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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved It!, July 20, 2010
This review is from: Donut Days (Hardcover)
Donut Days is just like a donut, because it's filled with the good stuff and it's easy to eat (or read in this case) it right up. Though, the good part of this one is that's it not filled with bunches of calories. ;) Donut Days tells the story of the compacted life of Emma. Not only has her preacher mother just announced to everyone in their congregation that Adam was a hermaphrodite and is facing the consequences from that, but her best friend isn't talking to her and she's still dealing with the whole Jake-problem. Though, now is not the time for that. Instead it's the time for her to focus on the scholarship Crispy Dream is offering to the student with the best written story about the opening of its newest store. And the thing is she needs this badly, but as it seems fate doesn't want her to have it because of all the newest dilemmas it's throwing in her way. So will Emma get the scholarship? Will she repair her friendships? And will her parents fix the problems her mom has created? Only time and more pages, as well as donuts, well tell. Emma was such a lovable protagonist, definitely one of my favorites out of books I've read so far this year. I loved the fact that while she made mistakes she learned from them as well. Also, not only was she really funny but she had a heart of gold as well. Another favorite character of mine was Jake, the boy who has a past with. He was the typical swoon-worthy college boy. And I also enjoyed the friendships she made with Harley bikers and saw that you can't always judge people by first appearances. While the plot of this was predictable, I never once stopped enjoying it for one second. I especially loved the way that Lara Zielin tended to foreshadow past events because it made me curious at what would occur next. Further more, I enjoyed the different questions and discussion this novel sparked about sexism in the church and about the creation of the world to what exactly makes you a 'religious' person. It was intriguing, insightful, and something that I truly think sets this apart from the typical teen read, and I also have to add that I loved the fact that while it talked about faith (which you can probably infer from what I previously said) it was never preachy. And this review wouldn't be complete if I didn't talk about Zielin's writing. It was like addicting, sugary goodness, something that I'm most definitely looking forward to reading more of in the future. In all, Donut Days is a fabulous novel that I can't help but highly suggest. Grade: A-
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Faith, Friends, and Donuts!, August 23, 2009
This review is from: Donut Days (Hardcover)
Donut Days had a lot going for it. Emma is your everyday girl with her own set of problems but has a great sense of humor to get her through them. I really appreciated Emma's struggle over her religion, I feel like I don't see that side of religion enough. Like Emma talks about in the book sometimes things are glossed right over and not really talked about in the church. And I really liked seeing her question her relationship with God. And the book is written in such a way that you don't need to be a Christian to understand Emma's struggles. Along with that I thought Emma's fight with her best friend seemed real and brings up a good question. What do you do when you don't agree with your friend's viewpoint but want to be there for them as a friend? I thought the setting of a donut camp for the opening of a donut store was fabulous. And yes, those really do happen, a few years ago I remember a lot of news coverage for a similar opening! I did find it a bit odd that her parents would let her stay overnight in a tent alone with a bunch of strangers around though at the donut camp. The group of evangelical bikers she meets there were wonderful characters. I loved how their experiences helped Emma think about her own faith and her own future. Besides Emma, I loved the character of Jake. A friend that wants to be more. I actually would have liked to have seen more of him. But what a nice guy, in the book he does something that most people would probably not even consider but he knows it's right and does it. And he's just one of the great cast of characters there supporting Emma including a lovely bear of a biker, a cute little sister and loving parents. Overall a great story of faith, friends and donuts!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 20, 2009
This review is from: Donut Days (Hardcover)
Emma Goiner's father informs her one night that the only universities her college fund will help support are those that her parents approve of. In other words, any secular school is OUT. Both of Emma's parents are pastors at Living Word Redeemer, so they expect Emma to be guided by their choices. But Emma knows they are disappointed in her. Since her baptism not so long ago, she's yet to speak in tongues. And she's inflamed that the church can be influenced by the wealthiest member of the congregation. So it's with these thoughts in her mind that she's determined to win the Paul Bunyan Press contest. The paper is holding a competition. Crispy Dream Donuts is opening a new store, and the paper is offering a college scholarship to the best story written about the opening. Emma isn't sure what angle she will take with her story, but she's going to camp out and interview people who are also camping there waiting for the celebration. It's during her time at Donut Camp that Emma learns more about herself than she ever expected. She encounters a Harley group that turns out to be the most unusual group of Christians she could imagine. And she meets a couple that have been camping for thirteen days, hoping that with the RV Crispy Dream will give a prize to the person who has logged the longest time at camp. And, though she struggles with herself, she winds up calling on Jake, a boy who had declared his love for her not so long ago, only to have her remain speechless and leave him hanging. During the time at Donut Camp, Emma's parents have to fight for their own dreams. Mr. O'Connor, the richest member of the church, has his own agenda, and when Emma's mom preaches that men and women are equal, it starts a cascade of events that soon envelopes everyone with their consequences. DONUT DAYS is a great, insightful novel by Ms. Zielin. It reads quickly and touches the heart. Though Emma grows up in a minister's home, the story is so much more than that. Yes, Emma tries to make her parents see that she's her own person and wants a world beyond what they have in mind for her. But it's also a story of fighting for what you believe in and achieving your own dreams. Emma is a strong character with her own insecurities - but a strong belief in herself and her dreams. Reviewed by: Jaglvr
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