Library Queue

Divergent

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:13:00 +0000

Divergent by Veronica Roth

AR Reading Level: 4.8
On the library stacks: YA Fiction
Awards: Publishers Weekly Best Book; SLJ Best Book
Series: Book 1 of 3 (Divergent)
Appropriate for: Ages 14+

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Despite this being a much-talked about book last year, I managed to avoid knowing too much about the plot before I read it. So if you haven't read this one yet, let me keep it brief:

1. It's YA.
2. It's dystopian Chicago.
3. It's a little sci-fi.
4. It's the best book in its genre I've read since The Hunger Games.
5. It's awesome and well worth staying up into the wee hours for.

Also reviewed by: I Am A Reader, Not a Writer ~ Book Addiction ~ Book Nut ~ Tribute Books ~ KIKA.LA ~ Ticket to Anywhere ~ A Bookworm's World ~ Ms. Yingling Reads ~ It's All About Books ~ At Home With Books ~ Royal Reviews ~ Emily's Reading Room ~ Fuzzy Cricket ~ Bloggin' 'bout Books ~ Not Enough Bookshelves ~ Bart's Bookshelf ~ Becky's Book Reviews ~ Book Lover Stop ~ Your link here?
Source: Borrowed

The Ditchdigger's Daughters

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:59:00 +0000

The Ditchdigger's Daughters: A Black Family's Astonishing Success Story by Yvonne S. Thornton

AR Reading Level: 6.4
On the library stacks: Adult Non-fiction
Award: Society of School Libr. International Best/Honor
Appropriate for: High School +

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My book club was choosing our books for the new year and my husband chimed in that we ought to read this book. He had read it in college and thought we would like it. I think he was right!

Yvonne Thornton is one of 5 African-American daughters born into poverty in Long Branch, New Jersey. Her parents were determined that the girls would rise above the preconceptions of others based on their gender and race. Yvonne's father told the girls that they were all going to be doctors. The methods Donald Thornton used to encourage his girls may be up for debate. But the results are not.

While all the girls do not ultimately become doctors, they are all successful women. Yvonne is one of the premier OB/GYN specialists in this country. This book is fascinating and inspiring and very well-written. It was published in 1995 and I was happy find out that Yvonne published a sequel more specifically about her journey as a doctor in 2010.

Source: My husband brought this one into the marriage. That's almost 14 years in my TBR pile!

Across the Universe

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:48:00 +0000

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

AR Reading Level: 4.7
On the library stacks: YA Fiction
Series: Across the Universe #1
Recommended for: Age 16+

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this YA dystopian sci-fi novel, Amy decides to be cyrogenically frozen with her parents. They will travel 300 years into the future to a new earth. When they arrive, Amy's parents will use their unique skills on the new world. Amy is a "non-essential" but she decides to go with her parents because she cannot imagine her life without them.

Unfortunately, Amy is woken up 50 years too early. Someone appears to be prematurely waking and drowning bodies before their time. Amy is afraid for her parents. But she is also very wary of the life she finds on the ship.

The ship has its own system of government. There is an Eldest who rules and an Elder who will take his place one day. Reproduction is scripted and the inhabitants are monoethnic and just seem apathetic. The only seemingly normal people live in the hospital.

I thought this book was kind of like Ender's Game meets The Knife of Never Letting Go meets The Adoration of Jenna Fox. It was a cool mixing of some space-agey ideas and there was also a good mystery element to this book. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series which actually came out today!

Also reviewed by: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer ~ Tribute Books ~ Tales of Whimsy ~ Girls Gone Reading ~ The Book Nest ~ Your link here?
Source: Purchased

2011 Stats & Faves

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 04:07:00 +0000

Total Books Read: 82 (That's 31 less than last year. Wow. Time and a season. Time and a season.)
My top 10 favorite were:

Books Read for In-Person Book Club: 12
Books Read for Online Book Club: 7 (last year I only did 5, so I'm happy about this)

Ratings
5 star: 11
4 star: 48
3 star: 16
2 star: 6
Unrated: 1 (just couldn't rate Beowulf)

Of the books I read:
Books I purchased: 28
Free downloads: 3
Books from publishers/publicists: 16
Books that were gifts: 9
Books from the library: 8 (one of my goals was to read more of what I had on my shelf)
Books from BookMooch: 13
Books I borrowed: 5

Books I read electronically: 12
Audiobooks: 3
Nonfiction: 15

Adult books: 40
YA books: 28
Middle grade/Childrens: 12

Links to all 2011 reviews:

The Preacher's Bride

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 03:20:00 +0000

The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund

On the library stacks: Adult Fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

John Costin is a tinker in Puritan England. His wife has died shortly after childbirth, leaving 4 children behind, including his oldest daughter who is blind. John needs help because not only does he have a family to support, he has been called by God to preach His word to surrounding villages.

Elizabeth Whitbread answers the call to help John. She becomes his housekeeper, delaying her marriage to cooper Samuel Muddle. Eventually, John and Elizabeth fall in love and get married, causing all sorts of issues. But Elizabeth finds herself having a tough time ingratiating herself into John's life more fully than just as his housekeeper. In addition, John is in serious trouble with the law for preaching without a license.

Something the author doesn't tell the reader until the end is that this book is based on the life of John Bunyon, the author of Pilgrim's Progress. But I think knowing that makes the novel even more interesting. Elizabeth Bunyon was a woman who sacrificed so much to support to husband. I found quite a bit in this novel that I could relate to and I really enjoyed the author's overall message. While I didn't love the way the language of the time period was written (including the overuse of the word 'twas), I did love the sweet romance. This is an author I will definitely read more from.

Also reviewed by: My Own Little Corner of the World ~ 2 Kids and Tired Books ~ My Friend Amy ~ Your link here?
Source: Gift

A Season of Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:37:00 +0000

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

AR Reading Level: 4.6
On the library stacks: Children's Fiction
Awards: Smithsonian's Notable Book; Publishers Weekly Best Book
Series: Book 3 of 3 (Grandma Dowdel)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is the summer of 1958 and Bob Barnhart has just moved with his family to a rural town in Illinois. Twelve-year old Bob is immediately bullied by the gang in town, resulting in him meeting his eccentric neighbor, Grandma Dowdel, who is an ornery 90-something.

Once school starts, Grandma Dowdel becomes a part of Bob's life, either helping him and his family out of scrapes, or getting them into them. Through her cunning, Bob's dad is able to attract a congregation, she gets Bob's older sister away from the town bad boy, and secure some large beautiful (and free!) Christmas trees.

This book was somewhat reminiscent of the funnier works of Gary Paulsen. I think this book is geared more towards boys than the companion novels, as evidenced by the humor. But I did love how the book wrapped up with the Christmas season, including some heartwarming life lessons.

Also reviewed by: Book Nut ~ Becky's Book Reviews ~ BermudaOnion's Weblog ~ Your link here?
Source: Library Audiobook

The Penderwicks

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:24:00 +0000

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

AR Reading Level: 4.7
On the library stacks: Children's Fiction
Awards: Kirkus Editors Choice; SLJ Best Book; Book Sense Book of the Year Award/Honorees; ALA Notable/Best Books; State Award; National Book Award; Booklist Editors' Choice
Series: Book 1 of 3
Recommended for: Ages 8+

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have owned this book for a long time, meaning to read it with my children. But we had a long car trip this winter break, so I decided to check it out from the library and listen to the audiobook instead. I'm so glad I did! This book is a delightful read/listen for the whole family.

The Penderwicks are made up of four sisters--Rosalind, Sky, Jane and Batty--their dad, and their dog named Hound. For a few weeks in the summer, they decide to rent a little cottage in the mountains of Massachusetts. What they don't realize is that the cottage is part of a larger estate. And this is where the two rabbits and the very interesting boy come in. The girls get up to all kinds of mischief, mostly from their good intentions gone awry.

I was worried that my boys might not like a story about four sisters, but they loved it just as much (if not more!) than the girls. Susan Denaker did a wonderful job as the narrator. I do wonder if I would have loved it just as much if I had read it myself or read it aloud instead of listened, but this was a five-star experience for sure. It's rare to find a book that all four of my kids (ages 5 to 11) and myself love equally. We can't wait to read the next one!

Also reviewed by: Book Nut ~ The Book Nest ~ Your link here?
Source: Library Audiobook

Refuge

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:41:00 +0000

Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place by Terry Tempest Williams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a naturalist, Terry Tempest Williams takes a special interest in the birds that live and migrate seasonally in the area of The Great Salt Lake. In 1983, she learns that her mother, already a breast cancer survivor, was dying from colon cancer. It is during this same season that the birds' refuge becomes threatened by rising water levels. Terry beautifully weaves these two events into a memoir that is richly descriptive and quite emotional.

I loved how each chapter focuses on a specific type of bird. Either Terry describes that bird and it's habitat or characteristics, or she relates it to something specific happening in her life. I went to college in Utah, so I enjoyed reading this book set in an area familiar to me. And yet the way this book was written, I also felt I was able to see it through new eyes.

The way Williams chooses to live and express her feelings about the Mormon faith made me a little uncomfortable. But I was so intrigued by this author that I even did some further reading online to get a sense of what she has done since this book was published in 1994. Williams definitely has a great passion for those she loves and for her life's work.

Source: BookMooch

The Cricket on the Hearth

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:57:00 +0000

The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My in-person book club chose this short holiday tale for this month. Known as one of the five Dickens Christmas books, I was surprised to find that this book is actually set in January. However, in Dickens' day it was published shortly before Christmas and sold well through the holidays.

John Peerybingle is a middle-aged carrier. His young wife and baby son mean everything to him, and he has a sweet little home life than includes a cricket on their hearth. The cricket acts as kind of a household fairy, either chirping happily as it blesses the family or warning them when something is amiss. In this case, John comes to believe (incorrectly) that his wife is having an affair with their lodger and the cricket helps to steer him right.

There is a Scrooge-y character in this book who is a cranky toymaker in their village. And there is a Tiny Tim character in the form of a blind girl named Bertha that Dot befriends. My favorite character is probably Tilly Slowboy, the Peerybingle's nanny who is constantly injuring the poor baby accidentally.

It's short. It's sweet. It has some Victorian humor. And everything turns out all right for the characters in the end.

Source: Kindle

The Queen of Attolia

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:35:00 +0000

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

AR Reading Level: 6.7
On the library stacks: Young adult fiction
Awards: Parent's Guide Book Award/ Honor Book; Parent's Choice Award/Honor Book; BCCB Blue Ribbon Book
Series: The Queen's Thief (Book 2 of 4)
Recommended for: Grades 6+

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read the first book in this series (gulp!) over three years ago! I liked it, but somehow I let finishing the series slide right by me. So I was happy when Melissa at Book Nut insisted I read the next book in the series for our Blogger Book Swap challenge.

Needless to say, it took me a little bit to wrap my head around where the last book left off. We open this book with Gen quickly being caught by the merciless Queen of Attolia, who promptly chops off his hand. Recuperating back in his home kingdom, Gen is down, but he's definitely not out.

This book has a lot in the way of political intrigue and maneuvering, and for me that made the first part of the book go by somewhat slowly. But in the same style as The Thief, the action really picked up towards the end. There is also a surprising romance element that has me hooked to read the next in the series. Hopefully it won't take another 3 years to get to it!

Also reviewed by: So Many Books, So Little Time ~ Book Nut ~ Becky's Book Reviews ~ It's All About Books ~ The Bluestocking Society
Source: Gift

Wonderstruck

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:01:00 +0000

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

AR Reading Level: 5.4
On the library stacks: Children's Fiction
Recommended for: Ages 9+

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mr. Selznick takes the same approach he made famous in Hugo Cabret of combining beautiful illustrations and text to tell this tale. In Wonderstruck we are told two stories--one of a lonely girl obsessed with a Broadway starlet, the other of a lonely boy obsessed with finding his father. Both go to New York City as part of their quest. And both will eventually get answers, even if they aren't necessarily the ones they set out to seek.

I adore the illustrations and imagination of Brian Selznick. Even though this was missing some of the spark I found in Hugo, I can't imagine not reading anything this man produces. I liked how the two stories intertwined, and I love the expressions on the faces of his characters. Reading this book is just a lovely experience, one that my daughter and I both enjoyed immensely.

Also reviewed by: The Book Nest ~ Thoughts of Joy ~ Bart's Bookshelf ~ Book Nut ~ Booking Mama ~ Bermudaonion's Weblog ~ At Home With Books ~ Ms. Yingling Reads ~ Your link here?
Source: Library

Cutting for Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:03:00 +0000

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This sweeping novel is the story of twin boys who grow up at an Ethiopian charitable hospital. Marion and Shiva Stone are born to an Indian nurse and an American doctor working at the Missing Hospital in the 1950s. Their birth is shocking because the nurse was a nun and no one knew she was pregnant. She died giving birth and the father, stricken by the death of his love, flees the hospital and never returns.

Marion and Shiva are raised by two other surgeons at the hospital who love them as their own. Under the backdrop of the political crises during Ethopia during the 1970s the brothers are torn apart, both emotionally and physically. Marion goes to the United States where he becomes a surgeon. He eventually finds a bittersweet peace with all of his family members, including the father who abandoned him.

This book is completely different from the non-fiction Verghese book I read earlier this year. But both books show that Verghese is a talented writer, regardless of the genre or subject he takes on. I really enjoyed learning more about Ethiopia and its internal struggles. I thought the pacing was a little slow in parts and some readers may be disturbed by the graphic nature of the medical descriptions. But I found this book fascinating and ultimately satisfying.

Also reviewed by: Bermudaonion's Weblog ~ Lesley's Book Nook ~ The Boston Bibliophile ~ Your link here?
Source: Gift

A Spy in the House

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:05:00 +0000

A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

AR Reading Level: 5.1
On the library stacks: YA Fiction
Series: The Agency #1
Recommended for: Grades 7+

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Mary Lang was a young girl in trouble. As an orphan, she kept herself alive by stealing from others--a crime that sent her to the gallows. At the last minute she was saved by the warden and sent to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. When she finished school she was asked if she would like to join an agency that uses girls as spies...precisely because during that time period, no one would expect women to be spies.

Mary was excited about the work and transformed herself into Mary Quinn. She became the paid friend of moody Miss Thorold. Once in the home, she was to get information regarding the shipping endeavors of Mr. Thorold. She meets James Easton in a wardrobe and the two work together, not only revealing what exactly is going on in the household, but answering questions for Mary about the fate of her father as well.

I went into this book with really high expectations. I kind of imagined it would be like the Gallagher Girls meeting Jane Austen. While it wasn't exactly that, it was a fun Victorian mystery nonetheless. The writing didn't always seem true to the period and felt a little clunky at times. However, the story was charming and I enjoyed the romantic element.

Also reviewed by: Bloggin' 'bout Books ~ Booked on a Feeling ~ There's A Book ~ Thoughts of Joy ~ Your link here?
Source: Kindle Purchase

Caleb's Crossing

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 05:01:00 +0000

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

On the library stacks: Adult Fiction
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

I loved Brooks' People of the Book, so I was excited to read her latest novel. Brooks seems to focus her novels on different places and periods in history, and for this book she takes on Martha's Vineyard in the 1600s. Caleb Cheeshahteaumauk was the first Native American to attend Harvard, and this book is a work of historical fiction built around his existence.

Bethia Mayfield is the daughter of a Puritan minister. Growing up on the untamed landscape of the Massachusetts coast, Bethia secretly befriends Caleb, a Wampanoag Indian. After Bethia's father tries to convert the tribe, Caleb comes to live with Bethia where he is tutored by her father. Eventually, Caleb is accepted into Harvard. Due to tragedies in Bethia's life, she is an indentured servant in Cambridge where she can watch Caleb's intellectual journey.

I think this book is more about Bethia's "crossing" than Caleb's. She has a certain attitude that seems somewhat inconsistent with the time and place, but makes her more relate-able to modern readers. I found this book slow and depressing, but I did like some of the writing. I particularly liked this passage about Bethia's love of her island:

"I would be cradled by the known world of kine and crop, the heaviness of each day's familiar chores lightened by love of the very place in which I did perform them. I knew that life; I knew my place in it. If I threw my thoughts forward I could see myself at every age."

Ultimately, it may have been a matter of bad timing for me, but too many people died in this book for me to be happy.

Also reviewed by: Book Nut ~ The Boston Bibliophile ~ Your link here?
Source: GoodReads BookSwap

Flying Without Fear

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:14:00 +0000

Flying Without Fear: Effective Strategies to Get You Where You Need to Go by Duane Brown

On the library stacks: Adult Non-fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think there is a very good chance that I read the first edition of this book about 11 years ago. I spotted this copy, during the Borders closeout, which has been updated for flying in the post-9/11 world.

I consider myself a somewhat nervous flier, although I've never let that stop me from getting where I want to go. But I like to occasionally refresh my memory regarding why flying is so safe, how planes work, what double and triple backups are in place, etc.

This book is a quick and easy read with good information. Brown covers different types of anxious fliers, and while some of his information and coping techniques really didn't apply to me, I found it all interesting and useful.

I probably would give this book 3 stars for the quality of the writing. However, I just recently returned from a trip to Argentina and I successfully applied my new knowledge regarding turbulence on my flights. This trip was much more enjoyable for me and I really did feel more calm for having read this book. So for that, I consider this a valuable resource that will definitely stay on my shelf.

Source: Purchased

The Strangers on Montagu Street

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:02:00 +0000

The Strangers on Montagu Street by Karen White

Publication date: November 1, 2011
Publisher: NAL Trade
Price:$15.00
Paperback: 352 pages
Series: Book 3 of 4 (Tradd Street)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It has been two years since The Girl on Legare Street came out, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. Honestly, this series just keeps getting better and better.

Jack's teenage daughter Nola moves in with Melanie since Nola and Jack can't seem to get along. When Nola gets an antique Victorian dollhouse as a gift, she is thrilled. But everyone soon realizes the dollhouse is possessed and Melanie must use her "gift" to help solve the mystery of the dollhouse so the spirits can rest.

The heat really turns up in the relationship between Jack and Melanie in this third installment. I have to admit, Jack is one of those male literary characters that I have a crush on. (Sometimes I want to smack Melanie for being so dense.) I liked the inclusion of Nola as a character. I was worried her teenage angst would bother me, but I actually found her quite likable. I'm eagerly anticipating the final book in the series after the cliffhanger ending!

Click here to read the first chapter.

Source: Publicist - Thanks Joan Schulhafer Publishing & Media Consulting!

Davita's Harp

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:41:00 +0000

Davita's Harp by Chaim Potok

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ilana Davita Chandal is a young girl living in New York City in the 1930s. Her mother is Jewish and her father was raised a Christian by a wealthy New England couple. Because of dark experiences in their pasts, Ilana's parents turn to the Communist party as they turn their backs on religion.

Ilana lives a somewhat bewildering life. Her parents don't have much time for her. They hold loud meetings in their homes late at night where groups sing and argue. The family moves frequently. They house political refugees in their home from Europe. Ilana feels neither Jewish nor Christian, despite her aunt's best efforts to teach her about Christianity.

But things begin to change for Ilana when her father, a journalist, dies covering the fighting in Spain. Ilana's mother goes into a deep depression and Ilana begins to find solace in the Jewish faith. She doesn't agree with everything she experiences through her school and synagogue, but she finds she finally has a place where she belongs.

This is an elegantly written novel, interesting both from a religious and political perspective. I've never read a book that covered what it might be like to identify with the Communist movement in the United States during this time period. My heart just ached for sweet Ilana, a child caught in the cross-hairs of so much upheaval. I loved her bright mind and felt her inner hurt. This is a slow and thoughtful book, but well worth the read.

Also reviewed by: The Book Nest ~ Your link here?
Source: BookMooch

The Conference of the Birds - TLC Book Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:49:00 +0000

The Conference of the Birds by Peter Sis

Publisher: The Penguin Press
Publication date: October 27, 2011
Hardcover: 160 pages
Price: $27.95
On the library stacks: Adult fiction
Peter Sis' website.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Based on a 12th century poem, this parable is beautiful in its simplicity and gorgeous in its illustrations.

This book takes us on a journey with a group of birds on their epic flight. The birds are trying to find their true king. But some realize that a journey like this will force them to give up some of their comforts and they resist. Some perish when they pass through the seven valleys of quest, love, understanding, detachment, unity, amazement and death. But in the end, those that have chosen to complete the journey and survived learn that the true king is each of them and all of them.

Reading this book is a pleasure. The colors are joyful, the texture of the pages is high quality, and the story resonates profoundly with our human experience. It's an uplifting read that I can easily recommend.

Peter Sis is a Caldecott Honor-winning children's author and illustrator. This is his first book for adults.

Check out these reviews: Bibliophiliac ~ Book Snob ~ Sarah Reads Too Much
Look for these reviews coming soon: Savvy Verse & Wit ~ Col Reads ~ Wordsmithonia ~ Hungry Like the Woolf ~ Melody & Words ~ Unabridged Chick ~ Seven Impossible Things ~ Alexandra Boiger ~ Abigail Halpin ~ Layers of Thought

Source: I received this book from the publisher as part of the TLC Book Tour.

Wisdom's Kiss

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:38:00 +0000

Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Publication Date: September 13, 2011
Hardcover: 304 pages
Price: $16.99
Series: Companion to Princess Ben
On the library stacks: YA Fiction

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I should say up front that I loved the Dairy Queen series and I have not read Princess Ben. However, the author makes it clear that this is a stand-alone book, even though Ben is in this book as the grandmother of Wisdom.

This book is told in a unique format. It includes 8 different points-of-view including diary entries, encyclopedia entries, letters, and a play. It's quite a task to keep up with them all, but I had more trouble with the different places for some reason than the characters. The short entries keep the book moving along at a steady pace, but I think it may have halted real character development too.

Princess Wisdom (Dizzy) longs for adventure outside of her kingdom. When the Duke of a faraway land proposes, she accepts. Fortitude (Trudy) is an orphan girl who lives within a day's journey to the Duke's home. When Dizzy's entourage stops at Trudy's inn, Trudy is asked to be a lady-in-waiting since everyone else in Dizzy's party is sick after eating bad oysters. Trudy is excited to travel once she realizes that her childhood love, Tips, is in town and they can reunite after six years apart.

The only character that I really liked in this story is Trudy. She's plucky and courageous, but has real feelings and emotions. Everyone else is pretty one-sided and I'm still kind of mad that things didn't turn out differently for Trudy. At the end, the author talks about the process of writing this book. While it does sound like she had fun, I'm not sure that all the pieces fit together cohesively enough for the target audience. For me, this is a fairy tale that falls flat.

Source: e-copy provided by netGalley and Houghton Mifflin for review purposes.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:10:00 +0000

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

On the library stacks: Adult Biography
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was originally scared that reading this book would upset me. But our book club decided we would read it this month so we would really have something to talk about. I read this book in one sitting. It's fast-paced, surprisingly funny and thought-provoking.

Amy Chua is a professor of law at Yale. She and her husband Jed have two daughters named Sophia and Lulu. Amy and Jed decided early on that Amy would raise the children in the Chinese way, and that the kids would be raised Jewish like Jed.

Amy explains the differences between the Chinese mother and the Western mother. Yes, she forced her kids to do hours of piano and violin practice. They had to be #1 in most of their classes at school. But she has good reasons for this. Amy believes that self-esteem for kids comes by making them do hard things. They will feel good about themselves after their dedication pays off and they accomplish something difficult. And Amy stands by her kids every step of the way--through every practice session and rehearsal, driving them wherever they need to be, and all while holding down a full-time job. I honestly don't know when this woman sleeps.

While I question some of Amy's methods, I think her principles are quite valid. However, the one weakness in this book for me is that it doesn't really have an ending. She began writing the book when Lulu rebels, trying to make sense of it all. And really, how Lulu turns out and the backlash from her mother's strict parenting is still to be determined. Still, there is much to think about here and I can't wait to discuss it.

Check out: Amy's website & Sophia's New York Post article in defense of her mother

Also reviewed by: Planet Books ~ In the Pages... ~ BestBooks ~ Bloggin' 'bout Books ~ Your link here?
Source: Library

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:33:00 +0000

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler

AR Reading Level: 5.4
On the library stacks: YA Fiction
Recommended for: Grades 8+

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Calliope is a 15-year old who spends much of her life traveling with her mom from one Renaissance Faire to the next. Her mom is a wench (says so on her W-2!) and she also sells funky jewelry at the faires. Cal is used to moving from one town to another, often following men her mom has taken fancy to. Cal puts up with all the uncertainty, often living in tents.

Eliot is the son of an evangelist/fat camp director living in Asheville, North Carolina. He secretly (and illegally) makes fireworks. He spends much of his time disgusted with his dad making money selling God. He and his mother wish they could go back to their simpler life in Carolina Beach.

And, of course, Cal and Eliot meet and their lives change forever. I loved the scene where Cal and Eliot meet in the bookstore. Cal says she hears percussion instruments strike up in her head. As Eliot goes to leave she says:

The band keeps rocking in my head, but as I listen I realize that there is something else there, real soft underneath the crashing. I can't quite identify it, but it's there--a sustained note. It's something quiet and peaceful, and all I can do is smile and lift my hand because my brain is too busy throwing a party in my head to think of anything clever to say.

This is a delightfully quirky teen love story. I love that it is set in my home state, and I could definitely feel the influence of the Carolina Renaissance Festival & Artisan Marketplace that our family attended last year in Huntersville. I actually don't like the title and I don't like the cover art. But I love the format with alternating chapters where we get to hear Cal's and Eliot's voices.

Also reviewed by: The Book Nest ~ Tiny Little Reading Room ~ Not Enough Bookshelves ~ Your link here?
Source: Purchased

Under the Tuscan Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 03:03:00 +0000

Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes

On the library stacks: Adult Non-fiction
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I remember watching this movie years ago and enjoying it. I traveled to Tuscany as a teenager and I felt the cinematography brilliantly captured the essence of the beautiful landscape. The book, however, is very different from the movie--in large part, because there really is no plot to the book.

In 1988, Frances Mayes was a divorced professor, living in the Bay Area. In 1989, she and her partner Ed, decided to purchase a 250-year old farmhouse named Bramasole in Cortona, Italy. The book is really a somewhat random collection of her thoughts as they go through the decision to buy the home, perform the much-needed restoration, transform the land, play tourists, and host dinner parties. Some chapters contain recipes, in some we follow her footsteps as she explores a nearby town, and in others she explains the the difficulties inherent in such a huge undertaking.

For me, the book moved really slowly. It's the sort of book you can put down and pick up at any time. Mayes does a nice job describing the land, the food, the weather and the house. But because the book is a compilation of sorts, some things got repeated and the word "Etruscan" was overused. I really wanted to connect more with Frances, Ed, and her daughter Ashley, but I felt like there was a wall put up between us and she wouldn't let me in. Perhaps travel/home remodeling memoirs are just not for me.

Also reviewed by: Silly Little Mischief ~ Bermudaonion's Weblog ~ Book Nut ~ Your link here?
Source: BookMooch

Before I Go to Sleep

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:36:00 +0000

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

On the library stacks: Adult Fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Christine Lucas is a 47-year old woman who wakes up every day not knowing where she is, who she is with, or why her body has aged. Her husband tells her that when she was 29 years old, she was out walking when a car hit her. Her memory never came back whole and she only remembers snatches of her life into her twenties. She is able to remember what she learns about herself throughout the day, but once she falls asleep, each day starts the same and she must relearn everything again the next day.

Christine has a doctor who calls her each day. He gives her a journal and tells her to write things that she remembers, hopeful that her brain will start to make connections. Over a period of weeks, things start coming back to Christine as she writes and reads her old entries. What she learns seems at odds with the things her husband tells her each morning, and she begins to mistrust everything he tells her.

This book is an unputdownable psychological thriller. I read it in just over 12 hours and I dreamt about it last night. It's like a creepy and intense version of 50 First Dates and the premise is a hook from the very first page. As a warning and disclaimer, there is a fair bit of profanity. But this is a great book to curl up with on a misty fall day. Just be prepared to ignore just about everything else going on around you until it's finished!

Also reviewed by: Lesley's Book Nook ~ Reviews by Lola ~ Linus's Blanket ~ A Work in Progress ~ Lesa's Book Critiques ~ Booking Mama ~ A Bookworm's World ~ Thoughts of Joy... ~ Your link here?
Source: Library

The Diary of Anne Frank

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:48:00 +0000

The Diary of Anne Frank ; Play and Related Readings by Frances Goodrich

AR Reading Level: 3.1
On the library stacks: Adult Non-fiction

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I asked Coco's 6th grade literature teacher which books they would be reading this year, he said The Diary of Anne Frank. So I went straight over to my closing Borders and purchased a paperback copy for next to nothing. I was very pleased about it all until Coco came home and mentioned that The Diary of Anne Frank is actually a play. Sure enough, I had a look at what I bought...Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.

Perhaps the literature teacher might have mentioned that he meant the play instead of the actual diary?! Surely I can't be the only person who might have made this mistake! Not to mention that finding this book is not that easy. I ended up with a used classroom copy.

Anyhow, this is a short play based on the diary, with related readings. The play itself was pretty good and easy to visualize how it would come off on the stage. The related readings included an excerpt from Anne Frank's diary, an account from a gypsy who survived the concentration camps, a story about the Japanese internment camps in the US, and a basic outline on how Oskar Schindler saved 1,200 Jews.

Part of me wishes I could hide these atrocities from my children forever, but I also feel that they need to be aware of such evil in our past and our present in a way that is age-appropriate. I will be having a chat with my daughter before she reads this, but I know she is ready.

Source: Purchased

The Grand Sophy

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 01:59:00 +0000

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sophy is a 20-year old girl who has had an eccentric upbringing, being raised by her father on the Continent. When he heads to Brazil for a few months, she is left in the care of her aunt in England, whom she barely knows. She immediately makes waves with her arrival, bringing a dog, a monkey and a parrot with her to entertain her many cousins.

Sophy realizes that the quiet household she has come to needs to be shaken up. Her cousin Cece is in love with a dreamy poet who is NOT the right man for her. She sees her serious cousin Charles headed into a loveless, but respectable and practical marriage. And she senses that Hubert is hiding something from everyone. Using a keen wit and charm, unforgettable Sophy uses her unorthodox methods to set it all to rights.

I would love to see what would happen if Sophy moved in with me! This book was hilarious and contains some of the funniest arguments I have ever read. This was a book I couldn't wait to get back to reading each time I had to put it down. My only complaint is that things ended a little too tidily for someone as unpredictable as Sophy. But I did think the ending would play out much better as a movie than it did in written form. I know I just said Venetia was my favorite, but this has quickly supplanted that one as my new favorite Heyer novel.

Also reviewed by: The Book Nest ~ One Literature Nut..
Source: Kindle Purchase