Thursday, February 28, 2013

READY PLAYER ONE (Unabridged Audio) / Ernest Cline / 374 Pages

The unabridged, audio edition of Ernest Cline's debut novel, Ready Player One, is read by Wil Wheaton, blogger, voice actor, and well-known as 'Wesley Crusher' in TV's Star Trek: the Next Generation. Wheaton delivers the first-person, trivia-packed narrative with humor and enthusiasm giving the listener a vivid picture of the world in 2044.

For the last five years, teenager Wade Watts has been hunting for three keys which will bring fame, fortune, and control of the OASIS, the virtual world everyone links to in order to escape the dreariness of the reality.

Puzzles and pop culture references to video games, movies, and TV shows from the 1980's bring a futuristic world to life and make a compelling story fun and entertaining.

APPEAL TERMS: Funny, action-packed, detailed

A '6 DEGREES OF READING' connection: Neuromancer by William Gibson introduces a dystopian future world and Case, a disconnected virtual hacker.

[6 Degrees of Reading is similar to the game '6 degrees of Kevin Bacon' but with books. Select an aspect of the current title which is shared in another title and describe the connection using a single sentence.  Source : http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/ranews/mar2007/cords.html]

ETIQUETTE & ESPIONAGE / Gail Carriger / 307 Pages

 
With Etiquette & Espionage, Gail Carriger kicks-off a new Victorian era fantasy series, the 'Finishing School' trilogy. Readers who enjoyed Carriger's 'Parasol Protectorate' titles or who like humor and a sassy young heroine should give this novel a try.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is being sent off to finishing school to be made over into a proper lady. But Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies teaches so much more than just how to dance, dress, and curtsey!

This Young Adult, steampunk novel combines a touch of paranormal with a group of young girls and boys training to become Great Britain's next generation of spies, assassins, intelligence assets, and evil geniuses.

APPEAL TERMS: Lighthearted, fast-paced, witty.

A '6 DEGREES OF READING' connection: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff is a Japanese steampunk novel with a strong, female protagonist.

[6 Degrees of Reading is similar to the game '6 degrees of Kevin Bacon' but with books. Select an aspect of the current title which is shared in another title and describe the connection using a single sentence.  Source : http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/ranews/mar2007/cords.html]

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Snatched: a novella/Karin Slaughter/79 pgs.

This novella was originally published only as an e-book. Since then, it has been included at the end of some of Karin Slaughter's newest novel, Criminal. Will Trent, an agent for the Georgia Bureau  of Investigation, has been relegated to the unsavory task of monitoring "inappropriate" behavior in the men's room at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. In this role, Will becomes suspicious when a man brings his "daughter" into the restroom, and something doesn't quite "jive" with the way he is treating her.  Once this turns into a case of child abduction, the novella takes off, taking the reader on a fast, tense, ride. I really enjoyed it!

My Beloved World / Sonia Sotomayor / 315 pages

     Sonia Sotomayor has written a fascinating book about her life up until her becoming a judge.  She grew up in the "other America"  - the Bronx of New York - which was almost it's own 3rd world country.  She has been a type 1 diabetic since age 8, has had vast amounts of experiences that most people will never have in a lifetime.  Her ability to survive and thrive and become who she is --it's just amazing.  Yes, she entered Princeton due to affirmative action, but she really deserved to be there.  She had the brilliance, the drive, the grades and the talent;but not the wealth, connections, or male gender.  I think that as a judge she will have more insight into cases that come before her than people who are born to priviledge.  She is a work-aholoic and will spend hours studying anything that is relevant to a case.  I am so glad that she is on the supreme court.
     (the cd is read by Rita Moreno - a real treat!  The library should buy the cd)
People should read or listen to this book.  it is that good.

Killed by Clutter / Leslie Caine / 445 pages

     First, let me state that I started this book because a main character is an old lady hoarder.  However, although the descriptions of her hoarding was amusing, the rest of the book was just- hmm - well, fluffy.  A female decorator named Gilbert and another decorator man named Sullivan apparently have a tenuous relationship that was established in a previous book.  It is told first person from Erin Gilbert's point of view.  It read kind of like a play that you would see in community theater.  Ok, but not compelling. 
     Sorry, but I didn't find much to recommend in this book other than it is squeaky clean if you need a book of that sort.  (no bad words etc.)  I shall move on from this book to one I can get involved in.

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? / Melissa Kantor / 283 pages

I had to read this book our of curiosity.  It was mentioned as the YA book discussion selection in Death of a Bookstore Babe at Scumble River's new bookstore.  Lucy Norton does have a stepmother, Mara, and two stepsisters who aren't very nice to her.  Her mother died of cancer when Lucy was only three.  Lucy is often left alone with her stepmother and stepsisters because her father is working on a big case in California and they are in Long Island.  Lucy is once again the new kid at school...and, oh yes...she lives in the basement.  You cannot help but empathize with this hapless Cinderella and her unlikely Prince Charming.

Max and Maddy and the Chocolate Money Mystery / Alexander McCall Smith / 72 pages

OK, I admit I noticed this book for the title - more specifically, for the chocolate in the title, but also because of the author - Alexander McCall Smith.  I love his adult mysteries so I knew I would enjoy this one for the younger set...and Alexander McCall Smith read it to me!  Max and Maddy, World Clue Champions, are hired to solve a rash of bank robberies involving Saint Bernards.  If they succeed, they can choose to be paid in chocolate.  Would you?

The History of Us / Leah Stewart / 367 pages

Eloise Hempel's dreams have been realized.  She is a professor at Harvard...until she receives the phone call from her niece informing her that her sister Rachel and her husband were killed in a tour helicopter crash in Hawaii.  Eloise gives up her job to return to Cincinnati to become surrogate mother to her sisters three children.  Nearly two decades later, Eloise and the kids are still living in her mother's century old house and Eloise believes her life can finally resume.  As she attempts to push her children from the nest, her mother's conditions regarding ownership of the home nearly fractures the fragile family.  This is moving story of the tie that binds - family

The Always War / Margaret Peterson Haddix / 197 pages

For as long as Tessa can remember her country has been at war.  When a local boy, a neighbor of Tessa's, is to receive a medal for courage, he rejects it even as it is about to placed around his neck as he stands onstage before an auditorium filled with people.  Responding to knocks on her wall, Tessa smuggles a computer to him and he shows her what the has done.  He has killed 1632 people.  He decides to fly to enemy territory and apologize.  Tessa stows away aboard the plane.  They encounter no enemy but see the Mighty Mysip River and the Santl Arch - one of the enemies monuments.  Their plane runs out of fuel and lands in Shargo, the largest city in the war zone with 9 million people who hate them.  Tessa, Gideon, and Dek are the only ones who know the truth...can they end the war?  This is a riveting story of courage, hope, kindness, and human nature, as two super computers dictate the fate of man.

"A hero wants to find the truth...when he thinks he's done something awful, he wants to do everything in his power to make it right."

Unbroken : a World War II airman's story of survival, resilience, and redemption / by Laura Hillenbrand/ 11cds



First of all the narrator of the audio, Edward Herrmann is brilliant. He is an actor and the narrator of several other bestselling audio books. He tells us the true story of an Olympic Medal Winner and former WWII P.O.W., Louis Zamperini.  The story spans several years as the narrator takes us from Louis’s childhood to his senior years. Personally the only problem I had with the story was listening to the violence and abuse the prisoners of war in Japan during WWII had to endure. Otherwise, it was remarkable how this man persevered and how much we owe are veterans. 
If you enjoy Edward Herrmann reading this audio I would also recommend Innocent
by Scott Turow.

Shiver by Karen Robards/385pages



Samantha is just trying to make a meager living as a tow truck driver and
 finds a badly beaten man in the trunk of a BMW that she in the process of repo-ing.
Suddenly Sam finds herself also in the trunk and  waking up to discover Panterro warning her that if they don’t act fast when the trunk opens they will both be dead.  Danny and Sam
then find themselves being chased by some very dangerous men with Sam not knowing
who's side Danny is really on. I found this book a quick read and very fast paced. It was set in East St. Louis which was kind of fun since it is so close to my hometown.  If you like Karen Robards other authors you might try are Sandra Brown and Cherry Adair.

Enders Game / Orson Scott Card / 357 pages

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card was written in 1985 and is set sometime in the future on Earth and in outer space. This is an example of Military / Sociological Science Fiction and would appeal to someone who like world-building, good vs. evil, aliens, and rebelling against authority.

Ender Wiggin was only born because it was hoped he would be a balanced combination of his brother's ruthlessness and his sister's compassion. He is a third child in a world where thirds are typically not allowed. He is also the only hope of the planet - the one who can defeat the Buggers. Ender Wiggin is only six years old.

This is a leisurely, thought-provoking book that made the YALSA list of 100 Best, but it was not originally written for teens. It is the first book in the Ender Wiggin series and is due to be released as a movie in November of this year. Similar works include Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman; Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind; The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and other works in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Me, Myself & Why? / Mary Janice Davidson / 302 pages

The premise of the book caught me....a branch of the FBI that is staffed by agents with mental issues from multiple personality disorder, to kleptomania, to sociopath and beyond.  The main character (s) is Cadence/Shiro/Adrienne.  She and her sociopath partner are working on solving a serial murder.  The book was just too cutesy for my taste.  It is chicklit with a twist.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Walking Dead: Life Among Them / Robert Kirkman / 125 pgs.

The band of 12 are "recruited" by a stranger named Aaron to join a community that is located in a safe-zone outside of Washington, DC.  Our heroes are so used to being taken advantage of groups of lawless humans who are out for themselves that they have little to no trust of this new proposal.  When they get to the community, the group has a very hard time readjusting and joining back in to the daily routines of "normal" life.  It's very interesting to see how these characters have changed over the course of the series and now how they seem like fish out of water when they return to a regular society. 

Monday, February 25, 2013

Code Word: Geronimo / Captain Dale Dye / 74 pgs.

Again, not really sure why I read this, I really wanted the points and I seem to be on a roll this month.  :)
I was mostly curious as to why someone felt the need to make a graphic novel out of the raid and assassination of Osama Bin Laden.  Then again, I am still wondering why we made movies out of Flight 93, or Nicolas Cage in World Trade Center. 

This book is a play-by-play of the take down of Osama Bin Laden.  There are no background details or side stories, you don't learn about the players on the special forces teams.  If you like military jargon and want just the facts, or you are interested in what a military operation looks like, then this is the book for you.  The illustrations are in full color and not to gory even those there are several shootouts.  There is not much dialog and its all military speak, for example here is dialog from a random page, "Stalkers Heavies, Point Zulu.  Go to Stand-by Orbit.  No Lights, No Comms."

There was a nice few essays at the end of the book that gave a little more information about the political situation that we were in.  It addresses the controversy of using the codeword "Geronimo" for the mission and explains that it was not being used to compare Bin Laden to Geronimo, but was used to designate the 7th or "G" phase of the mission to find and eliminate bin Laden.  There is also a little background on bin Laden's life and activities and an essay on why this mission was important and necessary. 

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 vol. 1 / Kouzoh Ohmori / 162 pgs

I've heard about "Gundam" and everyone always follows up with "its soooo good, you should watch it"; so I thought I would give this series a shot.  Not knowing where to start I just randomly grabbed this book off the shelf since it's vol. 1.  I don't really know where this lands in the "Gundam Universe" and even if this book is considered "canon", but here it is:

In this series, there are four young pilots, also referred to as "Gundam Meisters" since they pilot the large battle robots called Gundams.  These pilots are part of an organization called "Celestial Being" whose purpose is to use the Gundams to attack the other World Organizations in order to stop the current Worldwide War and bring peace.  Make sense?  Yeah, I'm not sure Gandhi would agree with this strategy either. 

The storyline is basically one action sequence after another.  It shows off the individual Gundams' special features and powers as they battle in various skirmishes.  It gets a bit confusing to tell from the illustrations what robot is fighting and whom and what is happening.  Perhaps it looks better on the tv series or maybe the graphic novel would have been better if it was printed in color since in black and white all the robots look about the same to me. 

Aviator / Ernest K. Gann 109 p.

 Air mail is in its infancy--delivery via biplanes when a young girl is given the treat of flying.  Flying is risky in 1928--and the plane goes down in the snowy mountains.  This is a story of survival, a dedicated pilot, and of air travel/delivery.

Anne Frank remembered / Miep Gies with Alison Leslie Gold 264 p.

Thanks to Alison Leslie Gold who convinced Miep Gies to remember her days outside of the secret annex in Amsterdam where Anne Frank and her family and friends hid. Miep recounts those harsh, horrid, horrific days with simplicity, honesty and such clarity the one is there as she spends hours supporting the Franks.  This is a great book for those who wish to know more about Anne from one who was her protector as well as her special friend.

Homeland / Cory Doctorow / 396 pages

This is the sequel to the New York Times bestseller Little Brother.  A few years ago, terrorists blew up a bridge in San Francisco and killed over 4000 people.  The DHS used this as rationale for severely curtailing the civil rights and using terrorist tactics themselves.  Marcus Yallow and his friends became embroiled in the mess that followed and Marcus was able to use his computer and interpersonal skills to halt the DHS tactics.  Now things seem to have changed again.  Overnight, it seemed like no one had jobs anymore, no one had money anymore, and people had started to lose their houses.  Marcus' mom and dad have lost their jobs and Marcus had to drop out of college.  Two things happen that will alter the course of Marcus's life.  He is given an encrypted flash drive by Masha at Black Rock Desert.  She tells him to release the contents if anything should happen to her.  He is offered a job as webmaster for the political campaign of Joseph Noss, a charismatic reformer running for Senate.  Will Marcus make the right decisions and save Masha and Zeb without endangering his and his friends' lives?  This was an engrossing read, although I thought Little Brother was a bit more riveting.

"If you're not prepared to learn from the teachers that life gives you, you'll always be ignorant."

"90% of the works in copyright are orphan works:  not one knows who owns the rights to them."

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg / W. R. Philbrick / 224 pages

Homer P. Figg is determined to right a wrong.  His older brother, Harold, was illegally sold into the Union army by their cruel guardian.  Homer is desperate to save his brother from the savages of war and bring him back safely to Pine Swamp, Maine.  He encounters both good and bad people on his journey, learns first hand the horrors of war, and meets his brother at the Battle of Gettysburg.  "Rodman Philbrick portrays the 1860's through the observant eyes of a backwoods boy who is courageous, funny, and always willing to stretch the truth to his advantage."

Dying to Read / Lorena McCourtney / 445 pages

"If God had a plan for Cate Kinkaid's life, it was as invisible as the calories in a plate of brownies."  She had tried and failed a variety of jobs.  She was determined to succeed at this one.  Her uncle had hired her as his assistant, made her a P. I. ID card, and sent her to verify the address of one Willow Bishop.  Ms. Bishop was not at the address, but the Whodunit Book Club was.  The hostess, however, was dead.  Cate Kinkaid investigates the death despite her uncle's advice to leave it alone.   This is a quick, most enjoyable read!

The Wish / Gail Carson Levine / 197 pages

Wilma Sturtz is invisible and miserable at school.  She desperately wants to fit in and have friends, but she seems confined to the loners' group.  When she offers her seat on the bus to an elderly lady, the lady repays her by offering her one wish.  She wishes to be the most popular girl in school.  Instantaneously she is.  Her home phone rings constantly and the most popular girls, who ignored her before, love her.  Unfortunately, she realizes that the old lady was right she doubted the wisdom of Wilma's wish.  With graduation, will the spell end as she and all her new found friends leave school?  Wilma learns that friendship really is magic and the best way to have a friend is to be one.

Prodigy / Marie Lu / 374 pages

In the world of the prodigy, Africa, Antarctica  & China house the world's tech capitals and attract a fair share of tourists.  South American has largely disappeared and the US has ceased to exist.  Instead it consists of The Colonies in the East and The Republic in the West.  The Patriots are a group in the middle determined to resurrect the United States.  June, Day, Tess, and Kaede escaped The Republic in Legend, recuperate in The Republic/Patriot stronghold of Las Vegas, and return to assassinate the new Elector Primo.  June realizes that the planned assassination is a mistake.  Can she convince Day?  Although this second book in the Legend trilogy is a bit predictable, it is still a noteworthy read.

"All it takes is one generation to brainwash a populations and convince them that reality doesn't exist."

Cover of Snow / Jenny Milchman / 326 pages

With this debut novel, Jenny Milchman has established her credentials as a must read author of turn-the pages-quickly suspense.  Try to read this one in a single sitting.  Nora Hamilton wakes up late one morning surprised that her husband let her sleep in.  He knew she has an important presentation to make this morning.  He is not in the shower.  As her sleep fog clears, Laura has an overwhelming feeling that something is terribly wrong.  Unfortunately, the feeling is justified and Nora's life is forever changed.  In trying to understand her husband's death, she uncovers a conspiracy involving the police department, murder, cover ups, and cold-blooded terror.

Dream Eyes/Jayne Ann Krentz/325 pgs.

This is part of Krentz's "Dark Legacy" series. Gwen Frazier is a psychic counselor. Her talent enables her to see auras and interpret dreams. In addition, she sees ghosts in any reflective surface. Evelyn Ballinger is Gwen's friend and mentor. When Evelyn is killed, Gwen goes back to Wilby, Oregon, to settle  Evelyn's estate.  Two years earlier, Gwen was one of the members in a research study headed by Evelyn. Two members of the study were killed, Gwen escaped, and the killer appeared to have committed suicide. Gwen knows that Evelyn's death is related to those that had taken place a couple of years ago. This is where Judson Coppersmith comes to help. He's a psychic investigator, and uses his talent to help Gwen in her quest to solve Evelyn's murder. There is suspense, romance, and entertaining dialogue!

Baby, Don't Go/Susan Andersen/384 pgs.

This is one of Susan Andersen's earlier works. Security Specialist Daisy Parker owns a fledgling security company. So, against her better judgment, she takes on her ex-stepbrother, Nick Coltrane, as a client. 9 years earlier, when Daisy was only 19 years old, she and Nick had a "night of passion," after which Nick promptly left her. Now Nick has come to her for protection from some goons who have trashed his dark room--did I mention that Nick is a professional photographer? Nick intentionally fails to tell Daisy that he has pictures of J. Fitzgerald Douglass in a "compromising" position with a young woman who is not his wife. Douglass is an icon in San Francisco society--a successful businessman and philanthropist. He is also looking to be appointed as an American ambassador to a Middle Eastern country. Needless to say, Douglass wants the negatives to the damning pictures. Nick is going to sell the photos to the highest tabloid bidder--something that goes against all of his professional integrity. He needs to do it, however, to generate money to help his sister, Maureen, out of a financial bind. As a result, there are misunderstandings between Daisy and him, the thugs Douglass hires to get the negatives are incompetent, and the fun begins. It's a fast, entertaining read--very light!

Shadowlands/Kate Brian/328 pages

After narrowly surviving an attack by a serial killer, Rory Miller and her father and sister are put into the Witness Protection Program to wait out the eventual capture of Steven Nell. The GPS on the car they are given leads them to Juniper Landing where there is no cell phone service, no tvs, no newspapers and seemingly no contact with the outside world. Rory and her sister meet the resident teens and are pulled into their group while Rory's father starts to snap out of the depression he's been in since his wife died five years earlier.

This is the first of a new trilogy, and I'll be interested in knowing where it goes from here.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

The Yoga Teacher/Alexandra Gray/250 pages

Grace, a pharmaceutical sales rep from London, leaves her high paying job to pursue a life long dream of becoming a yoga teacher after the disillusioning end of a long term relationship.
She travels to the States to study during a 3 week intensive certification course at the renowned White Lotus center in California.  The reader is immersed in yoga culture and treated to insights and observations on American culture as well.  After Grace leaves the support network of her classmates we are treated to see how she is able to "live" her yoga and start her new career as freelance yoga instructor.  We watch as each of her students ends up teaching her something new as she also discovers a kindred spirit in a altruistic young doctor.
I had been considering taking my own yoga practice to the next level and the descriptions in the book helped inspire me to take Yoga Teacher Training here in St. Louis - albeit the less intense 6 month version.  Similar in theme to the Eat, Pray, Love genre of self-exploration the main character is much less self-obsessed and a lot more likable, with her focus on helping others help themselves.

Sex, sin, and Zen /Brad Warner/283 pages

An intriguing look at modern sexuality seen through the lens of ancient Buddhism. Warner approaches each concept from his personal experiences as a former punk musician to his present life as an ordained Buddhist priest.  He has a knack for writing exactly what you are thinking, then making the obvious naughty joke of it, mostly through the clever use of footnotes.  His microscopic examination of the prurient details and subtle nuances of the human psyche gets past the taboos and guilt, clearing the way to see human sexuality in all its forms for exactly what it is.  Human sexuality!  This would make a great book club discussion for close group of select friends.  Highly recommended.


P.S. Thanks to Laura P. for recruiting me!

Masquerade / Melissa De la Cruz / 311 pgs.

Schuyler Van Alen, and her best friend Oliver travel to Italy to find her grandfather in hopes he will help them find a way to destroy the Silverblood Demon who is attacking the young vampires.  Back in New York the vampire clan is planning the annual Four Hundred Ball, a new "blue blood" joins the school and stirs up trouble, and the Sillverblood Demon attacks increase in number. 

This series is very quick to read and not very deep.  I wouldn't even admit to reading them, except I really, really want the points.  And since I am not a vast reader, I will probably continue on with the series just to keep my reading stats up.  *sigh* i really want that trophy!!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Will Sparrow's Road / Karen Cushman / 214 pages

Karen Cushman excels at making history come alive through the stories of her characters.  In Will Sparrow's Road she takes us back to 1599 England.  Will Sparrow does not have a mother, his drunken father sold him to an innkeeper and the innkeeper plans to sell him as a chimney sweep.  Will instead runs away and this is his story.  Through Will's adventures we experience privation, meet some unsavory and unkind people, learn about what happens in the Elizabethan market fairs, and watch Will discover who he is...a person who really does care about things beyond himself and his belly.  Character and setting are the driving forces of this book.  If common core state standards use fiction in the study of world history, Will Sparrow's Road would be a good recommendation.

Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie the Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell / Kristiana Gregory 163 p.

13-year-old Hattie Campbell tells the story of her family's wagon trip from Missouri to Oregon in the 1847. She describes the hazards, losses, and joys on this 6 month long race to their new home.  A work in the Dear America series.

Februarys Challenge: Recruit or Die!!

Your Puppet Master at Work!
Okay folks, here it is!  This month's challenge (what's left of the month) is to RECRUIT, RECRUIT, RECRUIT!!!  I will award you "10" points for every person that you get to Sign Up to this blog and post.  In their post they must put your name in it somewhere (in the title, the tags, in the post) for you to get credit.  So get out there and beg, plead, threaten, cajole, blackmail, intimidate, terrorize...you get the idea.  Get those points!!

Yes, this is my way of getting more people on this blog...Yes, this is a shameless way to boost our points in the State Competition...No, I am not power-hungry nor insane.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

The Great Gatsby / F. Scott Fitzgerald / 218 Pages

I found it very hard to follow this book. Of course I was pregnant at the time I started reading it and it took me months to finish, so that could have something to do with it. In any case, I still don't quite understand what it's completely about, though I got the gist of it. I never do this, but I really think I will read the ClifNotes of this so I can understand it better before I see the movie. Even without my raging hormone issues the storyline did seem to jump around in ways that were hard to follow, like you didn't always know exactly who was talking or what was going on or if it was present or past tense.

The Truth About Love and Lightning / Susan McBride / 300 pages

This is a mesmerizing story of difficult family relationships, love, prejudice, greed, selflessness, and the determination to keep moving forward with hope despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles...Very inspiring!  Gretchen Brink's life has not been easy.  Her mother was difficult.  The whole town said so.  She wanted to put her blind babies in an institution but Gretchen and her father promised to care for them.  Her fathers abandoned the family for the school librarian and her mother disowned her when she had a teenage pregnancy.  The family of the boy she claimed to be the father took her in and when they left her their farm, her mother dropped off her twin sisters so she could care for them along with her daughter.  The book alternates between Gretchen's story and that of Sam Winston and his family.  His grandfather and great-grandfather could control rain and lightning.  Sam returns to the farm during a tornado and turns Gretchen's life and Abigail's world right side up!

Dark Wind / Tony Hillerman / 214 pages

Sergeant Jim Chee of the Navajo tribal police goes out to investigate vandalism of a windmill on reservation property - again.  He finds a pair of boots in the brush and a dead man whose palms and soles have been scalped.  He also discovers a plane crash.  He is warned off the investigation by federal agents.  Are they involved in the theft of the plane's cargo - cocaine?  Jim Chee remains relentless in his search for the truth.  Tony Hillerman's "keen understanding of the Navajo culture and the American Southwest" provide an excellent framework for this haunting, suspenseful tale.

Hana's Suitcase / Karen Levine / 111 pages

This is the true story of one young woman's determined effort to educate young Japanese on the horrors perpetrated by Nazi Germany and the courage of survivors.  Fumiko Ishioka wanted to establish an exhibit at a children's holocaust museum in Tokyo.   She requested artifacts to be sent from other museums.  She received a suitcase - empty.  On the outside in white paint, were the words:  "Hana Brady, May 16, 1931, Waisenkind" - the German word for orphan.  When children saw the suitcase on display, they wanted to know Hana's story.  Fumiko searched for clues across Europe and back seventy  years.  She uncovers Hana's story;  the Czech town turned upside down; Nazi invasion and cruelty; and Hana's heritage.  Fumiko developed a traveling exhibition "The Holocaust Seen Through Children's Eyes".  Viewed by over 60,000 children, it teaches tolerance, respect, and compassion.  Fumiko was able to locate Hana's brother.

The Journey That Saved Curious George, the True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey / Louise Borden / 72 pages

I read a blog posted about this book and just had to read it myself.  I used to do a Happy Birthday Author lesson each month when I was a school librarian and told the kids that H. A. Rey sold bathtubs along the Amazon River.  It was one of the few facts my daughter remembers from these lessons.  The book does indeed verify this fact regarding the Rey's and tells of their somewhat nomadic life and their hair raising escape from Nazi occupied France.  We learn the H. A. Rey was originally Hans Augusto Reyersbach; Margret was Margarete  Waldstein; and Curious George was FiFi.  Imagine!!  This is a quick read with large type and plentiful illustrations including many the Reys.

Murder of a Bookstore Babe / Denise Swanson / 254 pages

"When Skye Denison saw an ad in the local newspaper announcing Tales and Treats' grand opening that weekend, she was thrilled.  For a voracious reader like Skye, the luxury of having shelves and shelves of new, used, and rare books for sale just five minutes from home was nirvana.  And the promise of specialty coffees, gourmet teas, and yummy pastries just added to her elation."  Skye is a school psychologist engaged to the chief of police Scumble River, Illinois.  While Wally applies for an annulment of his first marriage, Simon, Skye's former fiance, is trying to win her back.  Skye becomes involved in the investigation of a murder at the new bookstore.  She questions many of her wacky family members to ascertain innocence and alibis.  Chapter headings are actually titles of literary classics.  This is a most enjoyable, cozy read.

The Wednesday Wars / Gary D. Schmidt / 264 pages

I normally am not much of a "guffawer" as I read but this book had me laughing outloud on more than one occasion.  The story is set in the late 1960's and focuses on Holling Hoodhood who is in the 7th grade.  Not only was I laughing, the book also made my heart swell with pride and hope.  The book has great characters, interesting setting, humor, pathos, and a story that hooks the reader.  Now I can't wait to read Okay for Now which carries on the story of one of the Wednesday Wars characters.  You will especially enjoy this if you are a teacher, lived the 60's, or just like a book that makes you stay up until 3 am to finish it because you care about the characters.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Gone Girl/Gillian Flynn/419 pages

Gone Girl is not the type of book I normally read, but it was recommended by several colleagues so I thought I would try it.  The plot twists really kept me guessing and kept me reading.  I didn't like the way the author ended the book but it did keep me in suspense till the end.  Thanks Mizzou77

Slightly Shady / Amanda Quick 343 p.

A gangster's valet's diary provides blackmailers with loads of opportunities to threaten the English nobs.  Tobias March, a discrete private investigator, is hired to find the diary which leads him to the beautiful Lavinia Lake (who sidetracks him).  They tentative form an business alliance as Lavinia acquires a Lady with a past who is also wanting the diary.  An attraction grows between Lavinia and Tobias in this first in their series.

New series

Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane 198 p.

Edward Tulane. a pet china rabbit, is rather proud of his place in his child owner's life--to the point that he is rather condescending and very much impressed with himself.  Life happens and Edward finds himself in vastly different circumstances--new owners, lower social status and discovers love.

Bookwoman's Last Fling / John Dunning 337 p.

Cliff Janeway, returns in this 5th of the series, to evaluate rare 1st editions, owned by a late horse trainer, only to discover theft of these rare items.  He get involved investigating the decades old death of his wife, triggering an near fatal attack on him as well as a new murder victim.
Dick Francis readers may enjoy this work.

Summer to Remember / Mary Balogh 371 p.

In this first in the Bedwyn saga, Miss Lauren Edgeworth agrees to pose as Kit Butler's fiance so that each may gain their independence.  She's to have a most memorable summer before she breaks the engagement and is deemed unmariageable; and, he to avoid being trapped into an arranged marriage.  But Kit does the unplanned and falls in love and works to convince her to stay with him.

Killer Librarian / Mary Lou Kirwin 308 p.

Karen Nash is dumped the night before her dream vacation in London by her mid-life boy friend, Dave.  This librarian and British mystery reader so well researched this vacation down to a cozy B&B run by bibliophile Caldwell Perkins that she decides to go anyway; only to see Dave with a lovely on his arm on the same plane.  A B&B guest is withdrawn from circulation permanently the day after she spills her story to a strong silent stranger in the local pub.  Karen sleuths her way through murder, assassin's plot, and the sites of London.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Return to the Willows / Jacqueline Kelly / 281 pages

Jacqueline Kelly writes a sequel to Kenneth Grahame's Wind in the Willows!  Rat, Mole, Badger and Toad once again embark on adventures and behave as true friends would.  There's plenty of action, humor and well "messing around with boats."  The beautiful paintings that illustrate the book add to the overall appeal.  The publisher used nice thick creamy paper and a square format that make the book look like a classic.  True confession....I didn't like the Wind in the Willows that much but I really liked this book.  It would be sooo awesome to read aloud to the family.

Safe Haven / Nicholas Sparks / 340 Pages

Katie is running away from an abusive husband who is also a police detective in Boston. She ends up in a small town called Southport. Though at first reluctant to make any friends, she eventually warms up to the general store owner, who is a widower and father of two children. You gradually get to know about Katie's toubled path and the story switches from Katie's story to her husband's story. The characters were well-written and real. I don't want to give away the ending for anyone who hasn't read it yet, but her husband does eventually find her and in the usual Nicholas Sparks fashion, you are worried about what character will die at the end of the book. I really enjoyed it, though. And the movie was pretty good, too.

The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey/Louise Borden/80 pages

This is the story of the Reys and their escape from their home in Paris during the Nazi invasion during World War II.  Escaping on bicycles, they managed to save the manuscript for The Adventures of Curious George among their few possessions.

I had no idea the story behind Curious George and the narrow escape of the Rey's , who were Jews, from the Nazi invasion of France, and their eventual immigration to the United States.  But even their story before World War II was interesting and filled with adventures, including a pet monkey that was the inspiration for George.  The book is filled with both photographs from the Rey's collection and colorful illustrations from Allan Drummond, the illustrator of this non-fiction book, that compliments the Rey's illustrations of their many children's books.

The Graveyard Book / Neil Gaiman / 312 pages


This is a smart, dark, and consistently fun "re-telling" of The Jungle Book which replaces the jungle with a graveyard and the animals with ghosts, ghouls, and other creatures. It really deserves all the awards it won, and I really appreciate that, for what is supposedly a YA book, it doesn't pull any punches (in either content or vocabulary). It's a great book that I highly recommend - I'm sure it would've been one of my favorites if I'd read it as a kid.   *Added bonus: Gaiman narrates the audio version and he sounds a lot like Alan Rickman from Harry Potter/Die Hard! Makes for a very entertaining listen. 

 

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler/E. L. Konigsburg/169 pages

Claudia has decided that she is going to runaway from home; but she is going to do so in style.  She is running away to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.  She has decided that of all her siblings, her brother Jamie would be the best companion to go with her.  While waiting until her parents realize that she is being treated unfairly at home, Claudia and her brother have many adventures and learn new things including the  mystery of a marble angel statue exhibit that may or may not be a Michelanglo.  Claudia decides that she must discover the answer before she and Jamie return home, a journey that leads them to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the former owner of the statue.  This book was written in 1967 and won the Newbery in 1968, but you would never know it.  It has withstood the test of time to become the classic that it is. 

E. L. Konigsburg is the only author to have won the Newbery Medal and be runner-up in the same year. In 1968 From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler won the Newbery Medal and Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth was named Newbery Honor Book.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Blue Bloods (Graphic Novel) / Venditti, Robert & Melissa De La Cruz / 110pgs.

For me Graphic Novels need to either have Beautifully drawn illustrations and an okay story; or an Excellent story and at least interesting artwork (aka Maus or Persepolis).  When the two come together like in Saga or Y: the Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn or my all time favorite Series, Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore; then I am the happiest reader alive.  That being said, Blue Bloods has beautiful illustrations and a not very original, but entertaining story.  The real funny thing is I grabbed this book off the shelf because I thought the front cover looked so lovey and well drawn.  Turns out the cover was drawn by Graphic Artist, Fiona Staples, who draws the series Saga which is what I am currently obsessed with.

Anyway, Blue Bloods, is about a group of rich, elite, teenagers who live in New York City, who are coming into their powers as Vampires.  Think "Gossip Girl" meets "Twilight", because this book is full of cliques, fashion, high school drama, hot guys, and of course secret societies, mystery, and blood sucking demons.  After you roll your eyes and *groin* in pain at the cliche dialog, you can at least study the illustrations and see that, yes, there are still some comic book artist out there that know how to draw  well.

Navigating Early / Clare Vanderpool / 306 pages

Ahhhhh.....wonderful book, notable book, exquisite book.  Set in the years following WWII, a 13 year old boy from Kansas suddenly loses his wonderful mother and is taken to a boarding school in Maine by his Navy sea-faring father.  Jack Baker is lost in many ways.  He makes friends with another lost boy at the school, Early Auden who is autistic and a math genius.  Vanderpool cleverly weaves together the stories of these two boys who are both searching for something very important.  It is a book that will reveal something new each time you read it.  Very special book.  Read it...tell me what you think!

Blankets / Craig Thompson / 582 pages

This book is a memoir of Thompson’s growing up in a dysfunctional family, and the bond between brothers – from fighting over the blanket in bed to pretending the bed is a giant ship at sea. Interspersed with his reflections on growing up is the story of his first love, Raina. The two meet at church camp and Thompson goes to spend two weeks with her family in Michigan. The novel is sweetly told and the story is enhanced by the illustrations. In addition to family and love, Thompson also explores the topics of abuse (both sexual and child), faith, personality, coming-of-age, loss, and special needs adults.

I had never read a graphic novel before and was not sure I would enjoy it. This turned out to be a good choice for my first foray into the genre. The story is compelling and moving. I read through it quickly and was sorry to see it end.

Looking for Alaska / John Green / 221 pages

Miles has transferred to Culver Creek Preparatory School, his father’s alma mater, from a suburban high school in Florida hoping to find “the great perhaps”. A shy, loner who memorizes famous people’s last words, he quickly finds friends in his new roommate, the Colonel; a skinny Japanese kid named Takumi; his first girlfriend, Lara; and Alaska, the gorgeous, funny, messed-up, object of his desire. Miles’ favorite class is World Religions, taught by the ancient Dr. Hyde. By studying world religions, Dr. Hyde attempts to teach his students about life and death. When Alaska dies in a car crash, her friends are forced to confront these mysteries head on.

This book reminded me of A Separate Peace  by John Knowles, although they are written in dissimilar styles. I liked this book very much - more than The Fault in Our Stars, which many consider to be Green's finest novel for young adults.

I Could Pee on This/Marciuliano, Francesco/111 pages

Cat lovers will laugh out loud at the quirkiness of their feline friends with these insightful and curious poems from the singular minds of housecats. In this hilarious book of tongue-in-cheek poetry, the author of the internationally syndicated comic strip Sally Forth
helps cats unlock their creative potential and explain their odd behavior to ignorant humans. With titles like Who Is That on Your Lap?, This Is My Chair, Kneel Before Me, Nudge, and Some of My Best Friends Are Dogs, the poems collected in I Could Pee on This perfectly capture the inner workings of the cat psyche. With photos of the cat authors throughout, this whimsical volume reveals kitties at their wackiest, and most exasperating (but always lovable)

This author truly knows cat and how they think.  I see my cat's personality shining through these poems.

Mending Fences/Sherryl Woods /400 pages

Two families whose children have grown up together are nearly torn apart when one of their sons is accused of date rape.  The storyline is fairly predictable - and the reactions of both sides are understandable.  The story does start to drag a bit near the end - but it's worth staying with the story till the end. 
Thanks to Mizzou77

The Time Keeper/Mitch Albom/224 pgs.

This is the story of Father Time and his impact on man. It tells of Dor, enthralled with measuring time, and how he becomes "Father Time." In addition, it is Sarah Lemon's story--a teenager going through her first heartbreak. Lastly, it is Victor Delamonte's story--an elderly business tycoon suffering from an incurable disease. Sarah wants time to stop; Victor wants to cheat time of his death. How Father Time meets Sarah and Victor and impacts their lives is crucial to the story. Albom takes the reader on an interesting, and inspirational journey with The Time Keeper. However, my two favorite Albom books are Tuesdays With Morrie, and The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

Easter Bunny Murder/Leslie Meier/263 pages

We're back to Tinker's Cove, Maine, and a Lucy Stone mystery. The annual Easter egg hunt put on by local billionairess VV turns out to be a dud. With the town's children and their parents all lined up outside VV's estate, they are disappointed to hear from the butler that the hunt has been cancelled. The once luxorious grounds look untended. Noone has seen VV in months. Has the economy taken a toll on the finances of the 90-year-old? Then, the Easter Bunny appears hopping down the lawn! But shortly after openning the gates, he stumbles and falls. The costume head falls off and Van, VV's grandson, is revealed seconds before he dies.

Van's death is just the beginning. Another suspicious death, along with questionable financial dealings put Lucy Stone in the middle of yet another mystery.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower/Stephen Chbosky/213 pages

Charlie is a sensitive, intelligent, troubled outcast who is afraid of starting high school, so he writes letters anonymously to someone he heard was a good listener. Through these letters, Charlie documents his freshman year, although he starts by talking about how his middle school years ended with the suicide of a close friend and how that broke apart his group of friends. So, he's starting high school with no friends and a reputation of being a freak. He eventually makes friends with a group of seniors who introduce him to new things.

This book was made into a movie by the author last year. I would be interested in seeing how this series of letters translates to the big screen. It's a YA selection that deals with teenage angst.

The Fellowship of the Ring / J.R.R. Tolkien / 531 pages


Frodo has inherited the “One Ring” from his Uncle Bilbo (The Hobbit). In addition to allowing its wearer to become invisible, the Ring possesses other powers, such as destoying immortality upon its keeper. When Gandalf, the wizard, convinces him the ring must be destroyed in order to prevent its return to Sauron, the Dark Lord, Frodo ventures forth on a journey to Mordor, to cast the Ring into the fires of the Cracks of Doom. Aided by friends from the Shire and those he meets along the way, Frodo faces perilous dangers and temptations in his quest to rid Middle Earth of the power of the Ring.

I recently reread The Hobbit and since I had never read anything else by Tolkien, I decided to have a go at this. (Unbelievably, I have never seen the movie either.) I enjoyed this book very much and will definitely read the rest of the trilogy!

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Criminal/Karin Slaughter/436 pgs

I was fortunate enough to attend Karin Slaughter's talk and book signing at Spencer Road Branch Library. She was interesting and entertaining--and spoke about the book she was signing: Criminal.  In Criminal, Slaughter gives the reader an inside into Amanda Wagner's background, and also, Will Trent's. It begins with an old case in the 1970s when Amanda Wagner was just a rookie cop in Atlanta. Women were barely allowed on the police force, and were hardly respected. She, and fellow officer Evelyn Mitchell, become involved in a case of missing prostitutes--even though they have been warned off by their fellow male officers. The story shifts to the present day when women are again being murdered in the same manner as the prostitutes in the 70s. Amanda becomes involved in this case, and the story shifts between the past and present, along the way giving the reader insight into Amanda's character. For readers who have followed this series, it is great to learn a little more of what makes both Amanda and Will tick.  The solving of the murder cases is almost secondary, but equally compelling.

Island of Silence / Lisa McMann / 406 pages

This is book 2 of the Unwanted.  Kirkus Review says book one of the Unwanteds is where "Hunger Games meets Harry Potter"  and the fantasy, adventure, and excitement continue in book 2 and leave you sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for book 3.  The barriers between Quill and Artime have been lowered and free congress is encouraged between the two former rivals.  Mr. Today is grooming Alex to be his successor while Alex's brother Aaron schemes to become ruler of all.  This is an excellent book, a must-have for all elementary school libraries!

Divide and Conquer / Carrie Ryan / 188 pages

This is  Book 2 in the Infinity Ring series.  Dak, Sera, and Riq use the Infinity Ring to travel to medieval France.  After preventing a mutiny on Columbus' ships in book one, they see a poster offering a reward for wanted criminals, Dak's parents.  His dad invented the ring, but Sera made it work.  On their first trip in time to the Revolutionary War, Dak's parents got stuck and failed to make the trip to Columbus' Italy.  Now Paris is being sacked by vicious Viking invaders and Dak finds help from a most unlikely source.  Readers of 39 Clues will love these Infinity Ring books.

"Sometimes saving your best friend is more important than saving the world."

In Darkness / Nick Lane / 341 pages

In modern day Haiti the blacks are free but seem to be imprisoned still in a city of shaky houses, encircled by soldiers.  Toussaint L'Ouverture, the Haitian slave turned revolutionary, tries to reconcile this modern Haiti with his Haiti of 200 years ago.  Meanwhile, in modern day Haiti, Shorty is trapped in the rubble of a hospital that collapsed when the earthquake struck.  He is having visions of Toussaint L'Ouverture.  Has he replaced the one half of Shorty's soul that has been missing since his twin, Marguerite, was kidnapped?  This is a "tale of 2 Haitis - one modern, one historic...a story that explores the nature of freedom, humanity, survival, and hope.  A dark journey will worth taking - engrossing, disturbing, illuminating." (Kirkus Review.)

A Mutiny in Time / James Dashner / 190 pages

Book one of Infinity Ring series is very similar to the 39 Clues series in format as each book is written by a well-known children's author and there are accompanying online games and collectibles to complement each book.  After discovering a handheld device - The Infinity Ring - a key to time travel, Sera and Daq are recruited by the Hystorians to journey back in time to fix breaks in history and prevent the end-time cataclysm facing the world.  Mutiny on Columbus' ships is prevented.

The House on the Gulf / Margaret Peterson Haddix / 201 pages

Bran thought he had it all figured out.  His family had been living in the projects and violence was escalating.  He told his mom and sister that he got a house sitting job for the summer so they could live in the house rent free while his mom went to college in hopes of securing a scholarship for single moms in the fall.  Twelve year old Britt suspects that Bran is hiding something when he packs up all the pictures and many of the items in the house.  What is going on?  Britt plays detective while befriending and running errands for the elderly neighbors.  "With unexpected twists and turns, award winner Margaret Peterson Haddix has again crafted a thriller that will grip readers until it stunning conclusion."  If you read one book by this author, you will want to read them all!!!!

The Keepsake / Tess Gerritsen / 509 pages

Boston's Crispin Museum received many donations.  The former curator stored these in the basement.  When new management began to catalog the basement contents, they discovered a mummy.  Madame X heralded a new beginning for the failing museum.  Unfortunately, the mummy is not from Ancient Egypt but is a modern day murder victim.  Medical Examiner Maura Isles and Detective Jane Rizzoli investigate.  When another body is discovered, they realize that they are dealing with a maniac...and the killing is not over.  Archaeologist Josephine Pulcillo finds a body in her trunk.  How is she connected to the killer?  Tess Gerritsen has, yet again, crafted an edge-of-the-seat thriller, sure to please...and scare...

Book of Fate / Brad Meltzer / 768 pages

Wes Holloway is still aide to ex-president Manning.  He was shot and disfigured during a supposed presidential assassination attempt at a motor speedway on the Fourth of July eight years ago.  The day forever changed his life, as well as Manning's and Ron Boyle's whom Wes thought dead.  Wes felt responsible for Boyle's death because he had given Boyle permission to ride with the president.  Imagine his shock when he sees Boyle alive and well at a Manning appearance in Malaysia.  How can this be?  Although he is told  by the CIA, the FBI, and the Secret Service to leave it alone, Wes is compelled to investigate - at risk to life career, and sanity.

The Dragon Factory / Jonathan Maberry / 486 pages

Joe Ledger, a former Baltimore police officer, ex-ranger, and charter member of DMS, is a fragmented individual.  He has "at least three different and occasionally incompatible inner selves.  The civilized man, the cop, and the warrior.  The civilized part of [him] was, despite everything, still struggling to be an idealist.  The cop was more cynical and less naive - and luckily for all of us, he's usually in the driver's seat.  But when things got nasty, the warrior wanted to come out and play."  He desperately needs all three personas to battle a worldwide evil nemesis.  The Nazis did not disband after World War II.  They simply went underground and international and continued their evil research into genocide.  Can Joe and the Department of Military Science stop them in time?  I really, really like Jonathan Maberry.  He is one of my favorite authors.  The Joe Ledger series, however - while still awesome - is my least favorite, because of all the fight scenes.

"Denial is always a bear trap.  You'll forget about it and step in it later."

"Most atheists are closet agnostics or disappointed believers."

Letter From a Stranger / Barbara Taylor Bradford / 558 pages

Justine Nolan's life is forever changed - for the better - when she opens correspondence addressed to her distant, career over-involved mother and discovers that her grandmother, whom she and her twin brother believed dead in a plane crash for ten years, is alive.  Justine travels to Istanbul in search of Anita, her grandmother's friend.  She discovers her grandmother, the love of her life, family secrets, and renewed appreciation for her courageous grandmother.  The Holocaust theme is carefully and sensitively interwoven as a story within a story.

Friday, February 15, 2013

The Mark of Athena / Rick Riordan / 586 pages

Riordan does it again!  In this title of the Lost Heroes series, we see Percy, Annabeth, Piper and Leo from Camp Half-Blood joining forces with Jason, Frank and Hazel from Camp Jupiter to find the missing statute of Athena that will help them to defeat Gaea and close the Doors of Death.  Riordan uses humor, action, adventure, incredible contraptions, bravery against unbelievable odds and fears to create a story that will have kids turning pages at lightning speed.  Kids use intelligence as well as their demi-god gifts to defeat the forces of evil.  Read somewhere that one college student wrote to Riordan and credited the author with being able to pass his Mythology Exam, and I believe it.  The only problem is waiting for the next book to arrive because Riordan always leaves the reader hanging and thirsting after that next adventure.

City of Women / David R. Gillham / 392 pages

Engrossing story about our choices in life and how small decisions can change us forever.  This character-driven novel will put you into the heart of wartime Berlin when most all of the men are on the front lines and women are left to survive increasingly dire circumstances, gestapo tactics, air raids and neighbors who report everything to The Party officials.  There are stories of unbelievable bravery, compassion, and courage as well as stories of betrayal, brutality and bullies.  Sigrid's story is universal as we all witness atrocities and the questions then and now are "what would I do," "what can I do," and "what impact can one person have."  This book provides ample discussion fodder for book clubs.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Proof of heaven : a neurosurgeon's journey into the afterlife / Eben Alexander / 196 pgs.

Dr. Eben Alexander is a highly skilled and educated Neurosurgeon.  This short book is his accounting of the events that lead to his Near Death Experience (NDE).  In 2008, Dr. Alexander contracted a rare form of bacterial meningitis which shut down his brain and he fell into a coma for seven days.  He was not expected to revive, but miraculously he woke up and continued on to a full recovery.  During his coma, Dr. Alexander describes travelling to several places and being taught many lessons. 

What I like about this book, and what separates it from other NDE type books, is that Dr. Alexander's approach to describing everything is so clinical.  He tries to tell the reader exactly what events occurred and what he felt, what his family and doctors saw; so I really felt like he did not miss any important details.  He also spends time going through the medical aspects of this condition and investigates medical theories that may have caused his NDE. 

What I didn't like, is that Dr. Alexander claims he learned "many lessons" from the spiritual beings while he was in his coma, but now he doesn't remember them.  He hopes to "recover" these lessons through meditation.  I feel this really sets him up to become yet another guru who will be publishing "spiritual lesson" books for the next decade.  When he plugged his new Nonprofit at the end of the book I was not surprised at all.  To be fair, I did check out his website, and even though you have to pay to be a member and he is now doing many paid speaking events; I still like his ideas and message and I want to see where this goes. 

Whether you believe in an afterlife or not, this is an interesting story to look at since Dr. Alexander was not a major believer before his NDE and he is able to look at his experience scientifically. 

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Walking Dead: Fear the Hunters (vol. 11) / Robert Kirkman / 142 pgs

In this volume, our small band of weary and sorry-looking travellers are being stalked and hunted by other Humans.  I really feel that Kirkman has a very cynical view of humanity.  Just like "Lord of the Flies" when society goes people seem to turn into animals.  This volume really focuses on this issue and again asks the question, how much of your humanity are you willing to give up in order to survive?

I have the next volume on reserve, so it will be awhile to continue this series.  *sigh*

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Canticle / Ken Scholes / 381 pages

Canticle, Book # 2 in the Psalms of Isaak series, opens as Lord Rudolfo and Jin Li Tam are expecting their first child. When guests attending The Firstborn Feast, held to celebrate the impending birth, are ruthlessly attacked by blood magieked soldiers, the Ninefold Forest House realizes that the happenings at Windwir are not yet over. Rudolfo faces a crisis when his son is born sickly and must choose between fighting the unseen enemy and finding Vlad Li Tam, whose daughter alone may know a cure. Meanwhile, Neb finds himself on a journey of pursuit, in search of a metal man who calls himself 'Charles' and Winters takes her rightful place as queen of the Marshers only to find that place threatened by someone calling herself Queen Winteria.

Ken Scholes weaves a spellbinding tale of love and intrigue. Canticle is even better than its predecessor Lamentation, Schole's stunning debut novel. I loved this book and hated to see it end. I cannot wait to read Antiphon, the third book is Schole's series.

Wench/Dolen Perkins-Valdez/290 pages

Wench takes place before the Civil War and follows one slave woman, Lizzie, and her relationship with three other slave women that she only sees while on vacation with their masters at an Ohio resort. While the other women do what they have do to survive, Lizzie believes that Drayle loves her because she loves him. The resort is in free territory, and the women are exposed to a different reality than they know.

This was a book club selection and wouldn't have been something I chose on my own. It had horribly graphic violence that bothered me. The story was interesting, but the characters could have been more developed.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Walking Dead Vols. 8-10 / Robert Kirkman /300 pgs.


Walking Dead Vol. 8: Made to Suffer
Walking Dead Vol. 9: Here we Remain
Walking Dead Vol. 10: What we Become


In volume 8, the townspeople of Woodbury finally attack the main group that are holed up at the prison.  A few of the main characters are killed off (I won't say who, but like the TV show says "no one is safe").  After a strong fight, the survivors have to split up and flee the prison.

Volume 9, follows characters Rick and Carl (okay, so I guess they live) as they are on the run.  Rick is seriously injured and he and Carl spend a few days locked in a house trying to recover.  As Rick is going in and out of consciousness, his mental state also deteriorates and he begins talking to characters who have passed on earlier in the story.  The volume ends with Rick and Carl meeting back up with the others and encountering a new group of survivors, which is good since their numbers are really dwindling.

Volume 10, Rick, Carl, and new guy ex-military Abraham go on a side mission to return to Rick's hometown so they can unlock the police station and gather supplies.  The group is attacked along the way, first by a band of humans who are just out to rob them of their supplies and then later by a horde of zombies (never a dull moment in these books).  The main point of this volume is learning about Abraham's back story and the following discussion between him and Rick about survival and what you are willing/not willing to do in order to stay alive. 

Vidia meets her Match / Kiki Thorpe / 113 pgs

Another book I am reading to the girls. This one is part of the Disney Fairies series. 

Vidia, a fast flying fairy, takes the new fairy Whisp, under her wing (ha ha).  Together, they spend their time racing each other in increasingly daring and dangerous races; in order to prove who is the fastest and bravest fairy of all.  Their final race causes a prairie fire to start and Vidia has to save the day. 

This story is about dealing with accepting a newcomer to a group and how that can stir up competition and jealously.  As with all good children's books this one shows that everyone has their own special talents and all can find a place and work together in a group. 

Bringing up Bebe / Pamela Druckerman / 284 pgs.

Pamela Druckermann, an American journalist writes about her time living and raising her children in France.  Druckermann, believes that French children are extremely well-behaved and eat well rounded meals without complaint; so she goes out in search of what makes this so.  The result is the very entertaining and informative book about French values and parenting styles.  Basically, Druckermann feels that Americans are overwhelmed with parenting theories and are too overprotective (ie helicopter parenting) and also to lenient with discipline so as not to crush our child's souls.  There is also a big difference on how the French view their roles as parents versus Americans.  American moms tend to give up their old identity and take on their new role as "mom".  While the French feel that they are parents, but they are still the person they were before the baby and they try to continue to cultivate that persona. 
Druckermann, feels we need to be more like the French and let our children be more independent to discover the world and to handle their own problems.  She also writes about sleeping, mealtimes, the education system, and motherhood. 

Ready Player One / Ernest Cline / 374 pgs.

"It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS--a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be. Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them. ... And then, Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle"--Container.

I Loved...LOVED this book!  It's as Nerdy as it gets, and with the Audio version being read by Wil Wheaton I was in fanboy Nirvana!  If you remember the 80's or enjoy gamer culture then you will "get" the inside jokes and references laced throughout the book. If you don't like long-winded, back and forth descriptions of the intricacies of limited edition DVD releases of some cult B movie; then you may want to pass on this book. For the rest of you, GAME ON!


Life of Pi/Yann Martel/326 pgs.

I tried to read this book years ago, but was unable to get into it. This time around, it is our book club's selection, so I had a better reason to plow through it. It isn't an easy read. It's the story of Piscine Molitor Patel, a.k.a Pi, an Indian boy whose family owns a zoo. As times change in India, Pi's father decides to sell the zoo, and relocate his family to a better life in Canada. The boat carrying Pi, his family, and some of the zoo animals, sinks leaving Pi and some of the animals alive on a life boat--I'm giving you the "Readers' Digest" version. Long story short, the rest of the novel pertains to Pi and the Bengal tiger, Richard Parker's survival. Martel is very descriptive when detailing the skills necessary for surviving such a situation, but there is more to the story than just one of survival. There is philosophical and religious overtones--plus some humor. It's a very interesting read--I doubt if I see the movie version, though!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Caught / Margaret Peterson Haddix / 343 pages

This is the fifth book in the Missing Series.  This time Jonah and his sister Kathleen journey back to the early 1900's and come face to face with Albert Einstein.  They were surprised that their task this time was to return Einstein's daughter (their friend Emily) to History.  They hadn't known Einstein even had a daughter.  They thought he only had sons.  He did, in fact, have a daughter, Leiserl, who was presumed to have died of Scarlet Fever as an infant.  Einstein's wife Mileva interferes with the mission but her interference bodes well for the future.

Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator / Josh Berk / 230 pages

Francis Langman was once kicked out of synagogue for yelling "Jesus Christ!  Would somebody please turn on the fan!?."  (It was really hot in there.)  Guy Langman is lazy, a procrastinator.  He joins the Forensics Club because of Raquel, a beauty.  His father, Francis, has recently died and in going through his effects Guy finds a picture that piques his curiosity.  He discovers that this father had another son before him.  Is this second son a murderer?  Did he break into Guy's house and steal his father's treasure?  Guy and the Forensics Squad are on the case. Throughout the investigations and the book, Guy is writing Rules for Living, the Francis Langman Story.  Language, language, language!

Traitor's Choice / Stuart Gibbs / 240 pages

This is the second book in The Last Musketeer trilogy.  Greg Rich is still trapped in 1615 France, battling Michel Dinicoeur and Dominic Richelieu.  When Michel Dinicoeur escapes from the Bastille; goes to Spain; and steals the Spanish king's magic crystal, it is up to the Three Musketeers and D'Artagnon to stop him.  Unfortunately, Milady DeWinter has sown strife and jealousy among the boys and they are at odds with each other and don't don't know whom to trust.  Great adventure, sword fights, moral/ethical decision-making  and historical information make this Last Musketeer series a welcome addition to elementary school collections.

Escape from Memory / Margaret Peterson Haddix / 220 pages

The Romans settled Crythe, a village now in California originally in the Soviet Union.  It was evacuated because it was right in the path of the worst radiation from Chernobyl.  The Crythians are noted for their memory.  They remember everything and avoid anything that clutters the minds with nonsense - like TV.  Is it possible that Kira is Crythian?  Her abductor, Aunt Memory, claims she is.  When her friends hypnotized her, she remembered being carried through a war-torn city with cobble stones and huddling in an empty room.  She doesn't believe her mom is that same Mama who was trying to keep her safe.  This is a suspenseful thriller with multiple surprises and plot twists.  Most enjoyable!

"I am not just what I remember.  I am also what I dream."

"You are what you remember."

"Memory matters, matters enough to die for."

"Having a good memory isn't the same as intelligence.  Intelligence involves insight, being able to make connections, solve problems."

Turnabout / Margaret Peterson Haddix / 223 pages

Amelia Lenore Hazelwood was over 110, near the end of her life, in a nursing home, with little or no contact with the outside world.  When she, Anny Beth, and others agree to participate in Project Turnabout their lives are forever changed.  They begin to grow younger. Although this part of the scientific experiment went according to plan, the rest didn't.  Negative time growth had been halted in animals but with humans "the cure" resulted in death.  Melly and Anny have lived wonderful second lives but at 16 and 18 they fact the loss of their driving privileges and the dependency of childhood.  Their search for a solution to their dilemma provides insight into the ramifications of life stages, the ethics of experimentation on humans, and the morality of immortality.

Keeping Safe the Stars / Sheila O'Connor / 295 pages

"Different as the Stars were, they were all part of the same heart," Mama said.  Pride (thirteen year old Kathleen) was a doer; Nightingale (Elise) a dreamer; and Baby (Baxter) a darer.  Orphaned, they lived with their grandfather, old Fynn.  When Fynn checks himself into the hospital with a brain fever, the kids are left to fend for themselves.  Old Fynn has a checkered past.  The FBI still has a file on him, and he says he inherited Miss Addie, an 83 year old retired eccentric actress.  His grandchildren came to live with him two years ago and he has taught them their lessons, self-reliance, and independence.  He does not trust the government.  He "always said his job was keeping safe the Stars."  The kids' determination to take of Fynn's place and Fynn himself makes for a heartwarming, humorous tale of the genuine innocence and godlike nature of children.

"Once you start to lie..."

Ashen Winter / Mike Mullen / 576 pages

As an unexpected snow began to fall and temperatures plummeted, I began reading Ashen Winter.  What a perfect item to read this amazing story of survival during the "frozen, desiccated, and dead" world smothered by the arctic snow and ash from the eruption of Yellowstone's super volcano.  In book one, Ashfall, Alex and Darla are living with Alex's aunt and uncle when they are beset by bandits - flensers, who raid, steal people, skin and sell them as food.  Alex overcomes the bandits and discovers that the shotgun one is wielding belonged to his dad.  He and Darla set off to find his mom and dad.  Rumor has it that they are being held in a FEMA camp.  Can Alex rescue them?  At what price?  This is an action-packed adventure story illuminating human compassion, integrity and character, and portraying the devastating consequences of life without them.

Maximum Ride, Vol. 1, the Manga/James Patterson/256 pages

Maximum Ride is the fourteen-year leader of her flock,  a rag-tag bunch of kids that have been raised and experimented on at the "School" for their whole lives. After escaping and being on their own for the past few years, their youngest sibling, Angel, has been kidnapped and taken back to the school. The flock heads across the country to rescue Angel.  Always in constant danger from the Erasers, half-human, half-wolf beings from the school, the action is non-stop. Illustrator NaRae Lee has transformed the popular James Patterson series into a fascinating new manga series.  It is considered an original American manga novel, so it reads more like a graphic novel, left to right. I enjoyed the graphic novel, but I think having read the novel version by Patterson made the read more enjoyable.