Review: The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Honey and 1,001 Other Home Remedies

The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Honey and 1,001 Other Home Remedies by FC&A Medical Publishing

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I had expected information on herbal treatments, poultices, uses for honey, etc. Instead, the book is focused on 20-30 health issues (ranging from dementia to constipation) and ways to treat them. 90% of the treatments amount to exercise, eat right and take vitamins.



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Review: The Wish List

The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



One day, Beelzebub called St. Peter and asked for a favor. Of course, saints can't lie but demons are practically required to, especially when Pete insists on calling them "Bub." It's these small details, woven into Eoin Colfer's stories, that make me laugh. Most of his books are filled with quirky, cute or irreverent (or sometimes all of the above!) comments that keep me coming back for more.

I really liked this book and can't even pick a favorite part. The pudding that fell out of Meg when she forgot to concentrate on it? The poor Belch, forever bonded with his just-as-mean dog? The random vaporizing of spit turners in Hell? I loved all of it.

This isn't a book for everyone, of course. I like to think of it as "Hitchhiker's Humor" since The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was the first book I read (and fell in love with) that used imaginative nonsense and craziness in unorganized-but-works-in-the-end style. This book reminds me more of Colfer's "And Another Thing" than the Artemis Fowl series.



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Review: The Trickster

The Trickster by Muriel Gray

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I tried to like this book but eventually I couldn't even stand to read it. When I reached the halfway point and still hadn't been scared or thrilled (or even interested) by the book, I quit. I read the last few pages to see if it ended predictably...and it did.

The most interesting character was the truck driver frozen in his truck. Unfortunately, he was killed off rather quickly.



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Review: The Room-Mating Season

The Room-Mating Season by Rona Jaffe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I had no expectations when I stumbled across this book in the library. In fact, I was surprised to see it classified as chick lit by other readers because it didn't strike me as a fun, quick, read poolside book. I liked the story and the characters. I enjoyed the transition through the years. Perhaps it's my age and the fact that I'm chronologically in the middle of the book. Those girls in the beginning? I knew them years ago. The girls turning 30? I know them. The girls turning 40? They're my peers. The girls turning 50? It makes me wonder where I'll be in another decade. As the years passed and the woman handled their affairs in such different ways I found myself curious about how they would end up.



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Review: Sugar-free Gluten-free Baking and Desserts: Recipes for Healthy and Delicious Cookies, Cakes, Muffins, Scones, Pies, Puddings, Breads and Pizzas

Sugar-free Gluten-free Baking and Desserts: Recipes for Healthy and Delicious Cookies, Cakes, Muffins, Scones, Pies, Puddings, Breads and Pizzas by Kelly Keough

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Excellent book. So many cookbooks are just pages of recipes but Keough includes useful information like standard ingredients, substitution guides and explanations of the new pantry items we'll need. This is exactly what I was looking for in a sugar-free cookbook!



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Review: The Emerald Atlas

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This book hovers between 2 and 3 stars for me. I liked the basic idea - the atlas, the orphans, the magician...it had the elements of a good read-aloud book for the kids and I to share. It didn't work out that way. The characters were too forced for me. The oldest was determined and worried and protective. That's it. There was no additional depth. The brother was over-the-top bookish and backwards. Every sentence, every situation, was exactly the same. And the youngest was angry and fierce and violent. Again, that was her only pattern. I quickly wearied of the youngest and the middle and by the end of the book the oldest was on my last nerve. I don't think we'll read the next two books because I can't imagine books focused on the younger siblings.

I was surprised by the violence. We have read other series (Harry Potter, Septimus Heap, Artemis Fowl) with aggression and threats and my kids weren't troubled. This book's violence was more difficult for the kids. Instead of someone dropping dead from a spell, there were dwarfs with axes that wanted to cut off kids' hands and children imprisoned for 2 years without parents. My youngest quit listening after the ax incident. In my opinion, this book might be a little too intense for the 8 year olds or for children that are a little more anxious about separation.



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Review: Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



I really enjoy Maguire's work. This book, however, did feel like a Maguire to me. I started this book several times and never made it through more than two chapters in a sitting. I wasn't drawn into the story and the characters simply didn't interest me. I finally realized I wasn't going to like it and gave up. I'll read more of his writing and hope to find something as enjoyable as Wicked or Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister.



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Review: The Killer Angels

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



The idea of the book interested me and I was impressed by the amount of research Shaara must have completed. The book did help bring a battle to life but it was a struggle to finish. The emotions, the health concerns, the lack of ammunition, the troop movements - it all had the potential to be fascinating and insightful. Instead, it was choppy and terse. It read as a bulleted list that someone had tried to convert to paragraphs without adding additional words. That lack of fluidity in the writing made it hard to read.



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Review: Roadside Crosses

Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I enjoy Jeffery Deaver books and I like Kathryn Dance...but not this time. The book had an interesting idea and a good twist at the end but the time spent getting from the idea to the end was too long. Each time another part of the story would wrap up, I'd realize that another piece still needed resolved. The murder...the kidnapping...the case against her mom...the new relationship...the old relationship... I eventually found myself thinking, "How many more pages?" It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't one of my favorites.



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Review: The Liar's Lullaby

The Liar's Lullaby by Meg Gardiner

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Perhaps this book would have been a 3 star if I had read it instead of listening to the audio version. You know how sometimes a reader can completely turn you off a book? In this book, the portions concerning NMP are read in an angry voice that has a touch of the 'nails on chalkboard' effect on me. I really struggled to stay with the book during those parts. I also disliked the stereotyping of country music. The lyrics and comments in the beginning of the book were so outrageously horrible that I almost pulled the cord and disconnected the Playaway. The book itself was enjoyable. If you are interested, read it and don't listen to it!



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