This is a sprawling ambitious novel, seamlessly blending genres across three distinct time periods: historical 1012, contemporary 2012, and far-future 3012. Each of these time periods connect in surprising ways, as the author left callbacks and call-forwards to reference the other timelines. It works in themes of religion, sainthood, climate change, reincarnation - and an entire future society built on the idea of constant travel. This is an amazing book.

This is a disaster movie, in book form - and it's a true story.

On a dry windy November morning in 2018, a poorly-maintained PG&E transmission line sparked a fire that caught in drought-dry grass and burned through forests thick after centuries of forest mismanagement; an accident of geography that put the town of Paradise right in the fire's path.

This book lays out all of the factors that helped turn the fire into a cataclysm, and tells the stories of people trying to escape the flames. Most of the people in the town that morning escaped and survived, but 85 didn't. We see the firefighters trying to respond to the fire, and the town government trying to respond to the fire bigger than anything they can imagine. It's a gripping page-turner.

On the day I bought this book, the sky was pale and the sun was a pallid yellow from yet another wildfire burning hundreds of miles away in the Sierra foothills in California, a sobering reminder that we're still in the opening scenes of the big disaster movie unfolding in real time around us.

This is the 5th book in the Nick and Tesla series. It's very similar to the other four books in terms of layout. Nick and Tesla find a mystery and solve it using inventions they create (and have instructions for) throughout the book. As always, my son loved it.

Princess Magnolia dresses all in pink and is the stereotypical fantasy princess. Princess Black dresses all in black and battles monsters. Except, they're the same person.

I received this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. I've been delaying writing a review about it because while I really wanted to adore this book, I didn't. The general idea that girls and goat boys can battle monsters is great. However, I was uncomfortable that she did this secretly while all the world thought she was a stereotypical princess. I know that's a common superhero theme. However, it brought back memories of all the girls I knew in high school that were really smart but pretended not to be. I think I would have liked this story better if people had discovered who Princess Black was and had to accept that she didn't necessarily fit the standard princess stereotype.

This is a wonderful book for women who can't or don't want to breastfeed. The book is organized into two sections: 1) background on breastfeeding and bottle feeding and 2) the mechanics of formula feeding. The background is fantastic and makes the book worth reading. The mechanics are very UK/European specific and may not be as helpful for a US audience.

In the first section Madeleine Morris and Dr. Sasha Howard talk about the pros and cons of breast and bottle feeding as well as the research that supports it. I particularly appreciated how they had a very balanced view and were very supportive of breastfeeding. They talk about our modern cultural environment that make breastfeeding difficult for many women and note that while we push women to breastfeed, we often don't provide the societal support that is necessary for breastfeeding to be successful, especially in the work environment.

When my first baby was born, almost 6 years ago, I was obsessed with trying to breastfeed. It was not possible for us. I tried everything and continued to pump multiple times through the night after my son was already sleeping through the night (even though breastmilk was providing only a fraction of my son's nutrition). I was so tired and depressed I started eyeing the medicine cabinet wondering exactly how many pills it would take to let me sleep forever. In addition, I sacrificed bonding with my child in order to pump. I did all this because I believed with all my heart that breastmilk show more was best for my baby. I was wrong. In my case, formula was best for my baby. He needed a healthy mother more than he needed my breastmilk. However, I felt extreme guilt for years afterward.

After being too scared to have another child for years, I'm pregnant again and once again hope to breastfeed. (I have my lactation consultant and therapist both lined up already). I bought _Guilt-free Bottle Feeding_ hoping more for the tips on the mechanics of bottle feeding. From my experience last time I knew that bottle feeding correctly wasn't as easy as it seems like it would be. Most infant care books will have only a couple of paragraphs, at most, of correct bottle feeding technique. Many of the problems with bottle feeding are directly related to an incorrect technique. From that perspective, this book doesn't contain the information I was looking for. There's still a lot of good information but the guidelines are UK/European based and tend to differ from acceptable practice in the US (it's a UK book so this makes sense).

Even though the section on bottle feeding techniques wasn't quite what I was looking for, this is still a fantastic resource for any mother who is struggling with her inability to breastfeed. The research and occasional snarky humor really helped me absorb the material without becoming stressed about my prior experience. My lactation consultant recommended I read _Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers_ (2nd edition) which is a good book (and I've read _many_ breastfeeding books). However, I probably couldn't have gotten through it without _Guilt-free Bottle Feeding_ sitting right next to me reminding me that breastfeeding is great but I can bottle feed and still be a good mother. show less

_Clockwork Lies_ is fantasy steampunk in an interesting world that includes humans that can fly with metal wings, "engines" programmed via punch cards, and dirigibles. Taya Icarus and her "Exalted" husband are on a diplomatic mission to further Ondinium's interest. However, things seem to keep going wrong and it's up to Taya to figure out why. While investigating, Taya is forced into situations that make her re-evaluate some of her core beliefs.

This book is the second in the "Clockwork Heart" series and I felt it was smoother than the first book. That being said, I think the first book, _Clockwork Heart_, provides a lot of context for this book. _Clockwork Lies_ really starts to explore and challenge some of the beliefs that the people of Ondinium are taught and it'll be interesting to see how the third book addresses some of the issues brought up in this book.

I received a free copy of this book via LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.

The _Risk of Love and Magic_ is a fun read. Nadine Malcom is being held captive by her insane step-father. She figures out a way to broadcast her predicament and Magnus Oswi drives to the rescue. However, they have trouble agreeing on what they should do next.

This book is the third in the "California Malcom" series. I hadn't read the other two but I had read the magical historical series (also with Malcoms) which gave me enough context to roughly figure out what was going on. The romance was fine. However, I particularly liked the portrayal of Nadine as smart and tech savvy, if a tad naive. Perhaps it was because I hadn't read the other two books that I found Nadine a lot more interesting than Magnus. Or perhaps, I can just identify with the female computer geek better. In any case, it's a good book to curl up on the sofa with.

I requested this book via the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program.

This is the Fourth book in the Nick and Tesla series. Like every other book in this series, my son loved it. I feel the writing keeps getting better, or maybe I'm just getting use to it. This book is a little different from all the others as it is set within a museum instead of having the kids wander around Half Moon Bay. I appreciated how (towards the end) the kids took their concerns to their uncle and his girlfriend and the grown-ups listened and took them seriously. All-in-all it's a fun book. However, I really hope they come out with an audio version of it because there's only so many times I can handle re-reading it to my son.

I requested this book via the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program.

Shara Thivani is one of the best spies her government has. When one of Shara's old friends is murdered in a rundown colonial outpost, she dispatches herself to catch his murderer.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Shara was an interesting character: smart, strong, and very interested in a history that is borderline taboo. The basic setup and side characters were also interesting. Sometimes the book recounts old events but does it well without it becoming confusing. Parts of it have a similar feel to Max Gladstone's _Three Parts Dead_.

I received this book via LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.

An extremely battered and anonymous woman is taken to a hospital where a doctor tries to heal both her body and mind. The woman, after she wakes up, can't remember her name so takes the name Lex, after some words the doctor heard her murmur in her sleep. Lex tries to remember what happened to her while at the same time tries to prevent anyone from getting too close to her.

There's much I like about this book and some I don't. I always adore strong women and Lex certainly qualifies. I also enjoyed the universe and future discussions of the politics could be very interesting.

It took me a while to get into because there's so much past and alternate viewpoints mixed in with the present. However, I did eventually get into the story and enjoyed it. The main reason I'm giving it three stars instead of 4 is there is a rape scene that was too graphic for me. I understand why it's there and perhaps the story wouldn't have worked as well without it. I skipped over most of it but it was still more than I was willing to deal with.

I received this book through LibraryThing's Earlier Reviewer program.

This book was ok. I really like the premise of picture books talking about creatures that rarely get their own book. However, this just didn't work particularly well for me. Nothing was wrong with the book but it felt like a multi-page infographic. That being said, I did learn some facts about flies that I didn't know before. I suspect this book would really appeal to some kids but my 5-year-old son didn't seem particularly interested.

I received this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.

My son and I really enjoyed listening to this book. The main story revolves around Ephraim and his struggle to deal with the changes in his life brought on by his father's stroke. The Water Castle, the ancestral home Ephraim's family move to after his father's stroke, was fantastic. I love stories with houses that have secret passages and weird quirks. While the story is ostensibly about Ephraim figuring out how to "heal" his father, the other children have their own struggles that they have to work through. The book skirts the edges of fantasy but I'd consider it more realistic fiction with some minor magical elements to it. Chris Henry Coffey's narration was very good and seemed to work well with the story. Overall it was a great book and I look forward to reading more by Ms. Blakemore.

I received this book through LibraryThing's Earlier Reviewer program.

This book is very similar in style to the previous two books in the series. I think my favorite book in the series was the 2nd one but this one had all the same elements that make the series great: kids interested in science, mystery, and gadgets to build.

I requested, and received, this book through LibraryThing's Earlier Reviewer program.

This is the second book in the Nick and Tesla series. While I really like the first one, this second book felt more polished (ironic since I received an ARC). At a high level, the plot is more or less the same as the first book. The kids encounter a problem and set out to solve it using various contraptions. All the elements that I liked about the first are also present here. Tesla continues to delight and the robot instructions look amusing (though we haven't tried to build any).

I requested Nick and Tesla's Secret Agent Gadget Battle via the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program and was pleasantly surprised to receive this book, Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Rampage, as a bonus.

_Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab_, by "Science Bob" Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith, is a nice combination of juvenile mystery and science project. The two main protagonists in the book are Nick and Tesla, twins who have been shipped off to live with their uncle while their parents deal with a soybean emergency in Uzbekistan. Uncle Newt is a stereotypical absent-minded scientist who takes a benign interest in the children but doesn't know how to take care of kids. Nick and Tesla are given free reign to tinker in Uncle Newt's basement laboratory. They start creating gadgets first to amuse themselves and then to help solve the mystery of the Old Landrigan Place.

This was an amusing book to read to my son. I also like that it portrays Tesla, a girl, as interested in science and technology as her brother. In addition to the story, the book also contains instructions on how to build the gadgets that Nick and Tesla create. We didn't try any of them but the parts list and directions appear fairly straight-forward.

Overall, both my son and I enjoyed reading about the twins and their problem-solving approach to unusual circumstances.

I requested, and received, this book through LibraryThing's Earlier Reviewer program.

I requested, and received, this book through LibraryThing's Earlier Reviewer program. Mary Balogh writes good books and this one is no exception.

_The Arrangement_ is the second in Balogh's Survivor's Club Series. Our hero is Vincent Hunt, the blind Viscount of Darleigh. Vincent flees his families well-intentioned efforts to match him up with a bride that can take care of him. Vincent decides to go back to the village he grew up in. He believes he will be safe from matchmaking but, of course, he's wrong. Sophie, a poor relation of the March family, has resigned herself to always being a poor relation. However, she dreams of having a little cottage all to herself someday.

Balogh creates an interesting setup with a unique hero. Blind heroes are not very common in romance books. I read the book quickly. However, even though I enjoyed it, I probably won't read it again. I prefer romance books with a lot of banter between the two protagonists. Vincent and Sophie do talk a lot and appear to be working on a solid relationship. However, it's a bit more serious than I prefer in a comfort read.

I enjoyed reading the 2nd edition of _The Accidental Systems Librarian_, by Nicole C. Engard with Rachel Singer Gordon. Among other things, the book covers what a systems librarian is, some general skills systems librarians probably need to learn, and how to continue growing professionally. I felt the chapter on personal networking was particularly good. I also liked the extensive appendices at the end listing additional reading and resources.

The one area I didn't feel the book spent enough time on is the importance of backups. It was briefly mentioned but I feel backups deserve at least a chapter by themselves. I understand that not every systems librarian is going to be in a position where they are directly in control of the backup environment. However, I've heard horrible horror stories of libraries losing six months of data, and sometimes more, due to inadequate backup schemes.

Overall, I thought this was a really well-written book. It's particularly helpful for those just entering the systems world but more experienced systems librarians may enjoy browsing through and checking out the resources in the appendices.

Note: I requested, and received, this book through LibraryThing's Earlier Reviewer program.

I requested, and received, this book through LibraryThing's Earlier Reviewer program because I love Patricia Rice's books. However, it's been several months and I still haven't made it through this one yet. What I've read so far has been good, but it's just slightly heavier than I'm looking for at the moment. This is probably more a reflection of my current life than the book.

_It's our Nature_, by Rebeca Orozco and illustrated by Menena Cottin, is a picture book about various virtues in the animal kingdom. For example, one animal discussed is the flamingo which is used as an example of community when groups of flamingos help look after each others' chicks. I received a free copy from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.

I really wanted to like this book but, in the end, I can't muster any enthusiasm for it. I requested the book because the cover illustration is in a style my 3-year-old son tends to like and he's also currently obsessed with penguins. I like the illustrations. However, I found the text to be uninspiring and sometimes a little awkward. For example, in the flamingo section it says, "They take the little flamingo to a part of the lake where a group of parents, a sort of daycare, look after all the chicks." I don't think there's anything wrong with the sentence but it doesn't feel quite right to me either. I noticed on the copyright page that it mentioned this was a translation so maybe some of the original spark was lost in the translation, I'm not sure.

We've had our copy for a couple of weeks now and my son did listen to it fine the first time we read it but hasn't requested it again. He is only 3 and the publisher is recommending it for ages 5-8 so maybe it's just too old for him. My son doesn't have a problem with longer books, he loves _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ and _Mr. Popper's Penguins_, but perhaps the show more concepts in_It's Our Nature_ are still too advanced for him to understand at his current age.

All that being said, I do like the concept of the book. It's always nice to find books that emphasize values I believe in and since the book isn't religiously oriented, it would work well for a diverse audience. show less

My favorite aspect about _Vulture Verses: Love Poems for the Unloved_, written by Diane Lang and illustrated by Lauren Gallegos, is it takes a non-fiction topic and creatively weaves words and pictures together to create a fun reading experience. Many of the non-fiction books we get for my preschooler are topics that are interesting to him but contain stock photos with uninspiring descriptions. As a result, it's always a joy to find a book where the author and illustrator obviously spent a great deal of time thinking about how to best to present the story they're telling.

I really like the illustrations in the book. They're beautifully drawn but very clean and don't overwhelm the page. I also enjoyed the format of a brief poem for each animal followed by several sentences discussing a lesser-known quality of the creature. My 3-year-old son seemed to interact well with the book. When we got to mosquitoes, the text says, "Yes, even mosquitoes have their place. Like many other insects, they pollinate . . ." and my son immediately responded with, "just like bees!"

My only minor quibble with the book, from an adult perspective, is sometimes the rhymes seemed a little predictable. However, I'm not an expert on children's books and my son didn't seem to mind. It's too early to tell if this will become one of his favorite books. However, it's one I would be happy to read multiple times to him.

Note: I received an ebook copy of _Vulture Verses_ via the LibraryThing Early Reviewer show more program. show less

My 20-month old boy loves this book. At first, I thought the pictures and words would be too advanced for him but he's mesmerized by it.

My son loves this book. Particularly if the parent reading has the energy to replicate the flying poses in the book.

My toddler loves sliding the windows in the board book open and closed. The actual text isn't inspiring but it can keep him occupied for a long time when in the car seat.

My 15-month son loves this book. He consistently pulls it out of a pile of other books. It's probably because I sing the first rhyme, Baa Baa Black Sheep :)