I was excited to get this ebook from one of my favorite series from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books. THANKS!

Another fun romp for our two feisty gals!

If you’ve come fresh to this series, turn right around and get Book #1, THE RIGHT SORT OF MAN. At this point there’s enough going on that jumping right in would leave you unappreciative of the progress Iris and Gwen have made in their lives.

If, on the other hand, you are like me and are coming back to the series after time and quite a few books have passed by, don’t worry. Ms. Allison brings us up to speed in the first few chapters.

I , for example, had forgotten that there were now two boys in the Bainbridge household. So I was thankful for the assistance so I could slide right back into this post-war world.

I love how the mystery began with something very different. And the women who come forward to place their trust in The Right Sort could not have been more different. And humor! I love the warmth and humor in this series.

So mystery, personal drama and humor. Hard to go wrong with these ingredients.

Recommend.

I used this series with my children as a first introduction to historic characters. There's always a time-line, photos or drawings on every other page, and just enough information that even young children aren't overwhelmed. SEE my review on Thomas Edison to see an example of the format.

Reading Information:
Word Count: 235
Page Count: 24
Accelerated Reading level: 2.4 / points: 0.5
AR quiz: 61705

see also------
JACKIE ROBINSON
(Rookie Biographies)
by Wil Mara

Which is also at the 2nd Grade reading level.

THIS book is a great choice for newbies. I know because I am one. Honestly, I have wanted to put up preserves for some time but was put off by the books I read. I think my sense of being in over my head came from the fact that I couldn't 'visualize' exactly what needed to be done. Ball's approach in this BACK TO BASICS book is much more my style. I LOVE the lists of equipment needed and the explanations .AND. photos of how things need to be done.

Need to know what a good set looks like? There's a photo.
Not sure exactly how to measure 'headspace'... there's a photo.

There are a variety of recipes and many of them, like the one I made --Blueberry Jam-- are simple and relatively quick. Basically, you only need your canning supplies and 4 ingredients: blueberries, pectin, sugar and lemon juice. And I really liked that there was a low sugar version and you were told ahead of time, how the low-sugar jam would be slightly different than the full sugar. (It's basically not as thick.)

Recommended to Noobs like myself.

~ review copy provided

TOP DOG is a book that is going to appeal to dog lovers.

In this book Carli has fun with doggone expressions, like: "Two Shakes of a Dog's Tail" and "Working Like a Dog".

Some expressions work better than others, but the photos of the dogs are beautiful and silly and you aren't likely to hear complaints.

A variety of breeds are shown. There are Pitbulls, Great Danes and even a Goldendoodle. At the end of the book the dogs are introduced to the reader. To one-up the fun to include something 'educational' you can discuss the expressions and how they might have originated. And you can discuss the relative sizes of the dogs and the work they might have been bred to do.

~ from the Library

I thought this book was adorable. And I loved that there were boys shown as well as little girls. As far as reading information there are 157 words in a large font. The book is at the 1st Grade Reading Level. Accelerated Reader - 1.3

MY FIRST BALLET CLASS would be a great book to show to little ones what ballet class is like. With kid-friendly pictures it shows what little ballet dancers wear and that their instructors will give them instructions, and that they will learn specific moves at the barre.

Since ballet lessons aren't available to every child, there is a section at the back where a child demonstrates some basic steps. She uses a standard chair and demonstrates moves like plie and chasse.

~
Little ballet fans who can read at the first grade level can use this book as a practice reader. Younger children will like looking at the pictures and sharing it with you at lap time.

I think Capucilli has done a smart little book.

~ review copy provided

Cute and clever, BUNNY SLOPES has a lot going for it.

For one there is the cute artwork. But more than that I like the chatty, conversational tone that draws kids in. Bunny talks directly to them and even asks kids to interact with the book to help out with the day on the slopes.

Children are asked to shake and tap and turn the book to help Bunny out with a day on the slopes.

WRITTEN at the beginning 1st Grade level (Lexile: 360L), BUNNY SLOPES should appeal to younger children too. 183 words.

~ review copy provided

At one time my area of study was Early Medieval Gaul. I loved that period of history because it was an era of radical change, where different peoples (Romans and Germanic tribesmen) met and hammered out new social structures. It was a time of cultural assimilation and change.

And while I don't pursue that study anymore I never lost my interest in the history of change and 'start ups'. And so, when this book popped up on my radar it immediately grabbed my attention.

One reason I knew I had to read it is was because of my own ignorance about this topic. And secondly, and most importantly, I instantly realized that here was rich environment where once again different cultures and peoples were meeting to hammer out new directions.

And... I'm delighted to say that the African American experience is wonderfully complex and varied. There is no single historical narrative. And there is certainly no agreement amongst historians in how to interpret the records and data that we have.

~
Donald Wright's AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE COLONIAL ERA is a readable text book.

In 4 long chapters he manages to cram in an amazing amount of information, while miraculously also managing to give you the background in the literature.

A less scrupulous author might just cite authorities that agree with their own views, but Wright provides balance while at the same time doesn't let you flounder.

I appreciated this approach and enjoyed this book.

~review copy was provide

AMERICAN WOLF is a fascinating study of the wolves introduced into Yellowstone.

What was so interesting to me was the recounting of their social structure. How much they were like extended families, with members going in and out of favor. There are sad moments, of course. We are talking about nature. But so many more great moments, like when the author connects the dots and shows how the introduction of wolves was actually good for bears and beavers and certainly flora.

I had a small problem with the people who were named. Probably because so many of them I came to hate. But mostly because my focus was on the wolves and wildlife.

I'm very thankful to the author. Greatly appreciated this book. And even more thankful to the men who made a study of Yellowstone and the wolves their life's work.

**As for the bastards who aren't clever enough to resolve their problems except by poisonings and shootings... I'm sure I won't be seeing your asses in heaven.

~ review copy provided

INTO THE DROWNING DEEP was a fun romp but if you were going to ask me what category to put it in, I'd be somewhat at a loss to tell you. Story-wise it reminds me of Crichton or Benchley. There's some science and lots of imagination.

The word 'horror' was used in the description that convinced me to give it a try, but if it's Horror it's Horror-Lite. I'm not an expert on Horror Fiction but my GR/Amz reading buddy, Outlaw Poet, has pointed me to some books that were pretty spine-tingling, and IDD doesn't really compare. So let's stick with the vague label of "Fictional Adventure".

The book actually gets off to a slow start. You're in over 100 pages before the pace starts picking up. One of the reasons for this is that Grant takes the time to flesh out her characters. In fact, if there's one area where she exceeds Crichton it's in that the characters are important to the story. Their motivations are well described as are the intricacies of most of the relationships. The sole exceptions are a few cliche types that are thrown in as filler. But generally, good stuff.

As IDD is part of a series not every question is tidied up. But no complaints. For me it ended in a satisfactory manner. Fun Read.

**fyi, I do review a lot of kidlit and this is NOT YA. Adult situations, language, drugs....

~ review copy provided

Back about 2012 I began looking for a book for boys about puberty and growing up. I looked EVERYWHERE. It was strange but while I had no problem finding a book for his older sister when I needed one, I could not find a great book for guys.

What I ended up with was [book:The Boys Body Book: Everything You Need to Know for Growing Up YOU|1857784]. And while it covered most of the material I wanted, I loathed the negative approach that included suggesting to boys that it's normal to not want to talk to the adults in their life. (That might be true for some kids, but I assure you that there are plenty of young guys who talk to their moms and dads, aunts and uncles... about everything.)

So I read the book and didn't give it our son.

Now, rocket forward to 2017. My now 15 year-old dude doesn't need this book anymore, but I now have in hand a book I can work with. GUY STUFF by Dr. Natterson is upbeat and formatted to be fun with goofy artwork in places, and lots of discussions about all the changes that are in the works.

GUY STUFF covers everything from the hair explosion, to growth patterns, diet, sports safety, and how to deal with embarrassing topics. IT IS NOT a perfect book, but it is absolutely the best out there at this time. It's not, for example, a book for a 15 year old, but it should be great for pre- and early teens.

Which makes it good for parents. I remember at the time one of the things I wanted from a book was how to approach these topics. What show more I found is that sometimes our boy would approach me and sometimes his dad when he had a question. With a book like this you will find yourself more prepared and organized. And you can leave the book around for sisters and younger brothers to read, not just the boy that needs it to get his 'head around' what is coming in the near future.

RECOMMEND. Best book our family has found. show less

~ review copy provided

I was curious as to how this book would be structured. The Common Core Curriculum is well outlined so precisely what was it that the Center for Gifted Education was going to suggest?

What you get is a marginal introduction and then the rest of the book are problem examples. For example on the section of Scaled Graphs what you will see is a reference to the CC State Standard that it corresponds to; estimated time the lesson should take; Key Terms and Objectives. Then it's on to the problems. Educators won't have to extrapolate because the problem is all written out and all you really need to do is run off a copy.

Teachers who are looking for exactly this sort of easy problem suggestions to offer to their advanced students are going to like this book.

Teachers who were looking for a more global approach that would help them to develop their own curriculum are not going to find support for that. There will be examples to use, but nothing to further your own creativity to create even more examples.

Because it's not going to fit every instructor's needs I'm not going to rate this book. But will add so that you know, the book is nicely laid out and has an easy to read font.

~ review copy provided

FLORA AND THE CHICKS is a different sort of 'counting book'. I say this because it took me a few tries to figure out how to make the best use of it.

The main thing that made this board book different for me were the fold-outs. These pages folded out differently for each set of numbers. Sometimes there is just one flap that folds out, and sometimes there are two, so that you get a scenario that is four pages wide.

It may not sound like much but it gave me some pause and sent me scurrying to find the correct number of chicks. [Basically because I'm not graphically/spatially gifted.]

Ultimately I think this gives little ones a sense of expectation. Where are all the chicks? Behind which flap are they hiding?

Little fans of the Flora books should like this one too.

~ review copy provided

Benjamin Lay is certainly one of those remarkable characters of history that we'd almost never run across in school, and so I'm thankful to Mr. Rediker and his publisher for breathing life into this interesting man and his wife.

Born in 1682, Lay's life provides us with a perfect mirror to look at this era though the lens of religious and civil upheaval. The author gives us a solid background into the religious and philosophical trends of the times. What I found equally interesting though were the complaints of the common people. They were disgruntled over unfair elections, a lack of living wages, and the lack of equality for women and other races. (Some things apparently never change.)

All these aspects aside, Benjamin's life as a progressive free-thinker is dwarfed by his other accomplishments. He engaged in different occupations, sailed the world, married, and ultimately, through shear determination, changed the Quakers and the rest the English speaking world.

It's possible to go on and on, but let me just sum it up by saying that he was an amazing character.

------------------

The book itself is academic and well researched. Dr. Rediker's style is one that guides the reader to conclusions, so you don't have to fear missing out on any points. I wasn't personally sure the author adored the subject of this book. Or perhaps I just misread/misunderstood his use of the word picaresque to describe Benjamin.

~review copy provide

SNOW & ROSE deserves a good deal of praise because it's a book I would read again --not usual for me-- and it's a book that I want to have a sequel (almost unheard of).

SNOW & ROSE is definitely a book adults might like. It's a calm adventure. Soothing in the way it lyrically presents the world at the edge of the woods. The artwork, of course, is gorgeous. The story too is pretty, although it has it's moments that bring us back to earth. The tale begins with the backstory of the two girls' parents. How they met, fell in love, and lived happily with their darlings. And then the father vanishes horrifically in the woods.

Which is how the three females end up in a tiny cottage on the edge of the woods. Alone to face the future. Their loss of father and husband is what ties this story to real world concerns. It never gets too heavy for children, but this aspect of the book is there for we adults to consider and think about.

This would be a lovely book to share with children before bed. The story is interesting, with adventure, but never enough, I think, to be scary. The writing has gentle moments, with kittens, and light humor, and children will have their own moments to think about. (I'd tell you more about that but it would be spoiling).

Please, another book, Ms. Martin.

--------------no reading information available yet

~ review copy provided

~side note #1
Since there is a movie tie-in, you might be misled into thinking that VICTORIA & ABDUL is a historical novel, or something contrived, very much an 'adapted history'. It is Not. This is a solid historical work that has been well researched. It reads like good history, but if you are looking for a dive into the heart and soul of the characters, you might just want to wait for the movie.

~side note #2
What's amazing to me is that someone has found something new to say about Queen Victoria. It's not like this isn't a well studied area. And it delights me to no end to know that there are still dark archival crannies with little stories hidden in them that are dying to be told.

This one, no doubt, needed to wait until the world was sufficiently altered enough that it was possible to research and publish a history about someone who wasn't a white male. You might think that this can't possibly still 'be a thing'. But I can tell you first hand, that it's only in the last decade or so that women, regular people, and minorities were found to be worthy fodder for grad students. Classical White-Male university history wonks, have a strong preference for powerful, preferably war mongering, white-males. (Apologies to enlightened Historians.)

~But I entirely digress.

VICTORIA & ABDUL is a wonderful read. The author gives us lots of delicious detail about the times, mood, and place. She describes things like the Queen's railroad coach and rooms exceedingly show more well. I felt myself dropped into place watching Victoria's entourage having parties and visiting Europe.

I previously indicated that you weren't going to see inside the hearts of Victoria and Abdul like you will in a historical novel or the movie, but that's not entirely accurate. What you get are insights into their thinking. Basu gives us telling snippets from their own writings. And where we might fail to see the significance, Basu lights the way. Certainly, when you finish this book you will understand the care and attention that Queen and servant had for one another. The paintings, the notes, the conversations all present to us a wonderful tale that has not been told before.

Recommend. show less

~ review copy provided

Adventure, Mystery, and History... what's not to like.

I really enjoyed Hillsbery's book. His writing is so good and so clear, it was a pleasure to tag along as he tried to decipher what happened to that errant British great-great-many-times-removed uncle of his. The one that was born in 1822. The one who went off to India to work for the great East India Company. And the one who gave up a very promi$ing career when he vanished.

Was he murdered by Thugees or eaten by a tiger? As we start we really haven't a clue.

No small part of what made EMPIRE MADE a pleasure was that Hillsbery juxtaposed his Uncle Nigel's history as he moved about the region, with his own person travels as he visited the same locales. Kief visited museums and libraries, monuments and graveyards looking for clues, or at least looking for the dead man's remains.

And our author could do this because many of Nigel's letters home survived the years and remained in his family's keeping. And what can I say, these letters are wonderful preservers of the past. And through them we can see the East as Victoria's countrymen did. The enlightened, and the less enlightened.

And fantastically, Nigel knew important people. Rajah's and dignitaries. Men such the clever and exceptional Lawrence. And because Nigel knew people I got a wonderful history lesson about the struggles of the region. Really, a good deal of Indian, Afghani, Sikh, Nepalese, history is crammed into this book and you'll hardly show more notice as the whole arm chair adventure is made relevant by the historical background.

A really good read. show less

~ review copy provided

I didn't like RESTART but then again I'm not the target audience. It had it's charming moments but for me as an adult it didn't ring true and it was predictable.

BUT, enough about my impressions. Korman's target audience is probably going to love this book as it makes cogent observations about the horrors of Middle School, and it thoughtfully examines people, bullying, and the assumptions and dearly held beliefs we tend to stick to.

Chase loses his memory and consequently he past. While he can ride a bike, he can't remember his parents nor things like he was a hot-shot sports hero at school. And when he returns to school it creates a major disturbance in the Force. (My use. There is not 'Jedi Force' in the book.)

Friends have expectations of Chase and enemies have expectations of Chase, and the thoughtfulness is in how everyone works out what they ultimately feel and do.

Recommend that English Teachers check this one out. I think it's down your alley and waiting to be put on your classroom shelves.

~ review copy provided

OVERBOARD is the first book in a series that is really going to appeal to kids who are looking for adventure books. [The book is at Lexile 540L. There is not Accelerated Reader info available right now.]

The story is about a whale watching cruise out into the waters off Washington state. That's pretty interesting in itself, but matters get totally out of hand when the small vessel is capsized and Travis, our main character, finds himself in the heat sapping waves drifting away from everyone else...

~
I think the writing in this book is top notch and the story is very engaging. So if older siblings are reading and loving Gary Paulsen's HATCHET, you can hand younger readers OVERBOARD and not feel like you've short changed them. Both books are excellent and feature surprise, a sense of mild danger and the can-do spirit of adventure.

Besides the adventure one of the things that kids are going to love are the survival tips, which range from the dangers of hypothermia and what to do to combat it, to how to start a fire with a magnesium block. Parents, on the other hand, are going to like that Travis has to overcome his surprise, and dare we say shock, at being in this situation, as well as his own self doubts. The power of just focusing on one step at a time is definitely put on display.

There is a girl, Marina, in this story. She's the captain's daughter and she and Travis are flung together. She can't do much physically to aid their situation because she's show more injured, but her contributions of knowledge were absolutely necessary for their suvival.

I find myself very enthusiastic about this series. With OVERBOARD's good writing, survival details, and good plotting -- I would have never guessed the final solution that led to the kids' rescue -- I think this is going to be a series that kids are going to gobble up, and that teachers are going to want on their shelves. show less

~ review copy was provided

Why O' Why publishers did you not make WARCROSS a manga/graphic novel. It would have been excellent and 5 STARS. It has all the elements a great artist could have made brilliantly entertaining. As it is, this first book is entertaining and going to be hit with fan-girls, but it's likely not to pick up the older-adult part of the audience.

What Marie Lu does well is to generate some intriguing background to the technology that other writers stumble over. She's given it some thought and proves she's no slouch. And other readers are going to love the characters. Despite the fact that the characters will all be fairly familiar to those of us who read too much scifi/fantasy.

[[Let's face it. Gaming and hacking are the new sparkly vampires/teen wolves/deadsisterghosts; and working out fights in virtual arenas is totally 'on fleek'.]]

I know I sound like I'm dumping on this book and I don't want to do that --at all. Young women are going to love the romance, underground elements and feisty Emi. Warcross however was just a 3 for me.

**Suitable for Middle-graders, Young Adults, and maybe even some Tweens. There is some heavy kissing and carrying on. Nothing graphic. No graphic violence. No language that I remember. No reading level info available at this time.

~ paid 99cents, review copy

THE ADVENTURES OF JOHN BLAKE is a lot of fun. This graphic novel harkens back to the good old-fashioned adventure stories of yesteryear. There are mysteries to solve, and scifi elements. Protagonists that are smart and know their stuff, but who are at the whims of fate for the moment. And, of course, there are bad guys.

~
The artwork by Fred Fordham is wonderful. Just perfect for this story which features clearly good and clearly bad guys. The features of the characters and the scenes manage to convey gravitas at the right points.

The text, by the way, is in a good, easy-to-read font. I had no difficulty reading it with my 2x glasses.

I can't wait for the next book in the series. My only concern going forward is that the plot seems very simple and as an adult I'm not sure what the author is going to pull out of his hat to keep it interesting in the future.

~ from the Library

PIG AND PUG is at the First Grade reading level. It has 253 words and has a Lexile number of 200L. Accelerated Reader = 1.3. Which means at the beginning first grade level.

*Common Core and *STEAM recommended

~
I LOVE THIS BOOK. This book made me laugh and to me it is just as good as the work of my other favorite author, Mo Willems. (Really, that good.)

The story is just great: funny and intelligent. And I'm not going to tell you anything about the plot because this is a first grade book that it is actually possible to spoil. Okay, I'll crack and tell you a small hint, that when Pug appears the animals don't know what he is. But he has a curly tail.

Besides the story and the cute artwork, the other thing that this book has going for it is science and numbers. From the story you learn that there are four cows, ten chickens, six sheep and one pig on the farm. And with little ones this means that you can practice counting.

The book also addresses how cows give milk, chickens give eggs, and sheep eat grass. This latter is the only flaw. I don't know why the author doesn't say that sheep give wool. But it's mistake in my opinion. PIG AND PUG's basic animal knowledge includes animals noises, and physical characteristics.

Highly Recommend.

~from the Library

This series of Hobb's certainly belongs in that special group of fantasy books that resides near the pinnacle of the genre. Her wordsmithing is so good, and her plotting is amazing. Even so it's perhaps her characters that stand at the fore. After reading this series I feel I've been digging into the thoughts and minds of real people. I know them so well, and yet the characters are complicated enough that some mystery remains.

And what I came to realize as I was preparing to jot down my thoughts, is that one of the things I love about this series and others are the secondary characters. Okay books take you for a fun ride. Really good books give you great main characters; and the best books give you a well rounded cast. Thus we have Per and Nettle, Lant and Shun...

So why the 4 Stars instead of 5? I actually thought this book was a bit long. I think it could have been just as good with fewer pages and tighter writing. But certainly others will disagree and I certainly wouldn't want to put anyone off of THE FITZ AND THE FOOL. Overall, a 5 STAR SERIES. And book #3. Book 3 taught me to love Bee.

~ from the library

BIG DOG & LITTLE DOG is a cute series from Dav Pilkey -- well known for his other series, Captain Underpants, Dumb Bunnies, Dragon, Ricky Ricotta.

These BIG/LITTLE DOG books though are at the Kindergarten reading level. The Lexile number for this book is AD50L and the Accelerated Reader number is 0.8.

The book has only 73 words and bright saturated colors.

*you can find reading info on the other Pilkey books here: http://goodbooksforkids-lists.blogspot.com/2012/08/dav-pilkey-books-index.html

~

This is a really nice book and one of the features that is nice about it are the activities at the end. There are 6 pages of intelligent and fun things for youngsters to do. There's a maze that will take the dogs to the skunk as well as Fun Facts which adults can read and share.

In addition there are pictures which are out of sequence and kids are challenged to put them in the right order. As well there is a Word Scramble and a Fill-in-the-Blank.

As far as the story it's a classic. Dogs see critter. Dogs decide it's a cat. Dogs find out it's not a cat. And in his trademark way Pilkey throws in a funny twist at the end.

~ book provided for review

PRESENTS THROUGH THE WINDOW is written at the First Grade reading level. (Middle of the year). There are 150 words in a medium sized font. The art is fantastic and we read it in May and enjoyed it, so it should make a fabulous addition to holiday reading.

**I should note that adults can be fans of this book too.

The story begins with Santa landing in a community. He pops out of his helicopter with a bag of gifts and this is where the fun starts because Santa cuts corners and instead of popping down the chimney/or through the door, he takes a quick look through the window, jumping to a hasty conclusion as to who is inside.

Cut-out windows in the pages help readers to see what Santa sees. And when you turn the page you can see exactly what led Santa astray. In one case, for example, Santa thinks he sees the teeth of a crocodile, when in fact it's the white ears of multiple bunnies.

Potential disaster and sadness looms as Santa leaves gifts that might not be right, and in one case, no gift at all! But in the end, it all works out --of course.

~
PRESENTS THROUGH THE WINDOW is actually a book with some lessons tucked inside. Besides the hilarity kids can learn that it's best not to cut corners or to jump to conclusions.

Recommend for school and home shelves.

~ review copy provided

The artwork in WHEN AN ELEPHANT FALLS IN LOVE is adorable and sweet and so is the story which basically explains to younger children what crushes are all about. Readers get to see how an elephant in love can become distracted, and come to doubt themselves. All of the basics are here, including preening and trying to figure out the best things to wear and do.

There is currently no reading level information available so this is probably a book you will have to read to the really young. I might try it with a 3rd grade reading child.

Nothing objectionable. Might be a nice edition to school classroom shelves.

~review copy

Thoughts, thoughts, thoughts. This short book has got me revisiting past thoughts, as well as introduced to me to what's new in the literature.

Amazingly, Angela Saini has managed to touch upon science, history, and society and she's covered all these facets quite efficiently. I personally loved the new studies she introduced me too. These would be biological studies of human women as well as other primates. The chapter on female mutilation was my least favorite. Not because it wasn't interesting, but because it angers me so much.

Damn, this is such a good book. I am so sorry that I didn't review it at the time that I first read it, waaay back in 2008. I mean, it's amazing how often I think about this book. Certainly whenever I read about the desert or watch or show which features people searching for water.

Water in the desert is not what you think. You don't seek at the bottom of the canyons. Worth a read. In fact, it's worth a re-read.

~ review copy

RANTS FROM HILL is a compilation of stories that appeared in 'High Country News' and other magazines. As such I should have taken the hint and not read it all in one week. Reading the stories, without the break you would get from waiting for the next month's magazine, I think would have made it more of a pleasure. As it was I'm not sure I came away with the impression that the author intended.

There were all the types of stories that the title promises --the strange and drunk Mary Kay Lady, and Packrats and wildfires -- but taken in quick succession I came away with the sense that beer and whiskey were the vital necessities needed to cope with the fact that a good portion of one's time could be spent in drowning rodents.

Now I know perfectly well that the alcohol was probably a 'literary device' that played well in each tale, making it feel regional and chatty; but I hope you can see how having the same 'literary device' in most of the chapters might lead some simple-minded readers, like myself, to pause and wonder if people went to the high desert for the good life, or to be left alone so they could drink in peace.

~
RANTS is an interesting book but it didn't fill me with wonder or make me want to ditch my current life. I enjoyed reading about the shoe-tree and traipsing through the canyons but the stories were written for people who know the region-- and so detail and descriptors are hit and miss. The story about the wildfire was an exception. I truly 'got' show more the danger and the drama. But I got more of the sense of desert from Craig Childs' THE SECRET KNOWLEDGE OF WATER.

And in my opinion, if you want the maximum joy from reading this book, don't do what I did. Don't read it over a few day's time. Instead, stretch out the experience. I really feel that if I had read the chapters with more breathing space between them that I would be adding a star to the current rating. show less

~ review copy

From product page--
"Mary Weber spins a compelling tale with lyrical beauty and devious twist."

"For fans of ENDER'S GAME, THE HUNGER GAMES, and BLADE RUNNER, comes a story of video gaming, blood, and power."

No. Not really.

Mary Weber has written a fun YA novel that features gaming, aliens, and mysteries but whoever wrote up the description does the book and the readers a disservice. At least as far as this first book in the series is concerned.

The writing, in my opinion, is not lyrical. It's sort of your typical YA authorship. And over-pushing the descriptors --like comparing it to Scifi Classics-- is really unfair to the book because it sets high expectations which are going to tend to lower star ratings more than a book might otherwise get. This is no Hunger Games nor Ender's Game. It's more on par with Holly Jenning's ARENA, Wesley Chu's THE RISE OF IO, Vic James' GILDED CAGE, or Ann Aguire's ENCLAVE.

As far as the characters, they took a while to grow on me. Part of the reason is that they are familiar, and part of the reason is that their stories take time to develop.

The story itself is built upon an interesting post-apoc world and the multi-corporate world government seems perfectly reasonable. The gaming world is rather fantastical but therein lies the fun. Add aliens and intrigue, a romantic backstory, and this is a book that could appeal to a lot of female YA readers.

I know the description mentions 'blood' but any violence has been muted. This is a show more book that has some nice elements and while it doesn't end with resolution it still managed to be a satisfying read. show less

~ review copy was provided

This book by Ana Eulate is beautiful. I found the story to be amazing and inspirational. In fact, I can't wait for my teens to get home so I can share it with them. Yes, teenagers. I think it's entirely suitable for teens in the US because it presents the story of a world they know little about. One of great darkness and one where there are amazing sparks of light.

Lopez Lomong is a US Champion runner and now an American citizen. But he didn't attain his university degree nor his citizenship the easy way. He was torn away from his mother's lap during a church mass in Sudan. He almost died in the captivity of militants, but escaped with the help of older boys who promised to watch over him.

*I don't mention this to spoil the story but to give adults who are reading this book to younger children an idea of what happens. There are moments to cheer about, and moments that are sad, but I know that this is not a book I would have read to my young son because he would have found the separation of parents and children too sad. The subject is handled beautifully but might not be perfect for every child. It would have been fine, for example for my daughter.

I think most everyone --young or old-- will find Lomong's story to be inspirational. It's just a good old-fashioned rags-to-riches, or desert poverty to Nike-signing, story. And children will get to see the good that adults and even children like them can do. Not as mighty nations but as individuals. How show more people can open their hearts to save and care for others.

Of course, it's not possible to help such children any more; but it's very nice to be able to point to the past when Christian/Jewish/(fill in your belief system here) sympathy provided protection and opportunity for children like the Lost Boys of Sudan. I will be sure to point out to all our children that such great acts are still being carried out by people in many other places in the world. show less