Dragonfly by Julia Golding

Dragonfly by Julia Golding is a book my 13 year old read last year, and she said it was one of her absolute favorites.  She read it last summer and kept saying "Mom, you need to read this!   Mom, you need to read this!"  She got it for Christmas and put it on my nightstand.  Can you tell that my nightstand is where people put things so I can read them?  Anyway, after reading this I wished I would have picked it up sooner.  I loved it!  Tashi is the Fourth Crown Princess of the Blue Crescent Islands and Prince Ramil is from Gerfal.  Two very different people from two very different nations that have been forced into an arranged marriage so their countries will not go to war and be united against an evil warlord.  The two start out hating each other, but life quickly changes as they are kidnapped by the evil warlord and strive to deal with their difficulties and escape and try to save their two countries which they love and each other.  A great classic adventure and romance.  It is very clean and uplifting.  Both characters must exam their faith, what they should stand up for and what keeps them going.  A very good read for teenage girls (or for anyone for that matter).  I stayed up way too late reading it because it is a book you can't put down.  It is not a series, which is amazing to find a stand alone book now days, and that is nice.  Golding is from the UK and has several other books out that I would really like to read now.  She does have another book set in the same world as this book called  The Glass Shadows but this is not supposed to be available in the US until later this year.  I read that is does have Ramil and Tashi in it, but they aren't the main characters.  Definitely a 4 star book.  Check it out.  

For One More Day by Mitch Albom

For One More Day by Mitch Albom was a gift my husband got for his birthday 4 months ago.  After his finished reading it he promptly placed it on my nightstand for me to read.  It took me a while to get to it, but I did enjoy it.  I had read Tuesdays with Morrie by Albom previously and also enjoyed it.  This book is about Chick who has lived a life that he is not proud of.  His parents divorced when he was young and his father disappeared, and his mother he took for granted.  He gets his priorities mixed up and has really messed up his life (divorced, only daughter didn't invite to her wedding, no job) and is ready to take his life when suddenly he is given a whole day with his mom who had died several years earlier.  Who wouldn't want just one more day with someone that they loved who had already passed on?  So many things to say and do.  This is a short read and gives one lots to think about--mainly we should never take our loved ones for granted and try to live our lives so when a loved one does leave us, we have as few regrets as possible because we cherished them and took advantage of the time we had with them. 

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

This was a really fun read--I laughed and cried.  Annika is a 17 year old girl who is extremely determined to do everything she can to help her little brother Jeremy who has just been diagnosed with cancer.  I know that doesn't sound very uplifting, but it is, and the lenghts Annika goes to make her little brother's wish come true are hilarious.  I had previously read My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison, and I really enjoyed that too.  I am thinking I need to check out some more of her books.  After I read this I handed it to my 13 year old daughter and said, "You have got to read this!  You will love it!"  Check this one out! 

My 2010 Reading List

As you might know I made a goal several years ago (like 10 or so?) to read as many books each year as I will have candles on my birthday cake.  Some years I go way over my goal and some years I just barely make it.  This past year I just went a little bit over :)  Hope you find a title that you might like.  I liked all of them with the exception of one or two which I will note.  They are in no particular order, just by when I read them.  So may I suggest. . .

1.  The Runaway Dragon by Kate Coombs--this is the sequel to her The Runaway Princess
2.  Dragon Kiss by E.D. Baker--#7 in the Frog Princess series
3.  The Morning Gift by Eva Ibbotson *** this was one of my favorites!!!  WWII love story
4.  The Looking Glass War by Frank Beddor--an adult/YA twist on Alice in Wonderland
5.  Seeing Red by Frank Beddor-2nd book in The Looking Glass series
6.  Arch Enemy by Frank Beddor --3rd and final book in The Looking Glass series
7.  Truce by Jim Murphy--about the WWI 1914 Christmas truce, fascinating
8.  Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson--a real eye opener about building schools in the Middle East
9.  The Last Olympian    by Rick Riordan--Percy Jackson #5, loved it!
10.  The Book Thief by Markus Rusak--this was not a favorite.  Language was quite bad.
11.  Christmas Jars Reunion by Jason Wright--not nearly as good as Christmas Jars, but liked it
12.  Once by Morris Gleitzman--WWII Polish Jewish boy and his story, so at times hard to read, sad
13.  Airman by Eoin Colfer--this was good
14.  When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead--this was very interesting and amazing someone thought of it
15.  The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz--a short fantasy read about a fairy that loses her wings
16.  The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck--a classic set in China in 1930's
17.  The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer--more Twilight stuff, bring it on
18.  1776 by David McCullough--amazing, if you haven't read it, please do
19.  The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry
20.  The Princess and the Snowbird by Mette Ivie Harrison
21.  Green Rider by Kristen Britain--clearly one of my favorites this year.  #4 comes out in Feb '11
22.  First Rider's Call by Kristen Britain--2nd in Green Rider series
23.  The High King's Tomb by Kristen Britain--3rd in Green Rider series
24.  The Help by Kathryn Stockett--another favorite
25.  Escaping the Tiger by Laura Manivong--met her this year, and liked her book
26.  Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins--conclusion to The Hunger Games, and I liked it
27.  The Demon King by Cinda Williams Cima--really liked this one
28.  The Klipfish Code by Mary Casanova--met her and reviewed this book here, first post
29.  Sarah's Quilt by Nancy E. Turner--2nd in These is my Words series, not as good as first
30.  The Star Garden by Nancy E. Turner--3rd in These is my Words series, better than 2nd
31.  The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker--cute, reviewed on this blog
32.  Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack--a culinary mystery with great recipes, reviewed on blog
33.  The Silence of God by Gale Spears--first LDS members in Russia in 1918, reviewed on blog
34.  English Trifle by Josi Kilpack--follows same characters from Lemon Tart fun culinary mystery
35.  The Mansion  by Henry Van Dyke--short, great read, how are we doing building our mansions?
36.  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens--never read before, and really enjoyed the original