Tangerine

The dust jacket of Tangerine sells you on the story by describing the town of Tangerine, FL as another planet where weird is normal. The description made me think Eerie, IN but in Florida.

Tangerine, FL is not another planet. There are some things which do seem out of the ordinary, but not necessarily weird. Of course the story is told from the point of view of a 12 year old Paul Fisher. Paul and his family has just moved to Tangerine and it is very different from his previous home. Perhaps to him it is another planet.

Paul is legally blind but can see with glasses. He can play soccer and is surprisingly good. The story follows Paul as he deals with common problems as he grows up and encounters new people.

I gave up on the book half way through. There were long descriptions of athletic games and I became extremely bored. I kept with the book because there did seem to be a small mystery underneath. Boredom won out and it's going back to the library.

Book Rating: 2.5 stars.

1,000 dollars and an idea by Sam Wyly

Who is Sam Wyly? The title gives you a few hints. He had $1,000 and an idea that eventually made him a billionaire. I had no idea the impact his one idea had on American business. It wasn't this one idea that made him a billionaire but it set him on the road to his wealth.

The title implies that Wyly's road to wealth was simple and that he's going to tell you how to do it. It really wasn't simple and you will have to read between the lines to figure out exactly how he did it. Wyly is the type of entrepreneur that has a tendency to buy companies, build them up and sell them just before the markets take a turn. His original idea gave him the ability to follow this path. Wyly has an uncanny ability to recognize the right time to buy and sell. His business life has many successes but also some failures.

The strength of 1,000 dollars and an idea is it's retelling of the history of the business of computer mainframes, and business software. There is also history of Michael's, Bonanza restaurants, and Maverick hedge funds. The book tends to meander in the last few chapters as Wyly explains current financial markets and the economic downturn while mixing his own political views. His contribution to our economy is without question and it may be worth your time to read it.

Book rating: 3 stars

Well wished

Young Nuria, an orphan girl, lives in a small town with a wishing well. Each resident can make one wish and sometimes those wishes go wrong. One wish, in particular, caused all the children in the town to disappear except for Nuria. Nuria wishes for a friend. Nuria's grandfather makes a wish to bring the children back, but only one does. Catty is a disabled girl that desires to walk again. Everyone must learn to be careful what you wish for because wishes sometimes don't turn out as expected.

I found Well Wished strange and hard to follow. At one point in the story the two characters Nuria and Catty switch places. I had a hard time keeping them straight. Many of the reviews on Amazon are positive. Personally, I didn't care for the book all that much. It's written with a dream-like, almost magical voice. Also difficult to follow.

Book Rating: 2 stars

Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie

I can't tell you what Valiant is about. I only got about 7 pages into it. There is so much trash in those seven pages that I had to put it down. In those few pages I could tell this book is a teen soap with lots adult content. Think Secret Lives or Pretty Little Liars. Moving on.

Book Rating: Trash can.

Ajeemah and his son

Just a reminder - February is Black History Month.


Ajeemah and his Son is written by James Berry, a Jamaican author. Ajeemah and his son Atu are from Ghana. As they were traveling to visit Atu's future in-laws, they were kidnapped and sold as slaves. From there we read of what happens to Ajeemah and Atu in Jamaica, forced to work on sugar plantations. Separated, they each try to find a way toward freedom. The British banned slavery and freedom does eventually come to the slaves in Jamaica.

This is a short story, but well worth reading. James Berry writes in a beautiful, poetical style that makes you feel what the characters are feeling. The story doesn't have a lot of detail and doesn't focus solely on the atrocities of slavery. Instead, the author focuses on freedom. The desire for freedom, the attempts at freedom and the joy that comes when it is attained. The story is written for teens.

Book Rating: 4 stars

Rules of the Road

I nearly didn't read Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer. It immediately gave me a negative vibe. Regardless, I did finish it and it wasn't so bad.

Newly licensed driver Jenna works at a shoe store and is very good at her job. The owner of the shoe store company asks Jenna to drive her to all of her stores as she travels back to her home in Texas for a stock holders meeting. After some convincing, Jenna's mother allows her to go. Along the way, Jenna matures and learns more about herself and how to deal with her difficult life.

I was originally concerned this book would have a feminazi point of view because most of the male characters were painted so negatively. For example, Jenna's father is an alcoholic and the shoe store owner's son is trying to take over the company. Thankfully, there were some male characters that end up helping Jenna. There was still a us versus them conflict throughout the book but it shifted between generalized groups. I guess there is a sense of empowerment and self confidence that encourages it's readers.

You also have to set aside reality a little bit. A 70 year old store owner with a bad hip asks a teenager to drive her across several states? Not so sure about that. The story was good enough to finish even if it will never be a favorite.

Book Rating: 3 stars