Unbroken: An Olympian’s Journey From Airman to Castaway to Captive by Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken:  An Olympian’s Journey From Airman to Castaway to Captive (The Young Adult Adaptation of Unbroken) by Laura Hillenbrand is an amazing and fascinating non-fiction novel.  With never a dull moment, Louie Zamperini’s adventurous story kept my attention from beginning to end.  Just when you think things couldn’t possibly get any worse for him, they do!  It’s hard to believe he actually survived drifting on a life raft in the Pacific ocean for 47 days and then being tortured and humiliated as a POW. 

I highly recommend this to anyone!  It is well researched and very informative, giving me insight into a life of a POW that I had no clue about.  Unimaginable horrific things actually happened to our POW’s during World War II.  I was afraid this was going to read like a history book, but it really doesn’t.  It is very well written and stayed on my mind long after I put it down.   I found it astonishing that Louie lived to be 97 after all he went through. 

(Karen's review, 5 stars)

 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"The White Cascade" by Gary Krist is Captivating!

Fantastic Read--Captivating!

The White Cascade--The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America's Deadliest Avalanche by Gary Krist is the second captivating book I've read by this author and both are fantastic reads!  This non-fiction book is about two trains that were stuck in a huge snowstorm and were eventually hit by an avalanche!  The writing is what makes this book so good.  You hear from the people on the trains, the people trying to help, and the one person in charge of the railroad at the time.  I got the sense I was right there!  I hope Gary Krist writes another book; I'll be sure to read it too!

See my review of the other book I read by Gary Krist:  City of Scoundrels about Chicago.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

We are donating 50 cents for each legitimate comment we receive on all our blogs during May to Joni and Friends for Camp Scholarships for families with special needs children.

"Intervention" by Terri Blackstock

Intervention is A Real Page Turner!
This is a fiction story about a mother who tries to get help for her daughter, Emily, who is on drugs by having an intervention.  The person who is going to help the daughter gets killed while escorting Emily on the way to the rehab center and then the daughter is missing.  The last 100 pages of this book are really good.  That’s when the action starts
(Gerard's Review 2/19/10)  (5 stars)

Intervention by Terri Blackstock is a book about a single mother’s love for her children and the struggle to help her daughter, Emily, get off drugs.  What begins as an intervention quickly turns into a nightmare involving murder and Emily’s fight for survival.  I found this book to be interesting, exciting and captivating.  The author wrote from first-hand experience with her own daughter who had a drug problem.  This is Christian fiction that shows the power of prayer and how God intervenes in our lives.  The ending was predictable as with most Christian fiction, but not the journey getting there.  I liked this book and think any parent would find it interesting and could relate to the mother.

(Karen's Review 2/13/10)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

I loved The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  I finished it in just two days it was so hard to put down.  Even when I wasn’t reading it, I still was thinking about it.  This is the first book in the series and I am hooked!  It takes place in a fictional country called Panem that the Capitol controls which is divided into districts based on industry.  Just to make sure everyone realizes the Capitol is in control, they run annual Hunger Games where they force two teens from each district to enter a competition to fight to the death in a place that the game makers pick on live TV. 

Katniss is the main character, a 16-yr-old girl who is a good hunter and who volunteers to take your younger sister’s place.  The boy from her district that is also chosen has a long-time crush on her but she does not realize it until he mentions it in his interview.  Katniss struggles with not only surviving the game, but also with friendships and her feelings for Peeta, her admirer and her friend Gale, the boy she hunted with before having to leave for the hunger games. 

There is humor in the book as well because Peeta and Katniss both have a rebellious attitude toward the Capitol and try not to let the game change them.  I especially liked when they went through their training for the show and Katniss outscored everyone by impressing the gamemakers with her talent and spunk.  

This book is awesome!  This is a must read if you like psychological thrillers and adventure.  This is one of my all-time favorite books and I look forward to reading the rest of series!  If you like the TV show, Survivor, you will love The Hunger Games since there are some similarities.
(Karen's review)

Are you kidding me?  one of the best books I ever read was Pack of Two but this book is it's equal!  What an awesome book!  The Hunger Games is about a young teen girl who takes the place of her younger sister in the fight to the death annual TV show.  I could not put this book down and I hear the second book in this series, Catching Fire is even better!  Wow!  I can't wait to read it too! (100 stars)
 (Gerard's review)




Reviews by Other Blogers:
For What It's Worth: The Hunger Games and Catching Fire
Bloggin' 'bout Books: The Hunger Games Will Eat You Up and Spit You Out Only After Taking You On An Edge-Of-Your-Seat Thrill Ride

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?