Foggidawn goes beyond 75 books! Thread 2 for 2012

Hi! I'm foggidawn, and this is my second year in the 75-book challenge. I'm a children's librarian and voracious reader, and will probably read 200+ books in 2012. I tend to read a lot of children's and YA, a fair amount of fantasy, and a few classics, cozy mysteries, chick lit, memoirs, inspirational fiction, and anything else that catches my attention.

You can check out my first thread here.

I have reviewed many of the books I have read this year -- my reviews are here.

I also have a blog -- much of the content is duplicated from this thread, but occasionally I post other things there. You can check out my blog here.

Here's what I've read so far in 2012:

1. The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit
2. Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii by Robin Jones Gunn
3. Wildwood by Colin Meloy
4. The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True by Gerald Morris
5. You Against Me by Jenny Downham
6. Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
7. The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure
8. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
9. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
10. Chime by Franny Billingsley
11. Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker
12. One Good Knight by Mercedes Lackey
13. Level Up by Gene Luen Yang
14. Drawing from Memory by Allen Say
15. Legend by Marie Lu
16. The Crimson Thread by Suzanne Weyn
17. Charles Dickens and the Street Children of London by Andrea Warren
18. Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
19. Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
20. Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
21. Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby
22. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
23. Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin
24. One Dog and His Boy by Eva Ibbotson
25. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer Smith
26. Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
27. Dumpling Days by Grace Lin
28. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
29. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
30. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
31. This One Time with Julia by David Lampson
32. Silver Birch, Blood Moon, edited by Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow
33. Down the Mysterly River by Bill Willingham
34. Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn
35. Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross
36. Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
37. The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
38. Girl Meets Boy, edited by Kelly Milner Halls
39. Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones
40. Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer
41. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
42. A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
43. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
44. The Thirteen Hallows by Michael Scott and Colette Freedman
45. Chalice by Robin McKinley
46. Faking Faith by Josie Bloss
47. The Humming Room by Ellen Potter
48. Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik
49. i heart bloomberg by Melody Carlson
50. The Difference Between You and Me by Madeleine George
51. Theater Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
52. The Storm Makers by Jennifer E. Smith
53. All Men of Genius by Lev Rosen
54. Caddy's World by Hilary McKay
55. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
56. The (Not Quite) Perfect Boyfriend by Lili Wilkinson
57. The Moon Over High Street by Natalie Babbitt
58. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
59. Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan
60. The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker
61. Storm Runners by Roland Smith
62. The Goblin Wood by Hilari Bell
63. The Apothecary by Maile Meloy
64. A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson
65. Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier
66. The Incorrigible Children of Aston Place, Book III: The Unseen Guest by Maryrose Wood
67. Starters by Lissa Price
68. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
69. The Printer's Devil by Paul Bajoria
70. The Goblin Gate by Hilari Bell
71. The Goblin War by Hilari Bell
72. Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff
73. Fever by Lauren DeStefano
74. The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
75. The Fairy Ring: or Elsie and Frances Fool the World by Mary Losure
76. Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti
77. Pure by Julianna Baggott
78. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
79. Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal
80. The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity by Mike Carey and Peter Gross
81. The List by Siobhan Vivian
82. Magic Under Stone by Jaclyn Dolamore

Note: Titles in bold are my favorites so far this year. Titles in italics are rereads.

Congrats on the new thread!

I am here! It's amazing how many books you've read. Unfortunately I haven't had anything intelligent to say, hence my infrequent commenting, but I've been keeping up, and I can't wait to see what books you read next. :)

Welcome to the multiple-thread club!

Checking in on the new thread!

Hello Leah, Eris, Roni, and Stasia -- thanks for stopping by!

I just finished adding the list of books I've read so far this year to the second post in this thread. I'm not going to do touchstones for all of those books since they're touchstoned in my previous thread, but I did put favorites in bold and rereads in italics.

Time to put this new thread to work!

(83 books read)

I've been in the mood for mysteries lately -- a change of pace from all of the young adult, dystopian, and fantasy I've been reading lately. I pulled Clouds of Witness off my shelf, thinking it was the first book in the Lord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy Sayers. (It's actually the second book; my copy of Whose Body? doesn't fit in with the rest of the mass market paperbacks, so it lives on a different shelf. I'll go back and catch up on reading that one eventually.)

In Clouds of Witness, Lord Peter and Bunter are returning from a trip abroad, only to discover that Lord Peter's brother Gerald, Duke of Denver, is accused of murder. Who is he said to have murdered? Denis Cathcart, his sister Mary's fiance. And Gerald refuses to provide an alibi for the time of death. It will take all of Lord Peter's skill to extricate his brother from this mess -- without implicating his sister, whose story about her actions that night also has a few holes.

I read all of the Lord Peter books in high school and college, and that's been long enough ago that I have forgotten the plots of many of the books, so I am enjoying them again! Lord Peter is one of my favorite detectives in literature -- I'll even admit to a small literary crush -- and the other recurring characters (Bunter, Parker, the Dowager Duchess) are like old friends as well. I'm looking forward to rereading the rest of the series!

ETA: Despite differences in coloring, I kept picturing Lady Mary Wimsey as Lady Mary Crawley from Downton Abbey! The whole "getting engaged to a man you don't love for the sake of convenience" plotline didn't help me differentiate the two.

(84 books read)

In Unnatural Death by Dorothy Sayers, Lord Peter encounters what just might be the perfect murder. An old lady, dying of cancer, passes away a few months earlier than the doctor had predicted. Her money goes to the grand-niece who is her next-of-kin and chosen heir, even though the old lady had a superstitious aversion to making a will. Only the doctor is suspicious -- and that could just be a case of professional pride. After all, there's no evidence of foul play. A chance encounter between Lord Peter and the doctor sets off an investigation . . . and because of the investigation, there are more crimes, more victims.

In this book, the reader really sees Lord Peter wrestling with the philosophical and ethical problems that an amateur detective must face. If he hadn't started poking his nose into the details of the case, all that would have happened was that a little old lady would have died a few months earlier than predicted. However, to conceal the murder, the murderer is willing to go to great lengths. More people will die -- is Lord Peter in some measure culpable for those deaths? Does Lord Peter solve crimes, in a sense, for his own amusement? And is it worth solving a murder like this one, if more lives are lost as collateral damage along the way? I'm always impressed at how deftly Sayers ties these issues into her characterization of Lord Peter, with Parker's down-to-earth practicality, Bunter's efficiency, and Miss Climpson's lively curiosity as perfect foils for him.

As you can probably tell, I'm really enjoying rereading this series. I plan to go back and pick up Whose Body? next, then continue through the series.

I've heard about Dorothy Sayers here and there, but I've never seriously investigated her books. This sounds fascinating! I love it when there is deep philosophy in mysteries. Excellent review, and many thanks!

The want-to-read pile is growing bigger and bigger... :)

#10 -- Of all of the mystery novels that I've read (and I've read a few . . . ), Sayers' books are the best-written, in terms of characterization and of dealing with philosophy and ethics. They also have a lot of fun literary allusions (usually thrown around by Lord Peter; he has a tendency to prattle like a Wodehouse character when he's feeling facetious).

Foggi -checking in on your new thread. Well done for sweeping past the 75 mark with such aplomb.

#12 -- Thanks, Paul!

Checking in on the new thread, Foggi. :)

Hi Micky!

(85 books read)

In Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers, a powerful businessman is missing. On the night of his disappearance, an unidentified corpse turns up in a bathtub. Are the two incidents related? It's up to Lord Peter to discover the truth.

When reading a series, I often find that I've said everything I want to say about them in the first post or so. I'll continue to read and enjoy this series, but my postings about the books are probably going to be brief.

(86 books read)

I took a break from the Lord Peter Wimsey books to read Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer. An advance copy was sent to me for professional review, so I won't be posting a full review here. I have to admit, I didn't love it. I think it will be a fun read for the teens it was written for, but I found the characters annoying and whiny, and the writing utilitarian. It's also a departure from Picoult's usual fare, so I'll be interested to see what her fans think of it when it is released.

(87 books read)

Back to Lord Peter -- The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club reminded me a bit of Unnatural Death. In this book, an elderly gentleman is found dead in his usual chair at his club. It seems obvious that he had a heart attack, but the time of death is very difficult to ascertain. Normally it wouldn't matter, but there's a complicated issue of inheritance that depends upon the old gentleman's actual time of death. In investigating the old gentleman's final 24 hours, Lord Peter discovers that there's more to the death than anyone originally suspected.

(88 books read)

Finally and Forever by Robin Jones Gunn is the conclusion of the Katie Weldon series. More than that, this book wraps up loose ends from over twenty years of writing by Robin Jones Gunn. Katie was a secondary character in Gunn's Christy Miller series, Sierra Jensen series, and Christy and Todd: The College Years trilogy. Christy's story was wrapped up in that trilogy (though she makes occasional appearances in other books), Sierra's story concluded with Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii (one of my reads from January of this year), and now Katie's story concludes with this book.

Katie, in her usual spunky and impulsive style, has followed her boyfriend Eli to Africa, where his parents work with a mission organization. Now that Katie and Eli have finished college, they both hope to find a way to be useful in Kenya. Will Katie be able to adjust to life in Africa? Will she and Eli find purpose for their lives -- and will those purposes be compatible, or will the two of them end up going their separate ways?

I have a sentimental connection to Gunn's writing, since I counted her among my favorite authors when I was a teen. Her squeaky-clean inspirational romances are better written than most of that genre, and she does a good job of creating interesting characters and developing relationships between them. Her teen and young adult novels feel realistic -- they're a good depiction of the conservative Evangelical Christian culture I grew up in. As such, they may not be of interest to those unfamiliar or disinterested in that culture. For their target audience, however, they are a pleasant diversion.

I often don't mention book covers, but I do want to add that this one is particularly heinous. The first three books in this series have covers that are actually expressive of Katie's personality and of the tone of the story -- but with this book, the publishers threw all of that out of the window and decided to go for a soft-focus picture of a dreamy-eyed girl who looks like Africa would chew her up and spit her out. I'm really unimpressed. It looks like they just gave up and slapped any old stock photo on this cover.

I don't think I'd be interested in Finally and Forever, but I definitely appreciate a good review. :)

In just a week, school is over for me! That means that I can finally start to chug through my to-read list, and after I'm done with that, I want to read the Lord Peter books. Your reviews are really making me want to get back into reading mysteries, especially since there's a new detective for me to check out.

#20 -- Hooray for summer vacation! :-) I hope you like the Lord Peter books when you get a chance to read them.

(89 books read)

Strong Poison by Dorothy Sayers is one of my favorite books in the series. A woman is on trial for poisoning her lover. The evidence points, overwhelmingly, to her guilt -- but Lord Peter is convinced that she is innocent. In fact, he takes a rather personal interest in this particular case. . . .

This book introduces a character who plays a significant role in future books, and also advances certain through-running plot lines. The dialogue is excellent, even better than in the earlier books, and a few lines had me nearly rolling with laughter (there's a conversation between Lord Peter and his sister concerning pajamas that is particularly noteworthy). I reread this book more recently than most of the others, so had some vague memories about the solution to the crime, but this is one of those rare detective novels that bears rereading even without that element of surprise.

(90 books read)

Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers is not one of my favorite Lord Peter Wimsey books, though the complicated plot and over-abundant Scots dialect make it one of the most memorable ones. Lord Peter retreats to the picturesque Scottish countryside and, of course, there is a murder. Campbell, a hot-tempered artist, is found at the bottom of a cliff, but his death was no accident. Any of six other local artists could have committed the crime, but only one of them did.

I'll admit, this one was a bit of a slog for me. Reading before bed, it was all too easy to drift off to sleep when the police started discussing train time-tables. There were far too many trains, towns, bicycles, and suspects, and they were far too difficult to tell apart. Wimsey doesn't shine as much in this one as in previous books, and after all of the character work in Strong Poison, this detached and relatively unemotional Lord Peter is a bit of a let-down. Still, it's Lord Peter, so worth a read!

I've been catching up on your threads and I lso read quite a lot of YA but possibly not as much as you. That said I've also just recently read the first two Montmaray Journals books A brief history of Montmaray and The FitzOsbornes in Exile. I really enjoyed the second book, found it interesting to have politics feature so strongly in a YA. I have started the third book which just came out a month ago.

I also enjoyed Mary Robinette Kowal's Shades of Milk and Honey so it's good to know that book 2 is fun as well. So many other books you've commented on that I have read or have on my tbr list and I've also added a few: Icefall, Breaking Stalin's Nose and Listening for Lions. Now I'm off to check out your blog.

#24 -- Thanks! I've been thinking I should read the other two Montmaray books while the first is still fresh in my mind.

(91 books read)

Taking a brief hiatus from the Lord Peter series, I just read Fruitlands: Louisa May Alcott Made Perfect by Gloria Whelan. This fictionalized account of Alcott's life covers the year the Alcott family lived at Fruitlands, Bronson Alcott's attempt at a utopian society. The book is in diary format, alternating between Louy's "public" and "private" journals (as imagined by Whelan, of course). These document the struggles of a loving and high-spirited girl who longs to be a good and obedient daughter, but finds herself a long way from perfection. She's surrounded by an interesting cast of characters -- her loving mother, of course, and high-minded father, as well as her perfect older sister Anna, sympathetic younger sister Lizzie, and toddler Abby May. Joining them at Fruitlands are Mr. Lane, a stern Englishman, and his son William, along with a motley cast of characters who are also seeking perfection. (Unfortunately, these secondary characters are more sketches than fully developed characters.) The quest ends unhappily, as the year's harvest proves insufficient to see them through the winter, and the individuals end up going their separate ways.

This book is not one of Whelan's better efforts. Perhaps the difficulty is in portraying so well-known a figure as Alcott faithfully, or perhaps it's the bittersweet ending of the book, but for me, the story fell flat. It was a quick read, but felt a bit repetitive -- Louy does something seemingly harmless / speaks without thinking / is a tiny bit rebellious, father scolds her, she cries and apologizes. Moreover, I think it is difficult to find the right audience for this book. Readers too young for Little Women are unlikely to be interested in the lives of the Alcott family, though some readers who enjoy books like the "Dear America" series might read it for the diary format and historical context. Older readers who are interested in Alcott's life will probably seek information among the plethora of Alcott biographies, where they can get more concrete information about Bronson Alcott's Transcendental philosophies and utopian dreams. This book is pleasant (though not particularly exciting) to read, but it neither presents a great deal of information about Alcott nor engages the reader with strong plotting and characterization.

(92 books read)

Merits of Mischief: The Bad Apple by T.R. Burns is the first book in a quirky new series for young readers. When he accidentally kills a substitute teacher by throwing an apple, Seamus Hinkle's parents send him to a school for troublemakers. What his parents don't know is that Kilter Academy is not a reform school . . . if anything, it's the opposite. Seamus and his fellow students are trained in the art and science of troublemaking. At Kilter Academy, demerits are good and gold stars are bad. Playing pranks on your teachers is mandatory. Students who fail to make enough trouble are in danger of expulsion. The thing is, Seamus wasn't trying to be a bad kid -- the incident with the apple was an extremely unfortunate accident. Can he survive his time at Kilter Academy?

This odd little story fits in well with books like The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Name of This Book is Secret. It's very obvious that the author plans to continue with the series, as very few loose ends are tied up at the end of this book, and though it's not exactly a cliffhanger, readers may find that they have more questions than answers when the book is closed. Even so, it's a tremendously fun read, and I'll be keeping an eye out for future installments.

(93 books read)

In Have His Carcase by Dorothy Sayers, Harriet Vane stumbles upon a dead body on a deserted beach. Evidence shows that the man has been dead for only minutes, but there's nobody else in sight. Was it suicide -- or murder? And will Harriet find herself a suspect in yet another murder investigation?

Each Lord Peter Wimsey novel seems to have something particular to recommend it, and in this one, it's the glimpses we get into Harriet's character and thought processes, and Harriet and Lord Peter's developing relationship. I'm really looking forward to Gaudy Night (I'm skipping Murder Must Advertise because I read it last year), but I have a few non-Sayers books to read in the interim.

Congratulations on reading 96 books!

(94 books read)

I reread Divergent by Veronica Roth, in anticipation of reading the sequel. Divergent was one of my favorite reads last year -- here's what I wrote about it then:

Divergent is a dystopian novel set in a world where humans have divided into five factions that co-exist peacefully, each faction taking charge of one function of government or society. At the age of 16, each person makes the most important choice of their life: which faction to join. Factions are based on which trait one most values: bravery, selflessness, intelligence, honesty, or kindness. Once a person has chosen a faction, the faction is expected to hold the foremost place in their loyalties, even before their family.

Beatrice Prior has grown up in Abnegation, the selfless faction which controls the government (because of their selflessness, they are seen as uncorruptible), but Tris doesn't feel like she is selfless enough to spend her life in Abnegation. She struggles with the thought of leaving everything and everyone she has ever known, but choosing her faction is only the first challenge that awaits her. After choosing a faction, teens must pass Initiation -- different for each faction, but challenging and sometimes dangerous. To top it off, Tris may be even more different than she originally suspected . . . and she lives in a world where such differences can get her killed.

This tightly-plotted story will grab readers' attention, pull them in, rush them through heart-pounding action, and leave them breathlessly wanting more. The author doesn't pull any punches, either: Tris's danger feels raw and realistic. The characters are strong and complex, and there's just enough romance to add interest to the story without taking over the central plot. Fans of The Hunger Games will love this book.

I wrote that review to avoid even the minor spoiler of which faction Tris chose, so if you haven't read the book and would like to remain unspoiled, you may want to skip the rest of this post.

I was struck once again, as I had been when I first read the book, about how unsuited I would be for Dauntless, Tris's chosen faction! The description of Dauntless initiation sounds absolutely miserable to me. I'd probably end up in Amity or Abnegation, myself -- though an online quiz I took a while back placed me in Erudite. (Side note: the fact that the faction names don't agree in case bothers me. I mean, shouldn't it be Erudition, to match Amity, Abenegation, Candor -- but then Dauntlessness just sounds dumb. Maybe it should be Dauntless, Erudite, Candid, Amicable, Abnegating? The fact that I am grammar-picking probably indicates that Erudite would, in fact, be the proper faction for me.)

(95 books read)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth is just as fast-paced and gut-wrenching as its predecessor. The five factions are on the brink of war: Abnegation decimated by Erudite's attack, Dauntless split in half in the aftermath of the battle, Amity hoping for peace and trying to remain neutral, and Candor searching for the truth of the matter. And then there are the Factionless . . . who may hold secrets that Tris and Four never would have guessed.

This book picks up right where Divergent left off. The well-regulated world established in that book has obviously just been shattered, and more conflict is on the way. Insurgent begins to hint at some of the questions raised by Divergent: how were the factions established? What, if anything, exists beyond the fence? Why is Divergence such an important trait? The questions aren't all answered in this book, but they are at least acknowledged -- and another book is on the way. . . .

(96 books read)

Same Sun Here by Silas House and Neela Vaswani is an epistolary novel for young readers, a story of two unlikely pen pals who are, perhaps, more similar than one might initially expect. River Justice is a boy from Eastern Kentucky, the son of a coal miner. Meena Joshi is a girl from New York City, though she was born in India. The two correspondents learn a lot about, and from, each other over the course of a year.

This book is obviously of didactic intent, though the story does not come across as overly didactic. Set in 2008, there is a lot of discussion of the politics of the day (specifically, the presidential election). I enjoyed reading this book, but I think it will have limited appeal to kids. I can definitely see it being used in a classroom setting, though.

(97 books read)

I just read Forgive Me, I Meant To Do It: False Apology Poems by Gail Carson Levine. I decided to review it in the style of the book:

This Is Just To Say

I have read
your funny book
of false
apology poems

I liked them
but that's really
all I'm going
to say

Forgive me
I never was
very good at
reviewing poetry

*claps* Brava, Foggi! You'll become an Emily Dickinson, yet! ;)

I'd have to use a lot more dashes --- to be Emily Dickinson!

Woohoo! My first ever "hot review!" Thanks to anyone who thumbed it.

(98 books read)

Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke is the story of Jon, a young British boy unwillingly sent to boarding school by his mother and soon-to-be stepfather. He's harboring boatloads of resentment, but that's not all that's haunting him in the ancient city of Salisbury. A centuries-old ghost has sworn vengeance on one of Jon's ancestors, and he's pursuing the feud right down the family line. Jon calls on the ghost of an even more ancient knight, one who has sworn to protect the innocent until the sins of his lifetime are expiated. In gratitude for the knight's help, Jon promises to serve as the knight's squire and to do him a favor that may help him rest easier in his grave. The task proves both difficult and dangerous, but Jon has help from his new friend Ella . . . and from another, much more unexpected source!

One of the things I liked best about this book is how much history Funke incorporated into the story. It made me want to learn more about Ela Longespee, an influential woman from 13th century Britain -- I had never even heard of her before! I also thought the characters were interesting, and Jon in particular undergoes a good bit of character development over the course of the story. I quite enjoyed this book, and it certainly made me want to visit Salisbury!

(99 books read)

I read The Dragon of Trelian by Michelle Knudsen back when it first came out, and reread it just now since the sequel has been released. I enjoyed it when I first read it, but the details of the story did not stick with me at all, so I am glad I squeezed in a reread before proceeding with the series.

When apprentice mage Calen and Princess Meglynne encounter each other (both hiding from their respective responsibilities), a fast friendship is formed. Both children were lonely and isolated by their positions, and they soon find themselves sharing secrets. Meg has a big secret -- she discovered a young dragon in the woods near the castle, and she has been hiding it in a cave ever since. In fact, Meg and the dragon Jakl have formed a magical bond. They are, in fact, linked for life, whether they meant to be or not. Calen resolves to help keep Meg's secret, and he begins to research the dragon linkage in hopes of helping her manage it. Even bigger than this dragon-size problem, however, is the scheme of an evil mage who is plotting war and murder. When Calen and Meg stumble upon this plot, their lives are in danger -- and they are the only ones who can sound the alarm and stop the plot from wreaking havoc in Meg's family and her kingdom.

This is a fun fantasy read -- though I found myself enjoying it a little less as a reread than I did at first. Perhaps that's because it's not highly original, as far as the plot goes. I like the characters, and I think Meg's conflicted feelings about her link with Jakl are particularly well-done. Some of the secondary characters (Meg's parents, for instance) are a bit flat, while others (Serek, the mage Calen is apprenticed to, in particular) are intriguing. It's a good solid read, and I'd recommend it to fans of middle-grade fantasy, especially those who like the Dragon Slippers books by Jessica Day George and A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine.

(100 books read)

In The Princess of Trelian by Michelle Knudsen, Meg and Calen face dangers both familiar and new. Calen and his master Serek have traveled to the headquarters of the Magistratum for Calen's first official mage-mark, but while they are there the Magistratum is attacked by mysterious forces, and some of the mages think Calen is to blame. Meanwhile, back in Trelian, a neighboring kingdom claims to have been attacked by a dragon, and Jakl is their prime suspect. Meg is sure that Jakl has had nothing to do with the attacks, but she's been suffering from violent nightmares, herself. Could that have something to do with her link with the dragon? She's hesitant to discuss it with her family, because they are already mistrustful of Meg and Jakl's link. When Meg tries to take matters into her own hands, she manages to make a bad situation worse . . . and Calen, one of the few people who really understands her link with Jakl, may be too far away to help. Trelian teeters on the brink of war, the Magistratum seems to be breaking apart -- is there some evil force orchestrating events, and what roles will Meg and Calen play in how they unfold?

I thought this book was about on par with its predecessor. It's obvious that it's the second book in (most likely) a trilogy. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. A few new characters are introduced -- most notably the eccentric mage Anders, possibly my favorite character in the series so far. Readers who enjoyed the first book in the series will probably like this one, though they will doubtless be impatient for the release of the next book.

(101 books read)

Black Heart by Holly Black is the conclusion of the Curseworkers trilogy, and I'm finding it hard to explain the series. First of all, if you're at all interested -- if, for instance, you like urban fantasy, or reading about original, well-developed magic systems, you should start with White Cat, where you can meet teenage con man Cassel Sharpe and his mob family and preppy boarding school friends. You can immerse yourself in a world where some individuals have the ability to work curses by touch, so everyone in society wears gloves to prevent being worked. And you can avoid the spoilers that will be included in the rest of this review.

In Black Heart, Cassel is working for the Feds -- or is he? After all, Cassel will always look out for Cassel first, and he hasn't made a definite commitment to the Feds yet. Still, they need his unique talents for a big job. If he plays his cards right, he may be able to make everyone happy: the Feds, his family, the crime boss, his friends, the mob, and Lila -- the girl he loves, who was cursed to love him back and . . . well, it's complicated. Then again, if Cassel messes up, the consequences could be deadly. Will Cassel be able to pull off "the Big One?"

I liked this book just as much as the first two in the series. Cassel has a strong, smart (and smart-alecky) voice, and he was a lot of fun to read about, as always. The plot came together nicely, though it seemed just a little bit more straightforward than the other two books. That may be because this book has a definite ending, wrapping up loose ends nicely. A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.

Side note: I'm planning on participating in the 48-Hour Book Challenge this weekend. I'll post any reviews I write here, but I'll probably have a few extra readathon-related posts on my blog. Usually I duplicate everything, but for this weekend it might be worth checking in over there. You can read my preliminary planning post here.

Glad you like Black Heart! I've read the first two and I really enjoyed them about a year back. I have Black Heart on my TBR pile, and I can only hope that my tastes in literature haven't changed so vastly from then that it stops me from liking the book (stupid teenage hormones and phases :P ). After I finish Code Name Verity that will be the first book I read!

(102 books read)

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini is a fairly good read, though it has its weak points.

Nantucket native Helen Hamilton knows that she's different, but she doesn't know why. She's beautiful but painfully shy, and though she's both smart and athletic, she holds herself back in both areas so as not to draw attention. When the Delos family moves to the island and their teenage children start attending Helen's school, Helen finds herself consumed with an inexplicable burning hatred toward these newcomers. Helen's usually pretty easygoing, so her emotions come as a surprise to her and her friends. She even physically attacks Lucas, one of the Delos boys, in the hallway at school. Everything changes, though, when she and Lucas end up saving each others' lives. Helen learns that she is a demigod -- part of one of four rival families who have been battling since ancient times. And though Helen and Lucas are undeniably attracted to each other, they can never be together . . . the fate of the world depends on it.

So, this is sounding pretty Twilighty, right? A shy, beautiful girl, a mysterious family of beautiful people, a forbidden romance . . . I'd actually say it's Twilight meets Percy Jackson, and recommend it to people who enjoyed both of those series. It does have an edge over Twilight in a few ways, though. For one thing, Helen is as strong as the Delos family. They do some Cullen-esque protecting of her, but they also work on training her to use her gifts, and they acknowledge that she has the potential to be stronger than any of them. For another thing, Lucas is not as cold as a marble statue, he doesn't sparkle in the sunlight, and he has no desire to eat Helen. 'Nuff said, right? And I also appreciated that Helen doesn't completely dump her mortal friends for the Delos family. As for weaknesses, there are places where the writing is a little clunky, there are some weird perspective shifts toward the end of the book, after being pretty much in Helen's head for the bulk of the story, and Helen's passive attitude toward her training got on my nerves sometimes. Still, this was an enjoyable read which I'm sure I'll be recommending to teens looking for something similar to Twilight, and I'll probably read the sequel sooner or later.

Congratulations on your hot review.

#42 -- I have Code Name Verity out from the library, so will be reading it soon. I'm looking forward to it, but waiting until I'm in the mood for a "serious" read.

#44 -- Thanks!

(103 books read)

Eliza Windsor is The Last Princess. In post-apocalyptic Britain, the ruling family is holding on to the throne by the skins of their teeth. The world was devastated by the Seventeen Days, an unspecified apocalyptic event, and global communications were obliterated. The last of the Windsors are struggling to maintain some semblance of normalcy, but revolutionary forces are demanding their heads. When the palace is invaded, Eliza is the only royal who manages to escape. She doesn't know what has happened to her family, but she's determined to find out -- and to avenge them, if necessary.

This is the grittiest "princess book" imaginable -- don't expect poofy skirts and court intrigue! Instead, as I remarked to a co-worker, this book has cannibals and death camps. Not that I'm complaining -- it's certainly a valid way of picturing a post-apocalyptic future. I thought that ties to the present day were generally well-done, though I'm perhaps not familiar enough with UK politics to see any gaping plot holes. And, while I found Eliza a little flat in her grim determination to exact revenge, I must admit that a less forceful character would not have survived in the world that the author has created. I would recommend this to fans of dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels, particularly readers who find some recent dystopias just a little too wimpy.

(104 books read)

Homesick: My Own Story by Jean Fritz is the story of a young American growing up in China. At the age of 11, Jean has never set foot on American soil, but she dreams of the day when she will get to experience typical American childhood events: feeding chickens at her grandmother's farm, roller-skating, saying the Pledge of Allegiance in school. On the other hand, she loves her life in China, too. This fictionalized memoir is a lovely description of a young girl who is, in many ways, torn between two countries. Fritz obviously remembers vividly what it is to be a child -- young Jean struggles with her parents' expectations that she be a "good" girl. "Sometimes, I don't even try [to be good]," she admits in a letter to her grandmother.

When a friend (@Whisper1) passed this book along to me, I thought that I had never read it -- but as I read, I found that certain mental images echoed back from my childhood: the junks on the Yangtze, the chef with his long fingernails and his elaborate butter pagodas, the little boy who calls Jean a "foreign devil" and with whom she shares an orange. I must have read this at some point in the deep and dusty past. While the descriptions of Fritz's China are, by now, somewhat dated, her descriptions of her childhood feelings are timeless.

I've just added The Last Princess to my TBR list. Looking forward to your review of Code Name Verity.

#48 -- Great! Hope you enjoy it . . . if "enjoy" is the right word. And I still haven't gotten to Code Name Verity, though it's probably going to be the next one I read. Of course, I have to get through this tremendous backlog of reviews before I review it!

(105 books read)

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson is truly a fantasy epic. Large portions of the narrative focus on three characters: a young woman sent by her family to steal a valuable artifact, a slave who was once a soldier and a leader and has the potential to become one again, and an aging warrior who faces the challenge of uniting a fractured kingdom. Other points of view are touched on, but those three stories are the backbone of the narrative. As with all of Sanderson's writing, the magic system is detailed and creative. Readers who enjoy epic fantasy will, no doubt, enjoy this. In fact, I enjoyed it, on the whole. I must admit that I slogged through the middle portions, and I put off reading it for almost two years because I dreaded the time commitment involved in reading the entire book. I'm glad I read it, though I don't think I like it quite as much as I liked the Mistborn series, or Elantris. Still, I'm glad I finally got around to it!

(106 books read)

In A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix, Prince Khemri has been trained, enhanced, and programmed since infancy to become one of the elite rulers of the galaxy. He dreams of someday becoming Emperor. When he leaves his secure training area to take his place among other Princes, however, he learns that the world is not at all what he expected. Competition between princes is cut-throat, he has to work for the luxuries he expected to come with his station, and not all Princes are just and honorable. The biggest challenge comes when he is sent on a top-secret training mission where he has to live as a normal human, among other normal humans. Will he be able to function without the technologies that have surrounded him his entire life? Will he be able to complete his mission and return to the world of privilege he's always longed for -- or does a different destiny await him?

This novel is pure sci-fi, so a change of pace from what I've been reading for a while. There's plenty of action as Khemri moves from one challenging situation to another. The heart of the story, though, is Khemri's character development -- and that character development is masterfully done. Khemri goes from believing everything he's ever been told about the nature of the Empire, to learning to think for himself. He retains some of his cold analytical thinking skills, but he also slowly learns how to relate to other human beings. Some readers may feel that he doesn't change enough, but it felt entirely believable and natural to me. I'd recommend this to any reader who enjoys character-driven sci-fi.

(107 books read)

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce is a companion novel to Sisters Red, which I read earlier this year. It's a loose retelling of "Hansel and Gretel." Siblings Ansel and Gretchen are driving cross-country after being kicked out of their home by their stepmother. When their car breaks down in a tiny South Carolina town, the only local citizen who welcomes them is Sophia, the beautiful young proprietor of a confectionery shop. As Ansel and Gretchen make themselves useful around the shop, they learn some of the town's darkest secrets. Young women have been steadily disappearing -- and some locals blame Sophia. Through a friendship with a somewhat reclusive young man, Gretchen learns the truth behind the girls' disappearances -- and solves a mystery from her own past, as well. Can she stop more young women from disappearing, or will her efforts be too little, too late?

Of the two books, I have to say that Sisters Red was the stronger work. My problem with this book is that I didn't find a single character likable. Ansel was a flat nonentity, Sophia a bit too much of a stereotypical femme fatale. Gretchen struck me as both whiny and clueless, and her romantic counterpart, who was probably supposed to seem mysterious and brooding, instead came across as sullen and uncooperative. The plot dragged a bit in the middle, as Ansel and Gretchen cooled their heels at the chocolate shop, waiting for something to happen. Also -- minor spoiler -- equating the "witch" from the original story with the werewolves from Sisters Red didn't work for me, and having Gretchen constantly refer to the werewolves as witches reinforced my opinion of her as a clueless airhead. I also feel that it weakened the bond between this retelling and the original Hansel and Gretel story.

I'm sure many readers, particularly fans of this author, will love this story. It just wasn't the best book for me.

Oh, I had completely forgotten about the Nix book. Now I have to decide whether to buy it in hardcopy or get the Kindle edition!

(108 books read)

Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery is one of my childhood favorites. I hadn't revisited it in a while, so I decided it was time for a reread.

For most of her childhood, Jane Victoria Stuart believed that her father was dead. When she was eleven years old, she learned otherwise. For as long as she could remember, Jane had lived in Toronto with her lovely socialite mother and cold, repressive grandmother. Jane knows that her grandmother dislikes her, particularly the parts of her that seemed inherited from her father's side of the family. Jane, who has no memory of her father, hates him, too, because the memory of him seems to cause her beloved mother so much pain. Then, out of the blue, a letter arrives, demanding that Jane spend the summer with her father in Prince Edward Island. That summer is to change Jane's life forever.

On Prince Edward Island, Jane learns what it is to have friends, to be competent at something, and to be loved without the fear and restrictions that characterize her life in Toronto. Jane's dad welcomes her with open arms and an open heart. Together, they choose a little cottage on Lantern Hill to be their summer abode, and Jane delights in every aspect of housekeeping. She befriends all of the neighborhood children and learns new skills every delightful day, from cooking to gardening to swimming in the Gulf. She goes home a confident, independent young woman instead of the cowed child she has always been . . . and she can't help but wonder: what did go wrong with her parents' marriage all those years ago?

This is one of Montgomery's lesser-known works, but it remains one of my favorites. I love Jane's capable, down-to-earth nature, and I remember relishing her domestic conquests back when I first read the book at the age of nine or ten. And, though Jane is a child throughout the book (unlike many Montgomery titles, this spans only a couple of years, rather than the protagonist's entire girlhood), there are a lot of adult issues and concerns, not all of which are pleasantly resolved by the end of the book. It's a wonderfully complex story, and fans of Montgomery's other works should definitely seek it out.

It's been about 20 years since I've read all the Montgomery works, but I do remember that was one of my favorites that wasn't in the Anne series. I may have to break out the box of L. M. Montgomery books from under my bed and re-read those. (Yes, I have books stored everywhere. I just couldn't bear to part with those.)

#55 -- I don't blame you! All of my copies are the old Bantam paperbacks form the '80s, and I hold on to even the most battered ones because some of the books are hard to find anymore.

(109 books read)

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley is another old favorite of mine. This time, I decided to listen to the audiobook, which is narrated by Roslyn Alexander.

Aerin is the daughter of the king of Damar -- but by his second wife, a woman who was widely distrusted and whom many suspected of witchcraft. Aerin herself is looked down on by most of the royal court, even when she discovers a fireproofing ointment that enables her to slay dragons with less chance of personal injury. Dragons, after all, are vermin, and though they can be fierce, none of them grow much larger than a dog in Aerin's day. The Great Dragons are considered creatures of legend . . . until the day that one of them appears. Maur, the last of the Great Dragons, awoken by malicious Northern magic, returns to terrorize Damar -- and Aerin may be the only person who can face him. Even if she can defeat Maur, she will have to face greater and more dangerous challenges before she can take her rightful place in Damar.

This is probably my second-favorite McKinley book (after Beauty). Aerin is a great, complex character -- she consistently undervalues herself, but that doesn't stop her from attempting heroic action, not for the glory of it, but because it's a dirty job that someone has to do. The romance in the story, not to give too much away, is likewise complex. And, though the story is pretty tightly focused on Aerin, secondary characters (even the unlikeable ones) get their moments of poignance and character development.

As for the audio version . . . it was all right. The narration was not distracting (in the way that really bad narration can be), but neither did it stand out in a positive way. I listened to The Blue Sword earlier this year, and though two different narrators read the two books, they have a very similar sound. In both cases, I'd recommend reading the books, rather than listening to them.

(110 and 111 books read)

Flora Segunda and Flora's Dare by Ysabeau Wilce were both rereads for me. I read and enjoyed them both a few years ago, but knew I needed to refresh my memory of them before reading the newly-released third book in the series.

I don't think I can possibly summarize the plots of these two books. Wilce is an amazing writer, and she does a great job with character, setting, and plot. I love Flora, for all her flaws and foibles. The scrapes she gets into are often of her own creation, but the reader will root for her throughout, for all that. The setting is wonderfully different from the typical fantasy world, and the language and naming traditions reflect that.

I hope I'm not giving these books short shrift with this truncated review -- I highly recommend them to fans of young adult fantasy.

(112 books read)

Pants On Fire by Meg Cabot wins my award for Most Obnoxious Point-of-View Character Ever.

Katie Ellison lies . . . but not for bad reasons. Well, not really. She just doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. And what's a boy-crazy girl to do, when both the star football player and the Drama Club leading man want to make out with her? Katie's situation is further complicated when Tommy Sullivan comes back to town. Katie knows the truth behind what happened four years ago, when Tommy left town in disgrace after the words "Tommy Sullivan is a freak" appeared on the wall of the middle school gymnasium in orange spraypaint -- and she's sure that Tommy is out for revenge. Why else would he come back? The problem is, he's also gotten really, really hot. . . .

I basically wanted to smack Katie upside the head for this entire book. The writing is up to Meg Cabot's usual standard, the plot has lots of the funny, cringe-worthy scenarios that typify chick lit, and the male romantic lead is pretty close to masculine perfection (except for his execrable taste in women). But Katie got on my nerves so much that I couldn't enjoy the story.

I listened to the audio version, and narrator Krista Sutton did an excellent job of portraying Katie. In fact, I'd recommend this audiobook . . . if you have a high tolerance for annoying main characters.

Wonderful review of Hero and the Crown, foggidawn!

#60 -- Thanks!

You are zipping along with reading. Congrats

Yeesh. I'm way behind with reviews again. Soon to come: Flora's Fury, Code Name Verity, The Snow Child,Three Times Lucky, and Keeping the Castle.

Woohoo! Two books I've read - I can't wait to see what you think about The Snow Child and Code Name Verity.

(113 books read)

Flora's Fury: How a Girl of Spirit and a Red Dog Confound Their Friends, Astound Their Enemies, and Learn the Importance of Packing Light by Ysabeau Wilce is a worthy continuation to an excellent series.

In this book, Flora is a cadet at the Barracks, having put aside her childhood dreams of being a Ranger (at least for a while). She's on assignment as a clerk in the General's office, so her duties are limited to errands, paperwork, and baby-minding. Her long-time friendship with Udo is strained, she's unsatisfied with her work, and she has certain plans of her own. She knows she shouldn't be mucking around in the Current, but there are a few things she just has to know -- and to find them out, she will need to use magic. Her spell-casting attempt is interrupted by a mysterious stranger, and shortly thereafter, she finds herself on a voyage that will take her over sea and land, to places she's barely even heard of, and she will learn much more than just the answers to her questions. She'll also learn a few hard lessons about actions and consequences . . . and maybe a little bit about romance, as well.

Flora's high-spirited hijinks will be familiar to fans of the series. I was particularly impressed how, in this book, Flora really seems to mature. By the end of the book, she's making decisions on her own -- not to please or spite her parents, and not thoughtlessly following her whims, but weighing consequences and choosing the course of action that she deems best. She also gives up something precious at one point in the story (I'm trying to avoid spoilers, so sorry if this is getting really vague), and the results of that were poignant and hinted, I hope, at things to come in future volumes. Flora will always be fiery and temperamental, but I feel that she's developing into a truly strong woman, and becoming someone I'd actually like to know.

Some reviews I have read have speculated that this is the end of the series for Flora, but I think that can hardly be the case -- there are too many loose ends, and all of Califa is poised on the brink of conflict. Here's hoping that we'll see a lot more of Flora in the not-too-distant future!

(114 books read)

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein is so much more than just a World War II novel. At heart, it's the story of a true friendship between two young women. "Verity," a wireless operator, parachutes in to Nazi-occupied France from a disabled plane flown by Maddie, her best friend. Verity is captured by Nazi intelligence shortly after landing. She's tortured and imprisoned, not knowing what has become of Maddie, or whether her friend is even still alive. In return for a few more torture-free days, Verity promises to write everything she knows about the British war effort. What she writes is the story of her friendship with Maddie.

If you can suspend disbelief on that one point -- that the Nazi intelligence officer would allow Verity to write such a rambling "confession" of questionable usefulness -- this is a phenomenal book. It's very hard to write anything more about it without spoiling some aspect of the story, which is by turns sweet and tragic and funny and heartbreaking. And the last couple pages brought tears to my eyes. Don't miss this book -- it's definitely earned a spot as one of my favorites of the year, and the best World War II novel I've read since The Book Thief.

I've been seeing Flora Segunda around the threads and bookstores but haven't taken the plunge yet. It sounds interesting, but lord knows I don't need ANOTHER series to follow (although that's never stopped me before). The thing I've been noticing the most, however, is the recent trend of giving books ridiculously long and descriptive titles. It seems like it's come about after The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making, but maybe it was there before and I didn't notice it? Just another of those weird book trends one can't seem to escape these days. (Not that it's all bad, it's just that it gets tiring when every new book has a 30 word title.)

#67 -- Flora Segunda (which also has a long and descriptive title) predates The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland by three or four years, I think. And it's funny -- I remember someone somewhere commenting on how so many YA novels had one-word titles. I guess it's one extreme or the other!

Thanks for the heads up--I didn't realize that the third Flora book was out. I'm off to check it out immediately!

And of course there's Sorcery and Cecelia, or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot: being the correspondence of two Young Ladies of Quality regarding various Magical Scandals in London and the Country, which I believe was originally published in the 80s :)

(argh, touchstone fail!)

#70 -- Oh, good point! I knew there were other long titles out there -- I just couldn't bring them to mind. And I think that a lot of them are spoofing classic lit -- books with titles like this one, for instance.

Oh, these things definitely come in cycles. It's certainly a throwback aspect that's come back into style, I've just noticed it a ton more since The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making. Interesting about Flora Segunda as I've never seen a long title for it. I'm going to have to go looking now.

#72 -- The whole title is Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog.

Ack! My electricity was off after the big storms on Friday, so I did a lot of reading over the weekend. I am now seven books behind, in terms of reviews to write. And it will probably get worse before it gets better. . . .

Hope you'll be all right, Foggi. And good review of Code Name Verity! I too agree about seriously doubting that a SS officer would let Verity write such a narrative, but apart from that Code Name Verity really struck me with its reality. I hope that more World War II and historical books come out in the YA genre - they really help add to it.

#75 -- Oh, I'll be fine, thanks. I guess I should clarify that I meant my being behind in reviews was what was likely to get worse before it got better! As a matter of fact, I am now eight books behind. Maybe I will write some reviews this evening . . . if I can tear myself away from book #9!

(115 books read)

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey is the story of a childless couple in the Alaskan wilderness of the 1920s. Mabel and Jack moved to Alaska for a fresh start, but Mabel finds that the dark thoughts and depression have followed her, particularly through the bleak darkness of the Alaskan winter. Then, on the evening of the first snow, Jack and Mabel are caught up in a carefree moment and build a little snow child, outfitting it with mittens and a scarf. The next day, the snow child is gone, but a little blond girl appears in the snow near their cabin -- wearing the scarf and mittens. Is she some magical creature, born of sorrow and desire, or is there some more pragmatic explanation for her appearance? As the years pass, the little girl becomes almost like a daughter to Jack and Mabel -- but Mabel remembers an old fairy tale about a snow child . . . and she remembers that the tale never has a happy ending.

This retelling of an old Russian fairy tale is beautifully written, and perfectly conveys the bittersweet poignancy of the old story. The characters are nuanced, and the mystery of the snow child is left up to the reader's interpretation to some extent. I thought the relationship between Mabel and Jack struck all the right notes, and I was particularly sympathetic with Mabel's desire to work alongside Jack in their new home -- I've had that kind of strong mental image, and it never does work out exactly like one hopes! This is a beautiful little story, and I'd recommend it to fans of magical realism and retold fairy tales.

(116 books read)

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage is a middle-grade mystery set in small-town North Carolina. Eleven-year-old Mo LoBeau doesn't have what you might call a normal family life -- when she was a baby, she was washed down the river in the aftermath of a hurricane, right into the arms of the Colonel, who was himself suffering from amnesia. Now Mo, the Colonel, and flamboyant Miss Lana run a cafe in Tupelo Landing, and Mo regularly sends out messages in bottles to her "Upstream Mother," asking anyone who's traveling upriver to drop one in the current for her. Other than existential angst over her biological origins, however, Mo is fairly content and happy in her small-town world. Then, one day, a cafe regular is murdered, a couple of big-city detectives roll into town, and Mo's entire world seems about to be torn up by the roots. She and her family may even find themselves in danger. Can Mo, along with her sidekick Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, solve the mystery?

This was a fairly enjoyable read. I have to admit, any story with amnesia as a major plot point makes me roll my eyes a little bit. The writing style felt like a cross between Polly Horvath and Kate DiCamillo -- authentic Southern charm with a hint of straight-up weirdness. Readers who like books by those authors will probably like this one. For me, it was just all right, not fantastic.

(117 books read)

In Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl, we meet Althea, the most delightfully mercenary heroine of any Regency romance I've ever read. Althea's father is dead, her mother is sweet but impractical, and the whimsical castle built by her eccentric great-grandfather is crumbling about her shoulders. Althea is willing to marry just about any man with a large enough fortune to rescue the estate, so her hopes run high when young, handsome, and wealthy Lord Boring moves into his family estate nearby. Althea is confident that her beauty will win Lord Boring's hand . . . but his infuriating man of business, Mr. Fredericks, keeps distracting her!

This was a delightfully fun and funny romance. Yes, I saw most of the plot twists coming a mile off, but that didn't detract in the slightest from my enjoyment of the story. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well-written, lighthearted historical romance.

Okay, that's enough reviewing for one night. I'll be back soon(ish) with reviews of Under the Never Sky, The Hollow Kingdom, The Nine Tailors, Magic for Marigold, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), and Another Faust as time and inclination permit!

Edit: Also Deadweather and Sunrise and Well Witched and Here Lies the Librarian and The Weird Sisters.

Drat, all the editions are still fairly pricy and the library doesn't have it, but Keeping the Castle goes into my wishlist, foggi.

Roni, I think you will like it when you get a chance to read it!

(118 books read)

I'm not going to be able to do justice to Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. It's a good post-apocalyptic dystopia, but I have gotten over-saturated with the genre. I need to take a break from it for a while. (Plus, with the power outages and the weather around here lately, life is starting to feel a bit post-apocalyptic!)

To briefly sum up, Under the Never Sky is the story of Aria, a girl who has lived in a dome all her life. Dome residents spend most of their time in virtual environments called Realms, where they can experience whatever they want without risks or serious consequences. When Aria and a few other teens sneak into a damaged sector of their dome for some real-life adventure, however, things go a little too far. Aria is unfairly blamed for the events, and is cast out of the dome -- basically, a death sentence. She meets Peregrine, a boy from the outside who is dealing with his own issues, and the two form a tentative alliance . . . which, inevitably, leads to something more. . . .

I didn't find this book particularly original or compelling, but I imagine teens who love dystopias and survival stories will like it.

(119 books read)

The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle has long been a favorite of mine, so I turned to it when I was in the mood for a reread.

When strong-willed Kate and her little sister Emily return to their ancestral home after their father's death, they are greeted by two fluttery aunts and a surly cousin who feels that he, not the girls, has a right to the property. Their cousin's antagonism is soon the least of their worries, though. One evening the sisters get lost on the paths and back roads around the estate, and they meet a strange little company. When one of them, Mr. Marak, offers them an escort home, Em is glad to accept -- but Kate is more cautious. Something in her warns her to keep her distance from this odd but charming stranger. Through a series of fantastical events, Marak reveals to Kate that he is the Goblin King, and she is his chosen bride. Kate is determined never to go with the goblins. She dreads the thought of living in their dank underground halls, never being able to feel the wind or see the stars. When Emily is in danger, however, Kate makes a bargain with the Goblin King. Will she regret it -- or will she find that life with the goblins is not at all what she expected?

This story has its faults, it's true (I should probably detest the goblin method of finding brides), but I love it all the same. Marak is a great character with a wicked sense of humor, and Charm (who has no sense of humor at all) is also a favorite of mine. Some readers complain of pacing problems in the book, but the flow of the story has never bothered me. I definitely recommend this to fantasy fans.

(120 books read)

Aha! Admit it -- you thought (that is, if you thought of it at all) that my Lord Peter Wimsey series reread had fallen by the wayside. While I did take a bit of a hiatus, I do hope to finish off the series this year, and I'm one book closer to that goal, having recently finished rereading The Nine Tailors. (I skipped Murder Must Advertise, having reread it just last year.)

Despite the title, The Nine Tailors has nothing to do with sewing. It is, in fact, about change-ringing, that particularly British form of campanology in which church bells are rung, not to make a tune, but in mathematical patterns. The title refers to the nine strokes of the tenor bell for a man's death. In this book, Lord Peter is stranded in a small town on New Year's Eve, when the change-ringers at the local church are preparing for a nine-hour peal to ring in the New Year. When one of the ringers falls ill and is unable to participate, Lord Peter steps in, having done change-ringing in his youth. When, not long after that night, a crime is discovered to have been committed in that same small town, the rector of the church writes to Lord Peter for assistance.

While this book is as enjoyable as many of the entries in the series, it is not one of my favorites. Too much technical talk about change-ringing, not enough Bunter, and absolutely no Harriet Vane. On the other hand, the minor characters are interesting (the rector and his wife are lovely and fun), and the solution to the mystery is novel. For fans of the series, it's certainly worth a read.

(121 books read)

Magic for Marigold never quite numbers among my favorite L.M. Montgomery works. Marigold Lesley is similar to many Montgomery heroines -- an imaginative young girl, part of a large and relatively prosperous Prince Edward Island family. In fact, Marigold is one of the least interesting of Montgomery's heroines, in my opinion. Her extended family is more interesting -- Old Grandmother is certainly a fascinating old dame, and I always think there should be more about Uncle Klon and his wife. None of the secondary characters get enough page-time, so they remain interesting but underdeveloped. The real problem with the book, though, is the lack of a plot. Many of Montgomery's books are more episodic than linear, but Magic for Marigold feels to me like a book of short stories. The tales of Marigold's escapades are charming, but I never find the end of the book satisfying. All in all, I'd recommend this to Montgomery completists like myself -- casual fans can give it a pass, and readers new to this author should certainly start somewhere else.

I just posted my 200th review on LibraryThing!

Also, in light of my last review, I made a list of L.M. Montgomery novels so I could rank them. (I really wish the Lists feature had gotten more development and attention than it did -- I'll bet most LT users don't know that it exists, or at least don't know how to get to it.)

I never quite understood the point of the list feature, as it was implemented.

Also, congrats on 200 reviews!

#88 -- As I see it, the Lists feature is good if you're interested in crowd opinion of a group of books (like my LM Montgomery list), or having the crowd create a list of books that meet certain criteria (like the list of fairy tale retellings). It's not good if you want a lot of control (though you do have your own individual list as well as the group list, of course), and there are other things that it can't do. I imagine that's why the feature never got more traction. I love LibraryThing, but there are way too many cool features that just get forgotten along the way. Remember CoverGuess, anyone? How about the news feed? And the main problem with Lists is that there's no easy way to get to it, so I forget it's there most of the time.

(122 books read)

I listened to the audiobook of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling. This audiobook was read by the author, which was, in this case, a good thing.

The author of this memoir is a staff writer and actress on the American version of The Office. I've seen maybe two episodes of the show, so pretty much any time she referenced things that happened on the show, or other actors from the show, I was in the dark. That was fine; there was a lot to enjoy in this audiobook even for people who, like me, are unfamiliar with The Office and Kaling's career in general. In the book, Kaling reminisces on her childhood, college days, and her rise from complete obscurity to her current position. As you'd expect from a sitcom writer, her observations are made with a great deal of humor. Interspersed with the personal history are essays and "listy-things" featuring Kaling's opinions on a wide variety of subjects. The content is generally lighthearted.

I was surprised how often I agreed with Kaling. Her views on marriage, for instance, struck a chord with me. And while Kaling is what I describe as "Hollywood fat" (meaning, possessing a body much thinner than that of the average American woman, but slightly larger than the typical Hollywood stick figure), her struggles with finding clothing that fits and flatters also resonated. On the other hand, when she talked about comedy, she lost me fairly quickly. I do have a sense of humor (I think...), but I don't always have the greatest appreciation for the kind of funny that's popular on mainstream TV.

There are a few drawbacks to listening to this, rather than reading it. For one thing, you miss out on any photos and illustrations. For another, I occasionally had a hard time figuring out when one essay ended and another began. Things that are immediately obvious in a book's formatting are less so when they're being read aloud. Was that line the title of a new essay, or another bullet point in the current one? I also felt that the reading pace was rushed at the beginning, but I quickly got used to it. I'd recommend this book in either format, with the caveat that audiobook listeners may want to briefly obtain a paper copy later to check on what they might have missed.

(123/124/125/126 books read)

Okay, time for a super-fast mini-review catch-up. I have been running way behind for weeks now, and I am determined to get caught up today. To do that, I'm going to give brief summaries and reviews for the books I've read that didn't make a huge impact one way or the other.

Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri -- five teens with supernatural abilities appear at an exclusive private school. Have they sold their souls to the devil?

This was a reasonably good story, though I found it a slog in places. I'm not super familiar with Faust (I keep meaning to read Doctor Faustus, but you know how that goes), but it seemed to be an interesting take on the original source. Recommended if you're into paranormal YA, or are intrigued by the premise. The authors have apparently written a few more books in this series; I probably will not read them unless they are on hand when the mood strikes me.

Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey -- Egg, a despised youngest child, embarks on a series of adventures when a seeming accident causes his entire family to be lost in a runaway hot-air balloon. Now heir to his father's island plantation, can Egg stay safe from the people who appear to want him dead?

This book has a lot of great elements, and it brings them together nicely -- a likable hero, a feisty female character, pirates, a convincing villain, a bit of mystery . . . in short, I liked it a lot. I'll be looking forward to the rest of the series.

Well Witched (aka Verdigris Deep) by Frances Hardinge -- when three children steal a handful of coins from a wishing well, they find themselves in over their heads, as the vengeful spirit of the well gives them special powers and demands that they grant the wishes made with the coins they stole.

Despite an interesting plot and well-developed characters (even the parents were fully-fledged individuals), this book didn't do much for me. Hardinge is a hit-or-miss author for me (I loved The Lost Conspiracy but didn't care for Fly By Night). Well Witched is certainly not a bad book; I'm just not its ideal reader -- which is strange, because I generally love middle-grade fantasy. I'll keep reading Hardinge, though, in hopes of another fantastic success.

Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck -- Peewee, having finished eighth grade, dreams of becoming an auto mechanic, and is determined to have nothing more to do with books and learning. This all changes with Irene Ridpath and her friends, stylish fledgeling librarians, sweep into town to rescue the neglected little library.

I expected to like this book more than I did. The opening bit, about a tornado that rips through a graveyard and digs up graves, seemed to be trying for a tall-tale style (no real tornado acts the way that one did), but I never really saw how it fit with the rest of the story. So, that bothered me. On the other hand, a twist that happens fairly early in the book, of the sort that I usually see coming way off, took me completely by surprise, so that's a point in its favor. I'll probably read more by this author, as his books are well-known (and often award-winning).

Oooh, I have to recommend Nayeri's short story Straw House. LOVED it! I keep looking at Another Faust at the bookstore but don't want to spoil my idea of his writing so I pass it up.

I liked Fly by Night but not enough to make me move immediately into the next book. I have it waiting on the shelf though... so one day...

(127 books read)

I listened to The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown over the course of a week or so. I was glad I had decided to listen to, rather than read, this one, as it gave me a chance to savor it. Narrator Kirsten Potter's voicing of the story was excellent, and contributed to my enjoyment of the book.

Sisters Rosalind, Bianca, and Cordelia grew up in a small college town in Ohio. Over the years, they have moved away and grown apart, not because of any cataclysmic disagreement or misunderstanding, but simply because they grew into individuals who don't have much in common. When their mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, the three sisters return, ostensibly to care for her -- but in truth, all three are running from something, and back at home, they will have to learn how to deal with their own secrets. They'll also have to learn to relate to one another as adults.

Simply put, I loved this book. It is gentle and thoughtful, with just the right amount of romance. The pace is small-town slow, but it doesn't drag. One of the most interesting features of the book is the narrative voice. I spent a while at the beginning of the book trying to decide which of the sisters was the point-of-view character, but discovered as the story went on that the point of view is, in a sense, the collective consciousness of all three sisters. If this hadn't been well-done, it would have been extremely annoying . . . but it was well-done, so it ended up adding a great deal to my enjoyment of the story. I found myself empathizing with all three of the sisters, even Bianca (the one with whom I have the least in common). I also loved the Shakespeare quotes -- the girls' father is an English professor specializing in Shakespeare, and uses quotes both familiar and obscure to express himself -- a trait he has, at least in part, passed on to his daughters. I had some concerns as I approached the ending of the book, fearing a couple of disastrous outcomes -- but in the end, all was resolved, sometimes in ways I had expected, and sometimes not, but always satisfactorily.

This is not necessarily my usual fare. I remarked to a co-worker, "I read a grown-up book -- and it wasn't even fantasy!" Still, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well-written story, and if you enjoy small-town atmosphere and family drama, all the better. I can see this becoming one of my comfort reads in the future.

(128 books read)

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund is -- wait for it -- a post-apocalyptic Jane Austen retelling. This was bound to happen eventually, right? But actually, it's not as bad as it sounds.

Elliott North is a member of the post-apocalyptic society's ruling class, the Luddites. Not so many generations ago, the human race was nearly wiped out by scientific advances involving tampering with human DNA. The Luddites refused to participate in this trend for religious reasons, and so when the scientific experimentation went horribly wrong, the Luddites were the ones who survived with all of their faculties, while children of the genetically-enhanced became known as the Reduced because of their extremely limited mental capacities. These Reduced generally ended up as servants on the estates of wealthy Luddites, who control society and severely limit scientific experimentation in order to avoid falling into the trap of earlier generations. Now, in Elliott's time, some of the children born to the Reduced are known as Posts (Post-Reduction), with full mental capacities, but they are still part of the servant class. One of those Posts, Kai, grew up alongside Elliott on her estate. The two formed a friendship that eventually turned into something more -- but when Kai fled the estate, Elliott remained behind. Since her mother's death, Elliott had become the only person capable of managing the estate, while her father and sister cared only for fashion and pleasure. Then, four years after leaving the North estate, Kai returns in a company known as the Cloud Fleet. This group of Posts, lead by a man known as Captain Innovation, travel to nearby islands in search of pre-Reduction technology that the Luddites will purchase and use, and they are renting Elliott's grandfather's defunct shipyard in order to build a larger sailing vessel. Kai, now known as Malakai Wentforth, is still just as attractive to Elliott -- but he's still just as angry with her for her refusal to leave her estate. Can the two move past their misunderstanding, or is their shared history enough to keep them apart forever?

Austen fans, no doubt, have already recognized the framework of Persuasion underneath this story's post-apocalyptic trappings. I'm going to admit that, while I count myself an Austen fan, I'm not one of those fans who rereads the canon every year or so and can bring to mind every minute detail. It's been more than ten years since I read Persuasion, so my knowledge of the original story did not stand in the way of my enjoyment of this book. I found it generally enjoyable, with a few minor details to quibble about. I never thought Kai's resentment of Elliott for staying behind made much sense -- he knew that she was the one holding everything together, and if she had left all of the people he grew up around would probably have starved. I also thought there were a few more loose ends at the end of the book than I would have liked -- not enough that I feel a sequel is inevitable (or even warranted), but enough to leave me a little bit unsatisfied. Still, I liked the book on the whole, and would recommend it if the premise intrigues you. Fans of Austen retellings will enjoy this if they don't mind a little added sci-fi, and those who have not read Austen's original will still be able to enjoy both the well-described dystopia and the sweet romance.

(129 & 130 books read)

In Fair Coin by E.C. Myers, Ephraim Scott comes home one day to find that his mother has attempted suicide. At the hospital, as she is undergoing treatment, he learns that her suicide may have been because she had just identified his dead body. In the dead boy's effects, Ephraim discovers a mysterious quarter commemorating the state of Puerto Rico -- and he later receives an anonymous note instructing him to flip a coin and make a wish. When he does, he finds that the world alters around him in confusing and often unexpected ways. Ephraim has the power to change his life for the better . . . or does he? Is the coin really granting wishes, or is something else at work here?

This book has a great, complex, but still generally fast-moving plot and good world-building. The characters are fairly well-written, and the concept is intriguing, if slightly problematic. I don't want to give too much away, so that's all I'll say about this one.

I've also read the sequel, Quantum Coin, but I won't be reviewing it here, as it was sent to me for professional review elsewhere.

(131 books read)

Gilt by Katherine Longshore is the story of Catherine Howard, fifth wife of King Henry VIII, from the perspective of Kitty Tylney. Cat and Kitty grew up together, closer than sisters, as poor relations in the house of the Duchess of Norfolk. Unloved and often unsupervised, Cat devises wild schemes and scandalous parties in the maidens' quarters, often presiding as the Queen of Misrule, with Kitty always in her shadow. When Cat is whisked away to court by her ambitious relatives, she catches the eye of the king. Cat promised Kitty and the others that she would try to bring them with her if she gained any influence at court. Now, as the most influential woman in England, Cat brings her old friends to her side -- for the sake of friendship, or the better to keep a lid on her less than virtuous past. It doesn't take a scholar to know that Cat's past will catch up with her . . . but will Kitty share her friend's fate?

This book employs the use of 21st-century dialogue, with mixed results. Though Tudor English would probably have turned off many potential readers looking for stories about Mean Girls in History, the characters seem a little too modern at times. Kitty is also a mix of historical and modern, as she is submissive and often servile toward Cat, yet determined to find love and romance on her own. This probably won't deter most readers -- without the hints of romance in Kitty's life, the story would be much flatter. Though I had a few issues with this book, I would still recommend it to teens who enjoy historical fiction with romance, deceit, and court intrigue.

(132 books read)

There was an epic contest between good and evil. Twins Mor and Mori, with the help of the faeries, faced down their mother, the Evil Queen, as she made a bid for world domination. The consequences were tragic . . . but all of this is actually just back-story for the book Among Others by Jo Walton.

Mori ran away from home after her sister died. She ends up in the care of her father (a man she doesn't even remember) and his three controlling sisters, who send her to boarding school. At school, she is an outsider -- because she is Welsh, because she is crippled, because her mother's family is not wealthy -- and she longs for acceptance, not from her schoolmates, but from a group of like-minded individuals with whom she can discuss books and the other things that she finds meaningful in life. She longs for this so much that she uses a little bit of magic -- and though the results are all she could wish, she finds herself conflicted. Is she really any better than her mother, using magic for her own ends?

Written in diary format, this is first and foremost a paean to books -- the science fiction and fantasy stories that Mori reads incessantly, the books that keep her company in her loneliest times, that entertain and console and educate her, that make her think and question, that make her embrace life. Readers unfamiliar with classic sci-fi may not understand a lot of the references, but the heart of the story is more about loving books than about knowing science fiction.

And then there are the faeries -- the magical denizens of forests and ruins. The main plot of the story, interwoven into the tale of Mori's life at boarding school, her personal reflections on growing up, and her comments on her voracious reading, is of Mori and magic, Mori and the faeries, and the things that Mori must do if she is to work only on the side of goodness. Despite the fact that Mori believes implicitly in the faeries, the existence and prevalence of magic in Mori's world is ultimately left up to the reader. Is Mori's mother a witch, or just insane? Do Mori's aunts keep her father under their thumb with a little genteel magic, or has he just given up? Does Mori bring the book club into being with her spell, or was it there all along?

Personal anecdote time: when I was a few years younger than Mori is in the book, I attended a particularly heinous private school, and I survived by reading (in the halls, in class, on the bus, etc.) -- so much so that, in my yearbook, another student wrote, "I'll miss seeing you read books." I think any bookish outsider will immediately identify with Mori on that level, even if, as with me, sci-fi is only a peripheral interest. I might have loved this book more if I had read everything Mori does -- but even without sharing her tastes, I was completely absorbed in her story, and I highly recommend this book.

Great review! Among Others sounds really interesting, I've added it to my TBR list.

#97: I will have to read Among Others while I am on break from school here in a few weeks. I think I would really enjoy it.

#98/99 -- Hope you both enjoy it! It was recommended to me by another LT friend, and I'm glad I picked it up!

(133 books read)

Catch & Release by Blythe Woolston is the story of two MRSA survivors who go on a road trip together, and not much else happens.

Polly-That-Was had it all together. She was pretty and smart and popular, and she had plans for the future. Then she lost an eye, and part of her face, to an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria. Her perfect boyfriend dumped her before she was even out of the hospital, and her boss at the day care gently informed her that it would probably be best if she didn't come back to work. Polly and her mom used to be close, but now her mom hovers and worries, making Polly fretful and self-conscious. When Odd, the only other survivor of the MRSA outbreak, arrives at her door inviting her on a two-day fishing trip, Polly apathetically accepts. The fishing trip stretches into a meandering road trip across the northwestern United States.

Here's what doesn't happen on the road trip:
-Polly and Odd do not go to Portland and beat up Bridger, the aforementioned ex-boyfriend
-Polly and Odd do not fall in love, nor do they have sex (although the issue does come up once or twice)
-Polly and Odd do not stand together at the shore of the Pacific ocean and contemplate their futures
-Polly and Odd are not chased by bears at Yellowstone
-Polly and Odd are not in a car accident, nor are they pulled over for speeding or drunk driving or driving a car with expired license plates
-Polly does not have a sudden realization that Life is Beautiful, nor does she have a stunning moment of self-acceptance

So, what does happen? As I said before, not much. They do occasionally fish. They drive randomly from one place to another. Odd says strange things and does strange things. They compose a few pages of a picture book about monsters. They drink stolen alcohol and smoke prescription marijuana. They become friends, in a sense. If you're looking for a grand plot-driven road-trip-as-self-discovery story, this isn't it. This book is all about voice -- Polly's voice -- and that is done masterfully. Polly is dark and bitter and sarcastic, and it's certainly justifiable. Her character growth is incremental, and rings all the more true because of that. Grand moments of self-acceptance and a sudden determination to embrace life would have cheapened the story. The ending is inconclusive in many ways, though a few things about Odd's character are revealed. I wanted this book to be a little more concrete. Though I think it succeeds in what it was trying to do, it just doesn't appeal to me all that much. On the other hand, I can see it winning literary awards on the strength of the writing.

(134/135/136/137 books read)

Over the weekend, I reread the first four books in the Cat Who... series by Lilian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who Could Read Backward, The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern, The Cat Who Turned On and Off, and The Cat Who Saw Red. I first discovered this series when I was thirteen or fourteen, read all of the books that had been published at that time, and then kept up with the series until the author's demise a few years ago. Unfortunately, the series really jumped the shark somewhere along the way. I decided that a reread was in order, to see which (if any) of the books were worth keeping. These first four books definitely are.

The series is about Jim Qwilleran, a middle-aged journalist. After some life lessons learned the hard way (divorce, alcoholism, bankruptcy), he moves to an unnamed mid-western city and takes a job in the Features department of one of the city newspapers. His first assignment is the local art scene, despite the fact that he knows nothing about art. In The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, he acquires Koko, a male Siamese cat of unusual mental capabilities. In the second book, Yum Yum, a female Siamese, joins the family. Qwill has a reporter's curiosity and a longstanding interest in crime, so when he notices something fishy, he's always keen to investigate -- and, as in most cozy mysteries, crime seems to follow Qwilleran around!

Of these four books, the weakest is probably the first -- particularly in terms of the mystery. The most critically acclaimed, and possibly the strongest book of the series, is The Cat Who Saw Red. My personal favorite of the four is The Cat Who Turned On and Off. I'm not sure if it's the antiques district setting, the fact that the action takes place around Christmas, or just some indefinable something in it that appeals to me, but it's always been a favorite.

I find it interesting that my teenage self connected so strongly with this series. I'm more of a dog person than a cat person, and I certainly didn't have much in common with a middle-aged curmudgeon at the time (now maybe slightly more so, but without the divorce, et cetera). But the strength of the series is in the characters -- a veritable parade of interesting, full-fledged secondary characters -- and, to a lesser extent, the setting. I recommend at least the first several books of this series to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. If you're a cat lover, that's an added bonus, but if not, don't let that keep you away. While there is a story arc to Qwill's life that you can follow by reading the series in order, it's also possible to enjoy the books out of sequence, so The Cat Who Saw Red is a fine starting place if you don't want to start with book one.

The only one I ever read was The Cat Who Said Cheese. I really don't remember much since it's been years and years, but I do remember liking the concept and being underwhelmed with the actual story. I think that stems more from not really being a cozy mystery person than anything particular about the book itself.

103 leahbird - I disagree. I mean, you may not be a cozy mystery person, certainly, but that particular book is not a good representation of the Cat Who books. Even as a fan of the series, I don't like that one much.

102 foggidawn - You read them! I remember you said you were going to. I agree, I connected very strongly with the series at a young age, despite of having almost nothing in common with the main characters (which just goes to show, I guess). I do like cats, but that's about it. But as you say, all the characters are so interesting, even ones who are only there briefly. The setting also spoke to me, having grown up in a small Midwestern town (not THAT small, though!).

#103 -- I'll have to see what I think of that one when I get to it. It doesn't stand out in my mind as one of the more memorable ones. But if you're not a fan of cozy mysteries, I'm sure that didn't help!

#104 -- Yes, I'm looking forward to reading the ones set in Pickax. I think I generally like them better than the ones set Down Below. Hmm, perhaps part of the reason I like The Cat Who Turned On and Off so much is because it replicates the feel of a small community in Junktown.

I didn't know what a cozy mystery was at the time, I was probably 13 or 14. Since, I've read a couple more cozies and found that I'm not predisposed to like them. That doesn't mean it never happens, just that it's a bit of an uphill battle.

(138 books read)

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis lives up to its name! I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the incomparable Katherine Kellgren. Since this is one of those books where I wanted to crawl inside and live in that world, I liked the fact that the audiobook stretched out the time I spent enjoying this book, but I'm also certain that I'll revisit this book in ink-and-paper format at some point.

Sunday Woodcutter, seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, has to be careful what she writes -- the things she puts in writing have a tendency to come true. When Sunday meets a talking frog in the forest, she has no idea what sort of adventures are in store for her. Balls and godmothers, wishes and beanstalks, shoes and axes and more all fit together in the intricate puzzle that is the plot of this novel. All of these elements are woven through the lives of the Woodcutter family, where fairy tales are the stuff of everyday life.

This is one of those books that isn't based on a specific fairy tale, but takes elements from different tales and meshes them together. It manages to be funny but not silly, and there are undertones of real darkness and evil that elevated this book above titles for younger readers (such as Once Upon a Marigold). The closest comparison I can think of is Juliet Marillier's Wildwood Dancing. I was also reminded of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. Some readers may find the number of tales referenced a bit too much, but as for me, I was completely . . . enchanted.

(139/140/141/142 books read)

Continuing with my reread of the Cat Who... series, I recently finished books 5-8: The Cat Who Played Brahms, The Cat Who Played Post Office, The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare, and The Cat Who Sniffed Glue. In these books, Qwill undergoes a massive lifestyle change -- he inherits millions from a quirky little old lady and moves to Moose County ("400 miles north of everywhere"). These four books introduce many characters who appear in future volumes . . . sometimes as corpses (hey, it is a mystery series). What surprised me is that I don't count any of them among my favorites. There are titles I'm looking forward to a little further on, but these four, while solid 3.5-star reads, don't exactly set the pond on fire (despite at least two occurrences of arson). It will be interesting to see if the mid-series titles I remember so fondly stand up to rereading.

I do have a slight book-crush on Junior Goodwinter, though. That, at least, hasn't changed!

(143/144/145/146 books read)

Another four Cat Who... books. In books 9-12 (The Cat Who Went Underground, The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts, The Cat Who Lived High, The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal), I feel like the series really hits its stride. Qwill and the cats are still living in Moose County, easily adjusting to a lifestyle of affluence -- despite the fact that Qwill has established the Klingenschoen Foundation to distribute most of his wealth to worthy causes. And the occasional dead body shows up, just to keep life interesting. The books are more about character and setting than the mystery, which is okay by me, but may frustrate readers looking for good solid whodunits.

Of these four, my favorite is The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal, possibly because it's the first book where Qwill is living in the converted apple barn. I would not mind having a home like that.

The other interesting thing I noticed about these four books was the introduction of what I'm calling "Qwilleran's Gambit" -- whereby Qwilleran uses research for a potential book in order to better snoop around in whatever interests him at the time. If Qwill were to actually write all of the books he starts researching, he would be a prolific author, indeed.

I'm continuing with my series reread, and I anticipate at least four more strong books before things start to go all pear-shaped, so hang in there. I'll get back to my regularly scheduled program of children's and young adult books soon!

I agree, I love the apple barn! I almost rented an apartment in an oddly-shaped building once mainly because it reminded me of that Qwil's barn :D

Stopping by and waving hi.

#110 -- I don't blame you!

#111 -- Hi, Linda! Good to see you around.

(147/148/149/150 books read)

Books 13-16 of the Cat Who... series (The Cat Who Moved a Mountain, The Cat Who Wasn't There, The Cat Who Went Into the Closet, and The Cat Who Came to Breakfast) are some of the strongest books in the series. This time through, I was particularly impressed by The Cat Who Went Into the Closet. The Cat Who Moved a Mountain has always been one of my favorites, as well. I found that The Cat Who Came to Breakfast, which I remembered fondly, was not quite as good as I recalled from reading it as a teen. I still enjoyed it, but not as much as some of its predecessors.

I'm heading into the next four books with a measure of trepidation . . . I think the series may start going downhill before too long.

You might be interested in a book I finished last night.


Stasia recommend this one and she was spot on.

#114 -- Thanks for the recommendation! I read that one a few years ago, actually; it was the pick for a tween book club that I moderated at the time. It's a thought-provoking read, to be sure.

Since I know that a lot of the people who read this thread are fans of children's literature, I thought I'd mention that I started a new group today:

The LibraryThing Mock Newbery and Caldecott Group

I'd love to see you there, as well as here!

#116: I will check in on the new group as I can. It sounds fun!

Yes - the Cat Who series does begin fizzling out. I don't remember where it began to go down though.

(151/152/153/154 books read)

I've now read books 1-20 of the Cat Who... series, and these past four (The Cat Who Blew the Whistle, The Cat Who Said Cheese, The Cat Who Tailed a Thief, and The Cat Who Sang for the Birds are definitely the beginning of the end, in terms of quality and enjoyability. The plots get repetitive and confusing, and by book 20 the sentence-level writing (never a particular strength of the series) declines to the point where I am distracted from the story in places because I am trying to find a better, clearer, or more elegant way to word a sentence or phrase.

In these four books, life continues as usual in Moose County: newcomers and visitors are introduced in order to be murdered or otherwise involved in a crime for Qwilleran and the cats to solve. Hixie comes up with fantastically doomed publicity stunts for the paper. The K fund draws new businesses to the community, often more of them than you would think a small town could support. The theatre club puts on ambitious plays, some of which will never make it to opening night. Koko yowls significantly, while Yum Yum does nothing in particular. People young and old ask Qwill for advice (I'm reminded of a few lines from the song "If I Were A Rich Man" where Tevye talks about how the important men in town would ask for advice, and it wouldn't matter if he was right or wrong -- "when you're rich, they think you really know!"). Qwill buys a condo in Indian Village for the winter months so he doesn't have to pay for heating and snow removal at the barn. Polly has a heart attack, then recovers, but is now more heath-conscious and one dress size smaller. All in all, it just starts feeling all the same. There's little character development, the cats take a back seat, the interesting secondary characters make all-too-rare appearances in favor of new characters who are only there to get bumped off, and the mysteries are not compelling enough to sustain my interest.

So, will I read more of the series? I'm to the point where I bought the books sporadically, and though there are nine more volumes (plus two ancillary works and a book of unrelated short stories), I think I may be done. Plus, I've been focusing on this series for weeks now, and I'm ready to get back to some of the children's and YA books that await my attention!

Foggi, I joined the new group and will get more involved later this evening hopefully. :)

#120 -- Great! It's pretty quiet so far, but I'm hoping things will pick up as the fall progresses.

(155 books read)

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman is one of those books that I didn't just want to read; I wanted to curl up inside it and live there.

There is an uneasy peace between the humans and the dragons. Forty years ago, the human queen and the dragon leader forged a treaty that has allowed the two races to coexist. Now, on the eve of the treaty's renewal, prince Rufus is found murdered, and whispers are running through the castle and the town that the dragons are to blame. In the midst of the furor is Seraphina, the assistant to the court composer. Seraphina has a secret, and revealing the truth would almost certainly cost her her life: Seraphina's mother was a dragon. Seraphina's father insists that Seraphina do nothing to attract attention to herself -- half-breeds are an almost unheard-of abomination -- but Seraphina's love for music is drawing her more and more into the spotlight. Can Seraphina find love and acceptance in spite of what she is -- and can peace between the humans and the dragons be maintained by the renewal of the treaty? Seraphina's fate and that of her country are perhaps more closely intertwined than they initially appear.

Some books have a strong plot, some have engaging characters, some have a deftly crafted setting -- Seraphina has all three. This is one of my favorite reads of the year, and I'll be watching eagerly for more books by this author.

(156 books read)

I received Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. I've read all of Henderson's other works, so I am basically right in the center of the target audience for this book.

Paul Falcon is a high-ranking FBI investigator. When small-town cop Ann Silver stops by his office and drops a hot lead on his desk, related to a cold case he's been trying to solve for years, Falcon finds himself interested in more than just the evidence envelope she hands over. Ann is an enigma to Falcon -- one he'd like to try and solve. Will Ann let herself get close to him, or will the secrets in her past keep them always at arm's length?

One of the most interesting things that Henderson did in this book was to make Ann the fictional author of all of Henderson's earlier works -- and to make those works based on Ann's friends' lives. On one hand, this is a clever device to allow characters from the O'Malley series and Henderson's other books to crop up as characters in this book, despite the fact that Ann was not a character in the earlier books. On the other hand, it does make Ann a bit of a Mary Sue. While she's not a perfect character (more on that later), she does have mad skillz as both a writer and a homicide investigator, as well as an intimate relationship with God and a talent for forming and maintaining close friendships. She comes across as a bit of a Superwoman.

Unlike Henderson's earlier books, the suspense element was dialed down several notches in Full Disclosure. I kept waiting for that edge-of-your-seat moment when the hired killer is holding a gun against one of the characters' heads . . . it never came. There's plenty of intrigue and several shocking revelations, but they're all in the past, not part of the main action of the story.

On a personal note, I also thought that the romance lacked heat. Ann is intensely private and afraid of commitment, and most of the story is told from Falcon's perspective. While he was fully involved in trying to make a romance happen, I found Ann's hesitant and standoffish attitude extremely off-putting. Other readers may not have this reaction, however.

So, the amount of criticism I'm leveling may make it seem like I didn't enjoy this book. On the contrary, it held my attention nicely. While I might have liked to see a little more romance and a little more suspense, I did enjoy the way characters from previous novels were woven into the story, and I liked the way the two major cases that Falcon was working intersected. I would recommend this to Henderson's hardcore fans -- but for those who like inspirational fiction and romantic suspense, I would recommend giving The Negotiator a try and working your way up to this book.

(157 books read)

Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway is a little bit like Harry Potter in reverse.

On Abby Hale's twelfth birthday, she goes to the Magicians' Guild to be Judged. All twelve-year-olds are Judged to determine their magical capabilities, after which they are allowed to use magic, and to apply to schools where their magical talents will be developed. Abby, however, does not have any magic. None. She is an "Ord," one of the very rare non-magical people in her world. Ords are despised and feared, because they are not only unable to work magic, they are also impervious to the magic of others. Until a few years ago, it was legal to buy and sell Ords as slaves. Now, thanks to governmental regulations, Ords are only bought and sold on the black market -- but often they are still treated as if they are sub-human. Abby is fortunate: her family still loves her, so there's no question of her parents abandoning, selling, or mistreating her. Instead, she is sent to a special school, designed to teach Ords how to function in a magically-dominated world. She soon learns that the world is a dangerous place for Ords, even at a school designed to protect them.

I wanted to love this book, but I ended up only liking it. It was a fun story -- a pleasant diversion that I don't think I'll find particularly memorable. The secondary characters, particularly Abby's siblings, were great. The ending is not a cliff-hanger, but leaves the door wide open for future volumes. I'll probably read them, and I can see myself recommending this book to kids who are looking for something like Harry Potter. As for adults, seek this out if you are a big fan of juvenile fantasy and are looking for a quick, light read.

(158 books read)

How To Fight, Lie, and Cry Your Way to Popularity (and a Prom Date): Lousy Life Lessons From 50 Teen Movies by Nikki Roddy highlights the absurdity of the typical teen movie by providing one-page summaries and a snappy takeaway lesson for 50 flicks. Of the 50 featured movies, I've only seen 6 (I really don't watch a lot of movies), but I still thought the summaries for the rest of them were amusing. It felt more like reading a magazine than like reading a book. Would I recommend it? Well, it's not a bad way to spend an afternoon, and if you love teen movies and have seen a lot of them, your appreciation for this book might be a little higher than mine. I don't regret the time I spent reading it -- but I'm glad I didn't spend money on it.

I really want to read Seraphina after seeing it advertised on Goodreads, and now after seeing your review I want to read it even more!

I went to put Seraphina on my wishlist, but it was already there thanks to hairballsrus.

(159 books read)

Bewitching by Alex Flinn is another fairy tale mashup. I've read other books in this genre by this author, so I knew to expect an enjoyable, funny story.

The bulk of this book is a Cinderella story with a twist. It starts out, though, by telling about Kendra, a plague survivor in medieval England. Through a series of events reminiscent of a different fairy tale, Kendra learns that she is a witch, and will live forever if she can manage to escape burning. Throughout the many years of her life, Kendra takes on different forms, and occasionally steps in to help out someone in need -- sometimes with disastrous consequences. Skip to the present day, where she meets two stepsisters, one beautiful and one less so, one deserving and one manipulative . . . should Kendra step in, or just watch and see how things play out? As the story unfolds, Kendra occasionally interrupts to tell about other times in history when she has helped, or tried to help, certain mortals who have caught her interest.

This is a fun read, and though there's not a lot of depth to the story, fans of the author or the genre will probably like it.

I'm running way behind with the reviews again! Coming soon: reviews of Liar & Spy, The Magicians and Mrs. Quent, Summer of the Gypsy Moths, Goblin Secrets, and The Freedom Maze.

ETA: And Tooth and Claw.

Looking forward to your comments on The Magicians and Mrs Quent!

(160 books read)

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead wasn't quite what I was expecting from the Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me, but it is an engaging read, nonetheless.

Seventh grade is not turning out to be the best year for Georges. He's dealing with bullies at school, plus his dad lost his job and they have to move out of their house and into an apartment a few blocks away. His mom is a nurse and is always at the hospital. And he has no friends. That changes when he meets Safer, an eccentric loner kid who drinks coffee out of a hip flask and runs an elite spying operation out of his bedroom. Safer is determined to discover what nefarious secrets Mr. X, a fourth-floor resident, is hiding, and he recruits Georges to help with the mission. Of course, Safer is hiding some secrets himself -- as are a few other people in the story.

The main thing that strikes me about this book is that it feels so true. Georges' feelings, his interactions with parents, teachers, and friends, his reactions to certain revelations at the end of the story -- all of them feel right and possible. This book doesn't have the sci-fi oomph of When You Reach Me, but it has all of the good qualities that I'm coming to expect from Rebecca Stead's writing. Fans of the middle-grade chapter book, don't miss this one!

(161 books read)

Before reading The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen Beckett, I hadn't realized that there is a term for this subgenre of fantasy literature, even though it's one I find highly enjoyable. Mannerpunk, or Fantasy of Manners, applies to many of my favorite reads that employ magic in an historical (often Regency or Victorian) setting. Though The Magicians and Mrs. Quent is set in an alternate universe, the societal rules in the book feel very much like Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters.

Ivy Lockwell is the daughter of a magician, but it's been several years since her father was well enough to practice magic. He now lives mostly in the attic of their house, occasionally throwing books in a fit of silent rage. Ivy, her mother, and her two sisters subside on the income from some of Mr. Lockwell's old investments, but it's a pinched and economical lifestyle that they are forced to adopt. When Ivy and her sisters gain a chance introduction to a handsome young lord who appears to be paying Ivy special attention, their future looks bright -- but a sudden tragedy causes Ivy to instead take a position as a governess to the wards of one of her father's friends, the gruff and solemn Mr. Quent. At Heathcrest, Mr. Quent's foreboding home, Ivy learns that there is more to magic than she had previously supposed. . . .

I thought this was an excellent read, full of intricate detail and strong characters, and a plot that moved just fast enough but not too fast. It felt a lot like a cross between Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, but well-done enough that I felt the similarities added to, rather than detracted from, the book's appeal. I'll be reading the next book in the series, The House on Durrow Street, soon.

(162 books read)

Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker is a sweet summertime story -- if you can suspend disbelief about one major plot point.

After Stella's flighty mother abandons her, Stella is sent to live on Cape Cod with Great-Aunt Louise, a stern but loving woman who is determined to do the best she can for Stella. Unfortunately (from Stella's perspective), one of the things she does is take in a foster child, Angel, so Stella will have a companion her own age. Angel and Stella have little in common and do not get along. Stella is looking forward to the end of school, when she plans to have as little to do with Angel as possible. Then, a week before school lets out, Stella comes home to find Great-Aunt Louise dead in her recliner. She knows she should call 911, but a 911 call was what landed her at Great-Aunt Louise's house in the first place, and she dreads the upheaval of being moved on to another new place. Then Angel comes home. When she learns of the situation, she is determined not to be moved to another foster home, and plans to run away. Neither girl really wants to leave . . . so, eventually, they hit upon a temporary solution: they will bury Louise in the vegetable garden and carry on as if she is still alive. Together, they help run the vacation cottages that Louise managed, run interference with concerned neighbor George, and tend to Louise's prized blueberry bushes -- with a little help from Heloise's ever-practical household hints, with which Stella is slightly obsessed. Over the course of the summer, Stella and Angel learn that, though they may not have much in common, they need each other. Together, they are stronger than either of them could be alone.

So, there's one big problem with this book, and I'll bet you've already spotted it. The sheer wackiness of burying the old lady in the backyard is a weird contrast to the sweetness and innocence of the two girls -- which makes it sound like this book should either be slapstick or creepy, and it's not either of those things. They dynamic between Stella and Angel is so well-done, with the two of them arguing and making decisions and having ideas in such a natural way. Stella is truly winsome, without being too good to be true, and her longing for a stable home is palpable. So, I wanted to love this book, but all the time, in the back of my head, a little voice kept saying, but they buried the old lady in the backyard! If you can get beyond that detail, this is a great little book -- and maybe the kids who are its natural audience will have no trouble doing that. As for me, it was a bit of a stretch.

(163 books read)

Goblin Secrets by William Alexander had lots of elements that I usually love, but they never came together in a cohesive manner.

Rownie is a street urchin, one of several adopted "grandchildren" of Graba, a Fagin-like old woman who unofficially rules the southside of Zombay. Ever since Rownie's big brother Rowan disappeared, he's been sticking with Graba in hopes that she will be able to locate Rowan. Rownie eventually falls in with a group of goblins who run a traveling theatrical troupe -- Rowan was an aspiring actor, even though acting is illegal in Zombay, so perhaps Rownie will be able to locate his brother in that world. Many adventures ensue as Rownie tries to evade Graba's clutches and locate his brother, all in the face of rising floods that threaten to destroy Zombay and all who live there.

So, this book has magic, goblins, theatre, steampunk (some characters have gearwork limbs or organs), and adventure. It sounds like just my sort of thing, but none of it is ever described fully, and some elements just don't make a lot of sense. There's plenty of action, but the backstory suffers in favor of chase scenes and confrontations. This may make it more appealing to reluctant readers, but I felt like there wasn't anything there to sink my teeth into, though with a little more space devoted to description, there could have been.

(164 books read)

The Freedom Maze by Delia Sherman is one of the best historical novels for teens that I have read in quite a while.

It's 1960, and thirteen-year-old Sophie is having a hard time living up to her mama's expectations. Sophie's mother is a Southern socialite, though recently divorced and now contemplating entering the workforce. While her mother attends school, Sophie is to be left at Oak Cottage with her aunt and grandmother. Oak Cottage is all that remains of the once-proud plantation that Sophie's mother's family has owned since the antebellum era. And, though Sophie's aunt is brusque and her grandmother imperious, Sophie enjoys the freedom of summertime, exploring the hedge maze and swimming in the bayou . . . until she meets an extremely strange little creature who whisks her through the hedge maze and back 100 years. Barefoot, sun-tanned, bedraggled, and strangely dressed, Sophie is taken for a slave by the 1860 residents of Oak River Plantation. It's assumed that a relative in New Orleans sent her to Oak River, and she is given a place as a house slave. At first Sophie hopes for a quick return to 1960, but as the days turn into weeks and then months, her life in the twentieth century fades in her memory, and she is caught up in the stories that unfold around her as she gets to know her ancestors from the perspective of the slaves who serve them. When a young slave woman is threatened by a young man who is courting the daughter of the family, will Sophie risk everything to help her escape? And will her efforts be enough?

I was completely wrapped up in this story. Sherman does a good job of creating nuanced characters, both in the slave quarters and in the big house. Both the 1860 story and the 1960 frame story are well-researched and have a ring of authenticity. The plot moves at the speed of a lazy Louisiana summer afternoon, but I felt that was all right for this book. Readers who enjoy historical fiction such as that written by Ann Rinaldi should give this story a try.

(165 books read)

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton is like Austen or Trollope . . . but with dragons!

When Bon Agornin dies, it means change is coming for every member of his family. His two unmarried daughters are sent to live with their more established siblings, but not before there is the most frightful row over Bon Agornin's final wishes. Lawsuits, proposals, and dinner parties ensue as the two younger daughters navigate the perilous waters of courtship while the rest of the family deals with the fallout from Agornin's death.

I just loved this book. The world is well-described without being over-explained, and the fact that all of the characters are dragons is not in any way superfluous. I am impressed at the author's range, as well as her ability to meld the style of the nineteenth-century novel with the trappings of high fantasy. This is the second book I've read by Jo Walton, but I'm sure it will not be the last.

(166 books read)

I found The House on Durrow Street by Galen Beckett, sequel to The Magicians and Mrs. Quent, nearly as enjoyable as its predecessor.

In this book, all three of the main characters experience a change in status. Mr. Quent is granted a title, raising Ivy's social status and expanding her sphere of influence. She is soon befriended by an extremely fashionable and influential woman, and readers may find themselves wondering if the lady has a secret motive. Rafferdy begins attending the Assembly of Magnates since his father's health no longer permits him to do so, and finds it indescribably dull. He does meet a group of young lords who are, like himself, magicians. Willing or not, Rafferdy is gaining power in both the political and magical spheres. Eldyn finds himself leading a double life -- clerking for the Church by day, while working illusions in the Theatre of the Moon by night. He's determined to earn enough money for his sister's dowry, and for his own fee to enter the church as a priest, and the pay he earns at the theatre makes this possible (for reference, in the eyes of the Church this is a bit like a woman taking up prostitution in order to earn enough money to enter a convent). Each of the three characters is ignorant of a few key details of their situation, and though they rarely meet over the course of the novel, the three storylines converge at the end of the book.

Each of the three main characters managed to do things that I found extremely stupid over the course of the book, though it all worked out in the end. While the first book made several direct references to classic literature, I found less of those in this story, though of course the setting still evokes those works. There were a few stylistic quirks that grated -- for instance, multiple occurrences of the phrase "a grin split his beard" drove me up the wall, as the mental image that phrase conjures up in me is certainly not what the author had in mind. All in all, though, I really enjoyed this novel, and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

(167 books read)

I read The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea by L.A. Meyer just last year, and wrote a review of it then.

This time through, I listened to the audiobook. Katherine Kellgren did a fantastic job, as always -- she really shines in this series. I'm looking forward to reading (and listening to) the next installment in the Bloody Jack series, which was released earlier this month.

(168 books read)

Palace of Stone, sequel to Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, does not disappoint.

When Britta invites Miri and the other girls from the Princess Academy to the capital city to help prepare for the royal wedding, the girls find that the lessons they learned at the Princess Academy may not be enough to help them fit in to court life. Moreover, revolution is simmering beneath the surface, and palace residents -- even poor ones from the mountains -- may find themselves in danger. Miri loves some parts of city life, especially since she is now a scholar at the academy. Plus, romance seems to be just around the corner: a charming young revolutionary acts like he wants to be more than friends -- but what about Miri's feelings for Peder, who is also in the city as a stonemason's apprentice?

I found this sequel just as well-told as its predecessor. It took me a few pages to remember who everyone was, as it's been a few years since I read Princess Academy, but once I did, I found it completely engrossing.

I'm glad you enjoyed Tooth and Claw as well. I just thought the idea of making the social conventions of Regency England biologically necessary was so original.

I actually like The House on Durrow Street better than The Magicians and Mrs. Quent--I though the writing and the plot flowed more smoothly. The third book is also good--find it before you forget the details.

I want to find Palace of Stone but our library doesn't have it yet. I certainly enjoyed Princess Academy.

Ah, I've found you. I thought you might recognise my quote, which is why I was hunting for your thread.

#140 -- Oh, I agree about Tooth and Claw! And I'll have to look for The Master of Heathcrest Hall very soon.

#141 -- The quote you posted on my profile sounds vaguely familiar, but I can't quite place it. Ah, well . . . welcome to the thread, anyway!

(169 books read)



The Unfortunate Son by Constance Leeds is historical fiction, with a fair amount of action and adventure. Note: I'm going to describe the whole plot here -- I don't think this story would be diminished by reading a spoilery review, but if you're sensitive about that sort of thing, you may want to skip to the final paragraph. I won't be offended.

Unfortunately, Luc is born with only one ear. He grows up as the son of a cruel and bitter olive grower. Fortunately, Luc finds his way to the home of Pons, Mattie, and the lovely Beatrice, who welcome him with warmth and kindness. Unfortunately, Luc is captured by Saracen pirates one day, and is taken as a slave to northern Africa. Fortunately, he catches the eye of a scholarly gentleman, who takes him in and treats him well, even teaching him to read. Unfortunately, the old gentleman is nearing the end of his life. Fortunately, Beatrice is determined never to give up hope of Luc's return. Unfortunately, she is the daughter of a disgraced nobleman who was killed before her very eyes by Count de Muguet. Fortunately, the old count is now dead, and his son is a more kind and just man. He takes an interest in Beatrice, restoring her to her father's lands when he discovers that her father was killed unjustly -- and he takes up the search for Luc, since it means so much to her. Unfortunately, it's not an easy thing to find a slave in northern Africa, even one with just one ear . . . especially if the slave's master does not want the slave to be found. Fortunately, Luc eventually hears of the search for him. He has promised to stay with his master until the end of the master's life, but when the man dies, Luc returns to Beatrice, Pons, and Mattie. There, he discovers that the cruel olive grower was not his biological father: Luc was the second son of Count Muguet, sent away because the count could not bear to raise a son with such an obvious physical imperfection. Now Luc and Beatrice are together once again, both returned to their proper positions. Luc's life has been full of ups and downs . . . but does that really make him The Unfortunate Son?

I liked this book, but I didn't love it. The dialogue seemed a little stilted, to me -- a stylistic choice that might not bother other readers. There is also some ambiguity at the story's end, and I found myself wishing for more concrete answers about certain characters and relationships. I also felt a sense of distance between myself as the reader, and the characters in the story. I never really connected emotionally with any of them. Again, this could be more my fault than the fault of the book . . . so if the plot sounds intriguing, I would encourage you to pick it up and give it a try!

waving by to say hi!

Hi, Linda!

>142 foggidawn:: I wanted to give you that quote, because you recognised the one I posted on Stasia's thread instantly. Does that give you a clue?

>143 foggidawn:: Fortunately I like your review. Unfortunately I probably won't read the book.

#146 -- Hmm. Is it another Alcott?

#123: I am going to have to alert Catey to the new Dee Henderson book. She really likes Henderson's stuff.

#148 -- I passed my copy along to my aunt and cousin, both big Henderson fans. I haven't heard their reaction to it yet, but they were super excited to get it, since she hasn't published a new book in a few years.

*sigh* Every time I get caught up with my book reviews, I vow to stay on top of things and never get so far behind again . . . and then I get behind again, anyhow. (This is similar to how I do with dieting and exercising.)

So, reviews forthcoming: The Raven Boys, In a Glass Grimmly, Splendors and Glooms, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, The Spy Princess, The Far West, and May B.. But not tonight.

Okay, the only way I am possibly going to get caught up is to do some more quick mini-reviews. Then I'll do some longer ones of the books about which I have lots to say. Here goes:

(170 books read)


The Spy Princess by Sherwood Smith is another story of a young woman trying to find her place in a country on the brink of revolution. She has loyalties to both sides, and her attempts to help are not always successful -- in fact, they are often detrimental. The action is fairly good, but the characterization could be stronger. Also, I'd probably have enjoyed this more if I hadn't recently read Palace of Stone.

(171 books read)


The Far West by Patricia C. Wrede probably deserves more than a mini-review, since I really did enjoy it, but it is the third in the series and hard to describe without spoilers. Suffice it to say that it is definitely worth reading if you enjoyed the first two books. If you're unfamiliar with them, the first book in the series is Thirteenth Child, and it's an alternate history of the Westward Expansion, but with magic. The Far West wraps things up pretty well, so I think it may be the conclusion of the series.

(172 books read)


May B. by Caroline Starr Rose is also set on the western frontier, but without magic. It's a verse novel about May, a young girl who dreams of getting her teaching certificate, despite the fact that she finds reading extremely difficult. However, her parents need her to help in another way -- they take her out of school and send her to live as companion to a woman who has recently come west to marry a homesteader and is homesick. When disaster strikes, May learns that she is more capable than anyone might have supposed. There's a lot going on in this book, though the plot itself leans heavily on scenes from some of the Little House on the Prairie books. Readers who can't get enough of those stories should definitely read this one.

(173 books read)


The Undertakers: Queen of the Dead by Ty Drago is the second book in a series (which I did not realize when I started reading it). The author does a good job of referencing/explaining events from the first book, but I think it would be best to go ahead and look for that one before reading this one. The story involves an alien race who come from another dimension and inhabit human corpses, with the goal of taking over the world -- and, of course, only a small group of kids has the ability to see (and, therefore, fight) them. The pacing is good, and it's got enough gore to appeal to its target demographic without being too terribly scary for the age range at which it is aimed.

I still have four more books to review, but I'm going to try and give each of them more complete treatment soon.

I'll probably have to do the same thing for my books - I am so far behind on reviews, and I really don't feel like doing a long review for each one of them. I can't wait to see what you think of The Raven Boys!

(174 books read)



I seem to have review-writer's block about The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater . . . at least in part because it's so hard to summarize it without giving anything away. So, I'll just say that it's a story about ghosts and psychics and privileged private-school boys and a dead Welsh king, and leave the summary at that.

As for how I liked it . . . well, I liked it quite a lot, though not quite as much as I liked The Scorpio Races. There was a brooding, atmospheric quality in The Scorpio Races that this book doesn't quite achieve -- but then, this book is quite different in tone, so it doesn't need to be The Scorpio Races all over again. The characters are great, particularly the Raven Boys themselves, and I look forward to seeing what happens with them in future volumes.

(175 books read)



In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz features Jack and Jill, two young adventurers on a quest that may cost them their very lives. As in his previous book, A Tale Dark and Grimm, Gidwitz does not spare his young readers the darker side of fairy tales. He moves away from Grimm's tales in this book, focusing on stories from a variety of sources, but there is still plenty of violence, gore, and danger as Jack and Jill's quest takes them from the tops of the clouds to the depths of the earth.

This is a companion work to A Tale Dark and Grimm, so although the two books are similar in style, they share no major characters, and you do not have to read one in order to understand or enjoy the other. Both books feature enough action and humor to entice reluctant readers of any gender.

(176 books read)



There's a lot to recommend Splendors & Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz: characters, atmosphere, setting, style . . . but be ready for a book that does not rush, that you sink into and enjoy slowly.

Clara is a daughter of privilege, the only living child of her wealthy and doting parents. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are ragged urchins, apprentices to Grisini, a street performer. Grisini has an almost magical skill with puppets, and a dark past that hints of real black magic. When Grisini is hired to perform a puppet show at Clara's birthday party, little do the three children know that their lives are about to become inexplicably intertwined.

I very much enjoyed this book, with its Dickensian setting and characters, the subtle touches of magic, the hints of pathos behind each child's story. It's an oddly compelling and somewhat demanding story, and from the reviews I've read, it's a love-it-or-hate-it kind of book. I loved it.

(177 books read)

Viva Jacquelina!: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Over the Hills and Far Away by L.A. Meyer is the tenth book in the Bloody Jack series. I want to talk about this book in a somewhat spoilery fashion, so if you are a fan of the series and have not yet read the book, you may want to read it before reading this post. Likewise, if you are not yet a fan of the series, you should take a look at Bloody Jack and go from there. If you like swashbuckling historical adventure stories for teens, you will adore this series. It's even better if you listen to the audiobooks, narrated by the incomparable Katherine Kellgren.

That's my plug for the series . . . now the spoilers shall commence:

To tell the truth, this is the first Bloody Jack book that I have been less than satisfied with. Part of the problem may have been that Jacky spends most of the story on land (she's always at her best when she's at sea) and separated, not just from Jaimy (par for the course), but also from Higgins and all of her other friends. Naturally, she meets a few more notable historical figures of the time period -- I'm not going to quibble at that; sure, it's over-the-top, but the tall-tale feel is a stylistic decision on the part of the author, and is consistent with the rest of the series.

My other problem with this book was that I didn't feel any heat between Jacky and Jaimy. This problem actually started in the previous book, with Jaimy's temporary insanity and Jacky spending a whole lot of time with the charming Lord Richard Allen -- I got the feeling that Jacky was only rescuing Jaimy from himself out of a sense of duty (it was, after all, her death that drove him mad), and that if she had her choice at that point, she would have taken Lord Richard. In this book, Jacky spends a lot of time leading on a boy several years younger than herself -- I felt badly for him, since it seemed to me that Jacky never made a point of telling him, as she was so fond of doing with other boys in previous books, that she was Promised To Another. (I cynically wonder if she chose this boy to toy with because he was not much of a threat to her virtue, or what remains of it.) Jaimy, meanwhile, is off successfully resisting Seedra's charms in Rangoon, and planning on getting back to Jacky, but in achieving a state of Zen he loses some of his typical ardor. In real life, I would expect Jacky and Jaimy to grow apart, especially since they never get to see each other or spend much time together, but so much of the dramatic tension of the series rides on Jacky and Jaimy's romance that it seems a little anticlimactic for them to drift apart as they seem to be doing.

I'm still way behind on my reviews, but I wanted to gloat over today's book acquisitions a bit. I went to the Junior Library Guild warehouse sale and picked up several books I've been wanting to add to my collection:

             

. . . and a couple more to give as Christmas presents to some of my young relatives.

Oooooh! I'm envious! I would love to add most of those to my collection as well.

*mutters to self "still haven't read Breadcrumbs... what is wrong with me?*

I really love Breadcrumbs . . . I think I talked another lady at the sale into buying a copy, too!

This is the first time this year that I've bought a lot of new books -- I've picked up some used ones at my library's book sale, but I don't have a bookstore in town, and I've been avoiding Amazon for the sake of my budget. It's nice to have some shiny new books to add to my shelves!

Great acquisitions!!

I have been doing too much reading and not enough reviewing lately -- let's see how many books I can knock off the to-be-reviewed stack tonight. Right now, that stack includes:
The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Crown of Embers
Mr. and Mrs Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire!
See You At Harry's
The Lost Hero
The Son of Neptune
The Mark of Athena
The Maze Runner
The Woman Who Died a Lot
Every Day
Unspoken

(178 books read)



I read The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson last fall, but didn't take the time to write a review of it, even though it was one of my favorite reads of the year. I recently reread it in preparation for reading its sequel, and I loved it as much the second time as I did the first.

Princess Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza of Orovalle is not one of the sword-wielding, butt-kicking heroines that one encounters in some fantasy novels. She's not known for her bravery or her skill with a blade. She's known for her scholarship, her fondness for pastries, and her skill at embroidery. She's overweight and (mostly) content to be so. The only other unique thing about Elisa is that she bears the Godstone in her bellybutton -- one person in a century is given this mysterious gift, marked as someone who will do a great act of service.

Elisa has always know that, as the younger princess, she will make a politically advantageous marriage. When she is betrothed to Alejandro de Vega, king of Joya d'Arena, she prays that her husband will be old and ugly, that he will not mind that he is marrying her and not her lovely older sister. Instead, she finds Alejandro to be handsome, charming . . . and weak. All is not well in Joya d'Arena -- criminals and revolutionaries lurk in the jungle, an invading army menaces the territories to the east, and the royal court is riddled with intrigue and political backstabbing. Then, something happens that Elisa never expected, and she is thrown into a situation that changes her inside and out. When faced with the biggest challenges life has ever thrown at her, Elisa finds hidden reserves of strength and courage.

I love so many things about this book. Elisa's character development is pitch-perfect, and she's believable and relatable all the way through. The secondary characters are well-drawn, the setting is fully described (though I wish the book included a map), and Carson does not shy away from hard decisions about the lives and deaths of really likable characters. I also like the way religion is handled in the book, and how central it is to Elisa's life. I strongly recommend this book to all fantasy fans, and I know it's one I will return to often.

(179 books read)



The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson is the sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns, and picks up soon after where that book left off. Therefore, this review will probably contain some spoilers for The Girl of Fire and Thorns -- you've been warned.

Elisa is now a queen and a hero, and somebody out there wants her dead. While she is beloved by most of her people, she's still young, foreign, female, and inexperienced, and she's still feeling her way as she tries to balance power with kindness. Also, there's a hired assassin attempting to take her out. When Elisa learns of a strong source of magic -- one that she, as bearer of the Godstone, is uniquely able to access, she sets out on a quest. She's accompanied by a small party, not all of whom can be trusted. Elisa is falling in love with one of her companions, but she is once again faced with the need to make a politically advantageous marriage. Will Elisa ever be able to follow her heart? Will she even live long enough to do so?

This second book has all of the character development and complexity that made the first book so wonderful, along with a heightened sense of adventure and a bit more romance. It's hard for me to love the second book in a series quite as much as I loved the first book, especially when the first book completely knocked my socks off, but Crown of Embers is a worthy successor to The Girl of Fire and Thorns, and I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series.

(180 books read)



Mr. and Mrs. Bunny--Detectives Extraordinaire by Polly Horvath is beautifully weird and wacky, with thought-provoking undertones.

Madeline has always felt protective of her artistic hippie parents. When they are kidnapped by a nefarious gang of foxes, though, she's not quite sure where to turn. Fortunately for Madeline, Mr. and Mrs. Bunny have recently embarked on a career as private eyes. Will these well-meaning but inexperienced detectives be able to help Maddie rescue her parents?

The plot sounds farfetched, I know, but this is a fun (if slightly surreal) read, and there are a lot of one-line zingers that made me giggle. Fans of juvenile literature, particularly Horvath's other works, will probably enjoy this book.

Woo hoo! I didn't know about the sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns being out, but I just checked, and the library has it. AND it has 6 holds on it ahead of me, so hopefully it won't become available until I get back from my trip.

Looking forward to your reaction to The Woman Who Died a Lot, since I just read it last week.

#165 -- Hooray! Sounds like good timing for The Crown of Embers. Have fun on your trip! I am definitely not going to get around to reviewing The Woman Who Died A Lot tonight, but hopefully soon.

Never heard of The Girl of Fire and Thorns before, but your review has suddenly given me a very strong urge to read it. It sounds different from a lot of YA that I see. Three cheers for Foggi! Thank you. :)

#167 -- I think you will really like it, Eris. If you do read it, be sure to let me know what you think!

Oh fooey. 3 book reviews, 3 book bullets.

And didn't you know it's a rule of LT that anyone who's read more books than me this year has to stop counting? I'm on 45. (Doubt I'll make my 75 yet again this year, and all these people sailing across the finish line... it's just not fair! *boo hoo*) ;-)

#169 -- Mwahahahaha! And wait until you see the rest of my reviews! Actually, I was at 230 books this time last year -- this has been a slower reading year for me, comparatively. ;-)

(181 books read)



See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles packs an emotional punch.

Twelve-year-old Fern loves her family, but sometimes she is also embarrassed by them -- pretty standard feelings for any twelve-year-old, really. She sometimes feels resentful of her siblings, particularly her younger brother Charlie, who came along as a "surprise" three years ago, and now seems to soak up most of her parents' attention. Fern adores her fourteen-year-old brother Holden, but Holden is going through his own difficult times, and there are some things that Fern can't help with. Oldest sister Sara is taking a year off between high school and college, working at the family's diner and getting into some trouble of her own. Is it any wonder that Fern feels invisible at times?

When the unthinkable happens, Fern and her family must each deal with grief, guilt, and loss. Will tragedy pull Fern's family apart?

This is definitely a tearjerker of a book. I knew from the start that there would be tragedy, but expected it to come from a different direction. Knowles does a great job in this book of showing the emotions, not just of Fern, but of all of the characters. For those of us who are thinking about the upcoming awards season, this is certainly one to keep an eye on. It's not my favorite of the year so far, but it's definitely a strong contender.

(182 & 183 books read)

 

The Lost Hero and The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan were rereads for me, making this an easy post to throw together. I wrote a review of The Lost Hero when it first came out, so please check there for my thoughts on that book. (I was actually the first person on LT to review the book, which means that my review got buried under all of the other reviews -- so give it some love, would you?)

In The Son of Neptune, the focus shifts back to Percy Jackson, but he's not at Camp Half-Blood. Like Jason in The Lost Hero, Percy has lost most of his memories, and he finds himself at a camp that feels both right and wrong. Camp Jupiter is home to the demigod children of the Roman pantheon -- and Rome never had a lot of affection for Neptune and the sea. When Mars appears and issues a quest, Percy and two other misfit demigods set out for Alaska, known as "the land beyond the gods." In the far north, Percy and his companions won't be able to rely on help from their godly parents, and they face challenges from giants and monsters, as well as dealing with their own personal issues.

Like all of Riordan's books, this was a lot of fun to read. The new characters, Frank and Hazel, are sweet and likable. There is plenty of action, of course, and lots of Riordan's trademark humor (the part with the Amazons was my favorite). This is an enjoyable read for fans of the series.

(184 books read)



In The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan, the Prophecy of the Seven begins to come together as Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Frank, Hazel, and Leo are united in a quest that will take them across the ocean to Rome and beyond.

The quest does not begin smoothly. Mysterious forces are at work to ensure that the old conflict between the Greek and Roman demigods persists. The two camps seem to be on track for a deadly battle as the Seven travel together toward the Mediterranean, a sea that is home to legendary monsters and patently unfriendly to demigods. And conflict stirs in the angsty teenage hearts of the seven demigods who travel there, as well. . . .

So, of course I enjoyed this book. Naturally, I would recommend starting at the beginning of the Percy Jackson series and going from there, in order to appreciate all of the backstory, but fans of the series will find this book on par with its predecessors. A few caveats: the ending is more of a cliffhanger than we've seen so far -- not enough to be painful, but certainly enough to make me more than usually impatient for the next book. Also, as I rather snarkily implied above, there's more teenage angst in this book than in any of the earlier books -- mostly a product of putting seven teens together in a confined space, six of whom are couples at various stages in their relationships, and two of whom are boys who are used to being in positions of leadership, and don't take kindly to being put in second place in any given situation. Riordan has created seven strong and distinct characters, but not all of them get to be point-of-view characters in this story, which may disappoint some fans.

On the other hand, I'm always amazed at the depth and breadth of research that the author must do in order to keep coming up with authentic monsters, gods, and heroes to populate this series. I often booktalk the Percy Jackson books to parents and teachers as having a "sneaky educational" aspect to it -- I know I have learned stuff about Greek and Roman mythology from the series! I can't wait to see what happens to the characters in the next installment.

Mythology was my favorite topic of my Academically Gifted & Talented program when I was in elementary school, so I'd done a far bit of exploring when I was younger. Even with that, I've learned TONS from the Olympians books, both series. So I agree, they are fun and educational! (But this one was ALMOST too angsty for me.)

#174 -- Yeah, I would prefer less angst, particularly from Leo, Frank, and Hazel. I thought that storyline seemed manufactured to up the angst levels without serving much of a purpose in the story.

(185 books read)



I listened to the audiobook of The Maze Runner by James Dashner. I can see why so many people (including my brother, who strongly recommended it to me) are fans, but for me, it was just all right.

Thomas wakes up in the dark, in a metal box that seems to be moving. He doesn't remember anything about his past, not even his last name. He emerges from the box into the Glade, an area in the center of a huge maze, surrounded by a large group of teenage boys who, like Thomas, have no memory of what life was like before they were placed in the maze. In order to survive, each of the boys has a job. Most are support positions, like farming or cleaning, but an elite few are Maze Runners, who travel through the maze each day in order to map the maze and discover a way out. The maze shifts each day, and though the boys have been in the maze for two years, they have not yet been able to locate the maze's exit.

Then, shortly after Thomas arrives, everything starts to change.

I had two main problems with this book: I didn't buy the scenario, and I didn't connect with the characters. The boys all seemed strangely reserved, focused on survival at the expense of humor, empathy, and friendship. Nobody was willing to share information with Thomas, despite the fact that they were all in the same boat. While this did build suspense, it didn't make a lot of sense to me. It was also evident that the boys were placed in the maze as some sort of experiment, but the number of casualties made me think that it was not a very well-run experiment. I'm told that the nature of the experiment is revealed in future books, but viewing this book as a stand-alone entity, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

On the other hand, the book does have a lot of adventure and suspense, and for readers who enjoyed the harrowing life-or-death aspects of The Hunger Games, this is a pretty good readalike. I listened to the audiobook, and I feel that the narrator did a creditable job of differentiating the characters and conveying the emotions inherent in the book.

(186 books read)



The Woman Who Died a Lot by Jasper Fforde is the seventh book in the Thursday Next series, a set of books that I can never coherently explain or summarize. They are a delightfully witty alternate-reality story about . . . and that's where it all breaks down. At that point in summarizing, I usually start blathering about Swindon and dodos and bookjumping and LiteraTech and the ChronoGuard and Landon and Thursday and Uncle Mycroft's inventions and Acheron Hades and so forth, and none of that means anything to you unless you have read the books. Basically, if tongue-in-cheek meta-ficion sounds like your thing, you should give this series a whirl.

In this book, Thursday is recovering from a nearly-successful assassination attempt which has her grounded from the Bookworld, possibly permanently. There's plenty going on in Swindon, however, as the government looks into reinstating certain SpecOps departments, the Almighty appears to be preparing a Smiting for the Swindon town center, the Goliath corporation has something nefarious up its sleeves, and Aornis Hades is playing her usual mind games with the members of the Next family.

It's all good fun, of course, and I did enjoy it, but I missed the Bookworld and all of its wacky denizens. The next book in the series promises a return to that world, so that's something to look forward to.

(187 books read)



Every Day by David Levithan is another book that's difficult to categorize or define.

Every morning, A wakes up in a different body -- always one approximately A's age, in a fairly small geographical radius, but that's all the bodies have in common. For one day, A lives the life of the person whose body A is inhabiting. One day, A wakes up in Justin's body . . . and meets Justin's girlfriend Rhiannon. A is immediately smitten, and decides to make that day a beautiful memory for both of them. Justin isn't a very attentive boyfriend, and A feels that Rhiannon deserves better. As A moves on to other bodies, A can't stop thinking of Rhiannon. A decides to go to her, to explain A's unique situation and see if there's any way to develop a relationship. Is there any way to make a romance work when you're in a different body every day?

This was an interesting premise, though a little heavy-handed at times. A's character is well-rounded, which is tricky for a character who is basically an untethered soul. A is both determined to do as little harm as possible, and anxious to develop a relationship with Rhiannon, a place to finally fit in. For someone who has been exposed to the widest possible range of human experience from the inside out, as it were, A occasionally comes across as kind of judgemental, as well. I found the story a little depressing -- I hope it's not a spoiler to say that the ending is bittersweet. This is a thought-provoking read, and while it falls short of technical excellence at times, it's a book that I can see many teens really enjoying.

I am massively behind in my reviewing again/still. Here are a couple of quick reviews of books that I found fun but not particularly excellent or awful:

(188 books read)



Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan -- a fun paranormal mystery with a little bit of romance. Reminded me a bit of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, not in plot (other than both being paranormal-ish) but in tone. I enjoyed it, but can't find a lot to say about it. I'd recommend it to people looking for more YA paranormal stories.

(189 books read)



Mystic City by Theo Lawrence -- in a future New York City, Aria wakes up missing some key memories, and must travel through parts of the city that her privileged upbringing has never exposed her to in order to discover what's being hidden from her. Another decent YA dystopia.

Hi. Just stumbled across this topic and have been enjoying your reviews. I believe that we have read a lot of similar books - I read quite a few YA and children's books with my sons and also enjoy cozy mysteries and fantasy, as well as good sci-fi. I'm trying to slowly read the classics that I was never required to read in school.

Tonight, as a matter of fact, my husband, my 5th grader and I are going to his elementary school for the "Grand Discussion" of The Lions of Little Rock, which we read together as a family. Twice a year the 5th grade classes read with their families a book selected by the school librarian and the gifted teacher and then have a group discussion.

I'm looking forward to more of your reviews and adding to my sons' reading lists.

#180 -- Thanks for stopping by! I see from your profile that you are also in central Ohio. I read The Lions of Little Rock back in the spring, and I remember liking it, though the details have gone a little hazy in my mind.

(190-195 books read)

   

   

I read books 1-6 in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney in preparation for a program that I am doing at my library soon. Let me just say that I am not the intended audience for this series. On the other hand, if you know a boy in grades 4-8, he's probably read at least one of these books. They're massively popular with kids, but don't have the crossover appeal of other kids/teen series that have made it big with adults in the past few years.

The eponymous Wimpy Kid is Greg Heffley, a fairly average middle-schooler. His stunts and foibles are chronicled in journal format, with accompanying sketches. Kids love the humor in the series -- Greg is something of an Everykid, who fights with his brothers, does a halfhearted job at his schoolwork, dreams up get-rich-quick schemes that never pan out, and plays a lot of video games. Girls are still a fairly abstract concept to Greg, though with the release of the seventh book, that may start to change.

I read all six books over the course of two or three days -- they're quick reads, which further endears them to kids who are reluctant to tackle heavier tomes. I get a little annoyed with Greg's attitude at times, which probably displays the accurate characterization in the books! I wouldn't necessarily recommend this series to adults, unless you are trying to keep up with what's hot in the middle-grade age bracket. I might recommend them to kids . . . but most kids have already read them!

(196 books read)



I listened to the audiobook of Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin on a long car trip. In the past, I have very much enjoyed Austin's inspirational romances, and this one, set in Eastern Kentucky and featuring the fascinating packhorse librarians of the WPA era, had great promise. However, I found that a few glaring flaws made the story less than enjoyable for me.

The story is told from the point of view of Allie, a sheltered young woman who lives with her parents in the suburbs of Chicago. She loves books, and her job at the public library is a perfect fit . . . until the library's budget is cut due to the Great Depression, and Allie finds herself at loose ends. Prior to losing her job, Allie had been collecting books and magazines for libraries in Appalachia. When Allie's aunt and uncle announce that they are heading in that direction for a vacation, Allie rides along, planning to deliver the books to the library in Acorn, Kentucky, and to stay for a week or two and help catalog the books. When she arrives in the tiny backwoods town, she is shocked to learn that the librarian she has been corresponding with is a man, there is nowhere in Acorn for her to stay but at the library (which also happens to be the male librarian's home), and that living conditions in the little town do not include such amenities as electricity or indoor plumbing. Worse, the day after her arrival, the town's librarian is shot, and Allie finds herself caught in the middle of a web of deceit and intrigue.

My main problem with this book is that I did not find any of the main characters sympathetic or likable. Allie spends most of the story being Too Stupid To Live, complaining about her situation, being afraid of things, and reading solely as an escape. She grows incrementally stronger over the course of the book, but it was not enough to redeem her in my eyes. I also had some big problems with the plot, and the way other characters trapped and manipulated Allie into staying in Acorn against her will. It made it hard for me to like those characters, or to root for the success of the book's romantic subplot. The dialogue felt stiff and contrived in spots, too. To top it off, the plot meandered along at a leisurely pace, leaving me plenty of time to stew over my dislike of the characters. (In all fairness, this might have been because I was listening, rather than reading -- that can distort my perception of a book's pacing.)

I wish I could recommend this book -- I thought the premise was fascinating, and I am usually a fan of this author. Maybe next time I read one of her books, it will be a more enjoyable experience all around.

I've added Unspoken, See You at Harry's and Splendors and Glooms to the tbr pile. Your thread is wonderful...and dangerous for my tbr list.

#184 -- Thanks for stopping by! I hope you will enjoy all three of those. If it's any consolation, your thread is equally dangerous for my TBR list!

I checked and found that my local library has a copy of Splendors and Glooms and See You at Harry's. I note that Barnes and Noble now has an entire section of YA books. I think the stigma of YA is slowly vanishing as more people find a lot of meaning and substance in this genre.

I've not read any of the Wimpy Kid books, but I caught a snippet of the movie. If the books are ANYTHING like the 10 mins of movie I made it through, I will have to pass (not that I was particularly planning to read them). I've never enjoyed the glorification of sibling rivalry that is so popular in a lot of kids entertainment, especially tv shows like Malcom in the Middle. Certainly they ring true for some people or they wouldn't be popular, but they never rang true for me. Sure, my siblings and I had plenty of fights and drove my parents crazy lots of times, but typically we got along and played together. I'm sure that has a lot more to do with growing up in the country where your siblings are about the only people your age within miles. I just can't relate at all to siblings out to make each others lives miserable and parents who are pretty oblivious until a screaming match breaks out.

Maybe the books aren't that at all. That's just the impression I got.

#187 -- Yeah, there's a lot of conflict between the brothers, and the parents are depicted as well-meaning but clueless. Of course, the story is from the kid's point of view, and there are occasionally clues that Greg's perspective may be skewing things a bit.

ETA: I watched the first movie as well, and found it fairly true to the books.

(197 books read)



On that same trip, I listened to The 100-Year-Old Secret by Tracy Barrett. When Xander and Xena's family relocates to London, these siblings discover that they are direct descendents of Sherlock Holmes. They are inducted into a secret society and entrusted with a notebook containing Holmes' unsolved cases . . . some of which have tantalizing clues that might lead to solutions, even after so many years!

Sherlock Holmes, always relatively popular, has seen a resurgence in popularity over the past few years, what with the movies and the TV series and all. I can think of at least three children's mystery book series that are in some way related to Holmes. I have to admit that, while I have enjoyed some of the original Holmes stories and some of the recent adaptations, I'm not an expert on Holmes trivia, so I won't comment too much on that aspect of this story. The Holmes angle in this book mostly serves to tie together a possible series, rather than playing directly into the details of this particular story.

In general, the writing in this story was good. The plot was strong, with enough clues and red herrings to make things interesting. Xena and Xander are not particularly memorable characters, but they are fine for a plot-driven mystery. The things that the siblings encounter, and the actions that they take to uncover clues, are believable -- they are things that kids could conceivably accomplish. I don't feel any compulsion to read more books in this series. However, I will certainly keep this book in mind for when kids come into the library looking for mysteries.

(198 books read)



The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde is an interesting book -- and, like most of Fforde's books, problematic to categorize. Though definitely written for a younger audience than his Thursday Next books, it's hard to say exactly who the ideal reader of this book might be.

Teenager Jennifer Strange is not a magic user herself, but she is the acting manager of a magical agency. In a Britain where magic is slowly waning and being replaced by technology, the magicians are reduced to taking on tasks like plumbing repair and pizza delivery. Then their most reliable psychic predicts the death of the last dragon in the world -- an event that will almost certainly have a powerful effect on the flow of magic in the world, as well as freeing up an extremely valuable parcel of land. Through a series of events, Jennifer gets caught up in the drama of the dragon's impending death, and finds that she does not want the dragon to die, after all . . . which is problematic, because she's just inherited the title of the Last Dragonslayer.

Like all of Fforde's books, there's a lot of fun humor and wacky chains of circumstance and coincidence that all come together to form the plot. If anything, this book is slightly more straightforward than Fforde's other works, but it's still weird and wacky and magical. I enjoyed it, though frankly I'd rather have had the sequel to Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron instead. Jennifer reminded me, perhaps a little too strongly, of a young Thursday Next, and though the characters were all interesting and distinct, I didn't form much of an attachment to any of them (though the Quarkbeast was rather endearing in its own deadly way). I might read on in the series, or I might not -- the book was fun, but not Fforde at his best.

I will definitely read on in the series, more from curiosity than an overwhelming love of the book, but I agree on all the points you made about The Last Dragonslayer, especially, most fervently, the sentiment about the sequel to Shades of Grey. Man, I LOVED that book and seriously can't wait for the follow up.

#191 -- I know! And it feels like forever since Shades of Grey came out.

Long enough for a friend to have "borrowed" my copy for over a year. Which I just stole back when I found it *GASP* in his bathroom! Idiot. Don't people realize what moisture does to books?

(199 books read)



The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab is realistic YA fiction. I'm a little more picky about what I read in that genre, since much of it is so bleak. However, I thought this book was quite well done.

Caro feels like she hardly knows her sister Hannah. For more than half of Caro's life, Hannah has been part of an order of contemplative nuns. How do you explain to your peers that your beautiful older sister is sequestered in a strict convent, that you only see her for a short time once a year? Hannah might as well be dead, Caro reasoned when she was younger (though she got in a lot of trouble at home for telling her school friends that story). Then, one day, Hannah comes home. And if Caro thought that explaining her sister's life at the convent was difficult, she finds it even more difficult to explain Hannah's sudden, unexpected return. As Caro tries to understand her sister -- who is still emotionally distant and obviously unhappy -- she uncovers a secret from the past that might explain both why Hannah left, and why she came back. But will Caro do her sister more harm than good in her attempts to help Hannah deal with the ghosts of the past?

There's more to the story, of course: a helping of boyfriend drama, a scientist priest who helps Caro with her own questions about God and the universe, and an ambitious science fair project all play into the plot of this book. I was drawn to the story because I wanted to see how religion was handled, and I am impressed at what I found. While Caro is not particularly religious herself, and has some hostility toward the church, there's an underlying respect for religion infused into the bones of the story. Despite Hannah's situation, Christianity is not the bad guy of the piece, and Caro's questions feel as genuine as her animosity. I'm glad I came across this book, and would recommend it to readers who are intrigued, as I was, by its premise.

(200 books read)

Floors by Patrick Carman is a juvenile puzzle novel. Next to the young adult dystopia, the juvenile puzzle novel is probably the genre where I most easily get "genre fatigue." This one was not good enough to raise it above its peers.

Leo is the son of the handyman at the Whippet Hotel, the quirkiest hotel in New York City. Merganzer Whippet, the hotel's enigmatic founder, filled the hotel with theme rooms, wacky inventions, and a rooftop duck pond. Then he disappeared. Leo and his dad are doing the best they can to keep the hotel in working order, but it's difficult . . . especially when somebody seems to be sabotaging the hotel's delicate operational balance. Is it the surly front desk clerk? One of the guests? The shady developers who want to buy the Whippet and tear it down so they can build a "real" hotel on the prime real estate that the Whippet occupies? In the midst of the turmoil, Leo, his new friend Remi, and a few highly intelligent ducks discover a quest left behind by Merganzer Whippet himself. Will solving the mystery help them save the hotel?

There's something appealing for young readers about books with this sort of fantastical setting. The Whippet seems like a cross between a hotel and an amusement park, and I can see kids really getting into the descriptions of Leo's adventures in the room that's built like a giant pinball machine, or on the double helix high-speed elevator. This adult reader was less amused. The quest didn't really engage me -- I found myself really disliking the absent Merganzer, and the conclusion of the story solidified that opinion. The characters were all fairly flat, as well. I might recommend this book to young readers who can't get enough of books like The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Westing Game, but those books are definitely superior to this one.

I'm of two minds about starting a new thread. With only a month and a half left in the year, it seems sort of superfluous. On the other hand, 200 books seems like a good place to make the changeover, and I'm just shy of 200 posts. I'm also still 10 books behind in my review-writing, and that's not counting any of the poetry that I have read and will read for the Cybils.

#181 I didn't realize that you were from Central Ohio too. What a coincidence!

My 5th grade son has just joined the Newbery Club at his elementary (which has a really great librarian) and will be reading some of the contenders for the coming award - can't wait! Just wish I could read all day!

#197 -- What a cool club! Sounds like a great librarian, indeed. I also wish I could just read all day. :-)

If I may recommend one that I don't think I saw on his list (and if your list is like mine, the last thing that you really need is a new book to add to the To Be Read) - my son's class read Capture the Flag by Kate Messner recently and skyped with the author this week. It is the first book in a new series and came out in July. http://www.katemessner.com/ I think the next book of the series comes out in early 2013. I have not read it yet, but from what I've heard, his whole class really enjoyed it.

>197 rretzler:: Well, would you like to put your names on the Location Wiki, in case someone organises a meet up? :)