The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

Sonia wants to be the first in her family to graduate from high school and go to college. Her parents are illegal immigrants and did not have the opportunities she has, and Sonia know that in America, education equals opportunities. She has big plans for her future.

However, Sonia’s plans are disrupted by her life. Her father works three jobs to support his family. Her mother is pregnant with twins and is on bed rest and her drunk uncle has come to live with them. Sonia is forced to cook, clean and take care of her family. She often has to miss school to help out at home and things look bleak for the possibilities of graduating. The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez by Alan Lawrence Sitomer shows what Sonia must do to find her future while dealing with her family, avoiding her drunk uncle and falling in love.

A Kansas Year

A Kansas Year by Mike Blair is a beautiful book of pictures showing the beauty of one year in the state of Kansas. Blair goes through the year with incredible photographs that show Kansas at its best. January includes pictures of an ice storm and a couple of raccoons in their den. The author gets it right when he writes, "The reader should not be confused if one January entry is shirtsleeve warm, while the next is cold and snowy. The beauty of a Kansas year is found in its diversity, and that's why it's a compelling journey." Everyone who has ever lived in Kansas knows how true this statement is.

From the snow covered cattails to the Ninnescah on an August morning to a December sunset over the prairie. This is a breathtakingly beautiful book.

Sequels

I just finished the third book is a couple of series and enjoyed them both a lot!

Kiss in the Dark by Lauren Henderson is the third book in the "Kiss" series.

Having solved the mystery of Dan’s death, Scarlett thinks that life will finally settle down. She is happy with her best friend Taylor and her boyfriend Jase and is even dealing with her archenemy Plum now attending Wakefield School. Of course, things do not remain calm in Scarlett’s life. Jase’s father and grandmother and Scarlett’s aunt do not want Jase and Scarlett to see each other. Jase’s father reacts almost violently to their being together and Scarlett’s aunt hauls her home in the middle of a date. However, when Jase’s father is found dead, everything blows up and Scarlett again needs to investigate what really happened and how his death is connected to her past and the death of her parents years ago. Once again Henderson presents an interesting mystery to be solved and Scarlett is right in the middle of it.

Although the mystery of Jase's father's death is solved in this book, another mystery is brought up about Scarlett’s parents. This opens the door for another book in the series.

The other book I just finished was the final book in the "Hunger Games" series Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. Like the other two books--Hunger Games and Catching Fire--Mockingjay kept me on the edge of my seat; I couldn't stop reading because I had to know what would happen to Katniss.

The book begins after Katniss has been removed from the Quarter Quell by the rebels of District 13 who are leading the rebellion to over throw the Capitol. Peeta has been left behind and is taken captive by the Capitol. District 13 wants Katniss to become the Mockingjay a symbol of rebellion that will encourage the rebel troops to continue fighting for the good of the people. This throws Katniss right in the middle of the Civil War. In addition to trying to save her own life, she now feels responsible for the lives of the rebels. All the while, she hopes to save Peeta from certain torture at the hands of President Snow.

This book resolves all the open questions from the first two books. It is a good if not particularly happy ending to the series.