Marc Scott

This was a dark and addicting read. I will warn you, there are moments that may make you extremely uncomfortable, and depending on what you've experienced in your life, you may find those moments triggering. Poppy and Brianna are so different - but bound together by some dark secrets. My heart absolutely broke for Poppy and all she's had to go through - but I love her spirit, and how she hasn't let it break her. I did like both Poppy and Brianna as characters, and I found the way their show more differences were highlighted and the way they bonded very interesting. The plot moves along fairly swiftly, and there are a few mysteries wrapped up in the plot (that do get resolved by the end, but keep you wondering until you discover the solution). I cannot recommend this enough if you're looking for a dark, emotional book that will have your heart racing. show less

This debut novel is not an easy read. There is so much heartache and sadness and there are points in the book where I had to put it down to take a breath. However, it is a thought-provoking novel of the foster care system and mental illness.

The story of two half-sisters, Bree and Poppy, and their unfathomable pasts is very well-written and will make you angry at the injustices they suffered from their parents, authorities, and others.

The characters are well-developed and have very deep dark show more secrets that are gradually and skillfully revealed throughout the story including a real shock at the end.

Overall, this is a realistic and extremely horrific portrayal of love gone wrong, abandonment, and loneliness. An emotional and fast-paced thriller with a gripping plot. A warning that the book has triggers of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.

Thank you to Mr. Scott for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review. show less

Having blown through House of Straw, I was dying to see what House of Sticks had in store for me, and I wasn't disappointed. (While you don't *have* to read House of Straw, I do recommend it for greater character depth). Poppy and Brianna are back, with new challenges ahead of them. Poppy still has that fighting spirit that made me fall in love with her, and Brianna has grown so much since book one. There were plenty of twists and heart-racing moments in the fast-paced plot, keeping you show more turning pages for hours. This is another dark, thrilling read that you'll find hard to put down once you start, and I really hope there's another book coming! show less

An intro provides a basic answer to "What is coding?" and the two main sections introduce Scratch and Python, with step-by-step instructions for beginning projects, screenshots when relevant, and code to copy and try. More resources (Snap, Touch Develop, Pygame Zero, Raspberry Pi, Codeacademy), glossary, index. A good, approachable, accessible first book on coding for beginners of all ages.