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theresidentbookworm's reviews
3256 reviews
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
4.0
It is official: Every young girl in America should have to read A Thousand Splendid Suns. I'll admit I was skeptical in the beginning. I know very little about Afghanistan, and the image that came to mind when I thought of women there was a sad figure in full burqa. Thank God for Women in Lit (I'm not really in the mood to thank my English teacher). There are many pros to A Thousand Splendid Suns. Hosseini is an amazing story teller. He weaves together Mariam and Lalia's stories as seamlessly as some weave fabric. His prose is simple but beautiful, and the smallest details make your chest clench. It is clear Hosseini knows his topic. The history of Afghanistan is a little hard to follow at time (it's mostly the names), but you understand enough to know this is a country that has not seen peace in years. It was interesting to see Bush and the U.S.'s stance on Afghanistan through the eyes of the citizens there.
What really made me love A Thousand Splendid Suns, however, were the women at the center of the story: Mariam and Lalia. Life is often very cruel to the both of them. Mariam is born a bastard and is forced into marriage to a very unpleasant man by her father when she is fifteen. Lalia loses her parents to an air raid, and she is separated from her love Tariq and presumes him to be dead many years. These two women have little in common at first, but they grow to be each others only ally and friend in an abusive household. These aren't the take charge kind of women in American fiction, but there is a quiet strength and resilience to both women I admire. They just keep going and surviving even when everything goes to hell. I wish I could have half the courage Lalia and Mariam have.
I've recommended, no, demanded that my mom read this book, and I beg you to do the same. You won't regret it.
What really made me love A Thousand Splendid Suns, however, were the women at the center of the story: Mariam and Lalia. Life is often very cruel to the both of them. Mariam is born a bastard and is forced into marriage to a very unpleasant man by her father when she is fifteen. Lalia loses her parents to an air raid, and she is separated from her love Tariq and presumes him to be dead many years. These two women have little in common at first, but they grow to be each others only ally and friend in an abusive household. These aren't the take charge kind of women in American fiction, but there is a quiet strength and resilience to both women I admire. They just keep going and surviving even when everything goes to hell. I wish I could have half the courage Lalia and Mariam have.
I've recommended, no, demanded that my mom read this book, and I beg you to do the same. You won't regret it.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
4.0
If I was going to pay Khaled Hosseini one compliment, just one, I would say that he is consistently successful of depicting his home country and people complexly and realistically. Afghanistan and its citizens are so often misunderstood and misrepresented by Western media and people, but books like The Kite Runner remind me and everyone else that we are not that much different than anyone else anywhere. I guess that's what I really love about Hosseini's writing: the way his stories at their core could be told anywhere.
That being said, I do admire how effectively Hosseini uses Afghanistan in his novels. It is a character in itself, and it's fascinating and heartbreaking to see Afghanistan's transformation over the span of three hundred plus pages. It might actually be the most interesting character of the novel. Amir was necessarily a good man or even a likeable character, but I think that unlikeablity is more interesting. It forces us to take a hard look at ourselves and our own weaknesses. Amir did do several things that he wasn't proud of, but don't we all? Of everyone in the situation, it is not Hassan or Baba or anyone else who is hardest on Amir. It's Amir who is still punishing himself for a moment of weakness he had as a boy.
Rahim Khan writes to Amir saying, “I know that in the end, God will forgive me. He will forgive your father, me, and you too. I hope you can do the same. Forgive your father if you can. Forgive me if you wish. But most important, forgive yourself.” To me, this is the soul of the novel: forgiveness. Everyone in the novel has to f orgive someone, and it is an easier thing to say than to do. My one problem with the novel is the lack of forgiveness Amir finds in himself and from Sohrab. I can see why forgiveness form Sohrab is less likely, but as a reader I wanted to see more hope. Hope was what I loved about A Thousand Splendid Suns, his second novel, and what I believe makes it a superior one.
I read this for my school's book club, Sister Who Are Reading Stores, and can't wait to discuss it. Shout out to my STARS girls! Definitely recommended.
That being said, I do admire how effectively Hosseini uses Afghanistan in his novels. It is a character in itself, and it's fascinating and heartbreaking to see Afghanistan's transformation over the span of three hundred plus pages. It might actually be the most interesting character of the novel. Amir was necessarily a good man or even a likeable character, but I think that unlikeablity is more interesting. It forces us to take a hard look at ourselves and our own weaknesses. Amir did do several things that he wasn't proud of, but don't we all? Of everyone in the situation, it is not Hassan or Baba or anyone else who is hardest on Amir. It's Amir who is still punishing himself for a moment of weakness he had as a boy.
Rahim Khan writes to Amir saying, “I know that in the end, God will forgive me. He will forgive your father, me, and you too. I hope you can do the same. Forgive your father if you can. Forgive me if you wish. But most important, forgive yourself.” To me, this is the soul of the novel: forgiveness. Everyone in the novel has to f orgive someone, and it is an easier thing to say than to do. My one problem with the novel is the lack of forgiveness Amir finds in himself and from Sohrab. I can see why forgiveness form Sohrab is less likely, but as a reader I wanted to see more hope. Hope was what I loved about A Thousand Splendid Suns, his second novel, and what I believe makes it a superior one.
I read this for my school's book club, Sister Who Are Reading Stores, and can't wait to discuss it. Shout out to my STARS girls! Definitely recommended.
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
4.0
After the painful drudgery we went through with The Wedding, I think that my whole class was more than happy to move on to The Bean Trees. Compared to the other works we'd read, The Bean Trees seemed like a breeze. Easy to read and fairly enjoyable, here was a novel we could finally discuss without whining. Okay, so maybe there was a bit of whining, but clearly you have never taken a Mr. M quiz. It automatically induces whining. In fact, it's tortuous. But, I digress.
The Bean Trees would've never ended up on my bookshelf had it not been assigned to me in 20th Century Lit. There's a chance I might have found it at a garage sale or a used bookstore, but the fact it is in mass paperback and the summary probably would have meant a pass from me. How dumb that would have been. I was pleasantly surprised by The Bean Trees for several reasons, but the biggest being that is was packed full of strong female characters. First there's gutsy Taylor who sets off on her own for a better life and never believes she is less than anyone else because of where she comes from, who takes in Turtle and raises her to the best of her ability. Then there's Lou-Ann, a worrier by nature but loving and loyal to the people she cares about, someone who supports Taylor with her friendship and sets her straight when Taylor needs it. There's also Mattie, a woman with a heart as big as can be and compassion a mile wide, who does her best to help other people whether it be illegal immigrants like Esperanza and Estevan or clueless single mothers like Taylor. Even Esperanza, who struggles with depression over losing her daughter and leaving her home, shows tremendous courage in helping Taylor obtain custody of Turtle and manages to keep going despite all her sorrows. Of course, I can't forget Mama, a women who never let Taylor believe she wasn't extraordinary, who took pride in the work she did cleaning houses because it supported her daughter.
At its core, that was what The Bean Trees was really about: these strong women, their relationships, and how love and friendship get them through everything that comes their way. Yes, they're human and therefore flawed, but that's what I liked about this novel. Everything was so real. Life is hard and complicated, and sometimes the ending isn't entirely happy. Sometimes you have to say a hard goodbye as something else really good is happening. That's reality. I got really annoyed in class when a girl said she didn't like those kinds of books, the ones without a happy ending, because they were sad. I told her that was reality, that sometimes endings weren't happy or even final, and she told me she didn't like reality. What a twit!
I would definitely recommend The Bean Trees. I learned a lot more than I thought I would, and it was nice picking up a book I usually wouldn't on my own for school and genuinely enjoying. Take note, English teachers. Assigning better books equals happier students!
The Bean Trees would've never ended up on my bookshelf had it not been assigned to me in 20th Century Lit. There's a chance I might have found it at a garage sale or a used bookstore, but the fact it is in mass paperback and the summary probably would have meant a pass from me. How dumb that would have been. I was pleasantly surprised by The Bean Trees for several reasons, but the biggest being that is was packed full of strong female characters. First there's gutsy Taylor who sets off on her own for a better life and never believes she is less than anyone else because of where she comes from, who takes in Turtle and raises her to the best of her ability. Then there's Lou-Ann, a worrier by nature but loving and loyal to the people she cares about, someone who supports Taylor with her friendship and sets her straight when Taylor needs it. There's also Mattie, a woman with a heart as big as can be and compassion a mile wide, who does her best to help other people whether it be illegal immigrants like Esperanza and Estevan or clueless single mothers like Taylor. Even Esperanza, who struggles with depression over losing her daughter and leaving her home, shows tremendous courage in helping Taylor obtain custody of Turtle and manages to keep going despite all her sorrows. Of course, I can't forget Mama, a women who never let Taylor believe she wasn't extraordinary, who took pride in the work she did cleaning houses because it supported her daughter.
At its core, that was what The Bean Trees was really about: these strong women, their relationships, and how love and friendship get them through everything that comes their way. Yes, they're human and therefore flawed, but that's what I liked about this novel. Everything was so real. Life is hard and complicated, and sometimes the ending isn't entirely happy. Sometimes you have to say a hard goodbye as something else really good is happening. That's reality. I got really annoyed in class when a girl said she didn't like those kinds of books, the ones without a happy ending, because they were sad. I told her that was reality, that sometimes endings weren't happy or even final, and she told me she didn't like reality. What a twit!
I would definitely recommend The Bean Trees. I learned a lot more than I thought I would, and it was nice picking up a book I usually wouldn't on my own for school and genuinely enjoying. Take note, English teachers. Assigning better books equals happier students!
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
5.0
I have to admit that I was startled by how much I genuinely enjoyed The Things They Carried. When I skimmed the back before the semester started, I rolled my eyes and thought to myself that this was such a guy novel, a war story that I couldn't possibly enjoy. I was relieved when it was the last book we were set to read for the semester (and for us seniors in high school). Now I can only think to myself what a spectacular way to go out, reading The Things They Carried.
The fundamental mistake I and probably many other readers made going into The Things They Carried was assuming that it is a war story. It is not. Don't misunderstand me. It is a startling, raw look at the Vietnam War, nothing like I've ever read in history books or fiction. Tim O'Brien breathes life into his narrative, painting a vivid picture of the war many people of my generation overlook. I will never forget that picture. Despite its vivid depiction of war, however, The Things They Carried is not a novel about war. It is a novel about loss, love, friendship, guilt, and the purpose of the stories we tell.
Tim O'Brien masterfully weaves together a collection of stories to a narrative that jumps back and forth in time. O'Brien himself appears in some of these stories, blurring the line between fact and fiction. This not only leads an air of mystery to what is true and what isn't, a central theme in the novel, but O'Brien including himself as a character also allows us to have a greater connection to the characters in the novel. His portrayal of war and guilt is gritty and honest and frankly heartbreaking. It isn't a novel easily forgotten.
Though it does deal with war in a honest way, The Things They Carried is sprinkled with sparks of light: stories being told and exaggerated in the squad, a soldier bringing his girlfriend over to Vietnam, and Curt Lemon dressing up for Halloween. The novel, amongst other things, can be very funny. O'Brien himself does not choose to wallow in the past. Rather, he feel liberated by telling his stories, fact or fiction. He begins the last story in the novel, " “But this too is true: stories can save us.” He couldn't be more right.
Do yourself a favor and make The Things They Carried one of the novels you read this year whether you read hundred or just ten. You will not regret it.
The fundamental mistake I and probably many other readers made going into The Things They Carried was assuming that it is a war story. It is not. Don't misunderstand me. It is a startling, raw look at the Vietnam War, nothing like I've ever read in history books or fiction. Tim O'Brien breathes life into his narrative, painting a vivid picture of the war many people of my generation overlook. I will never forget that picture. Despite its vivid depiction of war, however, The Things They Carried is not a novel about war. It is a novel about loss, love, friendship, guilt, and the purpose of the stories we tell.
Tim O'Brien masterfully weaves together a collection of stories to a narrative that jumps back and forth in time. O'Brien himself appears in some of these stories, blurring the line between fact and fiction. This not only leads an air of mystery to what is true and what isn't, a central theme in the novel, but O'Brien including himself as a character also allows us to have a greater connection to the characters in the novel. His portrayal of war and guilt is gritty and honest and frankly heartbreaking. It isn't a novel easily forgotten.
Though it does deal with war in a honest way, The Things They Carried is sprinkled with sparks of light: stories being told and exaggerated in the squad, a soldier bringing his girlfriend over to Vietnam, and Curt Lemon dressing up for Halloween. The novel, amongst other things, can be very funny. O'Brien himself does not choose to wallow in the past. Rather, he feel liberated by telling his stories, fact or fiction. He begins the last story in the novel, " “But this too is true: stories can save us.” He couldn't be more right.
Do yourself a favor and make The Things They Carried one of the novels you read this year whether you read hundred or just ten. You will not regret it.
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
4.0
A Review in a Sentence
This book was one of the few highlights of my first semester of college.
This book was one of the few highlights of my first semester of college.
There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
5.0
I have to start this review by praising my best friend in the whole wide world, G. Not only is she smart, hilarious, and always willing to put up with my many moods, but she also gives me the best books to read! I gave her the first two Delirium books (plus the Delirium short stories book), and she gave me this and two other Jenny B. Jones books. I can't wait to start the other ones.
Usually I am the biggest opponent of Christian literature. I am Catholic and proud of it, but I don't like my religion diminishing my literature. Often in Christian lit, the religious aspect takes over the story, making cheesy, overblown, and something I don't want to read. I think one of the trickiest things a writer can do is take a strong stance on God in their work. Faith is easy enough, but when you get specifically into God it gets hard. I was impressed with how Jenny B. Jones has worked it in.
This is not just Christian lit. This is a great young adult read. It's fun and witty and has everything you need for a lazy Saturday afternoon. Finley is a kickass narrator. She is strong and witty and stubborn and so realistically flawed. She's a girl trying to hold her life together, trying to find God again. I can sympathize with her on that. It's easy to lose Him. She lost her older brother and is still working through that grief, deciding to be a foreign exchange student in the Irish town he did it at. I loved the Ireland setting. I read a review that said it was necessary and the whole story could've just occurred at home, and I was ready to slap said reviewer. I do like how going away to Ireland did not magically solve her problems. Her grief came with her, and unlike many other stories that chose to go the other route, this is true to life. Finley's problems followed her to Ireland.
Beckett Rush is probably one of the most swoon-worthy boys I've ever encountered in YA. He ranks up there with Dexter from This Lullaby and Augustus in The Fault in Our Stars. He was just so... *annoying fan girl sigh* I tried to avoid mental Twilight comparisons because that would've diminished his hotness. Not a big Robert Pattinson fan. Beckett and Finley just worked well together. Their back and forth banter was hilarious and often had me chuckling and obsessively rereading the best lines. They were good together, but I again like how Jones kept it real and didn't have love solve all of Finley's problems because it couldn't and it can't. Beckett offers excellent support to Finley and is awesome for caring so much, but ultimately the solution to Finley's grief and anger is not with him. It's with God.
There You'll Find Me is everything I never thought Christian literature could be: sharp, funny, insightful, and true to what life really is. I totally recommend! I'm eager to delve into the other two Jenny B. Jones books my friend lent me. Shout out to G for her awesome recommendation.
Usually I am the biggest opponent of Christian literature. I am Catholic and proud of it, but I don't like my religion diminishing my literature. Often in Christian lit, the religious aspect takes over the story, making cheesy, overblown, and something I don't want to read. I think one of the trickiest things a writer can do is take a strong stance on God in their work. Faith is easy enough, but when you get specifically into God it gets hard. I was impressed with how Jenny B. Jones has worked it in.
This is not just Christian lit. This is a great young adult read. It's fun and witty and has everything you need for a lazy Saturday afternoon. Finley is a kickass narrator. She is strong and witty and stubborn and so realistically flawed. She's a girl trying to hold her life together, trying to find God again. I can sympathize with her on that. It's easy to lose Him. She lost her older brother and is still working through that grief, deciding to be a foreign exchange student in the Irish town he did it at. I loved the Ireland setting. I read a review that said it was necessary and the whole story could've just occurred at home, and I was ready to slap said reviewer. I do like how going away to Ireland did not magically solve her problems. Her grief came with her, and unlike many other stories that chose to go the other route, this is true to life. Finley's problems followed her to Ireland.
Beckett Rush is probably one of the most swoon-worthy boys I've ever encountered in YA. He ranks up there with Dexter from This Lullaby and Augustus in The Fault in Our Stars. He was just so... *annoying fan girl sigh* I tried to avoid mental Twilight comparisons because that would've diminished his hotness. Not a big Robert Pattinson fan. Beckett and Finley just worked well together. Their back and forth banter was hilarious and often had me chuckling and obsessively rereading the best lines. They were good together, but I again like how Jones kept it real and didn't have love solve all of Finley's problems because it couldn't and it can't. Beckett offers excellent support to Finley and is awesome for caring so much, but ultimately the solution to Finley's grief and anger is not with him. It's with God.
There You'll Find Me is everything I never thought Christian literature could be: sharp, funny, insightful, and true to what life really is. I totally recommend! I'm eager to delve into the other two Jenny B. Jones books my friend lent me. Shout out to G for her awesome recommendation.
Just Between You and Me: A Novel of Losing Fear and Finding God by Jenny B. Jones
3.0
Coming off of two amazing Jones books, I was very disappointed in Just Between You and Me. It got three stars only because her trademark wit and talent for not veering into the cliche was still present here. Here's a list of my problems.
1. I didn't see how it was fair for Maggie's dad to just call her up out of the blue and demand she come take care of his niece. If they don't get along, Maggie could've just said, "Forget about it." Worse off, he constantly tries to guilt her into staying like it's her fault Riley doesn't have any consistency.
2. Maggie's dad doesn't show his daughter any kindness or understanding, at least through most of the novel, even though she's seemingly done nothing wrong. She's successful and smart, and yet he couldn't care less. Instead, he dotes on the mentally ill, drug addicted daughter.
3. Maggie's sister blames way too much on her.
4. Conner seems to hate Maggie immediately on nothing other than a mentally ill drug addict's word. He still judges her for what she did in high school. In fact, the whole town does. I mean, really?
5. Maggie does not have the spark of Finley or Lucy. It's hard for her to carry the novel.
6. The plotline gets a little too dramatic (a little cliche might sink through here). Many of the supposedly more heartfelt moments come off forced. Ex. Dad's apology.
I love Jenny B. Jones, I really do, but I just didn't love this novel.
1. I didn't see how it was fair for Maggie's dad to just call her up out of the blue and demand she come take care of his niece. If they don't get along, Maggie could've just said, "Forget about it." Worse off, he constantly tries to guilt her into staying like it's her fault Riley doesn't have any consistency.
2. Maggie's dad doesn't show his daughter any kindness or understanding, at least through most of the novel, even though she's seemingly done nothing wrong. She's successful and smart, and yet he couldn't care less. Instead, he dotes on the mentally ill, drug addicted daughter.
3. Maggie's sister blames way too much on her.
4. Conner seems to hate Maggie immediately on nothing other than a mentally ill drug addict's word. He still judges her for what she did in high school. In fact, the whole town does. I mean, really?
5. Maggie does not have the spark of Finley or Lucy. It's hard for her to carry the novel.
6. The plotline gets a little too dramatic (a little cliche might sink through here). Many of the supposedly more heartfelt moments come off forced. Ex. Dad's apology.
I love Jenny B. Jones, I really do, but I just didn't love this novel.
So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones
3.0
I am a huge Jenny B. Jones fan. I love her books, especially There You'll Find Me, and so last year for my birthday my best friend G got me The Charmed Life series in one book. Of course, three books in one is always intimidating, and so I've been putting it off and putting it off. Recently, I was on a class field trip to Canada, and I thought to myself, "This is the perfect opportunity!"
Unfortunately, Jenny B. Jones did not live up to my high expectations. So Not Happening wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great. Some people would be annoyed with Bella's behavior, but to me she is the only character that makes sense to me. She has just been uprooted from her life, and change after changes hit her family. Of course she's angry and upset and a little bit bratty. Who wouldn't be? Her mom is a character I really had to actively try to understand because she really didn't seem to do so for her daughter. Bella is always painted as the bad guy, which is really unfair. Actually, I think Bella is fairly strong as a character. She's vulnerable, honest, and utterly human. Most of the supporting characters were also well-developed, my favorite being Luke. I was rooting for a romance there way before I knew it was going to happen.
What makes So Not Happening fall flat for me was the plot itself. I kept a running commentary going to my friend Katie while I was reading, and one of the things I kept saying was, "This is like Christian Nancy Drew". As someone who is actually on their high school paper, I can safely say that stories like the one Bella chases never happen in high schools, and if they did we certainly wouldn't be allowed to cover them. Bella shows little to no good judgment, and if wasn't for Luke she probably would've gotten herself killed. Also, Jenny B. Jones is known for being a Christian writer, and yet it wasn't something touched on much in the novel. Bella is said to be a Christian, but we learn very little about her faith or even see her practice it. Christianity serves as a side note here rather than the focus it has in her other novels.
Having read the second book, I can say this series gets better, but you might have to laugh your way through this one. It is funny (if not ridiculous), and fans of Jenny B. Jones will be satisfied. I guess that's all we can ask for.
Unfortunately, Jenny B. Jones did not live up to my high expectations. So Not Happening wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great. Some people would be annoyed with Bella's behavior, but to me she is the only character that makes sense to me. She has just been uprooted from her life, and change after changes hit her family. Of course she's angry and upset and a little bit bratty. Who wouldn't be? Her mom is a character I really had to actively try to understand because she really didn't seem to do so for her daughter. Bella is always painted as the bad guy, which is really unfair. Actually, I think Bella is fairly strong as a character. She's vulnerable, honest, and utterly human. Most of the supporting characters were also well-developed, my favorite being Luke. I was rooting for a romance there way before I knew it was going to happen.
What makes So Not Happening fall flat for me was the plot itself. I kept a running commentary going to my friend Katie while I was reading, and one of the things I kept saying was, "This is like Christian Nancy Drew". As someone who is actually on their high school paper, I can safely say that stories like the one Bella chases never happen in high schools, and if they did we certainly wouldn't be allowed to cover them. Bella shows little to no good judgment, and if wasn't for Luke she probably would've gotten herself killed. Also, Jenny B. Jones is known for being a Christian writer, and yet it wasn't something touched on much in the novel. Bella is said to be a Christian, but we learn very little about her faith or even see her practice it. Christianity serves as a side note here rather than the focus it has in her other novels.
Having read the second book, I can say this series gets better, but you might have to laugh your way through this one. It is funny (if not ridiculous), and fans of Jenny B. Jones will be satisfied. I guess that's all we can ask for.
I'm So Sure by Jenny B. Jones
4.0
Okay, so Jenny B. Jones stepped The Charmed Life series up a notch with I'm So Sure. You have a plot that actually mostly makes sense (and keeps you guessing) with our Christian Nancy Drew off to investigate. You have awesome chemistry and tension between Bella and Luke. You have her growing into her family and learning how to be an older sister. You have a ton of drama (Bella's dad has a new girlfriend she doesn't like, her ex-boyfriend is back in the picture, etc.), and you have a resolution that leaves you wanting for more. What more could a girl want?
Well... I would like to see Bella take a self-defense class if she's going to chase psychopaths all the time, and I would like religion to be featured more prominently in the series. Other than that, I'm good. Definitely recommended!
Well... I would like to see Bella take a self-defense class if she's going to chase psychopaths all the time, and I would like religion to be featured more prominently in the series. Other than that, I'm good. Definitely recommended!
So Over My Head by Jenny B. Jones
2.0
I had such high hopes for the last book of this series after I'm So Sure. I was hoping for some romance, Bella gaining a bit of common sense, and resolution of other small plot-lines. Instead, I got the mess that is So Over My Head. Instead of the easy romance I was looking forward to, Bella and Luke spent the majority of the book broken up and fighting over the appearance of Luke's ex-girlfriend and Bella's trust issues. I understand some of the drama was necessary, but I just wanted some resolution in that part of the story arc. Of course, there was your typical crime to be solved, but I thought this one to be very much over Bella's head. Hence the title of the book, I suppose. Still, what teenager with any common sense or just even a brain goes snooping into a murder investigation when everyone else in her life (her boyfriend, the police, etc.) are telling her to stay out of it? I guess this is why I could never get into Nancy Drew mysteries.
On the upside, many of the plot lines are wrapped up nicely. I really enjoyed the twists that came with Bella's dad's wedding. The scene between Bella and her dad was beautifully down, and it is a major reason why this book got an extra star. God was also brought back into the story more, which I enjoyed. Everything was wrapped up with a nice pretty bow in the end, and I couldn't help but be happy about that. Still, this isn't a series I would recommend. It's just not enough payoff at the end of the day.
On the upside, many of the plot lines are wrapped up nicely. I really enjoyed the twists that came with Bella's dad's wedding. The scene between Bella and her dad was beautifully down, and it is a major reason why this book got an extra star. God was also brought back into the story more, which I enjoyed. Everything was wrapped up with a nice pretty bow in the end, and I couldn't help but be happy about that. Still, this isn't a series I would recommend. It's just not enough payoff at the end of the day.