An Abundance of Books

Tots to Teens & in beTween - Madam President by Lane Smith

2012-01-24T00:37:00.019-04:00

Title: Madam President

Author & Illustrator: Lane Smith

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Publication Date: 2008

Format: Hardback, 40 pages

Genre: Children's book, Picture book, politics

How I Got It: the library

Summary from book:
A little girl imagines what her day would be like if she were Madam President. There would be executive orders to give, babies to kiss, tuna casseroles to veto… and so much more! Not to mention that recess would definitely require more security.

With deadpan wit and hilarious illustrations, best-selling picture book creator Lane Smith introduces readers to an unforgettable new character.

Smith has created a spunky and precocious little girl practicing for the day that she'll be president.

Katy rushes through her day (wearing a flared pant suit, no less) giving executive orders, approving lunches, negotiating treaties between cats and dogs, being diplomatic (which is why she's not commenting on that hat), and most importantly - vetoing!

Even though it's exhausting, she really gets into the veto groove. Recess requires more security...

… and oral reports become press conferences.

"That's top secret.

No comment.

I'll get back to you on that.

I won't dignify that question with a response.

C'mon Tiffany, get real!

No comment.

Let me think about that.

I know you are, but what am I?

Next question.

No comment!"

She has chosen the appropriate toys to fill her cabinet. There are the normal positions plus the Secretary of Fantasy, Pizza, and Pets Who should Be in Their Cages just to name a few. She's so full of spunk and the go get 'em attitude that I was instantly reminded of the little boy from Bob Shea's Big Plans which was illustrated by Smith (reviewed). I was pleased to see that when Katy had to respond to the disaster that was her messy room, underneath presidential biographies was a copy of Big Plans . (In fact there are a lot of neat details hidden in her room and on her shelves.) Smith's sense of humor and fantastic collage style illustrations are in full force in this book. Madam President makes a wonderful read aloud as well as a book kids can simply sit and enjoy the visuals.

Verdict:

Madam President is a great picture book with a fun story. It's a good one to teach with as well as spark the imagination. And while I recommend that you pick it up right away, unless this book really grabs your child, I suggest getting it from the library.

Related Reviews:

Girl's Just Reading review (Her 3 year old began to veto naps)

Literature Love review

Tots to Teens & in beTween - Oddfellow's Orphanage by Emily Winfield Martin

2012-01-17T00:19:00.014-04:00

Title: Oddfellow's Orphanage

Author: Emily Winfield Martin

Illustrator: Emily Winfield Martin

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Publication Date: January 24, 2012

Genre: Children's books, Early Chapter book

How I Got It: from NetGalley for review

Goodreads Summary:
What do an onion-headed boy, a child-sized hedgehog, and a tattooed girl have in common? They are all orphans at Oddfellow's Orphanage! This unusual early chapter book began life as a series of full-color portraits with character descriptions. Author/illustrator Emily Martin has fleshed out the world of Oddfellow's with an episodic story that follows a new orphan, Delia, as she discovers the delights of her new home. From classes in Cryptozoology and Fairy Tale Studies to trips to the circus, from Annual Hair Cutting Day to a sea monster-sighting field trip, things at Oddfellows are anything but ordinary . . . except when it comes to friendships. And in that, Oddfellows is like any other school where children discover what they mean to each other while learning how big the world really is.

Emily Martin brings a very strange place to life with her unique style of both art and writing.

Martin's Oddfellow's Orphanage is filled with interesting characters, a sweet writing style, and some delightful details. My review copy was filled with some lovely pencil sketches that were prominently marked "Art Not Final" so I'm not quite sure what the finished result will be. If the final printing includes more detailed versions of the sketches I think children will enjoy the illustrations. If we're lucky enough for the final art to be in color then I believe the book will have more of whimsical feel to compliment Martin's world.

Oddfellow's Orphanage is written as a series of vignettes focusing on life at the orphanage throughout the year. We follow a young mute girl named Delia as she is brought in by the orphanage's founder Oddfellow Bluebeard who is "as gentle and kind as the other Bluebeard was cruel". The children are taught by a collection of quirky but kind teachers. Some of the subjects they study are fairytales, astronomy, and M.O.N.S.T.E.R.S (Mysterious Or Nonexistent Subjects Thoroughly Examined Really Scientifically). This is an orphanage, so each child has lost their family and this is touched on throughout the book and in the illustrated character descriptions that separate each chapter. Martin is very gentle in this regard, but the orphans do remember their family and one chapter, "A very Curious Tradition" (about Haircut Day) focuses a bit on a boy's loss and grief.

While a quick read, Oddfellow's Orphanage is not at all a fast paced book. While I wouldn't describe it as adventurous, I think the stories would appeal to younger readers. Martin's writing is gentle but occasionally comes close to being saccharine. There isn't a lot of action but there are surprises and enjoyable details in the idyllic setting. The orphans come from a variety of backgrounds from circuses and onion fields to wealthy and poor city families. There are dancing bears, talking onions and hedgehogs, mystical beasts, and some general fun. Oddfellow's Orphanage is an early chapter book that I think would make a nice bedtime read aloud for younger children.

Some parts I liked:

The boat was large, but not large enough to dream of being called a ship.

Hugo, the little hedgehog, was orphaned at a cery early age. Consequently, he became quite attached to a coarse-bristle scrubbing brush. When he was rescued by Headmaster Oddfellow Bluebeard and separated from his beloved brush, he quickly attempted to build a nest in the headmaster's facial hair, which in texture bore a slightly less striking resemblance to his departed mother. With time, Hugo has grown more independent and much larger, as his stomach seems to be bottomless.

Verdict:

Oddfellow's Orphanage is a sweet early chapter book would make a nice read aloud for younger children as well. While not action packed, Martin's quiet stories are filled with detail and curiosities that will keep children involved. The pencil sketches in my galley hint at some fantastic final illustrations that are hope will be in color. The episodic chapters are nice, and Martin's writing comes close to being cutesy and sentimental but I think it's only something an adult reader would notice. While nice, Oddfellow's Orphanage isn't for everyone, so I recommend picking it up at your local library if you think it's a fit for your family.

Related Reviews:

Tots to Teens & in beTween - It's a Little Book by Lane Smith

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: It's a Little Book

Author & Illustrator:
Lane Smith

Publisher:
Roaring Book Press

Publication Date:
August 30, 2011

Format: Board Book

Genre: Children's book, Picture Book
Other Books in the Series:
It's a Book (reviewed)

How I Got It: I bought it

Goodreads Summary:

Now in diapers! For the youngest of readers who still prefer to chew on a book rather than read it, It's a Little Book asks what a book is for--Is it for chewing? Is it for wearing?--and answers the question in a warm and charming way. As funny and captivating as the bestselling It's a Book, It's a Little Book promises to delight a new generation of readers.

I liked It's a Book (reviewed), but agree that even though it's a picture book, it's not really meant for kids. For everyone who didn't like (or sometimes violently hated) the ending, Smith brings you a more child appropriate version. Following a the same format as before, baby Donkey repeatedly interrupts baby Monkey, asking what exactly does one do with a book?

Courtesy of Macmillan Publishers

Quite frankly, this board book is a little gem. The baby Monkey and Donkey are cute and younger children will enjoy the Donkey's ignorance of books. I've ordered a copy for our library but also took my copy in to read with our three and four-year-olds. They loved it. The kids giggled and laughed, the love saying "No" in a really exaggerated manner, it was a lot of fun. Smith's textured illustrations are simple and sweet and children always crack up when they notice that both characters are wearing diapers.

Verdict:

It's a Little Book is a book for younger kids, and totally child appropriate. Like it's predecessor, this isn't a book that you're going to read loads of times, but it sure is fun. However, if you have a child who enjoys books, you might get a lot of mileage out of this one. It's a great way to teach your child good book behavior and is a good buy for librarians and kindergarten teachers. Also, an excellent baby shower gift for an expectant bibliophile.

Zombie lovers have got to give The Walking Dead graphic novel a try

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

This isn't so much a review of The Walking Dead series as it is a general FYI and reading recommendation.

It's no secret that I'm a pansy with an overactive imagination which means I don't read a lot of "scary" books. Most zombie books freak me out, but I really enjoyed The Walking Dead series. I had originally borrowed the first few volumes from a friend and loved it. It's an excellent story filled with action, drama, and lots and lots of body parts. I think it's a perfect series for those who enjoy the horror genre or the TV series. It's also a great comic for those who don't normally or never have read comics. The Walking Dead is a straight forward story with illustrations. It is well laid out and easy to follow, a good choice for those wanting to give graphic novels a try. While I prefer Tony Moore's style over Charlie Adlard, the black and white illustrations are generally fantastic but violent and graphic.

This Christmas I got my husband The Walking Dead Compendium, Vol. 1 which includes issues 1-48. It's huge, over 1,000 pages, and a bit daunting. I would recommend getting the smaller volumes which are only 144 pages long. You should trying them out from your library, but be warned, there's normally a wait for the books.

Review - Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, book #1)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: January 3, 2012

Genre: YA, Fairytale, Science Fiction

Other books in the series:

Scarlet, book #2, TBR 2013
Cress, book #3, TBR 2014
Winter, book #4, TBR 2015

How I Got It: from NetGalley for review

Goodreads Summary:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.

I really, really, liked this one. A lot. I must point out that this is a science fiction book filled with the gizmos and jargon one would expect from a science fiction story, but the terminology never gets overwhelming. Meyer has done an excellent job of creating a fully realized futuristic culture and society that's still, in my opinion, accessible to readers who aren't accustomed to the genre.

Cinder is a fantastic retelling of the Cinderella story with a sci fi twist. Cinder is a cyborg with no memory of her life before she was 11 years old. She has no idea why she's a cyborg, all she knows is that it makes her a reviled "second-class citizen", when truthfully she's more of a slave. Despite the isolation and abuse being a cyborg brings, Cinder is still a loving person. While she can't show the depth of her affection, she loves her younger stepsister and the old robot that has become her friend. It's her reputations as an exceptional mechanic that brings the charming Prince Kai to her stall in the market. Cinder treasures her interactions with Kai; one of the few who treat her with kindness and respect. Their friendship grows with hints of deeper feelings, but she knows nothing can come of it. Kai is the crown prince, there's no way they could ever be together, and if he found out that she was a cyborg it would be horrible.

Kai, in turn, is not some pretty prince who's only trotted out for balls. His father is dying from the letumosis disease that's sweeping across Earth. He knows he will soon become an emperor who must deal with a large empire, a plague, and the saber rattling Lunar Queen, Levana. He must sacrifice everything, even his love, in order to protect his people and prevent a war.

Normally I'm excited when I find out a book will be part of a series. It gives me more time with a world and characters that I've come to enjoy. Not this time. This time I really wanted it to be a standalone so that Kai and Cinder would get the HEA that the original fairytale promises. But no, Meyer gives us a killer cliffhanger that has me on pins and needles for book #2. Rest assured, it's not one of those useless cliff hangers that irritate you and drag out the story. No, this is a cliffhanger that makes you yell at the book, despair for your characters, and start stalking the author's blog for any hints or reassuring snippets regarding the sequel. And then you look at the titles of the following books, and GASP, you might have to wait on that Kai/Cinder HEA, but oh boy what is she going to do with those other fairytales? And then I had no choice but to squee an embarrassingly big fangirl squee.

Cinder reminded me a lot of Firefly. Meyer created an intriguing mix of future technology mixed with Asian culture and an enjoyable dose of drama. There are hover cars, robots, cyborgs, illegal Lunar aliens, class warfare, a lost princess, a scarred princess, an evil moon queen, a mysterious illness, a draft to use cyborgs as medical test subjects, and war looming on the horizon. It's quite the space opera, but toned down by the injustice the Cinder and the other cyborgs live under as well as the "realness" of the hero and heroine. Cinder has survived so much and has become so strong as a person, she will be doing her own saving, thank you very much. (I think she might turn into quite the badass by the end of the series.) Kai is handsome, charming, and intelligent. He's very aware that following his heart could drag his country into a brutal war that they would lose. His choices are few and break his heart, but he will do what's best for his people. These two have a lot to work out, but you can't help but want them to get their Happily Ever After.

Verdict:

Cinder is an excellent story and I CAN'T WAIT for the sequel! I realize that science fiction might not be for everyone, and this is not a light and fluffy sci-fi book. However, I think that the familiarity of the Cinderella story will help those new to the genre navigate Meyer's excellent futuristic world. Cinder pulls you in and forges an emotional connection with the reader making it a difficult book to put down. (But sometimes you must because you're angry, or your heart hurts, or your family misses you and would like to see you again.) I'm kind of waffling between a 5 or 6 star rating. I think I'll go with 5 stars for now, but I can easily see my love for this growing as the series continues.

Related Links & Reviews:

Figment has the first 5 chapters HERE
Hobbitsies review
Angieville review
My Bookish Ways review

Tots to Teens & in beTween - A little bunny love

2012-01-03T00:39:00.193-04:00

I had some bunny books that wanted to review, so I thought I'd make a theme post out of it.

Little White Rabbit Bunny Days

Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit: A Book of Changing Seasons

Title: Little White Rabbit

Author & Illustrator:
Kevin Henkes

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Publication Date: 2011

Format: Hardback, 40 pages

Genre: Children's books, Picture Books

How I Got It: free from Library Thing for review

Summary from book:

One bright spring day a little white rabbit sets out from home on an adventure.

What does he find?

Look! Everything is new.

Anything is possible…

Little white rabbit hops through the fields, exploring the world around him. He wonders what it would be like to be green like the grass, tall as a tree, or still as a rock.

He even wonders what it would be like to fly like the butterflies above him.

When he hops past a cat he's "too frightened to wonder anything". He hops back home as quickly as he can. Once home he receives a kiss from his parent and snuggles up with his siblings.

Soon little white rabbit was home.

He still wondered about many things,

but he didn't wonder who loved him.

I once worked with a wonderful librarian who called Kevin Henkes her book husband - she loved everything he did. He's creates fantastic characters, tells wonderful stories, and his illustrations were always expressive with fun details sprinkled throughout. Little White Rabbit is yet another example of why he's such a wonderful children's author and illustrator. Henkes has said that he's been interested in creating books for younger children with "very direct, succinct stories." and he's done just that. This is a sweet little book with softly colored illustrations. Younger children will enjoy little white rabbit's explorations and the full page illustrations of his wanderings and wonderings will definitely engage younger ones. My kindergarten students were quite enthusiastic in their discussions over what it would be like if they were green or could fly like butterflies. I especially like Little White Rabbit because it's very easy to get children to talk about the story itself as well as apply their own thoughts and imagination to it (useful for both teachers and parents).

Verdict:

Little White Rabbit is a quiet and sweet book that will capture children's interest and is perfect for a younger audience. The illustrations are wonderfully detailed but simple at the same time, and use delicious pastel colors. (Seriously, this book made me want a cupcake so badly). This one could easily find a place in your home library. On a side note - Little White Rabbit would be a good baby shower gift. (The color scheme is perfect and any mother-to-be will easily be able to imagine herself sharing this book with her child.)

Related Reviews:

Teaching guide, activities, and an interesting video on how Henkes created Little White Rabbit can be found HERE.

Outside of a Dog review (I agree, I want to hug this book too.)

Brimful Curiosities review

Title: Bunny Days

Author & Illustrator: Tao Nyeu

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: 2010

Format: Hardback, 48 pages

Genre: Children's books, Picture Books

How I Got It: from the library

Summary from book:

Six frolicking bunnies, two busy goats, and a very handy bear live harmoniously - though not without mishap - in this picture book charmer. What do the bunnies do when Mr. Goat drives by on his tractor and accidentally splashes them all over with mud? They hop over to Bear, who always knows just how to help - in this case, with the delicate cycle and a refreshing line dry! Two additional stories are even more surprising and giggle-worthy.

All's well that ends well in this eye-catching, endearing treat of a book, full of funny details and exhilarating artistry.

I had to think about this book for a bit. When I first saw it I was immediately captured by the colors and the illustration style and thought it would be a nice compliment to Little White Rabbit. My initial reading of Bunny Days went something like this:

"Oh look at these colors, the bunnies are so cute! Eeee!" (That's my weird happy/excited noise)

"Hrm, we might have to remind classes that you can't really put people or animals in the washing machine. Some of our kids might try it. It's a cute picture… maybe a little disturbing… The clothes line looks uncomfortable and bunnies in the basket look dead. Oh look, they snuggle… it's still disturbing."

"Clever titles and those bunnies look so cute in their burrow. OH MY GOD, ALL OF THE BUNNIES ARE BEING SUCKED OUT OF THEIR HOME!... What is the deal with hanging these guys on clothes lines?"

"The goat has trimming shears, I don't even have to turn the page to know this ends badly. AAAAHHH! HE CUT OFF THEIR TAILS!! THERE ARE SAD LITTLE BUNNIES RUNNING AROUND WITH NO TAILS!" (At this point I'm completely traumatized and quite possibly over caffeinated.)

I really was saying this out loud and I'm pretty sure our new teachers all think I'm insane. I showed Bunny Days to a few teachers who all thought it was hysterical but that it should come with warnings for little ones and might even make some kids cry. The colors and the pictures are wonderful and the episodic stories are pretty cute and filled with visual jokes. Really, if you think about it, it's no more violent then some children's classics.

From taonyeu.com

I don't know, I just can't get past my first reaction. This is out of character for me since I like picture books were people get eaten (like this one, this one, or this one). I have students who enjoyed this book but I really think this one depends on the audience and how it's interpreted. (And how much caffeine you may have had that morning.)

Verdict:

Um, it's really pretty? Seriously, the illustrations are great and just about everybody who's read the book has enjoyed it. I think this is one for each reader to look at and decide.

Related Reviews:

The Bunny Days book trailer can be found HERE

Bookie Woogie review (They loved it)

Kathryn's GoodReads review (Her first sentence really sums the book up well.)

Tasha Saecker's GoodReads review

Title: Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit: A Book of Changing Seasons

Author & Illustrator:
Il Sung Na

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: January 11, 2011

Format: Hardback, 24 pages

Genre: Children's books, Picture Books

How I Got It: from the library

Summary from book:

What do the animals do when the snow falls to the ground and all the trees are bare? Some fly long distances, while some swim to warmer waters. Some take a long, warm sleep where they live, while others have a thick, cozy coat and can stay in the snow!

As with Il Sung Na's previous books, Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit is filled with rich illustrations, charming animals, and a simple, lyrical text—all wrapped up in a gorgeous package. It's a gentle introduction to the ideas of adaptation, hibernation, and migration, and an exhuberant celebration of changing seasons.

When snow falls to the ground

and all the trees are bare,

everyone knows it's winter…

…including the rabbit.

Rabbit watches the animals around him prepare for winter. Some swim or fly away, some sleep, and others grow thicker hair. But all of the animals have their own way to get ready for the cold season including the rabbit!

Courtesy of Il Sung Na

I am absolutely in love with Il Sung Na's illustrations. The rabbit is so cute, I just want to squeeze his cheeks! The layers, textures, and whimsical animals are just delightful. Na's spare text is well paced and descriptive, but really it's the illustrations that make the book. This is a great one for kindergarten teachers introducing winter to their students. I would also recommend this one to high school art teachers because it could be used to teach printing/stamping, texture, ink or watercolor painting, loads of stuff.

Verdict:

This is a beautiful book to look at and a pleasant story to read. If I had to pick an Il Sung Na book for the home library, I'd go with The Book of Sleep or The Thingamabob. Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit makes a nice additional resource for the classroom, but is a better library checkout for families.

Post Your Reviews: An Illustrated Year 2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge

2012-01-01T01:00:00.000-04:00

An Illustrated Year: 2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge

You can sign up for the challenge HERE

Welcome to the 2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge. This is where you will post your reviews. Links will be open until December 31st, so don't worry about monthly deadlines.

Review - Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss

2011-12-29T15:38:00.000-04:00

Title: Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse

Author: Lucas Klauss

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: January 3, 2012

Genre: Contemporary, YA, Fiction

How I Got It: Galley Grab

Goodreads Summary:

Phillip's sophomore year is off to a rough start. One of his best friends ditches him for a group of douchebags. His track coach singles him out for personalized, torturous training sessions. And his dad decides to clean out all of the emergency supplies from the basement, even though the world could end in disaster at any moment...and even though those supplies are all Phillip has left of his dead mom. Not that he wants to talk about that.
But then Phillip meets Rebekah. Not only is she unconventionally hot and smart, but she has seriously great boobs. And she might like him back.

As Phillip gets closer to Rebekah, he tries harder and harder to turn himself into the kind of person he thinks she wants him to be. But the question is, can he become that person? And does he really want to?

By the third chapter this is what you think you know:

Phillip's mother was obsessed with the end of the world.
She has died.
Phillips father is a raging atheist.
Phillips cross country coach is a bully.
The only way Rebekah will like Phillip is if he becomes a Christian.

At this point you think you've got the book figured out. There will be some growing pains, some self discoveries, girls, and an angry father. You keep on reading because Klauss is a great writer, Phillip is a relatable and witty character, and the story is good.

And then you start to realize that this book isn't as predictable as you thought it was. In fact, it's not doing anything you were expecting.

Reading Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse was a lot like Phillip's growing awareness of the people around him: nothing is what it seems, nobody is what we expect.

Phillip is a bit apathetic about the world around him, he's just going through the motions, not really making choices for himself. He doesn't really obsess about the end of the world, it's like an old habit left over from his mother, something he picked up from her. The loss of his mother has isolated his family from each other, and Phillip wants to talk, but he doesn't know how. While becoming a Christian wasn't his original goal, events seem out of his control because he keeps doing what he thinks Rebekah and his coach want. Christianity forces him to start thinking and asking questions, not just about whether or not he agrees with the teachings of a fundamentalist church, but opening up to his dad, forgiving friends (and himself) and letting other friends go. It's essentially a book about growing up and making some of the hard choices that go along with that.

Klauss writes a really good teenager. His characters curse (but not tons, it's natural and not overdone), they drink, party, and want to meet girls. Phillip and is friends are typical teenagers who run into the typical problems: growing apart, trying new things, jealous, new friends, etc. Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse was a witty book filled with multi-dimensional characters. Characters didn't do what you expected them to do, because like real people, you don't know their whole life, just the face they show you/Phillip.

In the end, I don't think this book was about religion, or evangelizing, or even spreading the Word to readers. I saw the religious aspect of the book more of a vehicle to force Phillip to confront some things in his life. At every point characters are telling Phillip he needs to think about what he's doing or saying he believes in. He wants answers, he wants things fixed, he wants to be comfortable and accepted, and he thinks religion will give him this. Then he learns that he's actually supposed to be thinking about his "faith" and then he starts questioning how the Bible is interpreted by this particular denomination, and he's forced to actually make some decisions about his life.

Some Parts I liked:

Why is this girl being so nice to me? Did I accidentally woo her?

………

I'm not angry because Asher and Mark are making fun of me - we do that all the time. I just really needed one of them to help me.

Because I can't be alone with this girl again. Coming up with a funny animal nickname for your coach only gets you so far. tHis time I'll have to have a real conversation with her, and I have no idea how to do that. I spend most of my time reading fantasy novels, playing computer games, and worrying about ways that human civilization will probably come to a fiery and terrible end.

I'm pretty sure girls don't like talking about those things. So I need someone to help me not talk about them. To say other things. To just be there.

……….

But he doesn't say anything.

He's afraid to ask.

Because I've made him afraid.

But he's the dad. He should ask anyway.

I stare ahead, gripping the steering wheel. My head hurts so bad.

Ask me.

Ask me.

"Phillip, I really don't mean to pry. But this isn't about the parking, is it?"

I don't even look at him.

"I don't want to talk about it," I say…

I can tell he's looking at me, wondering what's wrong with me, what's wrong with him. What's wrong with us.

Verdict:

I was totally caught up in Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse, I hated having to put it down for irritating things like sleep or work. I enjoyed Phillip and his struggle to make connections and figure himself out. I think it's a great contemporary YA book, especially since it's unpredictable. It's a different type of read, and I highly recommend it, but you might want to try it from the library first.

Related Links & Reviews:

You can read an excerpt from Chapter 1 HERE.
The Young Folks review
My Tower of Books review (I like her comment on the religious aspect of the story.)

Review - Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews

2011-12-27T12:21:00.000-04:00

Title: Magic Gifts (Kate Daniels #5.4)

Author: Ilona Andrews

Publisher: self published by Ilona Andrews

Publication Date: December 25, 2011

Format: Free download

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Other books in the series:

Magic Bites, book 1

Magic Burns, book 2

Magic Strikes, book 3

Magic Bleeds, book 4 (reviewed)

Magic Slays, book 5 (reviewed)

Gunmetal Magic (TBR August 2012)

How I Got It: LIMITED TIME free download found HERE

Goodreads Summary:

Available as FREE download from Ilona Andrews Website for 2 weeks from Christmas Day, this novella takes place at the same time as Andrea’s book, right after MAGIC SLAYS, and the two stories intersect.

A dinner date after a hard day at work sounds heavenly. Of course, when that date is between the Beast Lord and Kate Daniels, things don’t go as planned. Before you know it, undead are running amok, heads are being chopped off, lawyers are deployed and used with extereme prejudice, and drunk vikings are calling people out.

Read at your own risk.

MAGIC GIFTS will appear as a bonus in the back of GUNMETAL MAGIC, Andrea’s book.

Kate and Curran try to have a nice dinner date but it's promptly ruined by a magical necklace killing a young vampire navigator, traumatizing her boyfriend and fellow navigator, and their two vampires getting loose and trying to eat everyone in the restaurant. Kate and Curran kill the vamps, secure the restaurant, and are there when Ghastek and the victim's family arrives. The necklace (more of a collar) pops off the dead woman's neck and her father is almost hypnotized by it. In an effort to prevent him from touching it the mother grabs the open necklace and places it on her young son. Nothing happens but they know it's a matter of time before the collar kills him. Of course everyone is instantly pissed off that this cow of a mother (whom Kate suspects is literally not human) purposely endangered her own child. Ghastek tries to claim the boy as evidence, but Kate and Curran both fear that the boy will die "accidentally" when The People try to remove the collar that killed their journeyman. Kate claims the boy in hopes that she can find a way to get the collar off without killing him.

Those of you who frequent Ilona Andrews' blog will recognize quite a few parts of Magic Gifts from teaser snippets that they've posted in the past. It was such a fun read filled with sarcastic and witty banter. I chuckled through the whole thing. You get to see a more relaxed side of Kate's relationship with Curran and it just makes me love him even more. Kate's also dealing with a leaderless Mercenary Guild and the bits with Andrea that lead up to Gunmetal Magic… well, I can't wait to get my hands on that book. Since it's a free download there's no reason why fans of the series shouldn't download this treat right away.

Verdict:

Everything you love about the Kate Daniels series in one fun romp. Magic Gifts is packed with wit, great characters (VIKINGS!), and a bit of action. This is a great read for those who like the series and a fun teaser for Gunmetal Magic. I really enjoyed this one so I give it 5 stars.

Review - Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Wrapped

Author: Jennifer Bradbury

Publisher: Atheneum

Publication Date: May 24, 2011

Genre: YA, Mystery, Historical Fiction

How I Got It: I purchased it

Summary from book:

Agnes Wilkins is standing in front of an Egyptian mummy, about to make the first cut into the wrappings, about to unlock ancient (and not-so-ancient) history.

Maybe you think this girl is wearing a pith helmet with antique dust swirling around her.

Maybe you think she is a young Egyptologist who has arrived in cairo on camelback.

Maybe she would like to think that too. Agnes Wilkins dreams of adventures that reach beyond the garden walls, but reality for a seventeen-year-old debutante in 1815 London does not allow for camels - or dust, even. No, Agnes can only see a mummy when she is wearing a new silk gown and standing on the verdant lwns of Lord Showalter's esate, with cahperones fussing about and strolling sitar players straining to create an exotic "atmosphere" for the first pary of the season. An unwrapping.

This is the start of it all, Agnes's debut season, the pretty girl parade that offers only ever-shrinking options: home, husband, and high society. It's also the start of something else, becuse the mummy Agnes unwraps isn't just a mummy. It's a host for a secret that could unravel a new destiny - unleashing mystery, an international intrigue, and possibly a cuse in the bargain.

Get wrapped up in the adventure, but keep your wits about you, dear Agnes.

Agnes is an intelligent girl as well as an exceptionally gifted linguist (she's very fond of quote Jane Austin in different languages). Unfortunately her intellect and talents are of no use to a young woman in Regency era England. Her only real role is to be a dutiful daughter, go to dress fittings and society functions, and be a lovely little decoration. Her mother has decided that it's time for 17 year old Agnes to get married. Agnes isn't quite sure what to feel about this, other than overwhelmed. She wants to travel, learn, and use her mind but she also understands that she is supposed to get married, raise a family, and run a household. She's understandable scared about being married and in charge of a home; she has no such experience and shouldn't hope for a socially appropriate love match like her parents had. The handsome Lord Showalter seems quite taken with her, which is quite exciting, but Agnes still feels a bit unsettled. He's pleasant enough but there is something missing that nags at her. She stumbles upon a mystery, maybe a curse or possibly spies, during Showalter's unwrapping party. Events bring Caedmon to her attention. He's a brilliant young man born in the wrong class and will never get credit for his achievements. Together they try to find out what's behind the mummy's curse.

Wrapped is a fun and fast read and Agnes is a great character. She is so intelligent but never allowed to live up to her potential because of her gender. Life is coming at her a bit faster than she can deal with and then it's topped off with the mummy mystery that both intrigues and frightens her. I especially liked that she had every intention of telling her father and getting help but then gets angry with her family and decides to "show them"/punish them by haring off on her own. While a fluffy read, Agnes came across as a relatable and realistic 17 year old. The romance was light and moved quickly but Caedmon was a great match for her. He's also held back by society and his intelligence and abilities are hindered by his low social status. While they seem so different, they are actually very similar. Bradbury peppers her story with Agnes' witty observations, entertaining Jane Austin references, and society's irritating views of "the weaker sex". This last, in particularl, underscores just how much of herself Agnes must deny because of women's place in society. Bradbury also does an excellent job of introducing and explaining the ancient Egyptian aspect of the story without overloading the reader. She tries to convey the large scale of the Egyptian temples and statues which I don't think is something most people realize. We all know that the pyramids are huge, but the ancient Egyptians did everything big. The ending leaves room for sequels but I don't believe this is the start of a new series. It's a shame, though, I would love to read more about Agnes and Caedmon.

Top left to right: Ramses' colossal feet and head mentioned in Wrapped, the Ramesseum in Luxor.
Bottom: Just for a sense of scale, statues in the Karanak temple complex in Luxor.

Some parts I liked:

"It just doesn't seem right somehow," I said, "disregarding the last wishes of a human being."

He shrugged. "It's just a body, Agnes. Don't let your imagination get the better of you. Though I fear those novels you are so fond of have made you afraid of the real world."

I felt it unwise to point out that a horde of London's wealthiest and most fashionable citizens preparing to pillage a centuries-old Egyptian mummy like a Christmas pudding was perhaps as far from the real world as I could imagine.

……….

While I was brave enough to flout convention with my appetite for education and my penchant for shirking a chaperone, I confess that even in my most rebellious of moods I had not conceived of spending time alone with a young man… So going to meet Caedmon - though an indiscretion born of necessity - was all the more unsettling. An indiscretion complicated by how very attractive and very irritating he managed to be at the same time.

Verdict:

This book reminded me a lot of Zylpha Keatley Snider's The Egypt Game, an old favorite of mine, and might be why I enjoyed Wrapped so much. The mix of British and Egyptian history, curses and spies, and an relatable heroin sucked me right in. It's not a story that will stick with you forever, but every time you see it on the shelf you'll think, "Oh, that was a fun story." Wrapped is a good choice for those days when you want something a little bit different, fun, fast, and engrossing.

Related Links and Reviews:

You can read an excerpt from Chapter 1 HERE.

Hobbitsies review

The Little Bookworm review
the Book Smugglers review
The Book Pushers review

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

Wishing you and yours a very merry day

Tots to Teens & in beTween - The Little Red Elf by Barbara Barbieri McGrath

2011-12-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Little Red Elf

Author: Barbara Barbieri McGrath

Illustrator: Rosalinde Bonnet

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Publication Date: 2009

Genre: Fairytale rewrite, Christmas story

How I Got It: the library

Summary from book:

When the little red elf finds a pinecone, she knows just what to do: plant it, water it, and decorate it, to brighten up the workshop! But her lazy friends refuse to help. Poor little red elf!

This slyly funny adaptation of "The Little Red Hen" is sure to lift every reader's holiday spirits.

This book is so stinkin' CUTE! I can't believe it, it's adorable. Now, it's not like the world needs yet another version of the Little Red Hen, but this is a sweet Christmas version of the story and definitely worth the read. McGrath has integrated the holiday them nicely into her version of the tale. The little red elf is a really hard worker and she has some of the laziest friends in the North Pole.

Courtesy of Rosalinde Bonnet

Once upon a time, there was a reindeer, a penguin, a hare, and a little red elf. They all lived together in a comfy, cozy workshop.

The reindeer liked to snooze in the straw.

The penguin liked to relax in the bathtub.

The hare liked to hibernate by the hearth.

That left the little red elf to get all the workshop work done.

She was filling some bird feeders, by herself, when she found a pinecone. Since none of her friends would help her plant it, she decided to do the job herself. When the time came to water it or bring it in to the workshop once it had grown, she was on her own.

Courtesy of Rosalinde Bonnet

"Well, I love being busy!" said the little red elf with the most positive of attitudes.

Courtesy of Rosalinde Bonnet

By the time she had strung the lights, decorated the tree, and baked cookies for Santa without any help, she had gotten a bit frustrated but tried to keep her holiday cheer. Of course, when she needed help to open all of those presents her friends came running.

"I will!" said the reindeer.

"I will!" yelled the penguin.

"I want the big one!" screamed the hare.

This is the point where the little red elf loses it and yells that she is going to open the presents by herself. Of course her friends are shocked and begin to cry. The little red elf feels terrible, apologizes, and lets the open the gifts. Boy did they dive right in. Inside every box from Santa was a Little Red Hen doll. The reindeer, penguin, and hare are confused (as are some younger readers) but the little red elf understands and thinks they've gotten the perfect gifts.

It's a cute story but I had two tiny issues. I wish there had been a bit more discussion regarding the reindeer, penguin, and hare's horrible and selfish behavior. Even my younger kids were aghast; we just talk about it a bit in class, so it's not really a big deal. (If you're looking for a version where the animal's realize how rude they've been, pick up Philemon Sturges's The Little Red Hen (Makes a pizza). ) My other issue is the ending - younger kids don't get it. I always have to explain it and the kids still don't seem to truly understand. I've tried this with second and third graders and they totally get it. I think the ending's humor is a little bit too sophisticated for the little ones.

The real star of this book, the entire reason you want to check it out and pour over it with your kid (or by yourself), is Bonnet's absolutely scrumptious and adorable illustrations. She uses a style of drawing that I tend to associate with Japan (but it's not manga or chibi style) and she throws in fantastically funny little details. Seriously, look at that second picture: there are little mice living below ground in house shaped holes! I just want to hug this book.

Verdict:

I will say it again, this book is so stinkin' cute!! Bonnet's illustrations are just wonderful and really make this Christmas version of The Little Red Hen worth the read. The Little Red Elf is a sweet holiday book that you should pick up from the library.

Related Links:

EVEN MORE CUTENESS!! Charlesbridge has a Make Your Own Little Red Elf holiday cards and gift tags.

Tots to Teens & in beTween: The Case of the Missing Deed by Ellen Schwartz

2011-12-13T00:38:00.006-04:00

Title: The Case of the Missing Deed (Teaspoon Detectives #1)

Author: Ellen Schwartz

Publisher: Tundra Books

Publication Date: September 13, 2011

Format: Hardback, 200 pages

Genre: Middle Grades Mystery

How I Got It: From NetGalley for Review

Goodreads Summary:

Take a dash of colorful characters, a pinch of danger, and generous scoops of adventure and you have a terrific culinary mystery for young readers. Five cousins are looking forward to their annual vacation at their grandmother’s cottage. None of them knows that this may be their last such summer. A mining company has set its sights on the land and is determined to seize it. Grandma must produce the deed to prove that the property is really hers, but her memory is not what it used to be, and she can’t find it. The children suspect there may be clues to the deed’s whereabouts somewhere in the family’s cherished trove of recipes. But can they solve the mystery in time? Adult mystery buffs have had many culinary mysteries to choose from. Ellen Schwartz introduces her young readers to a delicious genre. She even provides easy-to-follow and yummy to eat recipes.

Some people might think it strange that their grandfather loved codes, created scavenger hunts for kids and adults, and hid important papers and items in the strangest of places. For the five Honeyman cousins it was just the way he was and they loved him. Unfortunately their grandfather has passed away and their grandmother is having a very difficult time dealing with the loss. To make matters even worse Tantalus Mining Company is trying to force her to sell her property. If she can't produce the deed for the house, the government will take back the land and give it to Tantalus. Unfortunately she can't remember where Grandpa hid the deed and she sinks into depression. Genevieve, Sebastian, Claire, Alex, and Olivia try to cheer up their grandmother when they stumble upon some of Grandpa's clues mixed in with recipes. While they don't always agree that these clues lead to the deed, they're all willing to play along with his last game.

Set in Canada, Schwartz includes some wonderful descriptions of life on Otter Island. The small population of close knit residents is torn by the prospects of economic prosperity and environmental catastrophe with the coming of Tantalus Mining Corporation. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of each cousin. The kids are distinct characters and their personal lives (from teenage crushes to dealing with divorce) do affect the way they deal with the situations around them. In fact, all of the different perspectives and small side plots come together quite nicely, adding more action to a small island mystery. Schwartz also mixes in codes and recipes quite nicely and I think this will appeal to readers. (I'm sure everyone is going to want to try making the Emergency Fudge recipe, I know I do and I don't even like fudge!) She also gets a bit hokey in places, certain aspects of the story were very predictable, and the bad guys get ridiculously bad towards the end - this will either be ignored by some readers or turn them off completely. While not the best children's mystery I've ever read I think it will appeal to certain audiences.

I read this book with my students in mind (all 1,300 of them) and I kept thinking that my Canadian kids would love a book set in Canada, and some of my kids who liked cooking or mysteries might enjoy it, but even then I wasn't sure they would like it. I'm sure this affected my option since the other reviews I've read loved it (see below) but I found it merely "ok".

Verdict:

The Case of the Missing Deed is a wholesome mystery with some nice characters, cool codes, and a few kid friendly recipes, but I've read better. A mix of sweet and hokey, The Case of the Missing Deed will attract a select audience. It's best to try this one out from the library if you're interested. I'm giving it three out of six stars as there are some redeeming qualities that save it from a two star rating.

Related Reviews:

It seems that everyone liked this book more than me. The few reviews I found were all on GoodReads.
Rhonda's GoodReads review

Sara's GoodReads review

Elizabeth B's GoodRead's review

Graphic Novel Reading Challenge 2012

2011-12-09T11:43:00.000-04:00

I enjoyed this challenge and it's a handy excuse to get through the pile of unread graphic novels we have.

For more information and to sign up, go HERE

Book Chick City is challenging us to read and review 100 or more books this year. Once again, I will not be including the picture books I read since they're so short. I didn't complete this challenge last year as I didn't review 100 novels. I'll give it another shot this year. I'll post my reading list here and will update throughout the year.

The details:

Timeline: January 1, 2012- December 31, 2012
Read 12 graphic novels

Completed books have been linked to my review post.

My Progress - An Illustrated Year: 2012 Reading Challenge

2011-12-09T00:00:00.005-04:00

Since I'm hosting the challenge I better sign up for it.

For more information and to sign up, go HERE

There are three levels: 12 books, 16 books, 24 books. I've signed up to read and review 24 books. This better be easy since I have a weekly feature, Tots to Teens & in beTween, that includes picture book reviews.

As many of us have probably discovered, not all picture books are for children. I might include a few books aimed at an older audience.

My reviews will be listed here.

2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

2011-12-09T00:00:00.004-04:00

For more information and to sign up, go HERE

I totally destroyed this challenge last year, it was very gratifying. :) I've decided to sign up again. I reviewed over 20 more books than my original goal of 16, so I'll try for the I'm on fire! level again.

The details:

Timeline: January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
Read and Review more books than you did in 2012. I've chosen to read 16 or more books.
Books can be any format (yes, audio books count).
Crossover books count

Completed books have been linked to my review post.

Sci-Fi Reading Challenge 2012 (It's not just for Stormtroopers)

2011-12-09T00:00:00.003-04:00

For more information and to sign up, go HERE

Ok, we all know that I originally picked this challenge because of the AWESOME button. But it turns out that this is an adjustable challenge, so it's even better! The goal is to read one science fiction books a month. I like sci-fi, but chances are I'm not going to read one a month, I probably won't even read 12 this year. So I'm going to set an easy goal of 5 books (I have a trilogy just hanging out on my Kindle). I'll increase my goal if I need to but I won't cheat and decrease it. Ellie will also choose one book each month as a read along for those who would like to participate.

The details:

Timeline: January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
Read 1 sci-fi book each month, but you can adjust the number to what will work for you.
MONTHLY GIVEAWAYS!!
Read Along option

Completed books have been linked to my review post.

Telling Tales Reading Challenge 2012

2011-12-09T00:00:00.002-04:00

For more information and to sign up, go HERE

I LOVE fractured fairy tales, so this challenge from An Armchair By The Sea was perfect for me.

The details:

Timeline: January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
Any genre counts as long as it is related to fairytale, folklore, or mythology in some way. If your not sure, as long as you can make a case for it, it will count.
You can re-read books for this challenge as long as the reviews were written in 2012.
Challenge crossovers count
There are 5 levels and I'm going with level 2: read 10 books.

Completed books have been linked to my review post.

100+ Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012

2011-12-09T00:00:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again when I go reading challenge crazy.

For more information and to sign up, go HERE

Timeline: 01 Jan 2012 - 31 Dec 2012
Rules: Read 100+ books in 2012 (any genre)
You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.
You can join at anytime. All books read in 2012 count towards the challenge regardless of when you sign up.
At the beginning of Jan 2012, you will find a link to specific month to add your reviews.
Audiobooks do not count, but all other formats are accepted.
Only fiction, no non-fiction.
This challenge can crossover to other challenges.

Completed books have been linked to my review post.

Speculative Romance Reading Challenge 2012

2011-12-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

For more information and to sign up, go HERE

I read loads of speculative romances this past year, so much more than I anticipated. I also like that this challenge covers a variety of romance genres. I figured I'd sign up for Book Chick City's new challenge - I should definitely complete this one.

The details:

Timeline: January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
There are 4 levels and I chose 2 Sexy Werewolves: read and review 12 speculative romance novels.
You don't have to select your books in advance and crossovers are allowed.
You can join anytime and only books read in 2012 count towards the challenge.
Audiobooks do not count
Only fiction books, no non-fiction
You don't have to blog to join! There's a form on the BCC site and Carolyn will add you.

Genres:

Paranormal Romance
Dark Fantasy Romance
Urban Fantasy Romance
Steampunk Romance
Sci-Fi Romance
Apocalyptic Romance

Completed books have been linked to my review post.

Sign Up - An Illustrated Year: 2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge

2011-12-08T13:15:00.001-04:00

An Abundance of Books'

2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge

A few of us participated in my picture book reading challenge during 2011. I had a fun time with it and wanted to give it another try. I love picture books, and was collecting them long before I became an elementary librarian. Sometimes it's the story, sometimes the illustrations, and a lot of the time it's the fun of reading them out loud to kids that makes picture books so enjoyable. I thought it would be fun to create a reading challenge for this shorter, though just as entertaining, genre. Picture books are a great way to share stories and the experience of reading with children. If you're reading the books with kids, I encourage you to add their opinion of the books as well! I love the way the family at Bookie Woogie reviews books. That being said, not all picture books are for children. Picture books for older audiences are also welcome.

I will be using the thumbnail inLinkz form for participants to link their monthly reviews to. This way we can see the books you've reviewed!

To Sign Up

IF YOU BLOG: Please make a post on your blog about participating in the challenge. Then use the URL for your CHALLENGE POST when signing up using the inLinkz below. IF YOU DO NOT BLOG: Please link to your GoodReads, Library Thing, or similar profile.

You must add the button to your sidebar - make sure that it links back to this post so others can join the challenge if they wish. Just copy and past the code displayed below!

Grab the Button!

The Details

Timeline: January 1, 2012- December 31, 2012
Select your level:

Level 1 - Read 12 picture books

Level 2 - Read 16 picture books

Level 3 - Read 24 picture books

You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. If you do list your books in the beginning, you can always change them later on.
Crossovers with other challenges count.
Digital books count
Re-reads count as long as you read them in 2012 and you post a new review for the book.
You can join anytime

Review - The Devil in Disguise by Stefanie Sloane

2011-12-08T00:47:00.000-04:00

Title: The Devil in Disguise (Regency Rogues #1)

Author: Stefanie Sloane

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: May 24, 2011

Genre: Historical Romance

Other Books in the series:

Angel In My Arms (book #2)

Sinner Who Seduced Me (book #3)

The Saint Who Stole My Hearth (book #4) TBR April 2012

The Hellion Takes a Bride (book #5) TBA

The Hero Meets His Match (book #6) TBA

How I Got It: I received an ARC from the publisher for review

Goodreads Summary:

Lord William Randall, the Duke of Clairemont, is a rake with little regard for society—a most unlikely suitor for Lady Lucinda Grey. But his latest assignment for the Young Corinthians, an elite spy organization, involves protecting her from a kidnapping plot. To do this, the notorious “Iron Will” must use his devilish charm to seduce Lucinda and convince her he’s worthy of her attention. William never planned to become enthralled by the lovely Lady Grey—or to lose his own heart in the bargain.

Beautiful and fiercely intelligent, Lucinda has managed to gracefully sidestep even the most persistent suitors. Until the Duke of Clairemont, that is. She’s tempted by his sinfully sensuous mouth and piercing eyes, and finds it hard to resist the champion thoroughbred he offers her in exchange for the honor of courting her. Can she keep him at arm’s length when his touch begs her to let him so much closer?

The Devil in Disguise was an entertaining read but not a super duper one. While we can all admit that the premise of Regency Era spies is not new it remains a fun idea. William and Lucinda were nice characters, not bland, just "nice". Lucinda was raised by aunts who have had negative dealings with marriage. They understand that as women, the only freedom they can have is as spinsters. They wanted their niece to grow up strong and self reliant, but they also (possibly unwittingly) taught her to not trust marriage. William had an abusive father and his mother simply ignored it (or so it seemed). He has grown up with a deep distrust of relationships and has avoided marriage. I did enjoy that fact that Will was floored by Lucinda's beauty when he first saw her. Gawking is not normally what we expect of our romance heroes. While they were clever and the witty banter was funny, they just never connected with me. It was like I was observing Will and Lucinda through a window, watching them go through their little adventure.

My main problem with The Devil in Disguise was that the story didn't develop so much as it seemed to make leaps and bounds. I understand that relationships in romance novels develop quickly but they make sense within the realm of the book. William an dLucinda's relationship felt that it moved to quickly with no warning. And it's not like the characters were wishy washy, I'm talking major advances with no warning. It actually started to distract me.

Verdict:

The Devil in Disguise is an entertaining read but not the best Regency Era spy romance that I've read. I enjoyed Soane's characters, her writing made me chuckle, but I just didn't get invested in the characters and the story didn't flow as nicely as I would have liked. I did like it enough to try out the sequel, but only from the library.

Related Links and Reviews:

Read an excerpt HERE

Smexy Books review

Books, Yarn, Ink, and Other Pursuits review

Tots to Teens & in beTween - 50 Underwear Questions by Tanya Lloyd Kyi

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: 50 Underwear Questions: A bare-all history

Author: Tanya Lloyd Kyi

Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird

Publisher: Annick Press, Ltd.

Publication Date: July 7, 2011

Genre: Non Fiction, Middle Grades, YA, Picture Book, History

Other books in the series:

50 Burning Questions: A sizzling history of fire

50 Poisonous Questions: A book with bite

How I Got It: NetGalley for review

Goodreads Summary:

You are what you wear (underneath)!

Most of us take our underwear for granted, but throughout history our undies have revealed a lot about who we are (king or peasant), how we work (in fields or factories) or the shapes we value (manly calves or tiny waists).

The third book in Annick's 50 Questions series tackles questions such as "What's that smell?" (Medieval Europeans thought bathing made you sick) and "Did boxers arrive in the Nick of time?" (When blue jean model Nick Kamen stepped out of his denims to reveal his boxers, sales of the underwear soared.)

Underwear has played a role in ancient crusades, city sieges and even modern economic predictions. Obviously, it's time to uncover the facts about everything from loincloths and T-shirts to bloomers and lingerie. Young readers will laugh their pants off at the accompanying cartoons and get the bare, but fascinating, facts about the history of our unmentionables.

This was a cool history book. I'm not quite sure who the audience would be, but I sure enjoyed it. Kyi traces the history of underwear, from prehistoric to modern day underwear and styles. Readers learn how religion, nobility,pop culture, war, wealth, and access to new materials affected styles and the underwear beneath.

In the 1520s men wore pads under their hose to emulate Henry VIII calves.
European countries passed laws to prevent the lower classes from embroidering their clothes like the upper classes did.
Corsets were invented when women tried to emulate Catherine De'Medici's 33 inch waist.
Why in the world were hoop skirts invented? To better show off the expensive fabrics used in the dress. Metal cages like farthingales or panniers required specially made furniture, learning a new way to sit down without flashing the crowd, and occasionally being too wide to pass through a doorway. (one also had to be careful when passing fireplaces, dresses did occasionally catch on fire.)
even in the 1940s researchers advocated the use of girdles as it was believed that women were "scientifically less able than men to stand upright, so they required the extra support of a foundation garment."
During the Vietnam War, some soldiers found the jungle too hot and humid for underwear. The term "going commando" was very literal.

50 Underwear Questions is a neat look at a different aspect of history. I got caught up in the history and culture that affected not only the way we dress and the types of lives we lead (I mostly mean women). Kinnaird's humorous illustrations work well with the book's layered format. Along with the main text and pictures, Kyi has included extra trivia and notes in the margins and in little tags called "Private Parts". There is even the occasional "experiment" you can try at home, like using string and a hula hop to better appreciate the difficulties of simply sitting down in a hoop skirt. While a strangely great book, it's probably best for older kids as younger readers might not be able to stop giggling or fully understand the social and historical implications Kyi talks about.

My favorite part:

When women first started wearing pants Kyi likened the uproar to the equivalent of lingerie models suddenly popping off the page of a magazine and skipping through downtown. She took a rather sarcastic stance when writing about some of the social implications that wearing pants brought up:

"If women are willing to wear their underwear in public or appear in divided pants like me, what else might they do?
What if women are so influenced by wearing bloomers that they start thinking and speaking like men?
What if women start drinking in pubs and leave their babies to be cared for by their husbands?
What if thees newfangled bloomers completely destroy decent American society?"

Verdict:

50 Underwear Questions is a very different but very neat book. It's a deceptive read, you think you're going to get something cutesy on bloomers vs. the Wonder Bra and you actually get an entertaining book on history, society, pop culture, and how it all affected what you wear underneath. I'm not really sure who the audience, but if you enjoyed the Horrible Histories or you're a trivia geek like me, you might enjoy it. It's a little something different but fun, take a look at it next time you're at the library.

Related Reviews:

Book Lover's Paradise review

Sara Thompson's GoodReads review

Tots to Teens & in beTween - A Pet For Petunia by Paul Schmid

2011-11-29T00:38:00.020-04:00

Title: A Pet for Petunia

Author & Illustrator:

Paul Schmid

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date:

February 1, 2011

Format: Hardback, 40 pages

Genre: Children's books, Picture books

How I Got It: the library

Summary from book:
Meet Petunia.
More than anything, Petunia wants a pet.
“I’ll feed my pet every day,” she promises her parents. “I’ll take her for walks. I’ll read stories to her and draw her pictures.”
Petunia knows she can take care of a pet, but what happens when the pet she most desires is a skunk?

Petunia likes skunks.

No, that's not exactly right.

Petunia LOVES skunks!

Petunia can think of nothing better to have than her very own pet skunk. Using her toy skunk as a model, she extolls the the virtues and cuteness of skunks. They have stripes, big black eyes, and cute little noses!

I'll feed my skunk every day. I promise! Really!

She tells her parents how responsible she'll be. She'll feed it everyday, take it for walks, read stories and draw pictures with it, and clean it's litter box every hour even! Petunia is aghast when her parents say no to such a perfect pet.

What! Why not?

When they explain that skunks stink, Petunia goes on an indignant tirade worthy of the Pigeon himself. She's wonderfully outrageous and everything she says will be very familiar to parents. She talks about how the situation stinks, how she needs a pet skunk and will die if she doesn't get one, they said no to the python and now the skunk, and even asks "Why did I have to get born into THIS family?" Petunia decides to take matters into her own hands.

"With such disappointing lunkheads for parents, naturally Petunia must leave home."

She heads for the woods and wanders around where she briefly considers being eaten by bears. During her wanderings she stumbles upon the object of her obsession. The skunk was black and white, and had a cute little nose, big black eyes, stripes… She gives a little gasp of joy and then smells "the worst smell she has ever smelled in her whole entire life."

It is not a small smell.

It is not even a big smell.

It is a STINK!

Petunia immediately runs home with tears flowing from her eyes. Eventually she recovers from the shock of the skunk's stink and declares them "AWESOME!" That's right, skunks are awesomely stinky. But she looks down into the eyes of her faithful toy skunk and "decides that she already has a perfectly awesome pet."

I am completely in love with Petunia. She's full of sass, energy, dramatics - she's Olivia and the Pigeon rolled into one skunk loving package! A Pet For Petunia is so wonderfully exuberant and bouncy, there's no way you can calmly read this book. Kids will love Petunia's over the top attitude and absurdly poor choice in pets. Schmid's cheerful illustrations are simple using only black, white, lavender, and the occasional yellow highlight. He captures his Petunia's vivacious attitude and skunks have never looked cuter or more snuggly!

Verdict:

Do you have children or know someone who does? You should buy this book for them. Are you an elementary school teacher? You should buy this book and read it to your kids. Do you have a pulse? You should buy this book. A Pet For Petunia is so much fun and sure to be a childhood staple if not eventual classic. That's a pretty bold statement, I know, but this book rocked! Go ahead and test drive it from the library, but you know you're going to want to make it yours. I will definitely be picking up a copy for my son and I to share. (It's probably going to make its way into a few Christmas and birthday gifts too.)

Related Reviews:

Bookie Woogie review (this is an awesome family book blog)

Library Pirates review

100 Scope Notes review

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T06:46:00.001-04:00

Tots to Teens & in beTween - Not a Buzz to be Found by Linda Glaser

2011-11-22T00:00:00.064-04:00

Title: Not a Buzz to be Found: Insects in Winter

Author: Linda Glaser

Illustrator: Jaime Zollars

Publisher: Millbrook Press

Publication Date: November 28, 2011

Format: e-galley

Genre: Children's Book, Picture Book, Children's Non Fiction

How I Got It: from NetGalley for review

Summary from back of book:
Buzz! Zip! Zoom! When the weather is warm, insects are everywhere. But what do they do in winter? Honeybees huddle in their hive. Monarch butterflies fly south. Woolly bear caterpillars hide under leaves and snow. This book shows what twelve different insects do to survive winter's chill.

I have finally found a bug book for everybody. Yes, that's right, a bug book for boys and girls who like bugs as well as those who don't. It's about something every kid as wondered at least once in their life - Where do bugs go when it snows?

Zollars' wonderful illustrations cover a double page spread and show both what children do in winter as well as the 12 insects covered in the book. I particularly liked the pages that showed what was happening below ground or in the frozen pond. Glaser's rhyming narrative is perfect for teaching about bugs to a variety of early elementary ages. Since the she was very specific about the types of bugs mentioned (like Mourning Cloak Butterflies or Common Pondhawk Dragonfly) I was happy to see that Glaser had included a section at the end to talk more about each insect mentioned. Both the illustrations and the author's story work well together. The whole book feels warm and snuggly, even though it's about bugs sleeping outside.

Verdict:

I'm pretty sure this is the sweetest non fiction book about bugs that I've ever seen. It covers butterflies and ladybugs to hornets and ants. This is a great one for teachers but it can be fun at home too. Even if your child isn't super interested in bugs or science, it's a cool topic to talk about and get them thinking. I recommend picking this one up at the library and trying it out one night with your kids.

Cover Love (51) - This cover makes me want to read the book

2011-11-21T11:04:00.001-04:00

We've all heard the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover." But really, how many times have you been drawn to a book because of it's cover. Besides, we all initially judge a book by it's cover art and tagline, and now it's time to celebrate the it! Cover Love is hosted every Monday, feel free to add a link to your cover reviews (love 'em, hate 'em, or debut 'em) in the comments.

An Abundance of Books' Cover Love feature was inspired by 21 Pages' "Cover Love" and Book Chick City's "Cover Crush" features and I encourage you to check them out.

Goodreads Summary:
Hermann Kermit Warm is going to die. The enigmatic and powerful man known only as the Commodore has ordered it, and his henchmen, Eli and Charlie Sisters, will make sure of it. Though Eli doesn't share his brother's appetite for whiskey and killing, he's never known anything else. But their prey isn't an easy mark, and on the road from Oregon City to Warm's gold-mining claim outside Sacramento, Eli begins to question what he does for a living–and whom he does it for.

With The Sisters Brothers, Patrick deWitt pays homage to the classic Western, transforming it into an unforgettable comic tour de force. Filled with a remarkable cast of characters–losers, cheaters, and ne'er-do-wells from all stripes of life–and told by a complex and compelling narrator, it is a violent, lustful odyssey through the underworld of the 1850s frontier that beautifully captures the humor, melancholy, and grit of the Old West and two brothers bound by blood, violence, and love.

The minute I saw the cover for The Sisters Brothers I wanted to read this book. I don't know if I'll like this book, but I want that cover on my shelf. One, it has a brain twisting title, always cool; two, totally awesome graphic cover that gives you a feel for the book; and three, stories about assassins having an identity crisis are always fun. The use of color is fantastic and the imagary has you continually finding new things in the image. It looks like a moon, two shooters, key holes, a scull, a thumbring, Benjamin Franklin's forehead is in the moon so there's lots of money involved, and I like how the heads and each eye overlaps Franklin's eyes.

What covers caught your eye this week?

On My Wish List (#12) - The Flint Heart by Katherine Paterson & John Paterson

2011-11-19T00:31:00.000-04:00

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday through Friday. It's where we list all the books we want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. I figure it's a great way to make me go through my ever-expanding wishlist and really look at some of the things on there.

It's also an event that you can join in with by linking your own OMW post with Mr. Linky at Book Chick City. If you want to know more click here.

This one looks so cool! It's a "freely abridged" version of a story written in 1920. The story sounds like a mix of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia with some fairies tossed in for fun. there's quite a bit going on, but from everything I've read The Flint Heart is supposed to be a fun story for the whole family. I've put it on our library order and we should have it around February. I'm pretty excited to read this one.

Goodreads Summary:
A robust and wildly entertaining fairy tale, freely abridged from Eden Phillpotts’s 1910 fantasy and wryly retold by Katherine and John Paterson.

An ambitious Stone Age man demands a talisman that will harden his heart, allowing him to take control of his tribe. Against his better judgment, the tribe’s magic man creates the Flint Heart, but the cruelty of it causes the destruction of the tribe. Thousands of years later, the talisman reemerges to corrupt a kindly farmer, an innocent fairy creature, and a familial badger. Can Charles and his sister Unity, who have consulted with fairies such as the mysterious Zagabog, wisest creature in the universe, find a way to rescue humans, fairies, and animals alike from the dark influence of the Flint Heart? This humorous, hearty, utterly delightful fairy tale is the sort for an entire family to savor together or an adventurous youngster to devour.

The book trailer was put together by John Rocco who also illustrates the book. I've shown this one to some of my second and third graders and it's created a lot of excitement.

Early Review - Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Lord of the Abyss (Royal House of Shadows #4)

Author: Nalini Singh

Publisher: Harlequin

Publication Date: November 22, 2011

Genre: Paranormal romance, Fractured Fairytale

Other Books in the series:

Lord of the Vampires (book #1) by Gena Showalter, reviewed

Lord of Rage (book #2) by Jill Monroe

Lord of the Wolfyn (book #3) by Jessica Andersen, reviewed

How I Got It: from NetGalley for review

Goodreads Summary:

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.…

As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who’d cursed Micah. She sees past Micah’s armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember. Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.

The Royal House of Shadows series had a lot of potential, in theory, but never quite developed into a good read. I hung on until the bitter end, surely the final book written by Nalini Singh would be good. Well, it was better and even fun. It might have helped that unlike the other three authors, Singh did not have to create and explain a brand new world. Her story took place either in the world of the Kingdoms (first introduced in Lord of the Vampires) and the Black Castle. The castle stands at the gate of the Abyss (a lot like Hell) and the Dark Lord of the Black Castle rides out and collects evil souls to imprison in the Abyss. Micah was five years old when his parents were murdered and their protective spell was warped by the Blood Sorcerer. He was sent to the Dark Castle where it seems grew into an adult while he slept. When a Dark Lord dies or decides to retire, the castle chooses the next lord. Micah was the one chosen as a replacement. Be it the Blood Sorcerer's curse, his young age, or all of the years he spent asleep, he has no memory of a time before being the Dark Lord. Despite his great beauty, it is his lack of understanding and social skills (along with a curse) that make him the Beast in this Beauty and The Beast retelling. But Singh has made him a delightfully sympathetic character. He is blunt, honest, demanding, impatient, but absolutely adorable in a scary Lord of Hell kind of way. Liliana helps him learn, grow, and acknowledge the friends and family he has tried to make in the Black Castle.

Liliana is the most unattractive Beauty ever. While her body may have been illformed, her spirit and personality are what make her beautiful. As the daughter of the Blood Sorcerer she has suffered through a horrific childhood. Liliana is brave woman who stands up for what she believes is right, and neither torture nor terror will sway her. Not to say that she's unafraid, she frequently is, but she doesn't fold under the weight of her fear. She wants desperately to help the Micah's siblings overthrow her father and save the kingdom of Elden. When she first comes to the Black Castle, Micah throws her in a cell. He's curious about her and Liliana's bravery gives her a job in the kitchens. Micah is curious about this woman who isn't afraid of him and his interests in Liliana grows. In turn, Liliana uses the time with him to try and help Micah remember who he is so that he can fulfill his part of the spell. Micah's attention is the only positive or romantic attention she has ever had and she treasures each interaction. She is sure that he's only attracted to her because he's never seen other women. As the story progresses she learns that isn't the case. She finds it hard to believe that he could love her, but Micah has never met someone so kind and gentle, someone who doesn't faint in terror at the site of him. Their relationship was sweet and I loved the differences between shy Liliana and blunt Micah.

Liliana and Micah made this story for me, but mostly Micah. I couldn't help but smile and chuckle at his attitude and acceptance of Liliana. I wish we could have had more interaction between the siblings, but we only have one brief scene with all of them together and they don't actually talk to each other at the time. This is my favorite of the Royal House of Shadows books, but it doesn't really "save" the series. It works because it is a fairly self contained story, but once it has to interact with the main storyline, it weakens.

Verdict:

Lord of The Abyss was a short,fun read, and can be read separately from the other books (which I would recommend). It's an entertaining story for fans of Singh's writing, but not her best book ever. If you're going to get it, get it from the library. This one gets three stars because I really enjoyed Micah.

Get Graphic - The Magdalena by Ron Marz

2011-11-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Magdalena, Volume 1

Author: Ron Marz

Illustrator: Nelson Blake II, David Marquez

Publisher: Image Comics

Publication Date: January 19, 2011

Genre: Graphic Novel

How I Got It: from NetGalley for review

Summary from book:
The Magdalena has been the official protector and warrior of the Catholic Church for over two thousand years, sworn to defend the Faith with the Spear of Destiny against all manner of supernatural threats. However, Patience, the latest Magdalena, has seen through the hypocrisy of her masters and struck out on her own. When her old mentor comes to her with a mission to prevent Armageddon, will she be able to resist the call?

The Magdalena, a reoccurring guest star in the Witchblade series, finally got her own series in 2010. The history of the character and the role of The Magdalena has been revealed in other books, mini-series, and one shots, they do not need to be read in order to understand the current story line.

Mary Magdalen was married to Jesus and pregnant when he was crucified. She gave birth to a daughter and the bloodline of Christ survived a thousand years before being discovered by the Catholic Church. Their existence threatened the Church, but they were of a holy bloodline and had some cool powers. Instead of destroying them, the Church turned them into warrior nuns. (Yes, that sounds a bit silly, but bear with me.) The women would be trained to take on the mantle of The Magdalena when needed. Only one woman at a time can fill the position and she can only be replaced upon her death. While these women were powerful they had very short life spans as the church never really protected them but sent them out alone on the most dangerous of missions. Patience, the current Magdalena, ran away from the convent as a young woman. She had felt trapped by a destiny she never wanted. Her entire life was devoted to training and being a tool for the Church. Kristof, a Knight of Malta, is sent to find the runaway, bring her back, and train her. She trusts him, returns to the Church, and accepts the role of Magdalena. Unfortunately for those who know about and control The Magdalena, Patience is not content to be a tool, an unthinking servant, or cannon fodder. She accepts her destiny and her faith, she understands that she is needed to protect mankind; she doesn't accept that every aspect of her life needs to be controlled, that she's disposable, or that she should follow blindly where led. Past Magdalenas have been murdered for following the truths their gifts showed them instead of following the Church's orders. She breaks with the church again as she believes she should actually protect the world from evil instead of protecting the Church's place in the world.

The Magdalena, Volume 1 contains the first six issues of the new series. We see Kristof once again trying to get Patience to return to the church. They both understand that if she refuses, the church will have her killed an another female relative will take her place as The Magdalena. They have strong evidence that the Antichrist has been born and is being protected by a cult called Lucifer's Children. They need Patience to kill the boy before he comes into power. She agrees to investigate but refuses to kill the boy. She believes that they are both in similar situations, raised/brainwashed into accepting a life that they didn't want. As she gets closer to her target they are beset by demons and begin to suspect that their is a traitor in the Church who is helping the Children of Lucifer.

I have long associated Image Comics with great art, more adult story lines, and scantily clad kick-butt heroines. The Magdalena, Volume 1 gives us the first two and fully clothed heroine. Patience is secure in her faith and her abilities, but she does not trust her handlers in the Church. She constantly butts heads against their expectation to serve them and her need to actually do the right thing. Marz has created an action packed story that addresses the differences between faith, destiny, service, and sacrifice and blind obedience, control, slavery, and disposable lives. While the bad guys are starkly slimy and awful, our good guys, Patience and Kristof, are more complex and well rounded. So far I'm hooked and hope to learn more about the history of Patience's family.

Verdict:

The Magdalena, Volume 1 has an intriguing story and great art. If this sounds like a book you would enjoy, I don't think you'll be disappointed. The traditional western style of comic books (colors, actual backgrounds behind the characters, text boxes that provide additional information) make this an easier book to navigate for first time comic readers. (As opposed to the popular black and white manga style comics that might be difficult for first time readers to navigate.) The story reads quickly, has lots of action, and gives you situations and ideas to really think about. This is a good start to a new series and I look forward to reading more.

Related Reviews:

Adam Reviews Stuff review (I wish my review was as thoughtful as this one.)

Addicted to Heroines review