Book Club Picks

My book club has picked our books for the next year! How do we pick books? Everyone says what books they would like to read, Suey compiles all the suggestions into a list for us to vote on, and we all vote. Here are the winners:

For those of you counting, yes that is only eleven. In July, everyone is going to read a memoir of their choice. 

Yes, this is the order in which we are reading them. 

Our book club starts the new book list in June. 

What do you think of our picks?

Orphan Island

Goodreads Synopsis:    On the island, everything is perfect. The sun rises in a sky filled with dancing shapes; the wind, water, and trees shelter and protect those who live there; when the nine children go to sleep in their cabins, it is with full stomachs and joy in their hearts. And only one thing ever changes: on that day, each year, when a boat appears from the mist upon the ocean carrying one young child to join them—and taking the eldest one away, never to be seen again.

Today’s Changing is no different. The boat arrives, taking away Jinny’s best friend, Deen, replacing him with a new little girl named Ess, and leaving Jinny as the new Elder. Jinny knows her responsibility now—to teach Ess everything she needs to know about the island, to keep things as they’ve always been. But will she be ready for the inevitable day when the boat will come back—and take her away forever from the only home she’s known?

My Thoughts:

-    I understand what the author was trying to say, and I get that the story is symbolic, but I wanted more. 

-    There were little clues about the kids and the island, but no questions were really answered. I want to know why the kids are on the island. Where do they come from? Where do they go when they get on the boat? 

-    The story was fine, and it kept me reading, but the characters were annoying, especially Jinny. I didn't like Jinny at all. She was very self-centered and couldn't get along with anyone. Deen was a saint to be her friend. Ben was the only one I really liked, but I wish he had put Jinny in her place a bit more.

-    I felt like the book could be for a slightly older audience. I understand why 11-12 year olds hold on to childhood things, but they don't necessarily need to really give them up for a few more years. Teens for sure need to give up childhood things as they start transitioning to adulthood. This is just my opinion on it. 

-    Despite not loving the book, I am glad I read it. 

The Orphan Keeper

From Goodreads:    Based on a true story.

Seven-year-old Chellamuthu’s life is forever changed when he is kidnapped from his village in India, sold to a Christian orphanage, and then adopted by an unsuspecting couple in the United States. It takes months before the boy can speak enough English to tell his parents that he already has a family back in India. Horrified, they try their best to track down his Indian family, but all avenues lead to dead ends.

Meanwhile, they simply love him, change his name to Taj, enroll him in school, make him part of their family—and his story might have ended there had it not been for the pestering questions in his head: Who am I? Why was I taken? How do I get home?

More than a decade later, Taj meets Priya, a girl from southern India with surprising ties to his past. Is she the key to unveil the secrets of his childhood or is it too late? And if he does make it back to India, how will he find his family with so few clues?

My Thoughts:

-    I loved this book! It spoke to me on several personal levels.

-    Wow! Taj's story is incredible and a series of miracles.

-    I related to a lot of Taj's feelings, especially his feelings of longing. When you're adopted, there is always that longing and wonder about your birth family, even though I had a loving family, I have always wondered about my birth family.

-    The book was able to express SO much! 

-    I cried buckets at the end of the book. Taj's reunion with his family is a scene I have fantasized about since I was small child, and I just couldn't hold back the tears.

A Man Called Ove

Goodreads Synopsis:    A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.

My Thoughts:

-    This book surprised me in the best way. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. 

-    Ove is the most endearing grumpy old man I've ever seen. I couldn't help loving him. I love how fiercely loyal Ove is and how adamantly he will defend what he is loyal to.

-    I laughed out loud so many times throughout the book. There are hilarious moments, situations, and lines. 

-    There is a lot of language throughout the story, just FYI.

-    I feel like Ove was a lot older than 59. He should at least be in his 70s.

-    This was a fun and heart warming story. I highly recommend it. 

How to Train Your Dragon

Goodreads Says:    Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is a truly extraordinary Viking hero known throughout Vikingdom as "the Dragon Whisperer"...but it wasn't always so. Travel back to the days when the mighty warrior was just a boy, the quiet and thoughtful son of the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans. Can Hiccup capture a dragon and train it without being torn limb from limb? Join the adventure as the small boy finds a better way to train his dragon and become a hero!










My Thoughts:

-    This is one of those very rare occurrences when I like the movie better than the book. In this case, the movie is WAY better, in EVERY way.

-    The story and characters were a bit bland, and I felt like I was supposed find humor in a lot of the book, but I didn't.

-    Movie Toothless is so awesome, and book Toothless is SO different. He is such a snob, and I just couldn't come to grips with that this was the character awesome Toothless was created from. 

-    This book was made for younger people, and it was too young for me. I should have read this with Gnome. I'm sure the target audience will appreciate this book more than I did.

-    I recently found out that David Tennant does the audiobook!! I completely missed out on a fun experience. I wasn't going to finish the series after I read this, but now I'm rethinking my decision. 

All the Truth That's in Me

Goodreads Synopsis:    Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family.

Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas.

But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever.

This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

My Thoughts:

-    This book was nothing like I expected, which is usually a good thing, but not this time.

-    Kudos to the marketing department for getting people to pick up this book. The cover and blurbs are gripping, but they have nothing to do with the story. The cover is very misleading.

-    I was kinda thrown with the time period and setting. I wasn't expecting it, and it took me a while to wrap my head around it. 

-    The majority of the book was slow and boring to me. I felt like everything is given away at the beginning, and the rest of the book is boring. 

-    I wasn't a fan of the writing style. I didn't like the second person. It bugged me. 

-    I didn't like any of the characters. Judith's obsession with Lucas really bugged me. I hate that she talked to him and about him in her head all the time. 

Dark Matter

Goodreads Description:    “Are you happy with your life?” 

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. 

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. 

Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.” 

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

My Thoughts:

-    Parallel universes are like time travel. You pull it off or you don't. This one didn't pull it off. The science was sound enough, but the author took it too far.

-    The ending was ridiculous. Instead of a thought-provoking sci-fi, it was a slasher horror book. 

-    Why would a thousand Jasons end up on one single universe out of millions!? What are the chances? Why didn't some of the Jasons try to help each other get home? You'd think with that many brilliant minds, they would have helped each other out. Nope, they just went primal! LAME!

-    The writing was really good. The author definitely has a gift with words, and some of it was really beautiful. 

-    I really wish Jason had had a chance to talk to Jason 2 about everything. I felt like that conflict was passed over, and it bugged me. 

-    I would recommend passing this up. 

My Lady Jane

Goodreads Says:    Edward (long live the king) is the King of England. He’s also dying, which is inconvenient, as he’s only sixteen and he’d much rather be planning for his first kiss than considering who will inherit his crown…

Jane (reads too many books) is Edward’s cousin, and far more interested in books than romance. Unfortunately for Jane, Edward has arranged to marry her off to secure the line of succession. And there’s something a little odd about her intended…

Gifford (call him G) is a horse. That is, he’s an Eðian (eth-y-un, for the uninitiated). Every day at dawn he becomes a noble chestnut steed—but then he wakes at dusk with a mouthful of hay. It’s all very undignified.

The plot thickens as Edward, Jane, and G are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy. With the fate of the kingdom at stake, our heroes will have to engage in some conspiring of their own. But can they pull off their plan before it’s off with their heads?

My Thoughts:

-    This one fell a little below expectation for me, but I thought it was fun. 

-    I appreciated the humor and everything throughout the book. Some of it was really funny, and other times I rolled my eyes. I also liked when the narrators spoke to the reader. I also liked the quote stealing and vague references. 

-    I liked that this was very VERY loosely based on a historical figure that isn't very well known. 

-    The book was just too long. Comedies should never be too long. I just wanted the story to end. I liked that the book had a great story with humor, but 100-200 pages needed to be chopped. I enjoyed most of the book while I was reading, but towards the end, I was burnt out and wanted to finish quickly. 

-    I liked the magical elements that were added. Some of the moments of change seemed a bit too convenient, but it made sense I guess. 

-    Overall, this was a fun read, and I can tell the authors had a blast writing it, but I probably wouldn't pick it up again. 

The Paper Magician

From Goodreads:    Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic despite her dreams of bespelling metal. And once she’s bonded to paper, that will be her only magic… forever.

Yet the spells Ceony learns under the strange yet kind Thane turn out to be more marvelous than she could have ever imagined — animating paper creatures, bringing stories to life via ghostly images, even reading fortunes. But as she discovers these wonders, Ceony also learns of the extraordinary dangers of forbidden magic.

An Excisioner — a practitioner of dark, flesh magic — invades the cottage and rips Thane’s heart from his chest. To save her teacher’s life, Ceony must face the evil magician and embark on an unbelievable adventure that will take her into the chambers of Thane’s still-beating heart—and reveal the very soul of the man.

My Thoughts:

-    The magic was confusing towards the end. I loved the magic system in general, but they pushed the limits too far. 

-    The origami stuff was really fun.

-    Let's talk about the romance. I am not a fan! I really wanted Magician Thane and Ceony to just have a master and apprentice relationship. I would have loved it to become a more father/daughter thing, but I don't want to see them fall in love! Magician Thane is too old! I just can't get behind it. It would be like Obi-Wan and Leia falling in love. Just NO!

-    Fennel is the best part of the book. I love that Ceony had his constant companionship. Dogs are amazing that way. 

-    I really liked how the book started, and I liked the idea of the story, but I didn't like the direction it took. There was SO much unfulfilled potential. I won't be continuing the series. 

What Alice Forgot

Goodreads Synopsis:    What would happen if you were visited by your younger self, and got a chance for a do-over? 

Alice Love is twenty-nine years old, madly in love with her husband, and pregnant with their first child. So imagine her surprise when, after a fall, she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! she HATES the gym!) and discovers that she's actually thirty-nine, has three children, and is in the midst of an acrimonious divorce. 

A knock on the head has misplaced ten years of her life, and Alice isn't sure she likes who she's become. It turns out, though, that forgetting might be the most memorable thing that has ever happened to Alice.



My Thoughts:

-    A-MAZ-ING! I loved it! I devoured it! I couldn't put it down! 

-    The writing and the story were so addicting. I couldn't stop reading, and when I did, I couldn't stop thinking about it. 

-    I was so immersed in the story, and I loved the characters. I feel like Alice and I are good friends now. We have gone through a lot together. 

-    The story really makes you think about life and the relationships you have with different people, like spouses, children, siblings, friends, etc.

-    I loved how the story tackled several issues, and it was real, and it was hopeful. It was so tactful and sensitive. 

-    The ending was perfect! 

-    Read this! All the hype is deserved! 

Still Alice

Goodreads Synopsis:    Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she’s a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life--and her relationship with her family and the world--forever.

At once beautiful and terrifying, Still Alice is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease that is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as unforgettable as Judith Guest's Ordinary People.

My Thoughts:

-    Wow! I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. I thought for sure I wasn't going to like it, but I ended up liking it a lot. 

-    I loved that this was written from Alice's perspective. I was completely immersed in her story and struggles.

-    There were a few F-bombs that I didn't appreciate, but I think that was the only issue I had with the book.

-    No one close to me has experienced Alzheimer's disease, so I haven't thought about it much. I knew it was a horrible disease and what it did to people, but this book brought a lot of emotion and reality to the disease for me. It helped me understand how awful going through something like this can really be, and I love that about reading and books.

-    When I get immersed in a book, I think about it when I'm not reading, and it finds ways to effect my normal life. I panicked when I forgot something, and I started noticing how much I rely on my planner, Google calendar, and my phone. I started worrying about forgetting my daughter's names, and what will happen to me when I get older. I want to cling on to little moments more.

-    The writing was great! I didn't feel like I was reading at all. I was just absorbed into the story.

-    The copy I read had the movie cover, and I hate movie covers! Why do they even make these? Who buys them?

-    Great book! I'd recommend it to anyone. I'm really glad my book club chose this.

Finding Audrey

From Goodreads:    An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.






My Thoughts:

-    I really enjoyed this book! It had a lot of heart and humor.

-    I'm guessing Audrey was bullied at school and something terrible went down. The book doesn't really say what happened. There are hints, but it doesn't explain anything. In the end, it doesn't matter what happened. The book focuses on Audrey's healing process, which I loved. The title is perfect because Audrey is truly finding herself. 

-    I really liked Frank. He was a great brother, and I liked his relationship with Audrey. He was very supportive, but he also teased Audrey. It was a great sibling relationship. 

-    Linus was sweet. He was a perfect boy next door kind of guy. I liked the different ways he helped Audrey climb out of her shell.

-    The mom drove me crazy!! I think it is because she reminded me of my mom. Memories of getting yelled at for dumb things were brought back. My mom also hated how much time me and my siblings spent on the computer and video games. I also got yelled at for reading too much or being outside too much. I just couldn't win.

-    All those trips to Starbucks made me crave Starbucks something fierce! I may have visited Starbucks a couple times while reading this. Yummmmm! I heart Frappes!

-    I loved that this took place in England, and I loved that it wasn't translated! Woo!

-    Just FYI, there are some F-bombs throughout the book and deity swears.

-    This was a really great book, and I needed something like this right now. I've been struggling to find a book that sticks, and this one stuck big time! I want to look into other books by this author!

Burning Glass

Goodreads Synopsis:    Sonya was born with the rare gift to feel what those around her feel—both physically and emotionally—a gift she’s kept hidden from the empire for seventeen long years. After a reckless mistake wipes out all the other girls with similar abilities, Sonya is hauled off to the palace and forced to serve the emperor as his sovereign Auraseer.

Tasked with sensing the intentions of would-be assassins, Sonya is under constant pressure to protect the emperor. But Sonya’s power is untamed and reckless, and she can’t always decipher when other people’s impulses end and her own begin. In a palace full of warring emotions and looming darkness, Sonya fears that the biggest danger to the empire may be herself.

As she struggles to wrangle her abilities, Sonya seeks refuge in her tenuous alliances with the charming-yet-volatile Emperor Valko and his idealistic younger brother, Anton, the crown prince. But when threats of revolution pit the two brothers against each other, Sonya must choose which brother to trust—and which to betray.

My Thoughts:

-    I mostly enjoyed this book. It was good for a debut novel. 

-    I was surprised that the story had a darker tone to it. I liked the ominous feel.

-    I didn't love any of the main characters. I didn't hate them, but I didn't love them. They were just bleh to me. I didn't understand their motives or personalities really. I loved Pia though. Her bright sparkly personality was a highlight of the story.

-    I liked the plot well enough. It kept me interested, and I didn't know what was going to happen next.

-    The whole idea of the auraseer was intriguing. It would be hard to feel everyone's emotions. 

-    I don't think this needed to be a series. This book could stand on its own. I felt like everything wrapped up nicely. 

Memoirs of a Geisha

Goodreads Synopsis:    A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel presents with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction—at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful—and completely unforgettable.

My Thoughts:

-    The story was interesting, but it was very slow and some parts were boring. 

-    The MC would go on and on in these monologues about trivial things, and it got old.

-    For a book about a Geisha, I thought it was pretty clean. There were some uncomfortable moments, but overall it is fairly clean.

-    I thought the ending was a little convenient. It wrapped up all nice and happy, and it just didn't seem believable. 

-    I enjoyed reading about the Japanese customs and culture.

-    I enjoyed the first half of the book better than the second half. I got bored of the character and the writing.

-    I don't understand Sayuri's obsession with the Chairman. I understood her teenage crush/infatuation, but it should have worn off when she was 30. I felt like Sayuri never really matured or grew up. She didn't have the finesse and wisdom like Mameha, and I was expecting her to become more like Mameha. 

-    I'm glad I read this, but I probably wouldn't pick it up again. 

Dracula

Goodreads Synopsis:    The most famous of seductive evil in Western Literature, blood-thirsty Count Dracula has inspired countless movies, books, and plays. But, few, if any, have been fully to Bram Stoker's best-selling novel of mystery and horror, love and death, sin and redemption.

Written in the form of letters and diary entries, Dracula chronicles the vampire's journey from his Transylvanian castle to the nighttime streets of London. There, he searches for the blood he needs to stay alive - the blood of strong men and beautiful women - while his enemies plot to rid the world of his frightful power.

In Dracula, Stoker created a new word for terror, a new myth to feed our nightmares, and a character who will undoubtedly outlive us all.

My Thoughts:

-    Haunting, creepy, and seductive! This book is definitely worth all the attention it has received.

-    They say there are two types of horror lovers. The vampire lovers and the monster lovers. I happen to be on team monster. I love Frankenstein and zombies! However, I did enjoy Dracula.

-    I didn't love any of the characters. They all seemed shallow and distant, and I thought some of things they did or missed was dumb. I did enjoy the predicaments and Gothic tones of the characters though.

-    The beginning of the novel really pulled me in. I loved the setting and intrigue. I liked the diary entries. I also liked the letters, and I thought the whole way this book was written was unique and fun. I got bored towards the end though. When they were looking for dirt and chasing Dracula around the country, I struggled to keep reading. I just wanted them to finally catch Dracula and kill him. Get it over with already!

-    I was bothered by a couple of the remarks made towards Mina. I'm not huge on the feminist bandwagon, but I was bugged that Van Helsing and others were impressed with Mina's mind. They referred to her as having a man's mind. Women are intelligent too Stoker! I get that this was written a long time ago, but it still bugged. I was also bugged that ALL the men were in love with Lucy and quickly turned around and fell in "love" with Mina. Get a grip dudes!

-    Overall, it was good. I would read it again, but probably not for a while. It is one of those books you have to be in the right mood for. 

The Girl on the Train

Goodreads Synopsis:    A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people’s lives.

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut.

My Thoughts:

-    This book DOES NOT live up to the hype. I was so excited to read this because I had heard so many great things, but it fell short and hard.

-    The beginning is SO slow!! It takes a while to get into the mystery.

-    This was supposed to be a mystery/thriller. I get the mystery part, but I would not consider this a thriller at all. It was boring until the very end.

-    A lot of people in book club, including myself, figured out who did the deed before the end. It wasn't that hard.

-    The best part of the book was that is wasn't translated from British! Hooray! 

-    I hated all the characters. There was no redeeming quality about any of them. The three main narratives all sounded like the same person. The book would have been better if they had all ended up as the same person anyway. The lady could have had multiple personalities, and it would have been a WAY better ending!

-    I did make it through to the end, so the book held my attention that long. It wasn't one of those books where I couldn't wait to pick it up again, or where I couldn't stop reading. It was an effort to finish. 

Not in the Script

Goodreads Says:    Millions of people witnessed Emma Taylor’s first kiss—a kiss that needed twelve takes and four camera angles to get right. After spending nearly all of her teen years performing on cue, Emma wonders if any part of her life is real anymore . . . particularly her relationships.

Jake Elliott’s face is on magazine ads around the world, but his lucrative modeling deals were a poor substitute for what he had to leave behind. Now acting is offering Jake everything he wants: close proximity to home; an opportunity to finally start school; and plenty of time with the smart and irresistible Emma Taylor . . . if she would just give him a chance.

When Jake takes Emma behind the scenes of his real life, she begins to see how genuine he is, but on-set relationships always end badly. Don’t they? Toss in Hollywood’s most notorious heartthrob and a resident diva who may or may not be as evil as she seems, and the production of Coyote Hills heats up in unexpected—and romantic—ways.

This novel in the deliciously fun If Only romance line proves that the best kinds of love stories don’t follow a script. 

My Thoughts:

-    This is a fluff book. I'm kinda picky about my fluff books, and this one just didn't do it for me.

-    Rachel is SO SO SO annoying!

-    Nothing really happens for most of the book. There is practically no plot. The characters talk and talk and talk and then talk some more.

-    A lot of people liked the banter between Emma and Jake, but I wasn't feeling it. I wasn't as great as other books I've read, and I didn't find it funny.

-    I did like that Emma and Jake had other goals in life than acting. They were more real, and they wanted a good education.

-    At first I really didn't like Kimmi, but in the end I wanted to give her a high five. I still didn't like her, but she deserved a high five.

-    Hated Brett from the get go!

-    Overall this book was cute, but it wasn't for me. 

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

Goodreads Synopsis:    On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

In her long-awaited new book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit. Telling an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.

My Thoughts:

-    My book club read this right before the movie came out, but I didn't read it. I was very hesitant to read it because the subject matter scared me.

-    After hearing about how good the story was, and after hearing about how good the movie was, I decided to finally give this book a chance, and I'm SO glad I did.

-    This story is AMAZING! Louis Zamperini is an astonishing person! Wow!

-    I felt so bad for poor Louis's mom. Louis was one crazy kid, and I'm sure she had a lot of sleepless nights worrying about him. Then as an adult Louis is lost as sea and they think he is dead. His poor family! I felt for them!

-    It is so sad and a little maddening that so many soldiers died from plane accidents. I know we were fairly new to airplane technology, but you'd think they would have learned from a lot of these accidents and made better planes sooner! Maybe they didn't have the funds, I don't know, but it really sucks that a lot of soldiers died because of poor engineering.

-    The story is VERY engrossing. I couldn't stop reading! The story itself is amazing, but the writing is phenomenal. I didn't feel like I reading at all, especially a nonfiction book. I felt like I was witnessing an incredible journey. 

-    It is hard to believe that some of these stories are real. They seem so supernatural, but you can't make some of this stuff up either. 

-    Some of my favorite parts were after the war. I was so sad to see Louis struggle with PTSD. I kept cheering for him and hoping his life would get better, and OMG! Louis once again proves that he can't be broken! His redemption story at the end is so powerful!

-    I cannot praise this book enough! It is a fabulous read! I highly recommend it to ANYONE! Great great book!