Review: The Unidentified

The Unidentified by Rae Mariz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



It's unfortunate that I could imagine the world described in the book. High schoolers banned from public gathering, school being all about popularity and friends, betrayals in teen friendships - all of it is completely possible. And when schools already receive things in exchange for pop machines in cafeterias or branded scoreboards in stadiums, how different would this be?

I also liked the trademarks on everything. It supported the book's idea of branding and the value of being 'it' in a world crowded with corporations. My only question is why companies would fight for teen interest because they clearly have little spending control - they don't work, they can't access cars, trains are only available during school hours and the mall has been converted to a school. Everything at the school is given away...so where are they making the money?



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Review: Awaken

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I was surprised to see a young adult book that shares my view of the dismal public school system and the likelihood that virtual schools will replace them. In this case, the schools have become targets and children are dying so the government backs a digital school where all learning happens at home. The propaganda about the dangers of the world become so accepted that few people involve themselves in face to face human interaction. As with anything, there are two sides to the story and a group of people are fighting the digital school and digitized society.

I like the fake, sterile world created and I like the fighters, regardless of how unrealistic both sides are. Good battle, well drawn lines between groups and the ending also has the potential to be a beginning if the book turns into a series.



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Review: The Compound

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Intriguing book. There is so much post-apocalyptic literature out there but this book takes an opposite stand - what if you had a safe haven and planned to wait out 15 years of nuclear fallout, the walking dead, radiation poisoning and other threatened events? What if you could spend 15 years in an underground, protected compound?

I would like to see this as a more in-depth book. More info on the supplies and the design....explanations of air and water systems...understanding of supplements. As it's lacking these details, it's a quick read and one that gives enough information to make you think about the what-ifs. I loved the ending and am happy to see that this isn't yet another trilogy but instead wraps up nicely.



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Review: The Calling

The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



It's hard to like a book when you don't like the protagonist, but I did. Hazel is an unimpressive leader, an enabled alcoholic and a poor decision maker, but her story was good enough to overcome that. I enjoyed knowing the killer before the climax and the stories of each 'victim' were compelling in their odd combination of hope for release and fear of death.

While the story was good enough to get me to read more by the author (which, by chance, I can't as they won't reveal their actual identity) I won't be reading another book featuring Hazel.



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Review: Sewing With Felt: Learn Basic Stitches to Create More Than 60 Colorful Projects

Sewing With Felt: Learn Basic Stitches to Create More Than 60 Colorful Projects by Buff McAllister

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Cute book for young crafters. With help, little ones could make many of the projects and once they are 8, kids could make most of them independently. Some of the projects are a little odd or dated but the average child would probably find a handful to make.



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Review: Fa la la la Felt: 45 Handmade Holiday Decorations

Fa la la la Felt: 45 Handmade Holiday Decorations by Amanda Carestio

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Cute projects aimed at winter and Christmas. The level of difficulty varied by project and some including felting wool sweaters (which it did provide instructions for) while others were simply cut and stitch. A nice supply of beads and other decorative bits are necessary but the end results will be cute and festive.



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Review: The Cageless Zoo

The Cageless Zoo by Thomas K. Carpenter

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Short story on Kindle and I've been reading it on my iPod for a few weeks. Imagine a futuristic story with animals as yet undiscovered. Not just unknown, but some of the scariest predators out there. Then, put them in a zoo with no cages and some mind altering technology that lets them not notice humans. The technology is fun and the animals are creative, both of which I enjoy in a story. Of course, like Jurassic Park, no system is foolproof and a power failure in a sandstorm means disaster.

All in all, I liked it. If this became a full-length book about the people behind the zoo or the scientists studying the animals, I would read it. A book 15 years in the future and featuring children that follow in their dad's footsteps would also be a potentially good read.



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Review: A Cold Day for Murder

A Cold Day for Murder by Dana Stabenow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I liked Kate and her home and routines and guard dog. Her friends and family were quirkier than usual but I accept that it's largely driven by their location, which separates them from most of the world. In most ways, this was an okay books - the location and lifestyles and odd details (flying out for alcohol, flying in for funerals, old trestle bridges, oil pipelines and their equipment) added to the interest. I read this on my iPod and it was perfect for reading while out and about because it was easy to keep track of the story. As an added perk, the end was a surprise.



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Review: The Bungalow Mystery

The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Another classic detective story that my daughter and I read together. We both keep wondering when Bess and George are going to show up!

This book has more drama and excitement than the previous two and I wondered how my daughter would feel about. She loved it and now wants to be a detective!



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Review: Matched

Matched by Ally Condie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This story felt so similar to me. It was a little like Hunger Games, a little bit of The Giver, a shadow of The Declaration, and a huge taste of 1984. Luckily, the young adult version of Big Brother is more enjoyable than the classic version.

I seem to be in a dystopian mood lately, which means I'll likely read book #2. It has potential - I just hopes it rises above other books in the genre in the next one.



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Review: Raven's Gate

Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I listened to this book because my kids and I liked the Alex Rider series so much. I listened first and it's a little too old for them but we'll check it out again in a few years. I liked the story and feel it will build up to something interesting but it made this book less exciting because I feel like I put a book down mid-story.



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Review: Gifts From the Heart

Gifts From the Heart by Authors of Instructables

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



These Instructables booklets are nothing more than web links and featured products but I enjoy most of them. There's typically 10-15 items, all with step by step instructions and plenty of pictures. This one was Valentine's Day focused (which makes it odd that I stumbled across it in September...) but I found two projects for my daughter and I to make together and the season won't matter! My favorites are the solid perfume and the fabric postcard.



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Review: Slow Cooker Revolution

Slow Cooker Revolution by Editors at America's Test Kitchen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



The recipes look fantastic. They are well-researched and I believe that many batches were made before recipes were finalized. However, I don't think I'll make a single recipe.

I use my slow cooker as a way to quickly and easily get food on the table when we get home from school and work. It would take me longer to prep these meals than it would to just come home and make dinner. This isn't a "quick" or "easy" or "simple" cookbook and it isn't designed for families that are out of the house for 8-10 houses each day. Too many complicated meals with cook times shorter than my work day.



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Review: Lunch Box: Creative Recipes for Everyday Lunches

Lunch Box: Creative Recipes for Everyday Lunches by Marie Breton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This book has the potential for much higher rankings from other readers. While it wasn't my style of food, it did have creative options for lunches. I was looking for ideas for kids' lunches, however, and this food isn't kid-friendly. Well, for some kids, I'm sure it is. Mine tend to have fairly typical kid tastes and this food wouldn't be appreciated in their lunches.

However, this could easily be a 5 star book for someone else.



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Review: Miss Marple's Final Cases: Complete & Unabridged

Miss Marple's Final Cases: Complete & Unabridged by Agatha Christie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I am a huge Agatha Christie fan and some of these short stories were up to her usual standards...but others weren't. Miss Marple's understanding of human nature is always impressive.

What ruined these stories for me was the reader. The first few are read by someone that sounds like they are trying multiple characters at once - a British accent, a lisp, an elderly woman and someone with a constant mouthful of drool. All in one voice. Luckily, the last two stories had other readers!



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Review: Lunch Box Food

Lunch Box Food by Sharon Dalgleish

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



It wasn't the book I expected...but it does have a niche. If you are teaching a kids' health class or want to discuss nutrition with young children, this would be an excellent book. My fourth and second grader would be able to understand and discuss the book. I can't see any other purpose for reading this, but it would be excellent for this purpose.



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Review: Vegan Lunch Box around the World: 125 Easy International Lunches Kids and Grown-Ups Will Love!

Vegan Lunch Box around the World: 125 Easy International Lunches Kids and Grown-Ups Will Love! by Jennifer McCann

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I'm not vegan...in fact, I'm not even vegetarian. That said, I didn't check out this book for specific recipes as I would sub in the ingredients that match my lifestyles. There are a few ideas I'll try but most of the ideas, in my opinion, aren't "easy" and they are a little too much for lunch. This wasn't a book that inspired me toward any new lunch box ideas for my kids or for me.



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Review: A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32

A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32 by Joan W. Blos

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I'm not sure how I missed this during my "Little House" years but I would have enjoyed this diary.

It's a good book, if a bit dull. The 'author' is a 14 year old New Hampshire farm girl and it touches briefly on farm life, slavery, school, family life, factory workers and other themes of the day but it fails to go in depth in any. I would have enjoyed the book more had there been a focus on any of these topics.

I was surprised to see a recipe from my collection in the book. I originally found it in a cookbook from the 1850s so it was definitely appropriate to the story - just a surprise to see it in print again!

For a tween that enjoys autobiographical accounts of life in other times, this would be a good book. It's easy to read and brings history more to life. For instance, she might know that children worked in dangerous conditions in factories but to 'know' someone that was being sent to do the job to help support her family helps them see how it would feel.



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Review: Blessings

Blessings by Anna Quindlen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves." This is my favorite quote and it's by Anna Quindlen. I finally took the time to find books by Quindlen and decided to read Blessings first.

I liked it. Lydia Blessings and Skip/Charles are outwardly opposites but seem to have the same need for orderliness and tradition. When Skip finds a baby on the estate, he decides to keep her. Lydia discovers this and they form a bond over Faith. Honestly, it was the baby finding that kept the book at 3 stars. I simply can't accept Skip finding, keeping and hiding a baby. Throughout the rest of the book my mind kept thinking, "But he wouldn't do this!" and I'd lose track of the story again.



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Review: The Face on the Milk Carton

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I stumbled across this in a search for another book and it reminded my of the old after school specials we'd watch on tv as kids. I listened to it and realized that it actually was one! As a 12 year old, I probably would have loved this book...and it's probably unfair of me to rate this as an adult since I was not the intended audience. Because of that, I'm giving it 3 stars - my 2 star adult rating with my 4 star kid rating.

The story is about a girl who recognizes herself on a milk carton and starts to remember her early years as another child. She struggles with the idea that she was kidnapped and worries about what her birth family will do when they find out. She wants to tell them but doesn't want to hurt the parents that raised her. Good story, lots of teenage angst and fear, just not my style...which, again, is appropriate since I'm not the target reader.



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