I've finished the book I can appreciate it, but I wouldn't say I enjoyed it. More in a sense that I appreciate strange art because I know it's creative and thought-provoking, not because it's pleasing to my eye.

When I bought the book I knew there was a movie coming out, and I am proud of myself for waiting until tonight to watch the trailer. Carey Mulligan and Kiera Knightly star in it. I think this might actually be one that I like the movie better than the book because it will add a visual element. Here is the trailer if you're interested.

More favorites

These are some of my other favorite books. These are books that make you wish the world was different, and make you wish you could change it. All of these books were so great that I couldn't put them down.


The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
This book makes me so sad, but also so thankful that there are people that will go against all odds and go through just about anything to help someone else. The story is of a man who was born in Kabul and moves to America that finds out that his half brother's son is now left alone in Afghanistan. Despite the unsafe conditions with the Taliban, Amir risks his life to find the boy to give him a better life. If you prefer to watch the movie, it is also very well made and is a good adaptation from the book.

Now that my husband is in Afghanistan I think back to this book whenever he mentions the kids there. He gets such joy out of the kids when he is out on patrol and likes to give them treats when he can. I think that's adorable. I can't imagine growing up in that kind of environment. Constant political struggle, violence, and poverty.

The author of this book started a foundation that is working to help Afghani children and refugee families (www.khaledhosseinifoundation.org). There is an interesting and easy way to give to the foundation on their home page, just take a picture of you or someone holding The Kite Runner, or A Thousand Splendid Suns (which is also a great book), and upload it to the Penguin Books website. For each photo the publisher will donate $2 to the foundation.


The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
I remember not having any idea what this book was about before I read it, but I had heard it was good. I love everything about this book. The characters are great, the story and struggle and pain are so compelling and heartfelt. I think it brings out every one of the human emotions. I also love the connection between the women in the story. I never had sisters, and never really wanted them, but this book kind of made me wish I had that sisterly bond.

Set in civil-rights era South Carolina, Lily runs away from home and her painful past and goes to find that place her mother came from. She stays with a house full of black women (the Boatwright sisters) that keep bees and make honey with the "Black Mary" on the label. Lily finally starts to understand what life is really about, and what being loved feels like. The movie of this book was also very well made and stars Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifa, Jennifer Hudson, and Alicia Keys.


The Help - Kathryn Stockett
This is another civil rights era book about a group of black maids that worked in the households of wealthy young woman in Jackson, Mississippi. "The help" do so much for the families and practically raise the children themselves, but are hardly appreciated or given any credit just because of the color of their skin. It's interesting to read about both classes of women because so much has changed since then and it's hard to believe it was ever like that. Even when my parents were children it was like that, it seems so weird now. The book goes back and forth between the perspectives of several of the characters. One of the white women decides to pursue her writing career by putting together a collection of true stories from Jackson maids, all while trying to protect everyone involved from discrimination and possibly violent uproar from the community. I'm guessing they will make a movie of this book someday too. Yep, just googled it, it comes out next year!

Has anyone else read these books? Which did you like better, the movie or the book? These are the few that I think the movies were (almost) just as good as the books.

Book Blog: Some favorites

Since I gave up on reading Army Wives for now so I don't traumatize myself any further, and I am now reading the last two Harry Potter books to get a refresher before the movie comes out next month, I will share a few of my favorites (and later some other recent reads) until I get back on track with my reading list. These two books are ones that I would read over and over.


 Baby - Patricia MacLachlan
 This has been my favorite book forever. It's actually a child's book and is an easy read that can be completed in about an hour. I have read it several times and each time I read it I love it even more. It makes me smile, makes me cry, and reminds me that sometimes we are given experiences that we may not understand, and gifts that may be taken away, but they shape who we are. Our experiences are part of a bigger plan and things don't always happen according to our own timing. The characters in this book are heartfelt and lovable. The family is struggling with the loss of their baby son when a little baby girl shows up in a basket on their doorstep with a note from the mother asking them to care for her child. There was also a movie made of this book in 2000 starring Farrah Faucet as the mom, and Alison Pill as Larkin. I think it's only available on VHS unfortunately. But I did find it on Amazon in case anyone is interested. Or I own it if anyone still has a VHS player and wants to watch it with  me. Of course the book is better though!


Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers
Every woman should read this book. It's a love story that is based on the biblical story of Hosea. Sold into prostitution as a young girl, Angel never knew what real love was and was only seen as a pretty face and an object to men. Along comes Michael and he is taken by her beauty, and strongly feels God telling him to marry her despite her profession and reputation. They marry and Angel struggles to live a normal life and learn to love herself, be loved by her husband, and to love God. I just really like this book for the picture of love it portrays. The kind of love God has for us - an unfailing, unconditional love (but also a tough love) that no amount of mistakes or misgivings can break. Grab some tissues while reading this one, it's a tear-jerker.