Mean Old Library Teacher

REVIEW: How to Decorate a Christmas Tree, by Vikki VanSickle, Illustrated by Miki Sato

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 11:31:00 +0000

Available on October 10, 2023
A little girl shares the steps for the perfect tree trimming — a holiday picture book for fans of Pick a Pine Tree and The Little Christmas Tree.
In this charming Christmas tale, readers will follow along with the main character as she shares all the things that go into decorating a tree:
Lights
Ornaments
Popcorn
Hot chocolate
Taffy the cat
Memories
And, most importantly, family!

With stunning three-dimensional art by Miki Sato and a delightful story by wordsmith Vikki VanSickle, including a twist ending, this book will quickly become a Christmas tree decorating tradition of its own.
My 9 year old picked this out to read with me, so you get a bonus voice in this review.

My take: Delightful. It brought some Christmas spirit to an otherwise dreary day when we read this, as we talked about our favorite ornaments and how we decorate our tree and home. I LOVED the artwork and that they weren't flat. The writing is approachable for children of any age.

My daughter's. When we read a book, I ask her to tell me 3 things she really liked about it.
1. The pictures. You could see they were "made" and not drawn.
2. The cat all the way through. It was like a little story itself.
3. It made me think about our Christmas tree, and made me want to make my own ornaments like the ones in the book.

I asked her if she'd want me to buy a copy when it's published and she tells me that for someone her age, it's a "library book" (read and return), but she'd like to get one for her baby sister.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Penguin Random House Canada through the NetGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: Things in the Basement, by Ben Hatke

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 14:30:00 +0000

Find on Amazon
It was supposed to just be a normal basement— some storage boxes, dust, you know, the usual basement stuff. But when Milo is sent by his mother to fetch a sock from the basement of the historic home they've moved into, Milo finds a door in the back that he's never seen before. Turns out that the basement of his house is enormous. In fact, there is a whole world down there. As Milo travels ever deeper into the Basement World, he meets the many Things that live in the shadows and gloom...and he learns that to face his fears he must approach even the strangest creatures with kindness.

This book answers a question that I've long had---where do lost socks go? (Spoiler alert, moms, they do NOT become tupperware lids). The story, in and of itself, is fabulous.

A nearly wordless graphic novel with illustrations so rich and intricate you could spend hours pouring over it. Okay, so my daughter did. It's perfectly atmospheric--I mean, look at the cover! Hatke has masterfully create the world and the mood along with it.

Teachers, I can see this being part of all kinds of lessons:

In art class, telling your story through images, how colors lend to a mood you want your reader/viewer to feel.
In reading class, that all important skill of using the pictures provided for context and to improve literacy.
In a writing class, how images drive the story, or even as a prompt--how would you tell the story in words?

Overall, adored this. Hatke had me years ago awith Zita, and he's delivered yet another gorgeous book.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from First Second Books through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: Actually Super, by Adi Alsaid

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 14:30:00 +0000

Isabel is having an existential crisis. She’s three years into high school, and everything she’s learned has only shaken her faith in humanity. Late one night, she finds herself drawn to a niche corner of the internet—a forum whose members believe firmly in one thing: that there are indeed people out in the world quietly performing impossible acts of heroism. You might even call them supers. No, not in the comic book sense—these are real people, just like each of us, but who happen to have a power or two. If Isabel can find them, she reasons, she might be able to prove to herself that humanity is more good than bad.

So, the day she turns 18, she sets off on a journey that will take her from Japan to Australia, and from Argentina to Mexico, with many stops along the way. She longs to prove one—just one—super exists to restore her hope for the future.

Will she find what she’s looking for? And how will she know when—if—she does?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Isabel is every teeenager, trying to sort out what she believes in, what is real, what is true, and how it all fits into what she knows of the world. She is brave and strong, and knows her own mind.

Then it goes a little left field. I don't know of any 17 year old whose parents would let them drop out of before high school graduation and travel the planet all alone with no real plans or direction other than a dream. So, this part was enjoyable in the sense that it's a bit fantastical.

Characters were attractive and believable. The people Isabel meets on her journey are realistic and interesting. The way story builds and moves captured my attention and held it all the way through.

This one, I could see being a movie. The writing lends itself to that possibilty right away. It's escapist story, and a satisfying.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Random House Children's through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: The Only Astronaut, by Mahak Jain, illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 30 May 2023 22:54:00 +0000

On Sale June 6, 2023

A girl who loves solo space travel learns that having a partner can be even better. Avni loves being the only astronaut in her space station. She's in charge of when she takes off and where she goes. But space exploration can be a lot of work for one astronaut. It's time for a new mission: find an assistant. Avni crisscrosses the distant galaxies (her neighborhood) in search of the perfect partner. Does that even exist? Will Avni make space for a copilot or will it be mission impossible? Award-winning author Mahak Jain has crafted a witty and wonderful story about friendship, imagination and the thrill of a good adventure. Andrea Stegmaier's dynamic and highly detailed art uses line drawing overlays in orange, for Avni, and blue, for Aya, to cleverly depict the world as seen in each of their imaginations. It's a terrific representation of a child making room for both their own creativity and another's perspective. Avni's regular mantra, “An astronaut never gives up,” celebrates the power of perseverance and collaboration without compromising one's goals. This book highlights the character education concepts of teamwork, cooperation, adaptability and resilience. It also offers an invitation to children to use their imaginations and remain open to the exciting possibilities of exploration (as astronauts or aquanauts!).

I chose this title to review with my 9 year old daughter. She loves space, can't decide if she wants to do "pure science" or be an astronaut, or maybe a chef or a teacher or .......... *grin* Regardless, we enjoy reading together and she knows I review books. So, you get a two-for-one deal today!

Up first, her review. I asked her to tell me 3 things she really liked about the book.

1. The drawings. There was so much to look at! I liked the cat and the dog, and I liked how they showed the imagination pictures.

2. The adventure Avni and Aya went on, and how you could see there would be more adventures.

3. Avni made a friend with an imagination as big as hers!

Now, the mama/librarian/reading teacher review.

What a fun read! The story was cute and the illustrations made the book just perfect. I loved the mission log, the different possible assistants--and why they didn't work out! I absolutely ADORED that my daughter saw herself in the story (we've had a cardboard rocket ship or two in the living room!).

I love the contrasting colors between Avni's imaginary scenes and Aya's, layered over the "real life" images. Even my 9 year old picked up quickly who was "seeing" which drawing.

I'm all about sneaking in important lessons, like the blurb says--teamwork, perseverance, adaptability. Just what imaginative play should look like for kids that age.

Even though I'm in a high school library, I'll be adding this to my collection. I can see it being used in an art class as you talk about perception in art. And I know it would be a delight in our future teacher program.

Overall, we both loved it and we cannot wait to get our hands on a print copy when it's released.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Kids Can Press through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: The Grimoire of Grave Fates, edited by Margaret Owen and Hanna Alkaf

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 30 May 2023 19:31:00 +0000

Professor of Magical History Septimius Dropwort has just been murdered, and now everyone at the Galileo Academy for the Extraordinary is a suspect.

A prestigious school for young magicians, the Galileo Academy has recently undergone a comprehensive overhaul, reinventing itself as a roaming academy in which students of all cultures and identities are celebrated. In this new Galileo, every pupil is welcome—but there are some who aren't so happy with the recent changes. That includes everyone's least favorite professor, Septimius Dropwort, a stodgy old man known for his harsh rules and harsher punishments. But when the professor's body is discovered on school grounds with a mysterious note clenched in his lifeless hand, the Academy's students must solve the murder themselves, because everyone's a suspect.

Told from more than a dozen alternating and diverse perspectives, The Grimoire of Grave Fates follows Galileo's best and brightest young magicians as they race to discover the truth behind Dropwort's mysterious death. Each one of them is confident that only they have the skills needed to unravel the web of secrets hidden within Galileo's halls. But they're about to discover that even for straight-A students, magic doesn't always play by the rules. . . .

18 authors, 18 students. One murder. Mass confusion for this reader.
The good:
Each of the 18 authors did a great job with their part of the story. I'm not sure if it's good or bad that there wasn't any abruptly different, tell-tale difference in the writing styles. Each chapter flowed with the next as far as the "voice" of the storyteller.
The setting was really interesting. I'd like to read more stories set in this school
The characters were diverse--backgrounds and magic.
The overarcing story line carried through each part. No author contradicted something that had already been established by a previous one.
The not so good:
I didn't feel like any one character was particularly well-developed. DIverse, yes, but they didn't have a lot of individual depth. Occasionally, some detail would emerge that made me think "so what?" because it didn't further the story at all, to me.
18 unique points of view was too much. And they marginally overlapped, if they did at all.
The plot wasn't smooth. Some of the POVs seemed to retell what another had already told us about. There were individual climaxes for each, making it hard to figure out where in the arc there was really a climax.
Overall:
I can appreciate there was A LOT put into creating this single story arc anthology. It's an interesting treatment, I just think the slate of authors and stories within the story was too large.

Contributors include: Cam Montgomery, Darcie Little Badger, Hafsah Faizal, Jessica Lewis, Julian Winters, Karuna Riazi, Kat Cho, Kayla Whaley, Kwame Mbalia, L. L. McKinney, Marieke Nijkamp, Mason Deaver, Natasha Díaz, Preeti Chhibber, Randy Ribay, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Victoria Lee, and Yamile Saied Méndez
What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Random House Children's/Delacorte Press through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: The Last Secret of the Secret Annex, by Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl and Jeroen De Bruyn

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 30 May 2023 00:05:00 +0000

Anne Frank’s life has been studied by many scholars, but the story of Bep Voskuijl has remained untold, until now. As the youngest of the five Dutch people who hid the Frank family, Bep was Anne’s closest confidante during the 761 excruciating days she spent hidden in the Secret Annex. Bep, who was just twenty-three when the Franks went into hiding, risked her life to protect them, plunging into Amsterdam’s black market to source food and medicine for people who officially didn’t exist under the noses of German soldiers and Dutch spies. In those cramped quarters, Bep and Anne’s friendship bloomed through deep conversations, shared meals, and a youthful understanding.

Told by her own son, The Last Secret of the Secret Annex intertwines the story of Bep and her sister Nelly with Anne’s iconic narrative. Nelly’s name may have been scrubbed from Anne’s published diary, but Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl and Jeroen De Bruyn expose details about her collaboration with the Nazis, a deeply held family secret. After the war, Bep tried to bury her memories just as the Secret Annex was becoming world famous as a symbol of resistance to the Nazi horrors. She never got over losing Anne nor could Bep put to rest the horrifying suspicion that those in the Annex had been betrayed by her own flesh and blood.

This is a story about those caught in between the Jewish victims and Nazi persecutors, and the moral ambiguities and hard choices faced by ordinary families like the Voskuijls, in which collaborators and resisters often lived under the same roof.

The Diary of Anne Frank is a book I go back to again and again. I'm simultaneously fascinated with her story, through her eyes, and horrified that humans could treat others that way.

This story isn't Anne's. It's the story of Bep, one of her father's employees and Anne's good friend, who helped hide and care for the family when they went into the annex. We learn how it affected her daily life at the time, and after the war. How it ultimately changed the trajectory of her entire family, and even affected her children. For me, it deepened my understanding of the fear and stresses the war and the Holocaust itself took on those who lived under German occupation.

This book would make a good companion read when studying The Diary of Anne Frank. It widens the perspective and brings to light the generational affects of what the helpers survived.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Simon & Schuster through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: My Murder, by Katie Williams

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Thu, 25 May 2023 11:30:00 +0000

Lou is a happily married mother of an adorable toddler. She’s also the victim of a local serial killer. Recently brought back to life and returned to her grieving family by a government project, she is grateful for this second chance. But as the new Lou re-adapts to her old routines, and as she bonds with other female victims, she realizes that disturbing questions remain about what exactly preceded her death and how much she can really trust those around her.

Now it’s not enough to care for her child, love her husband, and work the job she’s always enjoyed—she must also figure out the circumstances of her death. Darkly comic, tautly paced, and full of surprises, My Murder is a devour-in-one-sitting, clever twist on the classic thriller.

Lou, young mother and wife, is cloned following her murder. She's aware of what happened, big picture, and that she is not her "original" self. She wasn't the only one cloned at that time, and is in a support group with the others who were--all victims of the same murderer. But Lou needs answers, closure maybe, for her "first" self.

The premise drew me in. Interesting speculative fiction, searching for the answers to your own murder. It's, well...a weird twist of an existential crisis. The world-building was done well. It's not set too far into the future as to be unrecognizable, and playing out the possibilities inherent in technologies to put it just beyond our current reach. I liked this story, but I have mixed feelings about it.

I couldn't connect with Lou the way she was written. I do realize it may have been intentional that she was hard to connect with, because I think she was having a hard time connecting with herself. I may also be hoping that was the author's intent. I did, however, connect with her baby, who knew something wasn't exactly right with her momma.

The "thriller" aspect, per the publisher's blurb, isn't a thriller for me. It's a mystery, there's crime drama, but it doesn't "thrill" to me. A little more than halfway through the story, you discover that what Lou (and the reader) thought was the truth isn't quite that. It's not completely outside the realm of possibility from the get go. From that point, the story is rushed and comes together too quickly.

The whole book is part mystery drama, part deep character study. I needed it to lean one way or the other to be more than a 3 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley and RiverHead (Penguin Group) for the review copy. I am posting this review voluntarily.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Riverhead (Penguin Group) through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Book Review: Deep, by Melanie Boksted Horav

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Mon, 01 May 2023 13:30:00 +0000

Ryler is a young resident of Deep Blue, an underwater colony that's home to the last survivors of a global environmental disaster. A disaster that wiped out humanity hundreds of years ago, leaving the surface air toxic and the last hope of humanity beneath the waves. After the devastating and unexpected death of his grandmother, Marna, who also happens to be the president of the colony, Ryler teams up with his friend Anna to uncover the truth behind her suspicious demise.

Their investigation takes them down a dangerous path, as they discover shocking secrets and a killer on the loose who will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden. With time running out and their own lives on the line, Ryler, and his friends must race against the clock to solve the mystery and escape the clutches of an invisible enemy. Will they make it out alive?

I have to admit, I snagged this one to read based on the cover. I had a dream recently about Michael Crichton's Sphere, (which just went into my stack to be reread.) So, I was caught a little unaware by the story line. I wasn't expecting dystopian fiction, I guess.

Not to say I didn't really enjoy this book. Because I really did. The world-building alone was enthralling. Without a map, an ocean colony could potentially be unwieldy to carry in one's head, but even with the detailed descriptions, was easily imaginable. I could "see" the houses, the garden, the engineering areas, etc. where scenes took place. The story is fast-paced and it draws you in quickly.

The characters are so well-done and interesting. Ryler and Anna (the leads) are relatable and deep. Supporting characters are just the ones that are needed in the spaces they arrive. I particulary like Red, who is rough-edged and brings an element that shows us that human nature is the same, even with and despite technological and sociological advances.

I do think that it's very obvious that this is intended to be a series. I often "get" this as a book is winding up, but thinking back over it, I feel like there's a lot left untended or unanswered. One of the characters mentions severe back pain often enough that it's part of the story line, but we aren't told more than that there's pain and medication for it. A few scene changes felt very abrupt. The story is going strong along an arc, and then stops because a character is distracted by something. It was unsettling, which maybe was the point.

Overall, I'm definitely going to find the next book because I want to know the answers to some things. It's a good story, and done well.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Enter Text Here through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: The New Guys, by Meredith Bagby

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 20:43:00 +0000

Find on Amazon
The never-before-told story of NASA’s 1978 astronaut class, which included the first American women, the first African Americans, the first Asian American, and the first gay person to fly to space. With the exclusive participation of the astronauts who were there, this is the thrilling, behind-the-scenes saga of a new generation that transformed space exploration
The story of NASA’s Astronaut Class 8, or “The F*cking New Guys,” as their military predecessors nicknamed them, is an unprecedented look at these extraordinary explorers who broke barriers and blasted through glass ceilings. Egos clashed, ambitions flared, and romances bloomed as the New Guys competed with one another and navigated the cutthroat internal politics at NASA for a chance to rocket to the stars.
Marking a departure from the iconic military test pilots who had dominated the space program since its inception, the New Guys arrived at the dawn of a new era of space flight. Teardrop-shaped space capsules from Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo gave way to the space shuttle, a revolutionary space plane capable of launching like a rocket, hauling cargo like a truck, and landing back on Earth like an airliner. They mastered this new machine from its dangerous first test flights to its greatest achievements: launching hundreds of satellites, building the International Space Station, and deploying the Hubble Space Telescope.
The New Guys depicts these charismatic young astronauts and the exuberant social and scientific progress of the space shuttle program against the efforts of NASA officials who struggled to meet America’s military demands and commercial aspirations. When NASA was pressured to fly more often and at greater risk, lives were lost in the program’s two biggest disasters: Challenger (1986) and Columbia (2003).
Caught in the crosshairs of this battle are the shuttle astronauts who gave their lives in those catastrophes, and who gave their lives’ work pursuing a more equitable future in space for all humankind. Through it all they became friends, rivals, lovers, and ultimately, family.
I'm not usually a fan of overview, storytelling collective biographies, but this was so well done I couldn't put it down. It's as engaging as the best novel and just exactly right in terms of research and history. It's a literary memorial to the astronauts wre called upon to not only rocket into space, but to help design and build the Space Shuttle fleet.
It's like looking through a window in time, learning about each of the The New Guys, names that any NASA officianado recognizes with little effort, from Sally Ride to Ron McNair, and the people who shaped the program all along the way. It was both intriguing to discover what road they took to space, and awe-inspiring how they drove themselves to reach the heavens.
This is a beautifully woven story of the iconic women and men who touched the stars, the challenges getting there, the heartbreak when we lost those in Challenger and Columbia, and the history of a government program that is made of the dreams of us all.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from William Morrow through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: These Deadly Words, by Nichole Heydenburg

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 20:16:00 +0000

Find on Amazon

All Camille Monroe wants is a quiet place to work on her novel. Hoping for inspiration, she retreats to a cabin in Asheville, with only her dog Brody as company.
Leah Strauss thought the summer after high school graduation would be amazing, but when her boyfriend Vincent suffers an untimely loss, her dream of the perfect summer is destroyed. Attempting to cheer up Vincent, Leah’s twin sister Ava and her boyfriend Noah join them on a road trip.
When a snowstorm strikes the mountains while Leah and her friends are hiking, they struggle to find their campsite. After becoming lost in the woods, they stumble across a cabin and seek shelter from the storm.
As the days pass, the guests feel increasingly unsafe in the stranger’s cabin. Camille seems to know all their secrets, and she doesn’t want them to leave. Who is this dangerous writer and what does she want from them? Their biggest problem quickly becomes escaping the cabin alive.

Fast-paced, quick-read, absolutely thrilling!
4 likeable teenagers, one lonely woman in a cabin who honestly seems not only harmless but likeable herself. The premise is believable--4 older teens out on a camping weekend get caught in a snow storm. It's a captivating story, and if I hadn't known this was a thriller, I wouldn't have imagined the turn it would take as I started reading.
The eerie atmosphere as the storm settles in and how easily Camille (the cabin owner) just lets them take over her space set me on a little bit of an edge. The dual point of view storytelling built the "anxiety" for me---which do I trust? Can I trust either of them? There was just an overall feel of Stephen King's Misery (which I know others noticed) and....it felt kinda old school horror-flick to me. Add all that to my feeling of claustrophobia on behalf of the characters!
Two or three little spots where I'm wishing there was more detail or information, but overall a book that will make me seek this author's work out.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from the Author through the BookSirens connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: No Two Persons, by Erica Bauermeister

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 11:42:00 +0000

No Two Persons

Alice has always wanted to be a writer. Her talent is innate, but her stories remain safe and detached, until a devastating event breaks her heart open, and she creates a stunning debut novel. Her words, in turn, find their way to readers, from a teenager hiding her homelessness, to a free diver pushing himself beyond endurance, an artist furious at the world around her, a bookseller in search of love, a widower rent by grief. Each one is drawn into Alice’s novel; each one discovers something different that alters their perspective, and presents new pathways forward for their lives.

Together, their stories reveal how books can affect us in the most beautiful and unexpected of ways—and how we are all more closely connected to one another than we might think

One book. One Author. Nine Readers. Ten reactions, ten responses, ten connections. Ten different ways the book spoke directly to them. It's a truly innovative and creative storytelling.
Bauermeister put into ten stories that which all readers know--we may read the same book, but we won't read the same story in it. That's the one of the most amazing thing about books, right?You and I will never respond to a book in the same way.

I enjoyed the different voices, each was unique and came from such different places. No character came across as flat, all were carefully crafted and multi-faceted. Each person was markedly changed by one book, written by a person who just needed to get the story out of her head and heart and on paper. I don't know that I've ever considered so carefully how a book speaks to its author before.

The most important voice, in my mind, is that of the book itself. Theo (the book in the stories) is honestly the main character, interacting with its author and each reader, ultimately connecting some the people who connected with it.

This is book club/literary club material. I highly recommend it, and am honestly heading over to pre-order a hardback copy for my shelf so I can revisit it again and again.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from St. Martin's Press through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: Tell Me What Really Happened, by Chelsea Sedoti

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 13:40:00 +0000

There are stories about the woods around Salvation Creek, about the people who have gone missing. Now their friend is one of them. A riveting, fast-paced YA mystery told entirely through first person police interviews of four teens over the course of a few hours.
It was all her idea. They would get away from their parents and spend the weekend camping. Down by Salvation Creek, the five of them would make smores, steal kisses, share secrets.
But sometime around midnight, she vanished.
Now the four friends who came back are under suspicion―and they each have a very different story to tell about what happened in the woods.

The clock is ticking. What are they hiding? Who is lying? Dark truths must come to light if their friend is to be found...

Told entirely through first-person police interviews, this riveting mystery asks: what really happened that night?

I love a good thriller, and I love when it centers around a cast of characters that has a little something for everyone, like The Breakfast Club. Sedoti pulled that off quite well. Her character development is some of the best I've ever written and I could "hear" the voices quite quickly and easily in my head. This will make an amazing audiobook---and I'd love to see it as a movie.

Four unreliable narrators telling the story of a fifth in their party who has disappeared. All are guilty of something, but no one really knows what. There were twists and turns, and some expected bits, but overall, I was captured by this read and had to know just what happened to Maylee.

The storyline unfolds during the four separate, and long interrogations held in the police station. The quick change between narrators made the story move more quickly than a strictly linear telling would have. Often, in YA, there's a lot of "drama" that, for me as an avid YA reader, takes away from the story and characters. Not in this book. It was very like listening to my students talk about things, with the occasional asides that are related but not moving the story forward much. I was convinced right up until the end that I knew what had happened and who was to "blame." I was wrong.

Being YA, there is some language and a few sexual overtones--nothing overt or explicit, just touched on.

My only "eh" is regarding the ending. It seemed very abrupt to me, initially. I mean, we were rolling along and the pieces fell into place, and then....it was done. I don't normally go for an ending like this at all, but I think the fact that my minds keeps wandering to it and wondering how it played out made it work, probably as intended.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from SOURCEBOOKS Fire through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: Someone is Always Watching, by Kelley Armstrong

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:59:00 +0000

Blythe and her friends — Gabrielle, and brother and sister Tucker and Tanya — have always been a tight friend group, attending a local high school and falling in and out of love with each other. But an act of violence has caused a rift between Blythe and Tucker . . . and unexpected bursts of aggression and disturbing nightmares have started to become more frequent in their lives.

The strange happenings culminate in a shocking event at school: Gabrielle is found covered in blood in front of their deceased principal, with no memory of what happened.

Cracks in their friendship, as well as in their own memories, start appearing, threatening to expose long-forgotten secrets which could change the group’s lives forever. How can Blythe and her friends trust each other when they can’t even trust their own memories?

Psychological thrillers are a particular weakness of mine. This one checks all my boxes. I honestly don't think I've read anything by Armstrong before, but I'll be seeking her out if I ever see the end of my TBR stack.

Blythe and her friends are relatable and familiar. I mean, I work in a high school and I can "see" these characters in my hallways. Thinking back, not one was described in enough detail to form a picture for me, but I think that added to their development because they could be anyone I encounter any day of the week. Their reactions to the things that happen in the story are real.

Armstrong doesn't pass us information in bits in pieces. She starts right away with Gabrielle and a dead school principal. And then that's covered up. It rolls on from there. The story unfolds around the characters. It's both a thriller and very cloak and dagger. Who do you trust, when you aren't sure you can trust yourself?

I finished the one in a sitting. It grabbed me and wouldn't let me go until I had the answers, and it wasn't what I expected at all.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Penguin Random House Canada/Tundra Books through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: The Eden Compound, by L. Blaise Hues

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 14:14:00 +0000

Star-student Kathryn Speer has her future all planned out until Shardul comes to the school. Since she’s competing with him for top marks, she can’t decide if she should despise or date him.
When Kathryn’s rich uncle extends an invitation to study genetically modified tigers at his compound, Kathryn sees it as an opportunity to impress Shardul and give her a leg up on college applications.
Then Shardul goes missing, and her GPA suddenly loses its importance as she considers using her skills and the tools at The Eden Compound to find Shardul and bring him home.
But once she’s there, she realizes he’s not the only one in real danger.

Creepy and science fiction. This is a definite win. A bit of romance, but done in a way that isn't either over the top or needlessly intense. It's, well, innocent romance, which we need to see more of in YA lit.

Kathryn (not "Kat," not ever "Kat") is top of her class and focused on staying there. She's likeable, especially for this former AP student who chose academics over other teenage life in school. Shardul comes to town, and she suddenly has not only a rival but someone she is frankly entranced by. The feeling is clearly mutual, but Kathryn is fighting it. Both are incredibly relatable, even for the non-nerdy sort. Other characters weren't as lovely--Kathryn's uncle who is clearly demented. Bryce who I have a love-hate feeling about.

The story itself is believable. Genetic modification science, remote location, people getting too involved in their own science and damn the consquences. This is a Michael Crichton story for the modern YA reader.

I only had one moment of confusion or "um..wait..." There's a scene where Kathryn is talking to Shardul and Bryce enters the room. It's written as if she hasn't seen him since arriving on the island. Yet, she's had multiple encounters with him specifically, one just a few pages before. It's an editing glitch.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from the author through the BookSirens author/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: Coronation Year, by Jennifer Robson

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 10:11:00 +0000

Available April 4, 2023
It is Coronation Year, 1953, and a new queen is about to be crowned. The people of London are in a mood to celebrate, none more so than the residents of the Blue Lion hotel.
Edie Howard, owner and operator of the floundering Blue Lion, has found the miracle she needs: on Coronation Day, Queen Elizabeth in her gold coach will pass by the hotel’s front door, allowing Edie to charge a fortune for rooms and, barring disaster, save her beloved home from financial ruin. Edie’s luck might just be turning, all thanks to a young queen about her own age.
Stella Donati, a young Italian photographer and Holocaust survivor, has come to live at the Blue Lion while she takes up a coveted position at Picture Weekly magazine. London in celebration mode feels like a different world to her. As she learns the ins and outs of her new profession, Stella discovers a purpose and direction that honor her past and bring hope for her future.
James Geddes, a war hero and gifted artist, has struggled to make his mark in a world that disdains his Indian ancestry. At the Blue Lion, though, he is made to feel welcome and worthy. Yet even as his friendship with Edie deepens, he begins to suspect that something is badly amiss at his new home.
When anonymous threats focused on Coronation Day, the Blue Lion, and even the queen herself disrupt their mood of happy optimism, Edie and her friends must race to uncover the truth, save their home, and expose those who seek to erase the joy and promise of Coronation Year.
Reading the title, I thought "ooo...a novel about Queen Elizabeth." No, this history adjacent. UK Royal Family adjacent. And a mystery and love story to boot. It's built on the hopes of change and a national rebirth of sorts that came with coronation of a new monarch. It's a new era, and only good things are possible.
Robson immerses us in the time period. The day to day grind of running a 400 year old family-owned hotel and its staff as a woman in the 1950s. The struggles of holding on to tradition and values, while moving forward into the new age. Facing bigotry and racism in the post-war world. She also showcases the idea that families can be created from those you do life with when you've lost your biological one.
The characters are relatable and both complicated and simple in their development. It was a delightful read, and I hesitated to end the story because I was so comfortable in it.
It's a bit of a niche title for a high school libray, but I have a group who enjoys mysteries that are few steps above a cozy mystery, and another group that likes period stories. I could see some scenes being conversation starters for SEL lessons or history topics.

What do you think??

REVIEW: A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 19:47:00 +0000

"Mom seems off."

Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.

She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.

But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.

To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.

Well, you had me at "Southern Gothic." I love a good creepy story. As a lover of a good creepy story, I picked up on little things that I think any avid reader would. Noises, responses, reactions, things that are just a little off. Fairly standard, scary story fare and I settled in for a relaxing (*giggle*) creep out. Nothing over the top, just enough, you know? Then, the story amps up a bit and it's legitimately scary. And yes, a vulture showed up in my dreams afterward.

Sam is perfect. Realistic, concerned, but not dramatic or a pushover. She is the perfect narrator for a story that takes a little laxity on reality to deliver a truly well-turned tale.

Kingfisher is pretty masterful. Just enough creepiness to make me look over my shoulder myself, mixed with some truly funny internal and external dialogue. I'm going to have to find her other books.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Tor Nighfire through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

BOOK REVIEW: And Put Away Childish Things, by Adrian Tchaikovsky

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 12:01:00 +0000

Available March 28, 2023
Harry Bodie’s been called into the delightful fantasy world of his grandmother’s beloved children’s books. It’s not delightful here at all.

All roads lead to Underhill, where it’s always winter, and never nice.

Harry Bodie has a famous grandmother, who wrote beloved children’s books set in the delightful world of Underhill. Harry himself is a failing kids’ TV presenter whose every attempt to advance his career ends in self-sabotage. His family history seems to be nothing but an impediment.
An impediment... or worse. What if Underhill is real? What if it has been waiting decades for a promised child to visit? What if it isn’t delightful at all? And what if its denizens have run out of patience and are taking matters into their own hands?

A dark take on fantasy worlds that collide with the "real" world. I've never read anything by Tchaikovsky, but I was captivated by this story.

Harry Bodie is relatable. A struggling TV personality. Okay, the blurb says "failing" and I have to admit, he's failing. His agent isn't much help in turning things around, and a family connection a beloved children's author should be a help. Only, he doesn't handle it well when family history is revealed on a TV show.

It's a bit of a slow start. I found myself wondering when we'd get to something that felt less like a downward spiral for Harry. And then he has an encounter with a faun.

This isn't the niceties of Narnia or Tolkien, though even Harry tries to fit Underhill into these molds. It does make one think about the what-ifs of a fantasy world. What if those that made it live aren't there?

Little bit of langauge, little bit of reference to things that might take some explaining. I can think of some older teens who would eat it up.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Rebellion through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: The Adventures of Ruby Pi and the Math Girls, by Tom Durwood

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 18:17:00 +0000

A collection of five historical fiction adventure stories, the second installment in the "Rubi Pi Adventure Series" to follow The Adventures of Rubi Pi and the Geometry Girls. Young heroines find themselves at turning points in history. Faced with colossal problems, they use math to find real-world solutions. How will their quick thinking and problem-solving direct the course of history?
A master of young adult historical fiction, adventure, and mystery writing, Tom Durwood gives a fresh look at some of history's pivotal moments-from a mathematical perspective! STEM meets literary finesse with his usual flair for intrigue, suspense, and immersive dialogue. In his latest collection of short stories, smart girls take on gambling, bandits, swordplay, probability, and Bayes' Theorem!
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one.
It's a collection of short historical fictions stories with female main characters using math. Okay, I can see a market. I can see it appealing to girls who love math and showing students creative ways math plays into the world outside of school. Each story is completely separate of the others and the author proivdes notes explaining the math concept and how his character used it after.
It was really choppy. The stories felt like they'd either been edited in chunks for space, or written with disjointed flow. It was hard to read stories that clumsy and cut off. And then I read in the notes after the fourth story that the author had pared them down a lot purposely because historical details "irritate most readers." Really? Not fans of historical fictions.
There are 5 stories. The first one takes up 40% of the book, making the others seem even skimpier and rushed. In general, every story needed more. More historical details, more flow, more....story.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from BooksGoSocial through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: She is a Haunting, by Trang Thanh Tran

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 13:07:00 +0000

A house with a terrifying appetite haunts a broken family in this atmospheric horror, perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic.
When Jade Nguyen arrives in Vietnam for a visit with her estranged father, she has one goal: survive five weeks pretending to be a happy family in the French colonial house Ba is restoring. She’s always lied to fit in, so if she’s straight enough, Vietnamese enough, American enough, she can get out with the college money he promised.
But the house has other plans. Night after night, Jade wakes up paralyzed. The walls exude a thrumming sound, while bugs leave their legs and feelers in places they don’t belong. She finds curious traces of her ancestors in the gardens they once tended. And at night Jade can’t ignore the ghost of the beautiful bride who leaves her cryptic warnings: Don’t eat.

Neither Ba nor her sweet sister Lily believe that there is anything strange happening. With help from a delinquent girl, Jade will prove this house—the home her family has always wanted—will not rest until it destroys them. Maybe, this time, she can keep her family together. As she roots out the house’s rot, she must also face the truth of who she is and who she must become to save them all.

As I read the description for this novel, prior to requesting it, I envisioned a horror story. Similar in my mind to The Ring and maybe more psychological, I guess.

And while this fits the bill as a horror story, it also incorporates other themes that add so much to the dynamics of this story. Set in modern-day Vietnam, there are threads through out of a barely functioning dysfunctional family, the repercussions of French colonialism, and generational traumas. I worried that it would be too "busy,"

The story was truly haunting and darkly delicious. It was satisfying for this lover of horror stories. Part psychological and part just gory and gross. Jade's response and reactions are completely believable and real.

I had a handful of issues from the crafting perspective. Jade is the only character really developed. To some extent, it worked (Ba basically abandoned the family when Jade was young, so the fact that he is not "developed" helped show the very broken relationship Jade has with him), but characters that were pivotal (Lily, Florence) were sparsely described.

The house itself, the setting of the whole story, is a character in and of itself because of the haunting. I couldn't create images in my head of it--the rooms, the garden--because it wasn't given enough words. Maybe this was intentional (this could be any house?), but I like more detail.

Overall, it's a really good, creative, scary debut. I recommend it.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: The Island,, by Natasha Preston

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 20:07:00 +0000

They said goodbye to their friends and family for the weekend. They weren’t counting on forever.

Jagged Island: a private amusement park for the very rich—or the very influential. Liam, James, Will, Ava, Harper, and Paisley—social media influencers with millions of followers—have been invited for an exclusive weekend before the park opens. They’ll make posts and videos for their channels and report every second of their VIP treatment.

When the teens arrive, they're stunned: the resort is even better than they’d imagined. Their hotel rooms are unreal, the park’s themed rides are incredible, and the island is hauntingly beautiful. They’re given a jam-packed itinerary for the weekend.

But soon they'll discover that something's missing from their schedule: getting off the island alive.

I've read that Natasha Preston is the "queen of YA thrillers." Apparently, I'm not reading enough YA thrillers and I need to fix that by reading her entire back catalog.

The premise is very "now." Teenage social media influencers, all posting to their various platforms as they travel to and settle in at the island. They are there as a an advance team of sorts, the first guests at a new and not yet open theme park resort, to do what influencers do. On an island with limited access, it's already exclusive. The fact that these 6 are the only ones (other than employees) to have seen it--well, the TikToks practically film themselves!

But one goes missing, then another. The owner's right hand girl, who they've put their trust in, is acting sketchy. The owner keeps disappearing. Agatha Christi meet something akin to "Pretty Little Liars." It even evoked some "Knives Out" feels for me. Honestly, I could see this as a movie.

Characters were honest, writing top notch. I felt like Paisley, the narrator and a true crime podcaster (at 17), was the best sort of narrator for the story. She was the one influencer who seemed least likely to be an influencer, and that made her more believalbe. I had a case of "book-somnia" one night so I could finish it in one sitting.

What do you think??

REVIEW: Queen Victoria's Daughters-in-Law, by John Van der Kiste

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 18:56:00 +0000

Purchase on Amazon

Of Queen Victoria’s four sons, the eldest married a Danish princess, one a Russian Grand Duchess, and the other two princesses of German royal houses.
The first to join the family of the ‘Grandmama of Europe’ was Alexandra, eldest daughter of the prince about to become King Christian IX of Denmark. Charming, ever sympathetic and widely considered one of the most attractive royal women of her time, she was prematurely deaf and suffered from a limp which was made fashionable by court ladies due to her popularity. Alexandra proved an ideal wife for the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.
Grand Duchess Marie, daughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and wife of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and later Saxe-Coburg Gotha, was cultured and intelligent, but dowdy, haughty and, convinced of the Romanovs’ superiority, resented having to give precedence at court to her in-laws.
Louise of Prussia, a niece of William I, German Emperor, had the good fortune to escape from a miserable family life in Berlin and marry Arthur, Duke of Connaught, a dedicated army officer who was always the Queen’s favourite among her children.
Finally, Helen of Waldeck-Pyrmont, sister of Emma, Queen Consort of the Netherlands, became the wife of the cultured Leopold, Duke of Albany, but he was haemophiliac and their marriage was destined to be the briefest of all, cut short by his sudden death less than three years later.
All four were very different personalities, proved themselves to be supportive wives, mothers and daughters-in-law in their own way, and dedicated workers for charity at home and abroad. Based partly on previously unpublished material from the Royal Archives at Windsor and Madrid, and the Leonie Leslie Papers, University of Chicago, this is the first book to study all four as a family group.

I've read a few of Van der Kiste's other books about royals and have always been fairly well-impressed. Every thing is backed by detailed and thorough research. In this case, a look at 4 women, from different different situations throughout Europe and Russia was fascinating. Van der Kiste did not tell each story in isolation, but rather interwove them as the historical timeline allowed.

This book reads a bit academic, but "fans" of history, and particularly Victorian history will enjoy it nonetheless.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Pen & Sword through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: The Architect, by Jonathan Starrett

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 14:19:00 +0000

Not a bad story, and certainly appropriate for middle grade readers. As an adult, it felt like it came right out of an Alan West's Batman era, feeling (and reading) hastily thrown together and slapstick-ish. Just not as well-crafted as similar stories for this age group.

The religious overtone isn't in your face (think Narnia-style), and honestly if I wasn't familiar with the publisher, I probably (as an adult Christian) wouldn't have made the connection. I do like the idea of The Architect vs The Projectionist and their roles and positions in the society.

What do you think??

REVIEW: The Spite House, by Johnny Compton

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Sat, 04 Feb 2023 21:16:00 +0000

Available February 7, 2023

Eric Ross is on the run from a mysterious past with his two daughters in tow. Having left his wife, his house, his whole life behind in Maryland, he's desperate for money—it's not easy to find steady, safe work when you can't provide references, you can't stay in one place for long, and you're paranoid that your past is creeping back up on you.

When he comes across the strange ad for the Masson House in Degener, Texas, Eric thinks they may have finally caught a lucky break. The Masson property, notorious for being one of the most haunted places in Texas, needs a caretaker of sorts. The owner is looking for proof of paranormal activity. All they need to do is stay in the house and keep a detailed record of everything that happens there. Provided the house’s horrors don’t drive them all mad, like the caretakers before them.

The job calls to Eric, not just because there's a huge payout if they can make it through, but because he wants to explore the secrets of the spite house. If it is indeed haunted, maybe it'll help him understand the uncanny power that clings to his family, driving them from town to town, making them afraid to stop running.

Wow...I just read that this is Compton's debut.

My goodness, I expect some good things from him.
Southern Gothic set in middle of nowhere Texas, black lead characters. So much to unpack just there. The characters are realistic and exactly as relatable as they should be. Each one gets an opportunity to carry part of the story from their own POV. It does get a little confusing (wait, who's talking?), but that built some of the low-level fear/anxiety a good horror novel has in it.

The house...it isn't a character of it's own, like many a good haunted house story has. No, the Masson House harbors hauntings and haunted people. However, its haphazard construction feel does makes it creepy in its own right.

Overall, a solid first offering from a new voice. It's a good scary story and while not everyone's cup of tea, I can see a teenager or two staying up late to read.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Tor Nightfire through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

BOOK REVIEW: The Ptolemy Project, by Kate St. Clair

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 21:39:00 +0000

Four Teams. One Test. No Way Out.

Wake up, report to the tect, try to survive.

Life on Carcer Station is a change from the daily struggle of four strangers, Lyra, Zeke, Aquila, and Pollux.
As Children of Titan, the first generation born on Saturn’s colonized moon, they’re used to following rules. But when they wake up on an empty space station with no memory of how they got there and no one in charge, the ghosts of their past scratch their way to the surface. Then things start to go wrong. The power in Carcer Station shorts out, and the veil around them thins. The four must fight to stay alive inside a system that’s falling apart as quickly as their own minds. Even if they can make it out, will they be able to find a way back to Titan, and to a society that accepts them—scars and all?

The first in the new series Children of Titan. It's a really interesting read. It's intense, in the way really good sci-fi adventures are. The characters are well-developed and layered. Likeable, even with all of their considerable scars and pasts.

The premise isn't an unfamiliar one. Four, seemingly unrelated, characters are left at the mercy of the technology around them. They don't have enough information to know what is going on, and soon they learn the situation is dire.That's been done, but the back story of what pits them all together is different. I don't want to slip and spoil something, but their histories are formidable and daunting. But somehow that's what makes them gel so well together.

I look forward to the next book in the series. This series has some definite escapist potential.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Greenleaf Book Group through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

REVIEW: Defying Gravity: Mary Goss - Episode 1 (Earth's Secret Alliance), by Tony B Richard, with Lydia Payge

noreply@blogger.com (Turney) — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:47:00 +0000

Available on Amazon
In 1947, there’s an alien invasion looming and humankind’s best hope is a brilliant nineteen-year-old woman.
When the A-bomb ended the war, with a power unlike anything humans had ever witnessed, Mary Goss was driven to gain the knowledge to prevent another war from ever beginning. Now the Army has come calling, looking for “a few good men” for a top-secret project. Instead, they find that the best and brightest is Mary.

Much to Mary’s horror, the project reveals an alien invasion. Yet at every turn, her efforts to intervene are thwarted by small-minded engineers who can’t look past her gender and age. She’d dealt with her fair share of discrimination in university, but with the fate of the world on the line, there isn’t time to waste on petty differences.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. You can't often tell what you're really going to get from a self-published title, and one only available digitally.

I like alien, first contact stories. I like very much the idea of a young woman with a PhD proving to the "big boys" that she more than knows her stuff. I liked that it was a quick approachable read, and would easily recommend it as a high interest, low lexile read.

The only thing the author could've done more of is more on the science. That's as important as the growth arc for both Mary and her colleagues.

I think it's billed as being part of a series, but I don't think series is the right word. It's more of a "universe" as I feel like Mary Goss's story stands alone. I do, however, think having read the earlier "episodes" would improve my grasp of the "universe" the author has built.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Tony B Richard and BookSirens and author/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Mean Old Library Teacher

REVIEW: How to Decorate a Christmas Tree, by Vikki VanSickle, Illustrated by Miki Sato

In this charming Christmas tale, readers will follow along with the main character as she shares all the things that go into decorating a tree:

LightsOrnamentsPopcornHot chocolateTaffy the catMemoriesAnd, most importantly, family!With stunning three-dimensional art by Miki Sato and a delightful story by wordsmith Vikki VanSickle, including a twist ending, this book will quickly become a Christmas tree decorating tradition of its own.

My 9 year old picked this out to read with me, so you get a bonus voice in this review.

My take: Delightful. It brought some Christmas spirit to an otherwise dreary day when we read this, as we talked about our favorite ornaments and how we decorate our tree and home. I LOVED the artwork and that they weren't flat. The writing is approachable for children of any age.

What do you think??

REVIEW: Things in the Basement, by Ben Hatke

This book answers a question that I've long had---where do lost socks go? (Spoiler alert, moms, they do NOT become tupperware lids). The story, in and of itself, is fabulous.

A nearly wordless graphic novel with illustrations so rich and intricate you could spend hours pouring over it. Okay, so my daughter did. It's perfectly atmospheric--I mean, look at the cover! Hatke has masterfully create the world and the mood along with it.

Teachers, I can see this being part of all kinds of lessons:

Overall, adored this. Hatke had me years ago awith Zita, and he's delivered yet another gorgeous book.

What do you think??

REVIEW: Actually Super, by Adi Alsaid

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Isabel is every teeenager, trying to sort out what she believes in, what is real, what is true, and how it all fits into what she knows of the world. She is brave and strong, and knows her own mind.

Then it goes a little left field. I don't know of any 17 year old whose parents would let them drop out of before high school graduation and travel the planet all alone with no real plans or direction other than a dream. So, this part was enjoyable in the sense that it's a bit fantastical.

Characters were attractive and believable. The people Isabel meets on her journey are realistic and interesting. The way story builds and moves captured my attention and held it all the way through.

This one, I could see being a movie. The writing lends itself to that possibilty right away. It's escapist story, and a satisfying.

What do you think??

REVIEW: The Only Astronaut, by Mahak Jain, illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier

What do you think??

REVIEW: The Grimoire of Grave Fates, edited by Margaret Owen and Hanna Alkaf

REVIEW: The Last Secret of the Secret Annex, by Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl and Jeroen De Bruyn

What do you think??

REVIEW: My Murder, by Katie Williams

What do you think??

Book Review: Deep, by Melanie Boksted Horav

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REVIEW: The New Guys, by Meredith Bagby

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REVIEW: These Deadly Words, by Nichole Heydenburg

Find on Amazon

REVIEW: No Two Persons, by Erica Bauermeister

No Two Persons

Together, their stories reveal how books can affect us in the most beautiful and unexpected of ways—and how we are all more closely connected to one another than we might think

What do you think??

REVIEW: Tell Me What Really Happened, by Chelsea Sedoti

The clock is ticking. What are they hiding? Who is lying? Dark truths must come to light if their friend is to be found...Told entirely through first-person police interviews, this riveting mystery asks: what really happened that night?

What do you think??

REVIEW: Someone is Always Watching, by Kelley Armstrong

The strange happenings culminate in a shocking event at school: Gabrielle is found covered in blood in front of their deceased principal, with no memory of what happened.

Cracks in their friendship, as well as in their own memories, start appearing, threatening to expose long-forgotten secrets which could change the group’s lives forever. How can Blythe and her friends trust each other when they can’t even trust their own memories?

What do you think??

REVIEW: The Eden Compound, by L. Blaise Hues

What do you think??

REVIEW: Coronation Year, by Jennifer Robson

What do you think??

REVIEW: A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.

What do you think??

BOOK REVIEW: And Put Away Childish Things, by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Available March 28, 2023Harry Bodie’s been called into the delightful fantasy world of his grandmother’s beloved children’s books. It’s not delightful here at all.

All roads lead to Underhill, where it’s always winter, and never nice.

What do you think??

REVIEW: The Adventures of Ruby Pi and the Math Girls, by Tom Durwood

What do you think??

REVIEW: She is a Haunting, by Trang Thanh Tran

What do you think??

REVIEW: The Island,, by Natasha Preston

What do you think??

REVIEW: Queen Victoria's Daughters-in-Law, by John Van der Kiste

What do you think??

REVIEW: The Architect, by Jonathan Starrett

What do you think??

REVIEW: The Spite House, by Johnny Compton

Available February 7, 2023

What do you think??

BOOK REVIEW: The Ptolemy Project, by Kate St. Clair

What do you think??

REVIEW: Defying Gravity: Mary Goss - Episode 1 (Earth's Secret Alliance), by Tony B Richard, with Lydia Payge

What do you think??

The clock is ticking. What are they hiding? Who is lying? Dark truths must come to light if their friend is to be found...

Told entirely through first-person police interviews, this riveting mystery asks: what really happened that night?

Available March 28, 2023
Harry Bodie’s been called into the delightful fantasy world of his grandmother’s beloved children’s books. It’s not delightful here at all.