Good Reads & Views

Dead End Gene Pool: A Memoir by Wendy Burden
Nonfiction

Wendy Burden grew up with a life of wealth, fancy homes, and almost anything she ever wanted. The only thing she didn’t have that she craved was the attention of her mother and grandparents. Her father died when she was just young, leaving her mother to raise Wendy, her older brother Will, and younger brother Edward, by herself. Her mother was battling depression and did not take life as a single parent well. As a result, Wendy and her brothers were left with her grandparents frequently. Join Wendy as she tells her story of growing up in a family where only the males were valued and how she survived in this world.

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
Fiction

Poppy Wyatt is getting married. She still can’t believe that she will be marrying Magnus Tavish in a few short weeks, especially since she has only known him for a short time. While at a tea party, she accidently loses the priceless family heirloom engagement ring he gave her and also loses her phone. Not knowing what to do, Poppy sees a discarded phone in a recycle bin and decides to take it. The problem with this situation is that the phone is still connected to businessman Sam Roxton. Sam and Poppy begin exchanging emails and text messages and Poppy can’t help but read some of Sam’s private messages. Join Poppy and Sam as they try to sort out the details of their lives.

A Good And Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny by Amy Julia Becker
Nonfiction

Amy Julia Becker and her husband Peter are thrilled when they find out she is pregnant. She encounters no problems during her pregnancy and has a relatively easy delivery. After her daughter Penny is born, Amy Julia notices that no one in the room is saying anything about the baby. Soon she finds out why, Penny has Down’s Syndrome. Amy Julia goes on to explain the road she traveled after learning of Penny’s diagnosis. She tells how she was in denial at first and then how she later accepted the diagnosis. She tells of how she loves her daughter for who she is and how grateful she is that God gave her this amazing child.

The Future Of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
YA Fiction

Emma and Josh have been best friends and neighbors for as long as they both can remember.  One day something happens to change their relationship and six months later, they are barely starting to speak comfortably with one another again. Josh gives Emma a CD for a free trial of America Online or AOL. She loads it onto her computer and realizes that she is connected to a site called “Facebook” that she has never heard of before. The site is set fifteen years in the future. Emma and Josh quickly discover they can both see what their future holds; only their futures change every time the website is refreshed. Join them as they try to come to terms with their present lives and their futures as well.

God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons For Life’s Little Detours by Regina Brett
Nonfiction

Each chapter in this book is a life lesson offered by the author.  She uses her own life experiences, as well as, things she has learned from other people in each lesson. These lessons range from not worrying about the past to having hope for the future. The author chooses to live her life according to these rules, and encourages others to do the same. Well her life is not perfect, she has credited these lessons with making her the person she is today, which is someone she is proud of.

Populazzi by Elise Allen
YA Fiction

Cara Leonard is not exactly happy about her move to a new school to start her Junior year.  Her best friend Claudia, despite being sad that she and Cara will no longer be at the same school, is thrilled. Claudia thinks this is an opportunity for Cara to reinvent her social life. With the help of the latter, which Claudia has researched and written, the girls believe that Cara can break into the group of extreme populazzi at her new school. Cara meets new friends along the way, but realizes almost too late that the sacrifices she must make to become a supreme populazzi are not always worth it.

Reality Check by Peter Abrahams
YA Fiction

Football and Clea seem to be the only two things on Cody’s mind. It is the summer before his junior year of high school and he is the starting quarterback on the football team and is dating the beautiful Clea Weston. Shortly after school begins, Clea’s father sends her to a boarding school in Vermont, and Cody is injured and forced to sit out the rest of the season. Cody is so upset over his inability to play football that he drops out of school. Shortly after making this decision, he learns that Clea has gone missing from her Vermont boarding school. Join Cody as he travels to Vermont, learns who to trust and who not to trust, and tries to solve the puzzle of who took Clea and how to get her back.

Tattoos On The Heart: The Power Of Boundless Compassion by Greg Boyle
Nonfiction

Pastor Gregory Boyle is no stranger to gang activity in Los Angeles. He acts as a mentor and Pastor to many members of rival gangs. He does this by being involved in the Homeboy and Homegirl Industries, which gives jobs to gang members who are interested in changing their lives. He tells the stories of many such gang members who have both changed their lives and lost their lives while living in gang territory.  He also tells how these members learn to work with and respect members of rival gangs.

Dreams That Won’t Let Go by Stacy Hawkins Adams
Fiction

Reuben, Indigo, and Yasmine Burns grew up living with their grandparents in Jubilant, Texas. Their parents were killed in a car accident when the siblings were very young. Reuben was in the car that day, and before she died, his mother made him promise to look after his sisters forever. Reuben struggled with the task for many years, before he finally felt he needed to move away and leave his family behind. Now six years later, he has moved his wife and son back home to Jubilent. His grandparents are thrilled, but his sisters feel betrayed and are not as thrilled. Join the family as they each learn to deal with their struggles and accept the plan that God has for their lives.

My Thirteenth Winter by Samantha Abeel
YA Nonfiction

Samantha starts her school years as a bright, energetic, creative, and fun loving child.  Although she enjoys going to school and playing with her friends, she can’t quite shake the feeling that there is something wrong with her. She doesn’t understand math, the concept of numbers, money, or how to tell time. This doesn’t really pose a problem in her life, until she starts the 4^th grade, and realizes how far behind she is. In her quest to remain the same as everyone else, she experiences panic attacks and has trouble eating. This continues until she is in high school, where she is diagnosed with a learning disability. Join Samantha as she tells of her journey through high school and eventually college.