The Zookeeper's Wife

Okay, I hope all of you like history...because I do and that's partly why I chose this book for us to read. I also just kept seeing it at the library and in book stores and I was curious to find out the story.

Antonina and Jan are heroic! Their defiance and their bravery in the midst of WWII was incredible! They were such good people at heart. It would have been so much easier for them just to hole up and wait out the war, but they offered their home and their assistance to others when it was desperately needed.  They also risked their own safety not to mention the safety of their son. I kept thinking "how can this family end up 'happily ever after', I mean we're talking about WWII here...and in Poland!" Anyway, I was pleased even at the end of the book.

I loved the author's descriptions. I felt like I was at the zoo, listening to the animals, or watching through the window as Antonina played her defiant tune on the piano to warn her friends of approaching danger. I also liked how she described a lot of the plants...but that was probably just me noticing that part(by the way there are many linden trees in Rexburg).

The thing I found myself contemplating the most throughout this book was courage. Would you or I have the courage to do what Jan and Antonina did if we were in a similar situation? I don't know, but I hope so. It disgusts me how humans can get so wrapped up in ideas and ideals that they forget how sacred and important life is. Anybody's life. 

Did anyone else have any thoughts about courage as you read? I look forward to reading your comments and opinions!

Help, I need somebody

Elle Elle thank-you SO much for letting me borrow your book The Help, which I will be able to get back to you someday.

Such a great book! I'm thoroughly enjoying this little club we started. It helps me know which books to read and boy are they good.

I love historical fictions and I thought this was an awesome first novel. All the characters in the book were so well developed and you felt special ties to them. It seemed like she had every kind of character. The strong willed can't have anyone tell me what to do, the leader of the pack, the meek follower of the pack, the strong one that doesn't recognize her own strength, the quite compassionate, the ditzy blonde...incorporating all different types.

I absolutely loved seeing the growth in Skeeter. I loved seeing who she was in the beginning of the book. An unsure,awkward follower of the crowd. She just tried to fit in. When she finally realized she didn't need to follow she really blossomed and turned into a strong, confident woman who could accomplish the unthinkable.

I liked all the relationships in the book all the friendships that were stronger than anything. This was also a book I could not put down. I had to know what happened.

I was a little disappointed with the end. I know it was a good way to end it, but I wanted more. I wanted to know what happened with Skeeter and Aibileen and even the crazy blonde.

Excellent book really opens your eyes the things that happened in our history and helps your realize how far kindness can go.

Hunger Games...

I think I enjoy books and movies when you have no idea what they're about until you read them. I was number 37 for this book at the library so my loving hubby found an audio book that we listened to on our drive to Oregon. When we arrived there at 2 in the morning, I had to keep listening.

When we got home from our trip we downloaded the other two audio books and listened to them in the evenings or while doing things around the house. Oh my goodness, such intense books I couldn't have waited between them. I had to find out what happened. I won't ruin it for any of you, but the ending was very well done. And she got the guy I wanted her to :)

This book was really amazing. I want to be able to dissect it and really understand the meaning like I used too, but oh man it was SO good! It's extremely sickening to even think about, children killing children for amusement. Like some sort of extreme survivor. I can't even fathom that it happened - the arena in ancient Rome.

Suzanne plays on all of our human emotions: fear, love, sympathy, greed, arrogance, patience...everything! She exaggerates our actions and it really makes you take a look at yourself and who you are and areas that you need to improve.

At the end of the series there's an excerpt from the author and she explains where she got the idea from and what she wants us to get out from the book. I recommend you look into it. It really helped me.

All I can really say is WOW


(and of course there making a movie coming out 2013)