Thursday, March 31, 2011

I Am Number Four/Pittacus Lore/440 pgs.

This is a YA science fiction book about aliens sent to Earth, after escaping the planet, Lorien, which was being destroyed by the Mogadorians. The aliens, who look like humans, are on Earth to develop their powers (Legacies) in order to overcome the Mogadorians who have come to Earth to destroy them. The fate of Lorien and Earth depends on these aliens, who are known by their numbers. This volume is about Number 4, also known as John Smith, a fifteen year-old boy currently living in Paradise, Ohio. The story is told through the voice of John,who is very believable as a typical fifteen year-old-boy, albeit an alien. Very entertaining and suspenseful--I look forward to the next volume!

Book of a Thousand Days / Hale, Shannon / 305 p.


Fifteen-year-old Dashti, a mucker (commoner) in her land shares the healing powers of song with those who cross her path. Song transforms suffering to joy, physical pain to relief, depression to hope, intolerance to compassion, and hatred to love. As Dashti sings she helps others "find" themselves and discovers who she is in the process.


Beautiful story of love!

Grave / James Heneghan 245 p.

Tough juvenile Tom Mullen survives many bad foster homes in Liverpool after his mother abandoned him when he was one. When construction workers unearth a mass grave, he feels its pull. When he falls in, he is transported to 1847 where he uses CPR to save the live of Irish lad Tully Monaghan. Tom is the spitting image of Tully. Tom makes several trips back to the Monaghan. Heneghan makes the reader understand the conditions at the time Irish potato famine as well as the life of a juvenile foster boy. This book made history come alive. It is based on a true incident where a mass grave was uncovered during excavation for a school's foundation. This story kept me re-reading portions much like Tom felt the pull to keep re-visiting the Monaghan family.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Milk Memos/Cate Colburn-Smith & Andrea Serrette/370 pages

The milk memos : how real moms learned to mix business with babies- and how you can, too.
I thought that this book was WONDERFUL and I definitely recommend it to any mother who is working and pumping/breastfeeding.  It followed several IBM employees who shared a lactation room and wrote to each other in notebooks explaining their hardships and triumphs while pumping and offering advice to the other "milk mamas."  The notes from their notebooks were interspersed with helpful information about your first days back after maternity leave, continuing pumping despite difficulties, emotional issues of returning to work, and many other helpful facts.  It is amazing the trials that working mothers must go through to provide the very best food for their babies.  I found it very encouraging in my current situation as a working nursing mother.

Jenny of the Tetons by Kristiana Gregory


This is an interesting book about a real mountain man, Beaver Dick, who married a Shoshone Indian who had been a captive. Jenny is the Shoshone and she was very young to have experienced all that she did before she was twenty. They had a lot of children.


The plot revolves around a fictional character, Carrie, whose parents were killed by Indians and brothers were captured. Each chapter begins with actual journal entry of Beaver Dick's journal. Then the chapter weaves a story line around it. The action takes place in the Teton mountains and Jackson Hole. The ending is quite tragic, but true.


Excellent look back into history.

Savage Run / C. J. Box / 272 pages

Wyoming game warden, Joe Pickett, must investigate an exploding cow that has kileds an environmentalist, Stewie Woods and his wife of three days.  Unbeknownist to Joe, Stevie is still alive having been blown out of his shoes and into a nearby tree.  After being attacked by a raven, he manages to free himself from the tree and crawls to a cabin in the woods.  Joe finds him there and is just in time to save his life.  He and his friends have been targeted by the Stockman's Associatin and hired killers are bent on destroying all on their list.

Great adventure story!  A real page-turner!

Trophy Hunt / C.J. Box / 323 pages

Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett's daughter, Sheridan, is having nightmares of impending doom.  Joe finds an elk that has been mutilated, but not disturbed by predators, and notices an uncanny shift in the atmosphere.  He also notices a large grizzly bear print.  He enlists the aide of his friend, Nate Romanowski, and they embark on an investigation that involves three murders, possible aliens, two AWOL soldiers, FBI agents, oil and mineral rights and ranches, and a battle between good and evil.

Evermore / Alyson Noel / 306 pages

Ever and her family are in a terrible car accident.  Her mother, father, sister, and perhaps Ever herself are killed.  Ever "recovers" and has psychic abilities.  She is visited often by her dead sister, Riley, and is taken in by her lawyer aunt, Sabeen (sp?),  Ever's best friends are Miles - a gay young man, and Hayden (sp?).  Ever is attracted to the new boy in school, Damon, who has enviable freedom as he is emancipated.  He often gifts Ever with red tulips.  Unfortunately, Damon seems to be occupied with Dreena (sp?) who is very much admired by Hayden.  Ever discovers that Damon and Dreena are immortals and are married.  Dreena attempts to kill Ever as she killed Ever's family.  Instead Ever kills her as "revenge weakens and love strengthens."

"The best way to deal with eternity is to live one day at a time."  "Forgiveness is healing/"

Gunn's Golden Rules/Tim Gunn/256 pages


You know him from the TV show "Project Runway"...unlike his first book, this one focuses on etiquette, decorum and good behavior--with some outrageous examples of the opposite. Anecdotes from the show are sprinkled throughout this commentary on the general lack of good manners today. Gunn is a true throwback gentleman, if a little uptight, and surprisingly reveals some painful memories from his past. Witty and entertaining.

Magic of Ordinary Days / Ann Howard Creel 274 p.

Set towards the end of World War II. Forced into an arranged marriage to a shy beet farmer by her puritanical minister father when her 'condition' becomes known, Olivia Dunne yearns to study archeology. The loneliness of a farmer's wife is alleviated by friendship with two young Nisei sisters from a Japanese American internment camp who work the farm. The sisters delight her with their passionate study of butterflies. They introduce her to camp life. Livvy discovers home truths about herself when she unknowing becomes a participant in the sister's plot to free their boyfriends. This becomes a turning point in her relationship with her husband.

Movie

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Secret Garden / Frances Hodgson Burnett 368 p.

A 10 year old spoiled orphan from India arrives at her uncle’s in the Yorkshires. She discovers a key to a locked walled garden, locked when the very much loved mistress of the house dies. She embarks to restore the secret garden secretly. She calms the invalid heir who every command is obeyed since he is not expected to live. This is the story of how the secret garden changes her and the invalid. Frances Hodgson Burnett creates sturdy realistically unattractive children. Their character flaws fall away as they work to make things grow in the garden.

Movie

Kill and Tell / Linda Howard 305 p.

While packing to move, Karen Whitlaw receives a package from her estranged father addressed to her deceased mother. She plops it box and forgets about it. She takes off for New Orleans when homicide detective, Marc Chastain, telling her of father’s murder. She begins a passionate relationship with Marc. Once she returns home a string of “accidents” sends her back to Marc. Together they unravel a story of power, politics, and murders. Characters are developed in this fast-paced romantic suspense story. Everything a romantic suspense story should be.

RITA Awards: Top Ten Favorite Books - 1998

Carolyn Turgeon / Mermaid / 256 p

Another fantastic author who will be at KL on Thursday night! Two sheltered princesses, one wounded warrior; who will live happily ever after? Princess Margrethe has been hidden away while her kingdom is at war. One gloomy, windswept morning as she stands in a convent garden overlooking the icy sea, she witnesses a miracle: a glittering mermaid emerging from the waves, a nearly drowned man in her arms. By the time Margrethe reaches the shore, the mermaid has disappeared into the sea. As Margrethe nurses the handsome stranger back to health, she learns that not only is he a prince, he is also the son of her father's greatest rival. Sure that the mermaid brought this man to her for a reason, Margrethe devises a plan to bring peace to her kingdom. Meanwhile, the mermaid princess Lenia longs to return to the human man she carried to safety. She is willing to trade her home, her voice, and even her health for legs and the chance to win his heart…. A surprising take on the classic tale, Mermaid is the story of two women with everything to lose. Beautifully written and compulsively readable, it will make you think twice about the fairytale you heard as a child, keeping you in suspense until the very last page.

The Outside Boy/ Jeanine Cummins / 384 pages

A poignant debut novel of an Irish gypsy boy's childhood in the 1950's by the author of the bestselling memoir A Rip in Heaven. Ireland, 1959: Young Christy Hurley is a Pavee gypsy, traveling with his father and extended family from town to town, carrying all their worldly possessions in their wagons. Christy carries with him a burden of guilt as well, haunted by the story of his mother's death in childbirth. The peripatetic life is the only one Christy has ever known, but when his grandfather dies, everything changes. His father decides to settle down temporarily in a town where Christy and his cousin can attend mass and receive proper schooling. But they are still treated as outsiders. As Christy's exposure to a different life causes him to question who he is and where he belongs, the answer may lie with an old newspaper photograph and a long-buried family secret that could change his life forever... Jeanine is going to be signing and discussing The Outside Boy at KL on Thursday, everyone should come out and meet her!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Winterkill / C. J. Box / 372 pages

Wyoming game warden, Joe Pickett, is embarassed when Lama Gardiner handcuffs him to his steering wheel after being arrested for killing seven elk and attempting to reload his rifle with cigarettes.  After escaping, Lamar is found dead, having been shot with two arrows.  Joe's efforts to find the killer are hampered by the arrival of the Sovereigns - a group of individuals fleeing the federal agencies responsible for the Ruby Ridge, Waco, and other fiascoes.  Two "loose canon" federal officials arrive and seriously escalate the situation.  Joe's foster daughter, April, is at the Sovereign compound and Joe is determined to rescue her amidst a federal raid on the property.

Deadline / Chris Crutcher / 316 pages

Ben Wolf does not plan to coast through his senior year at Trout High in Idaho.  He says "This was my year to read everything I can get my hands on, to speak up, push myself and my teachers to get the true hot poop on the world at large, so I could hit the ground running."  He plans to "etch his name atop the winner's board at the state cross country meet, to take Dallas Suzuki by surprise, and to attend college."  At least those were his plans until he receives a warning "from The Office Above The Office" telling him that he has one year to live.  He decides not to tell his family as he fears the news might upset the fragile equilibrium of family dynamics...and to go out for football.

Leaving Jack / Gareth Crocker 200 p.

In 1972, a despondent Fletcher Carlson joins the army after the tragic death of his wife and daughter. Even though suicidal depressed, he bonds with his unit “Fat Lady”. While on patrol, he is approached by a wounded yellow Labrador. He refuses a direct order to kill the dog; instead takes him to camp to nurse back to health. Jack becomes a critical part of the team, saving many men’s lives by sniffing out mines and booby traps. As the war ends, the army orders the scout dogs abandoned in Vietnam. Jack bonds with Fletcher to the point that Fletcher elects to walk with him to the safety of Thailand some 350 miles away. This may appeal to readers of dog fiction and readers of military fiction.

Serendipity/Cathy Marie Hake/ p336


Maggie Rose cares for her uncles and makes special perfumes, soaps and lotions from the roses that are part of her legacy. Just when she has given up hope that God has a husband for her, Todd Valmer brings his sick mother to her for care. When his mother is ready to continue on the way to Todd's Texas farm, he knows he won't be able to care for his mother and the farm. Maggie's uncle sees this as an answer to prayer. So they decide to wed in hopes that love will grow from the admiration they already feel for one another.


This book dragged a little and the "conflict" came mainly from Todd's mother trying to make Maggie into a Southern belle instead of the Ozark "hillbilly". One scene in particular made me laugh -- when Maggie served what they considered a "rodent" for dinner. Maggie is a strong female character and I enjoyed her but still not my favorite Cathy Marie Hake book, though.

The Informationist/Taylor Stevens/307 pgs.

This has to be one of the best mystery/thriller books I have read by a debut author! Venessa "Michael" Munroe, the main character, is an "informationist"--she can dig out the deepest information and secrets about a person that other specialists are unable to find. In this case, she has been hired to find a tycoon's daughter who has gone missing in Africa. Venessa's character has been compared to Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander, but in my opinion, she is a little more refined. Anyway, this story grips you from the beginning all the way to the end. I can't wait for the next installment!

Life Without Limits/Nick Vujicic/p 229


Nick Vujicic was born without arms and legs. This is his story of how faith, family and a sense of humor has allowed Nick to live, in his words, "a ridiculously good life."

The Girl in the Green Raincoat / Laura Lippman / 158 pages

Laura Lippman, a former reporter, knows how to write a tight story. In this novella, starring Tess Monaghan, readers are bed-ridden, just like Tess who is in the last two months of her pregnancy. From our perspective on the chaise lounge, we use our friends, the Internet, and our wits to solve the mystery of the disappearance of a girl in a green raincoat who Tess observes with the aid of her binoculars walking her dog in the park. No surprise that speculation can lead to specious theory, and the book has a surprise ending. Lippman manages to also weave in stories about family and love in this short book. You can't help but identify with Tess who wants to be in control of her life but life throws plenty of curve balls. A good, satisfying read.

I Beat the Odds/ Michael Oher/ p246


If you enjoyed "Blindside", Michael Oher's book will fill you in on the rest of the story, as well as, set the record straight on the parts of the movie that were fiction. Filled with wisdom and inspiration, I would recommend this book to a wide audience.

a big little life/Dean Koontz/271 pgs


This is a very enjoyable book especially if you love dogs. It is the story of Trixie, a service dog who had to retire due to elbow surgery and was adopted by Dean Koontz and his wife. Even though it has the typical sad ending, it is well worth reading especially if you believe that dogs are not just dumb animals.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

The Investment Answer / Daniel Goldie / 88 pages

A very brief look at the components of investment decisions. The authors basically break down the process of successful investing into 5 questions. (Spoiler alert, the first question is do you need professional advice and they say yes but choose a "no-fee" CFP and they provide tips on how to choose the right person for you.) For a person who has minimal knowledge, this book is very good. The 300-500 page books are totally overwhelming for me. This book really does give you confidence in looking at what you should be doing, how to do it, what works, and realistic expectations when you simply choose your course and stick with it. The author cites studies and research to back up their opinion. In an hour or so of reading, you should have a good idea of the direction you need to go.

Port Mortuary / Patricia Cornwell / 496 pages

Kay Scarpetta is back along with Marino, Benton and Lucy. As in some of the more recent Scarpetta novels, the book seems to be more about Kay and her angst resulting from her past, her insecurity, and her relationships with her family than forensic pathology used to resolve three seemingly unconnected crimes. This time Cornwell throws in the possibility of some scary uses of nano-technology. As you read these books, you can't help but wonder if two people with so many professional secrets can really make it as a married couple and I'm wondering if I really care. Cornwell has a very irritating habit of referring to statements from conversations before they even take place in the story so it's hard to be engaged because you're always thinking "what? where did that come from?" Still, these can be addicting

The Good Daughters / Joyce Maynard / 278 pages

I think what attracted me to this book was the two girls born the same day in the same hospital in 1950....just like me and one of my cousins. Would it be funny like that movie Big Business with Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler? Nope. Maynard is a great storyteller who can keep you turning the pages. She offers lots of emotion, feelings about love and family, parental roles in our lives, what's important in life and trials of figuring out who we are. It is very apparent early in the book why the girls feel out of place in their families yet the story is mesmerizing and you want to keep reading to find out if in the end they are happy with themselves and what life brings them. It is hard to imagine what it would have been like to be either of the daughters or either of the mothers yet you feel like you've known people just like them. Details of changing life in the 50's, 60's and 70's make the book seem real to anyone who lived them! Go ahead and read it and let me know what you think!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Godmother, the Secret Cinderella Story / Carolyn Turgeon / 279 pages

Lillian works in a small bookstore in New York City.  She is elderly and lonely.  Living alone, she rarely ventures out except to go to work or to the diner across the street from her apartment.  Lil lives with the shame and disappointment of having failed someone in their hour of need.  Lil believes herself to be  Cinderella's fairy godmother and, instead of seeing her safely to the ball, she goes in her stead.  Her punishment is banishment from the fairy world to the world of humans and the bodily corruption inherent in it.  Lil has several mishaps with her wings that lend credence to her belief.  Lil serves as matchmaker to George, her boss, and Veronica, hoping that by helping them to fall in love at the ball, she can right the wrongs she done in the past.  Ms. Turgeon has a wonderful - although tragic - surprise ending to her story.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Adora / Bertrice Small / 440 p.

Adora is the story of the beautiful Princess Theadora Cantacuzene, who rose to become one of the most powerful women in the east.  As a child, Adora is promised to the powerful Turkish emperor, Orkan, and then sent to a convent for her protection. But even behind convent walls love finds Adora when she meets meets Orkan's third son, Prince Murad, the love of her life. Murad patiently tutors Adora in the art of love and when it becomes time for her to leave the convent and enter Orkan's harem, she is devastated to be torn from her beloved.
I am kind of embarrassed that I am posting this book.  But I am a slow reader and I want the points. 
So, yes Adora rates up there on the "spicy" scale and it has a good amount of violence.  This is my first Bertrice Small novel and I liked her writing style and I wonder how much of her descriptions are historically accurate.  I really liked the storyline, but I didn't like the male characters since at the time women were treated a little better than dogs and it showed by their actions and lack of feelings.  I think I kept reading in hopes that Adora would just snap and kill one of the men in their sleep and the story would be over.  But alas, the book ends with what is suppose to be a happy, romantic resolution.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows/J.K. Rowling/965 pgs(LP)


For many years I resisted reading this series even though I enjoyed the movies. Finally last November I crumbled under my daughter's prodding and started with the first book and loved them. This final chapter in Harry Potter's saga took him and his friends through trials and tribulations and surprising revelations. A little uneven, and all the loose ends get tied up in a bit of a rush at the end, but you won't find a better, faster reading escape into a fascinating fantasy world. This book was made into a 2-part movie; the second coming out this July.

Black Stallion / Walter Farley 275 p.

Young Alec Ramsay comes home with a big black stallion that he semi-tamed on island after a shipwreck off the coast of Portugal. The story is fast-paced and realistic. The descriptive narrative style made it come alive. A delight to re-read after #*% years.

Sequel: Black Stallion Returns

Movie

Thursday, March 24, 2011

A Hope Undaunted/ Julie Lessman/ p 505

Katie O'Connor has a plan -- go to law school, marry a rich successful man that she can lead around and get out from under the thumb of her controlling father. It's 1929 and women are demanding more rights and Katie wants to work for women's rights. Unlike most of her family, she doesn't believe that God is real. And if He is, she doesn't need anyone else trying to tell her what to do. She has the boyfriend who meets all the requirements on her list. But her father doesn't like the way he is influencing her to disregard her father's rules. So her father arranges for her to volunteer at the Boston Children's Society for the summer while she is restricted from seeing her boyfriend. She'll report to Luke McGhee. He rubbed her the wrong way as a child and she doesn't like him any better as an adult. Working with Luke to help children gives Katie a new perspective. Will Katie be willing to throw away her plan and ask God to guide her? Or will she wait too late to accept where her heart is taking her?



Although it is Christian fiction, the characters are very real and fallible. The relationships are passionate and messy. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Dining with Joy/ Rachel Hauck/ p 300

Joy Ballard is a popular host of a TV cooking show called Dining with Joy. She took over the show when her father, the previous host, died. It was his final request to his daughter. The problem is that Joy can't cook. Everyone on the show covers for her and her charm and comedic timing have made the show a hit. When the show is sold to another production company, Joy continues to keep the secret so the show can go on.

Luke Redmond is a chef who is down on his luck. His previous restaurant went bankrupt and now he is working at a friend's diner trying to make enough money to pay back his friends.

When Joy and Luke are thrown together in an ambush cooking contest, Luke's cooking covers for Joy's lack of skills. Joy's spontaneous kiss of gratitude goes viral on YouTube and before she knows it, she has a cohost. Should she include Luke in on the secret and risk their budding relationship?

Although I've enjoyed other books by this author one scene in the book says it all. Joy, thinking about her deception and the mess it's making of her life thinks "If I were reading my story in a book I would yell at the character to tell the truth already!" That was my thought exactly through most of the book.

How I Planned Your Wedding/Susan Wiggs & Elizabeth Wiggs Maas/ 228 pages

When a bestselling romance author with only one child (and that child is a daughter) starts planning a wedding, the only thing you can do is sit back and be amused. Susan Wiggs and her daughter Elizabeth are extraordinarily close, but that doesn't mean the path to Elizabeth's wedding doesn't have a pothole or two. Or three. Each of them gets to give their version what transpired. This isn't the typical advice book on how to plan a wedding, although both of them do give some practical pointers. Mainly this book details how they survived great differences of opinions even when they thought the other was nuts. (What a romance novelist might think is essential for the perfect wedding is different than what the same novelist might be willing to pay for.) A delightful read.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

A World Without Heroes (Book One in the Beyonders Series) / Brandon Mull / 447 pages

If you enjoyed the Fablehaven series (and even if you haven't yet read it), author Brandon Mull has a most unusual treat in store for you.  Accompany 13-year-old Jason Walker as he loses his balance while working at the zoo after being struck by a baseball during batting practice.  He falls into a hippo's mouth and throat - and perhaps other body regions - and emerges through a tree trunk into the land of Lyrian - another place, another time.  He is told by the loremaster, a librarian, that he is a Beyonder.  He is told by the Blind King that "seeking the word is your sole chance for survival.  Remain still, or wander aimlessly, and you will be taken."  Jason encounters various friends, including Rachel, another Beyonder, and foes along the way in his search for the 6 syllable word to destroy Maldor, the evil emperor.  Jason is taken prisoner, escapes, and is returned to the Beyond - against his will.  Will he return?  We must wait for the second book in the series to find out!

Never Too Late/ Robyn Carr/ p 347

Clare Wilson is married to a serial cheater but a secret in her past seems to compel her to continue to give him "one more chance" to change his ways. A nearly fatal car accident changes all that. She comes out of the accident ready to make the changes that her family have been encouraging her to make. In order to break from the past, she'll need to confront her shameful secret and draw from the strength of her loving family.

The supporting characters are just as interesting as Clare. Each of her sisters have a story of their own that is just as compelling as Clare's which makes this book more than a typical love story.

Thursdays at Eight/ Debbie Macomber/ p 298

Claire, Elizabeth, Karen and Julia are women in different stages of life. They are dealing with divorce, widowhood, an unplanned pregnancy and unfulfilled dreams. But through all their joys and tears they cling to one another for support and friendship. A book that highlights the importance of friendship and making time to be there for the people you care about.

Unknown/ Didier van Cauwelaert/ p 164

Previously released as "Out of My Head", "Unknown" takes you into the mind of Martin Harris, a Yale botanist relocating to Paris. Before he has a chance to settle into his new life with his wife, an car accident leaves him in a coma. Miraculously, he recovers only to find that someone has taken over his identity. A man who has the same history and memories as Martin himself. When he confronts his wife, she doesn't recognize him as her husband even though Martin knows her. With the help of Muriel, the cab driver who was driving when the accident occurred, Martin tries to find someone who can confirm who his mind and memories tell him he is.

This book is written in the first person and grips the reader from page one. You share the roller coaster emotions of someone who begins to doubt their own sanity and sense of reality. Is he Martin Harris? Is he delusional? How can two people share the same memories and have the same conviction that they are the person they believe themselves to be? It's a quick read that is hard to put down. I'm looking forward to the movie version.

Flawed dogs : the shocking raid on Westminster : the novel /Berkeley Breathed/216 pgs


This is a very entertaining story written by the Bloom County cartoonist. It is about a very rare dachshund and what happens to him after he is cast out of his home because of a jealous poodle. When he discovers that the poodle is trying to be the champion at Westminster, he comes up with a plan to redeem himself and make the poodle pay with the help of some of his mutt friends.

Wall / Eve Bunting 32 p.

Bunting, with simplicity and quiet dignity, tells through a boys eyes, the visit to the Vietnam War Memorial to find his grandfather's name. He leaves a his picture-- his father assures him that grandpa will know him. His father makes a rubbing. He sees others moved by the wall: a veteran, a couple weeping; while others leave a Teddy bear, letters, and flowers.

Man, Woman, and Child / Erich Segal 214 p

Bob Beckwith of MIT is happily married and father of two. He gets a shock to learn that he has a out-of-wedlock French son. Jean-Claude's mother has just passed away and a home is needed. Disharmony in his relations occur when he reveals all. He, with his wife support, agrees to take Jean-Claude for one month while foster parents are organized. All fall in love with Jean-Claude. A bit trite.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Building Blocks Award

There was a very good selection of picture books for the 2011 Building Block Awards.  It really is hard for me to choose just one book, so I am going to pick my top three!
  1. If you are a Monster and you Know it  by Rebecca Emberely - My youngest daughter Julia is really into monsters so she loved this book.  It has very large colorful pictures and you sing to the tune If you are Happy and you know it.  Julia just loved stomping around pretending to be a monster.
  2. Silly Tilly by Eileen Spinelli - I personally enjoyed this book, the pictures of Tilly's antics are funny and I liked the rhythm and rhyme of the words.  Both of my kids enjoyed hearing this book over and over.
  3. Pete the Cat: I love my White Shoes by Eric Litwin - At first I wasn't impressed with the illustrations and I thought the storyline was very basic.  However, after reading the book one time to my kids they LOVED it!  They caught on to the song right away and want to hear it over and over.  A special bonus for me, I caught my 3 year old (who doesn't know how to read) "telling/reading" the story to her little sister.  So Yea Pete the Cat!!!!

Death of a Chimney Sweep/M.C. Beaton/245 pages

Hamish Macbeth is a Scottish Police Constable in the highland village of Lochdubh. He's known for being unambitious and lazy but also sharp and persistent. The death of a newcomer in his district and of the chimney sweep first suspected of the murder are just the beginning of a tangled web of murders. Although many murders are committed, few are brought to traditional justice. But, in the end, you could say that everyone gets what they deserve. Hamish does cross the line once too often saving something near and dear to him, but he deals with potential blackmailers for now.

A "cozy mystery" series that makes me want to visit Scotland.

Strategic Moves/Stuart Woods/285 pages

Stone Barrington, attorney and man about town, is at it again. Colleagues, clients and other cuckoos throw money and gifts (including a plane for goodness sakes) at him for minimal work. It's a good gig if you can get it. A financial scandal, a murder, an arms dealer, the possible location of bin Laden and, of course, dinner at Elaine's every night is a typical week or so in the life of Stone. (Now that the real Elaine has passed on, will Woods work that into his next Stone adventure?) Nothing new in this novel. We've seen it all before.

Let's face it: Stone should be long dead either from beatings, bullets, heart attack due to high calorie, high cholesterol meals, alcoholism or STDs. Stone is a guest who has outstayed his welcome. I keep reading this series (even though after every new title, I swear it's my last) because I'm hoping to see the spark from the early books. But Woods and others (Evanovich and Patterson come to mind) know when they have a good thing going, and they won't stop until we stop reading.

Where Are You Now? / Mary Higgins Clark 273 p

After her brother’s last Mother’s Day call, Carolyn MacKenzie works to find the mystery behind his ten year disappearance. She starts an unraveling that grows until everyone around her is impacted. Where it stops is a surprise. Readers who like this fast-paced thriller may like works featuring the quadriplegic forensic criminologist Lincoln Rhyme by Jeffrey Deaver.

Lost Recipe for Happiness / Barbara O'Neal 447 p.

Elena Alvarez stands on the edge of her dream -- running her own kitchen in a high-class restaurant. Owner Julian Liswood comes to Aspen with a troubled daughter and a dream for a stable family. As the sole survivor of a horrific car accident, Elena knows how to meet a challenge. Passion for food leads Elena and Julian to discover a common passion for life. As she develops trust in Julian, her employees, she finds the courage to confront the pain in her past.

2010 RITA Winner for Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements

Monday, March 21, 2011

The Goodbye Quilt/Susan Wiggs/p 224

Linda Davis is driving cross country with her daughter, Molly, to help her move into her dorm. On the way, she works on a special quilt of Molly's life. She's also working on biting her tongue when Molly can't seem to break the tie with her hometown boyfriend. What is a mom to do when her only child is growing up? How do you let go of a child and embrace a new season of life?

Any mom will recognize all the ambivalent feelings Linda has as she struggles with letting go. Wiggs does an excellent job of communicating the heart of a mother. Great read for someone wanting women's fiction.

Little Bee/Chris Cleave/ p 266

"We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived." So says the title character in Chris Cleave's "Little Bee." Little Bee is a Nigerian refugee who had witnessed many horrors before winding up in a detention center in the UK. Her plan is to learn English and find her way to a British couple she had met two years before. Through a mix up at the center, she is released to do just that. The book jacket asks that I not say what happens because the "magic" is in how the story unfolds.

The quote above says it all. This poignant and thought provoking book is about scars and survival. The characters are at once heroic and flawed. It's a book that will stay with you for a while.

Treachery In Death/J.D. Robb/375 pages

This is J.D. Robb's (a.k.a. Nora Roberts) 33rd novel starring Lt. Eve Dallas. Set in 2060, Eve faces "dirty cops" in her station. How she deals with this makes for a very interesting and fast read. This is a very enjoyable series, and I highly recommend it!

One of Our Thursdays is Missing/Jasper Fforde/362 pgs


This is the 6th book in the Thursday Next series and is probably one of the best. If you are not familiar with the series it takes place in Bookworld where all the characters in all the books live. It is a little strange at first when you start reading the series because all the book characters are alive and some can even go to the "Real World". This one is mainly about the written Thursday Next - the real Thursday has gone missing just before the Racy Novel Peace Talks. And it is up to the written Thursday to figure out what happened to her and save the talks.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Moon Over Manifest / Clare Vanderpool / 351 pages

This is the 2011 Newbery Award winner and it certainly deserves the award. So many times I cringe when the Newbery is announced and wonder...Is it a book that kids will want to read? Is it a book that helps readers to grow? Is it a book that will retain its appeal over the years? My answer for Moon Over Manifest is yes, yes, yes! This is truly a wonderful book. Perfect for reading aloud....a dreambook for any discussion group. Abilene Tucker, an 11 year old girl, daughter of a wandering dad, is not a character you can easily forget. Manifest, Kansas is the type of town you might know. The people of Manifest are not what they seem. The book is set in 1936 in the hardtimes of the Depression but it also flashes back to 1917-1918 and what was happening during that time. It is about stories and how stories are part of all of our lives and help us to understand who we are. Well, you just have to read this. You will not be sorry and you will want to share it. Read every single word...even the author's note and the acknowlegements. This is a book that is carefully woven and makes your heart feel full.

Hereville: how Mirka got her sword / Barry Deutsch / 139 pages

It's confession time....I have never wanted to read a graphic novel. Yep, hated the thought. So, I was dragged kicking and screaming to read Hereville: How Mirka Got her Sword by reading what others had to say about the book. Hey, if you're going to try something new, then start with something good. I loved it. It has humor, courage, love, compassion, determination, family ties, fantasy, reality, loss, growth, a revenge-seeking pig and Orthodox Jewish characters! The description of Mirka is "yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish Girl." The illustrations are corals, browns and beiges printed on thick glossy paper in a nice sturdy binding. It is a book of substance both in appearance and theme. As bizarre as the characters and plot may seem, you will love this book and love Mirka in her determination to be a heroine. Babymouse, here I come!

Cookbook Collector / Allegra Goodman / 394 pages

I wanted to like this book so much but I didn't. I could not relate to the characters and I didn't care a whit about what happened to them. I slogged my way through continually checking how many pages I had left. This book might be good for someone else. I'd be interested in hearing the pros from someone who did enjoy the book. It is basically the story of two sisters...one the caretaker, entrepreneur, disconnected and one the philosopher, emotionally connected, poor but rich in feelings. The book includes young, rich dot.com owners who are billionaires one day and bankrupt the next. Didn't care about them. It includes the impact of 9 11 on all the various characters...predictable. The title comes from the lichenologist who collected rare cookbooks and substituted sensuous thoughts about food for his love for his sister-in-law. Somehow the author also works in saving the redwoods and Bialystokers. At least the book has a very appealing cover. Sorry.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

The Trouble with Chickens / Doreen Cronin / 119 pages

This is Doreen Cronin's first chapter book for emerging readers.  Great characters based on Ms. Cronin's family members inhabit the pages of this delightful book - JJ is her Dad, Moosh is her Mom, and Vince the Funnel is her uncle.  JJ is convinced by Moosh that he should come out of retirement as a search and rescue dog to rescue her missing chicks.  JJ suspects that "the kidnapping" was an inside job because the ransom note used "inside" words. "Words you can only learn inside.  Where there are things like comfortable chairs and fresh lemonade."  As it turns out, the chicks had not been kidnapped after all, but willingly entered the house to get to the books.  They wanted to read.  The chicks are adorable characters - "half yellow, half white - like fuzzy popcorn kernels with feet."  Kids will love them  and JJ, the hero, and his unexpected sidekick.

Secrets to the Grave / Tami Hoag / 449 pages

"We don't get to have a nice neat explanation for everything that happens in life - bad or good.  I guess that's what life is:  things happen and how we deal with them makes us who we are.  We can either choose to learn and rise above, or give up and let bad things defeat us."  So says Anne Leone who has certainly learned and risen above an unhappy childhood.  She is immersed in a murder investigation and volunteers to care for the four year old daughter of the brutally murdered artist.  This is a page-turner "who done it" with multiple suspects, references to previously written books by Tami Hoag, and, unfortunately, a predictable perpetrator.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Lost Hero / Rick Riordan / 557 pages

I don't know how Rick Riordan does it, but I hope he continues to write books like this for a lonnnnng time. The Lost Hero which is the first in the Heroes of Olympus series (and a spinoff from his Percy Jackson series) features three new kids, Jason, Piper & Leo, who discover they are demigods and must rescue Hera who has been imprisoned by Gaia. The story does not stop here though. The book ends with plans for the next quest in which they will need to join forces with the Roman demigods to fight the giant Porphyrion. Riordan is great at writing action, adventure, cliff-hangers, and suspense that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. He also does a great job of making these teens seem real. They have humor, self-doubt, jealousies, fears, and issues with other teens. Of course, the fact that the teens are heroic, creative, intelligent, and save the world adds to the appeal. You know Riordan is successful when you see kids checking out mythology books to find out more about the Greek (and now Roman) gods. I listened to this on CD and Joshua Swanson did a great job of making the story exciting and understandable with the huge cast of characters. Recommended for all kid and adult readers who like action and adventure.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz / A. S. King / 326 pages

Bera Dietz's mother left when Vera was 12.  She had gotten pregnant at 17 and worked a short time as a stripper.  Vera's dad is a recovered alcoholic whose constant advice is to ignore things.  Vera thinks "If we're supposed to ignore everything that's wrong with our lives, then I can't see how we'll ever make things right."  She is trying to cope with the death of her best friend, Charlie, and keeps imagining visitations from him requesting that she explain the circumstances of his death.

"How will I soar with the eagles if I'm surrounded by turkeys?"

"I love Vocab.  It's like spelunking in life and discovering a thousand new tunnels."

I Am the Cheese / Robert Cormier 211 p.

Fourteen year old Adam Farmer is biking from Massachusetts to Vermont to see his dad. Interspersed between bike ride happenings are recounts of conversations albeit recordings of him with the psychiatrist Brint. Seeming to want to help Adam’s memory return, Brint’s probing forces out puzzle pieces like the witness relocation and protection plan, finding duplicate birth certificates, his mother’s special Thursday night phone calls, and the monthly visits of “Mr. Grey". The questions seem to bring more questions like Is Brint really a psychiatrist? Bit by bit uneasiness grows – almost a thriller.

Movie

Finding Jack/Gareth Crocker/289 pgs



This story is about a man who volunteers during the Vietnam war for all the wrong reasons - mainly he feels he has nothing to live for. While there he finds a wounded dog who he nurses back to health and the dog is then adopted by the men in his patrol and put to work. This all is taking place at the end of the war and when they are told they are leaving but the dog Jack must remain behind, Fletcher decides to take matters into his own hands. It is not a story about the man saving the dog but about how they each saved each other and reminds you why they say that the dog is man's best friend!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH / Robert C. O'Brien 233 p.

Mrs. Frisby, a widowed field mouse, lives with her four children in the Fitzgibbon's vegetable garden. Each year they move to their summer house just ahead of Farmer Fitzgibbon home-destroying plow. This year Mrs. Frisby is distraught. Her son Timothy has pneumonia and cannot be moved. She turns to the rats - not just ordinary rats but the Rats from NIMH - to save her house.

Mark Twain Award

Movie

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Inheritance / Tamera Alexander 374 p.

In 1877, McKenna Ashford with her rebellious younger brother move west to join her favorite cousin in Copper Creek, Colorado planning to leave behind bad times. That doesn’t happen as McKenna’s cousin dies shortly after her husband and newborn infant, leaving behind a 6 yr. child. McKenna shoulders more troubles -- the bank forecloses, needed repairs go undone, Emma is a handful, and money is short. And, despite prayers, her brother wayward ways are escalating such that U.S. Marshal Wyatt Caradon brings him home after a night of drinking and gambling.

Includes book discussion questions.

A work from the Women of Faith Fiction series

2011 RITA Winner for Best Inspirational Romance

PURPLE DAZE by Sherry Shahan; 256 pages


Sherry Shahan's new book, Purple Daze (publication date 03/22/11; I read an Advance Reader Copy) is her first Teen/Young Adult title. In letters, poetry, and occasional news blurbs (of actual historical events), it tells the story of a year in the life of six high school students. The year is 1965 (".. war, feminism, riots, love, racism, rock 'n roll, high school and friendship") and the stories told by these kids is very powerful. It not just about teen angst but deals with real-life situations and problems which are still relevant today. Some might say 'very' relevant considering all those who are friends with or siblings of young U.S. soldiers serving in the Middle East & elsewhere. Purple Daze would also be a great crossover title for adults, especially anyone who grew up in the Sixties and remembers those days. :-)

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky/ Heidi W. Durrow/ 264 pages

This is a YA novel. The main character is biracial and struggles to know where she fits in. But, the story is about more than finding yourself. The girl also survived a fall from a building that killed her mother, baby sister and brother. This tragedy shapes not only her life, but the lives of many others. Told from multiple points of view--this was a very engaging tale.

We Are On Our Own/ Miriam Katin/ 129 pages

This is a graphic novel about the author and her mother's flight from Budapest during WWII. They made it through and while for once you thought the ending would be mostly happy. It was also heartbreaking because the loss of faith suffered by this family.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Atlantis and other places/Harry Turtledove/440 pages


This book is actually a collection of alternative history short stories. The themes vary, but many of them are placed on the "what if...?" island of Atlantis. I'm normally not a big fan of this genre, or this author (to me, he comes across as slightly smug), but short stories are a nice change of pace and held my interest a little better. I particularly enjoyed"Farmer's Law", a murder mystery set in Byzantine Greece in the 700's AD. (Better than it sounds, really.)

Big Mouth, Ugly Girl / Joyce Carol Oates / 266 pages

Matt Donaghy (Big Mouth) and Ursula Riggs (Ugly Girl) have experienced bad things being done to them by other human beings.  Class clown Matt is unjustly accused of threatening to bomb the school and kill scores of people.  His entire life changes as friends and teachers avoid him and he with withdraws.  Ursula has been a misfit since elementary school when she towered over classmates and developed her self-protecting "ugly" persona.  She is a stand-out basketball player, but not a team player.  Ursula is the only "friend" to support Matt and both realize the treasure of true friendship and learn "there's no point in dwelling on the past and brooding, replaying old hurts and humiliations in your head."

"The hard part of humanity is history.  All that's been done to human beings by other human beings."

The Moxie Kid / Lois Ruby / 214 pages

Jonathan Wigget faces a long, lonely summer.  His best friend, Randy, is away at camp and Jon and his younger brother, Sammy, are being babysat by Whitney.  Jon meets Mr. Caliberti, AKA Mr. Eckers, an escapee from a local retirement home.  Jon is a hero - rescuing a toddler trapped  outside the store her mother is in during an electrical storm; doing CPR when Mr. Calberti suffers a stroke; and encouraging his chanteuse friend and neighbor, Bonnie.  Jon has moxie - spunk, gusto, guts, courage, self-confidence, assertiveness, oomph, imagination.  He realizes that Mr. Caliberti's lies give spice to life.
P.S. Who's killing the cats?

Framed / Frank Cottrell Boyce 306 p.

Dylan Hughes, only boy left in Manod, meets the curator Quentin Lester when he shows up with London's National Gallery paintings to store in an abandoned slate mine. This is top secret. Lester decides that Dylan is a kindred art loving spirit when he meets Dylan's chickens named after Renaissance artists (really after the Teen-Age Ninja Turtles - but Lester doesn't know about the Ninja Turtles). Dylan look for ways to turn the Snowdonia Oasis Auto Marvel around...an urgent need as his father has abandoned the family when the business is about to be foreclosed. Lester decides to share a few of his treasures with Dylan which morphs into the entire community. A charming story of how paintings influence people. I especially liked how the painting The Umbrellas by Renoir so affected Dylan's mom that she buys up umbrellas to share with the townsfolk. Be ready for questions about the paintings discussed.

TV Movie

Perfect Chemistry / Simone Elkeles 360 p.

Sparks fly when golden girl cheerleader captain Brittany Ellis is paired with Latino Blood gang member Alejandro Fuentes in senior chemistry lab. And chemistry is the word. Both start off antagonist. As each tells his/her story in alternating chapters, the reader learns that each have issues. Brittany has a less than perfect home live with a sister that is disabled and a demanding mother. Alex has dreams of college but with brothers and a widowed mother to protect he has to stay in with the Bloods. Violence and language pepper the story.

2010 RITA Awards: Best Young Adult Romance

Bold Spirit/Linda Lawrence Hunt/265 pages(+notes)

This is the nonfiction account of Norwegian immigrant Helga Estby and her daughter, Clara's, journey on foot across America in the 1890s. Their journey begins in eastern Washington, and ends in New York. The prize money for completing the journey is to be $10,000, which is Helga's incentive for making this journey--they are in danger of having their home foreclosed. Helga leaves behind her husband and additional children in a time period in United States history when that was unheard of. This gives a look into our country's history from a woman's insight. This is a fascinating account--highly recommended!

Witch & Wizard: The Gift/James Patterson/341 pgs



This is book 2 of the "Witch & Wizard" series by James Patterson and I enjoyed it. I can't wait for the next book. This one is more about Whit & Wisty learning to use their powers and becoming the leaders of the resistance. There are parts when it becomes a bit hokey - they always seem to get out of every jam they are placed it. But it is still a very good read and quick too - Patterson sure loves those short chapters to keep you going.

2011 Missouri Building Block Award Nominees

I read all these delightful picture books. My favorite was Silly Tilly by Eileen Spinelli ; illustrated by David Slonim. I laughed out loud at the illustrations especially the one of Tilly kissing a fish. The illustrations by Tim Warnes for The Great Monster Hung by Norbert Landa were fun. The look on Duck's face when she hears a funny noise from under her bed was right on. And the final one where the entire troop discovers just who is making the noise is so charming.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Protect and Defend / Richard North Patterson / 549 pages

Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice this book walks us through the legal terms and consequences of what our views mean beyond a birth or the taking of a life.

I am not normally a political fiction reader but found this very thought provoking.

Conspiracy of Kings / Megan Whalen Turner / 316 pages

This is the satisfying fourth book of the story of Eugenides, Attolia, Eddis and Sophos who will live on in the readers mind long after the last page is read. Lives and kingdoms are closely interwined as they struggle to work together politically to successfully drive the Mede out of their kingdoms while avoiding a full-fledge war. The story is full of treachery, cunning, and deceit but also friendship, leadership, love and victory. We see Sophos, the unwilling royal heir, accept and grow into his role as King of Sounis and the unbearable burden that being King brings when lives and the future of the three countries lie on his shoulders. Recommended for young readers who enjoy complex characters, fantasy, and puzzling out what is really being plotted. Please, please let there be another book so we can see how these monarchs continue to work for the best of their kingdoms while still being there for each other as friends.

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June/ by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor/ 280 pages


Set in Kentucky, this is the story of two girls from different backgrounds coming together to understand each other. Participating in an exchange program through their schools, Ivy June (from the rural mountains) and Catherine (from the city of Lexington) spend time in each other's homes, schools, and towns. They record their thoughts about each other and their experiences in private journals.
As each girl deals with both superficial worries (about clothes, school work, and jealousy), both also have to deal with immediate worry about close family members' health. They work through their different problems together, but it takes some big flexibility on each girl's part to understand how the other handles tragedy and worry.
This is another book that will appeal to upper elementary and middle school girls, especially as they can relate to the relationships and friendships of Ivy June and Catherine.

Witch & Wizard/James Patterson/314 pgs


I am a huge James Patterson fan but I had never read any of his YA novels so I thought I would try this series. I just finished "Witch & Wizard" and am now reading "The Gift".
I can't say that I enjoyed this one as much as I enjoy the Alex Cross & Women's Murder Club series but it was a very quick read and I did want to continue to read the series. They are about a brother & sister who are taken from their home and put into prison by the New Order (the new government which does not allow any sort of fun including reading!!) because they have magical skills - which was unknown to them at the time. They escape and join the underground movement which is made up of children to stop the New Order and the One who is the One.

Captain Nobody/ by Dean Pitchford/ 195 pages

This book is all about 10 year old Newton and his adventures as Captain Nobody, a superhero he has invented. After dressing up as Captain Nobody for Halloween, Newt decides to keep the costume on after the holiday. He finds that he feels braver and more prone to good deeds as Captain Nobody than as himself. As he has adventures and saves other people, we come to learn that Newt's driving factor is saving his injured older brother.
This story is funny and fast-moving. It's (of course) a journey of self-discovery for Newt, who has spent most of his life in his older brother's shadow. I'd definitely recommend this one for the elementary-school boys...it has humor, adventure, and goofiness. However, its character development (between Newt and his friends and family) will keep girls invested as well.

Between a Rock & a Hard Place/Aron Ralston/354 pgs


This is the story that the movie "127 Hours" is based on. Aron Ralston is an experienced hiker, rock climber and rescue team member that was trapped in a canyon in Utah for 5 days. His right arm was trapped between a rock that he had dislodged and the wall of the canyon and the only way he was able to escape was to cut off his right arm. The book does go into some detail about that but most of it is about Aron and what made him the person he is. It was a little slow at the beginning - it was mainly about some of his previous adventures but towards the middle was much better. I did enjoy reading this book and want to see the movie to see if they were able to do it justice.

The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z./ by Kate Messner/ 198 pages

This is one of the new Mark Twain nominees. It centers around a leaf-collecting project that Gianna, the main character, has to complete in order to raise her science grade and be allowed to compete in a track competition. Gianna, the consummate procrastinator, has lots going on in her life--track practice, a family funeral home, a pesky younger brother, busy mother, and aging grandmother. When deadlines for her science project come and go, some major family event is always keeping Gianna from finishing as she wants to.

As things progress in the story, Gianna's grandmother becomes a major source of her concern--her memory seems to be slipping, and she has episodes where she "leaves earth" as Gianna calls it.

Another uplifting story with sad undertones, this book is all about accepting oneself and one's family. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in realistic fiction for upper elementary school girls. It's appeal to boys is less obvious, but some of the zany things that happen to Gianna will keep them entertained as well.

Hold Still/ by Nina LaCour/ 229 pages


This novel is one of the YA Best Books of 2010, and I found the story engrossing. It's told from the perspective of a high school student whose best friend committed suicide. It is about her life, her friend, and her healing and moving on.
From sleeping in her car and pushing people away to making new friends and finding her own unique way in photography (a hobby she'd shared with her friend), the main character grows throughout the story as she gains some understanding of her friend's deep and sorrowful mental illness.
Although this book is based on a sad premise, it is uplifting and full of hope. I'd recommend it to high school students who are looking for something meaningful and real (obviously not for anyone looking for a light, fluffy read!).

Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Murderer's Daughters/Randy Susan Meyers/308 pages

Lulu is always taking care of her younger sister Merry since their mother has little interest in actually being a mother. This becomes her life's work when their father murders their mother and tries to kill Merry as well. They end up in an orphanage when no family member is able (or willing) to take them in. Eventually, they find a foster family that provides them with physical comforts but little emotional support. Lulu and Merry have one constant disagreement: Merry insists on visiting their father in prison. Lulu cannot fathom why Merry would have any loyalty to the man who took their mother from them and literally scarred Merry for life. Both girls/women have their reasons for what they do. Is either one entirely right or wrong?

I bought this book to take on a trip. It was a quick read, but it was also engrossing and even touching near the end of it. It ends pretty abruptly and not necessarily the way I predicted. A first novel that shows promise of better things to come.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Fall of Giants / Ken Follett / 985 pages

Few authors can make history come alive like Ken Follett. In this book, the first in The Century trilogy, we are introduced to characters who live in Wales, England, America, Germany and Russia. The lives of the characters who come from different social strata are all intertwined in the events and politics that lead up to World War I, the advent of women's suffrage, the Bolshevik revolution, and the fall of giants....countries, rulers, and classes. Detailed research and well-drawn characters are drawn together and make you believe this is the way it could have really happened and how it felt to live as a Welsh miner, servant, factory worker, aristocrat, politican, etc. You can't help but draw parallel conclusions to the way decisions about war are still made, the factors that keep countries at war, and the people who suffer the most. It is not an easy book to read, but a worthwhile book in every sense of the word. Looking forward to reading the next volume.

Friday, March 11, 2011

I will Save You / Matt de la Pena / 310 pages

Kidd Ellison escapes from Horizons, a home for psychologically disturbed individuals.  He has suffered severe depression due to the deaths of his parents and has hurt himself repeatedly.  When he runs away he gets a job helping the handyman, a retired surfer/alcoholic, at a campgrounds.  He falls in love with Olivia, a beautiful girl who constantly wears a ski cap to hide her disfiguring birthmark.  For the first time in his life Kidd feels like a real person and has hope.  A terrible "accident" occurs and we learn something shocking about Kidd.  "I don't think people can truly know one another.  I mean, really know... We only reveal what we want other people to know.  It's like we create these fictional characters for the public, and inside we're somebody totally different."

Jinx / Meg Cbot / 262 pages

Jean (Jinx) comes to live with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in New York.  She is attempting to escape a stalker in her hometown in Iowa where her Dad is a preacher.  Jinx discovers that her cousin, Tori, has changed dramatically since the last time she saw her.  She drinks, smokes, does drugs, dresses Goth, and professes to be a witch, having inherited her powers from her several times great grandmother.  Jinx believes that she, too, might have powers.  She believes that she has caused her stalker to fall in love with her.  Tori has cast a spell to make Zach love her, but he chooses Jinx instead.

Eighth Grade Bites / Heather Brewer / 182 p.

For thirteen years, Vlad, aided by his aunt and best friend, has kept secret that he is half-vampire, but when his missing teacher is replaced by a sinister substitute, he learns that there is more to being a vampire, and to his parents' deaths, than he could have guessed.

I would recommend this to reluctant readers as it is a very quick, funny and entertaining read.  There is plenty of action and lots of descriptions of sucking blood.  ;) 

Wicked Girls/ Stephanie Hemphill/ 408 pages

This is a novel written in verse about the Salem Witch Trials. The novel is told from the point of view of 3 of the accusers. In my opinion, this is not work well as a novel in verse. I just could not get into it. I only finished reading it, so as not to loose the pages I had already ready for this challenge. By the end of the book, it was giving me a lot to think about, but the girls were not very sympathic and it made me want to read a better written book about the trials and accusations and the lives of the girls that felt the need to accuse innocent people.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Rifle / Gary Paulsen 105 p.

A 1768 flintlock rifle is at the centerpiece in this story. Cornish McManus meticulously handcrafts this rifle from birds’ eye maple and steel. Paulsen painstaking describes how McManus incorporated his own design into the current techniques to produce a rifle so “sweet” (accurate) that it such a superior killing machine that British officers were told to make their wills before they left camp. Each owner’s attitude towards the rifle gives Paulsen an opportunity to show its changing role -- from a requirement for survival to a showpiece. A series of co-incidences place the rifle in a position to take the life of a teenager in 1994.

The Inner Circle/ by Brad Meltzer/ 449 pages


A mystery and adventure story about the National Archives! This story follows several characters (including 3 archivists) as they get involved in a presidential scheme. While the story is told mainly from the perspective of one of the archivists, we get other characters' points-of-view in some chapters. With lots of interesting information about the National Archives and their various storage sites along with historical information about various presidential conspiracy theories, this work of fiction was both thrilling and informative.

The Politician/ by Andrew Young/ 301 pages

This book provided some insight into John Edwards's political rise and fall. It was not a particularly well-written account, and the bias of the author (the advisor who originally took the fall for Edwards's affair and illegitimate child) was obvious.

Overall, I found that the personal anecdotes and insults to the Edwards family distracting. I liked having the perspective of someone close to the family, but Young was vague on so many important details that some of his perspective was lost in the minutia.

Plus, the book really only confirmed that fame, power, and prestige can cause corruption and that no one in the spotlight is as perfect as they appear (things that are already blatantly obvious in our political system).

Christmas Beginning / Anne Perry 190 p.

This Christmas offering from Anne Perry is set in Victorian times. It features returning character, Superintendent Runcorn. Runcorn seeks a respite from his depressing London scene. He runs headlong into a brutal murder on an isolated Welsh isle-- Olivia Costain, the sister of the local vicar. Olivia Costain rejected several suitors from the area. She was lively and wished a more exciting time that that to be had in Anglesey. The local constable is out of his depth. Runcorn questions residents multiple times and gradually a working theory emerges. Melisande Ewart is quite unaware of his love interest. He, in part, is working to protect her. As a towns person points out, if the murder remains unsolved, then everyone in Anglesey is suspect.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Spartan Gold/Clive Cussler/375 pages

The first Fargo adventure, Spartan Gold follows two new characters, Sam and Remi Fargo, a husband and wife team, through harrowing ordeals on the search for Napoleon's lost cellar.  It all starts when they find a wine bottle on a sunken WWII German U-Boat in the middle of a swamp in Maryland. The bottle's label identifies it as one from Napoleon's lost cellar, and also has a coded message.  After finding the code key and a couple more bottles with new messages along the way they discover that the bottles are leading them to an even bigger treasure than Napoleon's cellar.  Unfortunately, someone else has realized that, too, and is after both the treasure and Sam and Remi with an intent to kill them both to hide the secret.  The last bottle the Fargo's find leads them at last to the site of the treasure, an underground cavern with many passageways, where they must hide from the enemy who cares only about finding the treasure, two golden Greek columns, called Karyatids, that Napoloen stumbled across on one of his many conquests.

Overall, I think this book is a very good read for anyone who wants something with adventure and accurate history.

The Backup Plan/ Sherryl Woods/ 384p


Dinah Davis, a famous war correspondent, is in trouble. After nearly being killed by a roadside bomb that did kill her cameraman and lover, she has lost whatever it was that kept her on top for so many years. Her boss told her to go home, get some rest and make a real life for herself. So she decides to look up her high school sweetheart, Bobby Beaufort, accept his ten year old marriage proposal. But instead of Bobby, she finds Cordell, his older brother who has tried to keep them apart in the past. The sparks fly and soon Dinah is thinking "Bobby who?" But the course of true love is never smooth. Dinah's panic attacks and Cordell's deception are just two obstacles that could keep them apart. Plus, how will Bobby react when he finds out his first love is back?


This was a quick read with strong supporting characters. Since this is the first book of the trilogy, I look forward to getting to know them better in subsequent books.

Hatchet / Gary Paulsen 195 p.

Flying to spend his summer with his divorced father, 13 year old Brian Robeson's pilot dies from a massive heart attack. Brian's attempts at radioing for help before the plane runs out of gas fail. As the hours pass, he devises a plan to crash into a lake. Trees would carve the single engine plane to pieces. Thus starts Paulsen's story of survival in the Canadian mountains. Brian's life is stripped down to the barest essentials. He discovers truths about survival in the wilderness both mental and physical. A read-alike for this may be My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.

Newbery Honor Book
ALA Notable Children's Book

Safe Haven/Nicholas Sparks/ 340p


Katie is a mysterious woman with a questionable past. She came into town with nothing, took a job at a local restaurant and began fixing up an old shack she rented. She didn't seem anxious to make friends. But after making friends with Jo, her next door neighbor, Katie began to notice Alex, a widower with two children. Alex eventually earns her trust and love. Although they try to live in the moment, her past is stalking her with deadly intent.


Because this is a Nicholas Sparks book, I worried the whole time I was reading it because his endings are never quite the "happily ever after" that I wish for the characters. Other than the sense of impending doom, I enjoyed the book. I rooted for Katie and Alex. Loved Jo whose effervescent personality added some sparkle and humor. If you are a fan of Nicholas Sparks, I think you like his latest.

Another Whole Nother Story / Dr. Cuthbert Soup / 290 pages

Ethan Cheeseman and his 3 children travel in their time machine to the year 1668.  They are accompanied by all 6 members of Captain Jibby's Traveling Circus Sideshow.  The circus performers were pirates in 1668 when  a powerful electrical storm zapped them to the 21st century.  Unfortunately, they took the White Gold Chalice, a viking ceremonial treasure, with them and have been cursed ever since.  They desire to return the cup and end the curse.  Mr. Cheeseman's family wishes to repair the time machine which overheated and was damaged, and return to a time in which they can prevent the death of their mother/wife.  A second time machine was constructed and used Mr. 5 who is still single-mindedly pursuing the family.  The family is mistaken for witches, pursued by pirates, and visited by a Shakespeare-quoting ghost.  Great word plays and informative (?) advice columns keep the story captivating and entertaining.

A Whole Nother Story / Dr. Cuthbert Soup / 264 pages

According to the author, this book was plagiarized from freeway overpass graffiti and contains "words that are not present in any dictionary, but, by all rights should be....like nother, boughten, friendful, etc.  Mr. Cheeseman and his 3 'smart, witty, attractive, polite, and relatively odor-free" children must continually uproot their household as they flee the coats - spies, corporate hoodlums, and members of supersecret government agencies, who are after his invention - the LVR - Luminal Velocity Regulator ( a time machine).  This humorous, quick-witted book features advice columns from Dr. Cuthbert Soup,"advisor to the ill-advised."

Invisible Bridge / Julie Orringer 602 p.

This WWII saga tells the story of the Hungarian Jews; told through the perspective of Andras Levi. Three brothers begin their future: Andras to study architecture in Paris, Tibor to study medicine in Italy, and the youngest leaves school for life on the stage. Andras carries a secret letter for C. Morgenstern. As he falls for the recipient, the tragedies of WWII envelope them. Even though an ally of Germany, Hungary first treats their Jews with some decency, conscripting for hard labor with its hardships and cruelties alternating with time spent at home. Orringer weaves a story of family, love, despair, and struggle against annihilation during the time of war all the while telling the story of Hungary.

2010 Booklist Editors' Choice - Best Fiction Books
2010 New York Times Notable Books - Fiction and Poet
2011 The Reading List (RUSA)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Drives of a Lifetime/No author/310pages






Comprehensive guide to all types of memorable drives throughout the world. Gives information on spectacular scenery as well as sites of historical interest, even "Gourmet Road Trips" and "Urban Excursions". Really, it has suggestions for any type of vacation you might take behind the wheel and does it with the breathtaking photographs one would expect from a National Geographic publication. Coffee table size book, you won't be taking this one along with you.

Heartstopper / Joy Fielding / 387 p.

A serial killer is on the loose leaving bodies of dead female teenagers in his/her wake.  The story goes through introducing the reader into the lives of the various characters that make up a small town in southern Florida.  The plot twists and turns leaving the reader guessing as to who really is the killer?  I felt, the characters were a bit flat, just following stereotypes, ie the abusive husband, the jock, the class bully, the goth, etc. In a way, having the plain characters is a cheap way for the author to play on your prejudices of these figures to lead you one way or another.  Joy Fielding has written better suspense stories than, Heartstopper; but her writing style is so good that I can forgive the cheap tricks and thin plot line. 

Kiss of a Demon King / Kresley Cole 417 p.

Rydstrom Woede, the King of the Rage Demons, wants Tornin and his kingdom back and a Queen worthy of his people. Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions, wants to fulfill the covenant and cease the power from the well of Tornin. Her brother, Omert, currently rules over Rydstrom’s kingdom with his evil ways. Sabine captures Rydstrom and chains him to keep him from using his powerful strength. He’s her captive slave and must do as she wishes. Sabine learns that Rydstrom resists with his considerable strength. He turns the table on her and she is his captive. There starts the romance as he has found his Queen but she resists.

2010 RITA Winner: Best Paranormal

Monday, March 7, 2011

Competition Update

Every month I think, "YES!  This time we are going to beat Springfield Greene-County!!!"  Unfortunately, they outread us again, but we are getting much closer!!

 

The QuickWitLitniks of Springfield-Greene February Totals

Total books read: 201
Total pages read: 49,386
Participants: 24
(About 8.3 books per person)

St. Charles City-County Library District!!

Total books read: 108
Total pages read: 34,121
Participants: 18
(About 6 books per person!)

Keep up the Good Work, we'll get 'Em!!!

Mexican White Boy / Matt de la Pena / 249 pages

Danny and Uno become fast friends after a very rocky start.  Half-black Uno beat Danny after he accidentally hurt his mentally retarded younger brother with the stick while playing stick ball on his first day in town.  Half-Mexican Danny can't control his pitches which, aside from being wild, are awesome.  He was cut from his prep high school team even though he was a fantastic hitter.  Both boys are living without their fathers.  Danny discovers that his Dad is in prison.  Uno is working to earn enough money to go and live with his father and his new family.  This books deals with violence - including violence to self, and underage drinking, and refers to sexual promiscuity, rightfully earning its YA designation.

ALA YA 2009 Best Book List - Top Ten

I Feel bad about my Neck: and other thoughts on being a woman/Nora Ephron/137 pgs


This is a very good book and if you are a woman of a "certain age" this will really strike home. It is a quick read and is very funny. She tells it like it is about getting older and she also goes into some of her past life - she was an intern for JFK!

Charlie St. Cloud/ Ben Sherwood/ 269 p


Charlie St. Cloud's life was forever changed when he and his brother died in a car accident. Charlie was driving without at licence in a car he had "borrowed" from a neighbor when they were hit by a drunk driver. In that place in between life and eternity, Charlie made a promise to his brother Sam. When Charlie was resuscitated, he had a "gift" -- the ability to see those souls who are in between. That allows Charlie to keep his promise to Sam. Every day they play catch just before sundown. Charlie is able to keep the promise many years but it comes with a price. When Charlie meets Tess before she is scheduled to go on an around the world trip on a sailboat, he begins to rethink his choices. A surprising discovery may mean that it is already too late for his second chance at life and love.


I had already seen the movie so the book held no real surprises for me. The characters were deeper, especially Sam. And the book gave more insight into the sacrifices Charlie had made to keep a promise that became more like penance. I have to admit I skimmed the sailing details but I mostly enjoyed the book.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

2011 Building Block Nominees

This is one of the best groups of Building Block Nominees ever. You and your preschool child will enjoy ALL of these titles. As an adult, I loved Interrupting Chicken by David Stein. My coworkers and I were howling each time the Little Red Chicken interrupted her dad's bedtime story with her own happy ending. I would say my 2 1/2 year old grandson liked these titles the best: Pete the Cat: I Love my White Shoes by Eric Litwin, The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson, Birds by Kevin Henkes and The Terrible Plop by Ursula Duborosarsky. With demands for multiple retellings, he was soon repeating all of the key phrases and telling parts of the story right along with me. He was really attracted to the colorful illustrations in Rebecca Emberley's If You're a Monster & You Know It but didn't get into that one as much....maybe because of my singing. While these titles are chosen as great "read aloud" books, he was also fascinated by the wonderful illustrations and gazed for quite a while at each spread. Give your child time to really look at the illustrations and try out some dialogic reading once in a while. You will get amazing answers!

Cat Sitter Among the Pigeons/Blaize Clement/262 pgs.

This is the 6th entry in the Dixie Hemingway series. The setting for this mystery series is Siesta Keys, and is always told in the first person through Dixie's voice. Dixie's current job is pet sitter; she turned to that profession after being in law enforcement. She is just getting back to a "normal" life having survived the death of her husband and young daughter around 5 years ago. Still, she somehow always manages to get involved in solving a crime. In addition, there is a love interest for Dixie that has developed from the first book in the series. It's an enjoyable series--probably close to being called a "cozy."

Black Widow / Randy Wayne White / 337 pages

Doc Ford is conducting classified research on the possible use of jelly fish and poisoned shrimp in biological warfare.   He is "retired" from clandestine activities which have given him skills and competencies unavailable to the average person.  When asked by his goddaughter to investigate her blackmailers, he embarks on a mission that involves a voodoo queen, lush tropical island resorts, Knights Templar, Freemasons, date rape drugs, playboys, vicious dogs, strong women...I guess this story has just about everything.

Evil Genius / Catherine Jinks / 486 pages

Kidell (sp?) is attending the Axis Institute founded by his father, Dr. Dracon, and run by Kidell's psychologist, Dr. Thaddeus.  Dr. Dracon (sp?) envisions a two level society - one made up of superior intelligences with unusual gifts and the other made up of "normal" people.  Calling the definition of evil into question, Dr. Thaddeus quotes Karl Marx and the Bible foretelling war and destruction ushering a new world order.  The Axis Institute has gathered individuals from all over the world with unusual talents, abilities, and specializations.  Kidell receives special status and is free to exercise his intelligence and technical expertise.  As a "hobby" he founds "Partner Post", an Internet dating service.  Kidell "makes up" matches for his paying customers.  He is attracted one particular client, Kayleen McDougall (sp?) and after corresponding with her for some time, arranges to meet her.  He discovers that she, too, has used an alias, and is, in fact, Sonya, a young lady with cerebral palsy.  The Axis Institute and its environs in Australia, is the scene of several deaths, including the deaths of Kidell's adoptive parents.  Kidell discovers some interesting, and horrific, facts about his family, integrity,  and friendship.  (I listened to this book on audio, hence the uncertainty of the spelling of names.  Sorry!)