What's on the Bookshelf?

Between Shades of Gray

2012-08-13T09:08:00.001-05:00

"Wow" is all I have to say (well, almost.)

I started it last night and COULD NOT put it down -ended up finishing it.

Lena is a Lithuanian teenager in 1941 when the Soviet Secret Police come at night

to take her family away.

"They took me in my nightgown. Looking back the signs were there- family photos burned in the fireplace, Mother sewing her best silver and jewelry into the lining of her coat late at night, and Papa not returning from work."

Forced onto filthy cattle cars with thousands of other people Lena and her mother and brother try to stay alive and together as they are taken to work camps during Stalin's "cleansing" of the Baltic region.

Interspersed in the story are flashbacks to Lena's life before the upheaval and the contrast between the normalcy of her life before and her current life are so dramatic. A gifted artist, Lena draws secret pictures to record the atrocities that she witnesses, knowing people won't believe that they could even happen. She secrets the drawings in her suitcase lining and passes some from person to person, hoping her father will find them and know that she is alive.

I honestly found myself ignorant of most of the atrocities that are looked at in this book. I know we talked briefly of this time in history when I was in school but never discussed the genocide that occurred.

I truly feel that this book should be required reading in high school. Ruta Sepetys researched this book by traveling to visit family that had been through the upheavals in Lithuania and recording their stories. Many of the stories in the book are true accounts.

This novel looks at cruelty and small acts of kindness in wartime in a way that will touch your heart.

So powerful.

Compulsion

2012-07-22T11:18:00.003-05:00

"Today has to be perfect.
Magic.
I look at the clock.
10:14 AM.
Ten fourteen. One plus one is two plus four is six plus ten is sixteen minus one is fifteen minus two is thirteen. OK.
I turn from the clock and walk into the hallway. "Ready."
-from Compulsion by Heidi Ayarbe

Mental illness is not fun.
Jake is a handsome high school soccer star, a popular teenager
but he's hiding a secret that's eating him up inside-
He suffers from OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.)
Having to "do-over" his day if the numbers don't add up
Time being sucked away from his life.
His mother's mental illness towers over him because his father won't talk about it
she hides away in her room and the family is left to pick up the pieces.
I wonder how much of his illness is real and how much is learned behavior from his mother?
Jake's younger sister and best friend carry him through the rough patches
but the toll is hard.
I thought that this was an interesting look into the mind of a person with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and a good book in general.

On a personal note- I read this because I have a son with mild OCD (not in anyway as extreme or debilitating as in the novel.) It is a disruptive, frustrating condition for both family and the person suffering. Luckily my son is now usually able to clue in when the OCD is taking over and stop the cycle.

For more information and help look at these sites:
OCD Help Guide
OCD Foundation
Books on OCD for Parents and Kids

Prairie Storms

2011-08-10T11:02:00.000-05:00

My neighbor, Darcy Pattison, is a brilliant author and teacher.

She is just releasing a new children's book

called...

Prairie Storms

Great book for teaching children about prairie life and lots of fun to read!

Behind..

2011-05-04T11:50:00.002-05:00

I am so behind on posting! I've read a zillion books since my last post so I'm going to get busy today or tomorrow and should have posts for awhile! Sorry!
Please let me know if you've read something great lately. I need suggestions...

On Magic Glass

2011-04-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

I really like Maria V. Snyder's imagination...

She can create a world and make you believe you are there, that you are friends with the characters and know the families and countryside...

The Glass Series continues where the Poison series leaves off

with some of the same characters

Opal Cowan, the sister of the glass blower in the Poison series, is the main character in this series.
She is also a glass-blower who has magical abilities.

In the first book she is called to aid the Stormdancers, a magical people who calm storms, when their glass orbs are sabotaged.

Storm Glass

In the second, she has become a pawn of the governments, with her special talents being held hostage. She has to choose her path and find truth.

Sea Glass

In the last book, Spy Glass, Opal is without her magic, and has to reinvent herself and her place in society.

Spy Glass

Very compelling characters.

Fun reads!

Some sexy stuff and violence so probably for 9th grade up.

Wicked Lovely?

2011-04-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Aislinn has seen fairies, like her grandmother before her, her entire life.

There are rules about this (if you want to avoid the fairies' wrath)

Don't stare or let them see you looking
Don't talk to them
Don't attract their attention

This is blown as Keenan, the fairy Summer king, basically starts stalking Ash to see if she might be his queen...
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It was silly in parts, but kept my attention. I might end up reading the next one...

Madapples and Madness

2011-04-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

Madapple, by Christina Meldrum was somewhat of a surprise to me.

I guess I was expecting a light, middle school type novel.

It was not that.

Aslaugh, is a 16 year old who is being raised by her very strange, controlling mother who claims that she was born of a virgin birth.

She is kept away from everyone and they even forage for food on their property.

Her mother's sudden demise makes Aslaugh a suspect and she must try to find out the truth about her mother's past and her own family.

Although it is very well written and thoughtful, this book was very difficult for me to read because of some of the content (rape, drugs, incest.)

I loved the author's knowledge of medicinal and edible herbs and thoughtful religious discussions.

I would recommend it for high school ages up.

2011-04-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, Book 1)

I really don't get the hype over these books...

I love a good supernatural story,

but this

to me was not one of them.

The characters were shallow and full of themselves (like many of us as teenagers I guess)

and the story just didn't have enough substance to keep it afloat.

I have been told the story gets better the more of them you read...

Not sure if I'll get to the next one, maybe I will to see if I was wrong.

On Literary Fest Fun

2011-04-22T15:32:00.000-05:00

The Arkansas Literary Festival was held this month...

The line-up for speakers and authors was really impressive, and there were many I wanted to see...

but I only got to see the grand finale-
David Sedaris.

He was funny,

sad,

and very entertaining

Speaking about the bittersweetness of life and squirrels.
I think almost everyone I knew was at his talk.

Our book club choice had been The Pioneer Woman's "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels: A Love Story" and I had really wanted to hear her talk but it just didn't happen.
Luckily, another member of our club went to see her and said she was such a sweet person and
very down to earth. She was able to fill us in at our meeting which was fun.

Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman

I managed to accidently read another book from a featured Little Rock author,
Kevin Brockmeier...
the Illumination.

This novel was reminiscent of Blindness by Jose Saramago in that the world changes overnight...
in this instance pain is suddenly transformed into light.
Pain is there for all to see, tumors, back pain, headaches...

I love short stories and this had a compilation of stories all surrounding the "Illumination."
A very poetic look at the world through several different sets of eyes.

I'm planning ahead so I can see more of the festival next year!

Hanging Around?

2011-04-04T11:34:00.000-05:00

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch

This was an interesting book.

Bavaria in the mid 1600's...

A child is found in the river, dead with a mark that could be a "witches symbol."

The midwife who the children are always visiting is the main suspect...

More children disappear and trouble abounds for the village.

I didn't get really into it until about a third of the way because I had trouble keeping up with all the characters. Pretty predictable but scary. A good sociological study of what happens when people go on a witch hunt. Neighbors turning on friends. It takes a strong person to stand up to the craziness, and this is the wonderful character of Jakob, the Hangman.

I didn't know how low hangmen were on the social strata then. They were required to be the jailer, torture people for confessions, mortician, and hangman yet are basically the untouchable because they do deal with death. Hangman's children marry other hangmen's children. Our hangman is also the town healer on the side and an ex-military man who did many things he'd like to forget. His daughter is a feisty girl who, unfortunately is in love with the town physician's son.

I can't imagine living back in the 1600's.

Doctors know basically NOTHING. Healers who do know something about herbs and healing are looked upon with suspicion and often thought to be in league with dark demons.

Insane times.

Very interesting characters!

Little Commune on the Prairie

2011-03-08T20:34:00.000-06:00

I had never even heard of the Hutterite religion until this book.

It was very interesting. The idea of communal living is very enticing (especially after reading this!)

Where else do women get a two year helper when they have a baby, do you never have to cook unless it's your designated job?

This is the author's family story. Her parents were devout Hutterites. They break with their community when the author is a child and the story of the struggle on leaving the community is as interesting as the story of the Hutterite society.

I did become a bit confused with some of the language and family relationships (and then realized that there was a guide at the end of the book...)

A sweet story about family and community.

Red Necklaces and Guillotines

2011-03-07T08:40:00.000-06:00

French Revolution and Puppets?

Magical Marionettes,

guillotines,

gypsies,

evil dudes who want to marry the pretty young thing for the money...

and somehow Sally Gardner pulls it off in The Red Necklace.

This is a very well-written novel that is action packed.
*It's a little scary in parts, (probably okay for 6th grade up but equally entertaining for adults) with the abduction, murder, revolution, heads rolling etc.

Zombie Love

2011-03-04T06:00:00.003-06:00

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

OK.
So I did it. I read the book I said I wouldn't read.
And it was ok. Just OK mind you. I'm not a horror movie fan (or scary book fan for that matter.)
Hollowland was the only book I'd not read by Amanda Hocking (so far) so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Your typical apocalyptic zombie story (like those crazy movie my brother always loves) we have a world infected with a deadly virus that turns people into flesh-eating monsters. Also we have those who have to run and hide from the zombies. Remy, our teenage heroine, is searching for her little brother Max, who was taken by the military to an unknown "safe" location. She teams up with a rock-star, a few other normal citizens, and some end-of-days cult members on her quest.
Love and Sacrifice (and lots of gore.)
Everything you want and expect from a zombie story, I guess!

Beautiful?

2011-03-03T06:00:00.002-06:00

The Caster Chronicles Series is a dark, (southern gothic) teenage series-

this time from a boy's point of view.

"There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
There was a curse. There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave."

In Beautiful Creatures, Ethan thinks his life (and small town) could not be any more dull. He's lived in the same town with the same people and same friends forever. Nothing ever changes, or so he thinks. Under the seemingly "normal" exterior the town holds many secrets.
When a new girl moves into the scary old Duchannes mansion, Ethan's eyes are opened to a new (scary) world.

Beautiful Darkness picks up right where the first book leaves off. Ethan and Lena's love is tested as the darkness (and a hot guy on a motorcycle) threatens to tear them apart.

A scary, fun, series with some twists. The next book is due out this fall with a fourth book following fall 2012!

Study this Series

2011-03-02T06:00:00.001-06:00

Yelena, a young girl sentenced to death for murder is given the chance to live,

and in the palace no less...

The catch?

She must be the food taster for the Commander of Ixia whose last food taster was

not

successful.

Faced with a rebellion and certain death if she leaves the commander's palace, Yelena is torn and tossed by the fates.

The story continues in Magic Study.

Here we find our heroine finding out her identity and her potential as a magician. Her search for her lost family takes her on a perilous journey. There are some wonderful characters in this novel.

In the last book of the triology, Fire Study, Yelena is struggling with her enormous powers. Her internal struggles continue as she also works to avoid a revolution and find a murderer. Conflicts abound in this one.

Maria V. Snyder is a wonderful story-teller. I thought her writing style was intelligent, yet fun and easy to read. A great combination of fantasy, science-fiction, and romance. These stories remind me a lot of The Black Magician Trilogy books (but steamier.)

I look forward to reading more of Snyder's work!

Enchanted Hot Chocolate

2011-03-01T13:33:00.002-06:00

This was an "enchanting" novel...
The authors use an interesting format...
They actually wrote letters to each other using an identities of cousins Cecilia and Kate, girls from an alternate reality (Victorian England with a magical twist.) Think Charlotte Bronte or Jane Austen meets Harry Potter... At first, the format was confusing to me, but by four or five letters I got into it and really did enjoy it.

An intelligent story with smart female characters,

AND

it has three of my favorite things in it

English period romance,

Magical/Sci-Fi,

and especially hot chocolate!

Patricia C. Wrede, one of the authors has a new book out called The Thirteenth Child which looks to be another interesting read.

More Werewolf Fun

2011-02-05T06:00:00.004-06:00

Werewolf books are definitely hot now.

Andrea Cremer has hit the highpoint in the genre.

Nightshade is probably one of the best werewolf books I've read.

Calla is a tough, beautiful almost 18 year old. She attends high school with her friends at an elite prep-school which is not what it seems. An alpha female, she is destined to marry Ren, the alpha of a rival pack on her birthday. But on a chance meeting with a hiker her world is changed forever. Questions arise as to the purpose of her people, the truth behind everything she's been taught is challenged.

This book has much more "meat" to it than your usual mushy werewolf book.

I can't wait for the next installment Wolfsbane, due out July 26th, 2011.

A third, Bloodrose, will be released Fall 2012.

*Pretty graphic as far as violence and steamy for younger teens, I'd say this is for 9th grade and up.

On Princess Power

2011-02-04T15:36:00.001-06:00

From the author of Academy 7, Anne Osterlund, comes Aurelia.
The first in a new series about a spunky princess from the make-believe kingdom of Tyralt,
the story opens with a ball, a coming-out party for her younger (beautifully perfect) sister.
Aurelia's life is threatened without her knowing it- her food taster has died...
An old school friend, Robert becomes involved as a secret bodyguard but guarding the princess proves to be no easy matter. Tyralt's beloved princess won't stay put long and is always sneaking out of the castle in disguises.
Smart, sexy, and rebellious Aurelia doesn't want to sell her body and soul, but reign as a true queen.
Evil stepmother, distant father, gorgeous racehorses, and gorgeous men, spunky leading lady- what else could we ask for in a good princess book?

*This book is a little steamy, but nothing too hot for younger teens.

The book leaves us hanging, and I can't wait to find out what happens next to the princess and her "bodyguard"in Exile due out April 28, 2011.

Wolf Brother

2011-01-31T09:23:00.000-06:00

Ancient North America... circa 4000 BC

Chronicles of Ancient Darkness #1: Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

Twelve year old Torak is alone.
His father, the only other human he's ever known, has been viciously killed by a demon bear. In his final moments he makes the boy swear to find the Mountain of the World Spirit, or die trying.
Torak not only has to fulfill his destiny, but like Mowgli must learn to live with people again. A wonderful story about courage, destiny, friendship, and magic.

This is a wonderful story. Because of some scary moments I'd say this book is great for kids in upper elementary on. I really enjoyed it and will probably check out the next one in the series!

Freaky Circus

2011-01-31T09:08:00.000-06:00

I'd seen the movie, and therefore didn't really want to read this book.

But, my neighbor's Japanese exchange student told me that it was her FAVORITE book of all time. "Oh, so much better than Twilight."
How could I not want to read and see what the fuss was about?

It was definately not Twilight.
No romance, no handsome vampires (or werewolves.) Just some selfish jerky teenage boys who want magic spiders, to be made vampires...
And a bunch of freaky freaks.

Darren Shan tells his tale of how he came to be a vampire's assistant. Two boys find tickets to a magical circus/freak show and sneak out. Darren's horror-obsessed friend realizes that one of the performers is really an ancient vampire. What transpires is a fast paced twist-of-fate.

Not for the faint-hearted, but probably okay for kids ages 11+ who like the scary stuff but have graduated beyond Goosebumps books. I think the movie was a compilation of the first two books. Looking back I think they really did a good job following to the book.

It was a fast, fun read. I have to admit even though it's not my thing I really did enjoy Darren Shan's writing style. Think this is the answer to those who want the scary vampire books without all the mushy stuff.

On String Theory and Fairy Tales

2011-01-28T08:32:00.000-06:00

I sometimes like to read a fiction and no-fiction book simultaneously just to mix it up. It was funny because I started a book on string theory called The Elegant Universe, and then got The Lost Gate, a book I'd been waiting on from Orson Scott Card. You wouldn't think it but they really compliment each other!

Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game, Lost Boys) is one of my absolute favorite authors. He has such a fantastic imagination it makes anything he writes so much fun to read. The Lost Gate was no exception. Who else could take almost every myth and tale the world has known and explain them in a scientific yet magical way that makes sense?

The sons and daughters of the North clan all have some sort of magical powers, except for Danny. With no apparent magic in him his family treats him as an outcast, a servant, a dog. He is always fearful that someone will tire of him and kill him.
When mean cousins push him to the brink, he discovers that maybe he does have some magic in him. But what he discovers only makes things worse and life becomes even more complicated for Danny North.
Alternate worlds, myths that are actually realities, physics and fairy tales combine.

I must admit, I found myself getting lost at times in this novel, but it did come together in the end to make a delightful read. Not a book for kids, with adulterous relationships, murder, and just some scary stuff. I want to know more about what happens to Danny, Wad, and the others. Not sure if he's planning a sequel but I'd like it.

Academy 7

2011-01-24T09:51:00.001-06:00

Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund

I have to start by saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover."
In this case the cover is very Harlequin romancey, and the book is NOT.
Much more of a sci-fi thriller with some romance thrown in (although nothing major and suitable for even younger teens-not too mushy for the guys.)
Aerin is a young girl who has been through more tortures in her young life to mention. Saved from her decrepit space-ship at the last possible moment, she finds a world she didn't even know existed. Equality? Fairness? Freedom?
Enrolled in the prestigious Academy 7, a starting point for future leaders, she soon finds out there is so much she doesn't know. She excels in her studies, being the top of the class in all but debate where Dane, the son of a powerful Alliance leader, talks circles around her. After time they form a relationship, Aerin's first friendship. Full of space ships, beautiful imagery, and high tech escapades.
I am anxious for the next book so I can find out what happens next to these interesting characters.

Little Templars

2011-01-23T06:00:00.001-06:00

I have a bit of an obsession with anything that has to do with the Knights Templar, or Arthurian legend. I saw this book at the library and it caught my eye, so thought I'd try it.

The Youngest Templar: Keeper of the Grail by Michael Spradlin

They year is 1191 A.D. A young orphan boy named Tristan is being raised by a group of kind monks. He is taken into squire-hood (is that the word?) by a kind Templar knight on his way to the Holy Land to fight in the Crusades. Tristan fights with the Templars for several years. On the siege of a city he is entrusted with Christianity's most holy relic, the holy grail. Tristan must get the grail to England. On the way he meets up with some characters (loosely taken from other historic/legendary characters) and adventure awaits. This is the first in a series so I have to read the next one now!

Very fun read. It's appropriate for most-this first one I'd read to my kids. The only bad part is the battle scenes which aren't too awful (not anything like what they would have been.)

On the Apocolypse (and Rice Krispie Treats?)

2011-01-22T06:00:00.001-06:00

This author cracks - me - up!

Mercury Falls by Robert Kroese

My husband thinks I'm officially nuts now (if he didn't already) because I found myself laughing out loud and then having to explain what was funny.
Like...
"Well, there is this angel and he wants to make Rice Krispie Treats with Peeps!"
"You see, this demon just brought this dude back to life and then whacked him on the head with a shovel. No, it was funny, guess you just had to read it or something."
"Lucifer came to the door in his bathrobe!"
"Oh my, the antichrist is a dork."

Talk about getting crazy looks from those I love.

But it is hilarious.
We have:
Christine, an aspiring writer who (for some reason) finds herself only getting assignments about end of the world cults

Mercury, a free-wheeling, fun loving angel who hasn't decided what side he's on (or we don't figure it out for awhile anyway.)
Gamaliel and Izbazel, two crazy fallen angels that make me think of Rosencrantz and Gilderstern...

A fun read. Philosophical and Profound, yet making fun of everything (which I love.) Just downloading another one of his books The Force is Middling In This One: And Other Ruminations from the Outskirts of the Empire (See what I mean!)
You gotta love a smart guy who doesn't take himself too seriously.

Letters from a vampire...

2011-01-21T06:00:00.002-06:00

Yeah, yeah, I know... Another vampire book.

And this one titled after a song by one of my favorite bands when I was a teen (long, long, ago.)

The Cure (and yes, I had this poster on my wall many years ago.)

This one is a novella to accompany the My Blood Approves series by Amanda Hocking. Hocking is my new heroine. A self-published novelist who is very prolific. She's put out quite a few books and I've read almost all of them so far. (My favorite is the Trylle Trilogy.) Nothing serious or life changing. Just fun to read (which is what we all need sometimes!) Can't bring myself to read the zombie love story she wrote yet... (not a zombie fan, can you believe it?)

In this novella we have letters from Peter (my favorite hunk in the My Blood Approves stories) to his first true love, Elise. A sad story that makes you realize why he acts the way he does in the other novels. Still, I wish Alice had been smart enough to choose Peter. He makes Edward look like a dork.