"Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford

Some of the ladies in our new ward have a book group and I have been trying to participate as much as I can - which so far means I've read two of the books, but haven't attended any of the monthly meetings. I figure I'll get there at some point.

This is the book we're reading for January and although I struggled to really get into it - the beginning is very slow - I ended up liking it.

The story is about a young Chinese boy, Henry Lee, living in Seattle during WWII. He befriends a Japanese girl, Keiko, and an innnocent love develops between the two of them. His father, however, adamantly disapproves of the friendship because the Japanese are the enemy. Henry, however, refuses to give up his friendship with Keiko, but the two of them struggle to maintain contact after her family is sent to an internment camp in Idaho.

Jumping back and forth between 1942 and 1986, the story slowly pieces together what happened with Henry and Keiko. The book also explores the relationship between Henry and his ultra-Chinese father, as well as the relationship between Henry and his own son, Marty. Despite my dislike of the writing style, I did enjoy reading about the cultural conflicts taking place right here in the United States during WWII. The perspective of the Chinese Americans during that time is something I never thought about before. It was a difficult and confusing time for many of them, especially those like the fictional Henry Lee who didn't see any difference between themselves and their Japanese friends.

Overall, it wasn't my favorite book, but I'm glad I read it.

"Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Every once in a while, when I'm not completely bogged down with reading for one of my many English classes, I find time to read something just for fun.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to grab "Into Thin Air" off the shelf at work. I remember when it first came out and my brother Brian read it (being a climbing enthusiast) and told me how good it was. So all these years later, I finally decided I should give it a try.

Most horrifying story I have ever read in my life.

I cannot believe what people go through to climb Mount Everest. It's true that you have to have some level of craziness to even want to attempt it. I never realized how incredibly difficult (is that the world's greatest understatement?) it is for people to do this. And reading about a climb where so many people died was heartbreaking.

Jon did an amazing job describing the events of that fatal Everest climb. Despite being horrified the entire time, I couldn't put the book down. Jon writes it in such a way that you have to keep reading because you have to find out what happens to everyone. I admire his courage in writing such a difficult and personal story, especially since so many of the survivors have had to deal with countless problems because of their experience on the mountain.

I don't regret reading this. It took me long enough and now I know why people always say how good it is, but also seem to shudder when they say it.

Most of all, I am very, VERY grateful that none of my loved ones have dreams of climbing Everest.

"Middlemarch" by George Eliot

Did I really forget to write about this?!

I read Middlemarch in one of my English classes last semester and absolutely fell in love with this story, its characters, and George Eliot.

George Eliot is actually Mary Ann Evans writing with a male pen name. She is brilliant and this story is beautiful. All about the people living in the English town of Middlemarch, Eliot somehow offers an intimate view of everyone, rather than just one or two characters. The book is over a thousand pages long, but I promise you it's worth the time and effort.

Of all the classics I've read... THIS is my favorite! Eliot blows Jane Austen out of the water. Sorry all you Austen fans (I happen to be one myself), but I personally believe she does. I hope you enjoy her style and depth as much as I do.

"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert

The incredible true story of Elizabeth Gilbert and her year-long journey around the world to find, essentially... God. She visits Italy, India, and Indonesia - spending four months in each place and spending that time to find the important pieces missing from her life.

Liz (I feel like she's a friend of mine) tells her story with so much honesty and warmth. Her experiences make me want to have more wonderful experiences of my own. I want to explore the world and discover those things that she discovered. I think that if I didn't have the Gospel in my life, I would be Liz Gilbert in a way! A friend once told me, "I don't know what souls are made of, but whatever it is, so-and-so's soul and mine are made of the same thing."

That's how I feel about Liz Gilbert! I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. You can skip chapter 100 if you want, but other than that a little bit of language you shouldn't feel too nervous. The story is beautiful, the people are beautiful, the places are beautiful. But most of all, Elizabeth Gilbert is beautiful and talented and I appreciate her life and her story for so many reasons.

Besides, I love eating, I love praying, and I love loving!!!

"Shattered Silence" by Melissa G. Moore

Wow. This is a memoir by Melissa G. Moore, the daughter of the notorious Happy Face Killer. She tells the story of her childhood, her experiences of growing up in a tumultuous family and social situation, and the shock and shame of discovering (at the age of 15) that her father was a serial killer.

I read this entire book yesterday. It's on the shelf at work and one of my coworkers had been telling me about it, so I picked it up during some down time yesterday and read here and there throughout my shift. And then decided that I didn't want to stop reading, so I took a copy home with me and couldn't put it down!

I love memoirs so much. They are definitely my favorite because I learn so much from the experiences and life lessons of others. Melissa lived through some extremely terrifying moments in her life, but she has a great lesson to share with the world - one of faith and of standing up to the trials we face. I was so moved by her optimism and her reliance on God even before she realized the role He could play in her life. I truly believe that this women was given her specific set of trials so that she could share her story and help others to overcome the terror in their own lives. I am so thankful that I've never had to live through any of the experiences that Melissa dealt with from a very young age, but I am also very thankful for her story.

If you're interested at all, don't hesitate to read this. The details of Melissa's life are given with tact and as un-graphically as possible. If it was good enough to read in one day, well... there must be something there, right?! I loved it. And I think I'll hug Melissa when I meet her on the other side someday.

"The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck

Read this one.

Just do it!

I absolutely love Glenn Beck and this book is on our shelves at work, so I finally picked it up and started reading it one day. But eventually I got tired of only getting through a few pages or a chapter every a couple of days, so I bought a copy and took it home. And I have to say...

This story is beautiful and amazing. It's a story based on people and experiences from Glenn's life, but isn't a story of an actual experience. If that makes sense at all. Eddie (aka Glenn as a boy) just wants a red Huffy for Christmas, but instead receives a sweater from his mother. And from there he learns the true meaning of Christmas and why it is important to love those around us.

This book is a new favorite and I really wish everyone would take the time to read it. I was so touched and want to share this gift with all of you. You're welcome to borrow my copy - that's just how much I want you to read it!

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte

We read "Jane Eyre" for my Literary Criticism class this semester and even though I had already read it (a few years ago), I really enjoyed it the second time through.

I like to think of Charlotte Bronte in the same terms as Jane Austen. Their books come from the same time period and although I've only read this one Bronte in comparison to several of Austen's, they have so many similarities.

"Jane Eyre" is romantic and captivating. Jane plays the role of "every woman" which is what I think makes her so appealing to female readers. She's a classic heroine and has bits of wisdom that I think I should apply in my own life. Like striving to be honest at all times and living according to a clear conscience. It is also a love story and a pretty powerful one at that!

I will admit that the Old English writing style can be a bit boring at times. I had a hard time getting through the first 100 pages or so the first time I read this one, and struggled the entire way through the second time since I already knew the ending and wasn't driven forward by the suspense. But if you haven't read it, give it a try. And don't give up if you're a little bored in the beginning. It gets better and hopefully you'll love it!

"Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

"Ella Enchanted" is another childhood favorite! Like "Walk Two Moons," I've probably read "Ella" about a dozen times. I will admit that I still haven't seen the movie so I can't tell you how it relates, but I can tell you how much I love the book.

Ella is a classic Cinderella character, but with a little twist to the original story. Ella is cursed. She was given the gift of obedience as an infant by a well-meaning but hapless fairy. The "gift" however, creates more trial than blessing for Ella. She has to be obedient when given a command, so if someone told her to jump off a cliff... well you get the idea.

This might be my very favorite Cinderella story ever. It makes the classic fairytale princess seem real and even flawed. Ella is wonderful and I love reading about her over and over again. I think I read this book every year for a long time. It's been a while, but I read it again about a month ago and fell in love with Prince Charming and the Fairy Godmother all over again. Not to mention Ella!

"Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech

Let's see if I can catch up on my book reviews a bit. How about one of my all-time favorites first?

My childhood friend Katie Casteel gave me my first (and only) copy of "Walk Two Moons" when I was eight or nine. At first I thought it was a little strange that she gave me a book for my birthday, but read it anyway and absolutely loved it! I can't tell you how many times I've read it since then. In 13 or 14 years I have probably read it 13 or 14 times. It is beautiful beyond words.

The story of Salamanca Tree Hiddle (yes, that is her name) is mysterious, heartwarming, and hilarious. Sal is a young girl looking for truth and direction in her life, which I think everyone can relate to. And I'm always surprised by how anxious I am to get to the end - as if the words on those well-loved pages might have changed since my last reading. And I'm always touched when the end comes. It doesn't matter how well I know what's coming. I'm always moved.

If that doesn't tell you that Creech is a fantastic writer, then I don't know what will. Read this one. It will always be one of my favorites and one that I always want to share! Let's see how many more readings I can get through before my book falls apart...

"Left to Tell" by Immaculee Ilibagiza

This book, "Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust," is one of the most powerful memoirs I have ever read. Immaculee lived through one of the worst genocides in the history of the world and, in my opinion, the most heartbreaking.

The Rwandan Genocide took place in 1994 when one of the three tribes in Rwanda rose up against another. One million Tutsi citizens were killed by their Hutu neighbors, coworkers, and friends. Immaculee tells her story in this book and shares how she made it through the terror and tragedy of that event by relying on her faith in God.

This book is beautiful. It is very graphic and absolutely heartwrenching, but in its pages, I developed a great love and appreciation for Immaculee and her family. My sister Kelly tried to get me to read this for months and months and I'm so glad I finally did. Just to see such beautiful faith and to truly feel the connection that this incredible woman has with God. I hope to be able to hug her, and her brother Damascene, as well as the rest of her family someday. And to thank her for sharing her story with me.

A dear friend of mine always tells me that he has a list of people that he wants to see first when he gets to the other side. I want to see Immaculee Ilibagiza if I don't have a chance to meet her in this life!