Well, I learned something important these last two weeks. It's not a good idea to schedule book reviews during the last few weeks of school. Life has been super busy and yes, I'm a week behind on my reviews. I will get caught up though! I did finish two books in the last few days. So while I'm burning the 5th grade graduation CD's, I'm going to take a few minutes to review what I've finished on my reading list.
Pocket of Guilt
The first book I read was Pocket of Guilt by Dora Lee Thompson.
Here is the jacket blurb:
The Schulz family, each a member of the LDS church, is trying to survive in Germany, during and after WWII. When Hitler invades Poland and the war officially begins, the family is quickly feeling its strain, as they have less and less food to eat. Anna Schulz often stands in line for hours, only to find the market shelves empty. This becomes the least of her worries though, when, one by one, the men of the Schulz family head off to defend their country.
The story follows Dieter, the middle son, just 10 years old when the war begins, as he learns to cope with the war around him. Read about his stubborn streak and spontaneity, and how it gets him into trouble, how he defies Hitler’s law by giving aid to a Jew and subsequently finds himself in the biggest trouble of his life, and what happens when he has to decide between loyalty and love. Will Dieter ever be able to forgive himself for all of the things he has had to do to survive the war, or will he have to live with his guilt forever?
My Review:
This is definitely a book for middle grade to young adults. The characters, events, and descriptions are developed just right for that age range. I liked following the Schultz family and found their situation interesting. If you know an older child or teen who enjoys history, Pocket of Guilt would be a book he or she would enjoy and learn from at the same time. You can purchase Pocket of Guilt on Amazon.com and at your local bookstore. It's also available for a Kindle purchase.
The Golden Spiral
The other book I just finished is The Golden Spiral by Lisa Mangum. I waited and waited for Lisa to get to the LDS Storymakers conference with her ONE box of books. The Golden Spiral had not been released yet and I knew she only had a limited number she was able to snag from her publisher. As soon as I heard the faintest whisper that they had been dropped off at the conference bookstore - I said "See ya!" to whoever I was chatting with and hightailed it right over to get my copy before they all sold out. And I just barely made it. Whew! The Golden Spiral is the sequel to The Hourglass Door. Here's a blurb from the back:
His eyes. His touch. His kiss. Dante was unlike anyone Abby had ever met. Now he s gone, and Abby will do anything to get him back . . . The hourglass door has closed behind Dante, sending him back in time to hunt down Zo, Tony, and V. Abby knows that Dante, as a Master of Time, is the only one who can stop them from destroying time itself. She also knows that he will need her help. But almost immediately, things start to change, and Abby's worst fears are realized when Zo begins targeting her past specifically.
As Abby's world fractures around her, she must face a terrible truth: either Dante didn t make it through the door, or he is lost forever. So with Dante's blueprints in hand, she begins construction on a new door, a new time machine that will either save Dante or doom him. With each new change that ripples into her present, Abby's life continues to spiral out of control. Her relationships with Jason, Natalie, and even her family are threatened to the breaking point and beyond. Zo's power is greater than Abby ever imagined, but as she struggles to free Dante, she receives help from an unexpected and unlikely ally. The bank is eroding. The barriers are thinning. And time is running out.
My Review:
I have to say that honestly, this book went in a direction that was completely unexpected. I thought I knew a general idea of what was going to happen in this book. It didn't take me long to figure out that I was completely wrong. Sometimes when that happens, I'm really disappointed - and other times, I'm pleasantly surprised. Well, this time around, I was definitely happy with the twists and changes. I really enjoyed The Golden Spiral. But I must warn you, the very last sentence will leave you begging for more! And oh, how tortured I feel knowing the last book doesn't come out for another year! Ugh!
The Golden Spiral is available on Amazon.com and at your local book stores.
If you haven't read The Hourglass Door, it's a must read before The Golden Spiral! Here's the link to purchase:
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