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REVIEW: Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure (Book & Gold Coin Giveaway!)

August 17, 2011 By 17 Comments

Book Trailer


Welcome to one of the stops on the Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure book tour. :)

Info

Title: Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure
Author: B.K. Bostick
ISBN:978-1599559117
Pages: 288
Review: ★★★★★

Synopsis:

When his grandfather dies, Huber Hill is devastated—until he opens Grandpa Nick’s mysterious box. An old gold coin and directions to a hidden Spanish treasure send him and his friends off on an mind-blowing adventure, but he’s not the only one on the hunt. Filled with dangerous animals and cryptic puzzles, this book will have you on the edge of your seat until the last page.

Review:

Something I really remember as a child is watching movies or reading books that really, truly, took me on an adventure. A good book takes you out of your body and enters you into a world that you’ve never known; a means of escape from the mundane existence of work, school, work, and school. I found that in Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure.

We meet Huber (meanly nicknamed “Puber” by the middle school bully, Scott) and his twin sister, Hannah. While Hannah is the golden child, Huber has a hard time finding acceptance in his own home and at school. The internal turmoil Huber must have felt really touched me. Although he was very strong and just let things slide off, “Like water off a duck’s back”, I still felt so incredibly sorry for him. I also liked Huber from the very start. It’s kind of hard not to.

I think Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure would be a great book to read with your child. It’s so adventurous that I believe it’ll really encourage reading! I could just imagine laying in bed with my daughter when she’s about 7 or 8 and reading a chapter a night. As I close the book, she looks up at me and begs me to read more. Any novel that would be a great read to read with my child, and not just finish in one night, is a necessity.

If you enjoy adventures and if you were a big time Goonies fan, then I really recommend you pick up this novel. It’s adorable and addicting.

Note from B.K. Bostick:

You’ll notice at the end of the trailer, an image appears- “Treasure for Alyssa.” Alyssa is my twelve year old neighbor who is suffering from a brain tumor. She’s had four surgeries and is currently undergoing radiation. I’ll be donating 100% of my profits from pre orders and all book sales during Oct. 1-16th (first two weeks of release). The publisher is creating a poster site for Alyssa at www.treasureforalyssa.com. They are still working on it and I’ll email you again when it goes live. Once again, please do not distribute the trailer or Alyssa’s website until finalized. At that time, I’ll definitely need your help in spreading the word about “Treasure for Alyssa.”

Enter to *WIN*

What you are winning: A copy of Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure with a magical gold coin, as in the book!

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8/17/2011 until 08/31/2011

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Children, Genre, Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler (109)

July 6, 2011 By 11 Comments

The Book Cover

Title: A Year Without Autumn
Author: Liz Kessler
Pages: 304
ISBN:978-0763655952
Rating: ★★★★★
Purchase: [Hardcover] [eBook]

Synopsis

(Taken from Amazon.com)

If you could see into the future – would you look? Jenni Green doesn’t have a choice. On her way to visit her best friend, Autumn, Jenni suddenly finds she’s been transported exactly one year forward in time. Now she discovers that in the year that’s gone by, tragedy has struck and her friendship with Autumn will never be the same again. But what caused the tragedy? How did Jenni skip a year? And can she find her way back to the past to try to change what lies ahead? With humour – and her customary light touch – the author of the EMILY WINDSNAP books plays a fascinating game with time, and explores the changes that take place in friendships and families in the aftermath of a disaster.

Review

I received a Year Without Autumn, thanks to NetGalley.com (Love that site!) This book is also the first that I have read by novelist Liz Kessler. Though, I can honestly say that it will not be the last. I thought the idea behind the novel, A Year Without Autumn, was pretty cool — time travel!

Jenni and her BFF Autumn are attached at the hip, so much so that they have near-by vacation time share homes that their families visit together every year. Though this year something very strange happens and Jenni goes to Autumn’s condo to meet up for their riding horses adventure only to discover that — Autumn doesn’t live there anymore. The strange thing is, Jenni just saw Autumn minutes before. What is going on?

Although the reader (i.e. me) makes sense of it early on, Jenni struggles with the ramifications of time traveling back and forth in the present and the future and making changes. Will knowing what the future holds help her save Autumn, or will it destroy her?

I found A Year Without Autumn to be a delightful tale mixing friendship and time travel. I would definitely recommend the book to pre-teen readers (and anyone, really, who enjoys a good time travel tale!) I can not wait to read something else by Liz Kessler.

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Genre, Paranormal, Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter (105) @aimee_carter

June 7, 2011 By 2 Comments

The Book Cover

 

Title: The Goddess Test
Author: Aimee Carter
Pages: 304
ISBN: 978-0978662134
Rating: ★★★★★
Purchase: [Paperback] [eBook]

Synopsis

(Taken from Amazon.com)

It’s always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate’s going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won’t live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he’ll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he’s crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she’ll become Henry’s future bride, and a goddess.

Review

Kate’s mother is dying of cancer; the effects having left her weak and unable to properly care for her own daughter. Kate, although not wanting to talk about the possibility of her mother dying, agrees to return to her mother’s hometown for the remainder of her mother’s life.

Kate starts school and like any normal teenager, she feels misplaced and shy. When popular cheerleader, Ava, invites her to a party Kate is anything but thrilled about the invite. Even though Kate would rather be home with her mother, she knows that her mother desperately wants to see Kate fit in so agrees to go. Like any Mother, she wants to know that Kate will be okay after she leaves this world for the next. Unfortunately for Kate, Ava has other plans; plans that involve abandoning Kate in the middle of the woods late at night and running off. However when Ava does this, she hits her head on a rock and drowns in the stream. Even though Kate feels betrayed and mortified and even though she is desperately scared of water, she risks her life to save Ava’s.

Enter Henry — serious and a tad creepy but undeniably handsome. Upon his mysterious stumbling upon soaking wet Kate and dead Ava, Kate had no idea that her life would forever change. You see Henry is the God of the Underworld, Hades. He asked Ava if she was willing to do anything to bring Ava back to life. Even though Ava didn’t deserve such an act of selflessness for her behavior to Kate, Kate agrees — that she will do anything. What Kate doesn’t realize that she has promised an eternity of spending the Fall and Winter months at Henry’s estate, where she will be treated like a Queen. Sure — it sounds good. Being treated like Royalty and all she has to do is spend six months with this handsome stranger?

I hate to spoil anything so I won’t go into further detail about what happens when Ava joins Henry and his servants/guests at his estate. I just want to tell you that I immensely enjoyed The Goddess Test. From the very first page until the last, I couldn’t put it down. The Goddess Test is loosely based on Greek Mythology and I absolutely love anything to do with Greek Mythology. I feel very fortunate to not only have been able to read this prior to it’s release, but I loved discovering a new author, Aimee Carter. I wish the author much success with this novel!

I received The Goddess Test from NetGalley as an ARC and am quite sad that I no longer have it in my possession as the books expire. (Enter very sad pathetic face, here!) I cannot wait until the second in the series comes out, Goddess Interrupted. I will be checking out @Aimee_Carter ‘s Twitter frequently for updates on the development of the second book. I only HOPE that I am as fortunate to snag an eARC for Goddess Interrupted as I was for The Goddess Test. (Yes, that is a not so obvious hint.) ;)

Anyway — I highly recommend The Goddess Test. It’s an easy and entertaining read and sure to keep you wanting more!



Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Genre, Paranormal, Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: #91 Delirium by Lauren Oliver

April 21, 2011 By 9 Comments

Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Pages: 448
ISBN: 978-0061726828
[Rating:4]

Synopsis: (Taken from Amazon.com) What if love were a disease? There was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it. Then, at last, they found the cure. Now, everything is different. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Haloway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. But then, with only ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable.

Review:

Delirium was written by award winning author Lauren Oliver, who wrote popular YA novel Before I Fall. I have heard a lot of wonderful things about Lauren Oliver’s work and have owned Before I Fall for months now, yet Delirium was my first true experience with this new author. When I heard that Delirium was a dystopian novel, I had to read it and pushed it to the front of my “to be read” pile. Delirium was a bit different as it wasn’t a focus on futuristic devices as I’ve seen in many other dystopian novels. Delirium plays with your mind, making a very realistic world and made the thought of such a strict government all the more scary. What is America without its freedom? In the future, the United States of America is extremely regulated and partnerships are made; and made without love You see, love is a disease and a disease to be feared.

The book is about a naive young girl named Lena (short for Magdalena) and she is preparing for her evaluations. She has never had a boyfriend, nor has she ever had any real interest in having one. Gender mixing is not allowed, not until people are “cured” but even then, they are usually already paired and married; destined to spend their life with a stranger. The evaluations are a time to impress the judges as they will set up each person with a fitting partner as well as decide what their future careers will be. The evaluations are meant to impress and people spend a long time in preparation for this special event.

What bothered me most about this dystopian world is the relationship between parent and child. When the government removes the feelings of love from a person’s brain through “the” operation, this also prevents loving feelings for their own children. Although the children grow up with the capacity to love, they grow up not feeling it in return. Isn’t that absolutely horrific? Lena was, in a sense, blessed. The operation failed on her mother and Lena grew up very loved and had a very different relationship with her mother than was normally allowed.

Years after Lena’s mother’s suicide — she begins to question everything. Enter Alex — a cured. Is life without love really a life worth living?

Although it took me a while to really get into the book — once Lena meets Alex and they begin to spend time together, I couldn’t put the book down. Lena’s transformation and character growth is amazing. Delirium is a thought provoking read and worth the add to your “must-read” dystopian collection. Although the beginning is stuffed with background information, it is worth pushing through and getting to the real meat of the story. I recommend picking up Delirium. You will love it.

 

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Dystopian, Reviews, Romance, Suspense, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: #90 Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves @DiaReeves

April 12, 2011 By 7 Comments

Title: Slice of Cherry
Author: Dia Reeves
Pages: 512
ISBN: 1416986200
★★★★★

Synopsis: (Taken from Amazon.com) Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.

It’s no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities….

Review:
I first discovered Slice of Cherry on another book bloggers “Waiting on Wednesday” entry. I found myself so intrigued with the description that I wrote it down and vowed to read it as soon as I could. Months and months later, I finally was able to obtain a copy and read it for myself. It wasn’t at all like I expected and that’s not exactly a bad thing. To put it fairly simple the book was, as described by another reviewer on GoodReads, “A Psychopathic Killer’s Narnia” and they couldn’t be more accurate.

We meet Kit and Fancy Cordelle, sisters of the exceptionally tight kind. They do everything together and are rarely without each other. After all, no one understands what its like being in their shoes; the daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer. No one else understands their urge to kill; no one except their father and he’s in Prison awaiting execution.

Initially I thought Slice of Cherry would be a realistic thriller about two young girls who are too much like their father and are too close for comfort. What I discovered was that it was a mixture of paranormal oddness. It made me wonder, “What exactly was Dia Reeves ON when she wrote this?” Even so, she’s quite the genius. There were points when it ran a little slow and bits and pieces that confused me. For example, Reeves mentions ‘cacklers’ a lot in the book, which were described as monster-like creatures. When I looked up ‘cackler’ google said they were birds and I kept wondering why was everyone scared of BIRDS? But it turns out Reeves has made up a fictional monster creature which may be mentioned in a companion novel, “Bleeding Violet”. For some reason the town these girls live in, Portero, Texas is highly magical/mysterious and not a lot of detail goes into what makes Portero such an open door to all that is paranormal. For a while, actually, I thought I was reading about a setting near New Orleans for all it’s voodoo like descriptions.

After I finished Slice of Cherry, I felt strange. Almost violated in a way; creeped out for sure. I even woke up in the middle of the night and all I could think about was how strange this book was. I am just at loss for words. It sounds like I am complaining but I am most certainly not. Only master story tellers can make you feel a wide-range of emotions, even emotions people don’t particularly like to visit often.

Slice of Cherry was a wonderfully written piece of new author, Dia Reeves, full of gore and magic, and more gore (and a little romance). I think for those that enjoy reading about serial killers, you may have the stomach to read (and enjoy) Slice of Cherry. For those who are super sensitive to horror, you may never sleep again.

Overall: Buy it.

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Paranormal, Reviews, Suspense, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: #85 The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

March 8, 2011 By 1 Comment

NOTE:

I thank everyone for supporting me as I went through a little sabbatical. I am much better now and am ready to continue on with my obligations. :) I don’t really want to go too into what I’ve been dealing with the past few months, yet. But I will eventually. So I thank you for your continued support.

Title: The Scorch Trials
Author: James Dashner
ISBN: 0385738757
Pages: 368
Review: ★★★★★

Synopsis: (Taken From Amazon.com) Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.

The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

Review: (Note: If you have NOT read The Maze Runner, please do not read this review as there are some spoilers. Instead, what are you waiting for? Go read The Maze Runner!) After reading The Maze Runner, I knew I had to continue reading this trilogy. After all, I am a sucker for a good adventurous dystopian novel and James Dashner writes a damn good one.

Thomas and a few select members from the Glade have survived the murderous trials of the maze brought on by an organization called “WICKED”. What Thomas and group fail to realize is that the trials are not over. They have only just begun.

A horrible disease has brought down the World; a disease called “The Flare” and the everyone has it, including our hero Thomas. In order to rid themselves of impending insanity, they must subject themselves to more trials and travel across the abandoned land called “The Scorch” and find their safe haven.

With Teresa being taken away, the boys are all given a specific role. What is Thomas’ role? His role is to be killed by Test Group B. You see, the boys weren’t the only group put into a maze but there was another test group made primarily of all girls and Teresa has joined them.

The Scorch Trials is riddled with new characters (eerily creepy humans affected by the Flare and have become zombie-like cranks) and Thomas finds himself unable to trust anyone, including himself.

The Scorch Trials starts quickly and is fast paced, emotional, and thrilling. Unfortunately, and I tell you this, you’ll be left with more questions and little answered. Looks like I have to wait.. yet again .. for a book in this thrilling series.

Overall, I recommend the read. Just make sure you read it with the lights turned on.

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Dystopian, Reviews, Suspense, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: #80 The Handy Law Answer Book

July 11, 2010 By 3 Comments

Title: The Handy Law Answer Book
Author: David L. Hudson Jr., JD
ISBN: 978-1-57859-217-3
Pages: 450
[Rating:4]

Synopsis: (As taken from back of book)

Everyday we encounter the rules of law — from the time we decide to get married, or perhaps divorced, to making purchases with our credit cards or dealing with bankruptcy. Who couldn’t use a legal primer that answers hundreds of questions related to the history and practice of law in the United States? Let the Handy Law Answer Book help you navigate the system.

You’ll learn how to find a lawyer; what happens when you file a lawsuit or are sued by someone; what your rights in the workplace are; and what you can expect when you have your day in court. Plus, you’ll get tips on how to read those legal citations, as well as discover some fascinating — and quirky — legal cases.

Combining practical legal tips with an exhaustive overview of the law in the United States, the Handy Law Answer Book provides a history of the U.S. legal system, including the personalities who shaped it. You’ll get an introduction to various laws, important cases, court opinions, and how they all might affect you.

You’ll find answers to more than 800 questions, including …

  • Where did the word “tort” come from?
  • How are the state court judges selectd?
  • Where did the first U.S. Supreme Court meet?
  • How does the law define “marriage”?
  • What should you do if facing too much debt?
  • What is a “wobbler”?

About the Author: (As taken from the press release)

David L. Hudson, Jr. is the author or co-author of 24 books including The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book, The Rehnquist Court: Understanding Its Impact and Legacy, and (as co-editor with John Vile and David Schultz) The Encyclopedia of the First Amendment. He works as First Amendment Scholar for the First Amendment Center and teaches classes at Vanderbilt Law School, Nashville School of Law, and Middle Tennessee State University. Hudson earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University and his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School. He resides in the Middle Tennessee area with his wife, Carla, and two dogs, Gloria and Gucci.

Review:

The law is everywhere. Especially now that the economy has been in such a decline — with so many bankruptcies and foreclosures. On our street alone, I have witnessed over 4 foreclosures in the past two years. Many times, the houses sitting vacant for many months. I can’t help but wonder — did my neighbors understand their rights? Did they hire a good attorney to help get them out of debt; to start over and/or to work to save their home?

The law and all it’s jargon can be confusing to anyone who doesn’t have a natural interest and/or experience with it. Sitting with a lawyer can have you twiddling your thumbs and going “la la la” as you struggle to understand a word they are saying. The Handy Law Answer Book makes that experience a little less stressful and may help you feel more in control of the situation as you begin to understand the process.

The Handy Law Answer book is organized into a very easy format, and written so its understood by even the most clueless of clients. The chapters are organized into the following topics:

  1. Constitutional Law
  2. The Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment
  3. The Court System
  4. Lawyers and Lawsuits
  5. Criminal Procedures
  6. Credit and Bankruptcy Law
  7. Employment Law
  8. Family Law
  9. Personal Injury Law

If you find yourself facing a particular situation, you can just skim ahead to the chapter(s) that correspond with your issue. Because so many people are facing bankruptcy, I’ll forward to that chapter to give you a little insight as to what you can find when you read that chapter.

In this chapter you’ll find quite a few questions answered (only a very select few being:)

  • What is APR?
  • What is a variable rate?
  • What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act?
  • What is the difference between a secured and unsecured creditor?
  • Can a consumer reporting agency send a credit report to prospective employers?
  • If a credit reporting agency unfairly refuses to correct a mistake, can you sue?
  • How long does negative information stay on my credit report?
  • What is credit insurance?
  • What are some ways to prevent identity theft?
  • What are home equity loans?

And the list goes on and on, and on. The chapter also goes into loans, debt collectors and the law, bankruptcy, Chapter 13 vs. Chapter 7. It is very unlikely that you will read the chapter and not understand your situation and/or the legalease you may come across as you go through your hardship.

Overall I found The Handy Law Answer book informative and an easy read. I only wish, though, that it included chapters on:

  • Copyright & Trademark Law
  • Starting a Business
  • Commercial Law

As those are legal inquiries that I, personally, would find most useful in my life as of now.  But who knows? Maybe David L. Hudson Jr. is working on books to cover these very subjects. :)

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: #73 Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

April 5, 2010 By 2 Comments

Title: Odd Thomas
Author: Dean Koontz
ISBN: 0007695381
Pages: 446
[Rating:4]

Synopsis: (Taken from Amazon.com) The dead don’t talk. I don’t know why. But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn. Maybe he has a gift, maybe it’s a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd’s otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo’s sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it’s different.

A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world’s worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd?s deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15.

Today is August 14.

In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares?and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.

Review:

In middle & high school, I used to read a lot of Dean Koontz (and John Saul). I don’t know why — but I just loved their books. The mystery, the horror. They just made an all around good read. However, years passed and I had not picked one up in a while. I asked my Twitter feed what I should read of Koontz, and it was suggested that I read Odd Thomas.

Odd Thomas kind of reminds me of The Sixth Sense — in a way. He sees dead people. He also sees these black, shapeless spirits that tend to feed off negative deaths and massacre. One day he sees this fungus face looking man — who gives him a bad feeling so he decides to pursue him and find out what his deal is.

What he finds himself in– is a whirlwind of horror. Can he save everyone who is about to be massacred? The thousands of people whose lives are in his hands?

The book, Odd Thomas, was an easy read. The only thing that I didn’t like was that he put himself into these stupid situations. Breaking into someone’s house — touching dead bodies at the scene of the crime. Odd Thomas, although likeable, didn’t seem all that intelligent with DNA matters. Although he mentioned DNA — he just didn’t care. But I guess it doesn’t matter that much when you have cops on your side, right?? Even so, I just wish Odd was more careful in this matter.

I definitely will read the sequel.. because it’s a very interesting subject and an addicting read. It is mystery with a bit of supernatural horror (although not too scary, by any means). It also touches on serial killers, which is of interest to you, then I would recommend this read.

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Paranormal, Reviews, Suspense Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: #66 Emma Vol. 1 by Kaoru Muri

March 14, 2010 By 1 Comment

Title: Emma Vol. 1
Author: Kaoru Mori
ISBN: 1401211321
Pages: 192
★★★★★

Synopsis: (Taken from back of book)

An upstairs gentleman and a downstairs servant share a secret love. The saga begins. In Victorian England, a young girl named Emma is rescued from a life of destitution and raised to become a proper British maid. When she meets William, the eldest son of a wealthy family, their love seems destined. But in this world, even matters of the heart are rules by class distinctions.

Review:

Emma is another popular series that keeps popping up around the blogosphere. I’ve seen it on many blogger’s websites; bloggers with varying tastes. Something about this book was attracting readers of all sorts — and I was determined to find out what it was.

Last week I ordered Emma Volume 1 by Kaoru Mori from Barnes and Noble. When it arrived later in the week, I was very excited. After finishing up some other books, I opened this one and found myself quickly hooked.

Kaoru Mori manages to make Victorian London seem anything but trivial and boring. Instead, there was humor and intrigue — and romance.

We are introduced to Emma — a beautiful but shy maid who works for a former governess, Kelly Stownar (who I believe is to be in her late 40′s/50′s).  Kelly is widowed and known to be on the “tough love” side but very quickly, you grow to appreciate her for her little comments and her intentions.

One day — a young man by the name of William (who comes from a wealth family) comes to visit his former governess, Kelly — who he hasn’t seen in quite a bit of time. Upon arrival, William’s face meets the door as Emma is on her way out, slamming him to the ground. William, ego in tact, is not at all disrupted by his fall — which is caused by a “maid”. Instead, he finds something about her — something captivating. He just has to know her.

Emma, even a low class maid, is no stranger to having men fall in love with her. Used to turning possible suitors down, there is something about William that prevents her from turning down his attentions. Emma, Volume 1, is a light-hearted and interesting tale set in Victorian England that will have you wanting to read more! I just loved it and cannot wait to read more.

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Graphic Novel, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: #65 Blankets by Craig Thompson

March 14, 2010 By 1 Comment

Title: Blankets
Author: Craig Thompson
ISBN: 1891830430
Pages: 592
★★★★★

Synopsis: (Taken from Amazon.com)

At 592 pages, Blankets may well be the single largest graphic novel ever published without being serialized first.

Wrapped in the landscape of a blustery Wisconsin winter, Blankets explores the sibling rivalry of two brothers growing up in the isolated country, and the budding romance of two coming-of-age lovers. A tale of security and discovery, of playfulness and tragedy, of a fall from grace and the origins of faith.

A profound and utterly beautiful work from Craig Thompson.

Review:

The first time I saw this book, I was in a little Japanese-style novelty shop in Winter Park Village.  (The shop, unfortunately, is no longer there!) I was interested to see a graphic novel that was as huge as it was and so unlike anything I had seen before. I did not purchase it then, but it had stayed in my mind since then.

After a discussion on Twitter, I decided to go ahead and make the purchase (once and for all) and I very much anticipated its arrival. Yesterday evening, I told my husband I wanted to read “a little”. He went to bed and I sat up until about 11:30 finishing off this tale by Craig Thompson. Yes, I read the entire book in one sitting.

Although graphic novels of great thickness can appear overwhelming — they are often pretty quick reads. This one took me maybe two hours to read.

Walking away from it – I felt a sense of sadness for Craig Thompson; both sadness and admiration. In this graphic memoir, he is very candid on his experiences during childhood and his feelings. You cannot help but read and sympathize with this person you’ve never met — but knowing he is indeed very real.

Blankets is a must read — plain and simple. If you are in the position where you need to read a memoir for whatever reason, but shiver at the fact that it’s not anything that you WANT to do .. pick up Blankets. It’s a tale that is anything but boring — and will keep you captivated until the very end.

I sure hope that Craig Thompson will write a sequel to this memoir, Blankets — as he has aged quite a bit since his childhood and young teenager-self. It would be nice to know what happened next, and what events took place that helped shape him into the successful graphic novelist he is today.

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Graphic Novel, Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: #64 Graceling by Kristin Cashore

March 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
ISBN: 0547258305
Pages: 480
[Rating:4]

Synopsis: (Taken from Amazon.com)

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Review:

I wasn’t sure about starting this one. Although I’ve heard so many good things about it — it just didn’t sound like something I would normally pick up and read. However, when I asked Twitter what I should start reading, this got the vote. So – with that, I began my journey into this fantasy-fiction novel.

Katsa is this young woman who has her guard up – literally. Trained and Graced to kill — Katsa has little room for human relationships. Being her King’s personal “go-to-killer”, Katsa is one of the most feared woman in all of the kingdoms. But — many people fear what they don’t understand.

Tired of killing innocents, Katsa decides to start a rebellion against her king and leave on a journey to discover and kill and even bigger threat — King Leck.

Katsa, head-strong in her decisions and feelings knows what she has set out to do.. but what she doesn’t ready herself for is falling in love with another Graceling, a Prince.

The only thing I did not like about this book was the beginning – the introductory of characters. I absolutely hate when books feel the need to introduce every possible character in a matter of pages. Especially when it’s fantasy characters with unique names. It’s very hard to keep track of who is who unless you have some substance to their character. There was a lot of opportunity to introduce characters throughout the book that I do not believe Cashore HAD to introduce them all at once.

This is the ONLY issue I had with Graceling, as it may be discouraging to those who aren’t NORMALLY fantasy-fight type book readers.

Overall the book was really good — and I read it in a matter of about 2 days. You’ll come to know Prince Po and fall in love with him as he’s so gallant and charming and it’s so obvious when he’s in love. The match in personalities between Po and Katsa is ideal as she is not much of a communicator of feelings or emotions, and he does all the talking. He knows what she’s feeling and seeks out to make her life happy and comfortable in any way he can, even at the expense of his own un-happiness. (How can you NOT love a man like that?)

I recommend this novel to anyone who wants to be introduced to this type of genre, as well as anyone who enjoys sort of a medieval-type fighting life with kingdoms — and timeless romance!

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Paranormal, Reviews, Suspense, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: #63 We the Children by Andrew Clements

March 10, 2010 By 3 Comments


Title: We the Children (Benjamin Pratt & The Keepers of the School vol. 1)
Author: Andrew Clements
ISBN: 1416938869
Pages: 160
★★★★★

Synopsis: (Taken from back of book)

Benjamin Pratt’s harbor-side school is going to be bulldozed to make room for an amusement park. It sounds like a dream come true … or is it more like a nightmare? Something about the plan seems fishy, and Lyman, the new assistant janitor, seems even fishier.

When Ben and his friend, Jill, start digging for answers, they find things that the people with money and power don’t want them to see. Could the history hidden deep within an old school building actually overthrow a thirty-million-dollar real-estate deal? And how far will the developers go to keep that from happening?

Ben and Jill are about to discover just how dangerous a little knowledge can be.

Review:

I received this ARC from the publisher, which was a real surprise since.. It’s Andrew Clements! I don’t think you could go through childhood and not know who Andrew Clements is! Needless to say I was very honored and excited to be reviewing in advance the first novel in a new children’s series, Benjamin Pratt & The Keepers of the School.

The first book in the new Clement’s series is titled, We the Children. We are introduced to an incredibly likable character named Ben whose parents are going through a rough divorce. He alternates visits between his mother and his father (his father living on a boat). Ben doesn’t mind living on a boat, because he loves sailing himself (and even competing in races!) Ben is a thoughtful, smart little kid who still manages to have his head on his shoulders even though his life has made a drastic change.

One day the janitor hands him a golden coin; a coin that must be a century old! With this simple act, Ben is thrust into a new world of information and puzzles that are meant to be unfold. He has to work hard and work fast in order to save his school!

I found this book an adorable read. It had enough puzzle action to have me wondering what was going to happen next, so I can only imagine how much kids of the appropriate reading age group would just love this book! I can not wait to find out what happens next in the series. What IS the secret behind the school and will Ben unleash it in time?

Filed Under: 4 Stars, Books, Children, Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: #1 – The Time Traveler’s Wife

August 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Book Cover

Book Cover

Synopsis:

Henry DeTamble is not your average librarian. A disorder he was born with, titled “Chrono-displacement” causes him to time travel to varying points in his life (both past & future) with out any warning or choice as to where he lands. When Henry travels, he arrives in his destination naked, nauseous, and often famished with ultimate hunger. Living with this disorder since he was very young, he wasn’t completely surprised when (in his 30s) a beautiful, young woman named Clare Abshire finds him and shares obvious excitement in their reunion. Henry, as far as he knows, has never seen her before in his entire life. Claire, on the other hand, has known him since she was six.

Review:

Niffenegger manages to take a science fiction idea (i.e. time travel) and write it into a fiction novel that makes the idea of time travel almost realistic.  Time travel goes from nerdy-geek to romantic-chic. The Time Traveler’s wife draws you into the story almost instantly and keeps you there until the very end.

The story is split between two different point of views (Henry and Clare). Each chapter takes place in a different time and place and point of view. While (at first) it’s confusing keeping track of the dates and ages – it all seems to wrap up by the very end and make perfect sense.  To be honest, however, I found parts to be lacking. For one – when Henry meets Clare in his present day, he is currently in a troublesome relationship with a troubled soul named Ingrid. One date with Clare and he dumps Ingrid flat and is instantly transformed by his love for Clare. Personally, if I was on a date with someone I have never met before and they were telling me all about how much they loved me and how we would eventually marry, it would sort of creep me out. At this point in time Henry is something of a “womanizer” and a bit of “trouble”. I couldn’t imagine Henry at his present day on a date with a woman, hearing her stories, and thinking, “Wow! Let me stop sewing my wild oats and drop everything and be with this woman!”

Their relationship, although full of passion and romance,  seems (at times) masochistic.  While Henry disappears at random times, Clare is expected to just sit and wait for his return. Sometimes the dynamic between the two main characters just seemed down right dirty. Although all interactions between Henry (age 30-something) and his future wife (as a child) were G-rated – the idea that he was there to see his child-bride seemed sort of.. off. Much like the interactions with Jacob and Baby Renesme in the Twilight Series. Something about it was just “icky”.

Overall the book was engaging and intriguing although not without fault. Niffenegger managed to take a difficult concept and tie things together so that questions did not go unanswered. The characters lacked impressive growth, but still likeable enough to continue reading without a second thought. Although this novel was far from perfect, it was still an interesting read and something I will recommend to others.

★★★★★
Filed Under: 4 Stars, Mainstream Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,