Review: Deception Point

Deception Point by Dan Brown

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I like books that have a science/tech feel. Probably filled with inaccuracies and impossibilities but I enjoy it. I typically avoid books that involve politics, especially scandals, but the two themes are often tied together.

I liked the tech, didn't care for unbelievable escapes, enjoyed the plot twists. This is a good book to read when you have time to kill and want something solid enough to keep you reading.



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Review: Robert B. Parker's Killing the Blues

Robert B. Parker's Killing the Blues by Michael Brandman

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



Perhaps this would be a better book if I wasn't listening to it. The audio version made me want to stab myself in the ears, though.

This is how it reads:
"Hello," he said.
"Hi," she said.
"What's up?" he said.
"Nothing," she said.
"Oh," he said.
"Yeah," she said.

He said, she said, he said, she said. Over and over and over and over. I couldn't even hear the dialogue after awhile because all I could hear was the never ending litany of saids after each short sentence. I couldn't even make it through the first disc. Horrible, horrible book to listen to on CD!



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Review: Kill Me If You Can

Kill Me If You Can by James Patterson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I was *this close* to putting this book away when an interesting twist occurred and kept me reading. I can't say what it was without a spoiler but if you are considering whether or not to finish, at least wait until you get to a point where you sit up and say, "NOW it makes sense." If you put it down at that point, I wouldn't blame you, though.

I had a lot of issues with this book. I hate when a book comes down to a damsel in distress situation. I like to think that super villains are too smart to allow their loved ones to be captured. I mean, doesn't something set them apart from regular villains?? And then, how do characters that are portrayed as the all around good guy (even if he isn't) justify a plan that includes the potential for large numbers of innocent casualties? They wrapped up one 'victim' with a pay off but there was too much loss for the saving of one life. Blech.



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Review: Your Survival: The Complete Resource for Disaster Planning and Recovery

Your Survival: The Complete Resource for Disaster Planning and Recovery by Bob Arnot

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Not what I was expected. This book should be thought of a preparedness binder instead of a resource book. While it does talk about disaster planning and gives examples of the issues you will deal with after a natural disaster, it isn't much of a resource. If you do get this book, purchasing it is a better idea than checking it out of a library as it's designed to hold papers and collect notes/lists. I recommend an actual preparedness book for techniques and tips and would suggest that this is for the uber-prepared that have so much planning complete that they are ready to tackle potential landscaping projects to get their house ready.



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Review: Beginners Guide to Family Preparedness: Food Storage, Back to Basics, Survival Facts

Beginners Guide to Family Preparedness: Food Storage, Back to Basics, Survival Facts by Rosalie Mason

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



If you are looking at long-term storage for the first time and you need a book to explain the basics, this would be a good book. If you have started the process or have a preparedness plan in place, this is too basic.

The book was written in 1997 by someone I suspect is a Mormon (based on the 'this is not an official publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' disclaimer,) mom of many (based on title page) that has real-life experience in food storage and rotation and has probably taught hundreds of other similar women to do the same. I also think this is a great person to learn from as real-life experience is valuable.

That said, the book was just too unfinished. There are so many books out there that cover everything in this book plus include so much more and it would be easier for you to find a larger, more complete book that can eliminate the necessity of keeping multiple resources on hand. Also, the book is outdated. It may have been republished in recent years but the text has not changed, making the examples too old for relevance. For example, the pricing descriptions are completely unusable.



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Review: Feed

Feed by Mira Grant

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This came up as a recommendation based on my having read other young adult, zombie books. This label is a bit of a misnomer, actually. More appropriately it's a book about how far journalists will go to find that ever elusive truth. In this case, it's a trio of young bloggers in a zombie world.

The world was interestingly designed, if completely unlikely. The one detail that annoyed me every time it came up was the near-constant blood tests. In a world of carriers and the exposed, how would this truly help? And the intentionally oversized needles that hit palms, wrists and all fingers simultaneously is too much. What on earth would show up in one spot that wasn't in another? And why wouldn't people have devised other systems that were less painful. I was also bothered by the zoning that determined zombie lands and had various rules in place. Wouldn't you expect two zones: Watch out for zombies! and You're safe.

I would have enjoyed the book more if the characters were even a little bit likable. I suspect they were intentionally written as unlikable. Bottom line - I wanted more zombies and less journalism. The unexpected twists and the overall readability earned it a third star.



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Review: Modelland

Modelland by Tyra Banks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I watch America's Next Top Model. Last season they had a challenge based on this book and I turned to my husband and said, "Tyra Banks wrote a book?" and we both laughed. A few minutes later, though, I was on my library site and had the book requested. I apparently have no pride or I wouldn't have made these confessions as I am certainly not the demographic the show and book are designed for. Oh, and for the record, the final reveal of the Tookie stand-in on the show was totally wrong. Just saying... I'm still irritated about who they choose as the original winner.

Back to the book, however. Any ANTM fans out there probably think the same thing my husband and I do (and if you think I'm embarrassed to admit I watch the show, imagine what a deep, dark secret this is for him!!) and ask yourself, "Her? A model? She's weird/freaky/odd looking." This book is Tyra's long-winded (this is a very, very long read for the genre) explanation of how those girls are chosen. It's easy to rely on typical beauty but to see beauty in faces that normally aren't considered beautiful is harder. Each season Tyra chooses unique faces and some extreme personalities and it's always worked. This book is very much designed with the same theory - be unique and love yourself for how you are different. Be beautiful by being yourself.

All the negative reviews based on the names are completely legit. Her names are lame. Tookie, Myrracle, Creamy, Ci~L, Zarpessa, Chaste, Bravo, Deco, etc. All are in this book and each is more outlandish than the one before. The people names have NOTHING on the place names, though. And the oddities that are apparently birth defects are just weird - someone with a hand instead of a head and a doctor with roller skates for feet are just two examples.

All that said, it was a book I actually felt compelled to finish. I was able to ignore the crazy stuff and enjoy the story, which is a fantasy retelling of what is very likely the process of forcing yourself into the modeling world and managing to rise above the others. If there is a book 2 (which her acknowledgments suggest but the reviews have me doubting), I will read it.





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Review: Deep Storm: A Novel

Deep Storm: A Novel by Lincoln Child

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



A bit dull and predictable but with enough interesting technology to make up for a bit of it. Instead of a "what will happen next???" excitement the book was more of a "Gee. Foiled again. Just as expected." book. The drama and excitement was so forced. For example, we are told the mystery is solved...but then the solver is murdered! And then the laptop is destroyed...or isn't it...or is it? There's a bomb...when will it explode...why isn't it exploding...oh, look - it exploded. It's just a bit too contrived for me. The idea was good, the Sentinels unlikely, the doctor able to figure it out unbelievable and the plot twists too obvious.

All that said, it wasn't too bad of a listen. I did, in fact, finish the book. I even have a Lincoln Child book on my iPod right now.



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Review: Delirium

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I made it through 6 CDs before I finally gave up on this book. At that point I thought, "I can't take another 4 CDs of this!" and gave myself permission to quit.

This story is so, so, so long. Here's the deal. Society has deemed love a disease and now performs partial lobotomies on every citizen when they become an adult. Before that, they are kept segregated (which means that only heterosexual love is an issue?) and given only obligatory gestures of love at home. Main girl had a mom that had multiple lobotomies but they never took. Can't explain that as removed brain tissue is removed brain tissue but whatever. Said girl has rebellious friend who helps her meet a boy. Of course. Because what else would happen in such a world? Excitement and drama follow. Oh wait...no, they don't. If they do, they happen in the final 4 CDs because the first six can be summed up by the few sentences written above.

Terrible book. And the thought that it's part of a series (let me guess...another dystopian trilogy??) makes me shudder. Three books like this?!



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Review: Seven Ancient Wonders

Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Take Indiana Jones, remove all of the time spent at his college, and then cram seven movies worth of action into a single book and you have Seven Ancient Wonders. It was just non-stop - one adventure after another, all linked by a prophetic story.

This isn't my usual style but it was an enjoyable listen and certainly helped entertain me on several commutes. I liked that it wasn't too over the top on the 'all the good guys manage to avoid thousands of bullets while every bad guy dies' approach to action. Good people died, bad people survived, very few people had that obvious "they will survive" quality.



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Review: Sweethearts

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I have a rule that you shouldn't judge a book until you've read enough to have truly given it a chance. Typically, I'll stick with something until the halfway point. Perhaps it's some type of book optimism but I like to think that it will get better if I stick with it.

This book was so bad that I've changed that from a rule to a guideline. There was simply no way that I could endure half of this book. Here's the deal - there is a girl that spent her childhood being awkward and bullied. She re-invented herself at some point, losing weight, gaining an appearance of confidence, tweaking her name and changing schools. You also read that she had an equally unliked friend that moved and apparently died. It's just as clear that she is just pretending to be confident, that her friend had been abused and that she is weirdly, compulsively, obsessively fixated on this past friend. She cannot function, pay attention to friends or even remember her current life. And the obvious idea of opening her mouth and asking the questions she wonders about is so clearly above her intelligence that she is unable to even think of it.

I couldn't think of a single, compelling reason to finish this book. I didn't care what happened to any of them. I didn't see any point of reading the details of the abuse that other readers seem to think was a huge secret. The characters were extremely unlikeable. As a short (very short!) story this might have been tolerable.



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Review: The Eleventh Plague - Audio

The Eleventh Plague - Audio by Jeff Hirsch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Finally. Someone finally managed to write a YA dystopian with a male lead and an actual ending. No trilogy, no unfinished ending, no overdone 15 year old girl drama. Just a kid with a rough life and his story of finding home. This might have been a 3 star book but the previous facts easily bumped it to a 4.

I actually enjoyed the book, was thrilled that the author didn't try and drag another 2 CDs out of it and thought the ending was strong. Very rarely do dystopian characters make the logical, practical choice and it was a refreshing change.



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Review: Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down

Don't Get Caught With Your Pantry Down by James T. Stevens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



If you are trying to start a stockpile or making preparedness plans and you are overwhelmed by choices, this is a useful (thought dated!) book. Another reviewer mentioned that it's like a giant phone book and they are right - but that's exactly what it was designed to be. It's an all-in-place directory of resources on everything from sealable cans and MREs to medical kits and generators. After reading the sections I am concerned with, I have a better understanding of the manufacturers, distributors and super retailers for the products I want to find. I have websites, addresses, phone numbers and company info on any vendor out there. I really wish there was a newer version as the information is 12 years old but the big names then are still the big names so it's still usable.



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Review: The Encyclopedia of Survival Techniques, New and Revised

The Encyclopedia of Survival Techniques, New and Revised by Alexander Stilwell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Useful book to add to a preparedness kit. There are 5 sections that focus on specific areas - desert, polar regions, sea, tropics and mountains - but the rest of the book focuses on tips, tricks and advice on how to survive. It includes everything from plants safe to eat to self defense against a gun. I plan to add a copy to my personal library.



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Review: Little House on a Small Planet: Simple Homes, Cozy Retreats, and Energy Efficient Possibilities

Little House on a Small Planet: Simple Homes, Cozy Retreats, and Energy Efficient Possibilities by Shay Salomon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



A book that completely panders to my green, decluttering, minimizing side! I loved seeing examples of ways people have lived in small spaces and made it work. There are a lot of emotional barriers to paring down the objects in your life and I thought they were really well addressed. And, while I never plan to live in an earthship, have an outdoor shower or share a living space in any type of commune, the book itself was a fascinating read.



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Review: Madensky Square

Madensky Square by Eva Ibbotson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm a little shocked that I liked a historical romance this much. I can't believe I read a Viennese story set a century ago...and found it enjoyable!

The characters were given a depth rarely seen in books in this genre and I loved that so many relationships were taboo but successful. The women were typically strong, independent and resourceful, even the smallest baby :)



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Review: Flash and Bones

Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I've read (or listened to) several of the Tempe Brennan books simply because I like the tv show so much. Unusual for me, I prefer the show to the books. The forensic details are less involved, especially in this book. The characters are less interesting. The victims are less unique. Not that the books are bad...just lacking flair and drama.



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Review: Wither

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



The beginning of the book had me doubting my ability to finish it. Girls barely out of puberty are kidnapped and imprisoned, then forced into a marriage and raped for the procreation of the human race, ensuring that they will leave young orphans when parents die in a few years. And this is a popular book?

I decided to read half of it before deciding because I had hopes that it was a dramatic start followed by a better story. I gave up at page 210 and have no desire to see how it ends. I'll happily ignore any sequels, as well.

There are so many issues with this book so I will just comment on the 'brides.' Cecily is a 13 year old orphan that is so desperate to be fed and warm that she sees the kidnapping and marriage as a way to a better life. Barely old enough to have a child, she has sex with Linden (the 'husband') and becomes pregnant, not even knowing what she is going to go through. Jenna, the oldest of the lot, hates Linden and understands her situation but sleeps with him, viewing it as nothing more than the prostitution she has been forced into for survival. And then there is Rhine, the narrator of this story. She vacillates between disgust/despair for her situation and an acceptance of what life has become. All three live in a gilded cage and make the best of it. I simply can't wrap my mind around this. There are so many other complaints in my mind but one is enough - I want to erase this book from my mind as quickly as possible.






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Review: Soapmaker's Companion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recipes, Techniques & Know-How

Soapmaker's Companion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recipes, Techniques & Know-How by Susan Miller Cavitch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I've wanted to make soap for a long time and so many sources say that it's easy but I've never really believed it. After reading this book, I finally feel that I can pull it off. Once I find my thermometer, I'll make soap! I'm so excited to finally understand the process.



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Review: The Recruit

The Recruit by Robert Muchamore

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Who knew the teen-spies-at-hidden-training-school field included so many series? Every time I think I've read all of them, GoodReads adds another to my recommendations list.

This series is one of my favorites. I prefer it to the Alex Rider books, which probably have the biggest following. In my opinion, it's the boy equivalent of the Gallagher Girls. More mud, weapons and fighting but the same anxiety over relationships - this is just from the guys' points of view. I am hopeful that as Lauren grows up she is given the opportunity to have stories of her own as I like her, as well.



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Review: The Sky Inside

The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



There were a lot of things to like about this book - the suburbs, the games to earn meals, the recitation of advertising jingles at recess, the separation of people in easily monitored segments. I spent time debating the human-ness of many characters, debating the likelihood of each being a bot. I'm actually disappointed that there were so few bots.

For me, the biggest drawback to the book was Martin. Theodore Dreyfuss may think that the 14s were the best of that model year...but he was an idiot. He was obnoxious, stubborn, frustrating and annoying. I much preferred his friends and his dog.

I do think a second book would be a fun, quick read but I'm concerned about the main characters being Martin and Theo because two 14s could kill any story.



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Review: Ashes, Ashes

Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm surprised by the lack of love this book is getting from other reviewers. Seems like a lot of them have read other future (maybe dystopian? maybe not?) fiction but while I see this as better than so many of the other books in the genre, others disagree.

I loved that the main character was a 16 year old girl who had the wherewithal to find a knife, wool socks and a book on survivalist living and manage to live on her own for more than a year in a world with barely any humanity left. Willow and moss shelters, trapping and eating anything she can find, only bathing during the wet season. She is so completely atypical of the standard heroine. She isn't an arms expert and she gets tired and scared and injured. All in all, she was much more realistic than so many other lead characters.

I liked that society was reduced to the elderly and the young - the two groups that people would expect to die first end up being the group most likely to survive. And, because the power-hungry and angry adults are dead, there isn't the gangs and terror and fighting that so many books include. And, without technology to assist, people are managing to find one another and eke out a living.

To me, this book was actually a stand out in the field.



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Review: The Son of Neptune

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I wasn't sure about this book because I wasn't a fan of The Lost Hero, even though I had loved the original Percy Jackson series. I couldn't get into the first story or into Jason's story. Just missed Percy, I guess...

This book completely makes up for the first one. I loved it. It gave me back my favorite character but introduced me to an entire new world - I love the Roman camp and weapons and lifestyle. The Amazons were just icing on the cake - and I'll think of them every time I order!

By only disappointment is that I have to wait a year for the next book!



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Review: The Fairy-Tale Detectives

The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



It's probably unfortunate that I discovered this book shortly after the TV series "Grimm" began. I enjoy the show and was startled to find that this book is a completely different approach to a very similar premise - that of a family of Grimms who bear responsibility for keep non-humans in check. The similarity ends there, however, as the tv program is much scarier and designed for an older audience. I admit that I like the antagonists in Grimm more than the myriad of Everafters found in the Sisters Grimm.

I agree with other reviewers who felt that Sabrina was a killjoy for too long, but as details of previous foster care placements were revealed, it became a non-issue for me. My true issue with this book was the fact that the author felt compelled to introduce a new character every page. At first I was surprised that there were so many fairy tales to build upon and then realized that it was because the characters were from every literary source imaginable. The entire cast of the Oz series, of Wonderland, of Mother Goose, even of Shakespeare...everyone was there. Everyone. I dreaded turning the page because there was going to be another random introduction of another character. I did like the book but feel it would have been more enjoyable with a smaller case of characters.



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Review: Snow Angels

Snow Angels by James Thompson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I had no idea that Scandinavian crime fiction was a genre until today. Happily, I liked the details of Finnish life and landscape and would enjoy finding other books sharing the same. I don't think it will be another Kari Varra, though. The ending was excellent and there were enough twists to keep any reader guessing but Vaara's taciturnity was so overwhelming that it was easy to get caught up in disliking him instead of enjoying the story.

Now I just need to know how to find Scandinavian crime fiction books!



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Review: Exodus

Exodus by Julie Bertagna

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Actual teen readers won't remember this, but there was a movie released in 1995 called Waterworld. If you like this book, check out Netflix for the movie.

Polar ice caps melt. Water levels rise, covering most of the world's landmasses. Pockets of humanity arrive but are gradually being swallowed up by the oceans. There simply isn't enough above-water ice on this planet to do more than submerge coastlines and low-lying areas but it's a neat premise.

I did like the book and the people. The refugee camps, the orphaned children, the slave trade all seem like possibilities in the world created in the book. What lost me was the Weave. I can accept a lot of completely imagined things but the idea of a world existing with no idea of what has happened elsewhere and where refugees could go when there is an actual web available...I just can't accept it. Because of that, the portions of the book dedicated to the cyber world are simply too fake for me. Which is crazy since I have no issue believing in towering cities built on the earth's bedrock and reaching into the sky, or treenesters that wear plastic bags... But, fact of the matter is that I didn't like any part of the lumenbeings, Weave, cyberwizz stuff.

I'll check out Zenith and see where everyone ends up, though.



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Review: Variant

Variant by Robison Wells

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



5 star book.

1 star ending.

End result? A 3 star book.

I agree with other reviewers that mentioned this is as a great read for Maze Runner fans. I definitely see this as a similarly styled story. I love the setting, the concept and the general "Who is doing this to these kids?" feel. What I didn't like was that after staying up late to finish this book, I have no idea how it ended. None. I read the ending 3 times, thinking I missed something. Still no idea. Then I read other reviews that contained spoilers thinking that they would explain it to me. However, no one did. How can a book with no defined ending have such a high overall review.

I would be tempted to read book 2...but I'm not willing to get sucked into a series that plays this game over and over. If there is a book 3, I'm definitely not bothering to read book 2. And, since YA dystopian authors appear to be compelled to only write trilogies, I'm assuming there will be a book 3...



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Review: The Kitchen Daughter

The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I've never read a book with the primary voice as a woman with (unknown to her) Asperger's. It was fascinating. Her quirks, her literal responses, her fears - it was all portrayed in a way that helped us understand what life would like with Asperger's. She and her sister are facing a family crisis and neither can understand the other's point of view but as readers, we can see both viewpoints. Excellent story, solid ending and definitely a book I'd recommend.



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Review: Silverfin

Silverfin by Charlie Higson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Old school spy story featuring a future spy still in school. James Bond is reduced to an Alex Ryder age but the similarity stops there. James is much more mellow and level-headed. He uses his wits to get into and out of dangerous situations. He wants to do the right thing for the sake of doing it and he has the ability to read people. While Gallagher Girls remains my favorite teen spy series, James Bond is moving into second place, easily overcoming Alex Ryder.



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Review: Wicked Lies

Wicked Lies by Lisa Jackson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Is it possible to love the predator and the prey and not like everything else? Yes.

The Colony fascinated me. Justice fascinated me. Everything else was pretty bland.



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Review: The Weird Sisters

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



The library's book club chose this as the book of the month so I picked up a copy. It's a plot concept I might have picked up on my own and I expected to enjoy it. There's a dysfunctional family, a series of problems that bring the kids back to the nest and a cancer fight in a parent. Add in the fact that they are bookish and it was a recipe for success.

I had two major issues with the book, however. First, was the tone. The story would be told from Rose's point of view and then would include "our mother" or "our house" and I would think, "Oh, is Bean talking? It can't be Cordy because it's about Rose's opinions of her." And then, a few moments later I would swear that Cordy was telling the story but the changes from "my" to "our" would pop up again. It turns out that this is considered first-person plural and the narrators are presented as a 'we' instead of a 'me.' I hate it. Hate, hate, hate it. My second issue was the father's dependence on Shakespeare for basic human interaction. He's a human being that cannot write a personal note, answer a basic question or talk to his family without using quotes. This person simply couldn't be a functional adult with a job and family.

It had the potential for 3 stars but I wasn't able to get past the lack of a single storyteller...or a rotation of individual storytellers.



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Review: The Lake of Dreams

The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I have so many issues with this book and I feel compelled to list them but it basically amounts to me not liking this book.

The main character is annoying. Very, very annoying. Her approach to life is puzzling, her lack of happiness is depressing and her attitude toward others is horrible. She flees her family and hometown then returns when her mom is involved in a very minor accident. While home, she debates about the possibility of reviving a high school relationship, accuses her uncle of murder, involves herself in a land grab and becomes enmeshed in a lackluster mystery. The windows, the lost relative, the boyfriend halfway around the world - none of it interested me. And there were so many random ideas floating through the plot - the glass blowing, the suffragettes, the boyfriend for her mom...it was just so disjointed. The "mystery" was so dull, however, that it's ultimately what I hated most.



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Review: Killing Floor

Killing Floor by Lee Child

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



When I see "Jack Reacher" on a book jacket, I have to read it. There is something completely different about Reacher and it makes the books enjoyable to read. He chooses to live a hobo's life and is a one man killing squad with a brilliant mind.

This story was a little tedious for me. I would have been content with 2 fewer CDs in the box. I felt like the story went on...and on...and on. I liked the evil plot, the horrible execution style, the background on currency printing - I could have enjoyed a little less, though.

I'll keep reading Reacher books and I'll continue to enjoy them; this just wasn't my favorite.



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Review: The Overlord Protocol

The Overlord Protocol by Mark Walden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Another excellent book in the HIVE series. Otto is quickly becoming one of my favorite protagonists. I would love to hear more about the classes and the life in the HIVE. Only getting to read about one week is hard. I'm not sure who I like the most - Otto, Raven or Shelby. On to the third book...



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Review: Falling Up

Falling Up by Shel Silverstein

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Funny poems perfect for kids! Loved the one about the gnat, gnome and gnu - all those extra g's!



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Review: The Demigod Files

The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Nice mid-series add-on...and I wish I had known about it before I finished the series! Interviews were interesting enough and the stories were nice ways to enjoy something of a mini-quest without committing to an entire book.



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Review: Awful Ogre Running Wild

Awful Ogre Running Wild by Jack Prelutsky

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Excellent 'big kid' poetry. Definitely well-suited to my 8 and 9 year old. I loved the ogre bake off and liked many of the other poems, as well. We'll check out the other ogre book soon!



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Review: Veracity

Veracity by Laura Bynum

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I didn't expect this to be so 1984-ish. I didn't like 1984 in it's original form and couldn't finish this copycat version.



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Review: What a Day It Was at School!

What a Day It Was at School! by Jack Prelutsky

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This book had quite a few cute poems in it. Some were amusing and some were a little too true, but most were a hit with my kids. I loved the "I Wish I'd Studied Harder" poem and plan to tape a copy on the basket with our spelling flashcards. Kids' favorite was "I Made a Noise This Morning."



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Review: Where the Sidewalk Ends

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I love Shel Silverstein's poems as a kid and was thrilled when my 9 year old came home from school and asked me to check "Where the Sidewalk Ends" out for him!

I've had page after page, poem after poem, read to me. He's filled with giggles and I love it. His favorite is Lazy Jane.



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Review: Skipping a Beat

Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Any book that makes me cry through the last chapter gets at least 4 stars. It's just a fact of life. This book made me cry. Not just sniffles, either.

The rest of the book had bad moments blended with the good. Bad childhoods, bad marriage, lots of love but no one that says it. I have a glimpse of how the other half lives and am happy in my middle class world :)



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Review: Big Little Felt Universe: Sew It, Stuff It, Squeeze It, Fun!

Big Little Felt Universe: Sew It, Stuff It, Squeeze It, Fun! by Jeanette Lim

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Awesome, awesome, awesome. I would have loved to have this book when my kids were younger. For anyone out there that wants their kids to play with natural toys - things that have no plastic, no paint, no batteries and no sounds, this book is brilliant. The items are easy to sew and will give kids make-believe toys they will love. I am thrilled to have a young niece and nephew to sew for!



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Review: One World, One Day

One World, One Day by Barbara Kerley

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I'm spoiled by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio, I think. Amazing pictures and the text to describe them. This was a GoodReads recommendation based on their books and it led me to consider them as similar in style. This is a picture book for children with minimal text and actual photos instead of drawings. I would have loved the book if there was information on where the pictures were taken or the story behind the snapshot. I need more.



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Review: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I wish that GoodReads had an option for "not my style" because that would be my score. I want the record of what I've read and enjoy the recommendations but don't like that I'm reducing the reviews of a book simply because it wasn't what I expected.

This is a foodie cookbook. Think gourmet. Cognac ice cream. Sweet basil and honeyed pine nut ice cream. Olive oil ice cream. I have an ice cream maker and enjoy using it but I prefer family-friendly, kid-approved flavors. Boring but true. If I ever want goat cheese ice cream, I know where to look...but it's not likely to occur in my current lifestyle. The book is gorgeous and appears easy to follow...just not my style and I didn't like it.



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Review: Suite Scarlett

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I really debated the stars on this book. Honestly, the primary story and the plight of the hotel would probably garner 3 stars in a Disney movie sort of feel good film. However, I simply can't get past Scarlett's relationship with Eric. The story teller is a girl barely fifteen and living a less than exciting life the summer before she starts high school. Her older brother is 18, maybe 19, as he has delayed college a year. This brother befriends a fellow actor, a soon-to-be sophomore at NYU. Scarlett having a crush on this older guy is completely normal, in my opinion. How many girls make it through those early teens without crushing on a senior or a college guy? This college sophomore liking her, though? Creepy. He could be turning 20 at any point and she's barely 15 (birthday occurred at the start of the book) and they hang out in his apartment until 1:30 in the morning, making out? Except, as is mentioned in several places, they are closed mouth kisses. Um, okay...

I almost stopped reading at this point. Almost. I had hopes that this would be addressed in the book, but it wasn't. In fact, no one seemed concerned by her behavior. Spencer, perhaps, cared but I was too weirded out by their too-much-information sibling relationship to be comforted by that.

In the end, a completely implausible but made-for-television quality ending left everyone with a happy life and a successful hotel. It was okay, but nothing that makes me want to read more.



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Review: Built to Last

Built to Last by David Macaulay

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Awesome book. The illustrations really bring the building to life and you can flip through the book and understand how castles, cathedrals and mosques were built. The text is easy to read and filled with details I never knew. My 9 year old thought it was cool (especially the castles) and I was fascinated. I now know that animal hides were used as an early fire-proofing technique and know how to build equipment to use in a raid on a castle. I'll definitely look for other books in the series!



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Review: The Iron Duke

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I like Steampunk. I like alternate histories. I like sci-fi. Even though this book was all of the above, I didn't like it.

I was so bogged down in geography that I couldn't get involved in the book. I was trying to picture the world as the author designed it and then tried to place the political situations into the map. New cities, countries and people would pop up and it would make me start over. Usually, as you read books, the new terminology becomes clear. You read and gradually understand new phrases, new cultures, new situations, new histories, new technologies. In this book, it just became more puzzling as I went along.

I've finished the book and I still don't understand the basic premises of the book. I now understand what people mean when they say "I didn't get the book."



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Review: Higher Institute of Villainous Education

Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I've never heard of this series and then stumbled across a copy in my son's school library. It had a feel of Artemis Fowl's villainous genius and a specialized hidden school, a la Hogwarts. What an awesome combination. I finished the first book and am looking for the rest of the series now. My kids are going to love these books when their reading levels bump up a little.

There's Otto, an orphan with mad skills, who is selected to participate in the the potential super villain stream at H.I.V.E. The book features other talented youth - skilled thieves, masters of martial arts, tech geeks - in his stream and in 3 other streams. We've met thuggish Henchman trainees, a professor that is currently in the form of a cat and a friendly but seemingly talentless sidekick that ends up being an expert at plants. So much resembles the bare bones of Harry Potter - Crabbe and Goyle, Prof. McGonagall, Neville, 4 houses, orphaned main character with unknown past - but it's a completely different book. The classes are fascinating, the kids have great potential for future books and the concept is fun and unique.

Excellent story. I'm looking forward to book 2!




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Review: Mommy, Where Do Baby Unicorns Come From?

Mommy, Where Do Baby Unicorns Come From? by Renee Adams

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I want to erase it from my brain. Yes, it's that bad.



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Review: The Geometry of Sisters

The Geometry of Sisters by Luanne Rice

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I needed a feel-good family and forgiveness story to break up the dystopian stuff I've been reading and this was an excellent book to choose. It had drama, family breaks in two generations, death and loss, and cute parts. It wasn't a long break but it managed to fit quite a bit of detail into each character and I enjoyed hearing the stories from the various points of view. This was an enjoyable, easy to listen to book and I'll remember Luanne Rice next time I need a book to relax with.



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