The Forbidden Sea by Sheila A Nielson (41/2)

When Adrianne comes face-to-face with the mermaid of Windwaithe Island, she is convinced that the mermaid means her harm. After all, the island is steeped in stories of mermaids' curses and the ill-luck that they bring. But Adrianne is fierce-willed and courageous and is determined to protect her family and the islanders from danger. Yet when the islanders find out about Adrianne's encounters with the mermaid, her family is scorned. They believe that once active, the mermaid cannot be quieted until an islander sacrifices herself to the sea. But is the legend true? And will their fear make them force Adrienne to test it? This is a haunting story of love, surrender and strength

I purchased this book because: Alot of hype around the book and wanted to see if it lived up to the reputation ...


Opening Lines: Pelting rain battered against me, stinging my skin and eyes, almost driving me backwards, Forcing myself to continue, I felt my way down the slick rock face one foot at a time. I clung to the cliff face a moment, crying into the dark squall raging around me.

Well I have been reading lately about fairies, vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters so why not try Mermaids ....... This is a really nice book and actually deals with alot of grown up issues ... Bullying and feeling alone is a major one ...... I read this book in nearly one sitting .. I just gobbled it up ... My only complaint with the book was that it ended .......

I don't want to go into details because it would totally spoil the book but there are sooooo many different avenues and characters in the book that I would love the storyline to continue ....

I love the main character of Adrianne she is feisty, firely and vulnerable all rolled into one .... And it seems that no matter what she does it is never enough to satisfy those around her .... So when the legend of the Mermaid suddenly threatens the Island everyone turns to Adrianne ...

I loved the storyline of Lady Lauretta Durran and how it inter weaved throughout the whole novel ... There is nothing like a good mystery ......

Some of my favourite quotes are:

Don't let the few harsh things of life blot out your happiness in everything else, Adrianne. pg 40

If you let fear control what you do, you'll never get anything done. Pg 42

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely read more from the author ...

I rate this book 4 1/2 ****

"If I Stay" by Gayle Forman [4 1/2]

Life can change in an instant.

A cold February morning ...

a snowy road ...

and suddenly all of Mia's choices are gone.

Except one.

As alone as she'll ever be, Mia must

make the most difficult choice of all.

Living's all about

making choices.

Dying's no different ...

From the moment you start reading this thought provoking story you realize just how precious life is and the importance of the choices we make throughout it. It is a simple but powerful story ... love, friendships, heartache and tragedy and all this makes for a heartwarming and memorable reading experience.

What choice would you make if you knew your family wasn't with you anymore ... this is the choice Mia has to make after a terrible accident takes her family from her. While lying unconscious in hospital Mia relives all the wonderful experiences that have come in her life at the young age of 17. Her love of music, her friendship with her best friend, her first boyfriend and first love and most precious of all her family. But with such a tragic loss is there even something worth staying for?

'Stay.' With that one word, Adam's voice catches, but he
swallows the emotion and pushes forward. 'There's no word
for what happened to you. There's no good side of it. But
there is something to live for. And I'm not talking about me.
It's just ... I don't know. Maybe I'm talking shit. I know I'm
in shock. I know I haven't digested what happened to your
parents, to Teddy ...' When he says Teddy, his voice cracks
and an avalanche of tears tumbles down his face. And I
think: I love you.

Sometimes painful, other times funny but always touching this is a novel that you just have to read ... impossible to put down. There is also talk of making this novel into a movie, and what a powerful movie that would be.
[ there is bad language in this book as well as adult concepts]

I rate this book 4 1/2 stars.

"Have a Little Faith' by Mitch Albom [4 1/2]

In the beginning, there was a question.

'Will you do my eulogy?'

As is often the case with faith, I thought

I was being asked a favor.

Actually I was being given one...

Have a Little faith begins with an unusual request: an 82 year old rabbi from Mitch's old

hometown asks him to deliver his eulogy. Feeling unworthy, Mitch insists on understanding the man better, which throws him back into a world of faith he'd left years ago.

Meanwhile, closer to his current home, Mitch becomes involved with a Detroit pastor -

a reformed drug dealer and convict - who preaches to the poor and homeless in a

decaying church with a hole in it's roof.

When I read the back cover and the inside cover...well let's just say I put off reading this book until the last week before book club.

It has turned out to be a very touching and moving true story of one man's journey in life, his losing faith and finding it again, and the divine spark that is inside all of us.

I thought this book was going to be about religion, but it is so much more than that....

While there are many different faiths in this world it all comes down to the same thing,

we all want to be heard and we all want to be loved and appreciated and forgiven.

It's about believing in something that is bigger than yourself.

You will be deeply touched and uplifted by this extraordinary book.

A must read for everyone...

I rate this book 41/2 ****

"Fallen" by Lauren Kate [5]

SOME ANGELS ARE DESTINED TO FALL.

Instant. Intense. Weirdly familiar...

The moment Luce looks at Daniel

she knows she has never felt like this before.

Except she can't shake the feeling that she

has... and with him - a boy she doesn't

remember ever setting eyes on.

Will her attempt to find out why enlighten her

- or destroy her?

Fallen is a thrilling story about forbidden love...

A wonderful, exciting and fascinating story of a love that just cannot be.

Luce has been sent to the Sword & Cross school... a school where you send troubled teens...

and Luce has certainly had her fair share. Since the age of eight Luce has been able to see these shadows... and they scare her...but nobody else can see them... therefore she must be crazy.

On her first day at school Luce is drawn to Daniel... a boy that is totally hot...but she has never met him before, but there is a connection.

Daniel is drawn to Luce but fights the feelings...he knows what will happen if he gets too close.

From the moment you pick up the book you are drawn into the world of Luce and Daniel and you want so much for the starcross lovers to find each other and share the love that binds them.

This book keeps you reading until as the author doesn't give much away until almost the end.

A book that the older teens will just love.

The only down side to this book is that I now have to wait until September 2010 for the second in the series...."Torment"

{well named}

A great stocking filler.

The Christmas Clock by Kat Martin [4 1/2]

Teddy Winters was eight years old that christmas, too young to understand all the undercurrents swirling around him in the tiny Michigan town of Dreyerville.

He wasn't able to value that christmas for the miracle it truly was.

Teddy only knew he wanted to buy the beautiful Victorian clock in the window of Tremont's Antiques as a gift for his grandmother, Lottie Sparks, a woman desperate to find him a home before her rapidly progressing Alzheimer's left him an orphan.

Teddy didn't know that in trying to buy the clock he would meet Sylvia Winters and Joe Dixon, a couple, once in love, desperate to overcome the past. He didn't know he would form a friendship with his neighbors, Floyd and Doris Culver, two people struggling to revive their long-dead marriage.

He didn't know that these people would fill his Christmas with magic and hope; that the love of his friends would change his world, and that he would forever change theirs.

Christmas is my favourite time of the year and while here in Australia it is usual hot I love to read stories set in the northern hemisphere where there is plenty of snow...

This is a beautiful story about forgiveness, love, hope, joy and the miracles that can happen in this wonderful time of year.

Teddy is a young boy who lives with his grandmother and wants to do some special for Christmas for her. He finds a beautiful clock in one of the local shops and works hard all summer to save the money.

Lottie Sparks has looked after her grandson since his mother died, but it is getting harder each day as her Alzheimer's is getting worse...she is worried what will happen to Teddy when she isn't able to look after him anymore.

Then there is Joe Dixon and Sylvia Winters who once were engaged to be married but never happened... the spark between them is still there but can old wounds be healed.

This is a very quick read with only 145 pg, but a beautiful story that will leave you believing in the miracles of Christmas.

A wonderful gift to give this Christmas.