Fiction Books...

As I have mentioned a couple times in the last few months, I love to read.  Winter months, especially winter months with a baby who likes to limit my projects, have given the opportunity read.  I thought I would break it up into two posts.

First up... fiction books.  Let's just state for the record that I LOVE a good fiction book and I am quite happy that I have read a few good ones recently.... as well as some average ones.

Here is a recap of my recent fiction reads.  I even gave them a rating for you!  haha. You are Welcome! : )

1-  Catching Fire     and   2-   Mockingjay  by Suzanne Collins
Rate- 9
I love Hunger Games and read it a year or two ago.  I finally got around to reading the sequels and I must say that they did not disappoint.  Often, sequels leave me dissatisfied but I thought both Catching Fire and Mockingjay were great follow ups to the Hunger Games.

I am actually awaiting the release of the DVD tomorrow and will be stalking redbox to try and get it as I never had the time to see it in the theatre.  I know practically everyone has read these books, but if you haven't... read them.  Very good!

3- Divergent  by Veronica Roth
Rate- 7
Along the same lines as The Hunger Game books is Divergent.  It is also a triology and is also what I would call fantasy/ sci fi.  I have not read books 2 and 3 yet.  I would give Hunger Games trilogy 10 stars, Divergent would be somewhere between a 7 and 8.  Not that I find Hunger Games realistic but Divergent left me with too many holes.  However, I did like it and want to see the movie when it comes out later this month if for no other reason than to see how the pictures in my head match the movie.

4- The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks
Rate- 7
I don't swoon over Nicholas Sparks as other woman do however I do think most of his books are pretty good... a little sappy and melodramatic... but good.  The Longest Ride is different than his other books.  It is slower, not necessarily in a bad way but I am glad that I was warned by my mother-in-law before I started reading it.

This book goes back and forth between two different story lines which he did a good job of separating.  It was not hard to keep up with it.  The ending, honestly, was pretty predictable, but it had a nice tidy ending.

5- Downfall  by Terri Blackstock
Rate- 6
I read a handful of this author's books when I was in college.  Last time we went to the library, I was on the quest to find a good book to read during the snow storm.  Enter fussy baby who was not going to let me browse so I grabbed the last of Blackstock's Intervention series.  I had the read the previous two a long time ago. 
This series is about a young woman with a drug problem and her struggle to get free of drugs. Downfall deals with the main character is now drug free but has a killer after her.  This author does Christian fiction so the message is positive and the action is not hard core. 

6- Bleachers by John Grisham
Rate- 4
This was another quick library grab.  I have always loved Grisham's books and when I saw Bleachers, I thought it would be a quick read as it was a bit smaller than some of his other novels.  Turns out, it was not very good.  I told Chad he would probably like it as it about a bunch of ex high school football players remembering their "glory" days while their coach is on his death bed.  Maybe guys would be more inclined to enjoy this than the ladies...

6- The Lego Movie book 
Rate- 8
Like most parents, I want my kids to love books.  So, I bought the junior novel to The Lego Movie and told them once I finished reading it to them then we would go the movies and watch it (thanks Uncle Nolan for the movie tickets for Christmas).  I must admit that the book kept a couple surprises for the audience, but overall the boys (especially Hunter and Ashton) loved reading the book together.  And we all enjoyed comparing the book to the movie afterwards.
***Anna, I have had your boy's birthday presents sitting in my laundry room for over a month now... and we got Owen a copy of this book... I really need to mail you this stuff. : /

7- The Mysterious Benedict Society trilogy by Trenton Lee Stewart
Rate- 10
Here is a gem!  I just recently came across The Mysterious Benedict Society books and I am so glad I did.  Though written for a younger audience (10-13 probably), I adore these books.  I am reading the first one to Hunter now.  I have already the 3 in the series.  There is also a prequel to the series that I will read soon.  The cover is just charming and story is fantastic.

Basically it is about 4 gifted, orphaned kids who are recruited for a secret mission.

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I have read some good devotional books and non fiction recently too.  I will post those soon. 

And if you have read something recently, let me know.  I am always looking for good books.  I know a bunch of people read the blog but never comment, so message on facebook or email me with suggestions if you cant figure out how to comment or don't want to comment.

Have a great Friday.