The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

I've been trying to write a decent review on this book for the last few days and I just can't seem to come up with anything that does it justice, so I'll just post what it says on the author's web site (sorry, it is a bit long).

My name is Kvothe, pronounced nearly the same as "quothe." Names are important as they tell you a great deal about a person. I've had more names than anyone has a right to. The Adem call me Maedre. Which, depending on how it's spoken, can mean The Flame, The Thunder, or The Broken Tree.
"The Flame" is obvious if you've ever seen me. I have red hair, bright. If I had been born a couple of hundred years ago I would probably have been burned as a demon. I keep it short but it's unruly. When left to its own devices, it sticks up and makes me look as if I have been set afire.
"The Thunder" I attribute to a strong baritone and a great deal of stage training at an early age.
I've never thought of "The Broken Tree" as very significant. Although in retrospect, I suppose it could be considered at least partially prophetic.
My first mentor called me E'lir because I was clever and I knew it. My first real lover called me Dulator because she liked the sound of it. I have been called Shadicar, Lightfinger, and Six-String. I have been called Kvothe the Bloodless, Kvothe the Arcane, and Kvothe Kingkiller. I have earned those names. Bought and paid for them.
But I was brought up as Kvothe. My father once told me it meant "to know."
I have, of course, been called many other things. Most of them uncouth, although very few were unearned.
I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.
You may have heard of me.

So begins the tale of Kvothe—from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe as a notorious magician, an accomplished thief, a masterful musician, and an infamous assassin. But The Name of the Wind is so much more—for the story it tells reveals the truth behind Kvothe's legend.

This book is fabulous! It was long and involved and it took me a little while to get through it but it was worth it. But now I have to wait until the next book comes out, which according to Rothfuss won't be for a while.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

"Lights shine in the city of Ember—but at the city limits the light ends, and darkness takes over. Out there in the Unknown Regions, the darkness goes on forever in all directions. Ember—so its people believe—is the only light in the dark world. And now the lights of the city are beginning to fail. Is there a way to save the people of Ember? No one knows. But Lina Mayfleet has found a puzzling document, and Doon Harrow has made discoveries down in the Pipeworks. With these clues, they start their search."

I enjoyed this book. It is a quick read and a fun read. I did find the darkness clausterphobic and it made me anxious,and made me crave the imagry of a tree and blue sky. But that is because the writing is well done. This is the first in a series of four. I am looking forward to the other three books.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

After my mom, my husband and my 11 year old daughter read this book - I finally got my turn! It was fantastic. Exciting, interesting and a quick read. Keep in mind this is meant for a young adult audience. (And I think it is being made into a movie!) Here is a summery I found on a Hunger Games website:

Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death - televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

And the cool thing is that it is part of a trilogy! The second book is already out and the third book is due out this fall.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The setting is the future ruins of North America. The population is divided into 12 districts and ruled by the Capitol. Each year the Capitol holds the Hunger Games requiring 2 youth from each district as tribute. These 24 kids are placed in an arena concocted by the Capitol. These gladiators must fight to the death because the Games end only when one survives. Sixteen year old Katniss volunteers as the female tribute from District 12 in place of her younger sister. A skilled hunter and tracker, she will need these traits to stay alive in an environment where even the elements are against you.
I thought this book was incredible! I read most of it in a single day (if you can count staying up until 3 am the next morning). The depth of the characters and the intense plot do not disappoint. Just a warning though, this is the first book in a trilogy so be prepared for a certain amount of plot to be unresolved. The next book, Catching Fire, comes out this September.

Dark Angel by Robert Kirby

A friend of mine loaned me this book when I had my last baby. I was highly skeptical for 2 reasons: the plot seemed hokey and it was a "mormon" novel. But I picked it up and couldn't put it down, which was good because I was constantly feeding my newborn. Kirby is a Mormon satirist who has a column that pokes fun of Mormon culture in the Salt Lake tribune. This book is not satire, however. I would put it in the same genre as These Is My Words. It is the story of a young girl growing up in Salt Lake Valley during the Brigham Young era. She is the daughter of the first wife of a polygamist bishop. (See, ick, right?) Robert Kirby handles the polygamy issue with humor and sympathy. Anyway, she is a tomboy and when a mysterious man saves her and her sister from a pretty bad situation the family takes this mysterious Dark Angel in. He sleeps in the barn and helps out around the farm. Rumors about this cold blooded stranger take the community by storm and the plot thickens. Anyway, it was a great read. I loved imagining the Salt Lake Valley back in the pre-overdeveloped era. I loved the portrayal of the family. I really loved this book. It was a very fun read. My mom read it and loved it too, and was also surprised she liked it so much. And it is hokey and silly at times. But still it is a fun read.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman also wrote the book Stardust. I saw the movie, with Claire Danes, which came out a few years ago, and wanted to read the book. I liked the book but it just wasn't quite as exciting as the movie. The plots are very similar but Hollywood jazzes up the ending a bit. Both are good though and I would recommend them in any order.

Tristan is a young man in love. And to prove his love he offers to go across the wall to find a fallen star and bring it back to the lovely Victoria. The wall marks the boundary between our world and another very different world. There Tristan finds many adventures waiting for him along with a fallen star that is much more feminine than a celestial rock.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

If you haven't heard, The Graveyard Book is the newest winner of the Newberry Medal. And now that I've read it I can say it was well deserved. I thought this was a fabulous book and Gaiman has an incredible writing style.

The story is about a little boy, whose family is murdered but he escapes with a little luck and some help from the ghosts in the local cemetery. Nobody Owens, Bod, grows up in the graveyard learning the ways of the dead, protected from the murderer that is still searching for him. However there are other dangers that Bod encounters, including the Indigo Man, a Ghoul Gate and the mysterious Sleer. He has help along the way, from his guardian Silas, a witch's ghost and a living girl named Scarlett.

Note: If you like Gaiman's tales, you might also be interested in the movie that is out right now called Coraline, based on his children's book.

Little Britches by Ralph Moody

My Grandma recommended I read this book, and now I second her recommendation, and will tell you basically what she told me.  This certainly isn't fine literature, or deep material, but it is a good story and I loved the relationship between the young son, Ralph, and his Father.  It is the story of the authors childhood.  His family, for health reasons, left New England and made a go at a life as ranchers outside of Denver in the early 20th century.  Ralph is in love with his new cowboy life and gets into lots of mischief, but is always guided by his fathers wisdom, love, and goodness.  The writing is somewhat abrupt and not terribly refined, but the story and narration kept me going. I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the sequels.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Follow the story of Santiago, a shepherd's son, who fantasizes of grander adventures than his current situation warrants. Then one night he dreams that he must go to the Pyramids in Egypt to seek his fortune. Along the way he meets, a gypsy, a king, a thief, a merchant, a beautiful girl and finally the alchemist. Some mean to help, others to hinder him, but eventually Santiago must look inside to find truth in life.
It is an incredible journey, with set backs and hardship but also enlightenment and success. Written like a fable or parable, it is very inspirational and applicable to all. The book will not take long to read, but it is one that you will want to return to again, for further insights. The book was originally written in Portuguese, and has been translated into more than 50 languages.

These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner

These is my Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 is a fictional journal of the author's actual ancestor who worked to survive in Arizona Territory. There are stories about Indians, cattle, family, heartache and love all told from Sarah's voice. She is an uneducated pioneer with a desire to learn and endure, which helps her through most of the situations in her life. My sister in-law introduced me to this book when I first moved to Arizona. I of course couldn't put it down, and for a few days I lived in an Arizona that was 100 years younger. It really is an incredible portrayal of the American West. There is also a sequel, Sarah's Quilt, if you are interested in more of her story. It was good, but I didn't like it as much as These is my Words.

Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose

I read this book too many years ago to give a good summary so I am stealing from Amazon:

"A biography of Meriwether Lewis that relies heavily on the journals of both Lewis and Clark, this book is also backed up by the author's personal travels along Lewis and Clark's route to the Pacific. Ambrose is not content to simply chronicle the events of the "Corps of Discovery" as the explorers called their ventures. He often pauses to assess the military leadership of Lewis and Clark, how they negotiated with various native peoples and what they reported to Jefferson. Though the expedition failed to find Jefferson's hoped for water route to the Pacific, it fired interest among fur traders and other Americans, changing the face of the West forever."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The story is captivating and truly an adventure. I am a big fan of Stephen Ambrose.

Peter and the Starcatchers By Dave Barry and Riddly Pearson

Peter was the leader of the orphan boys because he was the oldest – or so he claimed. And because he could spit the farthest. Not that it did him much good, shipped off aboard a leaky old bilge bucket to be the servant of a tyrant king.But Peter and his mates aren't the only ones on the Never Land...Why is a trunk holding "the greatest treasure on earth" aboard the stinking, worm-ridden ship? Does it contain gold, jewels – or something far more mysterious and dangerous? And what is Molly, the beautiful daughter of a rich diplomat, hiding from Peter? (this is a summery from someone else but I forgot who and can't find it again. I will keep trying)

I really liked this book it was a fun quick read and is the first in a series of three. It is the story of how Peter becomes Peter Pan and Neverland becomes what it is. I have not read the others yet so if someone who has wants to post about them that would be great!