A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'engle

I first read this book at ten years old. It was one of those powerful stories that stuck with me, and it inspired me to start creating stories of my own. This book is not only an epic adventure or a story about a young girl finding courage to replace self doubt, it is a detailed fable of what it means to be human. Meg and Charles Wallace are different than most of their peers. Charles Wallace is extremely smart for his age. Meg is also very clever, and has a rebellious streak, but she looks down on herself all the time, and she is convinced that she is plain, painfully different and alone. These extraordinary kids, one a teenager and one a four year old, embark on a journey to save their father from the clutches of evil and darkness. Joining them on this epic quest is Calvin Hobbs, a fifteen year old boy who pretends to fit in, but he is very intelligent, friendly and loyal. The role of the mentor in this tale is played by three strange women: Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which who have stories of their own, and their assignment is to help The Murry family. 

What I love about this story, is that it's layered. On the surface, it is about a lonely girl, discovering true strength. The next layer is a story about humanity, and what it means to live. The third layer is the ultimate battle of good versus evil. The fourth layer is a conflict between many different beings, crafted in a world you can only imagine. 

Even reading this years after I first read it, I still couldn't put it down and I learned something new. 

A Wrinkle in Time is not just a Newberry Winner, it is a tale that grows with you, and you can enjoy it at any age, any time. 

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

I was first recommended this book at work, and then Ashley Clements mentioned it as a book she would like to see made into a movie. I finally looked up the synopsis and finally bought it. I'm so glad I did! This book is a gem! A real treat for those who love and appreciate the layers and significance of stories. The mystery of Nell's identity and the quest her grandaughter goes on to discover it is also a mystery involving beautiful and haunting fairytales. With the shocking revalation that she was adopted, Nell ventures to the past and is determined to learn who her parents are. Her quest is cut short by cruel fate, and her grandaughter Cassandra is left to pick up the pieces and put them together. The book switches points of view and goes back in time as the reader slowly discovers the answers to Nell's questions and Cassandra's own personal riddle. Alongside Nell's quest and Cassandra's journey are bits and pieces of the past, the story of Eliza Makepeace and the strange Mountrachet family. As each layer unfolds, the fairytales themselves become very important to the novel's plot, and the mystery of Nell's past.

I haven't read a layered book like this in a long time. In the style of Jane Eyre, or a Jane Austen novel,  this story is similar to the Secret Garden but more complicated with flashbacks, powerful reveals and personal histories that Cassandra, Nell, Chrisitian and Eliza Makepeace all experience. It is a powerful tale told in a beautiful and well thought out manner. I recommend this book to anyone who loves fairytales, mysteries, The Secret Garden and Life of Pi. With its characters, fairytales and history, this story weaves its own magic.

20 Something 20 Everything by Christine Hassler

This is more than a book. It's a process. During the time in your life where you're trying to figure everything out, and trying to learn what career you want to pursue and how to get there, you can get overwhelmed with the expectations of yourself from yourself and other people around you. You'll compare yourself to other people your age, and feel left out from the career world and all that "time of your life" that your relatives or friends say is the definition of the twenty something years. 

Each chapter of this book helps you dive into what you already know, about your goals, dreams and how you view yourself. Each chapter begins with a few stories of women who go through a similar obstacle or challenge. After each in depth explanation, a list of questions based on your experiences and expectations follows the stories, and a small conclusion to the chapter. 

I recommend reading this book with a blank journal to answer the questions and record your thoughts on each chapter. It's also important to answer each question truthfully, or you won't really know what you want and how you view your life. 

This book is work, but it's also a revelation. With building blocks to pursue your goals, and advice to enjoy this time in your life, Christine Hassler encourages you to really look at your life. How you view  it. How you view yourself. These are more important and influencial than you realize. 

The only way for this book to work, is for you to work. But there are fun projects and tasks to do today to help you clarify what you want and who your are. 

I highly recommend this book to any woman in her twenties, no matter what her situation is. If your lost in the whirlwind of career, relationship status and self image criticism, this book helps you understand that you are not alone. All you have to do is learn the answers to three questions- in depth.

Who are you? What do you want? And, ow do you get there?

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

I have to admit something, before I start the book review. This is one of those rare occasions where I saw the movie first. So I actually read the book long after the movie came out. I loved the movie, and I didn't know that the story was based off a novel until I encountered it for the first time, shortly after I finished high school. I love both the movie and the book in their different ways.

The first thing to note about this story is the way it is told. Landon Carter, the narrator does not sugar coat anything, and his honesty makes him a reliable narrator for the story. We see the world through a very interesting lens. A small town, with history after history. Everyone knows each other, and Landon has known Jamie since he first started gong to school.  But he doesn't really know her, at all. This story is a powerful one because it goes beyond just a love story, or a high school sweetheart tale. It is about discovering who you are, in the sense of learning who someone else really is. It's also about overcoming adversity. Adversity of the most shocking kind. Another important layer of the tale is what it means to truly live. Landon thinks, especially at the beginning of the book, that his life is difficult, and painful. He also thinks that Jamie lives on cloud nine and is apparently the perfect saint. As he gets to know Jamie, what she actually does, and the deep secret she's hidden, he begins to understand that life is not as simple or straightforward as he makes it out to be. Beyond the first impression or the everyday judgements is another story, one you can't even imagine that makes up the person you believe you know.
he first time I read this book, I fell in love with Landon. His voice was so different from anything I had ever read. His constant opinion throughout the book evolves and changes once he starts getting closer to Jamie. He grows up, as he constantly says in the book, and it's Jamie and her story that helped him learn who he is. The second time I read this book, I discovered something powerful about the way people connect. Their paths cross, sometimes by coincidence, but other times both were drawn to the other without an awareness of it. On my third reading, I discovered an interesting coping mechanism that Jamie uses, that I never noticed before.
I recommend this book to teenagers especially, but really anyone, especially someone who faces a lot of adversity, regardless of its shape or form. This book has a lot to offer about love, trust and faith in others and yourself.

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

I have heard a lot about this book, and I decided to give it a try. What's interesting is that the person who wrote it wasn't unhappy. She just felt that she should be happier. Some of these techniques didn't apply to me, but I loved this idea. A "happiness project" is a period of time that you devote to making yourself happier. you start by asking basic questions. "What makes me happy?" and "What makes me unhappy?" then you go into deeper questions that are more specific to your personality and situation. It's a very powerful thing, and unlike the story in Eat Pray Love, this project involves changing your routine instead of making major changes like a trip or a vacation. I found this useful because there is some wisdom to the outline of the "happiness project". Even thinking about how to make yourself happier can make you happier. So this book is about one woman's quest to dedicate a year to finding ways to be happy, but you read everything very differently when you outline your own "happiness project". I think this is extremely useful for people that have to hurry up and wait while they pursue a dream or goal to be happier. You don't have to drive yourself crazy waiting for a big change. You can make little changes to yourself and discover a way to appreciate your life without taking things for granted. I highly recommend this book to anyone at any time. Even if you're already happy, like Gretchen Rubin when she started the book, pursuing happiness is not selfish. The atmosphere you create around you can be a positive or negative influence to yourself and others around you. Another important note is that this book isn't about faking happiness. It's about discovering what makes you happy and working toward staying that way.

Mara Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

I read this book in Middle School with my English class, and I have loved it ever since! It is the story of Mara, a young slave girl who is literally thrown into the balance of politics and deception. She becomes a spy for both sides of the throne and enjoys the new freedom of her occupation. As she learns about the inner workings of the palace, and gets to know the people behind the plans on who will rule Egypt, she discovers that she must eventually choose who she will support. This opportunity has helped Mara discover things that she had never needed before. As a slave Mara trusted and looked to no one. In this dangerous game, she finds friends and discovers who she wants to be.
This book uses a different accent of Egyptian jargon translated into English. If you've never read about Egypt before, or the events of Egyptian history, some research wouldn't be a bad idea. This story is entertaining and thrilling. I recommend it to anyone who loves adventure, historical literature and a clever character.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming

I found this book at an antique store, and to be honest, I had no idea it was a novel! So, naturally I had to buy it and started reading it immediately.
The book is charming and imaginative like the film, but it is a different story. Instead of an adventure in a different country where children are banned, The Potts family are swept up into a mystery and discover the most notorious burglar Joe Monster in France. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang can also talk in a way, printing messages to tell the family what to do. She can fly, float and she has a mind of her own. As I read this book, I was reminded of Roald Dahl, and the narrator takes liberty to explain things to the reader in a similar way that Lemony Snicket did in The Series of Unfortunate Events. It's a fun adventure and a very creative story. I recommend it to fan of the film, Roald Dahl books and the Series of Unfortunate Events.
Fun fact: Roald Dahl was actually a script writer for the film!