Artichoke's Heart written by Suzanne Supplee

Artichoke's Heart, I waited to read this book especially after a student said it was about a 'fat' girl. I am by no means a size 2 never have been and right now I dont think it would fit my life style. I am not happy with my weight but I am comfortable at where I am.

The heroine in this story is Rose. Rose weighs less then 200 lbs and the kids at her school call her all sorts of names but especially artichoke because back in middle school her mom got her a green jacket that when she wore the jacket she looked like a 'green' artichoke in it. So forever now Rose has been called many fat girl names. As the book progresses, Rose realizes that with perseverance and a new good friend Kay-Kay that she can lose the weight her Mother and Aunt have been nagging at her to lose. But Rose is also recognized by another student at school. He smiles at her and even talks to her. He is one of the school's jocks. Play many sports but likes Rose. Kyle and Rose begin to date. Rose has a boyfriend, never thought she would have a boyfriend but she does.

As the story progresses we find out that her Mom has a form of cancer. Rose and her mom weren't close but the illness brings them closer so they can share lifes up and downs.

No tissues needed for this book but at times there was that possibility. Overall a good story, another book I wish was written many years ago for myself to read. In some ways a Rose is inside me.

Shift written by Jennifer Bradbury

it is a few days until high school graduation, Chris's mom has told him he needs to get a job for the summer. This doesn't thrill Chris at all. He has an idea to travel cross country by bicycle. He mentions the idea to his best friend Win. Both boys ask their parents and grudgingly parents agree. The day after graduation at 8am the boys are on their adventure. As Chris and Win begin their journey they meet variety of people on the road. Chris gets a flat, Winston doesn't stop but keeps going. Chris never catches up with Winston. Chris finished his trip, dipped his toes and front wheel into the Pacific Ocean but what happened to Winston? Chris is at college, beginning his first year actually first week when a FBI agent shows up to question him about Winston's disappearance. Mr. Coggons questions Chris and his family, he wants to know where or what happened to his son. Does Chris know where Winston is? Can Chris be talked into telling Agent Ward where Winston is?

Its a good story, slow at times, but finding Winston is told in flashbacks of their bicycle trip as they crossed the country from Kentucky to the Pacific Ocean.

The Choice written by Nicholas Sparks

I have read many of Nicholas Sparks books, usually I need many tissues on hand to read his novels. This book was no exception. I immediately loved his hero in this book, Travis and his heroine Gabby. They were destined to be together. Gabby had a choice to make and she made her decision. In the end so did Travis have a choice to make but did he make the right choice, could he go against Gabby's wishes? Could he go through life bitter and hating his decision as Mr. Baker had done?

Even as I write this entry, the tears come back. Travis and Gabby although fictional characters had a life together that I wished I had when married. Realization of what I missed is so painful for me. Like when I watch an elderly couple at church, he holding her pocket book and helping her on with her coat. As they hold hands as they walked down the aisle to the pew they will occupy for the next hour. I know I have missed out on a loving relationship, my heart still hurts being divorced wasn't in my plan when I got married.

Enjoy this heart warming story, I wish falling in love was this easy and having that relaionship keep growing year after year.

Eragon written by Christopher Paolini

There is a prologue, in which a Shade named Durza and some Urgals kill two Elves and chase an Elven-lady across a forest. The Elven-lady has a blue stone, later revealed to be a dragon egg. The Elven-lady gets captured, but sends the egg to the Spine to keep it safe.

Eragon lives with his uncle Garrow and cousin Roran on a farm on the borders of a small village called Carvahall. While hunting in the Spine, a large mountain range, Eragon is surprised to see a polished blue stone appear in front of him. A few days later, Eragon witnesses a baby dragon hatch from the "stone", and realizes that it is actually a dragon egg. Eragon names the dragon Saphira. He raises the dragon in secret until two of King Galbatorix's servants, the Ra'zac, come to Carvahall looking for the egg. Eragon and Saphira manage to escape by hiding in the forest, but Garrow is fatally wounded and the house and farm are burned down by the Ra'zac. Once Garrow dies, Eragon is left with no reason to stay in Carvahall, so he goes after the Ra'zac, seeking vengeance for the destruction of his home and his uncle's death. He is accompanied by Brom, an elderly story-teller, who insists on helping him and Saphira.

Eragon becomes a Dragon Rider through his bond with Saphira. On the journey, Brom teaches Eragon sword fighting, magic, the Ancient Language, and the ways of the Dragon Riders. Their travels bring them to Teirm, where they are able to track the Ra'zac to the southern city of Dras-Leona. Although they manage to infiltrate the city, Eragon encounters the Ra'zac in a cathedral and he and Brom are forced to flee. Later that night, their camp is ambushed by the Ra'zac. A stranger named Murtagh rescues them, but Brom is gravely injured. Knowing that he is about to die, Brom tells Eragon that he used to be a Dragon Rider. His dragon's name was also Saphira, but an evil Dragon Rider named Morzan killed her. Brom then avenged Saphira's death and killed Morzan. After telling Eragon this, Brom dies.

Murtagh becomes Eragon's new companion and they travel to the city Gil'ead to find information on how to find the Varden, a group of rebels who want to see the downfall of Galbatorix. While stopping near Gil'ead, Eragon is captured and imprisoned in the same jail that holds a woman he has been receiving dreams about. When he breaks out of his cell, he discovers that she is an Elf. Murtagh and Saphira stage a rescue, and Eragon escapes with the unconscious Elf. During the escape, Eragon and Murtagh battle with a Shade – a sorcerer possessed by evil spirits – named Durza. Murtagh shoots Durza between the eyes with an arrow, and the Shade disappears in a cloud of mist.

After escaping, Eragon contacts the unconscious Elf telepathically, and discovers that her name is Arya. She tells them that she was poisoned while in captivity and that only a potion in the Varden's possession can cure her. Arya is able to give directions to the exact location of the Varden: a city called Tronjheim, which sits in the mountain Farthen Dûr. She also adds that they have only four days to reach the Varden or she will die. The group go in search of the Varden, both to save Arya's life and to escape Galbatorix's wrath. When they arrive in Farthen Dûr, Eragon is led to the leader of the Varden, Ajihad. Ajihad imprisons Murtagh after finding out that he is the son of Morzan. Ajihad tells Eragon that Durza was not destroyed by Murtagh's well placed arrow, because the only way to kill a Shade is with a stab to the heart.

Eragon is at last able to rest, but a new invasion is imminent. As the battle begins, the Varden and the Dwarves are pitted against an enormous army of Urgals, deployed by Durza and Galbatorix. During the battle, Eragon faces Durza again. Durza, having gravely wounded Eragon's back, is about to capture him but is distracted by Saphira and Arya. Durza's attention is diverted long enough for Eragon to stab him in the heart with his sword. After Durza's death, the Urgals are released from a spell which had been placed on them, and begin to fight among themselves. The Varden take advantage of this opportunity to make a counter-attack, forcing off the Urgals. While Eragon is unconscious, someone called The Mourning Sage contacts him telepathically and tells Eragon to come to him for training in the forest of the Elves, Dû Weldenvarden.

Mockingjay written by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay 3rd book in the Hunger Games Trilogy.

After her rescue by rebels, Katniss reluctantly agrees to become the Mockingjay after Peeta appears on a Capitol propaganda broadcast. As part of a deal, she demands that the leader of District 13, President Coin, grant immunity to all of the victors of the Hunger Games. She also demands the right to kill President Snow herself. In a daring rescue, Peeta and other victors are rescued from the Capitol. However, Peeta has been hijacked: brainwashed using tracker jacker venom to replace memories. He immediately tries to strangle Katniss when he sees her after being rescued.

The rebels take control of the districts and finally begin an assault on the Capitol itself. Katniss eventually becomes a member of squad 451. However, an assault on a "safe" Capitol neighborhood goes wrong, and the survivors of squad 451 flee further into the Capitol with the intent of finding and killing President Snow. Eventually Katniss finds herself pressing on by herself towards Snow's mansion, which has supposedly been opened to shelter Capitol children (but is actually intended to provide human shields for Snow). An apparent Capitol assault kills many of these children and a rebel medical team, including Katniss' sister Prim.

President Snow is tried and found guilty, but when Katniss meets with President Snow, he tells Katniss that the final assault that killed Prim and the children was not from the capitol. Katniss thinks that if this is true, the final assault may have been the result of a plan originally developed by Gale. Katniss doubts this, but still realizes that she will never be able to look at Gale the same way, even though she knows that he was not directly involved with the deaths of the children and Prim.

Katniss remembers a conversation with Snow in which they promised not to lie to each other. She realizes that President Snow was telling the truth. So, when she was to execute Snow, Katniss kills Coin instead. A riot ensues and Snow is found mysteriously dead, having possibly choked on his own blood. Katniss is acquitted due to her apparent insanity and she returns to her home in District 12 and soon after so does Peeta, who plants primroses beside her house in memory of her sister, who was named after the flower.

In the epilogue, Katniss speaks as an adult, more than twenty years later. She is married to Peeta and they have two children. The Hunger Games are over, but she dreads the day her children's innocent world is shattered by learning the details of the games and the war along with their parent's roles in each. When she feels upset, Katniss has taken to counting every good thing that she has seen someone do, which she says is sometimes tedious—but there are worse games.