Monday, October 28, 2013

THE BLACK COUNTRY by Alex Grecian

Ah, another Alex Grecian novel! I so enjoyed the first in his Murder Squad series, THE YARD, and I was delighted at the chance to read the follow-up. While THE YARD was a police procedural at the dawn of forensic medicine, THE BLACK COUNTRY is darker, and more of a thriller than a procedural. That said, it was quite entertaining. Inspector Day, Sergeant Hammersmith, and Dr. Kingsley are sent to a coal town in the Midlands, where three villagers are missing. The village, built over the mines, could literally collapse at any moment, making for a dark sense of foreboding over the whole book. Portrayals of Victorian life and coal-mining are gritty and unflinching, with a sense of despair hanging over the whole village. Day and Hammersmith have a charming relationship and Kingsley adds his cutting-edge science to the mix. I had difficulty putting this one down to sleep. Source disclosure: I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher.

Hmmmmm...

Allison: So an idea for a book blog name just popped into my head, and since WordPress lets me play on my phone without investing much time and energy, I started a book blog here: Nor Any Drop To Read. I am going to cross-post here for a while before deciding what I want to do, book blog-wise.

THE ABSENCE OF MERCY by John Burley

I could subtitle this review “I was so bored.” The premise was enchanting; the execution, not so much. Dr. Ben Stevenson, pathologist, is a small-town medical examiner, a very undemanding job until the first victim of a serial killer turns up, mutilated, and the second is a friend of his oldest son’s. The killer eventually begins taunting Stevenson, who fears for his family, yadda, yadda, yadda. You might think it is not easy to make a serial killer book boring. I knew I was in trouble when the first pages were from the point-of-view of Unknown Psychopathic Killer. This rarely bodes well in my experience. However, I gave the book the benefit of the doubt and soldiered on. After all, a small-town medical examiner is a favorite premise of mine, and the father struggling with his fears could be a fascinating psychological portrait. Could be. So, here’s where the book lost me. The crazily shifting point-of-view meant I never identified with any of the characters and I wasn’t invested in the outcome to begin with. Clunky foreshadowing and anvil-on-the-head hints meant that I was just waiting for the characters to finally catch up to me (sadly, I was not mistaken when I guessed the outcome early on). When they finally did catch up, the book dragged on for some time for no apparent reason, to an ultimately unsatisfying conclusion. I didn’t even care that the ending was unsatisfying, because, thank the literature gods, the book was over! Source disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Picture Book Thursday: SCAREDY SQUIRREL PREPARES FOR HALLOWEEN by Melanie Watts

The subtitle for this chapter/picture book is "A Safety Guide for Scaredies." If you're familiar with Scaredy Squirrel (and if you have a young child, you SHOULD be), you'll remember that Scaredy Squirrel is scared of EVERYTHING. Loud noises, surprises, germs. So, naturally, Halloween is TERRIFYING for him. He has put together this handy guide to surviving Halloween; he offers tips on safe trick-or-treating, non-scary costume ideas, a field guide to monsters, and more. The child who is apprehensive about Halloween will adore this tongue-in-cheek guide, and the parent who is apprehensive about Halloween will appreciate Scaredy Squirrel's rules that include having an adult check all candy before eating any.

Lilah's comments: Scaredy Squirrel is hilarious. This is a funny guide to Halloween, but he also has some really smart ideas! Like being careful when you cross the street and not using an ax to carve your pumpkin.

Mom's comments: I think this is a great book to read to nervous children who aren't sure what to expect with Halloween approaching. My almost-seven-year-old is on the young side for this one, but she still enjoyed it. When she was 3 or 4, it would have been perfect, since she's a bit of a scaredy squirrel herself. Scaredy Squirrel is loads of fun in his more traditional picture books, and he's fun in this "chapter" how-to guide as well. Lilah and I both enjoyed reading it; I just think that it could be a godsend for parents of younger, nervous children, as well as being fun and entertaining.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title courtesy of the publisher.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

PICTURE BOOK THURSDAY: DREAM ANIMALS: A BEDTIME JOURNEY

DREAM ANIMALS: A BEDTIME JOURNEY by Emily Winfield Martin: What a sweet, gorgeous picture book destined to be a bedtime classic! Each child's special stuffed animal carries him or her into a magical world of fantastic dreams. Who is your dream animal? the book asks children. The lush, dreamy illustrations are filled with enchanting details. I read this aloud to my six-year-old daughter, and we found it the perfect book to snuggle up with at bedtime.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title courtesy of the publisher.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

PICTURE BOOK THURSDAY: DOG LOVES COUNTING

DOG LOVES COUNTING by Louise Yates: Dog cannot fall asleep, though he's tried counting sheep. He decides to try counting other animals, leading to a clever counting adventure (the five-lined skink is the fifth animal he encounters; the nine-banded armadillo the ninth) during which Dog falls asleep and has a fantastic dream about counting. I read this book aloud to my six-year-old daughter, and we found it a sweet and clever bedtime story that doubles as a beginning counting book. Though my daughter is well beyond the learning-to-count age, she was still enchanted by the story. A new classic.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this book courtesy of the publisher.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Picture Book Thursday: PENGUIN CHA-CHA

PENGUIN CHA-CHA by Kristi Valiant: A girl named Julia discovers that the penguins at the zoo are brilliant dancers and she dons a penguin disguise in order to join them. They are not fooled, so she tries a different strategy: teaching them the cha-cha. Who can resist the cha-cha? The ending suggests that a future adventure for Julia is in store at the zoo! I read this book aloud to my six-year-old daughter, and we were both cracking up. It's funny and sweet, and Julia's ingenuity and determination are inspiring. The whimsical illustrations capture the grace of...penguins dancing. Highly recommend.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this book courtesy of the publisher.

Monday, July 15, 2013

ANNE FRANK'S CHESTNUT TREE

ANNE FRANK'S CHESTNUT TREE by Jane Korhuth: Wow. A Step Into Reading book (billed for grades 1-3) that tackles, in 48 pages, the Anne Frank story. I read this aloud to my six-year-old, and I was impressed. We've talked in a limited way about World War II and the Holocaust, but it's hard to know how to approach these horrors with a child. This story isn't sugar-coated, but it also isn't overly brutal for younger readers. It's overall feeling (though it acknowledges that Anne Frank did not survive the war) is one of hope, focused on the chestnut tree Anne could see from the attic window of the Secret Annex. World War II is simplified to a sentence or two, and the Nazis and the Holocaust are briefly explained. I think for this age group, that makes it manageable for sensitive children. The message is hope, and the story brings Anne to life as a real child. This is a beautifully told story.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title courtesy of the publisher.

Friday, July 12, 2013

THE LAST WORD by Lisa Lutz

THE LAST WORD by Lisa Lutz: It should come as no surprise that I loved this book; this is one of my absolute favorite series, and Lutz seems to have an unending supply of laugh-out-loud humor, bittersweet insights, and convoluted (this is a good thing!) mysteries. Don't read this one first. Read THE SPELLMAN FILES first. Starting with book 6 would rob you of the satisfying experience of watching Izzy (and her family) evolve. Isabel Spellman was raised in a family of private investigators, so it's no surprise she has trust issues and an interesting approach to privacy. It's challenging to sum up the plot for THE LAST WORD without giving away major developments in the first five books. Let's see: Izzy is accused of embezzlement, she and her parents are engaged in open warfare, Rae is up to something that involves a truck full of tear gas, and Izzy's niece is a holy terror. All of this is wrapped up in a witty, sarcastic, plot-twisting package tied with a sentimental bow, and I loved every second of it.

If you enjoy smart, snappy writing, tight mysteries with a witty twist, or complex, believable female protagonists, give THE SPELLMAN FILES a go. I was hooked from the first word.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title courtesy of the publisher.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Picture Book Thursday: SQUIRRELS ON SKIS

SQUIRRELS ON SKIS by J. Hamilton Ray, illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre: SQUIRRELS ON SKIS is a new book in the Cat-in-the-Hat-endorsed Beginner Books series and joins the company of Dr. Seuss works. I read this aloud to my six-year-old daughter and we loved it. The rhymes are gentle and effortless for the most part, the illustrations hilarious, and the story both funny and relevant. In a town overrun by squirrels on skis, the mayor calls for extermination. Luckily for the squirrels, reporter Sally Sue Breeze looks deeper, uncovering the cause behind the pandemonium. It offers one of the funniest indictments of corporate greed I've ever read. My daughter and I loved this book. She was cracking up and I was waxing nostalgic for the clever rhymes and humor of the books of my childhood. Highly recommend.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this book courtesy of the publisher.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

UNSEEN by Karin Slaughter

Karin Slaughter is GOOD. That's the short version of my review, but read on if you want more than that. This entry in the Will Trent/Sara Linton series is riveting, but more importantly, furthers character development is a way usually unseen in thrillers, which tend to put plot before character. Slaughter's characters grow. Every book reveals new developments in individual and relationship development. GBI Agent Will Trent is undercover. Medical Examiner Sara Linton is fretting because Will is distant and she has to deal with the shooting of her stepson, Jared, who is married to her arch nemesis, Macon detective Lena Adams. The Lena Adams-Sara Linton feud, which is, frankly, not my favorite. Despite the pages focused on this less interesting (to me) component, the book as a whole is fast-paced.

This is an excellent entry in a fascinating series. Will's pursuit of a mysterious drug kingpin and the raid are riveting. Lena's point of view slows things down a bit, but not enough to knock more than one star from the rating, at least for me. The novel is gritty and often dark, and Slaughter is fond of exploring the gray area between right and wrong. This makes for a compelling read.

Where to start? Slaughter combined two series, her Grant County/Sara Linton series, which begins with BLINDSIGHTED, and her Atlanta/Will Trent series, which begins with TRIPTYCH. The first combined book is UNDONE. I think you can easily start with UNDONE if you'd like. Since this is where the most compelling plotlines begin, that's what I would recommend. You can always go back and read the earlier books later.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title courtesy of the publisher.

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

TUESDAY'S GONE by Nicci French

TUESDAY'S GONE by Nicci French: This is the second book in the mystery series following psychotherapist Frieda Klein, as she assists the police in investigations. The first, BLUE MONDAY, fell squarely into the "okay" camp for me, but the series had enough potential that I was willing to give the second installment a go. It was probably my last Frieda Klein mystery. The plot setup is intriguing enough: Chief Inspector Karlsson calls in Frieda when a social worker finds her mentally ill patient serving tea to a naked, decomposing corpse. You have my attention! (The authors are married couple Nicci Gerrard and Sean French, by the way, a pairing that may explain some of the choppiness of the story.)

The reservations I had after characterizing BLUE MONDAY as just "okay" for a mystery held true in the sequel. Frieda is very closed off and I had trouble relating to her. She doesn't like to get personal, a challenging quality for a protagonist. While the premise of the book is interesting, the plot meanders, the villains are telegraphed early on, and I saw the "shocking" plot twist a mile away. A continuing arc for the series was introduced (the series is proposed to be eight books, so I suppose the eighth will be titled NEXT MONDAY or something?) that I found boring. I'm also tired of the "heroine in constant danger" trope of female-amateur-sleuth mysteries. Frieda says and does some dumb things that bring her into danger. Again. She, and not the crime, is the focus, but because she's such a private person, I'm not connecting to her at all. If the book were focused on how she solves a mystery, that would make the lack of sympathy tolerable, but the book is about her even though we don't know much about her. It's an odd setup for a series.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title courtesy of the publisher.

Monday, July 08, 2013

Netgalley Knockout 2013

Are you ready for Netgalley Knockout? At just about the time I think I will never ever ever be even remotely caught up with my review copies, along comes a support group for other bloggers in the same predicament. I've been mired in the Game of Thrones series for what seems like forever, but nearing the end of Book Five, I can see a time in the not-so-distant future when I might read something else! Here is the appalling list of books I have yet to read and/or review:

Update: As I request more books...and I seem unable to stop doing so...I will add them to the top of the appropriate list. As I review a book, I'll strike through instead of deleting so I can see my amazing progress!

LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program:

HOLY ORDERS by Benjamin Black
THE BLACK COUNTRY by Alex Grecian
ANTONIA LIVELY BREAKS THE SILENCE by David Samuel Levinson
SUBSTITUTE CREATURE by Charles Gilman

Other Sources:

UNDERCURRENT by Paul Blackwell*
SONGS OF WILLOW FROST by Jamie Ford

Netgalley:

THE SEANCE SOCIETY by Michael Nethercott
THE LITTER OF THE LAW by Rita Mae Brown
THE BONE SEASON by Samantha Shannon
WHEN THE WORLD WAS FLAT (AND WE WERE IN LOVE) by Ingrid Jonach
POWDER BURN by Mark Chisnell
MRS. POE by Lynne Cullen
GOOD GIRL BAD GIRL by Christopher Finch
CLEAN BURN by Karen Sandler
THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION by Paulette Alden
DEATH AND THE OLIVE GROVE by Marco Vichi
THE AMBITIOUS CARD by John Gaspard
LAWLESS & THE DEVIL OF EUSTON SQUARE by William Sutton
THE RED QUEEN DIES by Frankie Y. Bailey
UNSEEN by Karin Slaughter*
IVA HONEYSUCKLE MEETS HER MATCH by Candice Ransom**
TWERP by Mark Goldblatt
THE OPHELIA CUT by John Lescroart
TRAVELS IN ELYSIUM by William Azuski
TUESDAY'S GONE by Nicci French*
MURDER BELOW MONTPARNASSE by Cara Black
BOLERO by Joanie McDonell
HOLD FAST by Blue Balliett
THE LITTLE DEATH by Michael Nava
THE EMPEROR OF ALL THINGS by Paul Whitcover
THE NOT-JUST-ANYBODY FAMILY by Betsy Byars**
THE FIRST BOOK OF CALAMITY WEEK by Paula Lichtarowicz
IN THE MATTER OF NICOLA TESLA by Anthony Flacco
THE GOLD DUST LETTERS by Janet Taylor Lisle
MUMBO JUMBO by Ishmael Reed
THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab
HIDING GLADYS by Lee Mims
DADDY LOVE by Joyce Carol Oates
BLOOD ON THE THRESHOLD by Karin Richmond
SPILT MILK by Chico Buarque
THE SCIENTIFIC SHERLOCK HOLMES by James O'Brien
THE SEVEN MARKETS by David Hoffman
MAKE BELIEVE by Ed Ifkovic
THE PINEVILLE HEIST by Lee Chambers
THE REBELLIOUS LIFE OF MRS. ROSA PARKS** by
GERONIMO STILTON CAVEMICE**
VEGAN EATS WORLD by Terry Hope Romero
THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER by Mike Robinson
SIMPLY SATISFYING by Jeanne Lemlin
THE PANTHER by Nelson DeMille
BECOMING HOLMES by Shane Peacock*
THE SECRET KEEPER by Kate Morton
CHRISTMAS IN TINSELTOWN by Frank De Caro
SMOKE & MIRRORS by Ryan Browne
THE ICARUS PROJECT by Laura Quimby
THE DALAI LAMA'S CAT by David Michie
THE INFECTS by Sean Beaudoin
SOMETHING RED by Douglas Nicholas
WHITE FOREST by Adam McOmber
BLACK BREAD WHITE BEER by Niven Govinden

Edelweiss:

THE LAST WORD by Lisa Lutz*
AFTER HER by Joyce Maynard
THE FLYING BEAVER BROTHERS: BIRDS V. BUNNIES by Maxwell Eaton III**
THE FLYING BEAVER BROTHERS AND THE MUD-SLINGING MOLES by Maxwell Eaton III*
DEATH CANYON by David Riley Bertsch
THE ABSENCE OF MERCY by John Burley
DOG LOVES COUNTING by Louise Yates**
PENGUIN CHA CHA by Kristi Valiant**
DREAM ANIMALS by Emily Winfield Martin**
THE CONTAGIOUS COLORS OF MUMPLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL by Fowler DeWitt**
SQUIRRELS ON SKIS by J. Hamilton Ray**
ANNE FRANK'S CHESTNUT TREE by Jane Kohuth**
ESCAPE THEORY by Margaux Froley
TUESDAY'S GONE by Nicci French
GARLIC, MINT, AND SWEET BASIL by Jean-Claude Izzo
WACKO ACADEMY by Faith Wilkins
THE LONGINGS OF WAYWARD GIRLS by Karen Brown
THE CHALICE by Nancy Bilyeau
MOTHERLAND by William Nicholson
THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN by Hallie Ephron
FAIRY TALES BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM retold by Philip Pullman*
THE CLOVER HOUSE by Henriette Lazaridis Power
THE SOUND OF BROKEN GLASS by Deborah Crombie
COVER OF SNOW by Jenny Milchman
THE SUMMER OF DEAD TOYS by Antonio Hill
GET STARTED: GROWING VEGETABLES by Simon Akeroyd**
THE BIG BOOK OF THINGS TO MAKE by James Mitchem**
ELDERS by Ryan McIlvain
THE PERFECT MEAL by John Baxter
THE CHILD'S CHILD by Barbara Vine
AURORARAMA by Jean-Christophe Valtat
SWEET TOOTH by Ian McEwan
THE DEATH OF BEES by Lisa O'Donnell
THE AVIATOR'S WIFE by Melanie Benjamin
THE END OF THE POINT by Elizabeth Graver
THE SECRET OF NIGHTINGALE PALACE by Dana Sachs
A STUDY IN REVENGE by Kieran Shields
YESTERDAY'S SUN by Amanda Brooke
A KILLER IN THE WIND by Andrew Klavan
INDISCRETION by Charles Dubow
AMERICAN BOY by Larry Watson
THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin
GOLDBERG VARIATIONS by Susan Isaacs
AN EXTRAORDINARY THEORY OF OBJECTS by Stephanie LaCava
SEVEN LOCKS by Christine Wade
ASHENDEN by Elizabeth Wilhide
COLD LIGHT by Jenn Ashworth
PATRICIDE by Joyce Carol Oates
FLIGHT BEHAVIOR by Barbara Kingsolver
LIVE BY NIGHT by Dennis Lehane
THE HOLLOW MAN by Oliver Harris
THE GIRL ON THE CLIFF by Lucina Riley

*Already read
**To read with Lilah

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Picture Book Thursday

GOLIATH'S SECRET by Bonnie Feuer: I read this one aloud to my six-year-old daughter and at the end, she sighed and said, "What a delightful story." I can't argue with that. Goliath the frog is silent, and several animals who live nearby try to teach him how to talk. In the end, they discover that everyone has his own way of communicating and our differences make us interesting.

The illustrations in this one are gorgeous. The animals of the West African forest are drawn with gorgeous detail. The illustrations of the Goliath Frog in motion are particularly notable. A lovely story that has the feel of a classic.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Picture Book Thursday

THE DAY MY MOM CAME TO KINDERGARTEN by Maureen Fergus, illustrated by Mike Lowery: This would be a great book for a child entering kindergarten! The child's mom comes to kindergarten one day, and she gets it all wrong. She talks when the teacher is talking, makes huffy noises and slams down the scissors when she has trouble in art, and forgets to take off her outside shoes. The child must walk her mother through the basics of kindergarten rules. In the end, Mom decides that she'll go back to doing what she's best at, and leave kindergarten to her child.

For a child nervous about starting school, Mom's introduction to kindergarten rules and activities would be an excellent primer. It walks the child through what to expect in a funny, nonthreatening way. Even when Mom gets it wrong, punishment is not the result; her child teaches her the right way.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Picture Book Thursday

SCAREDY SQUIRREL GOES CAMPING by Melanie Watt: Scaredy Squirrel does not think camping is a great idea; there are simply too many hazards, like zippers and penguins and mosquitoes. So he decides to experience camping by watching television shows about camping. The only problem? He must set out on an adventure in order to plug in his extension cord! Along the way, he faces many of his fears and learns the joys of camping.

I read this to my six-year-old daughter, and we are both now Scaredy Squirrel fans. Scaredy Squirrel's charts, maps, and detailed plans are hilarious additions to quirky, fun illustrations. The narrative will appeal to children and adults - my daughter and I were both cracking up. And the lesson, that things are not as scary as they seem, that some things are worth the risk, is hard to argue with. A delightful picture book.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Picture Book Thursday

DYLAN'S DAY by Tim Hutchinson: Dylan, a very busy dog, has many things to smell, chase, and do, but his most important tasks involve the big fat cat that lives next door. Lush, multilayered illustrations invite a closer look at Dylan's surroundings, and the charming narrative follows a dog as he goes about his day. Children who love dogs will adore this one. I read it aloud to my six-year-old daughter, and we were both enchanted.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

Thursday, April 04, 2013

Picture Book Thursday

MR. FLUX by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Matte Stevens: Martin and his neighbors live in a place where nothing ever changes, and they like it that way. Until Mr. Flux comes to town...

I read this picture book aloud to my six-year-old daughter, and we were both delighted with the quirky tale and whimsical illustrations. At the end is a discussion about the 1960s art movement Fluxus, and it opened some discussion about what art is. This would be a great book for a child who fears change, or is about to experience a major change. Martin and his neighbors learn that change is not necessarily a bad thing.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

Friday, March 29, 2013

DAISY'S DEFINING DAY

DAISY'S DEFINING DAY by Sandra V. Feder, illustrated by Susan Mitchell: I read this early chapter book with my six-year-old daughter. We read alternating pages to each other. Daisy loves words. She keeps a journal with lists of her favorite rhyming words, cloud words, perfectly paired words, and more. One word pair she does NOT like was discovered by Grant: Lazy Daisy. She loathes this nickname. Meanwhile, Daisy is delighted when her teacher introduces the class to alliteration. She is inspired to create a new name for herself, one so delightful that it will overshadow the hated "Lazy Daisy." She hits on "Dynamite Dramatic Determined Dazzling Daisy," and requests that everyone call her that from now on. Her parents are good-natured about this (her father asks her to write it down so he can remember it) and her best friend, Emma, is willing (although Daisy notices Emma talks to her less when she has to use the long version of her name). In the end, Daisy sees the usefulness of a short, easy to remember name.

The wordplay in this book is just fun. At the end of the book, Daisy's word lists are included. Daisy's desire to be called something other than Lazy Daisy is understandable, and her alliterative adventure to find the perfect name is charming. When she realizes that her long name is causing problems, she rethinks it. She also has a younger sister, Lily, and patiently teaches her to ride a bicycle, a sweet addition to the story. Grant's selection of Lazy Daisy as a nickname also opens up discussion about name-calling and nicknames (Grant does not mean to be insulting to Daisy). An excellent chapter book for early readers.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday can be found right here.

Movies have a rating system to help guide the consumer weed out adult/violent/inappropriate kinds of films. Video games do, too. Do you think BOOKS should have a ratings system?

I really, really don't. I believe that parents should pay attention to their children's reading, and in some cases screen (a friend once asked me, "How old do you think a girl should be to read Twilight?" and I replied, "About 28") and definitely discuss, but I don't like the "slap a rating on it" approach. It oversimplifies. And in the case of the MPAA, let's look at the ridiculousness of a bit of nudity warranting a stricter rating than, say, a character gunning down dozens of people. I think that parents should be tuned in to what their children are reading, but I don't know that a rating system is at all helpful. There have been books I've picked up without knowing they were Christian fiction, and I wished there had been a warning label, so I do think an accurate synopsis/teaser is a good thing. My daughter is only six, but as she gets older and reads more independently, I plan to keep an eye on her reading, not to censor, but to ensure we discuss complex issues that may come up. I don't see how an outside agency's opinion really helps me do that.

Picture Book Thursday

WILLOW FINDS A WAY by Lana Button, illustrated by Tania Howells: Kristabelle is a bully. She makes a list of invitees to her fabulous birthday party and then makes demands, crossing names off her list when they fail to act according to her whims. Willow is not immediately the target of Kristabelle's bullying, but she knows she should say something when Kristabelle is mean to her friends. But she's so excited about the birthday party, and she doesn't want her name crossed out! Eventually, Willow finds a creative way to stand up to Kristabelle, who learns an important lesson.

This is a sweet picture book about bullying. Having Willow as a bystander makes for a great discussion with your child about excluding others and standing up when someone else is being bullied. My six-year-old daughter and I both enjoyed this thoughtful look at bullying.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

LULU AND THE DUCK IN THE PARK by Hilary McKay

I read this aloud to my six-year-old daughter after we read and loved LULU AND THE DOG FROM THE SEA. This is actually the first in the series. McKay has created the perfect series for young animal lovers. Lulu's adventures with a duck egg she rescues in the park were just as delightful as her encounters with the dog on her family's beach vacation. In this book, a distressing loose dog incident while Lulu's class is at the park results in smashed duck eggs everywhere. Lulu finds one intact egg and smuggles it back to class. Her teacher doesn't share her fondness for animals and makes the threat that if one more animal is brought into the classroom, the class guinea pig will be swapped for another class's stick insects. So Lulu is in a quandary; she cannot abandon the egg, but she fears getting caught and losing the class guinea pig.

Lulu is a sweet child who wants to help animals, and her care of the duck egg is charming. The somewhat traumatic event at the beginning of the book gives way to a perfect resolution.

My review of LULU AND THE DOG FROM THE SEA is right here.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

March 26: Top Ten Books I Recommend The Most

TILLY'S MOONLIGHT GARDEN by Julia Green

I read this book aloud to my six-year-old daughter, and we both enjoyed it. Tilly has moved into an drafty old mansion, far from her friends, and her mother is on bedrest for pregnancy complications. Tilly is having a difficult time, so when she is led by a fox to an enchanted garden, she makes a den for herself and befriends Helen, the girl she meets there. TILLY'S MOONLIGHT GARDEN is nothing short of magical. The blurring of what is real and what is in Tilly's imagination is beautifully executed, giving an aura of otherworldliness to the entire novel. Tilly plays with Helen by moonlight, and slowly makes a daytime friend at school. She frets about her mother: will her mother ever be well again? Will she really have a healthy baby?

Tilly's struggles are stressful for a child: an ill parent, a new school, loneliness. The moonlight garden soothes her and makes her daytime life bearable. There is no big realization on her part about reality versus imagination, but that just keeps the story more magical.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.

Teaser Tuesday




Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Was kissing her Will's way of making sure she didn't forget him while he was gone? Or was he marking his territory before he left town? Only one of those options was flattering."

Monday, March 25, 2013

Not much Dorothy to say "farewell" to

FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER by Ellen Meister turns out to be chick lit. I'm starting this review with a disclaimer that chick lit is not normally what I read. It is possible that this is wonderful for chick lit. I was drawn to this title by the promise of Dorothy Parker's influence on a modern movie critic, Violet Epps, who is witty and confident in print, but a disaster in real life. Doesn't that sound fun? The book promises that the spirit of Dorothy Parker will help Violet find her voice and blah blah blah. At the same time, Dorothy Parker will blah blah blah until she is finally ready to go toward the light and blah blah blah.

Where do I start? I disliked Violet. No, 'dislike' is too strong a word. I didn't particularly care about Violet, because she's not a fully realized character. She has a few "defining moments" in her past that are summarized for the reader, which I believe are meant to evoke sympathy. The explanation for her social anxiety is facile and, frankly, insulting, and a genuine depiction of a character suffering from such would have been much more sympathetic. Instead, we have a tacked-on reason why the "heroine" has so much trouble asserting herself outside her movie reviews, and naturally, she must confront that "reason" before the end of the novel and blah blah blah. At one point, Violet is reviewing a sappy film and comments, "I said a little prayer I save for these moments: Please, surprise me. In fact, I wound up saying that prayer about a dozen times during this movie. It was never answered." I could not have said it better myself. The premise of this novel had such promise, but instead of being caught in a refreshing breeze, I had to plod against the current of its predictability to finally, thankfully, reach the predictable end.

Violet has so much going on in her life. Her only sister died a year before. She is involved in a custody battle for Delaney, her thirteen-year-old niece. Her boyfriend is a jackass. She has a lame backstory to explain her social anxiety. A new intern at work is out to get her. I can see why she needs Dorothy's help. But even with Dorothy coaching her, Violet is reluctant to stand up for herself, long past the point of believability. I'm surprised Dorothy didn't tell her to grow a pair (or some more 1920s-ish idiom) and stop wasting her time. When Violet finally throws over the jackass boyfriend, I was relieved rather than triumphant. Check that box off the list of requisite plot developments and move on to the next one. Her plot with Dorothy to gain custody of Delaney is briefly a bright spot in the book: "'You simply explain to him that if he and his darling, long-suffering wife don't drop the case, you will have no choice but to tell her about the affair.' 'That's almost blackmail,' Violet said. 'No, my dear. That is blackmail.'" Then we go back to the main point of the book: Violet needs a better boyfriend. Yes, that's what I want to teach my daughter: become a strong woman so you can dump the jerk and get a nice man.

If you're drawn to this title as a Dorothy Parker fan (as I was), I suggest skipping it and rereading some of Parker's writings and Meade's biography WHAT FRESH HELL IS THIS? The Dorothy in this book, along with every other character, is sketched lightly with a number two pencil and colored strictly within the lines. I was (obviously) disappointed in this novel's lack of depth, but since I don't really read chick lit, I'm not sure if that's a genre failure or particular to this novel.

Source disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher.

THE DRAGON TURN by Shane Peacock

I really enjoyed the previous book in this series, THE SECRET FIEND, but this, the fifth in the "Boy Sherlock Holmes" series, seemed long to me. It simply lacked the tension that kept me turning pages in THE SECRET FIEND, and I found myself setting it aside to read other books. In this installment, one magician (Hemsworth) is suspected of murdering another (Nottingham), who happened to have stolen his wife away. Only bits of Nottingham are found, and no one knows how Hemsworth did it. Against his resolve to stay out of detective matters until adulthood, Holmes agrees to look into the case at the prodding of Irene Doyle, who has been offered a chance to sing in Hemsworth's show.

The solution was telegraphed from the beginning, which accounts for some of the slack in the tension. Wondering what on earth happened is always more engaging than waiting to find I was right. This book was also heavy on the love-triangle angle, which isn't particularly interesting to me. Angsty teenaged Holmes infatuated with two very different young ladies just doesn't hold my interest.

Even if it isn't Peacock's best, young Holmes is still very readable, and I'll be reading the conclusion to the series, BECOMING HOLMES, next.

My review of THE SECRET FIEND is right here. Source disclosure: I received a review copy of this book courtesy of the publisher.

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia. Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

March's host is Caitlin @ Chaotic Compendium

Yippee! I received an e-galley of the new Karin Slaughter (pub date 7/2/13)

Lilah and I received several e-galleys of children's books to review:

Thursday, March 21, 2013

LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson

Kate Atkinson is probably my favorite living author (though, as a rule, I'm not prone to absolute statements - hence, "probably"), and while I've loved her last few books about Jackson Brodie (CASE HISTORIES was a revelation), they did not make me set down the book reverently after finishing the final page and wish I could read them again for the first time. They did not give me the feeling, page after page, that I was reading something extraordinary, something brilliant, possibly the author's best work. LIFE AFTER LIFE did. I would give almost anything to be able to read it again for the first time.

LIFE AFTER LIFE follows Ursula from the moment she is born (or not) on February 11, 1910. "'Ursula,' Sylvie said. 'I shall call her Ursula. It means little she-bear.'" The first time, the umbilical cord is wrapped around her neck, and she is stillborn. But this is not the only possibility. When the doctor arrives in time, he is able to save her. Will she survive the influenza epidemic? A child murderer? An abusive husband? The Blitz? Will she change the course of World War II (and the world)? Atkinson deftly weaves a story of infinite layers, going over and over the same pivotal events with a delicate brush, exploring how the tiniest of changes can have far-ranging effects on the future.

Ursula is born feeling the weight of these layers of possibilities. "The past was a jumble in her mind, not the straight line that it was for Pamela." She has memories or impressions of things that will happen, but she learns not to talk about them. She does, however, follow her instincts, acting with no apparent purpose, but for the whispers of her mind, the echoes of other possible worlds. Atkinson brutally repeats a story with nuance after nuance ending in tragedy. It's an extraordinary reading experience, to mourn at once in so many different ways, to hope in so many different ways.

This sounds confusing and hard to keep straight, but it isn't. Atkinson has managed to create a world in which many different realities are simultaneously true (what is true, really?) and layered so skillfully that they can coexist in the reader's mind.

I read LIFE AFTER LIFE on my Kindle, and I highlighted about a quarter of it. I really expected to write a tome of a review, but I'm too envious of first-time readers to say too much and spoil the experience.

Available April 2.

Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher. I will also be purchasing a hard copy.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday can be found right here.

Happy Spring Equinox, everyone! What book are YOU choosing to celebrate with?

I actually don't change my reading based on time of year or holidays, for the most part. In summer, I find myself reading lighter fare, and I have Christmas favorites that come out annually, but spring doesn't have a set reading list for me. I'm continuing with the books I'm currently reading (and since there are more than usual - I generally read one at a time - perhaps that's an indication of spring restlessness).