The Photographer: Into War-Torn Afghanistan with Doctors Without Borders by Emmanuel Guibert


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Photographer Didier Lefevre travelled on a 3-month mission to Afghanistan in 1986 when the Soviet-Afghan War was raging. This mixture of photographs and illustrations tells of his journey from Pakistan to the mission site in Afghanistan, his stay and his journey back to Pakistan that almost cost him his life.

A very unique combination of cartooning and photographs have been combined to portray so much on the journey: the beauty of the land, the terror of illegally crossing the border, traveling under cover of night, watching for Soviet planes. Then at the medical camp it chronicles horrific war wounds as well as sickness and accident victims. The photographs, the text, the illustrations capture the spirit, the agony, the willpower, the drive of the doctors who come to work here.

The political situation is explained at the beginning of the book to give the reader a reference point, but concentrates on human relations and interactions without getting too political. The reader is given a vision of the Afghani way of life, the ravages of war, the innocents and the opportunists.

View all my reviews >>

The Help by Kathryn Stockett


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was reluctant to start this book. I prefer trillers, adventure stories where there is a lot of action and I thought this would be too slow for me. Well, I couldn't put it down. The suspense built right from the start - would Abilene be found out? would Minny lose her job? would Skeeter get her man?.......
Set in 60s Mississippi, the book chronicals the work and escapades of 3 women as they attempt to write a book about black maids and their experiences in Jackson Mississippi. It brings segregation to full light, how actions can be misconstrued and a host of other themes. Truely a great read.

View all my reviews >>

Cowgirl at Heart by Christine Lynxwiler


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a solid mixture of romance and suspense. The romance is wholesome and fulfilling while the intrigue, mystery and twists in the plot line keep your riveted to the page. This is a book I can recommend to many and diverse ages as it encapsulates family values, ethics, and plain goodness. Elyse McCord, a dog whisperer, goes to the aid of an abused animal only to find herself in a situation. Along comes Andrew Stone to the rescue. Andrew carries emotional baggage of his own after the tragic death of his young wife. Together they end up in developing situations.

View all my reviews >>

The twilight Gospel: The Spiritual Roots of Stephenie Meyer's Vampire Saga by Dave Roberts


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Following the popular, yet controversial, Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, The Twilight Gospel by Dave Roberts is an overview of the different ideas and values that Stephenie Meyers promotes. Roberts identifies different themes in the Twilight books and examines them from a Christian perspective.

A short book with clearly defined chapters, it takes no time to read.

Roberts points out that though the Twilight books promote sexual relationships, physical beauty, and the idea that these things lead to perfection, there are also other themes throughout, e.g. compassion, family…..

A good book for parents, interested teen and teachers as it contains some interesting discussion points.

View all my reviews >>

The Orange Houses by Paul Griffin


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I toted this book around for a couple of weeks as I felt it my duty to read it so I could make a report. Then we had a few snow days and I was at home. I found a bunch of books that I wanted to read and so "The Orange Houses" remained shelved, or should I say 'bagged'. Eventually I felt guilty and took the book out intending to skim. I read the first few short chapters and was hooked.
-The Orange Houses- by Paul Griffin is a disturbing story revolving around three marginalized teens: Mika, a 15-year-old hearing-impaired girl, 18-yr-old Jimmi, a mentally disabled veteran, and Fatima, a 16-yr-old African illegal. Their paths cross and recross in The Bronx as each struggles with life and what fate has dished out.

These teens are all living rough, avoiding police, fighting bullies, constantly dealing with fear and mental illness. But they share a longing for something better, through art, freedom, kindness.

The chapters alternate between the three teens' points of view, and tension mounts as each chapter counts down to a violent act predicted at the beginning of the book. The potential waste and injustice of this violence becomes more apparent as the reader becomes more invested in the characters: - why will someone be hanged?

Haunting and disturbing yet still hopeful.

View all my reviews >>

Still Sucks to be Me: More All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton Smith, Teen Vampire by Kimberly Pauley


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Despite being another vampire book this novel shines. Full of wit and one-liners from a sassy teen-vampire faced with all the turmoil of high school politics as well as being relocated to LA (small town Louisiana and not Los Angeles as she originally thought, what a disappointment)and starting in a new school for her senior year.
Mina's voice is fresh, appealing and hilarious. You will be sucked in from the first chapter on.

View all my reviews >>

Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan gets into the mind of fifteen-year-old Blake who is struggling to balance his perfect girlfriend Shannon and his photo partner and friend Marissa who happens to be a girl. He constantly gets in hot-water by saying or not saying the right thing. After taking a photo of a worn-down, drug addict on the street for his photography class (Blake always sticks to gritty photos), he discovers more about Marissa – that woman was her missing mother. As Blake learns more about Marissa, their relationship changes, and Blake begins to realize that though love and romance are confusing, friendship isn’t necessarily any clearer. While he works to perfect his photography, he realizes it takes just as much work to balance the two most important females in his life that couldn’t be more different.

Flash Burnout blends comedy with more serious matters perfectly in Flash Burnout. Blake’s dilemmas feel real to the reader, and I must say I laughed at some point during nearly every chapter is this novel. L.K. Madigan does a superb job getting into the mind of a teenage boy – a task many young adult authors have tried without as much success – as Blake’s thoughts feel authentic. This book is fast-paced and, despite its length, easy to read in one sitting because it’s so hard to put down. The references to the craft of photography, especially the tips found at the beginning of each chapter and in the title itself, add to the parallels in Blake’s life and enrich the reader’s experience. The only time I was let down was the very ending of this novel which felt rather abrupt. I wish Flash Burnout had gone further in time and not ended so suddenly, so that the reader could feel more closure with the characters.

View all my reviews >>