Icy Sparks (Oprah Selection)

Rating:
Summary: Delightful
Review: This is an absolutely delightful book. Rubio takes us into the character of a small girl afflicted with Tourettes Syndrome. Her interaction with her peers and grandparents is absolutely priceless. I would have given this 5 stars, but the ending seemed incongruous. However, I would highly recommend this book. I look for great things to come from this author.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful story with a fabulous reader.
Review: A friend gave me this book to listen to. A good reader will really make or break a story and this one is wonderful. With al her different voices, she really brings the story to life. It's a beautiful story to listen to. Icy sparks, a young girl who people think is just crazy, has been undiagnosed wiht tourette's syndrome. Your hear the stories of her frustrations as she explores her disease and learns to live through it. A good mix of sadness and hapiness.

Rating:
Summary: Slow start but worth it
Review: I bought this book a few months ago and started to read it but it was just so slow and dreary I put it back down and read some other books. Three days ago I picked it up where I left off and decided to give it another try. I am so glad I did! You go from the heartbreak of this girls self imposed isolation to her growth as a woman who finally realizes she's worth something in the world.

Rating:
Summary: Sad and Compelling
Review: I loved Icy Sparks and the simple way the book is layed out. It saddens me to think that there were actually people like this back in the day who were toted as freaks rather than someone who had a problem. Its a great thing how far we as a society have come.
I fell in love with her and her granny, the nurse, various boy's that come and go. Its a brilliantly written peice thats good from the first word to the last.

Rating:
Summary: Icy Sparks
Review: Awesome! I gave it to my daughter to read too.

Rating:
Summary: Something Missing
Review: I know I'm in the minority but I found it a struggle to get through this book. Not because of the subject matter, which could have been compelling, but because the writing, to me, seemed to get in the way of the storytelling. While I admired the author's obvious talent, it felt at times like wading through a writer's showcase rather than following a story line. It reminded me of some of the stuff I read (and wrote) in a college fiction writing class. A short story can bear the weight of descriptive detail, metaphor and imagery. I'm not so sure a novel can sustain its momentum with such heavy handed use of same. To me it felt as though the author was just a bit too immersed in exploring her gifts at the story's expense. Had an editor trimmed just a bit of the descriptive meandering, it would have made a huge difference.

Rating:
Summary: I loved Icy Sparks
Review: This was a great read and a great story. You find yourself living her life with her. I highly recommend this book for a happy reading experience.

Rating:
Summary: A disturbing journey
Review: This book is a disturbing journey into the life of a young woman with Tourette's syndrome. The character developement of this girl is thorough. The way the author describes the tics and the other indications of Tourette's are very believable and well done. Overall I think that this book is definitely worth the investment.

Rating:
Summary: Touching
Review: Ok, I am not good at writing reviews and detailing the stories that I've read. However, I felt compelled to review this book. This story was so touching I was disappointed when I got to the end and there was no more book to read. I was so [pulled] in to Icy's life!! I felt pain with her, I felt love with her, I felt joy with her, I felt sad with her. When Ms. Emily raised up the sign to Icy at the end of the story that said "Welcome to the World" I actually teared up. I can't describe how this book touched me. I haven't read it's equal.

Rating:
Summary: The strong will endure..
Review: I thought this book was a really wonderful!! It captures your attention in the beginning and doesn't give it back til the last word has been read. Rubio does a wonderful job with detail. She makes you cry with Icy's defeats and leave you elated with her victories. I would recomend this book to anyone!