francescadefreitas's reviews from LibraryThing

Itch by Michelle D. Kwasney

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:29:20 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "When Itch's grandfather dies, she moves with her grandmother from Florida to Ohio. And when she makes a new friend, she discovers a secret she need courage to reveal. This story is set in the 60s, and the time period adds an odd feeling of emotional distance, the child abuse pictured seems almost, well, quaint. I'd give this to someone looking for a realistic story, or shows an interest in stories about moving, child abuse, or making new friends."
New York : Henry Holt, 2008.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Tue, 08 May 2007 18:28:42 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "I suffered from huge spoilers reading this, as I read //Love Stargirl// first. Even with that, I found the Stargirl in this book pretty annoying. And knowing exactly what would happen in the end might have cast a pall over the story. I just didn't like it as much as the sequel. I'd give this to someone looking for a quirky romance."
Knopf Books for Young Readers (2002), Paperback, 208 pages

Lucy Rose, here's the thing about me by Katy Kelly

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:51:55 -0500

francescadefreitas's review: "When Lucy Rose's parents split up. Lucy Rose moves to Washington with her mother. She has to make new friends, miss her dad, and adjust to life in a different city - and she does so with style, and as her grandfather puts it, original thinking.I'd give this to tweens looking for realistic stories, especially if they want a series book."
New York : Delacorte Press, 2004.

Fly on the wall : how one girl saw everything by E. Lockhart

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:50:58 -0500

francescadefreitas's review: "Gretchen's wish to be a fly on the wall in the boys locker room coems true, giving her insights into more than just male anatomy. This was fun, I enjoyed it, it felt a little slight and a little predictable. But a nifty highschool story about fitting in and standing out. I'd give this for younger teens looking for something entertaining about relationships or boys."
New York : Delacorte Press, c2006.

Bad girls don't die by Katie Alender

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:28:31 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "Alexis has enough trouble without her sister acting up. But when acting up turns dangerous, Alexis realises that it might not be her sister who's doing the acting. This was wonderfully creepy, the atmosphere was think enough to chill me on a sunny day. The story was a little weak, the mystery adn the secrets were obvious, and anyone who has ever seen a horror movie would have been able tot ell what was happening within the first few pages.Other than Alexis and her sister, the characters were a bit flat. But still, I'd recommend this for the creepy factor to people looking for gentle horror or atmospheric ghost stories."
New York : Hyperion Books, 2009.

Free range kids : giving our children the freedom we had without going nuts with worry by Lenore Skenazy

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:18:02 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "This books gives very specific examples of fears that cause parents to cottonwool their kids and then presents statistics, research, and anecdotes to show why those fears are, if not groundless, not worth depriving your child of a rich life. Interesting topic, and presented in a light-hearted manner. Examples include the lack of any poisoned Halloween candy - ever, and the likelihood of your child being abducted by a stranger."
San Francisco : Jossey-Bass, c2009.

The treasure map of boys [Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon--and me, Ruby Oliver] by E. Lockhart

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:33:33 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "Another fun instalment in the life of Ruby Oliver, Ruby is as delightful as always."
[S.l.] : Random House, Inc., p2009.

What I saw and how I lied by Judy Blundell

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:34:35 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "This is a hot, tense, and suspenseful story set in Florida just after World War One. A young girl falls in love with a dashing man who served with her step dad in the war, but this is surface of a slow layer of rot. This story is about injustice in many forms. I'd give this to fans of suspense stories, cosy murder mysteries, and coming of age stories set in that period."
New York : Scholastic Press, 2008.

Sleeping naked is green : how an eco-cynic unplugged her fridge, sold her car, and found love in 366 days by Vanessa Farquharson

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:40:08 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "This book is based on the Green as a Thistle blog (http://greenasathistle.com/) which I read from its early days. The author made one environmentally friendly change to her lifestyle every day for one year - changes from the easy (ordering ice cream in a cone instead of a bowl) to the unimaginable (unplugging her fridge.) I picked the book up expecting tor read a lot of things that I'd already followed online, but this isn't a rehash of the blog posts, it is more of a personal behind the scenes story. I was a little disappointed to see that in real life she wasn't as strict as she appeared when I read the blog, but it was entertaining to read about her family's reaction to her changes. There isn't a lot of practical information here, but if you're interested in the authors personal story this is an amusing read. The falling in love bit is hurriedly stapled on, possibly to make an entertaining subtitle, the book would have been fine without it."
Etobicake, Ont. : J. Wiley & Sons Canada, c2009.

Don't judge a girl by her cover by Ally Carter

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:52:27 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "This third book upped the stakes, Cammie and her friends are in danger that isn't just her teachers pulling a pop quiz. During break, Cammie foils an attempted kidnapping but life doesn't go back to normal when the girls return to school. There's minimal romance in this, and more emphasis on the emotional toll of the girls spy training."
New York : Disney/Hyperion Books, c2009.

We have always lived in the castle by Shirley Jackson

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:30:16 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "Very, very creepy, this story of two sisters living with an invalid uncle on the edge of a town that hates them. It was surprisingly easy to fall into Mericat's world-view, full of ritual and superstition. This was wonderfully disturbing, but not gory or jumpy - it is the claustrophobia of the small town and of the sisters lives that makes the story. I'd give this to people looking for a cosy horror, a murder mystery, or a tale with a twist."
New York : Penguin Books, 2006.

Moon called by Patricia Briggs

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:54:30 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "This was a cut above the urban fantasy clones I've been reading lately - the political system of the werewolves was interesting, and romantic conflicts didn't make we queasy, and there was no gratuitous werewolf sex. I will read further in this series."
New York : Ace Books, c2006.

Slob by Ellen Potter

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:54:11 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "This had more death than a problem story about a fat kid. Owen's parents were murdered in a robbery, and he and his sister have been taken in ym a 911 operator. Owen and his sister have their different ways of dealing with tragedy, and with their peers. Owen determines that a rough looking new kid has been stealing from his lunch, but when he tries to prevent the theft, the results force him to take an unexpected stand. I'd give this to tweens, boys or girls, looking for a fast paced, engaging school story, with a dash of humour."
New York : Philomel Books, c2009.

Book of a thousand days by Shannon Hale

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:36:17 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "This was a delightful fantasy, entrancingly told by Full Cast Audio. I was caught up in the story within five minutes, and I could not stop listening. This has put Shannon Hale on my must-read-authors list. Lady's maid Dashti is bricked into a tower with her new mistress who is being punished for refusing to marry a terrifying lord from a neighbouring kingdom. As life in the dark tower grows more difficult, the outside world peeks in a small window, brining wonder and terror. This is a retelling of a Brother's Grimm story that I have not read, and it is reworked into a wonderful story of personal discovery, and of romance. I cheered Dashti's growing sense of self-worth, and delighted in her interactions with the Khan. As usual Full Cast Audio did a magnificent job, and the music especially helped set the background of the Asian steppes."
[Syracuse, N.Y.] : Full Cast Audio, 2008.

The Moffats by Eleanor Estes

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:39:34 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "This is a sweet episodic family story, set around the time of WWI. The past setting isn't alienating, the characters and their concerns are easy to relate to. It would make an excellent read aloud - I'd recommend it to someone looking for a family story to read to children of different ages. With Janey (8) and Rufus (5) the main focus, this can appeal to boys and girls of different ages. I listened to the Full Cast Audio production. While it was wonderfully done as I've come to relish from Full Cast, this story didn't give them much scope to work with, as there was little conversation, and much description."
[Syracuse, N.Y.] : Full Cast Audio, [2007], p2002.

Here's how I see it : here's how it is by Heather Henson

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:48:44 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "The summer Junebug turns thirteen has way too many changes. Her Mamma has left the family theatre and moved back to her parents house. Her Dad is mooning over a young actress. Her sister , old enough for large speaking parts is making fun of her. And a new boy shows up to intern at the theatre, and starts taking Junebug's place. This is an entertaining story of family drama, with a wonderful background of, well, real drama."
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, c2009.

Fact of life #31 by Denise Vega

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:22:02 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "I really enjoyed this one. Kat's relationship with her midwife mother is based more on information speeches tan affection. When she's not being called a weirdo at school, she's invisible. So when she messes up at a delivery, and the popular kids start noticing her at school Kat has to re-evaluate her relationships. I liked the cast of highschool characters in this, the adults didn't make much of an impression."
New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:53:55 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "A werewolf/vampire romance that takes a different track than Twilight. Quincie has inherited her parent's restaurant... her uncle insists on a vampire theme, and people start dying."
Cambridge, MA : Candlewick Press, 2007.

Cross my heart and hope to spy by Ally. Carter

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:35:32 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "(spoilers) This had less of the spying and more of the relationships that the first book in the series. I was intrigued by the central mystery, but I felt let down by the ending. Worse than a dream sequence - it was all a class exercise. If the teacher who once went to Blackthorn had been the villain of the piece, that would have been awesome! And the reason the boy's school is the 'stepson nobody talks about'' is never revealed. And for Cammie's apparent fame might be a bit of a problem in her intended career, no? Also, the accents I ignored while reading the first book were irritating in the audio book - no fault of the actor, they were just a bit trop. But still, I was keen to see what happened to Cammie, her mother, and even Zac."
[Grand Haven, Mich.] : Brilliance Audio, 2007.

Under the Jolly Roger : being an account of the further nautical adventures of Jacky Faber by L. A. Meyer

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:35:22 -0400

francescadefreitas's review: "Excellent instalment in the adventures of Jacky Faber. This series just gets better and better! I'd give the first book to fans of historical novels, cross-dressing girls, pirates, or high seas adventure and get them hooked!"
Orlando : Harcourt, c2005.