Saving, Chaining, and Bein' Cool Like That!

Recently (like, over spring break) I had the privileged of reading several AWESOME books- all free! I got them from Amazon Kindle for the iPod touch, but from my understanding, there are versions available for Macs and PCs. The books below were free to me, but some may or may not be available as free. However, I'll give my honest opinion on all of these.

Saving Sailor by Renee Riva was definitely one of the cutest books I've ever read, and I say it in a good way. A.J. is a Italian Catholic tomboy who loves being nine and spending the summer with her family and her dog, Sailor. The book recounts her encounter with a very Oklahoman, therefore southern-ish, family and a bond that forms between the families. Many adventures, trials, and fun fill the pages, and I highly recommend this sweet book, which is clean and Christian.
The author speaks through the types words with such clarity and sincerity, as a nine/ten year old girl would. A.J. is so real in the book, even though she and her family are a little on the different side at times. The ending is sooooooo adorable, I was probably looking like a fool, grinning from ear to ear at two in the morning, staying up just to finish the novel. 20 out of 10 stars!

Daisy Chain by Mary E. DeMuth is a tragic book, to be sure. Daisy, Jed's best friend, disappears one night when Jed should have walked her home if it hadn't have been for his demanding and abusive father, who is a preacher in their town. Jed is devastated, and things get worse when Daisy doesn't show up for weeks and Daisy's mother begins blaming Jed. Will Jed be able to fight his father back? Will Daisy return? Will their faith disappear?
I won't lie. I felt like crying once or twice during this book, it was so depressing. Yet the truth of God's word and the beautiful writing of the author pulled it through for me in the end. Yes, this book is full of darkness, but the light shines so beautifully. I give this book 8 out of 10 stars.
NOTE: I read the sequel of this book, and though Daisy Chain is pretty sad, the sequel, A Slow Burn, was meant to be read by adults only. I would probably not allow those thirteen and under to read the next book in the series, and I would probably talk with my child about Daisy Chain if you decide to let them read.Violent content.

 Cool Like That by Nikki Carter is the story of a teenage girl who heads off to a college summer camp with her best friend, who is also her very-likely potential boyfriend. Meet Gia, a girl who gets to have a blast on the funnest summer of her life. Little does she know what awaits her... More specifically, who awaits her. On the way to camp, Gia discovers a totally cute boy who is sweet and calls her "Princess". It's head over hells in love, over the summer, but with who?
I love the humor in this book and the way the author describes certain things. However, the lingo threw me off from page one. I didn't know where I was for a while, if this strange language was from the '80s or from now, I wasn't sure. I was starting to think this book did take place back then until I saw iPods and facebook come up... A little lingo is okay here and there, but I was a little unhappy that I was unable to understand some terms. I give this book a 5 out of 10 stars. 


Have you read any of these books? If so, what is your input?

NOTE: I recommend parents read the above books before allowing their children to read. There may be violence or other unhealthy content in the books I review. Some books I recommend may not appeal to your standards, some may.


God Bless and Happy Reading!