Social Icons

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Review of Good Fortune by Noni Carter


Good Fortune
By Noni Carter














Synopsis
Ayanna Bahati lives in a small African village when she is brutally kidnapped, along with her brother, and forced onto a slave ship to America. As Ayanna, renamed Anna, rises from the cotton fields to the master’s house, she finds the familial love she’s been yearning for in elderly Mary and Mary’s son Daniel—but she is also faced with more threats to her survival. Risking everything to escape the plantation, Anna manages to make it north and to freedom, eventually settling in the free black community of Hudson, Ohio, and educating herself to become a teacher.




Review

Good Fortune  is a novel written by Noni Carter, a great writer with a very powerful message to share. While most immigrants are people running from war, or poverty to a place where they can get a better life, some have no choice. Good Fortune is about those who had no choice. This book is about the forced immigration of African natives, brought to America to spend their lives as slaves. Good Fortune follows the heartfelt and truly inspirational journey of Sarah, a young girl abducted from her family in Africa and bonded into slavery, as she attempts to escape the brutal life of a slave and run north to freedom. Sarah had to give up and leave behind a lot including her name, family, and friends as she made the risk to escape to a free and educated life.








This novel was an amazing story about hardship and determination. Good Fortune was, such an easy book to get into. The connection I was able to develop with all the characters is indescribable. It almost seemed like I could feel for myself all the pain and sorrow that Sarah had to endure while migrating throughout the world to find freedom and the education that she desperately thrived for. This book had such an amazing message that I think everyone should experience for themselves. It really has shown me about how education is so important to those who may not ever get to gain one. It made me think about how much we take for granted the education we receive for little to no cost, while others have to fight for theirs. Good fortune, I believe, is an extremely important piece of literature and I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a good read.

Snow, a powerful, and moving must-read book for all.



About The Author:

Kathryn Hewitt was born and raised in the small town of Camden, South Carolina. Breaking away from becoming a statistic, she was an Honors Graduate from Camden High School and went on to study British Literature and Sociology at Charleston Southern University, inspiring to teach High School English.

Kathryn has a passion for teaching teenagers and reaching out to those who seem as though the world has closed the door. Because of her own experiences, including becoming a teenage mother at fifteen, Kathryn knows the value of life and the blessings it contains. Understanding the importance of making wise decisions, Kathryn passionately seeks to instill that wisdom into the minds of every young lady she encounters. The inspiration for Kathryn's writings comes from her own experiences, and she is never afraid to speak the truth that others refuse to acknowledge.

Kathryn married in 2005 and is a stay at home mom with her four sons. She and her family currently live in the same town she grew up.

Author Bio Summary

As a teenage mother, Kathryn Hewitt understands the consequential trials and sacrifices resulting from teen pregnancies. Leadership positions throughout high school, college, and church provided a forum for her activism in promoting premarital abstinence and accountability, and pro-life support.

Kathryn currently lives in Camden, South Carolina with her husband and four boys.



Book Genre Religious Fiction/ YA (13+ or 7th grade)Publisher Westbow Press, Inc A Thomas Nelson DivisionRelease Date May 2012
Amazon

Snow is a fiction novel, based on true events, about the struggles of a teenage girl and the consequences of a devastating mistake. Whether readers are young adults, exploring their sexuality for the first time, or an older adult, struggling to understand their teenage daughter, everyone will have a character in which to relate.

Young adults will be gripped by the reality and bluntness of it's characters. Parents will appreciate the censorship of otherwise “uncomfortable” topics. With sexuality among young adults beginning at an early age, "family values" are now being pushed back into the forefront of parental teaching. Snow influences people with Christian values, such as sexual abstinence, pro-life advocacy, and prayer, without pushing God as the subject of the book. Biblically based information is strategically scattered throughout the novel with dialect and personal thoughts.

The protagonist's quest to discover the path she needs to take unearths findings of a secret life, lead by her boyfriend. With two lives at stake, readers will eagerly anticipate the outcome only to find themselves with lessons and warnings about the consequences of making detrimental mistakes. Comfort will be found in understanding that God is bigger than any situation and He catches ever tear. Miracles so often go unnoticed, yet powerfully affect those they touch. Snow will set the stage for future novels reflective of countless miracles and divine intervention.

Excerpt:

Mrs. Davis grabbed Luke by the arm and pulled him along behind her as she purposefully marched toward the bar. After ordering a Grey Goose martini, she turned around to face Luke.

"You know why I brought you over here," she glared at him, her voice shaking with anger.

"Yeah, I know." Luke sat on the bar stool and folded his arms on the counter.

"What are you going to do about this, Luke?"

"I don't know, Mom. She wants to have it."

"You can't allow that to happen. You know that."

"I can't make her do it." Luke ran his hands through his un-gelled hair. " And her mom! She just won't stop interfering. She had this church lady come over yesterday and talk to Ruth about
having the abortion. That lady managed to change her mind, because, believe it or not, I did have her convinced."

Mrs. Davis sipped her martini and lit a cigarette. "Well, we have to get rid of this one. You can't have two of these things hanging over your head for the next eighteen years."

"I don't know how to convince her." He laughed as he said, "I told her, when we first found out, that I'd hire someone to beat her up and make her miscarry."

Mrs. Davis chuckled, "Or you could just kill her."

"Mother, please."

Mrs. Davis tapped the ashes off her cigarette and motioned for Luke to leave. "Don't worry; I'll take care of this. Tell her to come here."

Luke got off the bar stool and went into the arcade. He should have gone straight to look for Ruth, but part of him didn't want his mom to convince her to have the abortion. He loved how
sweet and obedient Ruth was and didn't want to lose her. His eye caught a military game, so he headed over, ready to release some frustration.

What Readers Are Saying:

"Heart-tugging, heart-warming. beautiful story." ~InsightfulTruth

"The honest account girls need!" ~M. Morgan

"Finally! A book that isn't afraid of the truth." ~T. Gill

  • Characters & Important People (From Amazon)


    • Ruth McColl: 20 year old Ruth McColl walks a treacherous road to her past where she is faced with the demons that have haunted her for years. Broken and filled with unworthiness, Ruth sabotages every relationship. Will she do the same with the man she's about to marry?15 year old Ruth is a fun loving, outgoing young girl filled with innocence and determination. An honor student and active in her church, Ruth is caught up in a whirlwind romance with a man, too many years her senior. The decisions she must make will alter her life forever. The question is, will it be for the better?

    • Luke Davis: Luke, a charmer, shows up in the small town of Westbrook just in time to catch the eye of young Ruth. Captivated by her innocence it doesn't take long for Luke to set his sights on his newest prize. But what is his ultimate desire? And why was he sent to Westbrook?
  • Notes for Parents:


    • Reading Level: Young Adults

    Read this yourself. You'll gain a great understanding of what your kids are going through at school and socially. Then, give it to your daughter (or son). This novel was written to tell the truth. It's not sugar coated...it's just blunt. The main character, a virgin, looses her virginity to a guy she believes loves her. Over time he has made her feel obligated to prove her love to him. After a one time mistake she finds herself pregnant at 15. Her boyfriend has a checkered past filled with girls that either were pregnant or are pregnant. He and his family pressure her to abort the baby. The novel graphically describes the abortion process and reveals the emotions that overwhelm Ruth. There are many lessons in this book and although it may invoke discussions about premarital sex, abortion, and abuse you will be grateful that your daughter (or son) is receiving a valuable, positive message.Because of the content, I do not recommend this book to anyone under 13 or 7th grade.





Sunday, February 10, 2013

Book Review of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why
A Novel by Jay Asher
   
                      
Synopsis

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate and crush - who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why. Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself-a truth he never wanted to face.


Review
Thirteen Reasons Why is said to be one of the most life changing stories anyone could read and I can not help but agree. The book really made me think about how such one very small action or word can snowball into something that could destroy ones life. It really made me wonder how horrible of a direction our society has gone. How obsessed everyone is with making others feel worse, so they can feel better. Thirteen Reasons Why gave me a whole no perspective on life, therefore, changing my own life.

Thirteen Reasons Why was a book I simply could not put down. I would have read the entire book in one sitting if I had the chance to. It was a tragic and disheartening story, but I'm extremely glad I read it. Thirteen Reasons why was a truly inspirational story that is one of my all time favorites and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.