21

October 2016 Reads

Life According to Steph

Today I’m joining Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books linkup to share my October 2016 reads.  October wasn’t a great reading month for me.  I only read seven books, which is on the low end for me.  Recently, I’ve been struggling with finding time to read.  I have books that I want to read, but I’ve only been reading in snippets  – a few minutes in the car while waiting to pick up the kids from after school activities, a few chapters before bed, etc.  There’s just so many other distractions.  Darn you Netflix!  Add in podcast listening, magazine reading, cooking, cleaning and the whole parenting thing and reading has been relegated to the bottom of my list of things to do.  November is not off to a great start either, but I’m hoping my reading time will pick up soon!  Here’s my October 2016 reads, ordered by rating.

2 Stars

29095402

Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra – A young woman pretends to be Bec Winter, a girl who disappeared back in 2003.  Bearing enough resemblance to Bec, the girl thinks that this will give her a fresh start.  But soon she discovers that it’s difficult impersonating someone she doesn’t know, especially when her family is acting very strange.  The woman realizes that whoever took Bec may still be out there. This book is a psychological thriller and is a quick read.  I read that the movie rights have been sold for this book.  This might be a rare occasion where I like the movie better than the book.  I didn’t connect to or find any of the characters likable.  Plus, I found the whole premise that this woman could impersonate someone and no one questions it so unbelievable.

3 Stars

24885809

Anne & Henry by Dawn Ius – This YA book is a modern retelling of the story of King Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn.  The story takes place at Medina Academy in Washington, where Henry is President of the student council and dating Catherine.  But then Anne shows up and he becomes infatuated with her.  Romance ensues but things don’t end well.  Ever since reading Philippa Gregory’s historical fiction books, I’ve enjoyed reading about the Tudor period. I didn’t find this retelling enjoyable and the ending of the book was infuriating.  However, it may be a fun read for a high schooler, who is learning about the Tudor era.

28113227

It’s Not Me, It’s You by Stephanie Kate Strohm – This is a recent contemporary YA release.  You can read my full review of the book on the Kiss The Book blog.

13151

London Bridges by James Patterson – This is the 10th book in Patterson’s Alex Cross series.  Somehow I missed reading this one when reading this series.  It’s a quick, suspenseful read but nothing special.

162085

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard – I was on a YA kick this month!  I finally read this first book in the Pretty Little Liars series.  If I was in high school I think I’d really like this series.  As an adult I think it was an okay read.  It has high school drama as well as some mystery and suspense.  Though not in a huge rush, I’m probably going to continue with the series.  I watched the first episode of the show on Netflix and it followed the book pretty well.

25324116

Private Paris by James Patterson & Mark T. Sullivan – This is the 10th book in the Private series, featuring Jack Morgan and his private, worldwide investigative firm.  I recently realized that I skipped some of the books in the series and have been trying to go back and read the ones that I’ve missed.  I find this series to be hit or miss and this book was just okay.  It fit my need for a quick, suspenseful book though.

4 Stars

27833860

The Girl Before by Kena Olsen -The only life Clara Lawson has known has been the one she’s lived with Mama and Papa G and her husband Glen.  Her husband took over his father’s business and Clara’s job was to groom and teach the new girls in preparation for their later life with clients.  But then their home is invaded and Clara is taken away and separated from Glen.  Institutionalized, she is questioned about her husband’s activities.  As information is revealed to her, Clara eventually starts to question the life she has lived and who she really is.  Told in alternating chapters between the past and present, this book was a bit on the disturbing side but engrossing.

Children’s Election Themed Books

election-books-final

With school elections recently occurring in most schools and the presidential election quickly approaching in November, I have been reading lots of election and presidential themed children’s books.  I have read some picture books with my kids as well as getting them election themed chapter books for them to read on their own.  This is by no means an exhaustive list, we were just very limited on time!  Here is a round up of the children’s election themed books that we have read recently.

Picture Books:

3017992

Madam President by Lane Smith – A little girl spends the day imagining what it would be like to be President.  The reader learns a little bit about the Presidential duties while the illustrations add a humorous touch.  (Rating:  3/5 stars)  This book was borrowed from the library.

2222710

Presidential Pennybaker by Kate Feiffer – Tired of doing his chores and being told what to do, Luke Pennybaker decides to run for President.  As he travels the country, he campaigns for the “birthday party” and has the White House painted orange.  But Luke soon realizes that being President gives him even less time for watching TV, bike riding and playing.  (Rating: 3/5 stars)  This book was borrowed from the library.

Beginning Reader Books:

26192655

How Not to Run For Class President by Catherine A. Hapka  – Third grader Will decides to run for class president with the help of his little brother Steve.  Steve is in Kindergarten, so the whole storyline was hard to believe.  Running a successful campaign is touched upon.  This is a level four book in the Step Into Reading series.   (Rating:  2/5 Stars)  This book was borrowed from the library.

29058863

Pedro For President by Fran Manushkin – This beginning reader book is targeted towards readers in K-2nd grade.  Pedro decides to run for class president.  His teacher Miss Winkle guides him and his opponent Katie Woo through the election process including figuring out how they will help the class, to making posters and speeches.  The book has three short chapters with lots of colorful illustrations.  The end of the book includes several resources including a glossary, writing and discussion questions and some school-related jokes.  As seen on the cover and throughout the illustrations in the book, there is a multicultural class of students.  (Rating:  4/5 stars) This book was borrowed from the library.

Chapter Books:

24684449

Double Trouble (The Doodles of Sam Dibble #2) by J. Press – Third grader Sam Dibble has decided to run for class president.  The teacher makes reference to the presidential election that occurs during the class election.  While this book is the second in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone.  There are lots of fun illustrations (doodles) throughout with short chapters, which makes this a great book for the beginning chapter book reader.  (Rating:  3/5 stars)  This book was borrowed from the library.

Middle Grade Fiction Books:

20613463

Ellie for President (The Ellie McDoodle Diaries #6) by Ruth McNally Barshaw – As editor for the school newspaper, Ellie hears about the upcoming school election.  Her friends convince her to run for class President and help her run her campaign, which means she’s unfortunately running against her friend and crush, Jake.  Will she win the election?  Although this is book six in the Ellie McDoodle series, it reads like a stand-alone.  Through the story and fun illustrations/doodles readers learn a lot about the school election process.  (Rating:  4/5 stars)  This book was borrowed from the library.

What is your favorite election themed children’s book? 

3

September 2016 Reads

September 2016 Reads

Happy Monday!  We are home from our cruise and I am back into blogging!  Unfortunately,  while I was away I missed the monthly Show Us Your Books link up.  Although I couldn’t link up, I did want to share my September 2016 reads.  September was a good reading month in terms of quantity, as I was able to read several books.  Here they are listed in order from least to most liked.

3 Stars:

26893819

The Girls by Emma Cline – A teenage girls gets involved in a cult in the 1960’s and escapes being part of a tragic incident.  Although this is a New York Times bestseller, I wasn’t impressed.

9843958

The Mistresses’s Revenge by Tamar Cohen – I recently read Cohen’s newest book The Fallout and wasn’t impressed.  This book wasn’t any better.  It shows one woman’s demise and that of her lover after he ends their five year affair.

28814842

Still A Work In Progress by Jo Knowles – This is a recently published middle grade fiction book.  Noah is a middle school student whose older sister has battled an eating disorder.  It appears that she has relapsed, which effects the entire family, especially Noah.  I think Knowles provides a realistic view of the ups and downs of middle school, friendships and family difficulties.

24921999

Unidentified Suburban Object by Mike Jung – This is a middle grade fiction book.  Chloe Cho is a 7th grader, Korean-American.  She is the only Asian student in her school.  Although she is eager to learn more about her Korean culture, her parents are very resistant.  The story was enjoyable until midway when Chloe makes an important discovery, and then it went downhill for me after that.

25734248

The Widow by Fiona Barton – This book is told from three different points of view – Jean, the widow, the reporter and the detective.  When little Bella goes missing from her yard and is never found, Jean’s husband Glen becomes a prime suspect.  Jean stands by her husband, even as she discovers things about him that she never new.  This was another book recommended, “for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train.”  However, I didn’t find it very suspenseful.

4 Stars:

13025

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll – Have you ever been confused as to whether you’ve actually read a book or just know the story so well from movies?  That’s how I felt with this book.  Prior to now, I’m not sure if I ever actually read this classic.  If I did, it was probably as a child.  My son and I read this book together aloud over the course of a month.  I hadn’t realized how antiquated the language was, however he understood the gist of the story.

26114146

All Is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker – 15 year-old Jenny Kramer is brutally raped and injured in the woods near a party she attended.  At the hospital she was given a drug to help her forget that night.  But now she’s working with a therapist to retrieve her memories from that night to help her heal.  This book fits the psychological thriller category with several twists.  Add in characters that are all dysfunctional in their own way and you have a good read.

26114135

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood – Wavy’s dad is a drug dealer and her mom is a drug addict.  At eight-years-old Wavy don’t speak or eat in front of people.  She has taken on the role of caregiver for her younger brother Donal.  When Kellen, one of her father’s workers gets in a motorcycle accident she ends up saving his life by getting help.  What ensues is a love story between a young girl and a man.  The book is told through the points of view of multiple characters in the book.  As disturbing as the relationship is, the story is riveting.

29437949

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris – This book was more psychological than a suspense thriller for me.  I found Jack Angel to be a psycho and Grace was naïve.  Overall a good read for me though.

25685283

Just My Luck by Cammie McGovern – This is another middle grade fiction book that I read this month.  Fourth grader Benny blames himself for his father’s aneurysm.  Since the accident, he hasn’t been himself.  Add in a teacher who starts acting strange and dealing with two older brothers, one who is autistic, life is tough for Benny.  Having worked with autistic children, I thought this book did a great job of giving a realistic look at autism.  It also touches on being kind and friendship.

 

21

August 2016 Books Read

Life According to Steph

It’s time once again to link up with Steph and Jana for their monthly Show Us Your Books link up.  This is the day that my Goodreads to read list grows tremendously!  August was a good reading month for me.  I read a lot of books and most of them were pretty good!  Here are my August 2016 books read:

3 stars

27208941

The Last Time She Saw Him by Jane Haseldine – When she was a child Julia Gooden’s brother was abducted and never found.  Thirty years later her two-year-old son ends up being taken on the anniversary of her brother’s abduction.  This is a suspense/thriller book that I found to be just an okay read.  Of course once you start reading, you want to finish to see how it ends.  However, I was disappointed with how it concluded.

26073074

The Leaving by Tara Altebrando – 6 Kindergartners went missing.  Fast forward eleven years and five of them return.  They are now 16 and remember little to nothing about their eleven years in captivity.  The story is told from three different perspectives – two of the abducted, Lucas and Scarlett and Avery, the sister of Max, the one child who didn’t return.  This is a YA thriller/mystery book that left me unsatisfied with the ending.

27209486

Modern Lovers by Emma Straub – I read The Vacationers and thought it was just okay, so luckily I wasn’t expecting to be wowed by this book.  Which was a good thing because I wasn’t.  This was another okay read for me.  College friends, once in a band, who are now adults with their own kids dealing with grown up things.

25056312

Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares – This is the fifth book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.  It takes place ten years after the last book, where the four friends are adults now.  I’m not sure what took me so long to read this final book.  I finally read it and was a bit disappointed with the overall story.  However, it felt good to finally finish the series.

4 stars

25613617

15th Affair by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro – This is the 15th book in the Women’s Murder Club series.  This series and the Alex Cross series are my favorites.  As usual, this was a quick, suspenseful read with a cliffhanger of an ending!

357664

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo – My daughter entered 5th grade this year and this was her required summer reading book.  Since she was reading it, I decided to read it as well.  I had never read this classic before and I like to be a resource for her if she has any questions with school assignments.  This was an  enjoyable book for both of us.

The BFG

The BFG by Roald Dahl – I love being able to enjoy books with my children.  Of Roald Dahl’s books, the BFG is one that I had never read before.  My son and I read this aloud together before we see the movie when it comes out on DVD.  This book had us laughing aloud at parts and enjoying the BFG’s nonsensical language.

26074181

The Crown by Kiera Cass – This is the fifth and last book in the Selection series.  It was not my favorite, but I was curious to see how the series ended.

23492533

Swear On This Life by Renee Carlino – Emiline’s roommate Cara tells her about the bestselling debut novel from author J. Colby and has her read it.  When Emiline finally starts reading the book, she realizes that the story she’s reading about Emerson and Jackson mirrors her own childhood with her best friend and first love, Jase.  Reading the book changes Emiline’s life and makes her confront her past.  This was an enjoyable read.   Although this was the first book that I read by this author, it won’t be my last.

25251757

You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott – In this book Devon is a gymnast who has the potential to make it to the Olympic team.  Her parents have sacrificed everything to support their daughter’s dream.  However, after a tragic death of someone close in the gymnastics community, their world is rocked.  This book shows the lengths a family will go to to protect one of their own.  Gymnastics has always interested me and been one of my favorite sports to watch.  This was my first Megan Abott book, but I’d like to read more of her work.

5 Stars

6

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling – This is the fifth book in the Harry Potter series and a reread for me.   We listened to this book on CD in the car while my son followed along in the book.  This book focuses on the Triwizard Tournament.

27362503

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover – I am a huge Colleen Hoover fan.  This book was a heartbreaking, emotional story of Lily in two different times.  There’s the story of her and Atlas in childhood and then the story of Lily and Ryle in adulthood.  But her two worlds unexpectedly collide taking the reader for an emotional ride.

27277172

The Choices We Make by Karma Brown –  This book tells the story of Hannah and Kate, best friends since 5th grade.  Hannah has been trying unsuccessfully for years to get pregnant and have a baby.  Kate has two daughters of her own and wants Hannah to be able to experience motherhood.  So, when the opportunity arises, Kate volunteers to use her eggs and be a surrogate for Hannah.   But of course things don’t go as smoothly as they hope and their friendship is put to the test.  This was such an emotional book for me. Warning, have a box of tissues handy!

3

Read It Before You Watch It – Fall 2016

Read It Before You Watch It Fall 2016

As a reader of this blog, you know that I am a huge bookworm.  I also love to watch movies.  However, I have mixed feelings about books being made into movies.  As a general rule, I have to read the book prior to seeing the movie.  I like to get my own images of the characters in my head as I’m reading.  And then once I’ve seen the movie, my visions are ruined because I then associate the movie actors and actresses with the characters.  Case in point, even now, while listening to the audio books of Harry Potter with the kids, Daniel Radcliffe IS Harry Potter.  Okay, that example may be a bit extreme, but doesn’t everyone think of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen?!

Second, it is very rare for me to watch a movie that is better than the book.  I end up feeling like most book to movie adaptations are just okay.  However, a couple of movies that come to mind that I thought were pretty good include Gone Girl and Room.  I’ve rounded up a list of movies that have been adapted from books that are coming out this fall.  Read it before you watch it!

13158800

The Light Between Oceans(September 2) This book was the winner of the 2012 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction.  I liked the book, but wasn’t wowed like so many other readers.  I will probably wait to see this one on DVD.

31360353

Bridget Jones’s Baby(September 16) In a rare occurrence, the movie Bridget Jones’s Baby the book will be released AFTER the movie!  So, this one you can’t read first, since the movie comes out on September 16 (my birthday!) and the book will not be published until October 11.  However, if you’ve read any of the Bridge Jones books then you are familiar with the character.

13547258

Queen of Katwe(September 23) This is a non-fiction book about a Uganda, teenage chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi.  This book sounds interesting so I may end up reading it and then watching the movie on DVD.

9460487

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children(September 30) This is a book that I haven’t read and am not sure that I want to.  Paranormal, horror, sci-fi, supernatural fantasy are not my typical reading genres.  On the same note, I’m not really sure this is a movie that I want to see! LOL!

22557272

The Girl On the Train (October 7) Out of all of the movies, this is probably the one that I’m most looking forward to.  I really liked the book and think it will be a great suspense movie!

17212231

Inferno(October 14) I loved Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons.  Somehow, I stopped reading the Robert Langdon series after that.  I even have #3, The Lost Symbol sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read.  So, I definitely won’t be seeing this movie until it comes out on DVD so I have some time to read both The Lost Symbol and Inferno.

3398625

The Lost City of Z (October 15 – New York Film Festival) – This is a non-fiction book about British explorer Percy Fawcett.  I don’t usually watch action/adventure type movies and I know that I won’t be reading this book, so I’m not sure about this one.

8621462

A Monster Calls(October 18) This is another book/movie that falls into the fantasy/horror genre….which is not my thing.  I’ll be skipping this one as well, but I’d love to hear what others think of it.

11650

American Pastoral(October 28) This book won the 1998 Pulitzer Prize so it’s a relatively older book to be made into a movie.  Based on the mixed reviews of this book on Goodreads, the movie actually sounds more promising.

41899

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (November 18)  This is another book that I have yet to read, so will not be seeing the movie until DVD.  It will probably be awhile even then, since I’d like to first finish the Harry Potter series with the kids.

Are you looking forward to seeing any of these movies?

22

July Book Reviews

Life According to Steph

It is time once again for Steph and Jana’s monthly Show Us Your Books link up.  I love seeing what everyone is reading and always end up adding way too many books to my goodreads to read list.  It was a good reading month in terms of number of books read – 13 in all!  It was also a pretty good month for quality in reading as well.  So here are my July book reviews.

2 Stars

16141924
Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan – While I enjoy Gaffigan as a comedian, I’m just not a fan of his writing.  The humor just doesn’t seem to carry over as well when I’m reading versus listening to his comedy.  This book focuses on parenting and I could relate to some of the book, but the 5 kids in a 2 bedroom apartment thing got a little old.  I enjoyed his other book Food:  A Love Story a little more than this one.

3 Stars

27206534

The Flip Side by Shawn Johnson – This is the first fiction book written by the Olympic gold medal gymnast.   In this book Charlie Ryland is living a double life.  She’s “Charlie” famous gymnast at the gym and the rest of the time “Charlotte” normal high school student.  Of course her double identity is eventually discovered.  I found the secret identity aspect of the story unrealistic.  I had to remind myself while reading this book that it is YA.  It seems a little young even for YA and although she didn’t read it, I think that it’s appropriate enough for my 10 year old to read.

27191350

Meternity by Meghann Foye – Liz Buckley works at  baby/parenting magazine Paddy Cakes.  Fed up with work and missing out on a Paris trip because she has to cover for all of the moms out on maternity leave, she decides to be pregnant and take “meternity” leave.  During this time, she will get paid time off to figure out her life.  I saw controversy on Facebook regarding this book with the argument that maternity leave is a time for a woman’s body to heal from giving birth and bond with their baby.  A woman is not having “me time” during this time.  Regardless, this book was just okay for me, as I found Liz not very likable and thought the ending was disappointing.

21525988

The Museum of Heartbreak by Meg Leder – Penelope Marx tells the story of her heartbreak through 23 pieces in her Museum of Heartbreak.  This YA book includes friendship drama, boy drama and family drama.  Overall, just an okay YA read.

18051946

Turn Up the Heat by Kimberly Kincaid – Bellamy Blake takes a vacation to Pine Mountain for a weekend getaway with two girl friends.  When her car transmission dies on the way to the resort, she ends up meeting mechanic Shane Griffin.  Of  course there is instant attraction and they end up falling in love.  This book was a bit cheesy for me, with the romance being too convenient and set up for my liking.  I haven’t read a romance genre book in awhile and only read this one for a goodreads book reading challenge.  This was probably closer to a 2.5 rating on goodreads for me, but I gave it a 3 since they don’t let you give 1/2 stars.

17083641

When the Morning Glory Blooms by Cynthia Ruchti – This book tells the story of three women in three different time periods:  Anna (1890), Ivy (1950’s) and Becky/Lauren (present) who experience pregnancy out of wedlock.  I didn’t realize that this book was Christian fiction before putting it on hold and reading it, I found it a little to religious.

4 Stars

25937923

32 Yolks by Eric Ripert – This is the memoir of Chef Eric Ripert, of Le Bernardin.  After reading about his childhood in France and his culinary training, I have so much more respect for this man……and I need to eat at his restaurant!

22883759

Drive Me Crazy by Terra Elan McVoy – This is a middle grade fiction book that my daughter read.  It looked fun so I gave it a read.  It’s a cute story of two step-cousins on a road trip with their grandparents.

26192467

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin – I am a fan of Giffin’s and hadn’t read one of her books in awhile.  This book deals with how a death in the family has various affects on the other members.  There is also sister drama, friendship, dating and motherhood.  I found Meredith to be a pretty unlikable character and Josie and Gabe’s friendship a little intense, but overall enjoyed the book.

27161859

The Games:  A Private Novel by James Patterson & Mark Sullivan – This is book #11 in the Private series by James Patterson.  This book is set in Rio during the Olympic games.   This was as usual, a suspenseful, quick read.  I read this book at the end of July and found it weird to be reading a book that takes place in the immediate future (Rio Olympic Games).

7202831

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen – I have read several of Tess Gerritsen’s mystery/suspense books.  My husband and I used to enjoy watching the TNT series Rizzoli & Isles, which is based on this book series.  This is book #8 in the Rizzoli & Isles series.  The story focuses mainly on Dr. Maura Isles, which is nice since she tends to take a more minor role in the other books.  This was a suspenseful page-turner which I enjoyed.  Plus, it was a book that I finally read from my own bookshelf!

6021523

Summer House by Nancy Thayer – This is the story of a wealthy family and their drama spending the summer at the family house in Nantucket.   Thayer’s books tend to be summer reads for me, as they often take place in the summer on various island and beach locations.  This book kept my interest, however I didn’t like how some things were unresolved.
5510384
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins – I have read most of Hopkins books and am a fan of her YA books written in poetry form.  While I enjoy her writing style, I have to admit that this book’s topic was almost too much for me.  The books focuses on five teenagers with dysfunctional lives who end up turning “tricks” to survive.  It’s disturbing and heartbreaking to read but even scarier to realize that this kind of stuff is happening in real life.

 

1

The Tween Reads June 2016 Part 2

The Tween Reads June 2016 Part 2

My 10 year old daughter is an avid reader.  She wanted to write posts for the blog and thought she could share book reviews of some of her summer reads.  This is the second part of The Tween Reads June 2016 book review post.  You can read part one here.

21991202

Ava and Taco Cat by Carol Weston –   Ava Elle Wren is a girl into palindromes.  She first hears about an injured cat from her mother who works at a vet. She really wants the cat and gets it for her birthday.  She names her new cat, Taco Cat. Get it? Taco Cat is a palindrome! For a school assignment Ava has to write a haiku on anything she wishes. She chooses Taco Cat!  In the meantime, Ava and her sister Pip are making a fish picture book. They try to send it to a reporter who is coming to Ava’s school, but he says no because they don’t want picture books.  He says that Ava should make a book on something she would want to write about, something that she is passionate about. Ava really wants to write a book about Taco Cat, so she does! I give this book about 3 and a half stars because I think that this book is a good sequel to Ava and Pip and the love between Ava and her cat.

*This book was borrowed from the library.

18079892

The Battle of Darcy Lane by Tara Altebrando – The Battle Of Darcy Lane is about a girl named Julia who has a friend named Taylor. When a new girl, Alyssa, moves in to the neighborhood, Taylor is all over her. Now, instead of hanging out with Julia, Taylor spends all her time with Alyssa playing a ball game called Russia. When Alyssa challenges Julia to a game of Russia that the whole neighborhood would see, Julia actually said yes. On top of having a first crush, secretly watching movies, losing her BFF, changing her room, playing Russia, and having her parents thinking about a new baby, Julia has to think about a cicada storm that comes every 17 years! I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because this book was a big, huge adventure and friendship battle mixed into one!

*This book was borrowed from the library.

6658685

Falling In by Frances O’Roark Dowell  – Falling In is about a girl named Isabelle Bean who falls into a secret world that no one knows about.  In this world a witch is supposedly eating all the babies and the children think Isabelle is the witch.  Isabelle meets a girl named Hen and the two go on a quest to find the real witch. When Isabelle and Hen come across an old woman in the woods, they instantly like her. Isabelle finds out that the old woman’s name is Grete, and that she is a healer. Before you can say, “Abracadabra”, Grete is teaching Hen and Isabelle her ways of healing.  Isabelle eventually makes it back to the real world.  I give this book 4 stars because Frances O’Roark Dowell is a VERY good writer. I have also read another one of her books: The Second Life Of Abigail Walker. Also, I liked this book because of the adventures and the very startling facts.

*This book was borrowed from the library.

13260524

Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand – Some Kind Of Happiness is about a girl named Finley who is forced to spend her summer at her grandparent’s house: The Hart House. Every week, Aunt Bridget and her kids stay, Aunt Dee and her kids stay, and Stick and her kids stay. When Finley arrives, everything changes. Finley has a journal that keeps the secrets of the Everwood. Gretchen, one of Finley’s cousins finds out about the Everwood and is now part of the story. Soon, one by one, all of Finley’s cousins finds out but they swear to help keep the secret of the Everwood from their parents. Finley has a lot on her hands now. Not only does she have to make sure everyone keeps the secret of the Everwood and not get herself and others in trouble, but she also has to worry about her parents getting a divorce.  She also wants to figure out the secret that the Hart family has been hiding for years and years that takes place in the “Bone House” in the Everwood.  Also, Grandma Hart may be old, but nobody but Grandpa, the aunts, and Avery knows that Grandma Hart has cancer and wears a wig. Read the book to find out the rest of the story! I gave this book 4 and a half stars because I think this is a heart-warming mystery for older kids.

*This book was borrowed from the library.

8565495

The Summer Before Boys by Nora Raleigh Baskin – The Summer Before Boys is about two girls named Eliza and Julia. Julia’s mom is deployed to Iraq and her dad is busy so she has to stay with her best friend Eliza for the summer. Things take an unexpected turn when  Julia meets a boy named Michael and decides to have a crush on him.  Julia and Eliza have a huge fight which causes Julia to leave Eliza on the mountain trail in the woods. This causes an uproar where the rangers and police come, and everything is chaotic.  I gave this book 4 stars.  This book is a good book for young adults or tweens that tells a lesson not to leave someone alone when they don’t exactly know where they are.

*This book was borrowed from the library.

 

27

June 2016 Reads

Life According to Steph

It is time once again to link up with Jana and Steph and share my June 2016 reads  This month my reading game was stepped up due to a Goodreads challenge that I’m participating in.  It’s a team challenge and the more books I read, the better.  According to Gretchen Rubin’s four tendencies, I’m an Obliger, so I’ve been reading non-stop, not wanting to let my teammates down!  So, expect lots more books from now until October, when this challenge ends!  Here are my June reads, listed from least to most enjoyed.

2 Stars

11260534

If Fried Chickens Could Fly  by Paige Shelton – This is the first book in the Gram’s Country Cooking School mystery series.  I like a good cozy mystery every now and then, but this book was just “eh.”  While I normally like cooking and food related mysteries, the paranormal aspect of this book just seemed weird.

3 Stars

16085481

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan – This book was literally about “crazy rich” Asians, with some characters being a bit “crazy” as well.  The story revolves around three super wealthy Chinese families living in Singapore and the effects that their wealth has on various relationships.  I found there to be way too many people to keep track of, even though a family tree is provided in the beginning of the book.   I also didn’t like all of the translations and footnotes at the bottoms of the pages.

25663545

The Dinner Party by Brenda Janowitz – The majority of this book takes place in one evening at the Gold family Passover Seder.  It turns out that each of Sylvia’s three children have their own secrets and grievances which end up coming out at the Seder.  This was an okay read about family and sibling relationships.

27821486

Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica – Out of the three books that I have read by Kubica, this is my least favorite.  While it was a suspenseful read, I found the ending to be a bit disappointing.

25785368

The Fallout by Tamar Cohen – I heard about this book from the For Crying out Loud podcast with Lynette Carolla and Stefanie Wilder-Taylor.  Guest, author Caroline Kepnes recommended this book, so I thought I should give it a try, since I’ve liked Kepnes’ books.  The book is about two couples who are best friends.  But when one of the husband’s decides to leave his wife, his choice affects all three of them.  Unfortunately, this book didn’t do it for me.  I found all of the characters really unlikable and annoying.

22918050

The Heir by Kiera Cass – This is the 4th book in the Selection series.  I enjoyed seeing how Princess Eadlyn deals with the Selection.  However, this book seemed to drag and not really get anywhere.  I need to read book 5 to see how the Selection ends.

4 Stars
25066591

Cross Justice by James Patterson – I know Patterson has gotten a little out of hand with the number of books he publishes and I admit they’re not always winners.  However, I really enjoy the Alex Cross series and the Women’s Murder Club series.   It’s hard to believe that Cross Justice is book number 23 in the Alex Cross series.  This was a page turner for me as we learn more about Alex Cross’ parents and childhood.

17340050

Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover – This is the companion story to Hopeless, but is told from Holder’s point of view.  I am a fan of Colleen Hoover and recommend reading Hopeless first.  Both books deal with the issues of love, loss and forgiveness.

5 Stars
7824322

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys – This is a YA book that takes place in 1941.  It tells the story of Lina and her family who are taken from their home in Lithuania by Soviet police and sent to a work camp in Siberia.  I read this book right after reading Lilac Girls (below) which led for some very depressive reading.  Again though, this was a part of history that I didn’t know about.
25893693
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly – Much of this book takes place in Ravensbruck, the only all female Nazi concentration camp and three girls whose lives will intersect.  As much as I read books about this time period, I am always learning something new.  I had no idea there was an all female camp or the experiments that they did on the girls.  I also found it interesting that characters in this book are based on real people.

The Kid Reads: June 2016

The Kid June 2016 Reads

I do a monthly post and join a link up each month sharing the books that I’ve read in the previous month.  My kids are voracious readers (I wonder where they got that from?!) and I thought that I’d write a monthly post sharing the books that they’ve been reading each month.  My son will be eight next month but is an advanced reader.  He reads a variety of books but especially enjoys graphic novels, the Jedi Academy and the Origami Yoda series and the Diary of a Wimpy Kids series.  To expand his reading, I often put a bunch of books that I think may interest on hold at the library.  He can then give the books a try and any he doesn’t like we send back.  Here are some of his June 2016 reads.

8608968

Cheesie Mack Is Not a Genius or Anything by Steve Cotler – This is the first book in a five book series.  Ronald “Cheesie” Mack is a soon-to-be sixth grader.  In this book, he tells stories about his graduation, his older sister, June (who he calls Goon), his best friend Georgie and more.   This series is targeted for readers ages 8-12.

The kid’s thoughts:  I liked this book because Cheesie makes up his own words like splenderful and invents sandwiches like the BLART (Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Ranch and Tomatoes).    This book is full of adventure so I recommend it if you like adventure.

*This book was borrowed from the library.

16000754

Galaxy Zack:  Journey to Juno by Ray O’Ryan – This is the second book in the Galaxy Zack series, which my son is enjoying.  In this book Zack goes on a trip to Juno with the Explorer’s Club.  Zack gets partnered with Seth Stevens, the class bully.  They are supposed to be taking photos and videos of the cool things that they find on Juno.  However, Seth leaves Zack to do all of the work.  Zack ends up discovering a galaxy gemmite, a powerful crystal, but doesn’t want Seth to get any credit for the discovery.  He of course ends up having a change of heart.  This series is recommended for readers ages 5-8.  It is filled with lots of illustrations and short chapters.

The Kid’s thoughts:  I liked this book.  I’ve already read the first book Hello, Nebulon and like this series since it’s about beautiful, make-believe planets .  There is cool technology in this like Zack’s house assistant, IRA (Indoor Robotic Assistant).  For dinner they don’t have to cook anything, they just say what they want and it magically comes out of the wall.  I am getting ready to read the next book in the series.

*This book was borrowed from the library.

18689797

Shark School:  Deep-Sea Disaster by Davy Ocean – My son received this book as an end-of-year gift from his second grade teacher.  This book is about Harry Hammer, a hammerhead shark that wants to be cool like famous sea wrestler Gregor the Gnasher.  On a class trip to a shipwreck, the class gets trapped and Harry ends up helping out.  This book is the first in a series of seven.  It is illustrated and is recommended for readers ages 6-9.

The Kid’s thoughts:  I liked it because there were funny parts, like when Harry tries to beat Rick to the classroom and the door’s closed and he hits the door.  I agree with the sea creatures in Harry’s class that the Great White Shark is the coolest shark in the ocean.  I liked Harry because he’s serious and stands up for other people.  I liked this book and want to read more of the series.

*We own this book.

15798116

Timmy Failure:  Mistakes were Made by Stephan Pastis – When you’re perusing books at the library and the cover of this book has Diary of a Wimpy Kid author noting that Timmy Failure is a winner, you have to give it a try! This is the first in a five book series, targeted toward middle grade readers.  Although the book has 294 pages, it has very short chapters and many are filled with illustrations and cartoons.  Timmy has a detective agency, Total Failure, Inc. and a pet polar bear named Total.  Throughout the book, Timmy works on three different cases. I perused the first couple chapters of this book, which were humorous, but not such that I think my almost eight year old understands it.  I also noted a large number of words that my son probably doesn’t understand.

The kid’s thoughts: I liked this book because it’s funny.  Total the polar bear acts crazy and is funny.  He’s my favorite character.  I liked the illustrations in the book.  There were some words that I didn’t know but I could still understand what was going on in the book.  I would recommend this book to kids who like detective stories.

*This book was borrowed from the library.

22633146

Zac Power Mind Games by H.I. Larry – I had put this book on hold for my son, not realizing that it was the third book in the series.  This series features 12 year old Zac Power,  a spy for the Government Investigation Bureau (GIB).  In this book his mission is to locate hackers trying to access WorldEye, GIB’s satellite system.  A lot of cool technology and gadgets are featured in this book, which appealed to my son (see below).  This is a futuristic fantasy book with a focus on video games.  This series is targeted towards readers ages 8-11 and will appeal to those who enjoy action and adventure.  My son liked this book enough to request the first book in the series.

The kid’s thoughts:  In my son’s words, “this book was okay.” He likes that Zac Power is a spy and he likes the different gadgets that Zac uses during his mission, like the karaoke scooter and the stink bomb (the 10,000 dog farts setting definitely appealed to my son’s sense of humor!).

*This book was borrowed from the library.

 

17

May 2016 Reads

Life According to Steph

It’s time once again to link up with Jana and Steph for their monthly Show Us Your Reads link up.  May was a good reading month for me. I got a decent number of books read and I was able to read several newer releases that had come in from my holds at the library.  June is looking to be a busy reading month.  I am participating in a Goodreads group team challenge which will run from June until October.  So, I may not end up reading books that are on my to read list, but rather those that will fit the different challenges.  Note to self, I should probably not put a bunch of books on hold at the library, since they all seem to come in at the same time!

3 Stars:

25387896

The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee – This book tells the story of three American women living abroad in Hong Kong.  Their lives end up intertwining after a tragic incident occurs.  I found it interesting to learn more about the expat community but overall found the story to be just okay.

Opening Belle

Opening Belle by Maureen Sherry – Isabelle, “Belle,” is a managing director at a financial firm on Wall Street.  She is trying to juggle being a mom, a wife and a high pressure job and at  times appears to be failing at all.  I enjoyed getting an inside view of working at a financial firm on Wall Street, although I didn’t understand much of the market talk.  I found her husband, Bruce, to be really annoying and unlikable.  And unfortunately, I’m sure that the sexual harassment stuff that occurred in the book happens more often than we hear about, in such a male dominated field.  Overall, this was an okay, chic-lit type read.

4 Stars:
25852870

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld  – This is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice……but I’m pretty sure that I’ve never read the original!  Regardless, I found this book to be humorous and engaging.  It seems this is the fourth book in the Austen Project and although, they all appear to be stand-alones, I’m now curious to try reading the other three.

26109394

Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben – Along with James Patterson, Coben is one of my go to authors for quick, suspenseful reads.  This book didn’t disappoint, as I found it to be fast-paced and had me guessing until the end.

25781157

The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney – Three of four siblings are counting on the family trust fund, dubbed “the Nest” and have lived well beyond their means, in expectation of their inheritance.  When they discover the money has been used to cover their fourth sibling’s poor decisions and actions, they end up examining their own lives and making changes to adapt.   I was surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I do.  Literary fiction is not one of my go-to genres.  However, I found that the author captured family dysfunction in a realistic way and spun a story that kept me interested.

17838528

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson – Let me first note, that my kids loved the cover of this book and asked me, “Is this book about a dog walker?!”  Second, although this book is over 500 pages, it flies by.  After reading this, I first thought about giving it three stars.  I’m a big fan of YA books, but this book just felt  SO YA, if that makes sense.  However, if I fell into the YA age bracket (which I don’t by many years!) I think this book has everything a good YA book should.  Family drama, friendship drama, boyfriend drama.   It’s all in here.  Plus, it takes place over the summer, making it fitting for a light, summer read.

25614847

Untangled:  Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour – I have a 10 year old daughter and I will willingly admit that I am terrified of her becoming a teenager.  Not only for what she will be going through, but for what I will also be dealing with.  So, I’m trying to prepare myself for this upcoming transition, since times have changed since I was a teenager.  I thought Damour did a great job of describing the seven developmental transitions and providing example scenarios and advice on how to help both daughter and parent get through them.  This is a book that I will probably revisit in a couple of years.   I realized that this is the only non-fiction book that I read this month.

5 Stars:

15881

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets  by J.K. Rowling – My son and I got through book two in the Harry Potter series and watched the movie.  It’s fun doing this reread with him.   Since I read these books so long ago, I don’t remember a lot of what happened, so this is a nice refresher!

What have you been reading?