Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

I read Ender's Game many years before the 2013 movie was announced.  After reading the book my husband and I discovered Orson Scott Card wanted his novel to come to the big screen but could never agree on a screenplay.  We anxiously awaited for the day it would finally happen.

Having said that, the book is definitely better, but the movie did a great job.  It is just too difficult to fit everything in a book into a movie.  The book ended in such a shocking way it was hard to believe, yet you knew it just had to be.  The movie did a fairly good job.  You whether you watch the movie first or read the book first, either one will spoil the ending for the other.  You can only get that kind of a surprise once.

The most amazing thing about this book is the book was written in 1985 and yet most of the technology mentioned in the book is available today in 2013.  Amazing. Of course we call everything by a different name.

The one part that bothered me a bit in this book was some of the language. I'd prefer some of those choice "cuss" words were omitted from the books I read, however it was used sparingly and the didn't fill up the book with the foul words.

A Corner of The Universe by Ann M. Martin

When I checked this book out at the library I didn't make the connection that this book was written by the same author of the Baby-sitter's Club series until I started reading it at home.  I enjoyed the Baby Sitter Club series as a child and Ann M. Martin did a very well job on this book as well.  It tells a story about a girl and the summer she met one of her uncles for the very first time.  This is a very touching story and I definitely recommend reading it.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This is a really good book. It was easy to read. It tells the story through the perspective of different characters.  Each chapter focuses on a different character and in turn giving you new insight to the overall story.  This is a very well written book.  Skeeter decides to write a book with the perspective of "the help" who are the African American women who work for the upper & middle class white women in the south.  There are funny and touching stories and prejudice of all kinds, not just against the races but also against the classes.

The Princess Tales by Gail Carson Levine

These delightful books tell the traditional fairy tales with a whole new twist.  There are 6 books in this series and I enjoyed reading every one of them.  They are very short and entertaining.  They take place in the same kingdom and there is even a little map in the books so you can see where each story takes place.  Gail Carson Levine has become one of my favorite authors.

Saving CeeCee Honeycut by Beth Hoffman

This was another enjoyable book for me to read.  Poor CeeCee had to grow up with her somewhat mentally unstable mother.  Her father couldn't handle the responsibility and as a result was gone a lot.  When her mother dies, CeeCee lives with her mother's aunt.  This book is filled with extravagant women, each with a valuable lesson to teach CeeCee.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

When I first saw this movie in the theater I did not know it was a book.  I enjoyed the movie and wanted to read the book.  Of course the book was much better than the movie.  I really enjoyed this unique version of the traditional Cinderella story.  Gail Carson Levine does such a great job bringing this enchanted story to life.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet by Jamie Ford

I think one of the saddest parts of our American History was during WWII when the Japanese Americans were shipped off to internment camps.  This is a fictional account about a relationship between a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl in Settle during WWII.  There are other themes in this book like the relationship between a father and his son.  I found this book enjoyable to read and I enjoyed the historical facts I learned while reading this book.