Soul Surfer

So I'm gonna review the Soul Surfer book and movie.

BOOK
The book Soul Surfer was really good. I read this before I saw the movie and I totally devoured it. It was really interesting. For those of you not familiar with the story, it's about Bethany Hamilton. Bethany is a pro surfer. In 2003, when she was 13 she was attacked by a 13ft. Tiger Shark and lost her arm. It's her story. She wrote this book a year after and it's basically introducing her life, what happened before and after the attack, how people reacted, and how she got back on the surf board. She is a great surfer despite her arm loss. It's truly an amazing story. She's Christian and she really tells how she trusted in God and she was able to overcome her obstacles. I highly recommend this. My mom and I both read this book and thought it was great. It wasn't a hard read. Fairly easy, but still worthwhile and great.



MOVIE
I think that the movie was a very good portrayal of the book. They did a really good job. They did not over dramatize the attack. It was not gruesome or gory or descriptive. They simply showed how it was and it was totally fine. Yes, they did leave some things out. But most movies do. But the things they did leave out were a bit minor and there for inconsequential. I think they added one or two things, but what movie doesn't? Overall, this was a good movie.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

THIS IS AN AMAZING BOOK! I just finished it last night. I must say it had me spell bound. Corrie wove a wonderful tale. She told it in the right way to make you never want to put the book down once you got into it. It was a sad, yet joyful tale. I wanted to cry at some parts, and other things where happy and even funny. It is the true story of her experience during WW2 in all the Concentration Camps and sad things she went through, because her family hid Jews. It is great! Some of you may have heard of it. Anyway, it's a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone who has not read it yet. A true Classic.

Moovies (recent favorites)

So, I know this is really weird, but I don't have that much to post about so I am going to share some of the recent movies that I've seen.

Secretariat
This is a great movie, that I saw like two days ago. For those of you who haven't seen this it's about the famous race horse Secretariat, who not only won all the Triple Crown races, but set the record for the fastest time in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes (fist and third races of the Triple Crown.). This movie is based on him as well as his owner Penny Chenrey who breed and raised him. This movie is very fun to watch. The races are amazing
unfortunatly not the original) and the story equally fascinating. I recommend this movie as a fun family film (well younger kids might get bored).

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Okay this movie is another great movie to add to your collection(when it comes out on DVD of course). It is full of action, thrill, and very fun! It follows the book fairly well. There were a couple twists, but what movie that is based of a book doesn't have one? (I challenge you to name one!) Narnia is literaly brought to life is this fun movie. I pre-warn those who have not yet seen this that there is a scene at the end (the big battle) where they do drag out a battle with a pretty disgusting sea serpent/centipede. Besides that, the violence level is pretty small, excluding a few things that are pretty minor. Overall, I loved this movie. Another great addition and honor to C.S.Lewis and his amazing series!

Tangled
Okay, I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!!!! Oh seriously, it was SO EPIC!! (Be forewarned I am known to overuse that word) I saw this with my BFFS in the theater. It was epicly funny, adventurous, cute and just fun to watch. The action was intriguing and thrilling, and the comedy lightened up the movie. There were some songs that were pretty fun. This movie now has first place in my list of favorite Disney Animations. It is in my opinion the best Princess story Disney Remake ever. The characters were so much fun. Mandy Moore (Rapunzel) and Zachary Levi(Flynn) did an amazing job. This movie is all together are very fun movie for the whole family to enjoy. IT's JUST PLAIN EPIC!!!!!

MY FAVORITE BOOKS IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD

I guess it's time I do a post on my favorite books in the world. You may be surprised to find that they are both classics, seeing as I'm a LDS historic, historical novel and Fantasy fanatic.

AND NOW, the announcement you've all been waiting for..............the two books that tie for first place.......................................................

Lord of the Rings & Pride and Prejudice!!!!

And now, coming in third, and a book that I read recently...........The Heroic Comedy by Edmund Rostand...............

Cyrano De Bergerac!!!

I highly recommend all these books. Oh and BTW - The movies of the books that are first place are actually my favorite movies!

Books of the Last Month or Two.......(yeah I'm late!)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

A delightful book in the form of letters. Set after WW2. LOVE IT!

Christmas Jars Reunion by Jason F. Wright

Totally Awesome sequel. Amazing. Christmas Jars is a wonderful Christmas Tradition that we have adopted. I mean I think it's a great way to bless others. Okay, so I should probably explain the tradition. So basically at the beginning of the year. Your family gets an empty Spaghetti sauce jar, or any other kind of jar. And whenever you have spare change or you just want to donate, you add money to the jar. So you are collecting all year. Then right before Christmas, preferably Christmas Eve, you give it anonymously to someone who you think needs it. It can be a ding-dong-ditch, or any other form of delivery. We did this last year and had a good time. It can really bless people. This is an amazing story. I defianatly recommend this book and it's Prequel, Christmas Jars

A Banner Is Unfurled by Marcie Gallagher and Kerri Robinson

This is an AWESOME SERIES. It's another LDS church history series(I'm addicted to the stuff), but what makes it unique and cool, is it is about a specific family. The Johnsons. What is even cooler, is they are MY ANCESTORS(mom's side). I have been so engrossed. THEY ARE AMAZING. Compelling, and fun. AND TRUE!

Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites: Sorcerers and Seers by Chris Heimerdinger.

Another smash hit in the Nephite series. But, Another HORRIBLE cliff hanger. WHY DO YOU TORTURE US SO?

For those unfamiliar, it's about these LDS families that go back in time. Right now, there are 3 groups. One in Jerusalem during Jesus's earthly mission, another during the time before the great Cumorah battle, Nephite massacre. And another during the time of King Omer of the Jaredites. Most from the Bo. ok of Mormon. Believe me, it didn't start this crazy. It was only a Book of Mormon adventure back in book 1.

Abish: Daughter of God by K. C. Grant

A n amazing novel about Abish, the amazing woman in the Book of Mormon we hardly know about. Most was fiction about her earlier life. I LOVED IT. Well written and I was caught up. I am dying for book 2 coming in March.


So that's most of the books. If I think of any I've missed I will post.

Before You Meet Prince Charming

Before You Meet Prince Charming: A Guide to Radiant Purity by Sarah Mally

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was a wonderful book! Sarah Mally, is trying to address how instead of getting yourself immersed in boys and dreaming about your own "happily ever after" romance, you could be using your time as the Lord would want you to. It talks about how you should wait upon the Lord and he will bring your and your Prince Charming together when HE is ready. Not You. It is full of amazing suggestions, ideas, and scriptures, and lots more! to help illustrate her point, she has a princess theme going and at the beginning of each chapter you read part of a princess story. Altogether this is an amazing book for all Teenage girls 12 and up. I Loved this book.



View all my reviews

Recent Reads

Children of the Promise
by Dean Hughes

This was a great series. It's an LDS fictional story about the Thomas family during the time of World War 2. It is like the Work and the Glory series! So engaging, and fun! I loved following the lives the of the Thomases. Now I am dying to read the sequel series called HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN.

Thank you Grandma, for letting me borrow these books!

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
by Micheal Scott

This is another good fantasy series. I really enjoyed the 1st 4 books (two more are yet to be released). It's not as good as some other books I have read, but very engaging and interesting. I really like them.

Ella Minnow Pea
by Mark Dunn

This was a hilarious play on words! Very enjoyable! Good for all above 8 (anyone younger than 8 might not get half of it). A Must Read.

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

Yes, I read them. The very popular books. Okay, I must say it was a very interesting topic. VERY ENGAGING. Once you start you will not want to stop. The first two books were really good. But I must say that the 3rd is quite a dissapointment. It didn't really get going for me till about a 3rd of the way through. Altogether, it was very interesting. I really liked them. But they do not deserve a slot on my ALL TIME FAVORITES LIST.