foggidawn reads in 2015, part II

Welcome to Thread II!

Hi, I'm foggi, and this is my fifth year in this group! I'm a children's librarian in a medium-sized Ohio town and a voracious reader. I have eclectic reading tastes, but do read a lot of children's and young adult literature, both for work and because I enjoy it. I usually read about 200 books a year, though lately TV watching has been cutting into my reading time (I like discussing what I watch here, too, so come chat with me about Downton Abbey, Once Upon a Time, and anything else that catches my fancy)!

I blog at http://kidlitgeek.blogspot.com -- if you are so inclined, come check it out! I mostly cross-post my book reviews there, but occasionally create new content for the blog that does not appear here.

(Image from All the World)

In each of my threads this year, I've decided to spotlight a favorite illustrator. This thread's spotlight illustrator is the amazingly talented Marla Frazee.


(Image from Stars)

I first became acquainted with Frazee's illustrations in the Clementine series.


(Image from Clementine and the Spring Trip, I think)

But I soon discovered and appreciated her other works.


(Images from Everywhere Babies)

Her artwork is both funny and touching, and just looking at it makes me happy.


(Image from The Farmer and the Clown)

If you're not familiar with this artist, stop by your library today and check out some of her wonderful books!


(Image from Boot and Shoe)

Books read in 2015:

1. Mouseheart by Lisa Fiedler
2. Bomb: The Race to Build -- and Steal -- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
3. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
4. Spirit's Key by Edith Cohn
5. Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
6. Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes
7. Copper Magic by Julia Mary Gibson
8. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
9. Completely Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
10. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
11. The Grimm Conclusion by Adam Gidwitz
12. The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming
13. The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion
14. The Just City by Jo Walton
15. The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng
16. Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek by Maya Van Wagenen
17. The Princess in Black by Shannon and Dean Hale
18. The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry
19. Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks
20. Dearest by Alethea Kontis
21. Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
22. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
23. Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
24. Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott
25. Smek for President by Adam Rex
26. Next Top Villain by Suzanne Selfors

(Rereads in italics, new favorites in bold.)

HI!

>3 foggidawn: Hi, Nora!

Yikes, how did it get to be this late? Wasn't it 9:30 just a minute ago? I meant to do my book list tonight, and I have a book or five to review, as well. I guess tomorrow is another day...

Happy new thread, Foggi!

Love the artwork by Frazee, especially the one with the kids huddled in the tree. Very magical. :)

>6 jolerie: Thanks! And it is magical, isn't it? The first image up there is from All the World, which is my favorite of hers. It occasionally brings happy tears to my eyes when I read it.

I knew I'd seen Frazee's artwork before - she illustrates Judy Moody :)

Happy New Thread! That drawing of the swaddled babies is so beautiful. I'd love to have that framed in my house!

>8 kgriffith: I thought Peter Reynolds illustrated Judy Moody? But their styles are similar.

>9 leahbird: That image is actually part of a larger spread from her book Everywhere Babies which, as a doula, you should definitely get, I think. ;-) Here's the full illustration:

Wow, I'll for sure be checking out some of her picture books on my next library trip. Thanks for bringing Frazee to my attention!

I especially love the picture of the kids reading in the twinkle-light tree. :)

Happy new thread!

Going back to Downton... I haven't seen the actress who played Sybil do anything too major. BUT Dan Stevens just landed the role of Beast along side Emma Watson so he's probably happy. Isn't it funny that everyone from Downton is doing live action Disney movies?

>12 rosylibrarian: Jessica Brown Findlay was in an episode of Black Mirror (so was Allen Leach) but I think that was filmed when they were "living in Ireland. I don't know about much else but now she's doing a Frankenstein film with Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy.

>13 PawsforThought: Say whaaat? Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy?! *runs off to IMBD*

>11 LauraBrook: That picture is from the book Stars. I think I'll go back and edit that post with book titles for each image.

>12 rosylibrarian: Wow, I knew Emma Watson was playing Belle (perfect!), but I hadn't paid attention to who was playing Beast.

>13 PawsforThought: Hmmm . . . Frankenstein is not usually something I'd be interested in, but those names make it sound tempting!

>14 rosylibrarian: I know, right?

>10 foggidawn: I think I might!

>12 rosylibrarian: She starred in Winter's Tale but I don't think that was as huge as they hoped.

>14 rosylibrarian: I'm right behind you! That sounds awesome!

ETA: it's got Andrew Scott and Mark Gatiss too!

I'm here, I'm here! I apologize in advance.

Happy new thread, Foggi. xx

I love Frazee!

Happy New Thread!!

>17 Ape: I'd accept your apology, but perhaps I should wait and see what it covers, first! ;-)

>18 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

>19 scaifea: Isn't she great? I was mostly pleased with the ALA awards this year, but my one disappointment was that The Farmer and the Clown didn't even get a Caldecott Honor.

(27 books read)



The Chosen Prince by Diane Stanley is a tale of mythology and destiny.

The auguries at Prince Alexos' birth pointed to an interesting collection of traits: strength and weakness, wisdom and foolishness, virtue . . . and greatness. Is Alexos the chosen prince, prophesied long ago to heal a kingdom split apart by pointless war? When tragedy strikes, it seems as if Alexos cannot be the chosen one, after all -- but perhaps the goddess Athene still has other plans.

I wanted to like this book -- and I did, to some extent. I think the main barrier to my mind was the writing style. The author chose to use third-person present tense, and that unusual choice meant that the writing never got out of the way of the story; I was always aware of it, never fully immersed. I found the main characters satisfyingly complex, though some of the secondary characters (the king, for instance) were hardly more than stock characters. The plot moved along smoothly and I never felt that it was dragging, and the book deals with interesting themes of morality, destiny, and freedom. If you can get past the narrative perspective, I think this is a worthwhile read, particularly to readers who enjoy books set in the ancient world with overtones of mythology.

I finally caught up with the new episode of OUAT!

Rumpelstiltskin being the "Oxford professor" -- totally called it. I also saw coming the fact that the batty creature was going for Emma, not Regina . . . and I suspect that we'll see Emma struggling with her dark side in the rest of this season.

I'm sure you can guess that I loved how much we saw of Rumpelstiltskin in this episode. I'd like to see him get back together with Belle, but I'm not sure how he could possibly convince her of his repentance, seeing as she has been burned before. I anticipate lots of good plot for them coming up.

My only criticism of this episode was that the scroll felt wayyy too convenient, an easy fix for the town line problem. And did the witches steal the scroll back, or are we supposed to believe that they were allowed to just hang on to it? Love that they brought in Cruella, by the way. And Ursula, though I don't love her costume in the Enchanted Forest scenes. Just two tentacles?

Of course the most intriguing part of the episode was the scene at the very end. Wasn't expecting that from Snow! I can hardly wait to find out what that is all about.

Happy new thread, Foggi!

>16 leahbird: Mark Gatiss AND Andrew Scott? Where? When?

Happy new thread!

>24 rretzler: The new Frankenstein movie.

Hi, everyone. Thanks for dropping by. I have eight books waiting to be reviewed, but I've lost my motivation. Anybody seen it around here anywhere?

>27 foggidawn: I certainly don't have it.

>28 norabelle414: Oh, I don't think anyone here took it. The most likely suspects in my life right now are unhelpful receptionists, insurance companies, pretentious and condescending thespians, my apartment management company, and Daylight Saving Time. A motley crew, to be sure.

>29 foggidawn: I dunno, some people around here look suspiciously motivated.
*glares around the room*
*goes back to watching Netflix*

Speaking of Netflix (which I actually don't have, but it made a good segue to the topic of TV), I did just watch the latest episode of OUAT:

Belle and Will Scarlet? What the what? Also, NO.

Other than that, I'm mostly curious as to who was the father of Maleficent's baby. And a little bit curious about Hook's history with Ursula. And slightly curious about what exactly Snow and David did, though having them do anything unheroic seems kind of like a fault in the storyline, since the business with Cora was supposed to be the first stain on Snow's otherwise unblemished heart.

>31 foggidawn: OUAT See, I could get behind the Belle and Will Scarlet pairing. They definitely have me wondering how those two got to a romantic place.

As for Hook and Emma, I think the writers laid an important sentence into the script this week with Hook saying that he'll always see the good in Emma. We all know at some point Emma is going bad during this arc and I'm laying odds now that Hook will be the one to pull her out of it.

>31 foggidawn: >32 MickyFine: Yeah, I'm kinda more team Belle/Will too. Rumple is an intriguing character for sure, but he's been a hard character to love lately.

Yeah, agreed about the Snow/Charming plot line. Well, and actually the Hook and Emma feelings too. I'm actually kind of excited for Emma to go a little bit bad...

>32 MickyFine: and >33 rosylibrarian: I think my main problem with Belle/Will was that it was so unexpected; we've seen nothing of the two of them together recently. I know they did that on purpose so it would have a lot of impact for us (as it did for Gold), but it just made it hard for me to wrap my brain around. Especially since I can't see much in common between those two. Belle and Archie, for instance, would have made more sense -- though we haven't seen him lately; perhaps he is off filming something else right now? I might eventually be okay with Belle/Will, but only if they give us some convincing backstory for that kiss. And I agree that Rumpelstiltskin has been hard to love this season. He's more interesting when he's not being full-on evil, as he was for the first half of the season. (But I still love him.)

I agree that Hook's line about seeing the good in Emma was important, and I'm also intrigued to see where they go with that plot line.

>34 foggidawn: I know what you mean. Actually, I kind of forgot about Will. He's always kind of been on the outskirts of the plot. I'm sure Belle and Rumple are end game though, so this feels like a good plot twist to bring Rumple back to his senses... or possibly make him even more evil. Guess we will see!

>34 foggidawn: I assume Archie will be back sometime soon, since Cruella is in town? I love how this show can have characters disappear for a season or more and they pop back up later for their own storyline with no explanation :-) I'm hoping Aurora will be back soon too.

>36 norabelle414: I keep wondering if we'll see Ariel again, since Ursula is around.

Wow, my thread went all top-secret again! ;-) Let's see if I can manage a book review or two, to give non-OUAT-watchers something to read!

(28 books read)



I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson is this year's Printz Medal winner.

When they were thirteen, twins Noah and Jude could hardly be more different: Noah was the quiet, sensitive, and artistic boy who dodged bullies and dreamed of attending the nearby arts high school, Jude was the confident and popular surfer girl. Despite their differences, the two were inseparable. But by age 16, things have changed: Jude is the one attending the arts high school, camouflaging herself in dark, baggy clothes, and creating sculptures representing her own brokenness, while Noah has become a jock at the normal public high school, who never draws or paints any more. The most striking difference, though, is that Noah and Jude hardly speak to each other any more. They've been split apart by a family tragedy. What will it take to mend their relationship?

I'm hardly doing justice to this book with that summary. This is one of the best books I've read this year -- touching and uplifting and thought-provoking and funny. It reminded me a bit of one of my favorite books from last year, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, but I think I actually liked this one better. I can absolutely see why this book won the Printz Medal. Highly recommended!

>39 foggidawn: I had it out from the library right after it won, and returned it to the library unread because I just had too big of a pile on my nightstand. With your review, though, I'll definitely have to add it back onto the TBR list.

>40 bell7: It's such a good book -- and I probably wouldn't have picked it up (I have Galley Guilt for taking more ARCs than I can possibly read in a timely manner) but it is this month's pick for my real-life book club. I'm so glad we decided to read it.

(29 books read)



Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan is three books in one, linked together by a mysterious harmonica.

Friedrich is a musical boy in 1933 Germany, where political tensions run high. His outspoken father, recently retired from the Hohner harmonica factory where Friedrich and his uncle Gunter still work, opposes Hitler and his ideas about racial purity -- but Friedrich's older sister Elisabeth has just started getting involved with the League of German Girls. When Friedrich, who was born with a port wine stain covering half of his face, is in danger from the new regime and his father is in danger for speaking out against it, what will become of Friedrich and his family?

Mike is a scrappy orphan in 1935 Philadelphia. Above all else, he wants to stay together with his younger brother Frankie, but it's rare for two orphans to be placed together from their orphanage. When, against the odds, the two brothers are placed with a wealthy lady, Mike knows it's too good to be true. The lady wanted a girl, not two boys. Mike knows that Frankie, with his winning personality, can charm their new guardian -- and perhaps he can find his own place in the world, maybe even in Hoxie's Philadelphia Harmonica Band. Is there any way that the brothers can stay together, or will Mike have to sacrifice to give Frankie his best chance?

Ivy is a migrant worker's daughter in 1942 California. Her father has just gotten a good job managing a farm for a Japanese resident who has been relocated to a internment camp, and Ivy is crushed because that will mean moving away from her favorite teacher and her best friend, just days before she was to have a solo in her class harmonica concert on the radio. In her new home, Ivy is dismayed to discover that the school system is segregated and Mexican students are bused to a separate elementary school. In facing this injustice in her life, she also reflects on the greater injustice faced by Japanese residents like the Yamamoto family who own the farm where her father now works. But when Ivy and her mother go to the Yamamoto house to check for rodents or any other damage, Ivy finds a mysterious locked door at the back of a closet. What secrets have the house's owners hidden away? Are they really enemies of America, as some of the neighbors believe?

This is a hefty chunk of a book, since it is really three books in one, tied together with a fairy-tale-like frame story and a unique harmonica that makes its way into the hands of each of the three children in turn. However, I found it a fast, well-paced read with interesting characters and a gripping plot. The dialogue is a little teach-y in spots, but not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book. I liked how the author tied the events of each story together at the end of the book. In my opinion, the frame story was the weakest bit of the book, but perhaps that was just because I was expecting historical fiction and the fantasy element seemed slightly out of place. Nevertheless, this is a good book that will be enjoyed by both young readers and adults.

(30 books read)



The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce is a brief story of an English schoolgirl whose world opens up when she meets two boys from Mongolia.

Sixth-grader Julie is mostly interested in getting her crush's attention and finding a way to get her popular friend to invite Julie over to her house after school, until the day she meets Chingis and Nergui. Charismatic Chingis, who is able to talk Julie's teacher into allowing his younger brother to stay in their classroom instead of being sent to a lower grade, appoints Julie as the brothers' 'good guide.' Julie takes her new role seriously, spending free time with Chingis and Nergui and doing a report on Mongolia which she shares with the class. She tries to extend their friendship beyond the classroom, hoping to see where the boys live, but when she finally achieves this goal, she gets an unexpected glimpse into the fear that Chingis and his family live with from day to day. When the family is abruptly deported, Julie is left with questions that haunt her well into adulthood.

This is an interesting book, almost surreal in places (this effect is amplified by the Polaroid-style illustrations sprinkled throughout), but also grimly realistic in its portrayal of a family caught in a difficult situation. In the Author's Note at the end, Boyce mentions that the story was inspired by real-life events. Though this is a quick read, I think it will appeal more to adults than to children.

(31 books read)



The Imaginary by A.F. Harrold is a lovely story of friendship, adventure, loss, and imagination.

Rudger is Amanda's best friend. Of course, he's imaginary, but neither Amanda nor Rudger is bothered by this. Then, one day, Mr. Bunting comes to the door. Unlike any other adult in the world, Mr. Bunting can see Rudger -- but this is definitely not a good thing. It's obvious from their first meeting that there's something wrong with Mr. Bunting, something ominous about him. When a later run-in with the man causes an accident that separates Rudger and Amanda, Rudger must run for his life to escape Mr. Bunting and get back to Amanda . . . but can an imaginary boy survive on his own, without his real-world friend?

This book works so well on so many levels. The characters are quirky and fun, the plot moves right along, there are some scary bits and some funny bits -- kids will love this book. There's also pathos and attention to detail (the cat's name is Oven, and I won't tell you why that is significant, but it is) and depth -- adults will love this book. I can see it working really well as a classroom read-aloud for second or third graders, though it might be a little too scary for children any younger than that. Also, it is fabulously illustrated by the talented Emily Gravett. This may be the best book I've read so far this year. Highly recommended.

(32 books read)



The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John is a hilarious tale of pranksters at war.

Miles Murphy is a prankster. He was the best prankster at his old school, and now that his family has moved to boring Yawnee Valley, he fully expects to be the best prankster at his new school. There's just one problem: his new school already has a prankster. A really good one. Better than Miles? Perhaps. The only way to settle the issue is, of course, a prank war. The results are epic, but there's one thing that could top them: the two pranksters working together on one enormous, unforgettable prank that will astonish the entire school.

This book is just plain fun. It's a quick read that will have you laughing out loud more than once or twice. Of course, as a sworn member of the International Order of Disorder (I had to join in order to get a signed copy of this book) I'm obligated to support the literary efforts of my fellow members. Perhaps this is the most boring book ever, and this review is all one big prank! To find out for sure, you'll just have to read it for yourself. Heh, heh, heh.

>43 foggidawn: Thought this sounded familiar - there is an exhibition running near me inspired by the images in this book. http://culture.org.uk/2014/04/the-unforgotten-coat-exhibition/

Looks like you've found your mojo again. :)

Will be back later to take a closer look at your reviews and see which ones I'm adding to my ridiculous library list..ha!

Adding The Imaginary to the list...

>46 charl08: How interesting! The images definitely added a great deal to the story.

>47 jolerie: At least a portion of it . . . though would you believe I am still five books behind in my reviewing?

>48 scaifea: I thought of you and Charlie as I was writing that review (also of Linda; I should pop over to her thread and mention it for when she is recovered enough to enjoy longer works). It may be a little scary for Charlie now, but he should love it in a few years.

Aw, I love that you were thinking of us! And thanks for the heads up about the scary - I'll definitely read it first and then decide how high on the shelf it'll go...

>50 scaifea: Sounds like a plan.

(33 books read)



The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes is a YA novel about, love, war, and the similarities between the two!

Lainey Mitchell had a great junior year, her summer is off to an epic start, and senior year promises to be all that she could want: co-captain of the soccer team, student body vice-president, and maybe even homecoming queen beside her long-time boyfriend Jason. And then, out of the blue, Jason shows up at the coffee shop where Lainey works, and dumps her. Lainey is not about to take this lying down. With the help of her best friend Bianca and an ancient Chinese warlord, Lainey devises a plan. That's right: she decides to take her cues from Sun Tzu's The Art of War. She teams up with Micah, a coworker who has also recently been dumped, and together the two scheme to make their exes jealous and, hopefully, win them back. But just when Lainey's plan seems to be working, she must decide: does she still want to win this battle?

This is a cute, fairly typical YA romance. I picked it up because of the premise (The Art of War? Really?) which worked pretty well. It's going to be obvious to readers from the start that Lainey's boyfriend is a jerk and Micah is the guy she ought to end up with, but romance novels are all about watching how two characters end up together, so major plot twists are not required if the story is good. I think this will appeal to readers who love YA romance -- for me, it was an okay read, but not a great one.

(34 books read)



The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is this year's Newbery Medalist.

Twelve-year-old Josh Bell is a basketball player, just like his dad, hoping to be as famous as his dad was, someday. Josh and his twin brother Jordan have been inseparable, on the court and off, all their lives. This year, though, things are changing. Jordan has a girlfriend, and Josh is, let's face it, a little bit jealous. When a spur-of-the-moment bad choice leads to Josh's suspension from the basketball team, he has to face up to more than one issue in his life and in his family.

More than a novel about basketball, this is a story of family dynamics that tugs the heartstrings with its pitch-perfect voice. I'm loving the fact that this Newbery medal winner is a book that I'll be able to recommend to all kinds of readers: sports fans, lovers of verse novels, readers who like a good story about siblings and families . . . really, anyone who enjoys a good, solid read.

(35 books read)



Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton is a much-hyped YA fantasy set in a not-too-distant future.

Quin, John, and Shinobu have trained for years for this. Soon, they will take the Oath and become Seekers, guardians of an ancient magical artifact called an athame, defenders of truth, warriors of justice. But when John fails to perform well in their last training fight, Quin's father Briac, the training master, informs John that he will not be taking the oath with the others. John's journey is over before it had a chance to begin. As it turns out, this may have been for the best, as Quin and Shinobu are about to discover: you see, Seekers may once have been defenders of truth and justice, but now they are little more than hired killers. Now, on one side are Quin and Shinobu, sick with regret over what they have become, on another side is Briac, determined to enforce the young Seekers' oath, and on a third side is John, nursing a grudge for more than just his recent bad treatment at Briac's hands and determined to do whatever it takes to gain control of the athame. It's a volatile combination, and the ensuing action will range from the Scottish highlands, to downtown Hong Kong, to an airship floating over London. Who will prevail?

This book's publishers have hyped it so much that it can't possibly live up to its reputation. However, if you've somehow missed out on the hype and can take it at face value, it's not a bad story. Quin's character could stand to be a little more fleshed out, but many of the secondary characters are satisfactorily complex. The premise is interesting, and I will probably continue reading the series to see where it goes. Readers who like young adult fantasy with plenty of action should take a look at this book.

(36 books read)



On Etruscan Time by Tracy Barrett is a story of archaeology and time travel.

Hector is not excited about accompanying his mother to Italy for an archaeological dig -- he'd rather be hanging out with his friends all summer, sleeping until noon, playing video games, and going to the pool. But he can't help but be interested in the dig site, especially when one archaeologist encourages him to help out, showing him how to excavate in a practice area that's not part of the official dig site. When Hector discovers an eye-shaped token, the archaeologist dismisses it as a modern piece, probably dropped by a tourist, and allows Hector to keep it. The token proves to be more ancient, and more magical, than anyone could have guessed. It transports Hector back to Etruscan times, where he meets a boy named Arath, the original owner of the token. Arath is in trouble, and it seems that Hector has been brought to that time specifically to help him. But what can one boy from the the twenty-first century do?

Meh. Another all-right-but-not-great read. As an adult reader, I was more interested in the adults' backstory than in Hector's time-travel adventures. And as far as young readers are concerned, the book gets off to a rather slow start. Unless they have a particular interest in archaeology, they're not likely to keep going for the promise of more adventure later in the book. It's not a bad story, just not one that's particularly compelling.

(37 books read)



Bossypants by Tina Fey is a funny and occasionally poignant memoir. I feel like I am the last person in the world to pick this up; I've seen so many other reviews for it. I enjoyed some parts of this book more than others -- since I don't watch Saturday Night Live or 30 Rock, the chapters dealing specifically with those shows were maybe a little less interesting for me than for fans of either show. However, I did love the chapters about Fey's family life and her early years in summer theatre and improv, and I found her amusing, if not always laugh-out-loud funny, throughout. I listened to the audiobook, assuming that "read by the author" would be a plus in this case. It was, though the production quality wasn't always what I would expect -- there was a slight echo in a couple of places, and when Fey lowered her voice for asides, I had trouble catching her words. But other than that, this was a fun listen and brightened up my driving time.

(38 books read)



Fish in a Tree by Linda Mullaly Hunt is the story of one girl's struggle to overcome her learning disability.

Ally's got a bit of a reputation as a class clown and occasional troublemaker. She's good with numbers and art, but has trouble reading because of the way the letters seem to move on the page. She makes her difficulties into a joke, and she's fooled a lot of teachers so far. But when Mr. Daniels, a long-term sub, takes over for her regular teacher, he sees Ally's smart, creative side in a way that nobody else ever has. Over time, Mr. Daniels helps Ally overcome her difficulties while celebrating her unique skills and talents.

This book falls firmly into the category of "inspirational teacher story," as you can see from the summary above. There aren't a huge number of novels featuring dyslexic protagonists out there, so there's some value in that. I was displeased to find that this book perpetuates the "Einstein did poorly in school" urban legend that's been pretty well debunked; I thought the book would have been better served if the author had used a less controversial example of a famous person who struggled with academics. On the other hand, Ally's voice is smart and funny, and that made for an enjoyable read.

(39 books read)



Seraphina by Rachel Hartman is a reread for me: Here's a link to my review. This was a favorite when I first read it, and it stands up well to rereading. This time I listened to the audiobook, which was also excellent. Looking forward to the sequel, which I've just started!

Hah! I am caught up! Let me savor this sensation for a moment, because I'm sure it won't last long. :-)

I'm glad that you enjoyed The Crossover - I was surprised at how much I liked it, seeing how I don't care for sports or modern verse... Ha!

>60 scaifea: I felt the same way. It transcends its genre, in the way that the best books of any genre should, and to me that makes it particularly deserving of its award.

>53 foggidawn: That is good to know. When it won the Newbery award I thought, meh, because basketball doesn't really interest me, but maybe I'll give it a go.

Nice reviews!

>61 foggidawn: Agreed!

You got me with The Art of Lainey. Sounds precisely like my brand of fluffy romance. :)

>62 rosylibrarian: Thanks!

>63 scaifea: :-)

>64 MickyFine: Yep, if you are looking for fluffy romance, it is one. :-)

(40 books read)



Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman is the long-awaited sequel to Seraphina. This review may contain some minor spoilers for Seraphina, so if my earlier review didn't drive you to pick that book up right away, you may want to skip reading this review until you do!

War is coming, and Seraphina and her fellow half-dragons may be the key to Goredd's survival. Seraphina, with her mental connection to the others, is the obvious person to draw them all together, but to do so she will have to travel through Nimys, Samsam, and Porphyry -- and she will face unique dangers in each location. Even more dangerous, however, is the one half-dragon Seraphina is not willing to face: devious Jannoula, who once betrayed Seraphina within the bounds of her own mind. If Jannoula finds out what Seraphina is doing, there's no doubt that she will try to cause trouble, but Jannoula is safely imprisoned . . . or is she?

I love this series so very much. Seraphina is a strong heroine, but her strength is primarily mental, and it's extraordinarily valuable as such. In this book, we see a great deal of character development for Seraphina as she faces her own biases and motivations for gathering her fellow half-dragons, and as she faces her history with and fears of Jannoula. And let me just say, Jannoula is one of the most chilling villains I've ever run across! The slow-burning romance that began in the last book continues to build, coming to a satisfying and surprising conclusion by the end of the book. That conclusion does tie up most of the loose ends, leaving just a few tantalizing details that may be explored in future books (the author has stated that she will write more books in that world, but they will focus on different main characters). So, if you were waiting to start this series, now is a good time to do so, as these two books make for a rich and satisfying read.

As usual, I leave here with half a dozen book bullets!

(41 books read)



Uprooted by Naomi Novik is a new fantasy story that feels both traditional and timeless.

Every ten years, the Dragon descends from his tower and takes a maiden as his tribute. Of course, he's not a real dragon, but rather a powerful sorcerer who protects the villagers from the malignant power of the Wood. And he neither devours the maidens nor ravishes them, but somehow, even when he releases them, they never want to return to their homes and families, but instead travel to a distant city and make their own lives there. Agnieszka hates the Dragon -- not because she fears that he will take her, but because he's almost certainly going to take Kasia, her dearest friend. When he chooses Agnieszka, she is torn between dread, fury, and intense homesickness, and is determined to be as unhelpful as possible. She detests the ornate gowns he magics her into, is exhausted when he uses her to cast spells, and is outraged to discover that he is asking more of her than he has of any of his previous maidens. Agnieszka would never have believed it, but she has magic of her own, and the sorcerer's exhausting attempts at magic are actually his version of lessons. For his own part, the sorcerer seems to see her as a colossal bother, one he'd rather be without -- but when disaster strikes, Agnieszka quickly discovers that her magical powers may be more useful than she's previously realized, if only she can find a way to make them work properly.

If I look at the individual elements of this book, they all sound familiar: the clumsy young girl and the powerful, ageless sorcerer, the evil that lurks in the heart of the forest, the novice magic user who finds that her way of using power is unique, or at least very different from her teacher's, the driven young prince and the power-hungry opponent sorcerer (yeah, I didn't even get to them in my summary). But when all of these elements are put together by a powerful writer like Novik, they achieve a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. It's not perfect -- I struggled to get past the squickiness of the romantic angle (giiirrrrllll, he's 200 years older than you; I mean, I often have crushes on older men, but even that's a bit much for me) -- but the story itself is so gripping, and the romance is handled much better than it could have been. All in all, a very enjoyable read for fans of fantasy stories with an epic, fairy-tale feel.

(ETA: This book doesn't come out until the end of June -- normally I would have pushed it back in the queue and not read and reviewed it so early, but a coworker is waiting to read it. Sorry to tantalize you so far in advance of the pub date!)

>67 ronincats: Mwa-ha-ha! And you've read Seraphina, right? If not, that's the one to move to the top of your list!

Yes, I've read Seraphina. But now there's the sequel and The Imaginary and Uprooted, to name the most attractive.

>54 foggidawn: I was not hyper-hyped like you were, and I found Seeker to be a refreshing middle ground for someone like me who wants something more complex than a YA fantasy, but not so epic as GoT. Flawed, certainly, but not a poor outing.

Also, I'm afraid to read your review of Uprooted, as it's on my NetGalley shelf...!

>70 ronincats: Ah, I see. :-)

>71 kgriffith: The advertising for that book at ALA Midwinter was beyond anything I have seen. I mean, they did the thing where they put slices of the image on the rise of the stairs, so as you are standing at the bottom looking at the stairs, it looks like a giant poster. For one book! And then there were other posters, etc. all around, not just in the exhibit hall. I agree, it wasn't a bad book, but yikes.

>69 foggidawn: That new Novik sounds really interesting. Unfortunantly, knowing how much more I liked the UK covers of the Temeraire series, I just checked Amazon.uk to compare covers and.... it was so much lovlier!

Luckily I poked around and I can get the UK cover I like from Amazon!

>73 leahbird: Interesting . . . I think I actually like the US cover slightly better.

>74 foggidawn: It's not bad at all, I was going to happily purchase it if I didn't find one I liked better. I HATE the US Temeraire covers but this one is just not my favorite style. BUT, I just found your cover image to scale and discovered that the cover blurb is from my beloved Gregory Maguire! If Gregory Maguire thinks it's "Bewitching" I can't wait to read it, regardless of cover!

>75 leahbird: I'll have to compare the US/UK Temeraire covers -- the only thing that bothers me about the US ones is that they appear to have changed designs mid-series. Dislike!

(42 books read)



Hook's Revenge by Heidi Schulz is, as you might have guessed, another Peter Pan spinoff.

Jocelyn Hook's grandfather has never been able to mold her into a proper young lady, so when he decides that the situation is beyond him, he ships her off to boarding school. Between tyrannical teachers and mean-girl students, Jocelyn's life at school is sheer misery. Only two things keep her from complete despair: her friendship with Roger the kitchen boy, and her dream that someday her famous father, Captain James Hook himself, will whisk her away to a life of piracy and adventure. The latter never exactly happens -- instead, Jocelyn learns that her father has been killed by the Neverland Crocodile, and her only inheritance is a quest for vengeance. Jocelyn is to travel to Neverland, assemble a pirate crew, and lead an attack on the foul beast. And, because the headmistress of the boarding school sent Roger away for being too familiar with the students (well, just Jocelyn, really), she'll have to do it without the help of her loyal best friend. But anything is better than boarding school right?

To a young reader who has encountered few Peter Pan spinoffs and maybe only a couple of books about rambunctious girls confined to prim and proper boarding schools, this will be an enjoyable read. I thought the dialogue was uneven: sparkling and witty in some places, but stilted in others. The book is narrated by an irascible old pirate whose identity is never explicitly divulged (this bothered me a little; I thought there were hints in the text and was disappointed when they came to nothing in the end). There's plenty of humor, action, and adventure, but I didn't find this a can't-put-it-down read for all that. I can't quite put my finger on what it is about this story that just didn't work for this jaded adult reader, but I'd recommend it only for young readers or truly fanatical Peter Pan enthusiasts. While this book ends conclusively, there are also a few hints that this may be only the first of Jocelyn's adventures -- but it's unlikely that I'll be sailing with her in the future.

>76 foggidawn: I guess I should clarify that the covers I like are only in paperback, the ones from Harper Voyager.

(43 books read)



All Fall Down by Ally Carter is the first book in her new Embassy Row series.

When she was 13, Grace saw her mother die -- she heard the explosion; she saw the scarred man with the gun. But nobody believes her. The fire that killed her mother, she is told, was a tragic accident, not a bomb. There was no scarred man, no gunshot. Now, at age 16, Grace has been sent to live with her grandfather, the US Ambassador to the small European nation of Adria. Last time she was in Adria, she broke her leg jumping off the wall between the German and Canadian embassies, so she has something of a reputation for being a daredevil and a troublemaker -- not the best combination for an ambassador's granddaughter. Add to that the new accusation of craziness, and you can see why her grandfather's staff seems to be watching over her with a high degree of solicitude. But Grace still manages to find herself in places she's not supposed to be, overhearing conversations not meant for her ears. The Scarred Man is is Adria -- and he's about to kill again. The only people who believe Grace are her new friends, other misfit children of diplomatic staff. But what can a handful of teenagers do against an international assassin?

I found this book interesting, but a little frustrating. Part of the problem, of course, is that it's setting up a new series, so a lot of the hints dropped in this book presumably foreshadow major plot points in future books. The ending, while not exactly a cliffhanger, does leave readers wanting more, as it ends with Grace just about to get some answers regarding her mother's death. I thought that there were some obvious questions that Grace never asked (like, why would anyone want to kill her mother, an antiques dealer and wife of a minor military officer?). I also thought that the tunnel network under the city was way too convenient -- easily discovered by Grace, but apparently not by anyone else in the city. And there's a very slight romance angle that I just didn't buy. In many ways, this was a typical Ally Carter novel -- action, suspense, and a generally fast-moving plot, with lots of snappy dialogue -- but I didn't find it quite satisfying.

(44 books read)



The Way to Stay in Destiny by Augusta Scattergood is a folksy story of Florida, baseball, music, and family.

Ever since his parents died when he was very young, Theo Thomas has lived with his grandparents on their Kentucky farm -- but now that his grandparents can't take care of themselves, much less him, his Uncle Raymond is his reluctant new caregiver. Uncle Raymond is a Vietnam vet with a chip on his shoulder and little patience for his young nephew. With Theo in tow, Uncle Raymond heads for Destiny, Florida, where he has a new job and a room reserved at Miss Sister Grandersole's Boarding House and Dance Studio. Theo's not too sure about his new town. There are just two things that he really likes: baseball and playing the piano. Miss Sister has a beautiful piano in her dance studio, but Uncle Raymond hates music and won't allow Theo to play -- and as for baseball, who knows if they'll even be in town long enough for Theo to join a team? But as Theo settles in and makes a new friend who is just as baseball-crazy as he is, he's determine to find a way to stay in Destiny -- even though his Uncle Raymond seems to be determined to find a way to leave.

Ah, these folksy small-town stories. I have a limited amount of patience for them. Why do I keep picking them up, you might ask? Well, when they are done right, they can be excellent. Alas, this one was just mediocre. I felt like there was too little motivation for some of the decisions made by the characters, and the whole baseball school project/mystery just irritated me. But if you enjoy this sort of story, you're likely to find it much more charming than I did. I'm just not the right reader for this book.

If I was easily offended I'd be upset by the stereotypes so often found in 'folksy small-town stories,' but I'm not, so instead I simply appreciate the irony of their ignorance.

I hope the next book is better! Or...the next book was better. How long ago did you read that one?

>81 Ape: Just a couple days ago, actually -- I'm managing to stay caught up, for once, and am only one review behind (there, I've well and properly jinxed myself with that statement). Alas, the next book was not better; I've had a little run of mediocre reads. But I think the next one, which I've just started, will be pretty good.

Ah, I'm having the same problem. The last book I read was a 2-star read, and it's looking like the book I'm reading now isn't going to be any better. I'm kind of forcing myself to read it because it fits a category challenge I'm doing.

>83 Ape: I console myself with the thought that at least I'm getting some books off my unread shelf, and I won't have to find shelf space for them elsewhere because they'll be leaving the house entirely. Since I'm at the "creative stacking" phase of book-to-shelf ratio, this is no small comfort!

That's a great way of thinking! But, ummmmm...it's a library book. :P

I don't own bookshelves, so I'm familiar with Creative Stacking. It's definitely a skill worth having.

>85 Ape: Yeah, my most recent one was a library audiobook. But the others weren't!

I guess the positive side to bad library book is "at least I didn't pay money for this." :)

>87 Ape: That's looking on the bright side!

(45 books read)



The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann is a dystopian fantasy for young readers.

In the highly regimented land of Quill, children who exhibit even the slightest leanings toward creativity are Eliminated at the age of 13, sent to the Death Farm. Alex Stowe, who has been known to take a stick and draw in the mud, knew he was going to be Eliminated, but he consoled himself with the thought that his twin brother Aaron would not be. But Alex soon learns that the Death Farm is really the land of Artimé, where creativity is encouraged and magic is possible. Alex embraces his new life, but he wonders: why couldn't his twin have come, too? Will Alex's desire to rescue his brother from his gray, dingy life in Quill precipitate a war between the two lands?

I had a really hard time getting into this book. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Simon Jones. I've listened to other books Jones has read and enjoyed them, but even his narration was not enough to save this one for me. I just found the premise too hard to swallow: death for all children caught exhibiting creativity? Really? And everyone just went along with this? I also found the wise old wizard who rules Artimé way too Dumbledore-esque. Maybe that's because the publisher made the mistake of touting this at Harry Potter meets The Hunger Games, a level of hyperbole that's bound to get a mediocre book into trouble when harsh reality meets with high reader expectations. I do think some young readers will enjoy the art-based magic of Artimé and the interactions between the young characters, but it's not one I'd particularly recommend.

This many mediocre reads in a row makes me wonder: am I bad at picking books? Am I reviewing them too harshly? Maybe the problem is that I had a couple of really good reads, and nothing else is stacking up to those.

On the other hand, I've got a book that I'm halfway through, and an audiobook that I've nearly finished, and both will get more positive reviews from me, so maybe this was just a minor slump.

Mediocre books happen, unfortunately. But when you do get to read a good book it'll be spectacular in comparison!

Yeah, what Nora said, not every book is going to be great, and by random chance you are going to get strings of good/bad books from time to time. You certainly have no reason to blame yourself. :)

If a fantasy book has Harry Potter or The Hunger games printed anywhere on its cover, I think it's probably a good idea to just pass on it on principle.

>91 norabelle414: Good point. And looking over this year's books so far, most have ranged from "pretty good" to "fantastic," so I won't worry about these last few.

>92 Ape: Yeah, that's probably a good principle. Those comparisons are soooo tempting, publishers, but you must resist!

great books and great comments -- as always!

>94 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda! Good to see you posting.

(46 books read)



Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is another hot new YA dystopia.

In Mare Barrow's world, there are Reds, and there are Silvers. Reds are the ordinary people: the workers, soldiers, commoners. Silvers are the wealthy and powerful. The difference is a matter of blood: Silvers have evolved with extraordinary abilities, and Reds have not. Mare is a Red, living a hand-to-mouth existence and picking pockets to get by, dreading her mandatory conscription into the army on her 18th birthday (a fate that has already befallen her three older brothers). When she picks the wrong pocket and gets caught, Mare expects harsh punishment, but instead the stranger whose pocket she attempted to pick gives her money and arranges for her to get a job at the palace -- a job that will keep her out of the army and pay well enough that she will be able to contribute more to her family than she ever could have by stealing. But when Mare finds herself once again in the wrong place at the wrong time, she and everyone around her discovers that she has a rare talent, one not held by any Silver. The king and queen go to great lengths to cover up Mare's abilities, taking her into the royal court and introducing her as a Silver raised by a Red family, even affiancing her to their younger son. But a rebellion is rising in the land, and Mare finds herself pulled in two different directions. She must appear to embrace her life as a Silver, or she will be killed -- the king and queen have been very clear on this point. But her heart is still with the Reds. Can she find a way to help the rebel forces from within the palace?

If some of these plot points seem familiar, it's probably because this book has a lot of similarities to other recent YA dystopias. It's well-trodden ground at this point: the oppressive regime, the feisty heroine with special powers, the love triangles, the fighting lessons, the plot twists. That doesn't necessarily make this book less enjoyable than its counterparts, at least for readers who like this sort of book. I thought the initial premise was interesting and the pacing was good -- it kept me reading even past the plot holes that I can see, looking back. Mare didn't seem to have any chemistry with any of her potential romantic interests, but I think that might have been at least somewhat intentional on the author's part. This is a series that I'll probably continue reading, and will definitely recommend to teens looking for an action-packed dystopian story.

Red Queen is on my library list and I will get to it at some point. You are right about YA dystopia's being a well-trodden ground. All the more impressive when a book does comes out with a more original idea!

(47 books read)



Honey by Sarah Weeks is a sweet story of family, secrets, misunderstandings, and nail polish.

It all starts with a late-night phone call: ten-year-old Melody overhears her father calling someone "Honey," and she couldn't be more thrilled. After all, Melody's mother died when Melody was born, and she longs for a loving stepmother -- maybe someone who will make cookies, like her friend Nick's stepmother Jenny. Melody is determined to figure out who in their small town could be her father's love interest . . . but what if it's someone terrible? Suddenly, Melody is not as excited about the possibility of her father dating, but she's still determined to get to the bottom of things. And what better place to track down a rumor than the town's new beauty salon?

Remember how, a few reviews back, I was commenting on how many folksy small-town stories there are, and how few of them are done well? Well, honey, this is one of the few! Weeks does an excellent job of portraying Melody's complicated emotions surrounding the mother she never got a chance to know, the father she adores, the stepmother she hopes for, and the one she fears she might get. The secondary characters are quirky but not unbelievable, and the story is sweet but not saccharine. This is a book to savor!

>97 jolerie: Yep, and reviews on this one are really divided between the people who loved the book, and those who thought it was derivative and repetitious. I'll be interested to see how you feel about it -- I was closer to the former camp than the latter.

96: Yep, that plot sounds EXTREMELY familiar.

>100 Ape: Indeed.

Happy Easter, and Chag Pesach Sameach, to any of my visitors celebrating this weekend! "My" (Orthodox) Easter is next weekend, and I am filled with glad anticipation for it (and happiness that I was not foolish enough to start a sewing project for it as I did last year)!

Wishing you a wonderful Easter weekend, Foggi!

Dear Foggy - a quick fly past to wish you a wonderful Easter weekend.

>102 jolerie: and >103 PaulCranswick: Thanks! I'm sure I will have one! :-)

(48 books read)



The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall is the fourth volume in one of my favorite series for young readers.

Just like that, the three older Penderwick sisters are teenagers, and the focus shifts to Batty, Ben, and Lydia, the younger Penderwicks -- but mostly Batty. No longer a charming toddler wearing butterfly wings, Batty is now a fifth grader, with increasingly complex problems of her own. Six months after the death of Hound Penderwick, the best dog ever, Batty still grieves and still believes that it was somehow her fault, despite the reassurances of her family and the vet. And despite the reassurances of her parents, Batty can't help but worry over the family finances, strained by supporting the grocery habits of Jane and Skye's friends, not to mention Rosalind's college tuition. Batty knows it's a bad time to ask for anything expensive, but she has a wonderful secret: her voice has suddenly developed a smooth, mature tone, and the new music teacher at school is encouraging her to get voice lessons. Maybe she can find a way to earn some money on her own? She'd love to talk the matter over with Jeffrey, an honorary Penderwick himself and Batty's mentor in all things musical (since the rest of the family can't carry a tune in a bucket), but Jeffrey's relationship with Skye has gone all prickly and difficult, so he's not likely to be found around the Penderwick household very much any more. And then, just when things seem to be going extraordinarily well, with a visit from both Rosalind and Jeffrey in the offing, Batty learns a devastating secret that threatens to destroy her emotional stability. Who can she talk to about this dreadful thing?

I can easily wax rhapsodic over the Penderwicks series, which manages to feel both modern and nostalgic. I was a little sad to learn that this book skipped forward several years, but the charms of the younger Penderwicks soon dispelled my melancholy. And one of the benefits of the fast-forward is that this book stands well on its own -- readers who have not yet enjoyed the first three books in the series can start here and not feel like they are missing too much, I think. Of course, why would you want to do so, when the whole series is such a treat? This fourth book achieves more depth than its predecessors, while still managing to be funny and delightful and sweet but not cloying. This may be the best book in an already excellent series. I'll be crossing my fingers for it when awards season rolls around.

Lots of good reviews to look at!

>68 foggidawn: Haha, I laughed at your giiiiirl comment.

>96 foggidawn: I don't know that I will read this series, since I'm a little burned out on that genre, BUT THAT COVER! Gorgeous.

>105 foggidawn: I just read that one this weekend, in less than 24 hours. :) And I agree, they are all such wonderful timeless books. There is only supposed to be one more and I'll be sad to seem them all go.

>106 rosylibrarian: Thanks! And I agree, that cover design is gorgeous.

>107 KarenElissa: Timeless is the word for them. I also will be sad to see the end of the series, but I'll always enjoy rereading them, I know. I wonder if the last book will skip forward a few years, too, and focus more on Ben and Lydia?

>105 foggidawn: Ooo, new Penderwicks! This reminds me that I still need to read the third one. I love this series.

You read 48 books thus far this year!!!!! Amazing!

>96 foggidawn: There were a lot of plot similarities to other YA dystopias, but I did think that there are a few points where I thought I knew the direction the author was going to take the story and she managed to surprise me (one you mention briefly has to do with the romance angle). I'll be interested in seeing if the next book takes it out further or stays in the genre pocket. I myself was in the "loved it" camp ;)

>105 foggidawn: Oh goody, thanks for the reminder that the newest Penderwicks is out! *flies off to put the audiobook on hold*

>109 lycomayflower: It is a great series, isn't it? I think the third one was my least favorite -- still good, but maybe slightly less fantastic than its predecessors? But the fourth one is fantastic -- and I need to reread the third one before passing judgment!

>110 Whisper1: Thanks! I am actually up to an even 50 -- need to write some more reviews!

>111 bell7: There were a couple of things I thought were particularly well done in that book. For instance, Maven's betrayal -- she was warned a couple of times that he was his mother's son, but not enough to make it seem like the author was deliberately dropping hints. So I guessed it was coming, but still felt clever for doing so. ;-) It's too early in the series to tell if there's going to be a love triangle between her, Cal, and the boy from back home, but I'm wondering if the author plans to avoid that particular trope. I would hope so. And I do love the Penderwick audiobooks! I'll have to do a reread of the series that way next time I am in the mood for it.

>111 bell7: Yes! I did not see Maven's betrayal coming so was pleasantly (?) surprised by the twist, and yet there were enough hints that it made perfect sense looking back on it. I agree about the love triangle, but I cheered towards the end when Mare essentially said, "I choose neither," and I kind of hope she sticks to that. I do hope the author will avoid another love triangle. I could really have done without them when I was a teen reader, and that's my reaction even more so now. Also, I do happen to think it's pretty cool that the author is from a small town awfully near my own. I should probably reread the Penderwicks series before listening to the newest one, but probably won't... I do enjoy the modern/old-fashioned feel to them and the family relationships are just spot on.

>113 bell7: That is pretty cool, that the author is from your region.

(49 books read)



House of Secrets by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini is a juvenile fantasy adventure.

The Walker family has fallen into a bit of hard luck. Dr. Walker has lost his job after an embarrassing incident, and the family is hoping to relocate, but homes in San Francisco are mostly far out of their price range. When the real estate agent shows them Kristoff House, a lovely Victorian in a prestigious neighborhood, they jump at the property when they learn that it is inexplicably well within their price range. Of course, if something seems to good to be true, it probably is. Shortly after they move in, the Walkers are visited by an old witch who has a grudge against their family, and nefarious plans for them that cause the Walker children, Cordelia, Brendan, and Eleanor, to be trapped in a fictional fantasy world peopled by barbarians, giants, and pirates. She will only let them escape if they obtain for her the mysterious Book of Doom and Desire that appears at key points during their adventure. However, giving the book to the witch might just plunge the entire world into chaos. Is there any way that the Walkers can find their own way back to their world?

This book has a promising plot, and the sort of cinematic sensibilities you'd expect from Chris Columbus, who has directed his share of epic fantasies. Unfortunately, the book is marked by a lack of character development and a tendency to rush from one far-fetched adventure to another, to the point that the story didn't feel like it was progressing at all, just running along like a hamster on a wheel. This is another juvenile fantasy that may appeal to young readers who are enthusiastic about fantasy and adventure, but is unlikely to find many fans among more discerning readers.

I'm back! Did you miss me? I went away for the weekend and had limited connectivity, so now I'm back and trying to catch up on reading threads.

>116 foggidawn: I did :-)

I did too!

>116 foggidawn: Me, three!

Thanks, you three! I have a couple of reviews to write, but maybe not as many as one might expect. It's been a busy weekend, and I'm listening to a long audiobook, which cuts into my other reading time a bit.

Limited connectivity!? Why would you want to go to such a place??

>121 Ape: Says the man on dial-up. . . :-)

Exactly! I know how terrible it is. Were you kidnapped?

Let's see--have I had a bajillion book bullets lately? No. Nope, didn't miss you! ;-)

>123 Ape: Nope, I went of my own free will! However, I did forget my iPad power cord, which was a big part of the problem. Also, I attended something like seven church services (ranging in length from 1.5-3 hours) over three days, which cuts down on reading and internetting time considerably.

>124 ronincats: Heh heh heh.

>117 norabelle414: - >119 rosylibrarian: Me, four!

125: If by that you mean "I was tied up with my iPad power cord"...just...blink 3 times... >_>

>126 scaifea: Thanks!

>127 Ape: Have you ever seen an iPad power cord? They make the things so short you couldn't tie anything up with them! You're lucky if the cord is long enough to reach from the outlet to the table where you want to set the device while it's charging! . . . sorry, pet peeve.

Oh yeah, short cords are the worst!

Welcome back from the black hole of "limited connectivity." Happy weekend!

>129 Ape: Yep.

>130 The_Hibernator: Thanks!

I don't feel like I've been doing a lot of reading over the past week or so, so how did I end up with a stack of five unreviewed books? Ugh!

(50 books read)



Enchantress from the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl is a science fiction story with a fantasy feel.

Elana is a young woman from an advanced civilization, in training to be part of the anthropology service. She looks forward to a life of traveling the universe, studying younger civilizations, seeing uncharted planets, and having grand adventures. However, when her impulsive nature lands her in the middle of a delicate mission for which she is unprepared, she discovers that the life she's chosen may not be as glamorous as she was imagining. As she, her father, and her fiance try to save one "youngling" culture from another, she finds that it's not possible to remain detached from the people she meets, particularly one young man who may be his planet's best hope for survival.

I found this a quick, enjoyable read, as long as I made an effort to suspend disbelief at some of the tenets of the storyline. (All alien civilizations are basically humanoid and follow the same developmental stages? Hmm...) This book was written 45 years ago, and taking that into consideration, it's an impressive piece of science fiction. Plus, the character development is really good, and the plot (so long as one doesn't spend too much time picking it to pieces) is also fairly good. I'd recommend it.

Oh, I remember reading that when it came out and being totally enamored. There were so few science fiction books featuring young women protagonists in those days!

Dang another bb. I mean thanks...haha :D

>133 ronincats: I can see how, for its time, it was pretty amazing. And it's still quite good; it mostly manages to not feel dated.

>134 jolerie: Sorry, I mean, you're welcome!

>66 foggidawn: OK, so I finally read this. I had a hard time getting into this very loooong book (at least partly my own fault, as I was reading only 20 pages a night or so), and didn't like it as much as you did. I felt like there should have been a little more of a payoff to the romance than Glisselda basically saying "Oh, okay. You guys can have a relationship" AND Selda and Kiggs getting married. It seemed very tied-up-neatly-in-a-bow, especially since the story line with Orma was left unresolved. In the space of a book, I went from complaining to myself about how long it took to get started to feeling like it really should've been a little longer to wrap it all up!

>136 bell7: Yeah, looking back on it, the ending does feel really abrupt. I wrote the review fairly soon after reading it, so I think a little of that euphoria colored my opinion. I mean, it's still a really good book, but I can see a couple of weaknesses now that I'm looking at it more objectively.

>137 foggidawn: I suspect I'll go the other way and start remembering what I did like about it after a bit. :)

50 books read already! Congratulations!

>138 bell7: Makes sense.

>139 Whisper1: Thanks! As usual, I'm quite a few books behind in review writing. :-)

(51 books read)



The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale is the third book in the Princess Academy series.

After an extended visit to the capitol city, Miri is homesick for Mt. Eskel. She's anxious to return to her family and get on with her life -- but a last-minute request from the king throws all of her plans into confusion. With the nation on the brink of war, the king must forge an alliance with a neighboring country, and for that, a royal bride is needed. Miri, as a Princess Academy graduate, is expected to travel to where three royal cousins live in a remote, swampy area, and see that they are trained in all ways befitting princesses. When Miri arrives in the swamp, she discovers that the royal cousins have been living in poverty, hunting their own food, and sleeping on the ground in their little linder house. The girls have as little training as Miri and her friends had at the start of their own Princess Academy days -- and less inclination to cooperate with their tutor! But as Miri gets to know her new charges, she finds herself beginning to care for them and respect them for their unique strengths, and they eventually learn to trust and respect her, too. But, isolated as they are in the swamp, it's hard to know what's happening in the kingdom. Is the Princess Academy still on, or is war already raging through the land?

I do love this series, which is populated throughout with strong female characters in interesting settings. It's not strictly necessary to read the other two books before you read this one -- the story stands on its own -- but the book does frequently reference characters and events from previous books, so I'd recommend starting at the beginning of the series. For readers familiar with the series, I'll say that I liked this one slightly more than Palace of Stone, but not quite as much as the original Princess Academy. But I liked all three quite well, so it's just a matter of degree.

I own the first book in this series. How I wish I could get my books in order. Alas, books are scattered throughout the house.

Thanks for the great review of The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale

>142 Whisper1: I know just how you feel. I sometimes get all of mine organized, but the gnomes and imps and weasels come out in the middle of the night and disarrange them . . . or something.

Alas, I cannot blame it on the gnomes, imps or weasels. I am the culprit. I'm really trying to read a lot of the books I own and get them off the shelf now that I'm home recovering until returning to work mid July. I've made a dent, but have a long long way to go.

>144 Whisper1: I've been trying to read a lot of the ones from my shelves, too, but those silly authors keep writing more books that I want to read, so library books keep jumping to the front of the line.

(52 books read)



A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness is the first book in a paranormal romance trilogy.

While studying at the Bodelian library, Diana Bishop meets the enigmatic Matthew Clairmont. Right away, she knows that he's a vampire. Of course, she always knows when she meets another non-human, creature, since she herself is a witch. Due to childhood trauma, she is resolved to never use her magical power, but she is occasionally tempted to break that rule. Then, in the course of her studies, she requests a manuscript that seems unusually interesting to other witches, vampires, and daemons in the area. Matthew Clairmont has been searching for that particular book for decades, and he's immediately interested in why it would appear for Diana, but nobody else. And then, as he gets to know her, he begins to care for Diana for her own sake, rather than the sake of the manuscript. Since certain other creatures also have an interest in getting the book -- and aren't choosy about the methods they use to do so -- Diana is in a dangerous spot. Nor is her relationship with Matthew going to make her safer, since romance between witches and vampires has been forbidden for centuries. Diana is about to enter a world of magic, danger, and passion such as she has never imagined.

I'd been wanting to read this for some time, since a lot of people really liked it when it came out, so when a friend recommended it as our book group pick, I was game. Well, if you want my opinion in brief: it's not great literature, but it's not Twilight, either. There were a few disturbing similarities: like Edward, Matthew has a predilection for creeping through windows and watching women as they sleep, ordering them about in masterful ways, and putting off *ahem* passionate encounters despite the fact that the female partner is more than willing. He's also described as cold, though fortunately he does not glitter. (Side note: what's the deal with women finding cold-bodied males attractive? Anyone who's had a bed-mate brush their leg with an icy-cold foot should be able to relate to my bemusement at this, right? I guess the coldness might be nice in summer...) All in all, though, the writing was better and the characters more intelligent, so I'll stop with the comparisons. Personally, my opinion of the book is mixed. I did find it an engaging read, though it was never particularly fast-paced, which may bother some readers. Since the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, I might eventually pick up the next book to see what happens to the characters. Plus there's the promise of Kit Marlowe, the most enigmatic personage of the English Renaissance, appearing in the next book, and my fascination with him may get the better of me. But the romance just doesn't do much for me -- perhaps this is too much personal information, but I just don't find the predator/prey relationship sexy -- so I found myself rolling my eyes a bit at the two of them.

>146 foggidawn: I think the fascination with cold-bodied males is a metaphor (whether intentional or not) for emotional coldness. I.e. physical coldness = physical unavailability = emotional unavailability = sexy? I guess if you're into that sort of thing.

I felt the same way you did about the book as a whole - it's enjoyable but not that much different from Twilight (but better written).

FWIW I liked the second book a lot better. It (spoiler for the end of the first book) takes place almost entirely in Elizabethan England and you get to meet EVERYONE. Harkness is originally an Elizabethan historian, so she really knows her shit.

>146 foggidawn: I've been contemplating picking up the second one this summer as the third book keeps cropping up on our shelf of populars (basically anything published in the last 6 months). Why they put the shelf of those right next to the info desk where I can be tempted on a regular basis, I don't know...

Yes, I liked the second book best as well, Foggi! Loved the interactions there. And I need to get to that third one of the Princess Academy books.

>147 norabelle414: Interesting theory re: coldness -- still doesn't sound very emotionally healthy, though. And, re: your spoiler, good to know. I did a year of graduate work on that topic myself, before abandoning it for more lucrative pursuits (i.e. any field in which I was likely to be able to actually get a job).

>148 MickyFine: I know, so tempting! I keep trying to read the TBR books I own, but library books keep jumping in line!

>149 ronincats: Okay, okay, I will probably read the second book! :-)

(53 books read)



And Both Were Young by Madeleine L'Engle is a YA book from the time before there really were YA books.

When Philippa's father leaves her at a Swiss boarding school, she feels a bit as if her life is over. Philippa, or Flip, as she likes to be called, is an introverted, artistic girl, fiercely devoted to her father and still mourning the fairly recent death of her mother. Boarding school, with its points and sports and complete lack of privacy, is a nightmare for her -- and since she spends her time feeling sulky and sorry for herself, she doesn't make friends among her fellow students, who take to calling her "Pill." Flip befriends the art teacher, a woman who is sympathetic to Flip but also not afraid to call her out on her self-pitying behavior. But apart from art classes, Flip's only recourse is to escape the school on free afternoons -- and it's during those free times that she meets Paul, a boy of her own age, who lives in a nearby chateau. Paul has seen his own share of tragedy, and the two teens bond over their similar experiences and dispositions. But Paul also has a mysterious past, one that even he doesn't fully understand. Will Flip and Paul's friendship help both teens to blossom?

This was a favorite of mine from my early teen years. I actually liked it better than a lot of Madeleine L'Engle's more well-known works, possibly because it's a simpler, more straightforward story, but more likely because I saw myself in Flip's introversion and social awkwardness. Now, encountering it as an adult, it remains a gentle, enjoyable read. Flip and Paul both undergo some painful, realistic character development, and the alpine setting is as lovely as I recall from those first times reading it. The romance angle is very slight, compared to what you see in more recent young adult literature, making this book perfect for young or conservative teens.

I've always thought the current 'romance novel guy' was just an antithesis of the typical romance novel guy. The cold, distant, awkward, creepy vampire is an interesting contrast to the traditional hot, hunky, silver-tongued enchanting type.

Which is still along the lines of what Nora is saying. It's interesting to see what kind of guy is "selling" in the romance department nowadays. As a man, I think I prefer the current trend. Cold and distant? I can do that! :D

(Unfortunately not in a literal sense, I'm super snuggly and give off heat like a radiator. Damn it.)

>152 Ape: This particular vampire wasn't particularly awkward, and only occasionally creepy, but I see what you mean.

(54 books read)



Guinevere's Gift by Nancy McKenzie is a story of Arthur's Guinevere as a young teen.

At her birth, an old wise woman prophesied that Guinevere would someday be the highest woman in the land, wed to a mighty king. Guinevere doesn't believe it -- as the orphaned ward of King Pellinore and Queen Alyse of Gwynedd, Guinevere has no dowry, no prospects, and no interest in becoming a great lady. She'd rather be off riding her horse. But many others do believe in the prophecy, including the part that nobody has ever told Guinevere: that she will betray the great king, as well. Guinevere must come to terms with her destiny and decide how much the prophecy will shape her future. When she uncovers a dangerous plot that only she can foil, she may be taking her first steps toward her unknown future.

I thought this was an interesting approach to Arthurian legend, looking at the young Guinevere before she met Arthur. I found it a decent story -- not fantastic, but worth the time it took to read it. I didn't realize that it was the start of a series, going into it, so I found the ending a little off-putting. It's not a cliffhanger, but it's obvious that there's more to the story. I'd recommend this only to readers who can't get enough of Arthurian retellings.

Okay, I just ran across this joke and I had to share it:

Woke up this morning to find a lion and a witch in my wardrobe. When I asked them what they were doing, they shouted, "Narnia business!"

>155 foggidawn: Hahaha! It's kind of a groaner, but it made me giggle out loud. Win!

>155 foggidawn: GOL! (giggle out loud)

GOL is perfectly, because the groaning and giggling are interchangeable, much like my reaction to this joke. :)

Hahaha...that's a good one!

155 *SNORK!!* Love it!

Niiiice....

>155 foggidawn: LAWL.

>151 foggidawn: I love that cover. I have yet to read the book, but I've admired that particular cover before.

That joke made me laugh. Enough to startle the cat.

Glad you all liked it!

Wow. Lots of interesting books you've been reading lately. :) Keep it up!

>155 foggidawn: GOL for me, too.

>165 The_Hibernator: Thanks! Now, if I could only find time to review the rest of them!

>155 foggidawn: Ha! I love puns. Don't understand why people don't like them.

>155 foggidawn: Well it passed the Hani test Foggy by making her laugh out loud.

(55 books read)



Cody and the Fountain of Happiness by Tricia Springstubb is a simple, cheerful summer story.

Cody loves many things, but she may love summer vacation most of all -- except, of course, the part of summer vacation that she spends at camp. But when camp is canceled unexpectedly, it opens up all kinds of opportunities for Cody to explore her neighborhood, make new friends, hypnotize a cat . . .you know, all of those fun summer things. Not everything turns out quite like she was expecting, but fortunately, Cody also loves surprises.

While this was an enjoyable read, I didn't quite connect to the characters like I did with this author's earlier works, What Happened on Fox Street and Mo Wren, Lost and Found. It may just be that this story is aimed at a slightly younger demographic, so I can see second and third graders, for instance, really connecting with these characters and enjoying the fairly simple, episodic plot. The writing is strong and the cast of characters is diverse, so there's a lot to like about this story.

I love visiting here and learning about what you are reading. I have so many books near me, but not sure which one to pick for the night. I've been on a mystery kick lately. Staying home, recovering lo these last three months makes me realize fully just how many books I have. The library book sale I usually visit is happening next week. I'll need to avoid it because my back and neck will not allow carrying books, and to ask Will to help me would be letting myself in for a lot of comments about why not read the books I have, etc.

So, for necessity, I'll not be bringing home a book haul next week.

Happy Weekend to you.

Fountain of Happiness!? I may have to read that during my October horror reads, sounds absolutely nightmarish. Eek.

>170 Whisper1: Ah, too bad you have to miss the sale, but there will always be other ones. I intended to go to a local book festival a couple of weeks ago, but ended up skipping it to do some costume work for the community theatre show I'm in. I've missed that particular festival every year I've lived here (it's an annual event) but I keep consoling myself with the thought that there's always next year!

>171 Ape: Yeah, I must have missed something, because I'm still not sure what the title has to do with the story.

(56 books read)



Jack & Louisa: Act 1 by Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Kate Wetherhead is a fun ode to musicals and community theatre.

Jack may be only 12, but he's already a Broadway veteran when disaster strikes: in rehearsals for a new show, Jack's voice starts to break. He has no choice but to bow out, especially when his father's job takes him to Shaker Heights, Ohio. Jack is trying to prepare himself for a life as a normal kid -- but then he meets his neighbor Louisa. She may never have been to Broadway, but she has mad skills as a musical theatre geek, able to spout facts and statistics about favorite shows, actors, and directors -- and she's thrilled to finally have someone around who might understand her obsession. When the local community theatre group announces auditions for Into the Woods, a show beloved by both tweens, Louisa hopes that Jack will join her in trying out -- but maybe Jack doesn't want to do theatre any more...

This was a timely read for me, since community theatre is pretty much the reason I've more or less disappeared from this thread recently! I thought the authors did a great job with both the theatrical details and the preteen angst. There's not a lot of depth, but it does what is sets out to do admirably: it's a fun, fluffy read that will certainly appeal to young readers who share Jack and Louisa's theatrical aspirations.

Are you back now or are you still in performance?

Community theater, happiness fountains...this thread is quickly becoming a terrifying minefield of all things scary and anxiety-inducing! Eeek!
I hope you are enjoying yourself. :)

>174 MickyFine: We're in performance this weekend and next. I'm hoping to catch up with things (including the 10+ books I need to review) during the week, but I also need to clean my house, do laundry, etc, so we'll see what actually happens...

>175 Ape: I mostly am, though I'd be enjoying myself more if I could get just a little more sleep!

(57 books read)

House Arrest by K.A. Holt was sent to me for review elsewhere, so I'm not reviewing it here, just including it in my count.

Well, I'll be happy to see you when life calms down again. :)

>178 MickyFine: Thanks! The show is over, and I have the day off tomorrow, so perhaps I can finally get started on reviewing the ginormous pile of books beside my bed.

Prepare for a storm of book bullets, you all!

Oh dear!

Oh, no!

>180 Ape: Hah! That's the ticket!

>181 ronincats: Oh, yes! >:-)

(58 books read)



A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans by Laurence Yep and Joanne Ryder is a cute story, albeit without a lot of depth.

Miss Drake's pet human Fluffy (known to other humans by the ridiculous name of 'Amelia') has recently died. Now Miss Drake must contend with her new human, a youngster named Winnie. Winnie is not nearly as biddable as Fluffy was, but Miss Drake can't help becoming fond of her, especially when a magical sketchbook causes chaos and the two must work together to save San Francisco from disaster.

This book is cute and funny, and I will recommend it to dragon-loving kids. However, it doesn't measure up to books such as Dealing with Dragons, so adult fans of juvenile fantasy can probably pass on this one.

(59 books read)



The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows is a YA fantasy with familiar elements put together in a fresh and appealing way.

When Princess Wilhelmina was just a child, she saw her parents killed when the Indigo Kingdom conquered her country. Wil escaped, along with a handful of other children. Together, they are the Ospreys: a tiny gang dedicated to regaining their kingdom and putting Wil back on her parents' throne. Wil and her best friend Melanie are about to set off on their most dangerous mission yet: infiltrating the palace where the royal family of the Indigo Kingdom live and rule, in order to gain information and certain key supplies. Disguised as refugees, they claim sanctuary and set about gathering information . . . but, in a place where she can trust no one, Wil walks a fine line, especially since she has certain forbidden magical powers, ones that may be able to save not only her kingdom but the entire world, from encroaching danger.

For readers of YA fantasy, this sort of quest story will have a familiar ring to it, but I thought the elements of the story were put together in a way that felt fresh and interesting. I liked the magic system in the story, with magic outlawed because magic produces a byproduct known as Wraith, though there were definitely parts of that whole system that could have been explained more fully. Also, at one point in the story, Wil befriends a vigilante known only as the Black Knife, and while I suspected his true identity early on, the author managed to create enough doubt that I was pleasantly surprised to be proven right. All in all, I found this a satisfying read -- but if you're thinking about picking it up, be warned: it ends in a cliffhanger.

(60 books read)



We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, A True Story by Josh Sundquist is a cute, funny memoir of one man's dating life, or lack thereof.

As an adolescent and teen, Josh was always a little bit geeky and awkward, which might explain why he only had one girlfriend (in eighth grade, for 23 hours). At the ripe old age of 25, he looks back on his romantic misadventures in middle school, high school, and college, wondering where, exactly, he went wrong. Being of a mathematical and scientific bent, he forms a hypothesis about each of his crushes, then attempts to contact the girl to see if his hypothesis is correct. In many cases, what he learns surprises him.

This book was a lot of fun to read, though it did sometimes evoke that squirmy embarrassed feeling you get when you're reading about a person about to do something potentially humiliating, and you (the reader) are powerless to stop them. Josh's experiences rang true for me, since I have also experienced a certain amount of failure in the romantic realm. It's always nice to know you're not alone! I did wish for a little more explanation or closure in some cases, but I realize that's not always possible in real life. I though Josh's conclusion about why things went down the way they did was accurate, and something that I should remind myself of occasionally. All in all, a highly enjoyable light read.

Thanks to Micky for the recommendation!

(61 books read)



The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a childhood classic that I enjoy rereading every few years.

When bad-tempered Mary Lennox is orphaned, she is taken from India to the moors of Yorkshire to live at her uncle Archibald Craven's lonely manor house. The estate holds more than one mystery for Mary to solve, but all of the mysteries hinge on the mysterious walled garden, locked up by Mr. Craven ten years ago. Can Mary find a way to get in? What will she discover there, if she does?

I think the thing that keeps me coming back to this story is that it can be read on so many different levels. It has a great plot that is perennially attractive to children -- what child doesn't long to solve a mystery and discover a secret place that is theirs alone? And if you go a little deeper, there's a lot of fascinating character development as Mary goes from someone completely unlikeable to a true heroine. There are interesting themes, like the healing power of nature, the danger of living up to negative expectations, and the importance of human connections. I'm always drawn to this book in the springtime, and I think I always will be, no matter how old I am. Readers of all ages will connect with this lovely story.

(62 books read)



Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator by Jennifer Allison is a book that I wanted to like, but didn't really care for in the end.

It's the end of her eight-grade year, and Gilda Joyce is dreaming of adventure. Her best friend will be away at camp for the summer, and other classmates are looking forward to vacations and fun. When her teacher asks Gilda what she will be doing over the summer, Gilda impulsively announces that she will be traveling to San Francisco and writing a novel. Of course, she had no such plans up until the words came out of her mouth, but it does sound like an excellent idea. Gilda contacts a distant cousin of her mother's and invites herself on a visit, and through a series of mishaps and miscommunications, she gets a letter back with not only an invitation, but a plane ticket that will get her there. Once she arrives in San Francisco, she discovers that her uncle's old house, one of San Francisco's famous "Painted Ladies," was once the scene of a tragedy. Could the house be haunted? Gilda considers herself a psychic investigator, and she is determined to discover any mysteries that the house, and the people who live in it, may be hiding.

I know Gilda is supposed to be funny and feisty, but she mostly had me rolling my eyes. Of course, I'm not the target audience, and tweens might find Gilda's quirky, impulsive style more appealing. The book does occasionally touch on dark themes like mental illness and suicide, and there are a few spooky scenes as one might expect from a book about paranormal investigation, but all in all the tone is light and amusing. I won't be continuing with the series, as I find the protagonist so annoying, but if I run across tweens or young teens looking for light paranormal fare, I'll know what to hand them.

(63 books read)



The Year We Sailed the Sun by Theresa Nelson is not what it looks like.

A quick glance at the cover and title of this book might have one expecting a Little House on the Prairie-type story of survival on the plains, but this is actually the tale of a spirited young girl's year in a St. Louis orphanage. Over the course of that year, Julia bites a nun, accidentally steals a pair of binoculars when she sneaks into a baseball game, plots to break her brother out of juvie, and has a near-fatal run-in with some gangsters -- and those are only a few of her adventures. Despite her daring escapades, Julia really dreams of a simple life on a farm, with some chickens and maybe a cow, and her family all together, and plenty of room to breathe . . . but is there any way she can attain that dream?

Really, my only problem with this book is how little the title and cover fit the story. The story itself is well-written and interesting, with funny parts and suspenseful parts, covering a bit of history not often explored. It's loosely based on the author's husband's family history, adding a ring of authenticity, and both major and minor characters are multifaceted and well-developed. If you like historical fiction featuring scrappy protagonists in urban settings in the early 20th century, give this book a try -- just don't look at the cover and expect Oregon Trail!

(64 books read)



As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride by Carey Elwes is exactly what it claims to be: reflections on the time spent filming the movie that has since become a cult classic.

Cary Elwes was a young actor with just a few film credits under his belt when he was approached by Rob Reiner and Andy Scheinman about appearing in their next project, a film based on William Goldman's novel The Princess Bride. A longtime fan of the book, Elwes jumped at the opportunity -- and the rest is history, a history lovingly described in this book. Elwes and several other members of the cast and crew share their fond memories of the days when the film was in production, discussing many different aspects of the film and various humorous anecdotes from that time.

This is a feel-good book, and I suspect that Elwes (intentionally or unintentionally) glosses over any unpleasantness, painting a glowing picture of camaraderie and shared vision. The glimpses of life behind the scenes made for fascinating reading, and this book will both make you want to rewatch the film, and give you a new perspective on certain scenes. I recommend this book to anyone who has watched and loved The Princess Bride.

(65 books read)



Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams-Garcia is the third and final book about Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern.

Ever since their One Crazy Summer in Oakland, the Gaither sisters have been growing up. They've gone through a lot of changes, but now it's time to go back to their roots and visit Big Ma at the family home in Alabama. There, they will see not only their grandmother Big Ma, but their great-grandmother Ma Charles, and her half-sister Ma Trotter. Those two siblings haven't spoken to each other in years, though as Delphine and her sisters will learn, they have plenty to say about each other. As Delphine discovers the surprising truth about her family history, she wonders if the two elderly sisters will ever reconcile. In the meantime, Delphine is having sister problems of her own -- but when tragedy strikes, she learns something else about the bond between family, and particularly, between sisters.

I found this book just as enjoyable as the previous two. Williams-Garcia has a keen ear for dialogue and family dynamics, and her characters spring to life right off the page. If you enjoyed the previous two books about the Gaither sisters, you don't want to miss this one.

185: I'm really torn on whether or not I should read that one or not. I'm not even sure if I would relate to it, since I haven't experience failure so much as not experienced anything at all. Anyway, I think I'll leave it hovering on the radar for now.

>191 Ape: I'm betting you'll give in to peer pressure and read it eventually. ;-)

By the way, everyone, don't even start thinking that the book bullets are done flying -- you are just in the eye of the storm at the moment!

(66 books read)



Tevye the Dairyman by Sholem Aleichem is the primary source for Fiddler on the Roof, so I read it as background while I was in the musical. Reading it while acting in the play was quite the experience, as I could see the places where the musical adopted lines from the book ("Rich Man," for example, is almost word-for-word, just rearranged a little bit to make it into a song) and things that the playwright chose to change or leave out. The book is a bit darker and more complex -- if you thought the play was depressing, wait until you hear about what happens to Schprintze and Bielke, for instance! I found it a fascinating read, and would recommend it to anyone who has a particular interest in the musical Fiddler on the Roof, or the history of the Jewish people in Tsarist Russia.

Note: The version of the book I checked out also includes a short story collection called The Railroad Stories, but I did not read those, as they have little direct bearing on Fiddler on the Roof.

(67 books read)



My Faire Lady by Laura Wettersten is a cute and fluffy YA romance.

When Rowena's boyfriend dumps her, she decides she needs a new summer plan -- fast! The thought of spending the summer working at her mall job, where she will see her ex and his new girlfriend nearly ever day, is unendurable. So, with few options and little time, she answers a rather vague and sketchy newspaper job ad, and finds herself hired to do face painting at a Renaissance Faire. Her co-workers are a colorful crew, and she immediately develops a crush on one of the knights, forms a friendship with the tavern wench she bunks with, and develops more confidence in her skills as an artist as she improves on the basic face painting designs she is given. Ro realizes that art makes her happy and that she would like to study it in college, but how can she explain that to her parents, who expect her to leverage her ren faire experiences to write a stellar admissions essay for business school or law school? Also, will she ever get that hot knight to notice her?

If you're looking for a fun summer YA romance, this is a good one to consider. Yes, it's obvious which guy Ro should end up with, but as I may have said before in other reviews, the 'who' is rarely the point in a romance novel; it's all about the 'how.' This particular book has a lot of strengths beyond the romance, as well: lots of colorful and interesting characters, a vividly described setting, and great interpersonal issues that crop up as Ro develops friendships and discovers her own biases and prejudices. I was looking for a light, fun read when I picked this book up, and it fit the bill perfectly.

(68 books read)



Nightbird by Alice Hoffman is a charming juvenile fantasy.

Twig's family has a secret, one that keeps them perpetually on the edges of society in their small New England town. Sometimes, Twig almost feels invisible -- but when a new family moves in nearby, she forms a tentative friendship with Julia, who is just Twig's age. Twig worries that Julia will soon drop her for someone more interesting, especially since Twig can never tell Julia the truth about her family secret -- a secret which also touches Julia's family history. When talk of a monster in town threatens to boil over into action, Twig must quickly decide what to do -- and who to trust.

I read this in a distracted frame of mind, so I may not have given it the attention it deserves. It's definitely a sweet book with lots going on, plenty of interesting interactions between characters, a great small-town atmosphere, and some nice character development for Twig. Because of my own distracted state while reading (mostly backstage, with half an eye on the monitor so I wouldn't miss my next cue), I had a hard time keeping some of the minor characters straight, and I thought the plot resolved a little too neatly and simply -- but maybe not, for middle-grade fantasy. Readers who love magical realism and don't mind a story with a simple, fairy-tale feel should give this book more attention than I obviously did!

(69 books read)



Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own by Kate Bolick was, ultimately, a bit of a disappointment for me.

Like many other readers, I went into this book expecting one thing (a social history of unmarried women, perhaps interspersed with personal reflections) and got something else (a combination memoir and literary history of five women who might or might not be considered spinsters). That's not to say that this isn't an enjoyable read, and I'm sure that many women will see themselves within it and become fervent fans. Bolick has a very readable style, though I'm not sure this was organized as well as it could have been. My main problem with the book is personal: I didn't connect with Bolick or any of her five "awakeners," and my experience of spinsterhood is worlds away from hers. That's not to say that there's anything wrong with her experience, or mine -- but I was hoping to feel a personal connection to this work, and I really didn't.

(70 books read)



Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales by Tamora Pierce is just what it says: a collection of short stories, some set in Tortall, others elsewhere.

I enjoyed this brief trip back to Tortall and the other worlds of Pierce's imagination. My favorite story of the lot was probably "Nawat" -- which is interesting, as the Trickster duology is one of my less-favorite series by Peirce. I also enjoyed "Lost" and "Mimic." I didn't care as much for the last two stories in the book, both of which were set in our world, so maybe that was the problem. While I felt that the general level of quality was consistent, I did notice that four or five of the stories share the same basic plot: a young woman with skills (fighting, magic, mathematics, etc.) that set her apart from the rest of the people in her village/family faces obstacles and is rewarded by finding a teacher who can take her away and help her develop her skills. It's a great plot, and in a few cases I would be interested in reading more about those characters -- but the similarities were a bit glaring. All in all, though, an enjoyable read which I would recommend to fans of the author's full-length fiction.

I'm reading A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans and Charlie and I are reading The Secret Garden (a childhood favorite for me)! I love when my reading coincides with others here, which doesn't seem to happen often!

>184 foggidawn: Glad to see you enjoyed Orphan Queen; my thoughts were similar to yours and ughhhh that cliffhanger was killer!

>189 foggidawn: I liked this one too. One of my patrons recommended the audiobook, as each one of the crew's reminiscences is read by that actor. I may go that route if I decide to reread it somewhere down the line.

>190 foggidawn: I never did read the sequel after One Crazy Summer... I really should get back to that series!

Oh, and you got me with a book bullet on The Year We Sailed the Sun.

>198 scaifea: I love it when that happens, too.

>199 bell7: I wanted to do As You Wish on audiobook, but it was our book club pick for May and the waiting list for the audiobook was insane! Like you, I may do a re-listen someday when the audiobook is easier to get my hands on.

I'm glad you liked We Should Hang Out Sometime. I was almost through scot-free but you got me with My Faire Lady. Dangnabbit!

192: Me? Succumb to peer pressure? No way! :P Unless I'm pressured not to read it...

I'm not dead yet! (Just thought I'd mention it, since I apparently have not yet posted on my thread this month.) And of course I have another stack of books to review. . . .

(71 books read)



The Brides of Rollrock Island (originally published as Sea Hearts) by Margo Lanagan is a haunting retelling of the selkie legend. (Note: my browser's spellcheck dictionary does not recognize the word "selkie." It recommends replacing it with "selfie." This is what's wrong with the world, you guys.)

It all begins with Misskaella, a dissatisfied, unattractive young girl who discovers that she has an inexplicable affinity for the seals that bask on the rocks around Rollrock Island. First, she learns how to suppress this connection -- but later in her life, she learns how to exploit it. Misskaella can bring wives from the sea to the men of Rollrock: gentle, docile, sensual wives, more attractive and biddable than any land maiden. But, as Misskaella knows, the magic comes at a terrible price. . . .

I'm always a little intimidated by Margo Lanagan, for some reason. When I get past that and actually read her stuff, I find it intelligent and compelling. She does an excellent job with subtle emotion and atmosphere. This is the sort of book that sticks with the reader for days after the cover has been closed.

(72 books read)



Colonial Madness by Jo Whittenmore is a cute and fluffy romp, bound to appeal to tweens.

Tori Porter and her mom lead a fun, rather haphazard life: Tori's mom has never lost her youthful spirit, to the point that sometimes Tori feels like she has to be the adult in their relationship. When a financial crisis looms, a surprising way out emerges in the form of a contest set up in the terms of Great-Aunt Muriel's will. Tori and her mom, along with various aunts, uncles, and cousins, will spend two weeks on Great-Aunt Muriel's farm, living a colonial lifestyle: no modern conveniences allowed. They will face various challenges, and the family to survive to the end with the best score in the challenges will inherit. The competition is steep, and Tori and her mom are not exactly used to roughing it -- but of all the contestants, they need the money the most. Of course, there are some unexpected distractions for Tori along the way, such as the surprisingly cute son of the estate's groundskeeper. . . .

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but in this case, you totally should. This book delivers exactly what the cover promises: tween fare, light on the historical accuracy, heavy on the innocent flirting. It's not always particularly realistic, but it's cute and fun, great for girls who are ready for just a little romance but not quite up to the stuff in the young adult section yet.

(73 books read)



A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is a rich and satisfying fairy tale retelling.

Maybe Feyre knew the wolf was a faerie. Maybe she didn't care. But she didn't know that killing it would break the Treaty and that her own life would be forfeit. When a faerie lord comes to avenge the death of one of his kind, Feyre faces him boldly, but rather than killing her, he takes her with him, across the wall to the faerie lands, to his own estate. Feyre's life is forfeit, and she will spend the rest of that life with him. She is treated with a sort of cold kindness in her new home, and she even begins to see some of the beauty of it -- and some of the darkness. A blight creeps across the faerie realm, and her host's once powerful magic is greatly reduced. Feyre finds herself interested in the plight of her captors, and then more than interested in her host, specifically. But she promised on her mother's deathbed to take care of the family, to keep them together -- and if the faerie blight threatens the mortal realms as well, she must return to her father and sisters. It's only when she is home once again that she realizes she may have made a terrible, costly mistake. Can she find a way to make things right?

I've read a lot of Beauty and the Beast retellings, and I generally like them to some extent. But this one, I loved. The author incorporated so many lovely little twists to make the story her own, while still remaining true to the heart of the original tale (or tales, because there's just a faint strain of a second fairy tale woven through it). I particularly like the way things unfold after Feyre returns to the estate, because it doesn't end there -- oh, no, indeed. But I'd hate to give anything away and spoil your enjoyment of this book that I found to be both velvety as a rose petal and sharp as a thorn.

(74 books read)



The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall is a reread for me -- here's my review. Delightful as always! This one is maybe my least favorite of the series, but it's still a Penderwicks book, so way better than most things in the world.

>206 foggidawn: Okay, you hit me with another one. I've got a hold on this at the library now.

(75 books read)



From the Notebooks of a Middle-School Princess by Meg Cabot is a charming spinoff to the author's popular Princess Diaries series.

Olivia Harrison is about to get the surprise of her life. Although, according to one of the mean girls at her school, what she's about to get is the beat-down she deserves, out by the flagpole after school. Just when she's practically seeing her life flash before her eyes, she sees the limo. The one with the princess in it -- Princess Mia, who has just discovered that Olivia is her younger half-sister. That's right: Genovia has another surprise princess. Olivia's journey will be similar to Mia's in some ways, but also quite different (she manages to immediately charm Grandmère and her little dog, too) -- but Olivia's aunt and uncle, who have been responsible for raising her up until the grand revelation, are not going to make the transition easy for anyone, since giving up Olivia will also mean giving up the generous support checks her father has been sending them each month.

I actually only read the first Princess Diaries book -- it was fun, but not so much that I couldn't walk away. But I think I actually like this story better, for one reason or another. Olivia is a great character, naive and optimistic, a little blunt, but well-intentioned, and a dog lover, which gets points from me as well as Grandmère, apparently. I might even keep up with the series -- but if I do or not, I'll be sure to recommend it to the tween girls it was actually written for!

>208 ronincats: It was bound to happen, my friend! I figure I will probably hit several people with that one.

Congrats on 75!!

Congrats!

Congratulations for completing the challenge! The Brides of Rollrock Island but the subject sounds potentially upsetting for me. I'm glad you liked it though. :)

Woo hoo on hitting the 75 book mark!

Thanks, Amber, DrNeutron, Stephen, and Roni!

I have more reviews to write, but I'm thinking this might be a good time to make a new thread. Have to decide which illustrator to spotlight next, though, so it may take me a while.

ETA: New thread is up! See you there!