Han Nolan

Sixteen-year-old Eleanor has a great voice in this book, pure stubbonness and grumpy teen. Grumpy, pregnant teen to boot. The story of her pregnancy, her ambivalent feelings for her new husband, and the careening between hope and despair (especially the decision between adoption and keeping the baby) all feel authentic and realistic. And there are just great lines like: "Now I remember why I fell in love with Lam. When it's us against the world, he always makes sure we win." The happy ending show more is a bit too convenient and abrupt but from Eleanor's teenaged point of view, that's all she needs to know for the moment. show less

Reading the back cover that says this is a story about a girl whose father "melts" according to her grandmother, a psychic, I read it assuming/hoping that it was a fantasy, where people really do melt and disappear, only to reappear in some alternate reality. Alas, the book is realistic fiction. And interesting as such, but I was a bit disappointed. Admittedly it deals with dysfunctional families and resulting mental illness and has important messages to share. But no one actually melted.

At show more one point, Miracle's grandmother talks about book knowledge: "Reading all the time locks up your brain so you're always thinking one way, and that way is never your own way. You understand me, sugar? It keeps you from perceiving and intuiting things. If you want to know something, you don't go look it up in a book. You put your question out there, out into the universe, and then you wait, and sure enough the information comes to you." [p. 43] I disagree. show less

I was first introduced to Han Nolan through her novel Crazy, a book that has stuck with me in spite of having read dozens upon dozens of books since. I remember being thoroughly impressed with the control she had throughout the book, giving each voice such a distinctive feel that they leaped off the page and grabbed my attention through dialogue and action. So, I was walking through my library the other day and Nolan's name jumped out at me from the bookshelf in the young adult section and I show more knew it was time to give her my attention again. Pregnant Pause, while not as smooth and polished a story as Crazy, was an entertaining read that had me flopping back and forth, much like the main character, between wanting to strangle her and cheer her on.

Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on Dec. 23, 2013. show less

If you love reading about World War 2 then you most definitely need to read this one! It was a story about two girls that were connected in a significant way, but neither knew it until the very end. One was in a coma and the other was at a working camp. They face their own battles, but lean on one another to escape the darkness. There was guilt... There was hope... There was weakness and there was courage like no other...

If I Should Die Before I Wake was an intense story with graphic, show more painful moments that brought an abundance of feels. I literally got sick to my stomach while I was reading. The vivid scenes and the heart wrenching deaths pulled me right into the pages. I felt for Chana and wanted to be the one to guide her through the dark times. No matter how weak her body and mind were she always pushed through. She helped others and in the end found that faith was her guidance. Hilary was a tough character for me. She was unlikeable from the beginning, but grew on me as the bitterness faded. The more her life blended with Chana the more she changed for the better. By the end I felt just as connected to her.

Overall, I was blown away by the history within the words. The Author made it easy for us to imagine what each character was going through and it really messed with my thoughts. I could feel my moods change with the pages. It was really an all consuming read that opened my eyes to just what took place at Auschwitz.

I definitely recommend it to all the history buffs or just someone looking for a unique story with a vivid realness to it. show less