Game Changer

Ahh!! I am so sorry that I didn't do a review last Thursday. Our family had a cattle sale that I had to help at :-) which was tons of fun, but tonssss of work!! Anyways to make up for last week, I have written up this extra review for you today! :-)

Game Changer by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Like the View From Saturday, Game Changer is a book for about middle school or older elementary school age. However, I read it and enjoyed it! It was just a shorter, easier read for me. I love Haddix books and bought this one solely on the fact that I enjoy the author. I was not disappointed.

KT Sutton's life revolves around sports. Particularly Softball. She's been planning her future Softball career for as long as she can remember. Her life is Softball. But during a championship game KT suddenly blacks out.
When she wakes up she seems to be in a whole different world. Everything looks the same, and yet everything is wrong. It seems that Sports became School and School became Sports. In other words, her whole life is changed. Instead of studying English in school, she studies running, and English is an after school event. Which doesn't seem too bad, until she finds out there is no Softball, or Basketball, or any other sport for that matter. It's all just practice.
To make matters worse, her parents, her all time biggest fans, can barely stand to look at her. In this crazy world, it's her little brother Max is the star of the family. He happens to be a math genius so all the "sporting events" are his math bowls.
How can she possibly make it out of this world? As she finds out that Max was taken here too, and as she works with him to find a solution, she starts to wonder if maybe real life is worse than this fake world.

Sorry that summary is a NOVEL! Ooops... it's a good book okay!! It's super cute and interesting. It definitely made me understand people who live and breathe for sports a lot better. I mean I'm sorta in between, I like sports, but I've never been just amazing at any, so I just goof off during them.
ANYWAYS, to get back on topic, I really think anyone would enjoy this book. Yes it's probably for a younger audience, but WHO CARES? I DON'T!! I will read any good book I can get my hands on. This is definitely one of those books.
Rate: PG/G
    No cussing, totally clean
GOOD OR GOODBYE?
  GOOD!! ALL AGES

Tuck Everlasting

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit

To me, Tuck Everlasting is a classic. It was published in 1974 so it's a little old, but I have grown up with this story. It is/was my Mom's favorite, and I have read it at least 4 times :-)
The Tuck's aren't ordinary people. They don't get sick, or hurt, or even age; they cannot die. Whether this is a blessing or a curse, they aren't sure. All of this came to be because of one drinking well. Now the Tuck's just try to live as silently and invisibly as possible. But when Winnie Foster, the 10 year old living on the property with the well, starts to get involved, the Tuck's must take Winnie and explain their story. Little do they know a stranger follows them the whole way...

Like I said earlier, this is a classic for me. It is totally clean with little violence. I just really love it, because it really makes me think about life, immortality, etc. Honestly this book is perfect for anyone ages 8 to 108! ;)
HAHAH! Just kidding, but seriously, anyone can and would enjoy this book!!!
Rate: G 
   No cussing, sexuality, & very little violence
GOOD OR GOODBYE?
   Definitely GOOD! 

NITTY GRITTY: 
Honestly, there is nothing I need to warn about. There is one scene that has a teeny bit of violence, but its really not a bad book or anything! Very clean! It may be alittle hard to get through at first, but you will love it!

Out of My Mind

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
 Out of My Mind is a short novel about a girl with disabilities. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it gave me so much insight. Very inspiring story and very clean! I'm not 100% sure if this is a true story or not, BUT I know that even if it isn't, there are many people just like the main character.
Summary from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6609765-out-of-my-mind?from_search=true
"Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged, because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she's determined to let everyone know it;somehow."

Like I said above, very inspiring story. Since it's nice and short, it is something you can read in just a couple days, which is PERFECT when waiting for the next book of a series ;)

Out of My Mind is a must read for all ages: preteens, teens, and adults! 

Rate: G

   Totally clean!

GOOD OR GOODBYE?

   GOOD!!!

THANKS FOR READING! 

Princess Academy

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Alright, so if I'm being 100% honest, it took me a little while to really get into this book. There are books like Harry Potter, or Michael Vey that get you involved on page 1, but Shannon Hale books don't do that for me. HOWEVER, I know many people that pick it up and fall in love on the first word. So if you are more like me, push through because you will love it by the end!
Summary from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/85990.Princess_Academy?from_search=true
"Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village. The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess.
Miri soon finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires to be chosen and win the heart of her childhood best friend. But when bandits seek out the academy to kidnap the future princess, Miri must rally the girls together and use a power unique to the mountain dwellers to save herself and her classmates."

One thing I really appreciate about Shannon Hale is how clean she is. There is never any cussing or sexual things. Always very clean and I really appreciate that! I know my first remarks don't make the book seem very good, but honestly if you can get past the first couple chapters, I believe you will love the book :)

Rate: G

   Totally Clean

GOOD OR GOODBYE? 

  GOOD! 

THANKS FOR READING!! 

Penny from Heaven

JANUARY'S FOLLOWER OF THE MONTH IS ABBY HONE! Btw she has a really cool name ;-)
One of Abby's favorite books is called Penny from Heaven & she will be reviewing it for us below!

Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm.
So the book I have chosen is Penny From Heaven because it is just a very inspiring book. It's about a girl who loves baseball and always listens to it with her uncle in his truck. She's not allowed to go swimming in a public pool because her mom thinks she might get polio. One day she goes swimming and her mom gets mad. Later Penny finds out that her mom is dating the milk man, she is very upset, and wants to know more about her dad. Her dad had died in a concentration camp, because he was Italian. After she finds this out her arm gets stuck in a laundry roller and breaks it. As she is sent to the hospital, and going through a life-or-death situation, she realizes what life is all about.

I love the story because it's very inspiring and the girl acts a lot like me. It has a good theme or plot to it, and it is just a great book!!!

Rate: G

  Clean

GOOD OR GOODBYE? 

   GOOD!! 

THANKS FOR READING! THIS REVIEW WAS DONE BY ABBY HONE

Golly Whopper Games

The Golly Whopper Games by Jody Feldman
Sorry, to all my older readers, this is also a little bit of a younger teen book. But I just loved it & since I have readers of all ages, why not ;)

Summary from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2540640.The_Gollywhopper_Games?from_search=true
"Gil Goodson's future happiness depends on winning the Golly Toy & Game Company's ultimate competition. If Gil wins, his dad has promised that the family can move away from all the gossip, false friends, and bad press that have plagued them ever since "The Incident". Inside the toy company's fantastic headquarters, Gil will have to master trivia, solve puzzles, and complete physical stunts—and he'll have to do better than all of the other kids competing.
Oh, and did we mention that Gil's every step—and every mistake—will be broadcast on national television? Hold on tight, because the ride of his life is about to begin!"

I read the Gollywhopper Games in like 6th grade & thought it was the coolest thing! I don't know why, it just was!! So whatever age you are, if you're up for a short cute story this is a good one.

Rate: G

  Totally Clean

GOOD OR GOODBYE?

  GOOD!!! 

NITTY GRITTY:

None! Clean :)

THANKS FOR READING!! 

Dear America Series

So when I was in Elementary School and Middle School, these were my favorite books. They are very well written and teach more than it seems.
Each book is a diary based in a different time period during some major event in history. They are historical fiction, so they are entertaining and teach you all about what happened in that time. I know they are for pre-teens, but honestly I know a lot of people young and old that love them. Very good & very clean!! :)
Rate: G/PG
  Totally clean
GOOD OR GOODBYE?
   Definitely GOOD

THANKS FOR READING!
Sorry that was an uber short review, but there isn't much else to say! Just read these books ;)

Smile

Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Smile is such a cute story about being confident with yourself. I know I read this in like 5th grade, so it is a younger person story, but I just loved it! If you haven't read it, and are looking for a quick read, then go for it!!
Summary from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6393631-smile

"Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly."

So honestly, like I said, this isn't like a big-time popular book, like Harry Potter or PJO, but.. I loved it! And since I didn't have anymore reviews to do at the moment, this is what you end up with ;)
It is a comic book style, and it is very clean. No cuss words or bad stuff! Just an all around, good, cute book.

Rate:G/PG

     CLEANN
GOOD OR GOODBYE?
     GOOD

NITTY GRITTY:

None :))

THANKS FOR READING!! 

The Christmas Jars (Express Week #8)

Well, today is the last day of Express Week and since it is getting closer and closer to Christmas time, I decided to do a Christmas book. The Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright is a pretty short story about what Christmas is all about. Since I am a Christian, and a Mormon, I really enjoyed what Jason F. Wright had to say. Christmas isn't about receiving, it's about giving. Just like God gave up his son Jesus Christ to come to Earth.


The story starts with an abandoned baby in a fried chicken restaurant. A single woman finds this baby, and names her Hope. The story goes on about Hope, and how she wanted to become a writer for the newspaper. As she gets closer and closer to her goal, she finds a front cover type of story. But as she gets to know the family behind it all, and sees this wonderful tradition, she isn't sure if this is the kind of story you can expose.
Wow okay, so it's honestly a really short book that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. Read it in your families during Christmas time. It really is such a good book that makes you look at what more you can do.
Rate: G
      CLEAN
GOOD OR GOODBYE? AMAZING CHRISTMAS STORY
       DO I EVEN NEED TO ANSWER THIS?(;

THANKS FOR READING!! HAVE A VERY MERRY SOON-TO-BE CHRISTMAS.