Undomesticated Goddess by Sophie Kensella

Growing up in a buiness tied family, Samantha finds it normal that she works in 6 minute intervals, is tied to three phones, and constantly checks her email. As a top lawyer in London Samantha has been striving to become a new partner, but when she thinks shes made a huge mistake in a work file runs for it. Waking up with a hangover shes barley recalls how she ended up in a mansion with a maids job. For the first time she has to learn house jobs such as making coffee and turning on a washing machine. I really liked this book and love hearing all the different slangs becuase Kensella is a british writer. Its interesting on how some of their perseption on things is so different and sometimes the mention of an american joke adds to the humor. Ive read most of her other books and her stories are always funny with interesting characters. Her books are usually around 300-400 pages but their quick to get through if someones interested.

Confessions of Georgia Nicolson Louise Rennison's

Ive been reading these books since 5th grade and sad that this 10th one is the last. Georgia is just an average teenager in the UK describing her life in funny talks and details of her physco cats, oblivious parents, school and friends. I was surprised to hear that alot of the books characters and story was based off real people in Louise Rennisons life; she even said her mother has read them--though claimed to be nothing like herself in the book. I think it's funny how she could make such a humorous book out of her life and become a best seller that way. There a fun and easy read and would suggest this book to someone who likes a light and funny book.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

I would suggest this book to anybody because the story can connect with anybody. As a struggling racecar driver, Denny and his dog Enzo are trying to live through the horrors of lossing Eve, Dennys wife, and getting custody of his daughter. Because Dennys racing league, unlike NASCAR actually races in the rain, hence the title, hes able to learn lessons about life and how to handle things through the difficulties of driving. The reason why I believe this book sets itself apart from others is it perspective, which is not from Dennys, but from his dog Enzo. Because his addition to the history channel hes convinced that he will return in his next life as human. He strives to follow human customs, yet struggles to communicate because of his 'lose tounge'. He wants to support Denny and speak up for what he knows about the custody case for Dennys daughter after hes convicted of 'child molesting'. Though it may sounds like an odd book, its refreshing and a great read for anyone.

Dear John Nicholas Sparks

Yes, another Nicholas Sparks book, but I like to read books before the movie comes because if the opposite is done, I feel like the characters in the movie influence your own thoughts and imagination of the characters and plot in the book. And since the movie was on its way out, I'm glad I picked it up. Yes, another sappy story, but I was dissappointed in the ending because it wasnt the "happily ever after" many books turn out to be. Which I love and hate. Love becuase its how I always want it to end, but then its so predicted its not as exciting as it should be. But unlike alot of books the ending killed me because it did not end OK. I dont want to give it away but my favorite characters did not end with what they wanted, which killed me, but I also think it left the reader more attached to the story because it became more real because rarley in life is their a fairy tail ending.

Alices Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Copywrited in 1941, Lewis Carroll tells his tale of Alices adventures. Because like many kids, I grew up watching every Disney movie, I never really understood Alice in Wonderland. Just that a younge, curiouse girl, kept growing and shrinking talking to odd creatures including a catipillar and dissappearing cat. I'm glad I picked up this book because it really was an interesting read. Falling into a sleep and telling the story of her vivid dream, Alice questions things nonstop. Why is it always tea time? How can a rabbit even read time? She reflects back on events that occured through her life and always second guesses the odd creatures of her dreams. Like the movie, theres a scene where a catipillar is smoking Huka and it seemed so odd becuase there would never be such a thing in a child story now with all the parental issues and censorship. Even though it is a child story, I really believe it mentions other matteres that do appeal to other people, like many child movies or books that are produced now.

Book Review:

At first glance, the appeal of Alice springs from the visual richness and variety of the stories. Quite apart from any perceived meaning of the plot or any level of characterization, the books can be read as a glorious gambol, an infinite feast of eye candy. Strange wondrous creatures in a fantastical land -- what more could the reader ask for? Indeed, the surface flash of Alice should not be discounted, as it's what younger readers will latch onto first. I remember reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass as a child in just this way, analogous to my child's perspective of Gulliver's Travels. Such books puzzled me, but I liked the way they sparked my imagination (in particular, I remember being fascinated with the scene where the Lilliputians try to tie down Gulliver, and similar scenes where Alice becomes much bigger or smaller than others). As an adult, I still crave that sense of wonder and Carroll never lets me down. Swift's book is not so easy to re-read with the child's perspective as an adult -- Swift's complex screed against the follies of humanity (to characterize the meaning of the book somewhat baldly) obtrudes on the consciousness. It's trickier to discern Carroll's intent with Alice, if there is one, and so it's easier to enjoy the books at the most obvious level. More on the hunt for meaning in Alice in a minute.

--James Schellenberg

I agree with Schellenger about the interetsing take of the story and that its so different then children stories we have now and the strange characters make the book so rememberable.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

A magical adventure through out, I really enjoyed this book. Told from the two perspectives of Sam and Grace, they retell the struggles of their childhood and strange encounters through their years. This becuase during her senior year, Grace finds odd things have been happening around her quiet town in Minnasoda. Once the mysterious solved shes almost relived to find out the wolves that so magesticly reside in the near woods happen to be "werewolves" in a not so werewolfy way. I liked the authors take on her idea of mystical creatures and also her crisp descripition and down to earth dialoge was refreshing.

The Last Song Nicholas Sparks

Im happy I chose this book because, like other Sparks books its an easy mood filled book. The book is about Ronnie and her dads realtionship and how is developes as she reeneters into his life only to find out he has cancer. I like that Sparks, every chapter, would switch the perspective to different charcters through out the book. Unlike alot of books that follow that pattern, each charcters doesnt talk about the same topics as the others, they go beyond it and into their environment so you get the full effect of whats going on through the story. He has really good details of the setting and analyzation of the charcters. In gerneral it was a good read and I'd suggest it to anyone who doesnt mind a sappy story.