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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