HOME FRONT by Kristin Hannah

This is the first book I have read of Kristin's, it will not be the last.

Jolene Zarkades did not have a good childhood, growing up in an abusive and alcoholic home.  Her parents were killed just before she finishes high school.  Alone she goes to get legal aid about staying alone.  After school, alone and broke she joins the military and becomes a pilot.
Fast forward, and she is married to the young man that helped her at legal aid and mother of two girls.  She is still flying helicopters and in the Guard.  Her best friend, whom she met in the mi,Italy lives next door and is also a pilot and in the Guard.  They get the call that they are being called up and sent to Iraq.  Jolene and her husband Michael have hit a rough spot in their marriage and the deployment does not help.
What will happen?  Will they come back safe and sound?
The book will go from home to the front line.  Giving insight into military lives and their families that are left behind.

AMAZON - Home Front

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

FALLING HOME by Karen White

A quick and easy read.  This is the second book I have read from Karen.  I look forward to reading more stories from her.

Cassie and Harriet grew up in a little town Walton, Georgia.  Their mother died when they were young.  They were raised by their father and his sister.  Cassie liked Joe, only to find out that Harriet and Joe ran away to get married.  So, what does she do?  She leaves and goes to New York.  She gets an MBA, works at an advertising firm and is engaged to the owner.  She reinvents herself, losing all her Southern charms.  It has been 15 years and she has not been home since.  She is still in contact with her dad.  

She gets a call from Harriet that their dad is dying.  She leaves and goes home.  She runs into Sam another childhood friend and the friend who let her know about Harriet and Joe.

After the death of their father, the girls go about sorting through his things.  They come upon love letters to him that indicate he fathered another child.  Then just as they are finding their way, Harriet receives bad news.

Can they work through their issues?  Will Harriet go back to New York?

AMAZON - Falling Home

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE SUMMER by Jenny Han

A very fast read about first love and loving two different people.

Isabel -Belly- Conklin grew up with Conrad and Jeremiah-Jere-Fisher.  There families, including Belly's brother Steven were very close.  Conrad was Belly's first love.  Even though he let her down.  After his mothers death he transferred to a college in California to continue his pre med.  After he let Belly down, she and Jere hooked up and stayed together even through her fist and his second year of college.  They attended the same college.  Jere and his frat brothers decide to go to Cabo for spring break.  Belly goes home, as she is wanting to go home and see her family.  Later at the end of the year, she finds out Jere cheated on her while he was in Cabo.  They break up only to become engaged to marry.  But, can she give her heart completely to Jere?  Or, does a part still belong to Conrad?  Who will she choose?

AMAZON - We'll always have summer

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

HARRY POTTER and the CHAMBER of SECRETS by J. K. Rowling

Book two of the Harry Potter series.
After a horrible summer with his aunt, uncle and cousin; Harry is rescued.  Ron Weasley and his twin brothers come to get Harry in their fathers magic flying car.
They are about to start the second year at Hogwarts.  This year Ron's younger sister Ginny will be starting there.  The wall opening for the train to school won't open and Ron and Harry miss the train.  They fly Mr. Weasley's car to school.
The chamber of secrets is a myth among the students, or is it.   50 years ago the chamber was opened, a girl died and Hagrid was accused and expelled from the school.
Strange things are going on spiders all walking in lines and leaving the school.  A flood, people becoming petrified.
One of those being Hermione.   Harry and Ron try to solve the puzzle alone, as Hagrid has been sent to jail and Professor Dumbledore has been forced to leave.  It is said only a dark wizard can open the chamber.  Is is also said that it is guarded by a monster.  However, many have look for it and failed to find it.
Harry turns out to be a Parseltongue or someone who can speak to and understand snakes.
This is news to Harry.   Draco Malfoy, is also still tormenting Harry.

AMAZON - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

CHRISTMAS, PRESENT by Jacquelyn Mitchard

A quick and sad holiday read.

Elliott and his wife Laura were married on 12/23. They have 3 daughters.  He can't remember if this is their 14 or 15th wedding anniversary.  It is their 14th.  They go out to eat and to Cirque Du Soleil show.  After the show Laura has a very bad headache, which turns out to be a hemorrhage.  She is going to die and soon.  They gather the family around.  Then afterward it goes on a little bit with a trip to Paris for Elliott and the girls.  Something he promised Laura.

AMAZON  - Christmas, Present

SANDY SAYS 2/3 STARS

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE by J.K. Rowling

I never read these stories or watched any of the movies, until now.  I am enjoying this book and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Harry's parents are killed and he is placed with his mothers sister and her family.  They are "muggles" or someone that is nonmagic.  It turns out they do not tell Harry anything about his past-he came to live with them as a baby.  They and their son are cruel to Harry.  Harry is a famous wizard, having survived being killed by wizard that no one mentions his name out of fear.

Hagrid arrives to bring Harry to Hogwarts school, for wizards and witches.  This story takes you through his first year and his troubles and triumphs.
Harry becomes friends with Ron, who's older brothers have graduated from or are still in Hogwarts.  A pesky girl Hermione makes them miserable until they become friends.  The trio are always up to something.   The students are split into 4 houses.  The sorting hat, tells them which house they will be in; after the first year student puts the hat on, before the banquet given on the first day. The trio are all assigned to Gryffindor house.
Draco Malfoy's father is rich and powerful and Draco is a bully and a coward. He is always picking on the group.  Draco is in the Slytherin house.
Harry is about to learn lots of interesting things.  He also spends Christmas at the school and has the best Christmas of his life, complete with presents and a big feast.

I have seen the first 5 movies and am enjoying them.  By watching the movies it has made reading the book easier with the names, etc

AMAZON - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

This is a fast, action packed read.  I throughly enjoyed it.  Am definitely looking forward to the movie that is due out in March 2014.

The country is divided into 6 factions.
Abnegation- the political leaders, a group that believes in helping others and selfishness.  They also don't call attention to themselves, by wearing gray.
Amity-a group that is at peace with everything, making music and making people laugh. They dress in red and or yellow.
Candor-this group is honest, they usually wear black and white-like they see everything.
Dauntless-they dress in black and defend the areas.  They are loud and have fun and do crazy things; like jumping off a moving train.
Erudite-a well educated group.  They tend to be the scientists.
Factionless-the people that do not fit into any of the other factions, they have failed the initiations into the other factions.

All children at the age of 16 go through a simulation that will determine which faction they will belong to.  They then go to the choosing ceremony and pick the faction they choose or are assigned to.  They have to go through initiations with their new faction and have to pass to become a member.  The story follows Beatrice a member of Abnegation.
A wrench in the process is some members are divergent.

AMAZON - Divergent

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS

THE HERO-A Thunder Point Novel by Robyn Carr

This is the third in the Thunder Point series.  Another very quick and fun story.

Devon is a single mother to her three year old daughter Mercy.  They live in a commune and the leader is Mercy's dad.  Devon was at a low point in her life when she met Jacob and went to live at the commune.  Things start to become different and when offered a chance to take Mercy-against Jacobs orders-and leave, she runs.
She if offered a ride by Rawley, who works at the bar in Thunder Point but lives a little ways out.
He recognizes Devon's look as being one of the women from the commune.  He sets out to win her trust and to help her.  As she is welcomed by the town of Thunder Point, she starts to trust and settle in.   But, always on the lookout for Jacobs men.  She finds a job and even meets Spencer and they start to date.

Will the other women and children escape?  Will Devon finally have what she thinks of as a normal life?

AMAZON - The Hero

SANDY SAYS 3/3 STARS