The Help

The Help

by Kathryn Stockett

In Jackson, Mississippi, in 1962, there are lines that are not crossed. With the civil rights movement exploding all around them, three women start a movement of their own. Seemingly different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed. A deeply moving book filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

Dustin's Review: ****

I truly enjoyed this story. I can't imagine living in the south during the civil rights movement. The things that both black and white women had to experience and endure is horrifying. This book is well written and allows the reader to feel as though they are living through the experience as well. I would recommend this book to anyone enjoys historical fiction and is looking for some inspiration.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

Synopsis:

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used to be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

Katniss is smart, athletic, and fast. She can take down a rabbit with a bow and arrow, hitting it straight thought the eye. Will these skills be enough to survive the Hunger Games?

Dustin's Review: *****

I loved this book! I couldn't put it down. It was such a fascinating story and I couldn't get enough of the characters. I was able to connect with the characters and was truly invested in their story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an action packed adventure. My husband couldn't get enough of this story either! So if you know any guys that need a good book to read send this one their way!

The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid

by Rick Riordan

Synopsis:

Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them -Set- has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

Dustin's Review: ****

I really enjoyed this book! It is a story about the balance between order and chaos and how two siblings struggle to keep the balance. The story has a lot of action and humor. I couldn't put the book down and am really looking forward to reading more about these characters throughout the series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the Percy Jackson series and Fabelhaven.

The Heretic Queen

The Heretic Queen

by Michelle Moran

Synopsis:

The winds of change are blowing through Thebes. A devastating place fire has killed the Eighteenth Dynasty's royal family -- with the exception of Nefertari, the niece of the reviled former queen, Nefertiti. The girl's deceased family has been branded as heretical, and no one in Egypt will speak their names. Nefertari is pushed aside, and unimportant princess left to run wild in the palace. But this changes when she is taken under the wing of the Pharaoh's aunt, then brought to the Temple of Hathor, where she is educated in a manner befitting a future Queen.

Soon Nefertari catches the eye of the Crown Prince, and despite her family's history, they fall in love and wish to marry. Yet all of Egypt opposes this union between the rising star of a new dynasty and the fading star of an old, heretical one. While political adversity sets the country on edge, Nefertari becomes the wife of Ramesses the Great. Destined to be the most powerful Pharaoh in Egypt, he is also the man who must confront the most famous exodus in history.

Dustin's Review: ****

I loved this book! Michele Moran is a fantastic author who administers the perfect mix of fact and fiction. This is a story of a true romance. Most Pharaoh's married women who they barley knew or cared about. Ramesses really loved Nefartari. Their story is a magical and it is touching how they stick together through everything.

After reading this book I was so enticed by the characters I did a little research on them to see if they really were in love and so forth. I found that Ramesses built Nefertari a tomb which is considered today to be the largest and most beautiful of any found in the necropolis. On the wall of her burial chamber, Ramesses summed up his love for her as such: "My love is unique and no one can rival her...just by passing, she has stolen away my heart."

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and/or loves a great romance.

Nefertiti

Nefertiti

by Michelle Moran

Synopsis:

Nefertiti and her younger sister, Mutnodjmet, have been raised in a powerful family that has provided wives to the rulers of Egypt for centuries. Ambitious, charismatic, and beautiful, Nefertiti is destined to marry Amunhotep, an unstable young pharaoh. It is hoped that her strong personality will temper the young ruler's heretical desire to forsake Egypt's ancient gods.

From the moment of her arrival in Thebes, Nefertiti is beloved by the people, but she fails to see that powerful forces are plotting against her husband's reign. The only person brave enough to warn the queen is her younger sister, yet remaining loyal to Nefertiti will force Mutnodjmet into a dangerous political game - one that could cost her everything she holds dear.

Dustin's Review: ****

After reading "Sphinx's Princess" by Esther Friesner I really wanted to learn more about Nefertiti. This book has a different version of Nefertiti and I liked it better than Friesner's version. Friesner's version was obviously written for a much younger audience.

"Nefertiti" tells the story of Nefertiti and Amunhotep and the way they chose to rule Egypt and how that in turn effected not only their lives but the lives of their family, and all of Egypt. I couldn't put this book down. I was fascinated by the story and the relationships between the characters. This book made me feel as though I personally knew the characters and I was sad when the story finally ended.

I definitely would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, Egypt, or a good book!

Sphinx's Princess

Sphinx's Princess

by Esther Friesner

Synopsis:

Although Nefertiti is the dutiful daughter of a commoner, her inquisitive mind often gets her into situations that are far from ordinary, like receiving secret lessons from a scribe. And her striking beauty garners attention that she'd just as soon avoid, especially when it's her aunt, the manipulative Queen Tiye, who has set her sights on Nefertiti. The queen wants to use her niece as a pawn in her quest for power, so Nefertiti must leave her beloved family and enter a life filled with courtly intrigue and danger. But her spirit and mind will not rest as she continues to challenge herself and the boundaries of ancient Egyptian society. With control of a kingdom at stake and threats at every turn, Nefertiti is forced to make choices and stand up for her beliefs in ways she never imagined.

Dustin's Review: ***

I liked the first two books I read by Esther Friesner so I decided to give this book a try. I had no idea who Nefertiti was when I began this story. However I was taken in by her character in this book. I wanted to learn more about Nefertiti and her adventures. I couldn't put the book down! I am looking forward to a sequel as this book ends with a cliff hanger!

Nobody's Prize

Nobody's Prize

by Esther Friesner

Synopsis:

In this sequel to Nobody's Princess, young Helen of Sparta is not about to be left behind when her older brothers head off to join the quest for the Golden Fleece. Accompanied by her friend Milo, and disguised as a boy herself, Helen sets out to join the crew of heroes aboard the massive ship known as The Argo.

Helen quickly faces all sorts of danger. There are battles to be fought, as well as an encounter with a terrifying murderous princess. With her beauty blossoming, Helen's journey takes her beyond the mythology of the Golden Fleece to Athens, where her very future as Queen of Sparta is threatened.

Dustin's Review: **

I was so excited that there was a sequel to Nobody's Princess. I wanted to know more about Helen and her adventures. I really enjoyed the story of her adventures aboard The Argo. However I was a little disappointed in the ending. I still wanted to know more about Helen and her future as Sparta's Queen. I suppose that could mean the author did a great job by making me want even more when the story ended. This series is a great one and I really did enjoy reading it and am looking forward to reading more books I can find on Helen and her adventures.