Read of the Month: The Help

Since the movie just came out starring Emma Stone and Viola Davis, I felt that I needed to read the book before I saw the movie. The books never fail to be better than the movie so I like to read them before they have a chance of being ruined as a movie. I must be in the same frame of mind as Hank Green  because he just posted a video on YouTube expressing the same thoughts. I wanted to read The Help, by Katherine Sockett, before I even knew they were making a movie.

This is a book written about writing a book. Which is something different in itself but it is also about segregation in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960s. The two heroines of this book could be considered complete opposites. Skeeter is a fresh out of college journalist and comes from a well to do white family and Abileen is a 40 something black maid who is still dealing with her only child's death. And yet they become very close through all the trials of getting a book published. Skeeter also has to deal with the difficultly of coming home from college and realizing that it is different than before. Changed and not in a good way for her. Most of her high school friends got married and dropped out of college to make a home for their husbands. She ends up realizing that Jackson is no longer a place where she belongs. Abileen ends up becoming a hero for helping other maids find their own voice. She also realizes that she can start her own life over and over comes the grief of her lost son.

The other characters in the book are also very well developed but I'm going to let you read the book to learn about them. I love the way this book is more about trying to get two different but similar groups of women to start talking to each other. It's not just about race but respect for everyone. I definitely recommend this book to everyone. 

Let me know what you think of the book after you have read it!

Peace!

Read of the Month: The Hunger Games

I know I'm cutting it close this month but it's gone by so quickly. I was caught off guard. Trust me, this book will make up for the delay. I started reading it Thursday night and finished Saturday evening. I only stopped reading because I had to go to work.

I first heard of The Hunger Games from John Green (award winning writer) on the VlogBrothers YouTube channel and knew I had to read it. I had a chance to buy it in the Store Closing Sale for Borders. (When I heard that Borders was closing all of it's stores I literally cried.)

The Hunger Games is set in future North America where the government has divided the nation into different districts. Each district products a specific good that defines the district. There used to be 13 districts but when the people rebelled against the government district 13 was destroyed. So to make sure the citizens know their place once a year the Hunger Games are held. Two names are drawn in each district, one boy and one girl. There is only one winner and survivor because it is a fight to the death. When a child turns 12 they are entered in the drawing for the Hunger Games. Each year they are entered in the drawing an extra time until they reach the age of 18 but most children end up being entered more times because they can receive food rations for their family. This is the story of Katniss Everdeen who volunteers to participate so her 12 year old sister won't be forced to compete for her life.

This book is thrilling from page one. Like I said if I didn't have to go to work I would have read it all day and night. The twists and turns constantly surprised me. Collins does a wonderful job of character building and showing that not everything is as it appears. I would recommend this book to everyone. It is a great story about government control and human rights. I am looking forward to reading the final two books in this trilogy.

Peace!

Read of the Month: Lady of the Forest

Look at me! I'm making my second book review and it's within the next month like I promised!

This month it is all about showing off one of my favorite authors. Jennifer Roberson is a wonderful fantasy author that brings new worlds alive for me. She has written mostly series so I was glad to find a singular book written by her.

Lady of the Forest is Roberson's version of Robin Hood and it is told from Lady Marion's side of the story. I have a love of the Crusades (I don't know why because it was a horrible bloody violent time in history that I am not proud of as a Christian) so Robin Hood is a classic tale for me. The detail she puts into her writing is amazing. Lady Marion discovers who she is and becomes a very strong woman in the process. Robin is shown as a man who hides himself because he was forced to when he was captured in the Crusades. Not only is he physically scared but he is mentally injured as well. He finally finds himself again through meeting and falling in love with Marion. The Sheriff of Nottingham is developed as a twisted conniving man who only wants to advance in the world at any cost. His daughter is a perfect copy of her father and wants Marion out of the picture. But in the end the Lionheart returns just in time to set everything right for a time.

The way Roberson writes, transports me into the story. I felt like I was Lady Marion making the same decisions that she did. This version was a good mixture of fact and fiction. I would recommend this book to someone who doesn't usually read fantasy books. It is a classic tale that everyone knows but with a twist.

I hope you have enjoyed my monthly book review!

Peace!