Book Review: Sarah's Key

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was an amazing story who's telling was just ok.  It was a heartbreaking story and I really felt like the character development for Sarah was so good.  But for Julia, I don't know, I just didn't really fall in love with her.  I didn't feel her emotions right along with her.  This was certainly a good book and worth the read, but I liked "The Book Theif" way better if your looking for a holocaust story.



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Book Review: The Book of Mormon Girl: Stories from an American Faith

The Book of Mormon Girl: Stories from an American Faith by Joanna Brooks

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I wanted to like this book more than I did.  The first half was describing what it was like for her growing up as a Mormon.  I guess I was expecting it to be a little bit more interesting.  And while there were a lot of "that's so true" or "oh yeah, I did that", I don't know I just didn't find that reading about it was that enjoyable.  Just "eh".  Although the chapter about the Marie Osmond book was good.  A great telling if what it's like when your 12 years old.  Also, I liked how she pointed out how the young girls image of the perfect Mormon woman (Marie Osmond) is really just an illusion.  That crushing pressure to be the PERFECT Mormon and the PERFECT woman is a very dangerous thing that is VERY prevalent in the church, especially in Utah.



The second half of the book kind of took a turn I didn't expect.  Brooks ends up leaving the church after the church declared feminists, intellectuals, and gays & lesbians to be its enemies.  It was very hard for Brooks being a feminist to see her mentor's get fired from BYU for speaking out against it and being feminists.  I REALLY admire her courage to stand up for what she knows to be right, even though it meant leaving her beloved church.  She still loves the church and it's traditions and wants to be a part of it.  I liked how she kept talking about the church of her grandparents and the church of today and how she will hold onto and keep her faith in the church of her grandparents. 

I love that she is wise enough to take all the good she sees in it and leave what she sees as the bad.  She doesn't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak.  So many people find one fault or one mistake and they have to completely run away from it and fight tooth and nail against it.  Brooks doesn't do that.  She just does what she has been taught all her life (even taught by the church) and that is standing up for what she believes to be right.



I think why I really just didn't love this book was her writing style.  It just tried too hard to be poetic and romantic. Quite a few times I hard a hard time following the actual story or message because I just got lost in the language and didn't get her metaphors and simile's.



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Upgrade Day!!!

Finally a new phone.  I've had this one for 4 years and am happy to say good bye!

Entertainment center before

...and after. Jerry stained the same TV stand and we got shelves for our movies. I still need doors for the shelf that's hanging on the wall, but a huge improvement. Now if only we could get a flat TV, but all things in time:)

Our Christmas Trip

Snowboarding with Jerry and my mom.

It was FREEZING, but at least it snowed.

My mom and me.

Windburn.  Seriously, it was SO cold.  But we had a blast!

North Pole Express.  We had to take the boys (Jonah especially) because he is obsessed with trains, and particularly "The Polar Express"

It was really fun, the boys loved it.

Jonah was almost in shock, it was so neat.

One happy boy.

You ride the train to the "North Pole" where Santa got on the train, went to each child and gave them a sleigh bell.

Oliver was very interested in that bell.

Christmas Eve we got to visit my sister that I hardly ever get to see.  These are my nieces and nephew.

I just had to put this picture in.  Jonah wearing a Back to The Future shirt and a Star Trooper helmet.  Too Cool.

The girls-Emily and me.  Josie, Tenley, Sofia, and Cortnie

The Guys-Jerry, Oliver, Christian, and Jonah (My Bro-in-Law wasn't there)

Christmas Eve Dinner at Wingers-a Tradition (well, whenever we are in town)

Christmas morning.  Jonah got the Polar Express Train he was begging for for months.  He loves it of course.

Jerry, his dad, and his brother and nephew all got remote control helicopters for Christmas and this is what they were doing all day.

Oliver got this drum filled with musical instruments.

Some of the cousins singing Christmas songs along with the player piano.  It was such a blast.

Most of my family-One of my sisters lives in Kansas and wasn't there, we missed her and her family!  (Luckily, they live right along the route to Utah,  so it was good to stop and visit with them on the way and the way back.)

Our New Years Eve-in the car driving back from Utah to Georgia.  We stopped at a gas station and got ice cream to celebrate.

We also had some sparklers.  But they we old and wouldn't light.  We just pulled over at midnight in a parking lot for the New Year.  Maybe not glamorous, but memorable.  This is Jodi, Paige, and Spencer-our Nieces and Nephew that live right by us in Georgia, they went with us on our trip and just made the drive awesome!!

Book Review: The Pioneer Woman. Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A quick, fun read.  It actually made me wish that I could write my own love story, but I certainly don't remember that many details and I'm not much of a writer.

It was fun to read about all their first dates and how they were just crazy about each other from the get go.  I wish there was a little more detail's about Marlboro Man.  It didn't really give you any insight to his character or personality.  The only details she gave were how he made HER feel which was fine, but a little one sided.

Anyway, if you like a good love story, read it.



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